In the morning of October, 27th the fog was so thick that even the Organizers didn't manage to find the path and even each other at once. It crossed our minds that the Veterans may get lost somewhere in the fog, but such thoughts were scattered by the daybreak and the mass appearance of the participants' vehicles.

This is how the Veteran Selections - or the "Standing at the Oka River" military trainings - began. After warm greetings and a rather prolonged breakfast (the racers had a lot to discuss with each other, then with the Organizers, then with each other again), the whole company got in orange offroadsters and set off for the starting point of the Veteran Selections - to Murmansk! The exact starting place of the adventure was marked by the Murmansk lighthouse. After all, what start would it be without a lighthouse?

After splitting up into two teams, the Veterans started preparing their vehicles. No, the participants did not try to assemble an offroadster from details close at hand - there were only rafts to be made of pontoon blocks. The operation appeared to be not that simple and required considerable strength, time and nerve. Uncommon approach to the task and individuality of each team got reflected in the unusual shape of the pontoons. Having them launched and armed with oars, the teams made for Ekaterinburg and Lake Baikal to the challenging points. The teams, though, had to make up and set the challenging points on the beach themselves using the means provided by the Organizers.

The programs of the challenging points appeared to be more than various - to drive a vehicle blindfold, to solve riddles, to make fires... Having duly passed all the tasks, the teams got back to their rafts, but decided not to part with each other, fastened their rafts together and started for the finishing point - the lighthouse in Vladivostok - on a large cheerful blue island. Vladivostok itself took a very favorable location: close to the camp kitchen, where the participants were greeted with hot tea.

According to the Organizers' design, the final "Golden" challenging point was to be created under the project of each team and joined into one trial for both the "competitive" groups. However, in the course of the preparation the Veterans announced that they would agree to compete not with each other but with the Organizers' team only! And the challenge was accepted.

The task prepared by the Veterans turned out to be not very complicated and based on GPS-navigation. Having in turn run to the same place (as it became clear later) the Organizer's team collected 6 envelopes with sheets of paper saying "the Race of 2008 with the same teammates!" The Organizers played the same way and after some running to and fro the Veterans got envelopes with a promise of prompt reply.

This was the end of the official part of "Standing at the Oka River". Its unofficial part went on with a romantic dinner in vehicles' headlights, distribution of presents - very useful "Expedition" magazines and completely useless but funny "Glory to the Veteran of "Expedition-Trophy" medals and warm good-buy speeches. The tired participants had a way back home waiting for them...