Some cherished memories amongst the high passes of the Tian Shan/ EuroAsian Steppe.
These lands are magic, and I stand in awe of the nomadic human spirit amongst it.
Few more to come.
Lovely couple of shots by good mate @_liamoconnor_ who I was privileged to share it with
All permit access approved , we spent a few incredible days by a remote lake near the Chinese border. The view was taken in all to ourselves surrounded by silence and snow caped peaks.
Saying goodbye to our French friends was harder than expected , it’s amazing how the road can turn strangers into companions, and brief moments into friendships that feel far older than the journey itself.
Getting to Karakol has turned out to be tougher than planned. Heavy snow raised concern of blocked passes, and we had to make the difficult call to turn back and take a 500 km detour around the mountain range.
Tiered from our mountain diet of baby food, frozen stale bread, sachets of condenced milk and dehydrated shitness, we dropped below the snow line. Blizzards and headwinds joined the fun, chasing us down along the Naryn River. At least the scenery tried to make up for it , wild, cold, and ridiculously beautiful.
Now we’re pressing on toward Karakol again, this time sticking to the lower-altitude routes. It’s slower, longer, and a little bit funky , but that’s what it’s all about .
Onwards with “What ifs, but no regrets”
Post three days of a stomach bug and the trip soldiers on.
After a morning of fast descents and hitchhiking, we made our climb to Song Kul Lake. Wrapped in mountains, we pedalled our bikes through the fading remnants of this seasons yurt camps.
@_liamoconnor_ and I followed the switchbacks down into one of the most scenic valleys I’ve come across. By the time we reached the evenings last climb, the moon was on the rise, casting an easy glow over the mountains. a calm end to a long day on the road.
Back to civilization for a few days before doing it all again.
Kyrgyzstan has already packed a lot at us in the first leg of our trip. We kicked things off by unknowingly camping beside a rubbish tip, complete with the soothing aroma of burning plastic drifting through the night.
The following day took us up Kegety Pass, where locals warned us the route was “finished for the season.” Just as our motivation wavered, a trio of cheerful German bikepackers appeared from the other direction and assured us it was still worth the effort. Spirits revived, we pushed on.
Over Kegety and Karakol Passes (3850m), we were met with steep headwinds, harsh climbs, and descents that rattled both nerves, brakes and my acquired stomach bug. The landscapes, though, felt almost otherworldly vast, wild, and impossible to capture in a photo.
Best of all, we’ve now teamed up with a lovely French couple, @cycleast , whose company has made the hard earned kilometers a little lighter.
Few 7’5 stretch variations of some mid twin models
For the fun of it I will be sharing my ocean based creations over on @gifted_surfboards from now on. All things surfboards, resin art, hand planes , alternative shapes and restorations with the mind set of giving a little something back to the world 😃
First board will support @projecthiu in their efforts to shorten the effects of the shark fin trade.
-1 guide (dosonam)
-2 spontaneous fury companions
-4600m ascent over 26 hours
-Many wonderful local souls
-Sung (shouted) songs and my guides favorite Tibetan mantras to both keep on track when the white outs hit and to scare the wild yaks and horses off from charging at us when the daylight had left us.
-And a good dose of hikers AMS
Cheers Gosaikunda (Langtang national park) for an unforgettable experience .
