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Thinking about many things…

So I came back, and it was wonderful.
I had come across few things that bugged my days and my mind.
Bicycle tires!
Blog editing (with iPad)
Rechargeable lights… (Two of my lights “expensive shit” died, the same day)

Bokonbaevo, end of the road

For me that’s the end of my Kyrgyz bicycle trip.
The mountains and life over 2000 meters altitude is rude, cold and dry. Places where to buy food are scarce in many regions, and keep your food fresh is another problem.

I loved Kyrgyzstan, it’s a magic place, full of beauty, and wonderful people, I think even coming back but earlier in the summer, beginning of July would be nice, to avoid the cold mountain nights.

Water in many places is not a problem, but in some regions like around Yssik-Kul lake if you go off the beaten path you should be prepared, as there is plenty of water in the lake, but a bit salty to drink...

Yssik-Kul the big lake

Left Kochkor on the third day, on the nice road direction Yssik-Kul, the region is pretty desert like, arid, dry. I went by a lake not far from Kochkor that only a small portion was filled with water.

Every now and than, plastic bottles, trash, dry mountains, and some camels in the distance.

I’ve had the feeling to be somewhere in US, the landscape are pretty similar to some regions in Utah.
Once I’ve reached the shores of lake Yssik-Kul, I was on the main road, where cars were passing by at 100km/h, on a bumpy road.

Chayek, Kochkor, and Yurt

The road after Kyzyl-Oi was still bad, with plenty of beauty to admire in the Kekemeren Valley.
As the traveler reaches Aral, the road get paved with a brand new asphalt, and it’s a joy to ride, smooth and fast, I started swallowing kilometers happily and fast.
I’ve reached Chayek in the mid afternoon with plenty of time to find a guesthouse, shower, relax and get some food.

Kekemeren Valley

After Suusamyr the road was still bad and tricky, switching sides every now and than, to avoid the wavelets. The first village I cycle through was Kojomkul.
Nobody around, few voices of kids playing, one distant truck turning left on a side road, abandoned houses, or never finished constructions, curios dogs, wavelets, broken road, old rusty skeletons of some soviet machinery. There is beauty in desolation.

Suusamyr

Once I’ve reached Suusamyr at 2100 meters, I’ve decided to spend two nights to rest and refill my body energies.

The road down from my last campsite, was not that easy, even if it was compacted soil with stones and holes, something much worse was in the road, small wavelets created by tractors and trucks, when you ride over those wavelets even with 3 inches tires, I could feel my jaws shaking violently in a non stopping ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta......, this is the worst I can think off that you could impose to the bicycle and trailer and racks, everything shakes so fast and violently that you can really mess your gear up for good.

Little camp site

Down the Susamyr Valley, was a display of beauty, no tourists insight (since few days already), just the usual broken road and few small rivers to cross. Shepherds, animals, yurts, white cottons in the sky. All, except what above, was flowing on the green carpet of life, munching, running, traveling, day dreaming.

Eldos

The way down from Karakol Ashuu mountain pass, was miserable, cold, tired, wet, and really hungry... And a steep rocky downhill to shake my body up. ...Rain, cold rain started drop by drop, wind was pushing me left, violently.
Weather on more than 3000 meters altitude it’s no joke.

Karakol Ashuu mountain pass

After the Kegeti mountain pass I slept down the road, in a valley at 2900 meters.
I woke up in the morning hearing two bikers going up to Kegeti, I thought: Good luck to them crossing over from the southern side. If the motorcycle slides down there is no stopping, and the sound made from engines could eventually displace rocks... From above or below.

Going up, Kegeti mnt pass, 3800m

As I woke up I saw the beautiful blue sky, time to keep going, I packed my stuff, and sad hello to oncle Vitya.

From 2000 meters to 3800... That was a long day.

On a European road it’s ok, hard but ok... On a Kyrgyz road is much harder.

In many places you just go through, holding your breath, wishing for the stones sleeping above your head to keep steady and stay in place.

Дядя Витя, oncle Vitya

The second day was thought, going up and sweating in the cold fog.

I did not need to sweat to get wet, as the fog was so dense that even under the rain coat I was wet.

I’ve met few people on the road, orthodox believers from Kazakhstan, they’d invited me to share a lunch, and the first question was: Are you a beliver?

Yes I’m in fact. But it’s very difficult to talk about.

I just keep it to my self.

The second day

Second to none...

The day before I ended my cycling day at night, if I remember correctly 22pm, I’ve managed to find a good spot by the river, setup the tent, cook some pasta, take a bath in the cold river at night and go to sleep.

The road

20th August I left Bishkek at 10 am.

The roads in town can be very bumpy with many holes, and not to mention I took few of them.

A sudden panic attack as my bag detached from the rear rack and got stuck in between the rear rack and the wheel...

Bishkek

Arrived in Bishkek at 5am with Aeroflot, some tourists with me in the airplane and through the passport control.

Everything went as expected, some waiting to get the stamp in the passport, a little wait for the luggage’s (it’s always a big moment as you never know if your luggage took the same destination) the bicycle and trailer arrived in one piece.

The ride with the taxi it’s pretty long, and I’m happy that I did book the first two nights with Ultimate Adventure (a company based in Bishkek that organizes hikes treks and tours), they did ask me and organized the transport from airport, and they have a lovely bed and breakfast, it’s really the perfect place where to be the first nights, and after when it will be time to fly home.

Flying out

.

Very tired, as I did not sleep that much, so many things to think about...

Never ending packing, and so much thinking: Do I really need this, and that, and this? I can buy it there, or should I bring it over?

Fear pushes us to overthink, and try to see in advance what we will need, and the situations we will face... Do I really need all this? Yes sure, but not.

As they say in Russia “да нет”, in one single sentence and it’s very explicit

I woke up early in the morning finished packing, had coffee and tea and again make sure that all the stuff is there.

Post writing test

Writing posts on the go

The difficult task of replacing one computer with the iPad

Writing and composing blogs on the freaking iPad is daunting task. Nothing easy, but feasible, slowly I’m getting used to switching between apps. Managing pictures and text it is pretty difficult there is no simple solution yet, except if you are ready to spend money. My preparation is going well, I solved the pedal problem... yes last night at home I’ve spend the whole evening until midnight to try to remove the left pedal, and I had to take the bicycle to the bicycle shop this morning to have the job done

Camping gear

Preparation can take from few hours to few days, it all depends how often the person travels by bicycle.

The list of camping gear it’s pretty long, they list of clothes as well, the bicycle tools, some electronics, first aid, bags and straps or ropes.

Those are the basics.

Once in the wild you want to have a minimum of things that days after days you get used to use, attach, clean, enjoy. As there will be no places sometimes to buy something you need.

Read more for a list of things.

Preparing for Kyrgyzstan

Many things to think about, camping gear, warm clothes or summer clothes, bicycle tools, cooking things, documents, maps, gather some basic information, etc... etc...  We can easily spend a week in preparing... And hopefully nothing will be missed once the travel starts.