to green hill camp: Looking over our shoulders for a truck that never came

August 12, 2016

We made up our minds that the next hill was too much for us and decided to take a ride if the opportunity was presented. It doesn’t.

So all day we are looking over our shoulders for a truck to come crunching up the hill in a cloud of black smoke to rescue us from this ordeal. In the meantime though we have to keep moving, with only a couple of days food left we cannot just sit here by the side of the road.

We get to the “low” point and make sure to take the left fork in the road. The right fork looks like a better road and it crosses the river, but our GPS confirms we have to keep left and “follow the power lines” like the German had told us.

The road deteriorates immediately, and it gets very steep. On many sections we have to leave one bike behind and both push up the other, then walk back and do it again for the other bike. We are suffering and looking back hopefully at each rest break. No trucks today…..only two cars from the opposite direction and one man on a horse.

The altimeter helps us see our progress though and as we climb higher we start to think that maybe we can get over this one by ourselves. Our goal is to get to about 2800 – 2900 meters and when we reach that we find a nice camping spot on a green hill overlooking the valley. The reward for all this hard work is right in front of us: quite the view. We are too tired to cook properly and just eat an instant noodle package and some cheese and crackers.

As we are sitting there on our own green hill a truck comes plodding up the mountain…… Our minds are made up though: we are too close now to take a ride.

"In doubt, just follow the new power lines" the German we met in Torkent said. He was right: all along our route we are accompanied by these new galvanized monsters.

There are plenty of streams to cross. Also plenty of cool water if we care to filter it.

Green hills and yurts just before we reach our campsite.

Camping on a green hill. Nice views everywhere.

Our source of water just behind the camp.

Today's ride: 20 km (12 miles)
Total: 1,706 km (1,059 miles)

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