July 7
Karakul, Kyrgyzstan
149 km
4719 km total
I narrowly avoid running over two children. Al buys Tajikistan Marathon l-shirt at Uzbek border station. I get flat at dusk in tunnel. Brandt fries potatos and boils corn endlessly into the night.
July 8
Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan
115 km
4834 km total
Lunch in Karakul. Exchange money with “liquor store guy”. Long circuit around Toktogul reservoir. Fish for dinner and storms all around us.
Lake Toctogal.
July 9
top of Toktogul Pass, Kyrgyzstan
119 km
4953 km total
Brandt leaves us at Toktugul market. Climb all day, 2850 m ascent today, trip single day record. Weather kicks our ass half way. Camp next to yurt.
Toregard pass, on the Karkoram Hiway.
July 10
Chayek, Kyrgyzstan
160 km
5113 km total
Legendary day. Big downhill with 10,000 yard fairways. Lunch with Kamaz trucks. Stay in Chayek Gastinetza as storms follow us all day. Follow Susamyr river all day.
Stormy one minute, sunny the next.
July 11
Kul, Kyrgyzstan
192 km
5305 km total
Issek- More rain and cold follow. can’t find food, only “magazin zakritee” in each town. paved roads disappear Over 2200 m. flat tire at sunset with town in sight.
40% of this country is over 12,000 feet.
July 13
40 km before Naryn, Kyrgyzstan
153 km
5458 km total
Good start in morning backtracking to Kochkora to head south to Naryn. Rain kicks again at a cay stop. Drunk guys fight as we take off. Sary Bulak, everyone’s drunk.
July 14
100 km before Torugart Pass
120 km
5579 km total
Lunch in Naryn at Muhammed’s place with Jasamine. Trying to find Out if border is open on weekends. Our city guide, “remember me, Alex.
Yak herding by mountain bike...
...and dinner that Doug slaughtered in this family's Yurt. You get the honorarium Order of Motherhood, 1st class if you have 10 kids.
On the Chinese border, not all border guards are what they appear.
July 15
101 km
5681 km total
Destroy watchtower dummy. Al breaks spoke early. Drunk guys won’t let us pass. We have two days to kill at 3700 m.