Motorbiking Across Siberia

The Ice Run: 16 days, 2,000km challenge riding through isolated Siberia to the Arctic Circle Temperatures as low as -42 degrees

Motorbiking across frozen rivers and lakes and wild camping on abandoned tracks, Eloisia Wild and Irene Lobo have just become the first all-female team to finish the 2,000km motorbike challenge across Siberia, culminating at Salekhard, the only town in the world sitting on the Arctic Circle.

The pair, both from London, set off on this challenge along with eight other teams in February 2014. Only six teams made it to the finish line; it was deemed the hardest year yet with temperatures dropping as low as -42 degrees.

In these temperatures everything becomes a struggle; it takes only ten minutes for food to freeze solid so loss of feeling in fingers and toes became the daily battle. It was not for the faint hearted.

The journey was made on old, rusty 650cc Ural Soviet bike. The bikes had their fair share of problems and struggled in such temperatures—by the end of the trip the pair were budding mechanics and knew how to get a frozen motorbike going. They spent a lot of time isolated and saw some the most beautiful landscapes in Siberia, and met some incredible guardian angels on the road.

The trip formed part of the Ice Run, a death-defying race in which Wild and Lobo were the first ever all-female team to step up to the challenge. The two made it to the end unscathed, but that can’t be said for some of the other team members who experienced a broken leg and frostbite.

Wild and Lobo took on this challenge to help raise money for charities to protect the beautiful Siberian natural habitat, home to many endangered species. They arrived at the finish line at 4 a.m., exhausted and ready for a warm bed. After completing the challenge they are taking some much earned rest. Well done, Wild and Lobo!

Category: Extreme