Back on the road to Sudak I met the most interesting character of the trip. Anatoly is a retired Belarussian ballet dancer and every year makes a 4,000km 40-day round-trip from his home in Minsk to Crimea's south coast. His alertness, boyish enthusiasm, fat-free frame and freshness of face all belie his 55 years. His bike is rigged up with an ingenious home-made concoction of bags and boxes where every possession slots perfectly into place. Anatoly rides bareback in flip-flops and sleeps under the stars. I glanced back at my overfull and expensive waterproof panniers, recalled my occasional three-star hotel stops, and felt humbled. I told him his dedication was impressive. He shook his head modestly and told me about a 75-year-old Russian whose path he'd crossed the previous year. The man was on his tenth circumnavigation of the Black Sea - a 10,000km ride. "That's who I admire," he said.

I found two frames on the side of the road and decided to build a couple of fixed gear bikes.. Soo this is the Malvern Star frame.. The other frame i have stripped and are in the process of painting.. The front wheel on this is the original which i will soon replace with a metric Velocity whell like on the back.. But thats another $200! ha! Anyway been loving it sofar.. Ohh and i think i need a brake.. At least a front one.. Cool!