South of Issyk Kul towards Kazakhstan
Days 90, 91 and 92, 15210 km
Day 90 - it’s been a while since I went skinny dipping, and the southern border of Issyk Kul lake was just about the perfect spot. As we rode along the lake's edge, we came across endless stretches of deserted beaches and sparkling turquoise waters. We found the perfect place just after 5 pm and headed towards the beach right before the abandoned Alam Ordo site, riding back a few hundred meters along the shore until we discovered some trees that provided shade. We set up our camp and jumped into the refreshing waters. There’s really nothing better after a long drive in the heat. Back on the beach, we popped open our beers and I settled into the super portable Helinox Chair One, and let the sun dry me off while Gion was preparing dinner. With the vast open water in front of us and the breathtaking mountains behind us, what more could we wish for? It was pure freedom.
Day 90 - Here are some more shots from our camping spot at Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan. We collected enough wood to start a fire on the beach and take in the beautiful scenery. Later that night, a storm rolled in, giving us a view of the lightning below while the stars shined above the clouds. An hour later, the storm hit us hard with strong winds, lightning, and rain. It’s always a terrifying in the tent when the wind howls and the rain comes down hard. Snuggled in my sleeping bag, I use to count the seconds between the flash that lights up the tent and the thunder to figure out the storm's path and certainly to determine when it finally passed and the time between the light and the thunder stretches out again.
Day 91 - Other than the occasional hostels, this has become my home. Setting up camp takes about 15 minutes, packing up requires around 30, easy. The tent, the Nemo Osmo Dragonfly Bikepack, is designed for 2 people, yet it still packs down super small and light. I utilise the extra space inside to store all my gear, except for my boots. I have my helmet, knee pads, riding jacket, pants, and my Alpinestars A10 protective shell inside. The tent itself was fantastic, but the packing bag was too small, making it a hassle to fit the tent back inside. After two months, the bag tore, but fortunately, it was stored in my pannier bag as a second layer rather than on the bicycle's handlebars as intended. I sleep on a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT sleeping pad, which is thick enough for side sleeping and provides excellent insulation even in bitterly cold conditions. It's such a joy compared to the thin, layered sleeping pads I've used over the past few years. My sleeping bag is a Sea to Summit Spark Pro, which packs down incredibly small and keeps me warm below freezing, yet remains comfortable in the heat of Central Asia. I absolutely love it. Gion uses a similar setup but one man tent only. My entire setup is honestly more comfortable than 95% of the hostel beds I've slept in. I prefer sleeping in my tent rather than listening to five other guys snoring and stepping over their stinky socks to get to my bed. But man needs to shower from time to time, and that's just how it is.
Day 91 - After we packed up at our fantastic lakeside spot, we took a little break in the sand before continuing our journey along the south shore of Lake Issyk Kul towards Karakol. Gion’s back wheel spun, and just 10 seconds later, half of the bike was buried in the sand. The first step is to take off the luggage, and the second is to clear the sand around the bike. There’s no way to just ‘ride’ the bike out of this sand. The only option is to wiggle the bike left and right until we can lay it down, turn it to get it out of the hole, and then lift it back onto the flat sandy surface and ride off slowly. After 30 minutes and a lot of cursing, we’re finally on our way.
Day 92 - After nearly two weeks in Kyrgyzstan, we are heading to our final destination, Almaty in Kazakhstan. We have covered at this point almost 15,000 km in the saddle, and it feels quite surreal to think that these could be the last days of our journey. We have accomplished our goals, traveling from Belgium and Switzerland to the border of China via one of the legendary motorcycle routes, the Pamir Highway, and it's time to accept that this adventure may soon come to an end. But not so fast. We traveled through Kazakhstan eight years ago and loved every moment. And we expect nothing less this time around, Kazakhstan has a special vibe to it. As soon as we crossed the border, we were welcomed by its vast open spaces that I adore so much.
