103km - 4866km, warm 35C, 10km tailwind, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping
At 600h my eyes and the cafe both opened and, after negotiating one of the more putrid squatters on my trip, I managed to down a moderately delicious pilmeny breakfast. Started heading up a broad plain that narrowed toward the main Talas valley. Starting at about 600m elevation, the first 15km went very gradual uphill to the hydroelectric dam. Continued 20km around an azure hydro-electric lake, eventually reaching a small town for a moderately delicious laghman lunch.
The next 50km were fairly uneventful as I cycled up a continuous 2-3% grade, passing through agricultural lands teeming with creeks and rivers. (The change in scenery is sure a nice break from bone-dry Kazakhstan!).
After ~20km more, the valley started to close and increase in gradient. I stopped for dinner around 1800h and met the cafe owner's son. This scrawny 16-year-old with hints of three-week-old stubble played off like he was a prominent local 'gangster' (maybe he was?). His extensive experience led him to say that the surrounding hills were "filled with gangsters who would likely kill me for my bicycle". Comforted by that knowledge, I decided to ride a little bit farther than normal out of town before finding a campsite.
I eventually spotted a nice wooded area over a fordable small stream. I struck 300m into the bush and carved out a nice tent spot amongst the adolescent pine trees and long marsh grasses. Went to bed early to save up energy for the long climb tomorrow.
At 600h my eyes and the cafe both opened and, after negotiating one of the more putrid squatters on my trip, I managed to down a moderately delicious pilmeny breakfast. Started heading up a broad plain that narrowed toward the main Talas valley. Starting at about 600m elevation, the first 15km went very gradual uphill to the hydroelectric dam. Continued 20km around an azure hydro-electric lake, eventually reaching a small town for a moderately delicious laghman lunch.
The next 50km were fairly uneventful as I cycled up a continuous 2-3% grade, passing through agricultural lands teeming with creeks and rivers. (The change in scenery is sure a nice break from bone-dry Kazakhstan!).
After ~20km more, the valley started to close and increase in gradient. I stopped for dinner around 1800h and met the cafe owner's son. This scrawny 16-year-old with hints of three-week-old stubble played off like he was a prominent local 'gangster' (maybe he was?). His extensive experience led him to say that the surrounding hills were "filled with gangsters who would likely kill me for my bicycle". Comforted by that knowledge, I decided to ride a little bit farther than normal out of town before finding a campsite.
I eventually spotted a nice wooded area over a fordable small stream. I struck 300m into the bush and carved out a nice tent spot amongst the adolescent pine trees and long marsh grasses. Went to bed early to save up energy for the long climb tomorrow.
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