4/13/2002: crossing the Bering Strait

The guys: British explorers Steve Brooks, Graham Stratford. The vehicle: their customized snow cat, named the "Snowbird 6". Their location: across part of the Bering Strait off the coast of Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska.

This was their third attempt to drive from the United States across the strait to Russia.

They made it halfway, to an island that sits exactly halfway between the countries. That's an amazing feat by itself; it's about 26 miles across that kind of ice and water.

But then they were stopped. It wasn't a mechanical problem, it wasn't lack of fuel... it was the treacherous bureaucracy of the Russian immigration services. Despite planning the trip for six months, and getting the Ruskie OK several times, their vehicle still confused the officials, and they wouldn't let the pair go through.

It's a way cool vehicle, and these guys are way cool for building it and trying. The full story is in the Moscow Times:

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2002/04/10/014.html

I guess they need to learn to USE the bureaucracy. Just drive in somewhere the immigration officials aren't. Announce their presence, get the press there. Then drive right back out, again somewhere the immigration officials aren't.

By the time the bureacracy figures out what was going on, they'll belong gone.

Belong Gone

Sounds like a Chinese cult.