Started off in JFK with just a backpack (awesome Detours urban riding pack), a synthetic Brooks Range Cirro Puffy, and a Giro helmet
Then I made my way onto a nice KLM 747 that looked like this. I was seated in the middle of the economy section, and got carded when I tried to get a drink (but the plane was headed to Amsterdam, so it was fine)
I knew I was going the right way when the glasses for orange juice, my absolute favorite drink, looked like this:
At some point, I was escorted down a narrow corridor and through many windows where I had to show my passport and $160 Kazakh visa. Soon, I emerged from the baggage claim with this bag fully security wrapped. I bought it at the airport and it fits an entire bike. The bag wouldn't fit through the metal detector at customs, so the backwards customs officers decided that it couldn't do any harm and let me through.
All this stuff popped out of the bag as well. High alpine gear for 5000 meter passes, tent, spare parts for the bike, clif bars, clothes, and a trailer.
And after 3 hours of magic, this contraption rode out of Almaty airport. I left Williamstown with 5 minutes to spare after throwing a bunch of bike parts into a bag. Not too many mods had to be made to come out with a complete bike (I guessed correctly on handlebar and stem size and almost correctly on rear wheel spacing). A zip tie or two later and the brakes were working, the single chainring was correctly spaced, and everything was tied to the trailer.
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