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Strangers
- Older in Altai Bike Expedition, 2006: Detention - Newer in Altai Bike Expedition, 2006: Crossings
The call comes in on schedule with Jon saying that they had five days of "glorious cross-country mountain biking." The Kazakh roads were mildly technical, defineltly not for passenger cars, but would be OK for medium clearance 4-wheel drive. They crossed 3 mountain ranges, riding up 4,000' ascents over high passes through extensive larch forests, pristine meadows of wildflowers and crystal clear streams to drink from.
This part of central Asia is so remote that they saw no horses nor cows, only one passing vehicle. Then Jon's rear wheel began to break spokes and he went through five spares. In Zaysan they hoped to find "the gold pieces that would allow them to ride on". The golden rule of remote journeys is that something, large or small, becomes the key to being able to continue on the journey. In the town bazaar, they hunted among the stalls displaying pastic dolls, hats, cheep clothes, and some tools when they spotted a couple bike tires hanging on a wall. With his heart in his throat, Jon asked the woman if she had any bike spokes. She rose, went into the back and pulled out a bundle. Paying 5 cents apiece for twenty spokes, they were overjoyed that this dollar purchase allowed them to resume the journey.
On the big grade down to the steppe, a drop of 2,500 feet from 4,500 feet elevation, the friction from Jon's front brake heated the rim to the point that the slime boiled out from the base of the tube stem. (Slime is a product that is injected into the bike's innertubes to seal small punctures.) "The problem is you have an American bike on Kazakh roads" was the joke with locals.
The kindness of strangers in this huge, remote, and subsistance existance land has been very generous. People share the best they have, fresh cream from the cow, eggs and garden vegetables. They give these three odd travelers anything to help them on their way. Kazakhstan has been beautiful beyond the hardships. Next week we will hear from them after they cross Jeminay pass into China.
Dated: 07/26/2006
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