September 25th, 2006 | categorizilation: all categories,Kyrgyzstan
Ugh. Slow internet. Internet that doesn’t work…
But finally I have found an internet cafe with decent internet. Once again, the photos are uploades, but I don’t have the time to put them into posts. But do check them out in the Photo Gallery section.
Right then, tomorrow I head for Tajikistan. At least 3000m altitude gain, 220km to cover. I have 5 days left on my Kyrgyz visa. It will be a mission, but it will be done. I doubt my ability to be able to do any updates for up to 15 days as IÂ cycle the Pamir Highway from Osh (Kyrgyzstan) to Dushanbe (Tajikistan). But you can be assured that there will be some major adventure to read about once I do get to Dushanbe.
By the way, thank you all for your great encouraging comments on the site. They are really appreciated, and I am torn up not to be able to answer to all of them. I am looking forward to getting to Uzbekistan, where I can take it a little easier and spend more time on the website. At the moment, the highlands of Tajikistan (altitude 4000m plus) are on my mind and with cold weather approaching, it makes me all the more keen to get through the big mountains as soon as possible!
If you need something to mull over while I hoof it over ‘the roof of the world’, then take a look at this post and let me know if you know the answer.
Till my next post…
Glad to see that this latest stage of your adventure was better than the last one!
Nana and I shifted to the Capons house on Saturday and are all settled in. It feels really strange – like sort of being on holiday. We had help from LBC folk, mostly from Nana's home group. With 5 trailers, a sort of horse-float, 6 cars and 13 people we got everything over here in one go. The garage is now stuffed with our stuff!
You're right about it being dry where you are. One wonders how anyone mangages to grow food and or feed stock. It looks worse thatn central Otago.
rob
great work on the trip – and im impressed that even out in the middle of central asia on a bicycle you still seem to be able to upload photos and updates on a pretty regular basis. id definitely exchange my place on my office "saddle" here at APU to be doing what youre doing right now!
Have you managed to straighten out the kinks in your chain? You should go back to the manufacturer of your bike once you get home and tell them how well it performed over the rough territory. They will probably want to use you for advertising and then you would be financially set for a long time!!! Don't know about the last bit, but I bet they would be very interested in your story.
I understand your concern about being in the mountains when the cold weather hits. If it makes you feel any better, you can be rest assured that I will be suffering with you, slogging it out in -20 degrees celcius… probably up a large mountain in the North East of China. Not sure about a 4500m pass though. I just ignore that sort of information. If its there its there and as you know, you somehow just get over it somehow. Enjoy the apples whilst they are there and stuff a few walnuts in your pocket for safe keeping.
I can understand the desire to push yourself and your bike hard to make deadlines and whatnot, but do remember that the two of you still have a LONG way to go. Everything in moderation, right?
The new picture at the top of your page is very cool! It reminds me of what Alaistair Humphreys seems to have taken from his mammoth (awesome) trip around the world – humanity the world over.
Ok I now see you have several pictures! :~). I had only noticed the picture of the recumbent before , cool picture of the kid in the grass!
Hey Rob,
Gruelling to read of your tummy torment and struggles. Prayed for you in our prayer triplet this morning – for health, safety and sanity. Peace and strength to you, brother.
Lee
HELLO FROM MURGHAB – For some reason the computer I'm on here at the ACTED office (agency to promote development in Tajikistan) is not letting me display my entry posting page, so I have to make this a comment post…
So I am in Murghab, eastern Tajikstan. On 100Mb satellite internet connection. And this is the only internet in town…so I gotta be quick. People are lining up.
From here I head towards Korogh, VIA THE WAKKHAN VALLEY. Yeah baby. That means an extra five or so days maybe, but apparently the valley is awesome, and it borders with Afganistan, so that should be exciting.
Getting here has been great. 4655m pass, mountains and valleys that are from another planet, nice smooth sealed roads, mad mad rocky roads, all will be revealed in Dushanbe, I promise.
I am taking two days here in Murghab to relax. I'm not properly acclimatised, so need to get that sorted.
Oh, and thanks for the mathematic brilliance from our mathematicians. Fantastic. I was hoping however that the percent grade would be higher (higher means steeper, right?).
Cheers to all,
Rob
hi Rob,
would it be a possibility to get hold of military style food rations? I don't think the central asian countries use MREs (the heat pack food you can cook in your pocket) but sure they have some hi-energy canned food as field rations. also if you can get hold of eggs, flour, milk and butter try pancakes 
I am sure you can find decent rissian made jams and dried fruits which can be delicious. What about canned fish? you should be able to get sardines, sprats (if you can get latvian smoked sprats you will love it for the rest of your life). I believe that despite the weight disadvantage canned food is more appertising than dried or instant food you have been feeding on!!
Satoshi
It is truly amazing what you are doing Rob! To reinforce Eoin's point I think anyone at APU would swap places with you mate! haha
Good luck!
G'Day Rob. Not sure if you remember me but we've met before while working as JETs. I've now taken over your fabulous desk and chair, and have been busy sending e-mails to aspiring students to get their #$%&! together and send us the required items or else. Anyway, good luck with the rest of the journey mate. You're doing what almost everyone else can only dream of. Catchya later.
well done for cycling on but make sure you eat plenty as your burning it faster than stuffing it in. Was thinking about the trip and am totally amazed by the whole recumberant idea… still think your mental but keep pedalling and keep out of trouble old bean.
looking forward to next postings
regards from darkest surrey
just thought id send some encouragement from the state of texas! hope that there are some cool cactii over there as i am a bit dissapointed with the cactii here.
is it possible to ride your recucumbant bike lying on your stomach? i think that might help…
Just discovered your site via YouTube. Enjoyed your Japanese description of the bike!
Wondering if you're passing any confluence points. If so you might think about documenting some…. See http://www.confluence.org
Hi Rob
How you doin – hope the Wakkhan Valley lived up to its name – some of your photography is fantastic! Come up for air soon mate.
Martyn
lots of encouragement going out to you from mexico rob! hope there are some cool cactii over there as i have been a bit dissapointed with the cactii here so far. have you tried riding your recucumbant bike lying on your stomach? i think that might help… ¡hasta luego!
oops, thats weird, my last post didnt show, and there it is!
¡repite!
hey bro, your journey is unbelievable I'm pretty slack when it comes to checking out your website, but every time I do I'm amazed and so proud of you, it brings a bit of a tear to the eye. Speaking of tears from the eye, I was just reading about the exciting adventures of Uranus. I'm stoked that you made it out the other side in one piece and you're back on the road again. You probably needed a good flush out, some people pay good money for that sort of thing. Christmas is coming up so I hope you saved any goodies you found like long lost gi-joes from childhood, who knows what else you had up there. You're a champion bro, keep up the good work. I'm with ya in thought, big love to you topher!!!!
Envious now. Your on the road, I'm stuck in Beijing waiting for a pair of winter boots to arrive before the mongolian section. Very frustrating.
Hi Rob! I'm hoping to buy a GTe for travelling the world in myself… that's how I stumbled on this site! What an amazing ride! Onya, mate. I'll be checking in to see how you go. Just don't get too cold up there.
so you are alive was starting to wonder did think about starting a rumor that you'd been eaten by some yeti type creature…
regards
me
Keep going, bud. Can't wait to hear/read the tales of the last two weeks.
Google Earth shows some seriously nasty looking snow-capped mountains south of Osh along your path. I certainly hope you know what you are doing and have packed sufficient warm clothing and supplies. Being stranded in the mountains in the snow is not simply an inconvenience, it can be a lethal mistake. In the old days travelers would eat their horses and oxen in emergencies like that. Bikes and digital cameras are much harder to digest.
Rob, what's up? Where are you?
Hope you're not stuck in some village in the snow waiting for winter to end! Post a comment soon or we'll have to send in the A-Team or Mission Impossible.
