Day 100, August 5, Karakol

0km - 5571km, rainy 22C, wind?, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping

Woken up by the neighborhood dogs barking at 630h and unable to get sleep, I exited the tent with my book, put on the coffee and read the morning away. Others slowly followed and shared an instant noodle breakfast all round. Anja was the first to leave in the morning, but Will decided to stay around another day and let his cycling muscles heal a little bit more. After lunch, came back and finished off 'Moonfleet', and then started on a Jack London compendium.
This being my 100th day on the road, I decided to do the Baltika taste test that I had been remiss to complete in the previous century. I headed to the store and bought as many of the Baltika products as possible (missing #1,2,6, and 8 because they aren't imported in-country). The evening passed away slowly with northern visions, a homemade attempt at plov made palatable by a generous sprinkling of Tabasco sauce, and note-taking on the successes (and more often shortcomings) of the beer line up.

Day 99, August 4, Lower Arshan valley - Karakol

0km - 5571km, sunny 25C, wind?, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping

With no one rushing up in the morning, we took our time getting up and breaking camp. The farmers offered us hot water, which gave us some porridge-and-coffee-induced energy to complete the hike out. We made it about half an hour before a car stopped and offered us a ride into Karakol for $2.50. (In Kyrgyzstan there is no real difference between a taxi and a private car.) Gladly accepting, we piled our bags in the trunks, our bodies in the car, and headed toward civilization.

After being dropped off at our previous campsite, we pulled out all our wet things and set them drying in the warm sun. With time running short, and a body aching from the feet up, I decided to stick around until Aug 6th and then put my bike on a Bishkek-bound bus. Thus, my cycling adventure is over. Having made peace with this reality, I gleefully enjoyed an afternoon lying out in the sun with a book in hand ("Moonfleet" by Faulker). Dinner involved a riotous affair at a local cafe with dishes of Bosso Laghman and pints of pivo flowing all round. We made it back to the campsite at 2330h and then headed into our respective tents. Needless to say, I had to open my tent zipper a few times in the night ...

Day 98, August 3, Lake Ala-Kol - Lower Arshan valley

0km - 5571km, rainy 22C, wind?, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping

We all awoke at 630h with the sun, but lazed in bed for 1.5 hours until one of us made the first move in getting up. After tucking away another half-box of porridge and a few eggs hard-boiled before the trek, we packed up and ascended the ridge around the lake. We followed around to the east end of the lake, with the glacier gradually coming into sight offering spectacular views. Eventually reached the steep scree slope that we needed to climb up to the 3870m pass. After a quick break, we all began the uphill trudge. We all eventually reached the pass and, dropping our bags, ran up to the little peak some 50m farther uphill.

We spent a good half-hour looking at the scenery and admiring our accomplishments before dropping over snowy cornice into the next valley. The first 250m of lost vertical were on a very steep gravel slope that required some deft zigzag downhill movements, with a nice run-out at the end over a long snowy patch. The next few hours were spent trudging down the valley slowly descending into bramble, then arboreal, vegetation. We stopped for lunch around 1400h, finishing off our remaining wares, and then strode expectantly onwards toward the mid-valley hot springs. Reached the heated pools around 1630h and, contrary to our expectations, found that the baths were a hot 48C. After a few minutes of timidly tantalizing our toes with the sulfuric solution, we threw our tired bodies into the mix letting our leg/back muscles slowly relax.

We emerged from our private pool room around 1800h only to find that the last bus down the valley left two hours before and that we would have to walk out. We began the trek down the road and slowly realized that we had a solid 12km or so to cover before we could exit the valley to the nearest town. We were all pretty sore by now, my feet having solid blisters, Anja's knee injured from a mud-induced upset on the last descent, and Will being shod in bike gear. We made it about 9km out before the signs of rain appeared yet again, leading us to stop in front of a farmhouse. We asked if we could camp, and they offered to feed us (each for $2.50). We immediately accepted, set up our tents, and were eating a delicious noodly goulash within 15 minutes. Braving the stormy weather, we ran to our tents and quickly fell asleep each not looking forward to the morning's hike out of the valley.

Day 97, August 2, Upper Karakol Valley - Lake Ala-Kol

0km - 5571km, rainy 22C, wind?, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping

Woke up with glorious sunshine streaming down on our tents. Quickly set everything out to dry that had been wet for the past two days, and then made another large porridge breakfast. Packed up camp and were on the road by 930h. We weren't too sure which side of the river was the 'correct path', so we took the path on the left bank that stayed at constant elevation for 3km whilst the river plunged downward. Eventually reached a solid side valley too steep to navigate, and had to descend a very steep path, slippery wet with the previous night's deluge. Eventually reached the bottom of the hill and found the 'other path' - a drivable 4WD road. Headed down to the main valley camp (2500m) and were beset upon by the revenue collector who demanded 250 som/head. After finding out that he was, indeed, legit from a host of Lithuanians camped river-side, we paid up and quickly headed out of the camp having made no friends with the collector's axe-wielding comrades.

Our ascent up the next valley began with the need to ford a fairly deep river. Will immediately took off his shoes and began crossing the stream, which deepened to his crown jewels fairly quickly, almost knocking him (and my Ziploc-covered passport) into the raging torrent. Not wanting to repeat his performance (and having shorter legs), Anja and I scouted upstream and located the bridge. After sharing a few chuckles, we all headed to the trailhead having to play Frogger on a 300m of grass hillocks surrounded by marshy waters. We started to climb up and it became immediately obvious to me that I had tweaked my knee a little bit in the previous descent. Eventually made it up 500m to a small lake and downed one of Anja's few remaining aspirin at lunch. With the weather starting to head south, we decided that we would attempt the steep climb beside the waterfall located another 500m uphill.

Half-way up the weather closed in and started to snow pea-sized pellets on us trekkers. We eventually reached the crest, espied the encampment, and descended a little to the water's edge to set up our tents. A few minutes after arriving the weather cleared and sun filled the Lake Ala-Kol valley, showing off its azure blue glacier waters. We opened a few cans of sprats, added them to the noodlish concoction being simmered on the stove and had a fine meal watching the sun slowly disappear behind the neighboring peaks. Headed to bed finishing off 'A passage to India'.

Day 96, August 1, 6km above Jeti Oguz - Upper Karakol Valley

0km - 5571km, rainy 22C, wind?, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping

We all woke up around 630h with the sun creeping across the valley floor. While the other two headed down to get water, I started up the breakfast of porridge (we had generously allowed for 500g each morning for the three of us) and coffee/tea. Packed up camp by 830h and were on the road heading up to the Teleti pass some 1260m above our current 2500m elevation.
The morning's walk was pretty uneventful, with only one river crossing requiring the taking off of shoes and wading across the chilly mountain stream. Eventually, we reached a gorgeously green, open and wide valley.

We walked until lunch time at the base of the steep 700m climb up to the pass. After a quick repast of sausage, cheese, and bread, we headed uphill slowly gaining the elevation over some steep switchbacks. We reached the pass around 1530h after crossing a little bit of remaining July snow, and then began the descent into Karakol valley. The first 500m were over a snowy chute that Will decided to don his waterproofs and slide down. We others stuck to the sides and ran down the snowy embankment to the headwaters of the Karakol river.
We had some down a few kms before we noticed that a dark and sinister set of clouds were following us down the pass.

With thunder echoing in the distance, we raced down the valley, eventually reaching a passable camp spot at around 3200m. Setting up camp as quickly as possible, we all managed to dive inside our tents just as the clouds burst all around us. Quite a large storm with some pretty awesome winds and enveloping spouts of waters. Sadly, because of the major elevation gains/losses of the day (and the rapid, storm-induced change in air pressure), I was suffering from a solid headache . I took an Slovenian aspirin and, after scarfing down the proffered food, quickly passed out in the tent for the evening (impressively in the midst of the thunderstorm!).

Day 95, July 31, Karakol - 6km above Jeti Oguz

0km - 5571km, rainy 22C, wind?, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping

Sadly, the early morning start didn't happen due to a number of setbacks. The first few stores that we went into were completely out of things to rent, and each put us on a wild goose chase to the next place to find the goods. Eventually we found a run-down bed and breakfast renting out run-down equipment. Picking out the one bag with all straps present, but big on holes and short on waterproofing, and a somewhat modern single element burner, we all met back at the campsite around 1300h. The next step was figuring out how to eliminate equipment redundancy (e.g. extra tents, cookware, toothbrushes, etc.). By 1500h we were all packed, and I had somehow secured the lighter food pack (which lightened as the days went on!).

We grabbed a taxi from Karakol out the 15km Jeti Oguz, and then headed up the valley to the sanitarium - our hiking trailhead. After arguing with the taxi driver for 10 minutes over his attempt to rip us of 50 som ($1!), we started up the trail with ever-thickening clouds an increasing rain. Staring at a elevation of about 2000m, we hiked for 2 hours up into the valley and eventually were shut down by a massive thunderstorm. Fortunately, we paused at a farmer's hut and, after banging on the door, were invited into get warm by the fire and have a spot of tea and some home-cooked bread. We were invited to spend the night, but, with the new found sun, decided to push up the hill 500m and find a (free) campsite for the evening. Stopping at a bend in the road, we set up camp and, after a futile attempt to start a fire using wood pulled out of a small cave, broke open the stoves and had to live with our wetness for the evening. Sadly, the holes in the rental bag and the lack of waterproofing led to some wet spare clothes and a few negative thoughts. Hopefully, the sun will be out tomorrow morning to help dry things out ...

Day 94, July 30, Karakol (Bask in the sun/plan for trekking day)

0km - 5571km, sunny 30C, SW wind, 0 shots, 0 Lenin, Camping

Woke up late again and didn't feel the motivation to get back on the bicycle for the up-valley ride. Because the day was incredibly sunny, I decided to lay out on my sleeping mat and try to finish up "A Passage to India". After a reading for a couple of hours (and then sleeping again for a few more), I got up and had lunch with Will and the newly arrived Anja from Slovenia. Anja had decided to do a four day hike in the mountains south of Karakol and was soliciting for people to go with. Will decided to go pretty quickly and I, hemming and hawing for a while with some mental calculations of my remaining time, agreed after a couple of hours.

I had brought hiking boots along with in case I decided to go walking, and had cold weather equipment from cycling; however, neither I nor Will were completely outfitted with all the necessary trekking equipment. After searching around Karakol for a little while, we came across a few places that rented stoves, gas, and hiking bags. At my insistence, we also made a four-day menu and a shopping list (mother be proud) for the next day's supermarket outing. We decided to solidify our plans and burgeoning friendship with a few rounds at the local cafe, and then headed off to bed to get an 'early' start.