Russia > Do we have a flat tire?

When we check Brutus, one of the front tires is soft. There’s only two bars in it, whereas normally the front tires hold 3.4 bars. Yesterday we checked the pressure in all the tires, and everything was fine then. It seems unlikely that someone at the hotel let air out of the tires. We’ve heard stories like that, but mostly in countries we’ve already passed through. It’s also possible that after yesterday’s check, the valve wasn’t seated properly. To be safe, we swap the wheel. The hotel owner watches curiously. “There’s a tire service in Mochoga,” he says, gesturing with his hands. A friend of his offers to lead us there. At the tire service, no one speaks a word of English either. With a small drawing, we make it clear that the pressure suddenly dropped and that we want to know if the tire is leaking.

Russia - The tire was soft Could it be flat

The guy dips the tire in a bath. No holes are visible. To be sure, he removes the tire from the rim to check the inside for damage and also inspects the valve. Nothing is wrong. He inflates the tire to the correct pressure. We leave it mounted as a spare for today and will check the pressure again tonight. Although he spent half an hour on it, he insists that we don’t pay anything. After all, there’s nothing wrong with the tire, right? What hospitality! We thank him warmly. We get back on the Trans-Siberian Highway. Just as we start driving, the water temperature warning light comes on. Trouble. We quickly pull over. We had the same issue two weeks ago in Mongolia. Bleeding the coolant allowed us to continue driving then. This seems to be the remedy again. Unfortunately, about 150 kilometers later, the problem reappears. After stopping four times, it seems to be something with the thermostat. When driving uphill, the thermostat usually kicks in, but sometimes it doesn’t. In those cases, the temperature rises quickly. We park on a small lot. Although we’re not completely sure the thermostat is the cause, we decide to replace it. While we have lunch, the car is left running. The temperature no longer seems to rise. We set off again. Even going uphill, the temperature stays stable. Luckily. We remain alert, though, because it was fine for over a hundred kilometers this morning as well. Because of the tire issue this morning and the repairs, we’re behind schedule. Today we had planned to cover 500 kilometers. In the afternoon, it starts raining. It’s the rainy season in this region, and so far it’s been raining practically every afternoon. Early in the evening, we arrive at a motel near Magdagachi. The motorcyclists are already there. Marco, the Slovenian rider, is also staying here. Together we have a beer and eat at the roadside restaurant. Many truck drivers come here for a meal and an overnight stay.