Our route. A few days after we started, we had mechanical problems. We were picked up in a remote valley where the red ends, and went back to Bishkek for parts. Our friends continued on the blue bit and we reconnected with them on the north side of the lake.
Shelter from the wind as we near Kageti Pass
Tandem. Heavy.
Blizzard while making our way up Kageti Pass.
Kageti Pass, final switchbacks
Over the top
Kageti Pass descent. Lunar landslide.
Stunning valley below
With beautiful horses
The not-so-slow front tire leak means we've just flatted for the fourth time. We have no tubes left. Five days from a city in a remote valley. Hail and rain. Fuck.
Nearing Song Kul
Song Kul yurt hosts. This kid was a bright young lad who spoke some English. When he brought us breakfast, I asked what it was. With a big grin he said "Milk with something'. No idea what that something might have been.
Moldo-Ashu Pass, below Song Kul plateau.
Nearing the top of Mels Pass south of Baetov. It seems we weren't the only ones who had run out of water.
Set up the tent in the dark, having begun the descent from Mels Pass just as the sun was setting. We rode by the light of our headlamps until we arrived at this river crossing. With no towns or people nearby, this place was DARK. Woke to heavy frost inside the tent, in the middle of a huge open plain.
The 'store' at the Torugart border crossing into China. This is THE major crossing between the two countries and having run completely out of water, we were desperate for a restaurant, or a basic store. Finding neither, we asked a machine-gun toting border guard where we could get some 'Suu' and he pointed to this old rail car. A handsome young Kyrgyz man shared this with rats and mice and sold only bottles of water, Coke and vodka.
The hillsides everywhere are covered in horizontal lines from centuries of sheep and goats
Kyrgyzstan on the left, China on the right.
Rough road along the border. Massive tailwind made up for it.
Observation posts abandoned, presumably, since the Russians departed in 1991
Soon to be lost in the braids of the Aksay River
Heading to the foot of Kel Suu
Kel Suu. Sometimes this lake is completely empty. This time lovely!
Another of the 500 images I have of a stunning Kyrgyz landscape with a couple of tiny cyclists hidden in there somewhere. Where's Waldo?
Cemeteries at Ak Muz, on the way into Naryn
Two goats screaming like tortured babies stuffed into the boot of a Lada. Horrible sound.
This fellow wanted to take our picture, then he wanted to trade me his horse and dog for my bicycle and my wife.
East of Naryn
Along Bolgart River
Endlessly gorgeous
At the fork in the road to Tossor Pass and Arabel Pass
We converged with a couple from France and two brothers from the US. Crossing a river on the way to Arabel Pass.
Below Arabel Pass
Arabel Valley
Plateau above Arabel Pass. Muddy road cyclocross practice.
Suddenly winter on the Arabel plateau. Heading down to Barskool at Issyk Kul.
