Today was another long day in the blasting sun, slowly grinding my way way uphill, following a river that wound it's way in between brown, rocky hills.
I had an early start and was blessed with a tail wind, unfortunately at my slow uphill pace this meant there was no breeze all day. I find a chai khana and stop to grab some bread and drink some tea. Before leaving I dunk my head under a tap and soak my buff and shirt. It provides relief for only a little while.
I find a tiny patch if shade on the side of the road and stop for two hours, eating my bread, triangle cheese and tomato. Pretty great lunch actually.
In the afternoon I have my fist puncture of the trip. A large thorn has gone through my tyre. The tube is easily replaced (much to my releuf, I haven't had a puncture for about 2 years and change tyres very infrequently)
I find a spot to put my tent near a river that runs into Chu-Kul. Someone wanders over and using a bunch of sign language goes through the usual questions, where are you from? how old are you? You are by yourself? (Insert disapproving look) Where are you going? He gives me a small bag of unshelled sunflower seeds.
I have a very brief and cold wash in the river before cooking dinner. Camp that night was windy and sleep did not come easily, a trend that seems to have followed me through Kyrgyzstan.
The following day I am up before sunrise, wanting to get an early start before the heat hits me. The day is solar to yesterday, following the same river, grinding slowly up a hill all day, a tiny patch of shade for a long lunch break.
Later in the afternoon I turn off the pavement and hit gravel. I pass the small village of Keng-Suu and continue along a terrible road that yes, winds up a valley. The uphill continues.
I had been told that there is great camping along this valley and that turns out to the the case. I find a great spot next to the creek, nice grass, a little way from the road and a tree to hang all my washing on.
Once camp is packed up I continue up the road. Yes that's right, the third day in a row of riding uphill. The road is terrible. Large corrugations, loose rocks, sandy on the edge of the road. It is the middle if the day before I even make it to the switch backs that lead up to the first pass of my journey.
About halfway up the switchbacks I get offered a lift from some men in a truck. I initially turn them down but 10 minutes later I catch up to them. They are waiting for their radiator to stop boiling. I accept thee offer of a lift. I feel a little guilty but tell myself that it is a multi modal adventure. I will readily admit I am no purist.
After filling the radiator with fresh creek water we continue upwards, stopping every few minutes for the engine to cool. The guys that have picked me up are on their way back from Kochkor after selling a load of sheep.
I get dropped off at the top of the pass, put on my rain coat (as a windbreaker) and enjoy the downhill. Soon I get waved down by some children on the side of the road, koumiss? They ask. I reply with a firm nyet! Koumiss is fermented mares milk, I have tried the mongolian equivalent (called araig there) and I am confident that the Kyrgyz version will be just as nasty.
Once I decline the koumiss I am offered chai. I accept. I make my way over to their yurt and canvas tent. Whilst drinking my chai I am asked if I would like to put my pulartka (tent in Russian) next to their yurt. I take them up on the offer.
A friend appears and I have my first (if many) marriage proposal. Unfortunately he also finds 'I love you' in my russian phrase book. He can not leave fast enough, after taking the 'if I talk louder she will understand Kyrgyz' approach. My ear hurts.
We eat mutton (I think), potato and onion dumplings that night.
In the morning I continue downhill (yay!) to the lake. I make my way around the north side of the lake and soon find myself struggling to make it over some short, steep hills. By 3.30 I am toast and I ask to camp next to a herder family. I pitch my tent just in time for a huge thunderstorm.
Once the rain has cleared I whip up a nutritious and delicious cabbage and tuna salad.
I wake at midnight to discover that my thermarest is flat. I had been debating all week whether my extra blue foamy is really necessary. Turns out it is. The big bulky hunk of foam is now indespensable.
I head off in the morning feeling anxious and lonely. I have been quite stressed since leaving Bishkek about visa time limits (tajik visa), permits and the whole cycling and camping by myself. To top it off these bloody hills were bloody steep. I try my luck following some horse trails that seem to follow the contours a little more.
After an hour and a half of pushing my bike over very rough ground (but not much uphill) I stumble upon some Kyrgyz people from bishkek. The two men seemed to be on a weekend away with their girlfriends. When I asked if they had kids they replied that they are at home with their wives! Nonetheless they give me some chai and watermelon and their phone numbers and tell me to call them if I get into trouble. I soon head off and 29 minutes later discover that I have lost my water bladder that connects to my free and carries all my clean drinking water. Damn.
I backtrack for an hour with no luck and decide to continue. I will figure something out. Today is not going well. I leave the lake shore and continue uphill. Getting blasted by freezing cold headwind and rain. The rai clears up quickly and a teenage girl helps me ouch my bike to the top of the pass. She is walking up the hill to get phone reception.
Once at the top I look down to see many switchbacks and a covered with pine trees. Amazing.
I finally reach the bottom if the switchbacks after about 40 minutes. The downhill run continues along a river, where I find a great campsite for the night. Whilst eating dinner (ramen soup with cabbage and onion), I am approached by Victor, who tells me it isn't safe to camp by myself and come and camp next to him. I am stuffed and the thought of packing everything andoving is too much. I stay where I am.
12/8 rode 23km, ODO 952km
13/8 rode 35km, ODO 987km
14/8 rode 60km, ODO 1047km
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