ROADLESS ROAD TRIP

What does a Russian country road look like? Something like this:

Yesterday I drove out to a Small Village about 150 km outside of Moscow, to check out a potential dacha spot. After about 100 km on a highway, I reached my turn-off point — a small Town of Petushki (“Cockerels”) —

Coat of Arms of Petushki, Vladimir region, Russia.

— and called the developer to give him a heads up that I am about to take the country road indicated in my Driving Directions, courtesy of Yandex Maps (a Russian search engine). Also, according to Yandex, that road passed through a picturesque Village with a pretty church, and I wanted to check out both.

Driving directions courtesy of Yandex Maps.

“No, no, no!” protested Ivan. “You can’t go that way. Bad road!”

“But…the Internet!” I protested right back.

In the end, the common sense had won and I decided to listen to the local, especially considering that I was driving a borrowed car in wet and muddy November conditions.

Road actually taken, in bright yellow.

It took me about 30 minutes to drive less than 15 km on the GOOD road.

The Good road, one of its better stretches.

Having met up with Ivan in the Small Village and checked out the local sights (photo mosaic below), I asked him how to get on that road which would bring me to the Village with the church. He took me right to it.

Yup, the “Road.”

What’s that dark spot in the middle? Lets take a closer look.

The Road: up-close.

Oh, that’s just a small ravine, with a creek, and some burnt logs strewn around it.

The ‘beyond’ looked a little more…even? At least the parts that were visible, before the road disappeared into the forest. But it still didn’t look like something you could possibly drive on.

The Road: continued.

The Road: satellite view — the way the Internet told me to drive, and the area up close.

A curious local approached me while I was standing there with my mouth agape. I inquired about the road and the Village.

“Oh yes, that’s the right way, just about 4 kilometers up ahead.”

“But…how? I mean…the only thing you can ride down this road is a horse?!”

“Oh yes, it’s no problem at all, on a horse!”

So, ladies and gentlemen, apparently Yandex Maps (and Google, too, as it also advised me to take this  ‘road’ to get from the Small Village to the Village) needs a “horseback” option, alongside “driving,” “walking” and “public transportation.”  Sadly I did not have an equine handy, so the pretty church was left unseen. I will come prepared next time.

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Between the Golden Autumn and the White Winter: Russian countryside in Grey November.

The village well — with a drop bucket and all.

A village house, ornate window frames.

Twin burches

Russian countryside, rolling hills, forests.

Russian countryside, meadows, groves

River; Russian countryside.

Birch trees

Not quite a road

A village house

Goats, Russian village.

Russian countryside, meadows, groves

Reflections

The Road

Russian countryside, rolling hills, forests, villages.

The Small Village

Pines

An abandoned bell tower, Russian village

Russian countryside, forests.

A cold stream; Russian countryside, forests.

Russian countryside, fields, forests.