Day 7: Checkpoint stop

Laurance Yap

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Some of the wildlife along the route.

It's hard to describe just how BIG Russia actually is. We've been driving for three days now (and did over 1,000 km today alone) and we're still not even half way to the Mongolian border crossing. And we're taking the shortcut; keep going towards Vladivostok and you'd be on the road for another week.

While today was a "transit" day with no timed stages, we did spend more than 100 km off paved roads, exploring the gravel tracks on the way to Ekaterinburg. They took us through numerous quaint little villages (think "Borat" but without the vulgarity and newer paint) where cows, dogs and horses roamed freely in the street and where almost every kid we passed gave us a great big wave.

The rally cars attracted fans of all ages.

I also had my first run-in with the police today at one of dozens of roadside checkpoints. I know I wasn't speeding (the limit is 90 km/h) so I showed the less-than-friendly officer my international driver's license, the Porsche's ownership papers and otherwise feigned innocence. After staring intently at the papers for about five minutes - and asking me, I think, why I didn't speak Russian - he waved me away with disgust.

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