Karakoram Highway

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We were only supposed to spend 3-4 days in Kashgar, just the time to have some rest, update the blog et do some maintenance on the bikes, But here we are, still stuck at the friendly Old Town youth hostel for what seems to have been an eternity, waiting for 2 parcels that are supposed to be arriving from France. It's not that I don't like Kashgar but I feel it's time to move and I need some fresh air. We set off for the Karakorum Highway for a few days' ride up to Lake Karakul at the bottom of the Muztagh Ata, a beautiful 7534m peak. It's nice to be back in the mountains.

Welcome to Mao's country

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Enfin quand je dis "bienvenue", ce n'est pas partout ni à tout instant. Nos 1ères rencontres nous font vite regretter le chaleureux accueil tadjik et les sourires afghans. Nous avons bien croisé un chinois accueillant : le douanier qui a rempli pour nous les cartes d'arrivée à la frontière et m'a demandé comment on dit "I love you" en français, en ajoutant que la France est un pays romantique... Le charme de l'uniforme (et du bonhomme) n'ayant pas fonctionné, je ne finirai pas mes jours à la frontière sino-kirghize.

Pamirs, on the roof of the world

Message coming...

Going down Kargush Pass...

Message coming...

Cycling in the Afghan Wakhan – Is there a road somewhere?

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When we told people in Ishkashim that we wanted to cycle to the Wakhan, we would always get the same answer: “bicycle, problem, not possible”, to which we invariably responded: “bicycle never problem, we go anywhere”. Well, that was before we actually saw the state of the so-called “road”…

Nan, kefir and choy – a trekking adventure in the Afghan Pamirs

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Tonight in the tent, I'm reflecting on the awesome moments I've just lived in the past few days. It's hard to find words to describe my emotions.

We've been trekking for two days. The scenery is breathtaking. Walking is a bit tricky in places, especially when crossing rivers, but fortunately, the biys are always here to give us a hand.

Salam Afghanistan

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Updating the blog on the way is a real challenge, even bigger than actually crossing borders. What’s more, my small laptop seems to have given up the ghost for good. So I hope you will excuse the short articles. The number of photos will depend on the ability of the Chinese authorities to actually block the net here in Kashgar (this is where I’m doing all the updates from the past month, we didn’t have any other internet access so far).

Following the border with Afghanistan for so many days, seeing the colourful tiny small villages bustling with activity on the other side of the Panj river, I felt I really wanted to travel to that other side.

First stage, first pedal stroke, first pass, first encounters

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Setting off from Dushambe in the intense heat of the low plains of Central Asia. Can’t do any cycling between 11am and 4pm. Add to this the lack of training, some rough roads, a few landslides, a 3250m pass, numerous stops to admire the scenery or take photos, and bowels that have decided to take some liberties, the first few stages were rather short : 12 days to reach Khorog some 550km away... If I keep that rhythm, 6 months won’t be enough to cover the planned distance, I’ll need at least 12!

New Adventure

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ICE has offered me to test one of their new trikes for my Himalayan adventure. After some long thinking and hesitations, I eventually made up my mind on the Adventure with front suspension and a few upgrades (see below).

New ICE trikes

Ice has released their new models which everyone had been waiting for :