Ride Registry
RIDE DETAIL
KYRGYZSTAN--IRKESHTAM TO BISHKEK -- Irkeshtam (in southeast at the Chinese border) to Bishkek (the capital, where I flew out), August, 2006|
Total Miles: 716
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Load: Panniers
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Rider: Bill Weir; 54 years old, travel writer, Member UNITED STATES Email
Summary: Other cyclists had good things to say about Kyrgyzstan, so I was keen to visit this mountainous former Soviet republic.; Self-Planned
Health Issues: none
Motivation: To experience a new part of the world and cycle among the Pamirs and other high mountains of Central Asia.
Most Challenging Aspect:Scarcity of restaurants and well-stocked shops in the in the mountains. It wasn't all bad--I could usually get decent chocolate!
Favorite Experience: Riding up beside an alpine stream, then over Moldo Ashuu Pass into the grassy hills surrounding Song Kol Lake, where the Kyrgyz lived in yurts and herded sheep and horses.
Least Favorite: Small amount of money stolen from my guesthouse room, probably by the owner's family.
Tips: Homestays were excellent, but guesthouses and hotels often run down. Camping is easy. Russian is the main international language, so it's worth learning the alphabet and common phrases.
Online Journal: Click Here
Date Entered: Apr, 2020
Photo by Dennis Coello
