A big one today – l had a pass at 3450m – the Kalmak-Ashuu Pass which would bring me to Song Kul lake.Â
Last night was cold in my tent beside the stream. Luckily, the snow storm didn’t come any closer, but the wind howled and it rained intermittently. I was warm though, in my sleeping bag. One local shepherd came by early to check on me and was surprised that I wasn’t cold. He wanted to know if I drank vodka. Haha, definitely not, but it’s 7:00 mate get serious. Getting out of my sleeping bag was another matter. Finally, I did and I discovered the sun out, the breeze gentle and the temperature fine for breakfast by the stream.
I had my muesli and boiled the billy for coffee just as another shepherd came over. He looked at my food and turned his nose up at it, then investigated the stove. Benzin, petrol ?? A quick shake of the fuel bottle, ok. I lifted the pot so he could see the flames, and he nodded in approval. However, when I produced the coffee, it was erghhhh. That just meant I wasn’t going to be sharing food or drink with him. He sat there and watched me eat but was soon on his way with a shake of hands. A typically nice person that I’ve met on this trip.
Packed and ready to go, I got into the climb immediately – 7%, 10%, 12% – hang on I’ve only gone a few hundred metres. On steep climbs, I crave photo opportunities so I can stop and catch my breath. There was no shortage of opportunities today, and boy did I need a few rests on.
Progress was slow. My riding pace up the hill mirrored my walking place, so I just alternated between them. There was a drizzle of rain early and it turned into hail very quickly. The hail was far better. It bounced off and didn’t make me wet, and it was like being pelted with bean bag balls. The icy wind was the issue and it was freezing.
At one point, the corner of one of the hairpins was exposed and the wind drove me back as I approached. I thought, great it’ll be a tailwind now, but it was too wild. Each gust knocked me a metre off my track and into the mud. Back to walking.
Some drivers would stop to see how I was. I met a nice Polish couple on the way up and had a quick chat as I assured them there was nothing I needed. Later, they would come down the valley as I was still going up and we talked for a good 30 minutes. An absolutely lovely young couple who were surprised and impressed with my journey.
Some Turkish guys stopped and gave me chocolate and I luckily remembered the Turkish for “Turkiye is beautiful” from 1983. That got a laugh. As I neared the top, another car came by with one passenger hanging out the window, yelling – Respect, Respect !
There wasn’t much traffic though. It was a terrible road. There were a few nomad’s trucks full of either yurt pieces or livestock. Theirs were small trucks and I got a few looks from some very uncomfortable looking horses.
I stopped for a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches at about two thirds of the way, then, with the end in sight and just over a kilometre to go, it started snowing. The pass had thrown everything at me, but I made it over the top to see a stunning view of the lake.
I was hoping for a simple descent
It looked simple from a distance. It was only 400m (vertically) down but the road was rocky and corrugated, and it was a slow ride that required concentration. Not what I felt like.
There was a yurt camp on the east side of the lake which had good reviews and importantly, one review was from 2 weeks ago. That meant that it was already established.
The journey there was about 8kms of undulating dirt road that was muddy in patches. Much smoother than the road I turned off. It also involved a thunderstorm that I waited out before continuing.
When I finally made it, I realised it was still in the final throes of being set up. They’re only been there 4 days, so the review was bogus. It was really cold, the yurt was dark and dingey but they did dinner and breakfast, and I wasn’t riding another centimetre.
I thought about having a rest day here but I’d decide later. Right now, I needed a wash and a rest. What, you have no area for washing ? No Can you get me some hot water ? They forgot, so it was a cold water essentials wash in my yurt – brrrrrr.
