Week 72: to Toluk: just the two of us again

August 10, 2016

We have the alarm clock set for an early start today. The next hill was clearly visible from the high point yesterday. It looks like a beast and we want to tackle it before the sun gets too hot. We are able to ride most of it, just a couple of steeper and loose sections we walk. There are many yurts and temporary shelters along the roadside. Herders are grazing their livestock on the green hills and there are beehives everywhere. In about two hours we climb the 8km and about 500 meters vertical to the summit. At the top we are rewarded with nice views and a Kyrgyz sheepherder complete with traditional hat silhouetted against the sky. Nice photo opportunity. Looking back, we can see the Lake Tortugul.

Then a downhill, some more uphill and a steep descent to a river crossing. This repeats itself two more times, by the last climb we are both pretty wiped out. No way could we have done this yesterday. The scenery is very nice again, green hills, white yurts, horses and cows everywhere and farmers cutting the tall grass and wildflowers with large scythes. The hay is left to dry, then raked into large piles that dot the mountainsides everywhere you look. All this hay is probably trucked down to the valleys for winter feed.

Toluk is a bit spread-out, but there is a very prominent town center with half a dozen shops clustered around a dusty square. We visit all of them and manage to scrounge up eggs, some fresh veggies, a can of corn, sausage, cheese, snicker bars, cookies and even a huge loaf of bread. Bread is not typically sold in stores in out of the way places like this, people bake their own bread. But the shop owner gets on the phone when we ask for “naan” and she finds someone who has just baked some. Ten minutes later we are presented with a huge 18” diameter cartwheel of bread weighing at least three pounds. We cook our eggs so they can be transported on a bike, we enjoy a last cold ice tea and ice cream.

Just past the shops the road drops down steeply to the river. There is a large open field that appears to be used for the traditional Kyrgyz polo game played with a dead goat; there is a pile of car tires on each side of the field where you have to ride around with the goat to score. More important for us are the trees along the river under which we find some shade. There are some other people playing in the river, but they leave shortly after we arrive. We wash the tent to get rid of the cow smell and pitch just in time to see a huge thunderstorm come over the mountains. It hails hard and the clear river turns red. Good thing we already filtered water upon arrival.

After the storm, the sun comes out briefly enough for us to fix dinner before seeking shelter inside the tent as another storm approaches.

Kyrgyz herder coming down the mountain with a couple of bulls.

Showing the photo Patrick just took of him.

People are busy everywhere cutting hay by hand and raking it into this kind of mounts.

Downtown Toluk. There are several small stores where we are able to restock most of our supplies

Camping along a nice stream just outside Toluk. Time for a shave.

Camping along a nice stream just outside Toluk. A pretty good storm is moving in. Notice the clear river water.

After the storm with pea sized hail has passed. Notice the color of the river now.

Today's ride: 37 km (23 miles)
Total: 1,655 km (1,028 miles)

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