Day 95 Jul 13 Fri - Met up with Heather again in Bishkek

Setting up my tent in the Nomad's Home
Around Bishkek
Guard changing duty at the Kyrgyzstan Square
Around Bishkek
Around Bishkek

Today's spending: 424 som
Total spending to date:6902 som

Knew Heather has arrived in Bishkek from internet email,but she was staying in another Hotel not far away.We met up in Nomad's Home at 6.30pm and went together to town for dinner.Heard 2 bad news on cyclist. First, was the robbing on our fellow cyclist from New Zealand who was abt one week ahead of us. Arnord & Merike were camping on their last day in Kyrgyzstan near Kara Balta. I am glad they still continue to cycle to Shymkent ,that means the injuries is not that serious. Second, is happen to Lindsay,who found his handle bar Ortlib bag was gone with all the valuables while leaving the internet. I hope he will get over this sad moment and get all the replacement done in the shortest time possible. Today I decided to move out from the dorm bed (200 som) to setting up my own tent in the garden (100 som) for better ventilation and comfort. Of course, I can save 100 som per nite.

Day 94 Jul 12 -Bishkek sourcing for a new rim

Tyres meant for snow surface in winter

Can you believe this?
Getting my new rim fixed with this friendly Russian -Oleg

The yellow bike belongs to Oleg - not for sale according to him

Today's spending: 1426 som
Total spending to date:6478 som

After having complimentary b/f of ried egg & sausages with coffee.The driver from the Nomad's Home fetch me to the bike shop about 5 km for 60 som.Managed to locate with the address given by Gothern from Austria cyclist.It is not actually a shop but a house bike business runs by a Russian with parts mostly from Taiwan. It is almost impossible for any newcomer to find if you don't has an address with telefon # with you. Oleg speaks a little English so there is no problem to tell him what I want for my bike.I bought a new Alex A16 rim with 2 spare tubes + workmanship ,all for 980 som but I paid in US dollar 25. I tested the bike by riding it back ,looks good with no problem in gear shifting.Done a few updates in an internet for 24 som /hr ,will continue tomorrow.Heather is still no news when I went back to the Nomad's home. Hopefully tomorrow gets to see her!

Day 93 Jul 11 Wed - Mosquito camp to Bishkek 140km by Car

Flat again
Finally ends of the crack rim story
Coffee break under the concrete cement wall to stop avalanche

Start of the climb

Lindsay from New Zealand
Getting ready with this 3 km tunnel rides
The downhill that I really missed

Today's Distance: 29km

Temp:5 - 26c
Average Speed: 7.0 max:33.5
Time on Bike: 4 hr 09 min
Ave climb:5% max: 14%

Trip altitude: 850m max:3199m
Today's spending: 850m
Total Distance to date: 6257km
Total spending to date:5052 som

It was indeed another bad day for me that I had to flag down a car ,140km to Bishkek when the crack rim couldn't take the stress of the steep downhill. Heather will continue to ride with a New Zealand cyclist Lindsay whom we met on the climb. I will saty in Nomad's Home in Bishkek

to wait for her arrival in 2-3 days,also to e-mail if any changes to the plan. With less than 5 min, I was onto a car to Bishkek cost me 400 som plus 150 som to the Nomad's Home. My bike and all my panniors were tied on the roof with 6 adults including the driver. While sitting next to the driver who was speeding at 100kmh downhill. The downhill continued very steep while in the car.One way I am happy to hop on the car as it is too risky for my bike with crack rim,another way,I am sad to miss riding on this beautiful downhill with awful mountain scenery,the best according to Heather. Well, as I said earlier,safety always my number 1 priority!

Day 92 Jul 10 Tue - River camp to Mosquito camp

Gothern from Austria gave me a bike shop address in Bishkek
Mosquitos camp
Our tent set right on the path of the sheeps and horses

We volunteered to be the guest of this family and we were not disappointed by their hospitality
A special tea pot with a hanging filter
My poor mirror bought 10 yuan in China left half vision after a fall blown by the wind or is it the unstable stand?
Ala-bel Pass with snowcapped mountain
still 197km to Bishkek

Jalur Gemilang still flying high


Lovely Kyrgyzs kids very excited about unexpected guest
A family photo I promised to send

Today's Distance: 77km

Temp: 5 - 25c
Average Speed: 15.7 max:54
Time on Bike: 4 hr 52 min
Ave climb: 5% max:16%
Trip altitude: 537m max:3179m
Today's spending: 230 som
Total Distance to date: 6228km
Total spending to date:4202 som

Started early today at 8.00am as we knew we have a high 3175m Ala-bel Pass to climb,the speed drop to 3 kmh for the first time since Beijing,very steep and long,we took abt 2 hr to cover that 6.7km when we reached the peak ,I calibrated my cyclometer altitude number 3086m to match the actaul of 3175m. feeling cold and an urge for something hot,we volunteered into one of the yurt as guest,true enough,we were welcome and invited to have hot tea,bread, fermented horse milk.Took a family photo and they gave me the address to post the photo to them. Pls reminds me if I forgot. The downhill was long & gradual,if not for my crack rim,I'd had enjoy more.Met an Austrian solo cyclist Gothern who was cycling on opposite direction to Osh.He gave me a bike shop address in Bishkek after knowing my rim problem. The crack rim continue to deteriorate when the tube burst for the 5th timeat the same spot.This time I put a 2nd layer of cut rubber tube and see how it goes.Rain stop us againfrom cycling and we were forced to put up with a campsite full of mosquitos and a rather mud river water due to the rain.

Day 91 Jul 09 Mon - Beautiful river camp - Still river camp

Plants at the riverside
Plants at the riverside

Jalur Gemilang under repair

Horse milk selling in recycled soft drink bottles
A sheperd requesting for photo taken
campsite sharing with the horses
Flowers along the riverside

A tourist hotel definately not for us
Honny stalls
Someone's rock painting.Does anybody knows him?
Honney farming
Fast flowing river a plenty from the mountain ,very very cold

A nice place to relex after a hard days ride.
Strout fish caught by the river
Sawn back a torn saddle bag from that downhill fall on gravel in china
Sausages cooked with can fish
Honney stall with a soviet era motocycles

Today's Distance: 34km

Temp:14 26c
Average Speed: 7.1 max:37.5
Time on Bike: 4hr 49min
Ave climb: 4% max: 25%
Trip altitude: 1177m max: 2633m
Today's spending: 40 som
Total Distance to date: 6151km
Total spending to date:3972 som

From yesterday 1509m,we started the climb,one hill after another at a very slow speed of 4-5 kmh,then a bit of short flat,then up again to a max 2633m.The weather is getting cooler and cooler abt 15-18c .There are many wooden stalls selling honney and horse milk in recycling plastic bottles. There is no towns or even village,what you can find are

yurts and tents scattered along the roadsides. So another nite of camping,there is plenty of water from the rivers and finding a good campsite with green grass & river is not a problem. Tonite will be a very cold nite and tomorrow the climb will continues...

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