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Adventure and freedom drove more than 3,000 bikers on August 11 to a sandy beach near the Russian city of Nakhodka on the Pacific Ocean, for an international meeting of motorcycle riding enthusiasts.

Over the weekend bikers and guests of the fourth international festival ‘Facing the Ocean’ invaded the Peschany Bay in southern Primorye to share stories of travel and a passion for their bikes.

“It is my lifestyle,” simply stated Markku Raunio, a biker from Finland with 28-year’s of riding experience. Raunio has taken four trips to Russia and the latest drive from Helsinki –Murmansk -Vladivostok has naturally become the longest.

“Russia is a very big country and it is not possible to see it all,” Raunio says, revealing that in future he hopes to drive to Magadan. According to him, Russian roads cause little trouble to him and his BMW. Russian traffic police are of no bother either. “Sometimes police have questions but most officers are good and stop me just to ask about my destination and check documents,” he smiles recalling his first travel in Russia six years ago when he was stopped 71 times, or about five times per day.

That first travel in Russia became especially memorable - Raunio met his future wife in a small town near Krasnoyarsk. “She did not speak English, I did not speak Russian, but three years ago we got married and now she waits for me in Finland,” he smiles. “I am happy to have a good wife, a motorcycle and good luck,” he adds.

First-time bike travels in Russia may also be of significance for Dominik Thys, a 30-year-old computer administrator from Belgium. Thys commenced his ride on a Ural bike from Westerlo on June 16, passing Germany, Poland, Russia’s cities of Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Perm and Yekaterinburg and then unexpectedly met the girl of his dreams in the city of Kemerovo. “When the bikers’ festival is finished I plan to go to Kemerovo by train and stay there for awhile,” Thys says.

As of this biking devotee Thys admittedly reveals, “It started as a hobby one year ago but I am hooked.” On his way to the Russian Pacific Coast, near the city of Tumen, Thys met another addicted biker with 12-year’s experience - an American, Doug Wothke, 41, who is driving his 1948 Indian Chief around the world.

“I knew about the festival in Nakhodka and timed my trip to be here,” Wothke says. He left Huntsville, Alabama in April and rode to Canada, then flew to London, subsequently passing Holland, Germany, Austria, Serbia and Ukraine, arriving in Russia to embark to its Far East. Wothke shares that he experienced no problems with his visa, police or his bike. “I built this bike last winter preparing it for the around-the-world trip. From the festival I plan to voyage to South Korea and then to Los Angeles,” he revealed.

“I love to ride, to meet people and see places - that is the heart of biking,” Wothke says proclaiming the great secret of all bikers and adding that people in Russia seem to him the friendliest in the world.

“I first experienced the world famous Russian hospitality in the city of Solnechnogorsk when a complete stranger approached me, hugged me and invited me to stay in his house. We ate, drank and talked broken English-Russian,” Thys adds.

Upon their arrival to Nakhodka’s festival Thys and Wothke were surrounded by Russian bikers who one after another similarly invited them to set up their tents near their sites.

Russian bikers who arrived to the festival from all parts of the country were also glad to share their travel stories. Mikhail, who drove from the city of Chita on a Honda motorcycle, shared that bikers had a similar gathering near Baikal about two months ago. “It was not that well organized and there were not so many people,” he revealed adding that Nakhodka’s event boasts a good program.

The opening of the festival with a flag and hymn, as well as performances by the Pacific Fleet Orchestra and welcoming flags of the countries whose bikers arrived to the festival left an awesome impression. Rock bands performed all day and evening while at night bikers sang their songs to the strumming of a guitar. A relaxed and free atmosphere at the festival, fortunately kept at bay any unwelcome episodes.

Personally I think the bikers will keep the memories from the festival until next year when they will corral for the fifth gathering turning it into a pleasurable tradition.

All four previous festivals were initiated and prepared by a known Primorye biker Igor Sokolov, or Sinus, who so far remains the chief organizer and driving force behind the bikers’ movement in Primorye. Additional information and pictures can be found at his site http://www.sinus.vl.ru