Day 672-690: To Erkeshtam, Kyrgyz and into China

Still rolling along the south Issyk-kul lake

Venturing off and away from the lake

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Orto Tokoy reservoir

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Taking this route wasn't part of the plan but Song-kul lake was no go. Reaching the top, the weather changed again and I gave in to a truck ride to Naryn partly also because they told me there was road works and I didn't know how much time it'll take me... I regreated...there are some beautiful sceneries that I missed.

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The 'gate' into Naryn

They were working on repairing the road and came over to have a chat when they saw me taking photos... 

Permitted to pitch by a farmer's house

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06.30hrs ready to roll... hoping to have more time before the headwind hits again

Warning of the ascend, unpaved, falling rocks etc

Can't believe I just came up from the bottom *sweat*

The clouds drew, heavy rain hits, thick fog restricted my vision and mud jammed my brakes... I was shivering in cold, no cars, no humans.. I could only grit tight I carry on pushing...

 At last I saw some men at the top repairing a machine who told me I should let them give me a lift as the next village is still far away... 

*sigh*

The sun came out when I reached the village... and looked at my poor boy. 

Heavy rain continued to pour the next day and news from my host says roads have been washed off overnight... road condition was really bad that no vehicles could cross... but maybe bicycle is possible

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With Axel whom I met here in this village (he was stuck with bad weather and road too and had to take a lift)..... Judging on the information we got, Axel decided to get a lift to the pass, taking me along :)

In the van with the driver who just bought a bottle of beer to drink along the way 

 Nomads

 Nomads with Jeep?

Lucky day! 

The road

He could only drop us as far as his van could go

Axel, on a short tour

Need to bike down, down, down

 Road condition

 Beware of falling rocks

  Road condition

  Road condition.. Luckily Axel was around to help

 

 The road to cross from left to right.. it was almost gone and I had to offload everything and Axel helped with carrying the bike over or should say 'jump' across

This car was stuck between landslides and can only abandon the car until the road is fixed

Before parting with Axel, he gave me some treat. This halva is so damn good

 Countless offloading to cross these landslides... now my bike is covered in mud

Another mudslide to cross... At some point, I was sinking up to knee level.

I was supposed to cross over to the other side but wasn't confident enough to cross without being washed off and the rain came again... I retreat, put my wet tent up again and decided to get help
See my bike on the right? Looks miniature

 2nd night at the same spot... after all the rain, today looks good

 Found these miniature shrooms while waiting for help

 Think my rescuers on horseback are here

 Can't believe my Kyrgyz horse riding experience had to be like this

 Had to carry bike and bags back up to the road

 Just came up from below on foot - a detour from ''missing road link''

One of the missing road link...left to right..

 I was riding his horse

 With his dad on the other horse with some of my bags

I don't even get a bubble bath yet he is having one!

Ending the day with Kyrgyz's Ayran

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 Owing to the weather, visa and the fact that I've rode this road previously, I took a shared car to Sary-tash... The road condition was not the good road I remembered anymore

Back to Sary-Tash again

 71km to the village before border to China

 Ahh this intersection, how familiar... the left goes to China and right goes to Tajikistan where I came from

Can't believe I have to dig out my down jacket and toast myself in front of the heater

One of the typical breakfast... the normal rice we eat cooked with milk and sugar

 Sary-tash village

Angry snow clouds over that same mountain backdrop

 Is there a road here... nah just someone 'reusing' the road sign 

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Aigul, my host

 Last glance at Sary-Tash

And goodbye!

Tourers from Estonia! Its their first day and they are heading towards Pakistan

Can you feel the coldness too? Brrrrr

 It says ''Motherland in my heart''
Crossing into China!

 I don't think I'm allowed to camp here but the border-crossing was already closed...

 I didn't know the custom at the border will still be close but they reluctantly let me through but I had to stay here for 2 nights until the custom reopen... A trash and abandoned place.. the officer told me redevelopment of this place is in progress... perhaps in near future there will be a brand new checkpoint

 Officers make sure I was staying in a safe place and away from the truck drivers (men)... I had this whole place to myself

 The view from the checkpoint... on the otherside is the road that cyclists are not allowed and had to take taxi to the next checkpoint town at Ulugqat

With the mama who make sure I stay safe and was fed...

4 May 16: 86.77km [Cloudy]
5 May 16: 63.64km [Sunny/Rain/Headwind]
6 May 16: 30.3km [Cloudy/Hail/Headwind]
7 May 16: 80.78km [Sunny/Headwind]
8 May 16: 47.5km [Sunny/Headwind]
9 May 16: 13.96km [Rain/Fog/Headwind]
10 May 16: 0km [Rain]
11 May 16: 24.66km [Cloudy/Rain]
12 May 16: 0km [Rain]
20 May 16: 81.85km [Sunny/Crosswind]