Five young artists: on the way to New York on Ural motorcycles!

Five young artists: on the way to New York on Ural motorcycles!

Five young artists from Halle an der Saale embarked on an extraordinary journey: They traveled a total of 43,000 kilometers to the East Siberian Sea and back on old Ural motorcycles in two and a half years. Their exciting adventure, entitled “Overland to New York,” began in September 2014 and not only brought joy, but also numerous challenges.

The adventurers, consisting of Anne Knödler, Efy Zeniou, Elisabeth Oertel, Johannes Fötsch and Kaupo Holmberg, overcame an incredible 972 mishaps during the trip. This resulted in an average of 35 kilometers per day, which only highlights the hardships of the journey. The goal was to find the point where it couldn't go any further - and they did so in a remarkable way.

The journey and its challenges

The artists began their journey not only on roads, but even on water: they covered around 1,600 kilometers on the Kolyma River, where they made their teams floatable. Technical breakdowns such as bent connecting rods, crumbled pistons and sheared transmission gears were constant companions and often required creative repairs, often with the help of friendly locals in Russia. 

The film “972 Breakdowns”, which is based on this exciting journey, celebrated its nationwide cinema release on September 3rd. From August 19th, the film was shown as part of a film tour, with parts of the touring troupe being present at the screenings to answer questions and share their experiences. Authentic images and exciting stories show the challenges the artists experienced during their journey.

Event in Hartha

A lecture entitled “972 Breakdowns – Overland to New York” will be held in the Hartharena on November 7th. This unique opportunity to experience travelers' experiences up close is organized by the Hartha Library. Anyone interested should secure tickets in time at the city information center, as Hartha is the only venue in Saxony for this lecture.

Finally, the book “On the Land Road to New York” is also available, which offers comprehensive insights into the adventure with 400 pages and is sold for 50 euros. The unexpected turns, exciting encounters and the group's unbroken determination were made tangible for all fans and interested parties, making their journey an unforgettable memory.

For more information and details about the trip, read the articles on Sächsische.de and Motorradonline.de.