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July 10 to “THE” landslide and then back to Kulob
We left town at 10 am. It was 38 degrees already. The ride south and east is slow going in the heat. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4312/...21b3c9d3_b.jpgTajikistan kulob by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We have heard from several riders that the police here will hassle you and try to extract bribes. We were pulled over by 2 cops going 50 in a 50. They never had a radar gun out until after they stopped us and then they said we were going 74 (showing us the likely non functional radar gun)! We all laughed and said no way. None spoke any English. They wanted to see our driver’s license and Dan did not hand his over, but only showed it in the wallet (small argument proceeds). We got off took off our helmets and jackets and prepared to wait them out. Mean while a car sped by going over 80 and they did nothing. Orvar and Trevor were behind us with the second cop who had their licenses and kept saying Euro Euro. We just ignored them and actually they gave up fairly easily after 6-7 minutes. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4323/...88ff4864_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/...e04eb5f8_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The road goes thru a few bigger towns and when it hit 43 we stoped of cold drinks, gas, and shade. You turn off to the E008 just after Vahdat at 22 km and head up into the hills where it was a cooler 34. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4328/...4461dc77_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had a break at the view point over the lake and then unfortunately the road drops back down onto the plain and the heat was up to 39.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4328/...3e774b96_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/...c048f17c_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr After the town of Kulob you again head up hill and the temperature was a more tolerable 34. We stopped by a spring road side to cool off and the man there told us the road was blocked 4 km up. We decided to go check it out at least as it is 4 plus hours back track to get to the M41. They road deteriorates to used to be paved and then to a good gravel road. After 226 km we pulled up to the military check point that Dave said we would see and the Captain who spoke English came out to talk to us. There was a “catastrophe” at the river yesterday afternoon and 3 separate land slides removed 700 m of the road. They expect a fix in 3-4 weeks! We were lucky as this occurred exactly 24 hours ago and several cars were washed away. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/...e651da95_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.16.35 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4318/...b49ff166_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.16.55 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4307/...864cd2bb_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 16.56.50 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...0813a5bd_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/...433aee8a_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/...96d76c1c_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4307/...659986d5_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Hmmm now we need to decide what to do. There are no other passable roads to the M41. There is one route, but the local guys we met there in a land rover said they would not do it. On the way back we ran into UK Jen and Pete and we were all retreating 30 km back to Kulob.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/...4bc7bb6d_b.jpgTajikistan kulob-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We are very hot and tired and very thirsty. The first hotel we picked they showed up too. It was a bit sketchy and we moved onto a second that was actually very clean, comfortable, and chic. (200/room=22USD). So Orvar went over to tell the UK team and they moved here too. To eat there was a buffet/ al la carte spot across the street, which was as far as we could go in 43 degrees. Next we all cowered in the air con and were all asleep by 9. |
July 11 back to Vahdat and then to Tavildara 356 km
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/...5f2ebc71_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.18.05 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We planned a much earlier day today and we were on the road by 7. This was so we could at least be back to Vahdat near Dushanbe to make the turn onto the 41. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...ebddc1d8_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 16.51.48 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The ride back was much more pleasant at 28-32 than the 43 of yesterday. We also made much better time with only one stop midway. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...ca189ed2_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4319/...08f50bf0_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4293/...c8364a2b_b.jpgTajik Pamir-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
In Vahdat we gassed up with 95 and this makes a difference. The 41 out of the city is busy with traffic.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4329/...5735e1d7_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 16.52.07 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4312/...2d8a40b9_b.jpgTajik Pamir-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Just after leaving town we had our first of three police wave overs. We were going 52 in a 50, but the cop said we were all (he did not even have the gun out when we rode up) going 78! We said no way and after about 5 minutes he let us go. Dan meanwhile made friends with a local. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/...540180a3_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Not more than 2 km later we were pulled over because we did not break at the Stop sign on the side of the road. We did not break, because the cop was flagging us over even before we got TO the stop sign. We argued with him in English and he with us in Russian. We pointed out all the cars going by that did not stop and again after 5 minutes he let us go. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4307/...a3ca17f2_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4307/...b826d187_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4313/...61976026_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The road surface goes from paved to it was paved, to prepared to pave, to looks like a wash out.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4291/...38deb819_b.jpgTajik Pamir-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4298/...606300cf_b.jpgTajik Pamir-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/...937c88e5_b.jpgTajik Pamir-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...e4f30d4a_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4298/...cda660fd_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4293/...5bc2af1e_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
At times it is very narrow and with 2 way traffic it can be a bit hairy on tight corners and hills. There are a few minor water crossings and several washed out area. A lot of the surface is very rough.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/...794edb73_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4295/...e238bf0e_b.jpgTajik Pamir-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Then suddenly it will be paved for a stretch! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4294/...261f90a4_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4293/...5f594e55_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/...88438327_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4311/...6f0d0ed9_b.jpgTajik Pamir-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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Quite a sketchy bridge over a wash out. Its tilted and the metal plates are buckled.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4327/...47b7cde1_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr There was a passport control where the M 41 turns off the main road and goes south at Chumdon after 128 km from Vahdat. We had to show our passport and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) permit. Our data was entered into a large ledger. It was interesting to see that 75 % of the local came in and Shook the Policeman’s hand with a wad of cash. They did not have their info in the lager then it seems. It was incredible how much cash was changing hands in the 15 minutes we were there. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/...c9ec42d2_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-26 at 10.46.36 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The road from here is dirt and gravel thru Childara to Tavildara. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4307/...db1d909c_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-26 at 10.45.38 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4317/...0ec7be31_b.jpgTajik Pamir-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4305/...0651eb61_b.jpgTajik Pamir-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4308/...9b37b851_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4292/...01b9f637_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/...087e593b_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...a6c1106f_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-18 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...996b812f_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4329/...5e8c8ff8_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...ea878e24_b.jpgTajik Pamir-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4309/...3aec1923_b.jpgTajik Pamir-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4319/...1cd4a9a6_b.jpgTajik Pamir-18 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4326/...24b4fdb9_b.jpgTajik Pamir-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We drew a crowd of kids at the gas station
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4329/...ae1e2187_b.jpgTajik Pamir-20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/...ecce9878_b.jpgTajik Pamir-21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4303/...f7aa7749_b.jpgTajik Pamir-22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The wind really picked up with a thermal just as we we're arriving to Tivaldara at 430 and it was whipping the dust. It was difficult to hold the bike up when we parked at the second military check point. Here again you register your passport, but we did not see any payoffs here. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4329/...8b27f3ac_b.jpgTajikistan Tavildara Pamir-26 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We crossed over the bridge to the town. It is clearly a government local (district capital) as most of the buildings have official plaques and signage.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/...1f1fb325_b.jpgTajik Pamir-27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We followed the GPS to the supposed guest house listed, but no luck. There is “can you believe it in this tiny town” a traffic signal on the single paved road. Here a boy came up and mimicked sleep and said he would take us to the guest house. This was in a communist era building and they family was very nice. Getting the bikes into the yard was all ADV. It was over the ditch on a wobbly cement slab, up the stairs, over the metal pipe, and thru the gate. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/...b4e9a303_b.jpgTajik Pamir-23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4309/...60ce75cb_b.jpgTajik Pamir-24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4324/...433702b9_b.jpgTajik Pamir-26 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr It is simple rooms with 2 single beds and sketch bedclothes so we opted for our sleeping bags. The shower and toilet were clean, but old school. There was cold water only and bare wires to avoid. That said they made us a dinner of very good soup, fires and weiners! We were all asleep before 10. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/...af725cd3_b.jpgTajik Pamir-28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4328/...30c96c7c_b.jpgTajik Pamir-30 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4296/...01f1198b_b.jpgTajik Pamir-31 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/...88f81d72_b.jpgTajik Pamir-29 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
July 12 Tavildara to “2 spots” past Dekh
At 6 am canned music and what sound like propaganda started playing over the loudspeakers of the town. We planned to set out early anyway as we had a very long day. Orvar had it in hid mind we would make it 321 km to Kurog, but there is no way. I though we might make it to “camping with a beach and shade” just south of Ruson in 254 km. It is 80 KM to Kalaikhum and that took 4 hours. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/...88f72693_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-23 at 21.40.09 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/...72142e7c_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 22.20.24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4308/...21cb9b60_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.19.03 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...d6a5b168_b.jpgTajik Pamir-32 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/...30110ce635.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.09.39 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Leaving town over the bridge again we say the raging river that we would see most of the day. The road surface is firm and pretty good initially and some sections have remnants of pavement and some have remnants of road.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4303/...f39a619b_b.jpgTajikistan Pamir Dekh by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/...265d7318_b.jpgTajikistan Pamir Dekh-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4323/...eaeb29f1_b.jpgTajik Pamir-33 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The 41 does a right hand turn over another bridge, but the road beyond is washed out and the bridge here gone. This was a smaller water crossing then up a steep hill to the first military check point of the day. The guy here was a bit of a jerk and most seem on a bit of a power trip. He insisted we park on the right side of the road where the slope made it very difficult to park. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4297/...8fc939d4_b.jpgTajikistan Pamir Dekh-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4327/...0f150bd8_b.jpgTajikistan Pamir Dekh-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4298/...d6c90557_b.jpgTajik Pamir-34 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4324/...ef9e1490_b.jpgTajik Pamir-36 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4312/...2b83551d_b.jpgTajikistan Pamir Dekh-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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