The border between Europe and Asia is nominally somewhere around the Ural mountains. Officially there was a monument marking the border, with a painted line depicting the demarkation point. The original monument is in Pervouralsk, a town with a name meaning literally “first of the Urals”.

On the main M51 just outside of Yekaterinburg, there’s a new monument about 20km further east than the original. The new monument is a popular place for weddings (particularly between Asians and Europeans I expect!). It makes sense to move it I suppose, the original is notoriously difficult to find. Put the new one on the main road and everyone’s happy.

The path up to the monument is strictly no vehicles, so there was no chance of getting a picture of the bike with one wheel in Europe and one wheel in Asia. Had I even tried, I would have been chased by the angry woman who guards the path – shaking her fists.

In my experience however, my bike is marginally faster than an old woman even when fully loaded. It was like a gunfight in a spaghetti western. We both knew exactly what the other was thinking. Eyes narrowed, tension mounting, eyes wide as someone yelled ‘Draw!’. I gunned the throttle and she gave it legs after me.

I just had time to get one photo before I had to bail. I felt like such a rebel!!