Battling Snow in Siberia

Tom was cold. He was shivering. And he was frightened. He was going faster and faster. Trees passed in a blur. He couldn't stop. This was going to end badly. But it was supposed to have been fun! Riding your bike downhill is fun. In fact, it was one of Tom's favourite things to do. But this was not fun. This was no fun at all.

Tom was about to crash. He was flying down a big hill at top speed – in deep snow. His brakes could not stop him. Tom loved sledging, but this was ridiculous. All he could do was hang on tight! Waiting for the crash was almost worse than the crash itself was going to feel.

It was time for Tom's last option. To scream.

"Aaaaagggghhhhhhhh! Help!"

But nobody could help. Nobody even heard him scream. Tom was alone. He was hundreds of miles from the nearest human. Siberia is one of the emptiest places in the world. And, in winter, it is one of the coldest, too. Nobody was bonkers enough to be outside in this weather. Nobody except Tom.

Siberia is a huge region of Russia famous for its ferocious winters. Tom was trying to cycle across Siberia in the middle of winter. Everyone had told him it was a crazy idea. Maybe they were right after all ...

CRASH!

SPLAT!

Tom landed face down in a snowdrift. For a minute or two, he did not move. He was not sure if he was broken or not. Then, ever so slowly, Tom wiggled his toes. Then his fingers. Then his nose. Everything seemed to be in place. The snow had cushioned his fall. Tom was OK. But lying face down in freezing snow is not a nice feeling, so Tom slowly pulled himself upright.

Falling off your bike is horrible. Getting a load of snow down the back of your neck isn't nice either. But Tom was lucky this time and was not injured. As he stood up he left behind in the snowdrift a splatted-Tom-shaped hole that made him chuckle.

"Maybe I really am crazy," Tom said to himself. "Everyone says I am. I'm out here, in the middle of nowhere, on my own, on a bike, in the middle of winter. I've crashed on every hill I've ridden down today. This is stupid. It's stupid, but it's brilliant!"

Tom smiled as he hauled his crashed bike from the snowdrift, struggling as it was really heavy. Tom was carrying all the equipment he needed to cycle round the world. And in winter, in Siberia, that meant a lot of gear.

The young cyclist stamped his feet and whirled his arms like a windmill. It's the best way to warm your hands when they are freezing cold. Then he climbed back onto his bike. This was tricky too, as the multiple layers of clothes – now soggy and damp – weighed a ton.

Here is what Tom was wearing:

• 2 pairs of long thermal underwear, like pyjamas

•