Date: June 14th, 2016
Distance: Sick day
Song of the Day: Sickman - Alice in Chains

Things were not better this morning. One of the guys from the hotel helped me get down to the local hospital to see the doctor, and I spent all day there. It wasn't a fancy or modern place, but they did take care of me pretty well. The local doctor was good. Apparently I was in pretty rough shape. Since I wasn't digesting, I was totally out of energy and I was dehydrated. My blood oxygen level was less than 50%. Part of that was due to having picked up pneumonia in my right lung, and since everything else was going wrong I had a bit of altitude sickness on top of it all.

The staff at the hospital started patching me up. I got some IV fluids for dehydration, and they even had me on oxygen for a little bit. (That only lasted as long as the generator would run, though.) I also got some soup and chocolate to help get my energy level back up. By evening I was actually feeling mostly back to normal. The doctors wanted to keep me overnight, though. For me it didn't matter much. This bed was as good as the one back at the hotel.



-Dravis

Date: June 13th, 2016
Distance: Sick day

I didn't sleep well at all last night, I was running a fever and coughing. In the morning I woke up dehydrated, as well. I tried drinking soda, which is pretty much sugar water, to get myself feeling better again. It worked for a little part of the day. I was able to get up and get my rear hub put back together. I also met another American traveler from Whidbey Island, just outside of Seattle. Things didn't go well after that, though. I couldn't eat and my sugar water plan only worked so long. I went to bed again early, hoping things would be better in the morning.



-Dravis

Date: June 12th, 2016
Distance: 104 km
Song of the Day: Misty Mountain Hop - Led Zeppelin

Ali Chor is a strange little place. The whole town seems to be made of whitewashed mud brick buildings. The village is still up around 4,000 meters, so it's cold and quiet. There isn't much activity on the streets, just a few red-cheeked children playing. The ethnicities have also changed again. The people here appear much more Mongolian than those before the Pamir plateau. My hosts said that most people here are Kyrgyz, so that makes sense. The Kyrgyz were a Mongolian tribe that moved out of the steppe into the mountains here hundreds of years ago. There is something else that is strange about the place, though. It feels almost like a sense of abandonment, even though it is inhabited. I wonder if that is just the desolate landscape, or if the fall of the Soviet Union cast a pall over the place.

Riding out of town, the scenery is stark and beautiful. The road passes through a broad, flat valley. The mountains on either side are smaller than those along the Panj river. I thought that I would be surrounded by towering peaks on the plateau, but that isn't the case. It's like riding through the sky, though, the clouds overhead seem almost low enough to touch. I can see why they call it the Roof of the World.

Some of the places also remind me of Alaska. The valley floor is dotted with little ponds and puddles. It really is a wet and marshy place for a high desert. There aren't any trees at this altitude, so you just get some hardy grasses. There isn't much life around, but there is the occasional bird flying overhead. The waterfowl must be nesting out in the swamp, as I can hear their honking, but not see them among the tall grass. With the mountains behind, it all just seems like the Alaskan tundra. I suppose the ecology isn't all that different. I stopped for lunch about halfway through the day. It was a beautiful spot. I was watching some wispy clouds play in the spires of rock jutting from the mountain to my left. This plateau is remote, stark, and desolate, but that doesn't mean it isn't gorgeous. I love coming to spots where I can really feel the size and immensity of the world. It is a massive place, but most of us only experience a small portion of it. I feel lucky to be able to come to these places, to stand alone and tiny among the clouds.

While I was contemplating my solitude, a couple on a motorbike came up to say hello. It was the British couple that had come to dinner in Khorugh. I do enjoy my time on my own, but it's nice to be reassured now and again that there are other people out there.

After lunch, the rest of the day sucked. The rain picked up shortly after I left. I put on more layers, but nothing helped. The rain got through everything. At this altitude it was bone-chillingly cold. It didn't help that I had come over the little pass (4,272m) for the day, so basically everything else was down hill and I couldn't even heat myself up by pedaling. Even worse, the wind was at my back. On any other day I would have welcomed a tail wind, but now the breeze was sucking away all my heat and keeping the rain clouds overhead. I was hoping to find a little place to take shelter from the rain, but there was nothing out here. On occasion I would come across a building or two, and invariably the roof had collapsed and only a few walls would be left. I didn't feel like huddling next to a wall while still getting rained on, so I kept going.

It's a shame, really, the land around was breathtakingly beautiful. No trees, and very few grasses even, but the mountains around were laid out in an amazing display of color, lots of reds and yellows. If it had been sunny I would have spent a lot more time enjoying them. Anytime I thought about stopping, though, things would get worse. I took a few pictures, and by the time I got done the rain had turned to hail. What a miserable way to spend the afternoon. I kept pushing on to Murghab.

By the time I had arrived in town, I was shivering uncontrollably. Even food wasn't helping. My digestion had basically stopped, my energy level was at zero. Then my rear hub fell apart again. I didn't have the energy to even look at how to fix it. I stumbled my way to the one hotel in town. Once there I grabbed a bit of hot soup and crashed.



-Dravis

Date: June 11th, 2016
Distance: 80 km
Song of the Day: Life on Mars? - David Bowie

The rain was just starting to dissipate when I got up. It was good timing, since it had been raining most of the the night. The road onward was getting worse, and getting far steeper. I hadn't been looking forward to doing it in the rain. This was the first big pass in the Pamirs, the gateway to the plateau. Over 4,000 meters, and boy did I feel it. The air was getting thin and my lungs weren't acclimated yet. It felt like I couldn't take a full breath. More than that, my energy was gone. Between having been sick and the thin air, I just didn't have much in me. I could doddle along at a steady pace, but if I tried to put some speed into what I was doing, the power wasn't there. It didn't help that the nice pavement ended five kilometers before the top of the pass. I would go as far as I could, but on the steep road if I hit a large rock or a patch of gravel I would have to stop. There was no energy in me to mash my way through like I usually do. That first stretch of the day took what seemed like forever.

Once over the top, things got better. The road didn't, but I had a much easier time in the thin air without trying to climb a steep grade as well. I bounced along the first valley and was amazed at how barren everything was. Other than the road, there wasn't much sign of habitation. There weren't even very many plants around, just a scattering of small shrubs in places. It looked like the surface of Mars with no one else around. It was just me on my own with my thoughts. There was a short climb out of the first little valley into one much broader, and here were a few buildings and other indications of life. Most were collapsing and obviously abandoned, though. Life up here must be tough.

Things got tougher for me as I rolled through the third valley. The wind picked up and was blowing against me, then it began to rain. It didn't take long before I was soaked and cold. I put on a few extra layers, but couldn't seem to keep the rain out. Then it began to hail. Stinging pellets of ice blowing into my face made every meter misery. The ruts in the road became channels for the runoff. As if the torture of the weather wasn't bad enough, I had to keep a close eye on the road to keep from crashing the bike. I was very happy to get out of that valley.

The rain stopped as I topped the next ridge and went down into the largest of the basins that day. The pavement also suddenly returned and raised my spirits. There was a long, winding descent into the basin below. It was a strange kind of place, again almost like something on Mars. It was a flat plain with mountains all around the outside. At the bottom were two large, still lakes. It was a gorgeous view and a fantastic ride. After the previous hour of pain and agony, it was a well needed boost. Once I was down in the basin, there looked to be a small village. I could see the buildings in the distance. Not many, but a decent collection. As I got closer, though, I couldn't see any signs of life. All the buildings were abandoned. Combined with the alien-ish landscape, it was really eerie. Only two or three cars passed in the whole time I was riding. I truly felt like I was on my own.

It was getting late as I climbed out of that basin. The road turned to dirt for a minute at the top of the next pass. but was soon back to nice pavement. I was going to go about another 5 kilometers to camp, when I came around a small bend in the road and ahead of me was a whole little town that was actually inhabited. It felt so strange to see something like this after nothing all day. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to stay inside for the night. A found a nice homestay in Ali Chor. The couple gave me a simple dinner, and afterwards I went right to bed.



-Dravis

Date: June 10th, 2016
Distance: 100 km
Song of the Day: Higher Place - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

I awoke feeling a lot better. My stomach and intestines had calmed down, the drugs seemed to be working their magic. I was even well enough to eat some breakfast.

The riding itself was slow and steady. The road climbed up the valley against the flow of the river. On occasion there would be a small village, but most of the time there wasn't anything at all. Soon the trees disappeared. The valley was just small bushes and tall mountains on either side.

By the evening I was starting to get really hungry. Not being able to keep anything down for a day really took all the energy out of me. It took a while, but eventually I found a place that would cook a little bit of food. I had three eggs and some bread. Those eggs tasted like the best thing I have ever eaten. While I was there I started chatting with a couple from Argentina. They were hitchhiking across Asia. I guess getting a ride here had been tough, so they had done a lot more hiking than usual. They recommended the local hot spring for a soak, saying it was the best part of the day. I hadn't seen anything, and wasn't sure I wanted to get all wet when the air was getting chilly, but I thought it was worth investigating. Just up the hill from the restaurant (if you could call it that) was a little two room cabin. One room had a pipe coming in above head height for a shower, the next room had a large square pool of sulfur-smelling water to relax in. After spending fifteen minutes bathing, I had to admit the Argentinians were right. It was the best part of my day.

I made another 20 kilometers before things started to get dark. I wanted to go further, but the darkness wasn't being caused by the sunset. Instead, there was a large black storm looming in front of me. I got my tent up just as it really began to pour rain. I made a little dinner and went to sleep to the sound of large rain drops crashing against my tent.



-Dravis

Date: June 9th, 2016
Distance: 36 km
Song of the Day: The Mountains Win Again - Blues Traveler

Well, not feeling well didn't stop after dinner. I woke up up at 2:00 AM to throw up. Not pleasant. I couldn't help but be impressed, though. In less than 24 hours Khorugh did what 8 months in Africa never did. After emptying my stomach I was able to get some decent sleep.

I tried to sleep in as much as possible, getting up late and having a slow breakfast. It seemed to work. By the end of it I was feeling great again. I said goodbye to Blanca and Edmund, then got on the road.

Feeling great didn't last. The hills out of Khorugh had me feeling terrible again. I tried to ride as best I could, but it was slow going. Somewhere after kilometer 20 I puked right in the middle of the road. I really was feeling ill, so it was time for modern medicine. I started taking Cipro.

I did my best with the rest of the day. Shortly after the puking was a four kilometer section of dirt road, and at the end of it was a wide stream crossing. I didn't feel like trying to ride through the swift current, so I got off and walked through. My one consolation for getting my shoes soaking wet was that at least it would wash away the vomit on them.

I found an out-of-the-way place near Rivak to pitch my tent. I didn't eat any dinner, just crawled into my sleeping bag and fell asleep.



-Dravis

Date: June 8th, 2016
Distance: 73 km
Song of the Day: Geology - Fey Moth

What a great way to wake up. I started the day by eating breakfast while looking out at the mountains of Afghanistan. I don't do that every day.

The road to Khorugh was more rolling hills next to the river. Lots of small villages, too. Today was even more sunny than yesterday, and hot. Very hot. I was making great time, though. I got just outside of Khorugh by noon. There's a bridge across to Afghanistan there. I tried to convince the border guards to let me cross the bridge just for a few minutes, but they wouldn't have any of it. Too bad. I don't go to Afghanistan this trip.

Getting into Khorugh itself, I was blown away. I didn't think I would see a town of this size again in Tajikistan. It was a bustling town, though, not a little village with mud-brick buildings. It was a fairly modern place, straddling both sides of the river. While I was walking around I saw Edmund, one of the other cyclists I had met in Dushanbe. We spent a few minutes catching up and then went off to the bazaar for lunch. After lunch we met up with Blanca, yet another cyclist from Dushanbe. They were staying at the Pamir Lodge, so I decided to head over there with them. It was a really nice place, and even had a (very slow) wi-fi connection.

In the afternoon I went out to tighten up my rear hub. The home-built axle was getting loose again. The problem was, I didn't have the tools to crack it open. I found an auto-repair shop and one of the guys there helped me with it. While it was taken apart I noticed that the shaft of the axle was bent, but I didn't have the time or equipment to fix that. I guess it will have to do.

Back at the Pamir Lodge, Blanca and Edmund were getting ready for dinner. There was supposed to be a good Indian restaurant in town. We also grabbed a British couple on a motorbike, and an American hitchhiker to join. I wasn't feeling the greatest, though. I had a peach at the bazaar earlier and I don't think that sat very well. (Too bad, the peach was sweet and juicy.) Dinner was fantastic, despite not feeling so great. The food was good and I had a blast chatting with everyone about my adventures, I just didn't eat all that much.



-Dravis

Date: June 7th, 2016
Distance: 108 km
Song of the Day: The View - Modest Mouse

The riding today was more gorgeous fun. The road wasn't often as narrow as last night, and the river valley here was fairly broad, dotted with villages. It actually gave a slightly better view as well. I could see all the mountains around me. There were towering peaks in all directions. Oh, and the day was bright and sunny, but not too hot. The river and the trees helped keep it a little cool. It was just lovely weather. The road itself was still mostly unpaved, and I was also riding up and down a lot. It would be down close next to the river, rise up to pass through a small village, then drop back to the river. Still, I have no complaints. I was having a great day. I wish I had more to say, but really I can't express how amazing this part of the world is.

Toward nightfall the river broadened out even further. It began looking more like a long, skinny lake. Along the shore were a ton of little villages, and I stopped in one for a little bit of water. There was a public spigot for filling up buckets for drinking. One of the locals was already using it to get clean, though. He had a bar of soap out and was rubbing down his face, arms, and legs. That seemed like a good idea to me, so I got out my own soap and washed myself off. Getting rid of a few days of sweat, salt, and dirt felt amazing. I couldn't help but attract a small crowd, though. A group of children and a few adults showed up. The kids wanted to practice their English. It wasn't much, mostly "hello" and "what is your name?" They were very cute, though. I am a bit shocked at how the look of the people here has changed. In Uzbekistan the people often looked like a mixture of many different ethnicities. A bit of Turkish, Chinese, Russian, or Persian. Here, near Afghanistan, the people look far more European and sometimes almost Irish. It isn't uncommon to see little girls running around with bright red hair and pale blue or green eyes. I wonder if the steep mountains all around kept out invaders and preserved more of the local population, genetically?

I was going to set up camp just outside of town, but I discovered that just outside of town was a military checkpoint. I had to go a few kilometers further, and I ended up sleeping on the shore of the river looking towards Afghanistan.



-Dravis

Date: June 6th, 2016
Distance: 85 km
Song of the Day: The Fix - Minus the Bear

I am so happy to be back on the road, though I got a bit of a slow start. First thing, I had to go back to the workshop and get the splint epoxied to my fork. It didn't take long, but I wanted to give the epoxy a good long chance to set, so I didn't get started riding until after noon.

The riding was great, though. The fork is feeling solid. I don't actually know if I can trust it any more than the cracked one, but it seems sturdy and stable. I am trying to be gentle with it. Not an easy task on these roads. There is pavement in some places, but the surface switches between that and rough dirt road fairly often. At least the views make up for it. The road runs along the north side of the Panj river. There are big mountains and cliffs along both sides of the valley. Sometimes the way narrows into a tight gorge. What a spectacular place.

Across the river is Afghanistan. This is a place that I hear about from the news all the time. It's supposed to be deadly and dangerous. I can't say that it looks like it, though. It looks just like Tajikistan, really. The other side was dotted with tiny little villages. They look rather quiet and peaceful. I wonder what life is like over there. How much does being on one side of the river matter?

In the evening I was riding along a narrow section of the river. There was a steep cliff on my left and a short drop into the river on my right, hardly even enough room for a road. A few sections were down to one lane, certainly no room for me to camp. The road went on like this for miles, so I was still riding my bike well after sunset. Trying to pass a truck on a narrow strip of gravel at night is hair-raising.

I finally found a spot where the valley spread out a bit. There was a little place to put my tent. I could look across the river to see the lights in a village over in Afghanistan.



-Dravis

Date: June 5th, 2016
Distance: Rest day, sort of.
Song of the Day: Finest Worksong - REM

Today was quite productive. My goal was to fix my bicycle and be back on the road, which I didn't fully manage, but close enough. I mentioned that I had been thinking of a solution on the way up to the pass, so at least I had an idea of what was needed. I headed back over to the "master's" place to see what I could do. Boy, what a day it was.

I was supposed to show up at 8:00 AM today, but the power was out again. There wasn't much that could be done without electricity. I waited in my hotel until the lights came on, which was just before 11:00 AM. The joys of living in remote places.

When I arrived, I tried to explain what I wanted to the master there. That took a while. Remember, my fork is made from titanium. It can't be welded easily, like steel. The mechanic wanted to try welding it with the equipment he had. I told him it wasn't possible and it took a while to explain that it wasn't going to work. When I finally explained I needed to build a splint for it, he didn't understand how to build what I wanted. Constructing the splint took most of the day. I let the guy who ran the place try a few things, then showed him why it wouldn't work. Eventually he let me use his tools long enough that I was able to cut out the parts that I needed. The tools were pretty basic, mostly just an angle grinder. I know a couple of places back in Seattle that do good precision machining, and boy was I missing them. Here, I had to make due with what was available. That includes finding pieces of steel that were just lying around, which in reality means rusted.

Lunch interrupted things a bit. It was fun, though. A couple of officials from the Tajik federal government showed up. Their driver was the brother of the mechanic here, and the three of them stopped on the way through town. The food was great. I think it is the best "shourpa" I have had so far. So much flavor. Plus yogurt, veggies, bread, and tea. Oh, and vodka. They kept trying to give me vodka. I kept telling them I was going to cut a finger off. No one else seemed to be worried about operating machinery after lots of vodka, though. The driver was even complimented for being able to drive after lots of vodka. Fantastic. Truth be told, though, the driver had this great habit of being gone when the other guys were pouring vodka. I doubt he drank much at all, really.

After lunch, I got back to work. There was a lot of sizing and fitting to do. I would try something, then grind a little bit here or there. I would also like to note for the record that wire wheels are the devil. They are good for cleaning up rusted steel, but they also kick like a mule. At one point I was trying to clean up some pieces and started thinking this was the most dangerous thing I have done in a while. Then I remembered that yesterday I rode a bike with a broken fork down a mountain, so it put things in perspective. In the end, everything worked out. I was able to get my splint made. I even did a bit of the welding, so take that Eugene Christophe! Tomorrow morning I will come back and put everything together with epoxy and hose clamps. Stay tuned.

Back at the guesthouse, I arrived just in time for dinner. I was joined by a couple who were walking from Bangkok to Barcelona. I think I am crazy for what I am doing, but I can't imagine walking across continents. That seems way too slow for me. Since they were going the opposite way, they had a bunch of questions about the road ahead. I tried to give them the best advice I could. I don't think it will be worse than what they have already been through. Best of luck guys.



-Dravis