this little village that i'm passing through is called a pitch inskeep assads that's actually one ofthe earliest recorded inhabited places in russia they think back to the tenth century now i'm on my way to the largest lake in the region lake elman. but i'm looking for a bit of a shortcuts the town lies on the banks of the mistah river and it's perfect for a more direct route assuming you can find the right transportation. where larry and the boys are experienced rafters and the mistah river has some of the best whitewater in europe in russia. everything seems pretty gentle but i was warned not to get too comfortable. by the quiet waters this is just the camp before the storm. it's much tougher in spring when the water rises as high as the top slabs of the bank meant. that point the water is to be metres higher than what it is right now. the mistah used to be a vital supply route and a few hundred years ago the river would have been jammed with ships making their way to st petersburg. apparently back in seventeen eighty five the british ambassador wants to fight the express command o