Going to Kyrgyzstan

Sharp. Mid cage mountain mech clears the 40t no problem?

Yeah no problem, just a few turns on the b screw.

Definitely do a short test trip with all the gear you intend to take before you go, you'll find out if you want to take the pizza rack or not

Yeah will do. Going on vacation for the upcoming weeks so I'm hoping to be able to do it then. Only trouble is that the porteur bag is still to arrive having ordered it 4 weeks ago...

for those who prefer fixed gear, the terrain is hard to manage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtWrtcVs6Pc

This is after he did the kazakh steppe; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EClGaoORWlk

^ absolute beast, he also crossed China on a bigger wheeled cycle

Ha! That is nuts. I think I'm gonna stick to my two wheeler. Good way to loose some weight thou, getting rid of 2/3 of the bike... Hmm.

His cheeks ruddy af.

Seriously that's one ruddy-cheeked motherfucker.

that's from cycling fixed gear, on a 36" gear ratio, missing a front wheel, around the world

it would be quicker, simpler, more efficient and he'd have less luggage if he just walked surely

It's close now. We are leaving on friday. Today I packed all my stuff and was pretty satisfied with myself as I managed to go under the 23 checked + 10 kg hand luggage limit. This was including quite a bit of bars and candy so I'm pleased.

I've had zero test trips on my setup. My bags landed yesterday. I really like the Mack workshop stuff but that guy need to raise his prices or have a think about the whole ordering process. 11 weeks from order to delivery is a bit much. I also haven't slept one night in my tent. And my camera broke down so had to get a new one. Which was nice. Ruined my budget though. Training's been reasonably good, by my standards I have biked alot. Some randos, some gravel, lots of commuting. This country is pan flat though so we'll se how I get on in the mountains.

We'll land in Bishkek on Saturday morning. The plan is to spend the day building up the bikes and getting supplies. Hopefully find some gas so we don't have to cook using gasoline. I've done it before and it sucks. We leave on Sunday morning. Might have to reroute because of a collapsed bridge, we'll see how things turn out I guess. I'm hoping to be able to report during the trip but internet access will be limited. Instagram will be my go to place for this, have a look at guskirkal.

This might make me join instagram at last :)

Started following you on insta. Got a few bike adventurers there already, hard to believe I'd ever manage to get away like that but who knows. Have a great time!

Will do! I'm not sure how I managed to get my wife's approval on this. It was when I got back from Tajikistan that I told her that I wanted us to have a kid. And so we did. Maybe she's hoping the outcome will be the same this time around...

For some reason I'm REALLY looking forward to having a couple of beers at the airport in Moscow.

Go

Exciting! Followed on insta. Good luck and have fun

Ha! You actually did it. I feel honored

Finally figured there's some good content hanging about. I feel old :p

Now on our hotel in Bishkek. Bikes been taken care of, bags are packed. So far everything's gone incredibly smooth. This city got something almost european about it. Tomorrow morning we head for the mountains!

Nice to get off to a smooth start!

Good luck like

Inspiring! Have a great time! I've followed you on IG (I'm Standardpractice)

Have a great time!

I was in the country in April, not riding, but writing some articles and had a blast.

If you are heading through Osh let me know, some great locals there who could show you around.

Two of the three stories I wrote have been published so far, in case you have some spare reading ;) Happy to answer any questions if you need any help. Pete

http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2017/inside-the-worlds-largest-walnut-forest/

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/kyrgyzstan/articles/breaking-down-borders-in-krygyzstans-oldest-city/

So, I came back on Sunday and been working and doing everyday stuff since. Started going through the photographs yesterday and it feels pretty weird looking back at what we were doing last week. Feels like it was years ago. During the trip we talked about how every day felt so long. How laying in the tent in the evening, thinking about the day that passed, stuff that happened that same morning seemed distant. I have that same feeling looking back now.

Day 1 started at our hotel in Bishkek. We load up the bikes. Get water and bread at a nearby supermarket. Only a couple of km in we turn south and are greeted by high mountains in the distance. Soon we are on gravel roads going through fields. It seems almost flat but we are already climbing. We pass the village of Kegeti after 55km and finally go up the valley heading for the pass. We stop at a small shop and experience our first drunk. He's sitting outside the shop, spills his plastic glass full of vodka on the ground and start moaning about in Russian. We buy some coke from his kids (?) and get going. We set camp after about 70km.

Surly Straggler and my Genesis Vagabond. In the middle Johns Scott "Speed utility bike". The Scott is pretty much a hybrid/city bike with some Ikea and Biltema bits strapped to it :). More on that to follow...

Bishkek suburbia.

Just passed Kegeti.

Camp 1.

During the trip we talked about how every day felt so long. How laying in the tent in the evening, thinking about the day that passed, stuff that happened that same morning seemed distant. I have that same feeling looking back now.

Definitely. I think it's because the days are so super intensive, they feel a lot longer.

Pictures look awesome so far. Can't wait to see the rest! Looks like a blast.