Alexander Shesterikov became interested in active tourism was a student. Who is behind his shoulders long solitary trips to the Altai Mountains, Karelia, Baikal. Most recently, he single-handedly won the Lena River.
He went to his journey in May. He returned recently. Net alloy lasted six weeks. And along the road – two months left.
– Siberian range of impressive! – Alex Shesterikov smiling. – For example, from Yakutsk to Neryungri, where you could take a train to go home, I was getting 18 hours on a bus. And in order to quickly get to Yakutsk, in the last days of the alloy was going on 16 hours sleep took 3:00.
Dossier
Alex Shesterikov in the 90s he studied at Altai State Technical University. At the same time he became interested in active tourism. He made a long solitary trips to the Altai Mountains, Karelia, Baikal. Participated in the alloy on the river Sandy and prolonged solitary alloys on the Yenisei and Lena.
City tiresome
– Where did this idea – a single rafting?
– I have long had a dream resemble the rivers of Siberia. I was held for the Yenisei. Now here – Lena. In general, I have more than 20 years in solitary go hiking. Basically, the Mountain.
– And Obi you will go home?
– Well, it’s too “oil”, and the banks are swamped her. The following year, going on the glacier Gebler, where the origins of the Katun. Enough wild places.
Such sunsets in the city will not see. Photo: From personal archive / Alexander Shesterikov
– And always choose the loneliness and seclusion. You run out of town?
– Oh, the city tires. The head of information overflow. And from the information you need to rest. The head should be “ventilated” at times. And the best – not occasionally, but as often as possible. My friends in the construction brigade where I work finisher, is already used to know that in the summer I’m still somewhere tear.
– From reports in the media about the upcoming thine rafting on the river was not quite clear what you planned to do …
– Then many journalists called, were interested in what I’m going to do. I do not like to talk about future plans. Not out of superstition. Just I think that a lot of energy goes into chatter. This is a strong misfortune of modern humanity that language instead of scratching to do.
And during a single rafting can meet fellow travelers. Photo: From personal archive / Alexander Shesterikov
One and without his shotgun
– All floated the river?
– No, only about 3 thousand kilometers. Almost from the beginnings and started to Yakutsk. Nagrёbsya, of course: a large river, where the wind is constant and although the raft floating down the river, but the wind has to go to the oars.
– Beautiful it, Lena?
– Very beautiful. To be honest, I expected that it will be more wild than the Yenisei. But it turned out the opposite. Yenisei was more wild. But even more boring, monotonous. Extreme, however, there’s more I got: there was a storm, and generally out of luck with the weather. And Lena weather spoiled. And this river, all of the islands and channels, at every turn – different. Interestingly all! Rolling Pins, all different shapes. Almost every town and village of churches, old, more of the XVII century, when the Cossacks with ustyuzhanami to go. Birds are very much – falcons, geese, ducks and cranes. Lena – the river is very clean. I have a habit before placed on the parking lot, clean the place. But even here there was nothing to collect, everything is clean – no bags or jars. I think it shows the attitude of the people living there with nature. People I met Lena, were very different from those seen on the Yenisei. There are mostly drunk swam. And here the most part – sober. Engaged in fishing, well, hunting in season.
The inscription on the sign “there – 59 here – 59” Photo: From personal archive / Alexander Shesterikov
– What are they interested in?
– They could not understand me at all. However, to the question: “Why are you here going?” – I’m used to, even when I went on the Mountain. People who were born, grew up, live in such places, get used to it and do not notice what’s around – beautiful, interesting, there is a good energy. And for this it was clear just what I need to Yakutsk, and I chose some stupid way to get there. They ask: “Why not on the road, then?”.
– Do not be afraid to be alone?
– No. Although many do not believe it. I Neryungri police when they heard that I come from a single alloy, all shaken up a backpack – looking for weapons. And I had nothing. The danger only people. I’m not afraid of the beast. Is that a bear zaderёt. But it is – the fate of Bear … I’ve seen on the Yenisei. He looked at me did not pay attention. Or pretended I did not see it. He walked along the shore and 100 meters, I sailed past. And Lena of large animals only seen a moose as he was hiding from the gnats.
– You said it yourself: are dangerous people …
– This time, neither of whom was not any aggression. And then it turned out that the Lena, in contrast, for example, from the Yenisei, a lot of people floated. Personally, I saw six students of St. Petersburg. Then, too, a professor from St. Petersburg on a catamaran raft. Some family went on a sailboat. People come during the holidays and fused. There are no accidents, everything went perfectly. Even gnats, when compared to the Yenisei, was not enough. Although when compared to Barnaul, the hoo! I came here, everyone says, “Oh, midge jammed.” I said, “But where, show at least one!”.
Local residents no longer appreciate the beauty of the place where they live. Photo: From personal archive / Alexander Shesterikov
“Kon-Tiki” on wheels
– On rafted What?
– Six cameras, and on top of the plywood flooring. Very handy thing. Chambers great – from the ZIL-131, somewhere meter diameter. Raft I have about 2 to 3 meters was. In this facility we are still in 2003 floated on Peschanka. And all three of them “kettles” were still. Send without life jackets, helmets without. A gerbil – river serious, the fourth category. There’s a 2008 or 2009 died MChSniki and Shoigu has closed the river for alloys. Well, we somehow had passed. We appreciated this design. It is a very clumsy, slow but very steady.
Another plus – transportation. There had brought the camera in a backpack along with an electric pump. In place cheated them on the road – in Irkutsk – bought plywood, bars, etc., to make the flooring. But the return trip I did not take the raft. If you do not mind, then we can throw. Such a raft out of the boat is not cheaper – 13 thousand rubles.
–Young people who are computer “you”, talk intelligently and boredom of urban toil and ache that would say?
– Ass of the couch should tear! I’m serious, no sarcasm. You just have to stand up and do what you want, what was going to do. If everyone implemented his dream, these actions would have been no less extraordinary than my single rafting.
Photo: From personal archive / Alexander Shesterikov
– And you yourself the first time as decided, sorry, “tear your ass”?
– Quite by accident. Friends went to the Altai Mountains, and I asked to take me with him. They took me to the Cardon, who Belokuriha from 25 kilometers away, and themselves are gone. This was in April. Snow. I lived there for one month in the cabin. I was so “getting through”, which is directly contracted it. Man must from time to time to visit one. The transition of the Lena I did not book with them took to general any incoming information was not. Some people ask me: “And what is there to do?”. There does not appear this question! Even when there is nothing to do, still quiet, peaceful feeling. That’s when you sit on the train, it would seem, too, do nothing. But on the wall directly climb! One wish: soon reached. A raft is another matter. One sitting, and everything seems normal. In the town so it is impossible. Here, if you have nothing to do, you need somewhere to throw or to get into the computer, fumbled.
However … Once I called a friend, Leo Shapiro, author of songs. It does not take a tube. I am writing text messages: “This is me. By Lena raft. Happy Birthday to You. He replied: “Thank you. And I’m in Amsterdam. “And I understand – to each his own.
– Interesting in your life!
– (Laughs) I want to be in old age was something to remember.
– What else you want to see?
– Everything! .. On the route walked to Thor Heyerdahl …
Source: The weekly “Argumenty I Facty”
Translation: Google
