Old truck leaf spring as retaining bracket
N 53°12'19.9'' E 063°38'23.0''
Day: 57-59
Sunrise:
05:40 – 05:42
Sunset:
22:03 – 22:00
Total kilometers:
8480.80 Km
Temperature – Day (maximum):
33 °C
Latitude:
53°12’19.9”
Longitude:
063°38’23.0”
As we are waiting here in Kustanai for the new saddle and the original brackets for the trailer, we cannot travel any further. The parts should have been here long ago but something has delayed the delivery from DPD. According to the computer, the parcel has been sitting in Hamburg for six days. We are therefore forced to be patient and use the time positively.
I’m sitting in the room where our bikes are and cleaning my sumo bike. Two men enter the former checkroom of the hotel and carry flower bouquets inside. “You’ve got some great bikes,” they admire our riese und müller. “Yes, they brought us here from Germany,” I reply, cleaning the chain. “And this is the connection between the trailer and the bike?” the man, who has shaved his head, wants to know, pointing to the coupling. “Yes.” “Hmm, an interesting construction.” “It is,” I reply, somewhat taciturn and absorbed in my work. The two men don’t want to disturb me any further and are just about to leave the room when a few thoughts flash through my mind. “Why did the worker ask me about the clutch just now? It’s never happened before. Was it a coincidence? But there are no coincidences. Or are there? Anyway, why shouldn’t I ask them about the broken angle? If the package doesn’t arrive for some reason, I’ll be forced to look for a workshop in this town that can rebuild such a part for us. Could be time-consuming,” I think and before the men leave the room I call after them. “Look at this. The bracket is made of sturdy iron, but I filed the bracket too small when I built the wheels. This weakened it and it broke 50 kilometers away from here,” I explain. “Ah, that’s no problem. We can recreate something like that straight away,” they say with a laugh. “What, you can recreate that? Right away?” “Of course we can. Give us the broken piece and you’ll have a new one in an hour,” says the older man. Hardly believing what I’ve just heard, I hand them the broken copy, whereupon the men disappear.
Half an hour later, I ask myself where the two of them have gone and set off in search of them. I meet Maxim, the manager of the hotel. “Our mechanics are currently solving your problem. I’m sure they’ll be able to help you,” he says with a smile. “Where can I find them?” I ask. Maxim shows me the way to another old building. I can hear it laughing in the cellar. I enter the workshop, which, like many things here, is very run-down. Seven men stand around a vice and discuss. When I walk in, there is a big hello. I answer all the questions and then they get back to building the angle. “Look here. This is a piece of metal from a sturdy spring blade from a Russian truck. Indestructible. Ha! Ha! Ha! We’ll use it to build you a bracket that will pull your trailer around the world. Ha! Ha! Ha!” declares a gray-haired, gaunt man with a laugh. His colleagues are also amused and hold their stomachs in amusement. For the men, the challenge of building a part for a high-tech bike seems to be a welcome change. My gaze glides through the workshop. Pin-up girls decorate the gray walls. A preserving jar serves as a habitat for small fish. The ancient radio plays modern music. Dirty teacups stand on a sticky table and the rickety equipment such as drills, grinders etc. make it questionable how anything can be produced here with millimeter precision. However, I have to say that the angle is already taking on a promising shape. “I’ll weld the broken pattern, then you’ll have a spare part if the worst comes to the worst. I’ve been working as a welder here in our Gastiniza for 30 years. That’s no problem at all for me,” explains a man of around 50 years old, his head crowned with a woolly hat.
After about 45 minutes, the two brackets are ready. Igor walks back to our bikes with me and doesn’t miss the opportunity to fit one of them himself. It fits perfectly and actually looks indestructible. Because the men are not paid for their work, we buy a bottle of good vodka and dried fish. “Thank you very much for your help,” I say to Igor, handing him the bottle. “You’re welcome, we were happy to do it,” he replies with a grin and leaves the room.
