Change in travel plans and beautiful ride through Kyrgyzstan to Lake Issyk Kul

In preparation for my trip and research I've been following news in Central Asia. Some iffy but common corruption instances and a lots of presidential decrees. I often hope for a bit of excitement but not too much. Got too much excitement this week waiting in Bishkek. Riots in Barskoon/ Kumtor mine, where I was hoping to research mobile use in a wealthier village, has had some environmental issues and villagers got mad. Rode hours into a headwind along Issyk Kul, expecting protests of a few dozen villagers, but was turned back. Between news updates Thursday night and starting riding Friday morning, the whole town came out protest and bullets started flying. So I turned around and headed out. Got to kochkor after riding through desolate wastelands, along irrigation canals, and past highways to China.

Nice digs for the night high on a mountain pass next to the Aral River

More pics of Kazakhstan and the start of Kyrgyzstan

A continuation of a boring ride into a more exciting ride. Endless steppe, decent pavement, cheap food. The total distance Almaty to Bishkek is around 260km going the long way near the mountains which I did. Be prepared for long empty stretches. But I only took pics of slightly less empty places. On the plus the tourist stop on the Kyrgyz side of the pass had melon Popsicles which I adore. And I'm staying at interhouse for $15 a night with breakfast and more important wifi (rare in Kyrgyzstan)

Boring ride to Bishkek

Just a taste of the 260 km to Bishkek I did yesterday afternoon and today. Endless steppe and fast drivers. Bugs and heat. Tedious border crossings.
But now in Bishkek which is cheaper and more lively than Almaty. Very much a developing city rather than an oil pond. Power out all over town for 1.5 hrs today.

Climbing in Kazakhstan

As the weather didn't look too hot for cycling out (i.e. cold and a bit rainy near 5 C at night), I decided to stay and head up into the mountains near Chimbulak ski resort. Supposedly the clouds lift in the mountains, but that was not so true this weekend. From Tas' place on Dostyk we were able to take a bus to Medeo, home of the skating track and cable car. Then we got a lift up to the ski resort after walking up a massive set of stairs from Medeo.

This should have been the first warning, since normally on a weekend one should be able to hitch a ride to the mountains as they are only 20 minutes from town. But we eventually caught a ride with a Kazakh couple who were going for a walk and ski. The guy had climbed some high 7000m peaks and had a pair of short skis that worked with his mountaineering boots. But his wife was the real character, running up the mountain at points. We met a Spanish/ Kazakh couple on the way to the glacier research station, and the Kazakh girl was going up to 3700 meters in running shoes.
With visibility around 10 meters, we grouped up and four of us climbed to the glacier and then onto the glacier. Roped up for a bit and did some rescue layouts, but luckily the crevasses were not open yet. Spend the night in a snow shower or two on the road at 3400 meters, and woke up to.... more clouds. So no climbing.
After descending trail, we met a few interesting folks on the way down who exemplify Kazakh outdoors folk. A guide, Nina, carrying 30+kg for a traverse with a young guy in tow. Two American skiers, Riley and ?, who were headed up to the glacier for a ski run or two. And the lawyer who ended up giving us a ride down. He was enthusiastic about exploring outside, but, like the Spaniard we met the day before, had trouble finding partners. He works for air Astana as well, so Tas and him made plans to take some cheap company flights and climb in Kyrgyzstan. Like most outdoors folk here in Almaty, many adventurers are spontaneous when planning trips, and go no matter the weather or season. And everyone knows Denis Urubko, Kazakhstan's top alpinist.

Afternoon ride in Almaty

After some google earth work for the rest of the route and some delicious Kazak lunch from my host Magdalan, decided to ride to Medeo and the ski resort. There's a brand new cable car that's too expensive for locals at 12 US but one can drive up to the top of the mudslide dam without too much trouble. Cars don't worry about running over pedestrians or bikes so getting up took some maneuvering, but luckily the way down was some gorgeous but muddy single track and double track through the suburbs. If only there weren't cars on some of the suburban roads you could ride from 3500 meters to town on awesome, not too technical track.
Learned that road crews, like in Georgia, consist of lots of men sitting around doing what 1 or 2 do in the states. They also don't care about warning us of their work, but luckily bikes can make it places cars can't. Coming down from the pass we were nearly strangled as a road crew was removing downed timber and rock from a gulley with cables all across the road.
Still waiting to see what tomorrow brings, because the weather looks like rain and low snow.
Here's a little taste of the ride.

Almaty Kazakhstan 1st impressions

I arrived at Almaty airport around 2am and almost instantly became a subject of some attention due to my bike helmet. Began bike build of the surplus bike around 3 am after clearing customs and passport control. Luckily my bag was too wide to fit through their x ray machine, so everything for the build made it into Kazakhstan. I roughly assembled the bike in the shop at school 1 hr before departure to make sure I had all the parts, but didn't cut any cables or install or grease anything. So it took til 5 to get everything assembled, and then some more time to get used to the 70 pound load in a duffel.
Since I had a whole day to work, decided to take a tour of Almaty. The city is laid North South, with the southern part 400 meters higher towards the mountains. Wonderful tree lined boulevards and fresh rain made for pleasant riding, except when cars showed up. Not quite as bad of drivers as in the Republic of Georgia, probably because there is more money in Kazakhstan and big vehicles, rather than just vehicles, mean wealth and speed. The disparities are visible, with Soviet cardboard concrete block towers one block, presidential palaces the next, and new high rises competing with Manhattan in the outrageous rent category. Have had a wonderful time chatting with Taz, the crazy Aussie pilot I'm staying with for a bit, and seeing all his google mapping of guests' routes through the Pamir and Tien Shan ranges.
Early in the day I went searching for a latte and paid Starbucks prices, and in the evening had a wonderful desert discussion with a fella from one of the regions big search engines. Among other things we discussed iPhone pricing, and lets just say I'm glad I didn't plan on buying a phone in Kazakhstan. New 5s go for 1100+ and are an eastern symbol of wealth. With that here's an iPhone pic

Packing for travel in 3rd world mountain villages

Some more crucial gear for international travel in mountainous areas.

In daypack: Two headlamps (one rechargeable via usb), mug, balm, sunblock, soap, tissues

Always with you: buff, pack towel, wool socks, mittens, softshell gloves, thermarest prolite 3/4, 800 fill  North Face Hot Tamale sleeping bag and liner, headband (thanks Skida), hat, work gloves

Extra sleeping gear (needed if you aren't doing homestays): Black Diamond Hilight Tent,
space blanket that doubles as groundcloth

Extra clothes (beyond what you're wearing): Patagonia Piton hybrid fleece hoody, long underwear (Ibex wool), Patagonia travel shorts, light Arcteryx rampage pants, bamboo T Shirt, light Eddie Bauer sirocco wind/rain shell

Where I may be headed

visited 9 states (4%)
Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Triposo Travelhacks

My mom figured out how to post to my blog

Look forward to some updates from her whenever I can't get online.
Quote:"This is a test, but only a test."
But for real, don't be surprised if there's a new voice on here.

Two things heading to Central Asia

Thing 1: Free Parable Design T2 trailer.

I've only had the chance to test this guy for a day or two, but so far so good. Very light frame (wheel, fork, frame, 8 supports, skewer= 3.6 kg), with modular and easily replaceable components, lots of storage in the dry bag, and even a spare tube and tire. Not sure how an unsuspended frame will handle singletrack, but for most touring where panniers could be used, this may be a lighter and more adaptable choice. I think I even figured out how to mount skis to the head tube of the trailer.

Thing 2: Patagonia Nano Puff hoody (or something similar like the Brooks Range Cirro).
At under a pound, any light hoody with 60g primaloft one should be required when heading outside. Fits into a nalgene, still warm when wet, does double duty as a pillow. The Patagonia version has 4 zippered pockets if you ever need a good travel jacket for the plane, or just lots and lots of snacks.

A Purple Bike Ride

Big bike rental programs like Citibike- present in NY and plenty of other big cities- function with specialized bikes, lots of advertising revenue, and a membership body that correctly believes that bike-sharing is a necessary cost-saving measure. If you’re in rural New England, however, bike riding is only realist 9 months out of the year, and if you take the summer out, that leaves about 5 months of riding time.

Williams College has had a couple failed bike share programs, with expensive new bikes and lock boxes and such, but no form of accountability. In most other aspects of campus life, the student body is mostly trusting and accountable, with skis left in the cafeteria still there a few days later, bikes left by the river for a swim unlocked… But when the asset is a community asset- dishes, umbrellas, bikes- things don’t get treated well. So my friends and I, appointed by the college and given some money to start a new bikeshare program, have been given the job of making an accountable system. Luckily, not too much is at stake. Like the bikes at the Climbers’ Ranch in Jackson, WY, all the bikes are confiscated bikes held by security, and have received just a few new parts, including yellow seats and purple handlebar grips. Renters must sign a contract, return the bikes for a weekly check-in, and unlocked rental bikes are regularly returned to the shop, and their renters lose rental privileges.

There’s no point in whining about the issues we’ve had and kinks we still need to work out, but yesterday a joint event we sponsored- a full day of bike tours to local farms- was a success. Lots of students with no bikes borrowed the PBR bikes, everyone had helmets, and farmers were happy to see their local, organic food eaten and transported in a low-impact manner. No pictures of the bikes yet because I was busy filming for the school, but a couple snapshots are below.

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A few of the 40+ people on the morning tour to Sweetbrook Farm, admiring alpacas, syrup processing, and turkeys.

The same farm, on a nice 70+ day.