Day 40 – making the attempt to cross into Ukraine from Belarus was a breeze.  NO issues what so ever and odd thing was the guy

ukraine border

working in belarus side was so damn friendly to me.  I was thinking like what the hell the last two days everyone in belarus was so friendly but prior to all this majority of the people sucked.  Anyways after going through customs and immigration i make the 2hr drive into the city of Lviv.  Now this is my second time in Ukraine my first was when I visited chenorbyl and the capital city of Kiev. When I got into town the rain came back for me so it rained as soon as I hit the city.  I get to my hotel which was really nice for 21$ a night.  It was on top of a mall so I had to walk my dirty ass into the mall to get to hotel. Room was big had a kitchen fridge and thankfully ac.  Last day hotel didn’t and it was hot and I got eaten alive by damn mosquitos for keeping the windows open.  It finally stops raining so around 7 I go get money exchange and take a walk around the city in search of something to eat.  Now Ukraine seems to have these really odd bar/restaurants where they put a helmet on

stupid metere long sausage

you and you have to chug drinks while they hit u on the head.  Just weird shit so I found one near the my hotel in the center that was a old military barracks underground supposedly.  Walk about the guy says I need a password but he is speaking Ukrainian so I dont know what to say but says it over and over again an I say sorry I dont understand but I ended up repeating him and he says in English yes

one of the squares in the city center

that’s the password to get in.  He holds a gun up to me and says now you have to take this shot of vodka or I shoot you.  Well say no more shot it was and then I made myway into the ground for dinner.  I asked the waiter to just order me whatever he likes.  This fucked ends up coming out with a meter long sausage.  NO bread nothing just meat and little thing of mustard.  I ended up eating the damn thing but I felt like hell afterwards.  Afterwards got out and did some walking to burn that thing off and take in the environment.  This city was packed hands down the busiest city to date.  All the places had outside seating so came across this brewery right in the center so grabbed a beer from them and had a seat and just people watched till I finished and went back to my room for the night.

Day 41 – it was be a damn tourist again day.  I made the early morning treck up to the top of this mountain that overlooked the

the view from the top over looking Lviv

city.  It was a nice view but it was damn humid out that rain yesterday sure didn’t help anything out.  After made my way back into the city went to hit up this art museum but its freaking Monday so damn thing was closed.  Next moved back into the city center stop at a archeology museum and came across this medieval museum.  The archeology museum was tiny it only cost 2$ so I guess it is what it is the medieval museum was cool.  Just a bunch of weapons from all the different

inside the medievel museum

empires back in the day.  When I left the museum it was near this cherry wine bar.  I definitely didn’t have this the first time I was in Ukraine but I seen this bar in a few places now so I figured I had to try it out.  Needless to say I thought it was fucking god damn delicious.  Not to sweet and not super dry either.  Roamed around the streets went to this underground tunnel system that a coffee shops was on top.  I thought it be cool but it was literally just that underground tunnels.  There was this bar I heard about under the ballet theater that had a bunch of crazy drinks that came in all kinds of different  sort of cups from toilet bowls to fish bowl to a bong and a bath tub.  It also was said

dinner time

to have art gallery attached to it and yet again when I arrived it was closed..  The actual theater was closed due to construction so I am guessing it was all the same thing.  Around this time I was getting hungry and near the medieval museum there was a restaurant that you ate like barbarians.  So no utensil which hell yeah I’m cool with that.  The guy suggested the ribs ( I am not a rib guy at all) and again was kinda disappointed in the waiters choice wasn’t horrible but def not great at all and there was a line to get in this place.  Afterwards made a stop at a jager bar that was to have all these crazy cocktails with just jagermeister.  I got again whatever the bartender suggested and not sure what it was but damn it was strong.  After the drink It was getting late so I made my way back to the hotel.

Day 42 – Today was time to get out of the city and back to exploring on the bike and continue going south.  I had plans to camptonight and kinda figured and area that look like a nice spot to camp.  There was a lake and no houses were near by so looked ideal for camping.  On my way south I read about some waterfall to visit and I love me some waterfalls so put that down as

sweet little spot to hang out

a stop.  After about 2hrs I finally was in the mountains again and came up on this waterfall.  It was really nice place did the short 20min walk and just soaked up the moment.  On the way back out of the woods there was a bunch of little huts that served some kebab looking stuff.  They all served the same thing so I think the prices were all the same so found one that didn’t have any visitors so help spread the wealth.  Had a seat near the creek where I got a partner to hang out with.  This gap just came

pussy wants attention or my face

and jump right up on my lap and meowing like crazy.  I thought the thing was hungry so when I got food I try to give it a piece but the fucker didn’t even eat it.  Not sure what the meows were all about but def not food or water cause there is a natural water a foot away.  After eating my little snack of meat I continued my way south to my spot I had picked for camp.  This is when the roads became absolute shit.  Like literally pot holes everywhere and then after getting back on some normal roads my gps took me through and off road adventure.  No idea where this thing had me going but it was fun journey.   All dirt but went through some seriously deep ass puddles.  Shit more like a little pond.  The deepest one I actually almost wrecked in thankfully I kept it up right but the water went above my boots so yeah there waterproof unless the water physically come in from the top.  Waterproof does not work so much when that happens.  But it was fun and even made me feel more confident on the bike knowing the depth of some of these puddles which was all rocks and mud.  Anyways I finally

camp for the night

got to camp after about 3hrs the trail to the lake had a gate but it was open with no chain or lock so im like hmm okay going to keep moving through.  I get down and start  unpacking the bike and set up the tent.  After Set up camp a guy comes and I gathered he owned the land with hand signals cause he spoke no English and my Ukrainian is non existent.   I asked if I should leave with hand signals he said no. I ask money with my hands he said no. Confused if he even understands me but

little dinner for the evening

suggest in return a flying gesture and I give him the thumbs up. Grabs my helmet says come. Follow him up to this flat hill after ten min walk I’m standing there confused what is going on n then this glider plane comes down    so I’m like OK thisis sketchy but shit what’s the odds of camping in the middle of nowhere and get to fly so Shit let’s ride it out n up and away I went with  some random guy in the carpathian mtns of Ukraine.  After about 10mins we land the guy who I didn’t meet properly introduced himself as he spoke English.  He told me there is no wind so can’t control the plane.  Well guess that was good to know he informed me the land is scouts land and I said so is it okay to camp he said yeah no problem.  After which two people were at camp a girl and a guy.  The girl spoke good English and told me she is a scout she is practicing shooting cause she is joining the military.  They were about to cook up some chicken over a fire and invited me for some dinner with them.  Couldn’t say no so I sat talked with them for about a hour had a beer with them and ate dinner.  Afterwards around ten they were heading back to there camp which was on another hill near by.

sunset up in the sky

Day 43 – Woke up around 9 and started to pack the bike.  Right around the time I finished packing everything up the guy came down and invited me for some eggs and tea.  So we walked over to this cabin he has in the woods for the scouts I guess and made me some eggs.  His one buddy from the local village came by and while I finished eating they started playing these accordions that we’re sitting there.  It was so rad and time like this truly make trips

owner of the land and a great gentle human being

like this worth every freaking cent.  I love it and would love to visit them again such nice old man where neither of us speak the same language and can just smile and still enjoy one another.  After saying my thanks you a million times and the praying hands for such great experience I made my out of no mans land and into the local city.  Stopped in to just walk around and take photos as I have a short ride today to my next camp on the river.  There is a outlook from the top of this building in the city center where I grab some photos walk around take in the life

view from the top

of the town before leaving.  Now the next stop looked to be the last city before I hit camp.  So was going to stop there for a little bite to eat and kill some more time. Well I was pleasantly surprised by this place.  It has this beautiful castle right at the end of town and you actually have to pay to even enter the town which was the first time thats happened.  On my way out of viewing the fort ran into two kids on motorcycles.  Not sure of there age but I said mid 20s they were on the first motorcycle ride.   They lived 12hrs away in a small village at the border of Russia. 

new friends

There English was good so it was great to chat with them for awhile and made me happy to see them be the future adventure riders.  They actually camped the night before where I plan on camping tonight.  They told me it was busy with locals so it maybe hard to get near the river.  After got done chatting up with them I made my way into the center where I found a place to grab a bite before heading to camp. I had a sandwich I bought the day before but didn’t eat it last night cause of the chicken dinner I got.  So wanted just sometime small and cheap and after I get camp set up I would eat my sandwich.  About 1hr later I arrived to the dirt roads that head back to the river.  ITs about 20 min ride

camp for the night

back these farm roads to the water and they kids were not lying there was people everywhere back here.  It reminded me of that lake in belarus.  I rolled up through with no luck on finding a spot that had an opening to the water as there was a lot of brush along the waters edge.  I found a nice little spot on my ride back through that I thought would due for the night.  Now its been hot as shit and I was debating if I would even camp cause its been 90 degrees and humid but once I found this little spot I said fuck it I got to sleep here.  Got parked and realized there was a little walk way through the brush that was in the water to an opening.   So instantly had to get myself in the water to cool off.  Next was to unpack and set up camp after I got that all squared away it was back in the water I went to cool back off.

Day 44 – I had plans of camping again another night but I haven’t had a nice beach day since I left Los Angeles two months ago.  I am tired of mosquitos and waking up sweating so I booked a hotel in Odessa.  Now the hotel only cost 25$ but it said it had a pool nightclub and a private beach.  After a really shitty ride for 6hrs with  2 and half of it being on a completely straight road in 98 degree humid weather I get to this hotel.  First off the address was wrong when I finally arrive I’m like dead center in the middle of the city  and now for two im curious about this private beach it says it has.  I had this hotel booked for 3 nights I check in around 6pm I ask about the private beach he said no we have no private beach and im like yeah sounds stupid but you have that posted on your add on hotels.com.  I get into my room and im like fuck it they got a pool call down I ask about what floor is the pool he said its not open it opens tomorrow at 11 am and im like wait what what time does it close he said 11pm.  SO the pool is closed no beach and I been sweating my ass off all day.  Fuck it I shower and search for the area to get food.  I make the mile walk into the popular area of the city and its packed.  Streets are all lit up people everywhere it was so rad.  Ukraine is by far the first place that seems they don’t give a fuck.  I grab Indian once again and just called it a night back in my hotel.

downtown odessa life

no sissy ass safety nets here

beach days

Day 45-46 – I was able to get my hotel canceled for the next two nights and even rewarded the 25 from the night I stayed at thehotel through hotels.com.  I truly love that site and use them for all my hotels if my homegirl Ashley can’t get me a Marriott or Marriott is more then what I want to spend.  Anyways so I rebook a hotel end up being 40$ but now im literally on the other side of the street to the beach.  So the next two days I literally did not do shit.  I got some beers and enjoyed the beach.  I was here on fri and sat night so it was packed and the club in front of my hotel went all night but it def was nothing I would pay to go into.  So I did some bar hoping down the streets and just had a really nice relaxed time no riding no seeing stupid touristy shit just soak up the beach and nightlife.