Scientists have discovered an innumerable amount of fossils and artifacts that were hidden beneath the surface of our planet. Yet there are millions of undiscovered things that are still hidden somewhere in the depths of this Earth. Many times these hidden treasures turn out to be worth fortunes. This fact is known by all and there are many examples of aspirant treasure hunters who go searching for buried treasures. Coincidentally, the people who stumble upon such treasures have no intention of finding it.
Such was the case of Adam, 32, who went on a hiking trip for the weekend with a bunch of friends. It was supposed to be just a fun outing to give his mind some break from the usual mess in his life. However, things took a drastic turn when the group of friends lost their way in the woods. While searching for their way out, the trio stumbled upon something buried in the forest and what they discovered underneath the ground left them stunned to their very core.
The sun was shining bright in the town of Vyborg, Russia. Adam sipped on his fourth cup of coffee. It was the weekend which usually meant he gets to sleep in and laze around in his bed. But not today. Today he had plans with his buddies to explore the wilderness. He has been procrastinating on this for many weeks now and he knew his friends won't let him get away with it any longer.
Adam has been hiding from his friends and family for a while now. He has been under covers avoiding every opportunity to meet people. Getting out of a long term relationship does that to a person. His pain came in waves and hit him when he least expected it. So he cut off people who tried to check on him. But he couldn't do that for much longer.
The three of them have been friends since their college days. 5 years later, each of them has a job but they still try to catch up once in a while. When they heard about Adam's breakup, initially they respected his personal space, gave him time to heal. But now, months later, they knew they can't let him spend his life crying in his bed.
So it was decided that they will go out for the weekend and have a fun outing. But deciding on what to do with their free time was the hardest decision, so they usually voted. They were not the biggest fan of the woods but since it was Adam's favorite thing in the world, to roam in the wilderness, that's where they were headed.
Adam decided to make this weekend a trekking adventure. They could trek in the woods and set up camps for the night, build a fire, play the guitar and have a really fun outing. They planned on coming back Sunday morning. Since it was a beautiful day outside, nature was on their side. Adam was almost done packing his rucksack when he heard the horn outside his house.
The boys loaded up the jeep with camping gear and supplies along with food and coolers for beer. One of Adam's friends loaded a metal detector onto the trunk. Everyone gave him a confused look. He mentioned that there were myths about hidden treasure in this forest and he wants to see if they can discover something.
Adam rolled his eyes and got in the front seat insisting on driving the jeep. He knew his friend was gullible, he easily believed anything and everything. So they went along with it. The other two rode shotgun and back seat, respectively. They put on some tunes on the radio and were ready to hit the road!
The drive towards the woods was magnificent. Tall pine trees spread as far as eyes could see. The jeep bumped and dipped into the road as they continued to drive through the woods. At last, they reached the dirt trail, and Adam pulled up the car onto the side. From this point forward, their trek starts. They have to walk on the pathway and reach their campsite.
The trio loaded up on their gears and equipment, ready to begin their trek. Adam had marked their trail on a map and was confident about his sense of direction. He did have the trusty old compass that has accompanied him on many treks and hikes in the wilderness. The trio loaded their rucksacks on their backs and with that began, what would turn out to be, the most incredible journey of their lives.
The boys kept a steady pace for the initial distance of their trail. By the time it was almost noon, they decided to take a short break. The sun was peeking through the crisscrossed branches of the tree that spread above them. They took out their coolers and had some beers and coleslaw sandwiches. The map and the compass were tucked away in Adam's back pocket.
Right after finishing up with lunch, the boys sprinted back on the track. Adam led the way, as usual, cutting through the branches and the bushes. He did not need to check his map too often as his compass was doing a good job of helping him with directions. Once they reached a split on the trail, Adam had to pull out his map again to check where they are headed.
Adam was examining the trail he marked on the map when he realized that his back pocket is empty. He wanted to use his compass to cross-check the directions once but his back pocket was empty. He must have dropped it somewhere! Adam tried to not freak out but he knew finding his way will be difficult without a compass.
Hesitantly, Adam turned towards his friends and told them about the missing compass. Luckily it was still daylight which means they might actually find it. Adam and his friends began looking for the compass on the track they covered so far. But considering the size of the device, it didn't seem possible that they are going to find it.
Suddenly, an idea clicked in Adam's head. His friend had packed a metal detector with his equipment. It could help in spotting the compass amidst the trees and the bushes. He asked him to assemble it and begin searching for the compass with it.
The boys turned on the metal detector and began to search for the compass around the area. Adam believed he didn't lose it that long ago because he kept checking his compass for the directions. As if on cue, the detector went off and started beeping at the corner of the track they were following.
Adam's eyes spotted the compass dropped on the edge of the track. He rushed in to pick it up. He was glad he didn't lose his beloved compass in the middle of nowhere. Adam couldn't believe his friend's stupid metal detector actually turned out to be a useful thing. If only he knew how useful it is yet to prove itself to be.
The trio was ready to continue their trek when the metal detector started beeping again. Adam looked at his friend with a doubtful look. Why is it still beeping? His friend moved forward with the detector and the beeping got louder and louder till the point he reached a barren land.
The metal detector began beeping repeatedly as it touched the surface of that area. The boys were confused about what is happening. It is just an empty land in the middle of a forest. But the detector won't stop beeping. Adam told his friend to turn it off.
Adam assumed the detector is not working and that's why it is just beeping on empty land. But as soon as his friend turned it away, the beeping stopped. Out of curiosity, his friend pointed it back on the spot and it started beeping again. The boys exchanged a confused look. And then Adam realized it is not pointing to anything on the empty land, it is pointing to what is beneath it.
Adam was not buying it, it can't be. The detector has found something underneath the ground. The trio's curiosity was at its peak. What is beneath this ground in the middle of a forest? They knew what needs to be done now. They have to find out the reason behind the beeping. They have to see what is down there. It was time to dig up some dirt!
The boys took their shovels and began digging up the ground. Adam's friend who packed the metal detector had an undeniably huge grin plastered on his face. Maybe this is their shot of finding a treasure! Adam just rolled his eyes again but even he was curious about what it could be. He didn't think it was a buried treasure though...but could it be?
The boys kept digging until Adam's shovel met with something with a loud clang. Adam froze in his place. "What is down there?", he wondered. He began to dig around the mass his shovel collided with. The other two followed suit. Soon enough they spotted something in the ground.
From the shape of it, the boys couldn't figure out what it is. It had a weird shape, not exactly shaped like a trunk but not exactly shaped like anything. They could not make out what it is. Adam realized whatever this object is, it is still buried deeper inside the ground. So they have to keep digging.
As the boys continued to dig up the ground surrounding the object, it slowly came into view what the object was. A headlight, partially hidden inside the soil, was visible in the hole they dug up. Adam couldn't be more disappointed. All that beeping over a headlight? Except, it wasn't just a headlight and the three of them didn't see it coming what the object turned out to be.
Adam tried to take out the headlight but it was stuck. So they dug around the headlight and realized, it is not just a scrape part. The headlight is attached to something. The trio was left stunned as they saw the wires wrapped around it. It was not just a headlight, it was a whole motorbike buried under the ground. Adam was bewildered at the realization that the object they have been digging up for so long was a motorbike!
Adam could not think of any possible reason why there is a motorbike buried under the grounds of a Russian forest. He knew they can't back down now. They have come so far, they will not stop before they take it out of the ground. The boys kept digging and slowly the bike became more and more visible amidst the soil and the dust.
The trio continued to dig around the bike until it was completely out of the ground. Looking at the size of the thing, they couldn't believe they managed to take it out themselves. They had no idea what kind of bike it is and where it came from and how it ended up buried underneath a Russian forest. But they could tell, they are in for a long ride.
Adam took a picture of their find and posted it on the internet seeking help in finding the origin of this motorbike. He welcomed suggestions from anyone who might have some clue about what motorbike it is or its origin or how it ended up here. They could not make out anything from the motorbike because it was covered in layers and layers of mud and dirt and rust.
Adam received a ton of responses on his post. Turns out this motorbike is called "Красный Октябрь" which translates to Red October. It is the Red October L-300. The Russians were encouraged to create something similar to the German DKW Luxus 300. The bike was 80 years old from the period around the second world war.
The Russians manufactured this bike in Leningrad, Saint Petersburg. That is why the bike is L-300, the L stands for Leningrad. The plan was to develop only 5 models but they were more focused on the production of arms.
In September of the year 1930, the Russians manufactured the first 25 bikes with the model number A-300. These motorbikes were the exact twins of the German DKW Luxus-300. The name Red October came from the factory named Red October where the manufacturing of these bikes was transferred to after three years.
The L-300 was popular for on the road and off the road motorbike competitions. This continued until the second world war. After that, it was extensively used for military purposes only. Even though these bikes had a single-cylinder, they had powerful machinery.
The boys called for help and took the bike back with them. They wanted to restore it back to its original form. Even though their camping trip was cut short, there was no denying the fact that this was a pretty cool find and needed to be preserved.
Adam took the bike to his garage and together they began to put the bike back together. Restoring it back to its original condition was not going to happen in one day but considering the condition they found it in, Adam realized they will need professional help.
Adam's post got so much recognition online, it was amazing. In fact, the biggest surprise was being contacted by a museum that was interested in showcasing the motorbike in one of their exhibits. They informed him they will restore it back to its original glory and are interested in putting it up for display. Adam was happy to let the museum use it for their display.
Since the bike has historical significance, Adam realized the motorbike's right place is at the museum only. The process of restoring this bike took a long time. But good things take time and that was exactly the case here. Getting rid of the multiple layers of dirt and mud and soil could not be rushed because it held a risk of ruining the bike permanently. It requires extra care.
Once the restoration was over, the bike looked something straight out of a movie. It looked like someone breathed life back into its lungs. It was a true beauty without a shadow of a doubt. The museum put it up for display and people's excitement to see the motorbike was uncanny.
The bike exhibit was a hit! People from all over the country were coming to see it. The historical importance that it held was remarkable. It was from the period of the second world war which is known for the biggest holocaust in the history of mankind.
Even though the motorbike remained buried for decades, once restored, the bike was back to its former glory instantly. It is amazing how history cannot remain hidden for long. Buried in the middle of a Russian forest, and being found accidentally by a metal detector. The discovery was truly exceptional.
As far as the question about how the bike got there in the first place goes, that is something which is part of its history and is now only left for our imaginations to decide. Maybe in the future, somebody will find the answer to this mystery but for now, nobody knows how a huge motorbike ended up buried in a Russian forest.