THE INCREDIBLE RUSSIAN ADVENTURE

(An account with pictures of Bob's 2001 trip to Russia when he flew in a MiG-29.)

KEEP CHECKING BACK.

THE RUSSIAN INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE

Each journey of a 1000 miles begins with a small step and this journey to Moscow and the MiG-29 flight began with a journey via New York's JFK airport and a night at the Raddison. Everyone in NY seemed to be mad at somebody. As people got off the plane they got mad at each other, they were mad at people in baggage claim, and got mad at people while awaiting transportation. It seemed the people are very mad about life. Even the hotel desk clerk seemed mad at everyone.

I finally met Michael Giafagleone and Darrin Silver, the two other winners of the contest. As we compared our backgrounds we knew GNC did not think we were very marketable to their target markets because none of us were really the "body builder" type to whom the product and the contest was primarily marketed. Apparently, I was the only one of the three who entered the contest as a user of the product, TURBO ATP. I was encouraged to use the product by the local manager of our GNC in Oviedo, FL after describing my being on the verge of over-training last fall in preparation for the Ironman in Hawaii. Once I decided to enter the essay contest, I merely wrote about my experience. Darrin, on the other hand, entered the contest for the MiG-29 adventure because he grew up around stunt pilots and wants to be one. Michael competes on Mountain Bikes in the Expert class and is even sponsored, he has traveled extensively in Europe and was intrigued by the trip to Moscow. He took a cram course in Russian for the trip and has traveled the city of Moscow via virtual reality and the internet so elected Michael to be the official "THREE AMIGOS" tour guide. There we were, three guys who won the GNC - TURBO ATP essay contest.

"THE THREE AMIGOS"  - From left to right - Michael Giafagleone, Darrin Silver, and Bob Brubaker. The three guys who won the GNC TURBO ATP essay contest.  A trip to Moscow and a flight in a MiG-29. 

The long day of traveling east began with a hard workout with Michael in the Raddison Hotel exercise room. We knew that it was going to be a long time in the plane to Moscow so we wanted to get as much exercise as possible before we left.

Once we returned to New York's JFK Airport, a representative of the company assisted us through the ticketing and boarding process that made our arrangements for GNC. As we sat on the Tarmac for a period of time awaiting the traffic to clear we met some interesting people on the plane, including a couple who is going to Moscow to pick up a child they were adopting, a number of people on a mission group, and Max, who lives in Moscow, returning home from a business trip in the USA.

Our arrival at the Moscow International airport was quite an eye opener. It was obvious we were in a completely different world that did not cater to U.S. tourists. As we taxied from the runway to the gate area a look over the airport revealed a rather run down and older looking facility. It was obvious renovations were being made but also obvious were the Soviet Union remains. Long lines in the passport clearance area combined with a plethora of guards all around made you know you were being scrutinized as you entered the country. Once the passport and visa were presented to the person in the booth, it was only a matter of minutes for them to type in the information and receive back a clearance on their antiquated computer screen. Once through the line we were met by a representative who escorted us quickly through customs. Obviously she had connections with the customs personell. Regardless of how we got through customs so quickly - Galena, another representative, who took us to the Swiss Golden Ring Hotel, a five star hotel. It is located near the ministry of Foreign affairs building in Moscow.

The trip from the Moscow International Airport to downtown was quite unusual. There were sections of "old Moscow" where you'd see rows upon rows of government high-rise apartment buildings and older looking roads, etc. Then you'd find a section of "new Moscow" that looked rather modern and very much like you'd find in the USA. It was apparent Moscow and Russia are in the midst of change. I don't think we really expected anything but what was shown of the old communist days in Russia so the signs, billboards, and modern looking buildings were quite a shock to the three of us.

Once we checked into our rooms, Michael and I went for a walk. (Darrin was awaiting a word from a lady friend he met via the Internet.) Michael seemed well prepared since he had learned some Russian and had gone over the area hundreds of times via pictures and descriptions on the Internet. We headed down the street from the hotel, through the underground street crossing to Arbat Street. Michael knew we needed Rubles for our American dollars so we found a money exchange office. Arbat Street is a walking only street with street vendors everywhere. People in Moscow seem to walk everywhere and at times you thought you were in any city in the United States, the way people were dressed, the number of shops and vendors around, the number of cell phones, SUV's and nice cars but you also saw another side of the people of Moscow who were struggling to make a living and hurrying from the subway to a low paying job, just to make ends meet.

Arbat Street in Moscow

We had a great time observing people and seeing if Michael's knowledge of the Russian language would get us lost or if we could find our way around and back to the hotel. We seemed to do pretty well as we found our way to the Kremlin area but did not go for a tour because it was too late. As we walked back to the hotel we stopped at a grocery store where we purchased some bottled water. We looked for some SPAM but did not find any. I think we walked about seven miles total and enjoyed some of the sights, sounds, smells, and foods of downtown Moscow.

One of the things that stood out were the number of people playing music along the street and in the underground passageways to get across major intersections. There was even a four-piece combo from the Moscow conservatory playing classical pieces near the Kremlin. Although people were in a hurry to get where they were going they seemed to take a break for a musical interlude.

MUSIC IN THE UNDERGROUND IN MOSCOW

Darrin joined us for dinner at a place Michael had picked out which was about a kilometer walking distance from the hotel. It turned out to be a local favorite and nobody spoke English. Michael tried his best to communicate in Russian and we finally ordered the salad bar and pancakes with Salmon. It was pretty good food but a rather frustrating experience of not really being able to communicate and being "the foreigner" in the place.

Michael and I began the day with an early morning run - covering some of the areas we walked the day before and then some. We took Arbat Street and worked our way again to the Kremlin then we decided to make a right down a street that Michael said he had a feeling about. So we went up over a hill and there we were in the midst of RED SQUARE, next to the Kremlin. It was great to be there at 7:30 a.m. with only a handful of people plus guards around. As we ran through this historical monument we stopped at the end and turned around to do it again.

From Red Square we made a quick return to the hotel in order to shower, get some breakfast, and be ready for our tour of Moscow with an Incredible Adventures representative.

She introduced herself as Marina. Stunningly dressed in a fur coat and striking red hat she spoke fluent English and Russian, was extremely knowledgeable of her homeland and customs, and was quite experienced in what she did. If you could stereotype the sound of a typical Russian woman as we who grew up on the Rocky and Bulwinkle show and remembered the sound of Natasha saying, "Darling!" with a Russian accent, then you could get a feel for the sound of Marina's voice as she took us from one side of Moscow to the other explaining things along the way. She took us via the Metro subway system to the giant flea market. Then she had a driver take us all around Moscow to view several points along with way, including a stop at a genuine "Georgian" restaurant.

From the restaurant we toured Moscow in a minivan, stopping at Moscow University and other key places around the city, ending at the Kremlin where we took a tour. Marina filled us in on stories about Napoleon, the various Czars, and interesting information about Peter the Great. I was happy that I was required to write a paper on Russia in the sixth grade and never thought at that time I would someday have the opportunity to see it all in perspective. It was particularly impressive to take note of the dates of the Kremlin and admire the buildings and work of art found there. While we were leaving the Kremlin we were startled by a number of vehicles passing us and heading toward one of the office buildings on the Kremlin campus. It looked like Russian president Putin who got out of the car and entered the building and after inquiring we learned that was correct.

Once the Kremlin tour was over we returned to the hotel to regroup. Darrin contacted a lady he met via the Internet and arranged an evening date so Michael and I set out to find an Internet café so he could upload some of the pictures he has been taking on his digital camera.

We searched Arbat Street and could not find one of the two places he had picked out so we set out to find the second one. Reluctantly, we found a cab driver with which Michael communicated and agreed on a reasonable price to take us there. And we were off on one of the most exciting rides of our lives -- riding in a Moscow cab. They say the city streets are really crowded on weekdays but they sure seemed crowded on a Sunday evening - but our cab driver prevailed and got us to our destination, the IMAGE FOR U cafe. Michael worked and worked to get the camera to upload the pictures to the computer but the computer was missing a driver so he had to settle for checking his email and asking his wife to send via his email the appropriate driver information. Meanwhile, while Michael was working on that I met some of the Russian people including a young man who needed to send his mom a picture of himself. Once Michael can workout the details we'll be able to send the young man his picture so he can send it to his mom.

The evening excitement was far from over. Michael and I left the café and decided to take the Metro home, relying upon Michael's knowledge of the language and ability to read the metro maps. Sure enough we road one line, changed lines and road a second line to the closest drop to our hotel. We made it! We navigated our way or I should say Michael navigated our way across the city of Moscow via the Metro.

What an incredible adventure and we haven't even been in a Russian MiG yet.

Our first day of flying at Zirkovsky Air base outside of Moscow began with the breakfast buffet. You could tell from our conversation that all of us but particularly Darrin were very anxious about the coming day of flying. Darrin is a pilot so the prospect of being around a fighter plane and the airbase were more than exciting to him. Michael and I were excited too, but nothing compared to Darin.

Galena, the Incredible Adventure's incredible guide arrived with driver and photographer. After a quick briefing we were off through the morning rush hour traffic in Moscow to Zirkovsky air base.

After an hour and a half drive fighting the typical Moscow heavy traffic jams, we arrived at the airbase. It took longer than normal to get through the security checkpoint due to the recent strained relations between the USA and Russia. (Spying accusations and the sending back home of diplomats.) We were required to leave our van at the gate and board a different van and ride with secure base personnel.

Our first stop was the medical check up area. The staff medical director scrutinized our physical capabilities to fly in a fighter plane and gave us all clearance to do so. It was quite interesting to be in the area where some famous Russian pilots had been and to see pictures of the many test pilots from Zirkovsky, especially those who had gone on to be cosmonauts in the space program. Galena was quite proud about pointing out the various pictures and the significance in Russian history.

From medical checkups we went to a pre-flight briefing with our pilots, Ildus Kiramov and August Reinbach from the Russian Flight Research Institute. Both pilots spoke English and were most gracious and accommodating in their approach to us. They told us what our flight plans would be, the various stunt maneuvers they would perform, and the assurance that they would constantly check on our status before pulling off anything new. In other words they wanted to make the ride as enjoyable as possible without making us vomit.

The next stop was flight suit and helmet fitting. The tight fitting pressurized G force suit went on first then the flight suit and jacket. We were taught the proper way to put on, take of, and store the helmet and mask then left for ejection seat training. All this time Nicholas our photographer covered everything as if we were three famous fighter pilots suiting up for a surprise attack to win a war. We really felt special but the reality of the situation was about to set in.

Ejection seat training was no joke. It was important to know that if something would go wrong and the pilot said, "Get ready to Eject! Eject! Eject! Eject!" You had better be out because the plane is about to crash. We all took it quite seriously and listened carefully as the instructor taught us and Galena interpreted the information we needed to know. We even practiced on the ejection seat trainer. Although tomorrow is the MiG-29 flight, we went through ejection seat instruction for that aircraft too. Now the requirement for boots that cover the ankles made sense because without them you could get injured if required to eject.

On to the tarmac and the L-39 fighter planes. This would be a good test for us and great preparation for the MiG-29. All of us were well pleased we were taking this step because the one giant step to the MiG-29 would have been tricky.

After the mechanics and crew prepared the plane, Mike flew with his pilot Ildus first. Mike looked quite natural in the back seat of the two-seater jet and waved to us as they taxied for take off. I know it seemed like a few minutes for Mike but for those of us waiting, his 30-minute flight took forever. Ildus informed everyone that because of the low cloud ceiling and the rain in the area, some of the acrobatics had to be scrapped for today. Nevertheless, Mike had the ride of his life, describing it as being "OFF THE SCALE ON THE FUN METER."

Darrin was next. Being a commercial pilot, and growing up at airshows, planes are nothing new but the mystic of flying lives on. I think Darin's reactions to this seemed well worth the trip. He was "living out a dream" and was off with August as his pilot. Soon Darin and August returned and it was my turn. By now I had a fill of Michael's account and was ready to go when the fuel truck pulled up to refuel the L-39 so I had to wait 15 more minutes but the time seemed short as I got to hear from Darrin about his ride aboard the L-39. Since August was going to be my pilot too, I wanted to know some of the stunt maneuvers he did. It was too cloudy for too much but they did some.

As the fuel truck pulled away, August and I discussed our flight and what he was expecting from me and how we would communicate during the flight. Next I climbed the stairs to the aircraft, was assisted into the seat, buckled in and prepared for take off. August made sure I understood everything about the plane and safety features of the aircraft, ejection, and oxygen - you name it. He made the speech on commercial aircraft seem like a "Cliff Note" presentation. I appreciated everything he covered though because unlike the airlines - "we going to go faster, and turn and twist much more than any other adventure." And we did!

It was a great ride. The L-39 is such a quick plane. We went out to runway for take off and the next thing I knew we were soaring high above the area.

Twist, turn, upside down, corkscrew, rolls, low flying at fast speeds, touch and go, and much more. All I can say is WHOO-AHHH!!! LOOK OUT TOMORROW IN THE MIG! August was very sensible about making sure I had my fill without getting full of the flight, if you know what I mean. (He didn't want me to get sick and I didn't.)A sense of victory floods your being as you pull yourself out of the cockpit. You get a glimpse of what those top gun pilots feel when they arrive home, Tired from the G-force suit pushing on your body but rejuvenated from the experience.

A return to the flight suit storage area, revealed the fact that all of us got pretty warm even though the air temperature was quite chilly. It was great to get the suit off and return to more comfortable gear for the day.

Incredible Adventures arranged a luncheon for us with our pilots who gave us an opportunity to present them with gifts and to learn something about them. Once again, they were more than gracious and we certainly felt like we are returning home with a new perspective on Russian pilots.

It was great to return to the hotel and be thankful that one day seemed successful as we look forward to Tuesday's flight on the MiG-29.

Breakfast at the Hotel Buffet was followed by a quick trip to Zukovsky Air base and preparation for our flight in the MiG-29. The trip to the base seemed much quicker today, perhaps because it was not new territory and we had an idea when we'd be there. You could sense a real anticipation in the three of us as we traveled to the base.

Once again we had to change minivans and go through strict clearance at the base. Unlike our first day, we did not have to go through physical clearance or ejection seat training. All we had to do was dress into our g force suit; our flight suits, and get a briefing with the pilots and head out the position of the MiG-29's. Our Pilots, Alexandre, Vladimir, and Sasha were first class pilots and like their counterparts the day before treated the three of us with respect, desiring to do their best to help us fulfill our dream flights.

Darrin and the Alexandre, the pilot he had met 10 years earlier at an airshow in the USA.

We learned that Darrin Silver had met Alexandre at an airshow ten years previous in California when Alexandre was there as a pilot in the show. In fact, Darrin brought a picture of Alexandre and he that was taken at the show. He was hoping he would by chance see Alexandre but never dreamed it would be Alexander who would be his pilot in his premier MiG-29 flight. I rode with Vladimir as Mike waited for Sasha and the second round of flights.

MiG-29 preparing for take-off

Since the MiG-29 is larger than the L-39, the climb up the stairway to the cockpit was much higher. Once inside the cockpit the seats were extremely comfortable and all the instruments were extremely easy to read after Vladimir took the time to explain each one to me. The base mechanic strapped me in, secured everything with Vladimir and the large hatch sealed us. Vladimir started the right engine, and then the left and you could feel the power as of capped vulcanoe waiting to blast. Not exactly blasting, but we did inch ahead of Alexander and Darrin as we headed to the runway entrance. Once they arrived we took our position next to their MiG-29, awaiting clearance for takeoff. You talk about awesome. This was going to be some show of pilot skill as the two aircraft did a final powercheck and rolled down the runway toward the 300 kilometers per hour mark and takeoff. Up we went - together. It was like being part of a "Blue Angels" demonstration. 

Stunts of rolls, climbs, and various twists and turns were done simultaneously with the other MiG-29, making for some wonderful pictures. It's not everyday you get a close up shot of a MiG-29 while flying in another one right next to them.

A VIEW OF THE OTHER MIG FROM THE COCKPIT

Then it happened, Alexander took a sharp left and Vladimir took a hard right turn and we were heading quickly to 50,000 feet and supersonic speeds. The G force meter continued to climb, as the altimeter seemed to wind around again and again. I looked down and there it was - The Mach meter showing 1.5 at which point Vladimir pointed out that 1.5 or 2.5 times the speed of sound feels the same so why not just do some stunts while in supersonic. "Yes Sir!" was my reply and off we went. A double roll, another roll done in four stages, an opportunity to try my hand at it, an upside down, and then the climb in which we went vertical, stopped, fell straight toward the ground, turned tip down to the ground and back to vertical. WHOO-AAHHH! Again! Again! G-forces were out of sight. The pressurized G-suit was really getting a workout as well as my body as I felt each time the G force increased and the pressure in the suit corresponded.

BOB AND HIS MIG PILOT, VLADIMIR

Soon our half-hour of stunts and supersonic was nearing an end, but there was still time for a flyby and quick turn at the base. Then it was time to land. Wow! We came to a stop at the MiG-29 parking space and I pulled myself out of the cockpit. I felt like I had been in the movie, TOP GUN. Vladimir congratulated me but I was quick to point out his skill. What a pilot! Darrin and I compared notes and Michael prepared to go up with Shasha. What a ride! And Michael had the same reaction after his flight in the MiG-29.

We headed back to the flight center to change back into our civilian clothes feeling like real pilots arriving home. The staff made us feel so and so did Galena and others from Incredible Adventures as they provided a luncheon with our pilots, flight certificates, and a watch with a MiG-29 on the face to remember our experience. (As if we needed any help remembering this day.) The ride back to the hotel seemed short as the three of us reminisced about the day. It left time for a quick rest and individual choices for the evening. What a day!

Today we went to Gold's Gym in Moscow. The facility was very nice, better than many U.S. gyms. The manager, Dennis who spoke very fluent English, met us. We were escorted into the club and given a "GOLD GYM - MOSCOW" workout shirt, which seemed a very nice gift even though they were size 2- XL and we all wore size medium. We walked out of the locker room swimming in our new shirts only to meet our special trainers - Mr. Russia and two runner-ups. They were huge Russian body builders. We realized we were not really the type that GNC had in mind to enter the TURBO ATP contest to win a trip to Moscow, fly in a MiG-29, and workout with these Russian body builders. We were on the other side of the scale and felt silly for even being around the giants. We had fun, nevertheless at the club. The body builders / trainers were most gracious but we had the surprise of interviews with a local sports station and the privilege of working out with television cameras on us. I guess someone will get a laugh out of it. Somehow "contest winners" was interpreted as "champions" and we were called "the three champions from America" which I am sure made the Russians feel very good about themselves if we were the champions from America.

Once we returned to the hotel we headed out to make the most of our last day in Moscow. Michael went to a famous convent and cemetery. Darrin and I checked out the Moscow McDonalds and yes it does taste exactly like it does back home. We also visited Red Square, the statue of Peter the Great, and some other places around Moscow.

In the evening Michael and I tried our hand eating in downtown Moscow while Darrin met his new friend for a romantic dinner.

Darrin with his new friend, Julia at Red Square

It seemed to be a day for reminiscing as Darrin, Michael, and I met for breakfast at the hotel breakfast buffet and simply talked about our experiences in Moscow. It was rather interesting to hear the harpist playing the theme from the movie Dr. Zhivago while we talked about our time in Moscow. It has been rather eerie feeling at times you were anywhere in America only to come back to reality when trying to communicate with Muscovites, or trying to find your way through the streets. It was obvious the MiG-29 flight made quite an impact but the people, the sights, and the culture of Moscow had left their mark on the three Americans.

Upon arriving at New York's JFK airport, we went our separate ways, Michael to Chicago, Darrin to San Francisco, and I would return to Orlando. It was amazing how the three of us with completely different backgrounds, had completely different reasons for entering the GNC - Turbo ATP contest yet we seemed to connect as the three Americans in Moscow.

We promised to connect via the Internet and share photos of our Moscow experience but the likelihood of ever meeting again seemed dim. A return trip to Russia seemed to flicker a little brighter for each of us. The trip had made an impact.