Ussuriysk is the big agricultural and railway town of southern Primorsky Krai, with about 157,000 people and a long history of being the place where roads, railways and fields meet. It began in the 1860s as a settlement called Nikolskoye, grew with the arrival of the Trans-Siberian line and Chinese Eastern Railway branches, and took its present name in the middle of the twentieth century. The streets still carry an old provincial character, with brick merchant buildings, tree-lined avenues and a cathedral that is easy to spot from afar.
For a rider heading north into the Sikhote-Alin, this is the final stop for everything you might need. Fuel stations are abundant, supermarkets and markets sell everything from rice to spare chains, and cafes serve a wide mix of Russian, Korean and Chinese dishes, reflecting the history of the Far East. A few hours here can make a long journey easier: change oil if you must, check your tyres, buy water, and eat properly. The traffic can be heavy and the road surface in town patchy, so allow time and watch for potholes.
North and east of the city, the road enters hills and forest. The scenery changes quickly from flat farmland to wooded ridges, and the climb into the Sikhote-Alin brings cooler air and the first real corners of the day. Surface conditions vary, with good asphalt on main routes and worn sections on the older roads. Summer is warm and humid, with fog and thunderstorms, while September and early October bring the best weather, with dry days and strong colours in the trees. Winters are cold and snowy, with icy roads and short days, so the season for riding is limited.
The countryside around Ussuriysk is where the Russian Far East begins to feel different from Siberia. Fields of soya and rice, Korean villages with their own traditions and a climate shaped by the monsoon mean that gardens are lush in a way you would not expect so far north. The region takes its name from the Ussuri River and from the taiga that once covered the whole area, home to the Amur tiger. The town is also known for its markets, and a walk through one is the quickest way to taste the mix of cultures that make up Primorye today.