saving up for a van and a trip with the HWers?)))
You definitely can't go alone on a bike. Plus it's boring. But generally, cycling from Perm to Kazan or Yekaterinburg is quite a feasible task; it doesn't take a lot of brains or experience. Although, in terms of repairs, it's still worth learning something beyond just replacing a punctured tube.
Bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly rulers falter,
Our people drift and die,
The walls of gold entomb us,
The swords of scorn divide,
Take not thy thunder from us,
Take away our pride.
G.K. Chesterton: English Hymnal