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July 13 Dekh to Khorog 118 km
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4312/...91a90b97ff.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.20.19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We were up several times in the night and eventually got up at 730 when the room started to fill with smoke from the fire they had lit outside. This was all topped off by the guy demanding 200 somoni (23 USD) a person for food, the non room, no shower, no hot water, no bathroom, and certainly no wifi. We had all this for 80 (9 USD) in Tavildara and this place should be 50 at most. Dan said you must think I am crazy and paid him 100 a person which he accepted. I hate being ripped off. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4298/...a031c187_b.jpgTajik Pamir-86 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We set out at 830 and the road is pot holed and surfaced about 70%. There are a few sections with good pavement that last a km and we were in 5 th gear! We only planned to go 118 km to Khorog today and get a hotel and rest up for the next few days of camping.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/...1825e18c_b.jpgTajikistan khorong by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4319/...dd7c3907_b.jpgTajik Pamir-87 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4296/...b4a2ea9f_b.jpgTajik Pamir-88 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/...6f87b9aa_b.jpgTajik Pamir-89 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
It is 56 km to Rushon and as we arrived there Trevor had a front flat. Long story short 3 hours in the heat to get out. The first tube had a tiny hole and the patch was good, but we could not set the bead and it did not seem to hold air. This tube out again and no evidence of anther hole or patch leak. New tube in and still could not set the bead. We have never had this issue before with Dan’s 6 flats using our pump. In the end we put it back on the bike and left and so far so good. The Heidenau are so stiff and this may be the issue.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/...cba48209_b.jpgTajik Pamir-91 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Yet another check point. We found they call ahead since when we arrived before the other 2 the guard asked us where they were. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4326/...8425dc91_b.jpgTajikistan khorong-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4306/...981b7dba_b.jpgTajikistan khorong-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/...6926be85_b.jpgTajikistan khorong-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/...cd906786_b.jpgTajik Pamir-92 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...46b30985_b.jpgTajik Pamir-93 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/...85e6c9c1_b.jpgTajik Pamir-94 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had just 67 km to go to Khorog and arrived about 2. We gassed up with some 95 and then check out the hotels on offer and it is pretty bad. Just out of town is the Pamir lodge frequented by foreigners and we headed there just in time as at 3 pm the town was shutting down and closing the roads to access here for the “Diamond Jubilee”. This is several venues around town open only to residents and there is loudspeakers blaring. They really had guards blocking off the roads. One Swiss couple had to park their car on the back street of the lodge because the guards would not let them drive it 20 meters to the lodge gate. We did walk the 2 km into town and went to the Indian restaurant. Both Orvar and Sara have bad colds and were in bed by 6. The party outside went on until midnight.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4296/...485cff48_b.jpgTajikistan khorong-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4310/...065c8b79_b.jpgTajik Pamir-95 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
July 14 Khorog to across the river from Pagol Afganistan
We were off to a bit of a late start today and finally got out of town at almost 10. The plan was to get at least 150 km or about 1/3 of the way to Murgab on the Wakhan valley road. The direct route is on the 41 for 317 km, which is a paved road and the second highest road in the world (this is a days ride) . The views on the valley road, which is not surfaced for the most part are said to be much better and the route is about 100 km longer and will take at 2-3 days. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4297/...40fb088f39.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.11.12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4328/...4872743e64.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.23.35 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4312/...728b9315_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.27.21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We were surprised to find the road mostly surfaced headed out of Khorag.. The first 80 km took several hours since we stopped so much for photos and we did have one military check.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4305/...fba37d75_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4291/...3139309a_b.jpgTajik Pamir-96 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/...f8fb9655_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...e16f34e6_b.jpgTajik Pamir-98 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4312/...1783de90_b.jpgTajik Pamir-103 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...3792830f_b.jpgTajik Pamir-104 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4322/...8bac93ce_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We arrived to Eshkashem/Ishkashim bridge, which is the famed bridge of the afghan market. This is now just an urban legend as there is absolutely no traffic across this bridge and no market on the Afghan side.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4307/...8bf2e8b7_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-09 at 15.26.20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4318/...9b028423_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4291/...339905e2_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4318/...6cf78ff3_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/...14c6180d_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Our friend Steve Stewart on the right not to far from here but back in the day!! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4212/...6409ea91_b.jpg19756771_1201953103266849_7994838002837941334_n by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
About 1230 we came upon a “hotel/spa” and restaurant for lunch. Just after we left the lunch spot we hit some more ripio and Dan’s 800 cut out. It restarted and then cut out again. It ran fine in Neutral. Hmmm we hoped it was the battery connection and luckily for us it was. The negative had been shaken loose with the very rough roads of the last few days.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4291/...95314891_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The road from here was still mostly surface with patches of gravel until about the 150 km mark. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4320/...345850de_b.jpgTajik Pamir-105 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/...ca2237f8_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4318/...23306972_b.jpgTajik Pamir-106 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/...a35d4718_b.jpgTajik Pamir-107 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4302/...618cd0c2_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-18 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...cf9fd4cd_b.jpgTajik Pamir-108 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4319/...f183a6f1_b.jpgTajik Pamir-109 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4319/...80272006_b.jpgTajik Pamir-110 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/...8a964cdc_b.jpgTajik Pamir-111 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4323/...53f664b3_b.jpgTajik Pamir-113 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4303/...3aaee02c_b.jpgTajik Pamir-114 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4326/...383fd44a_b.jpgTajik Pamir-116 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Our tax dollars at work! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4305/...b0025cd2_b.jpgTajik Pamir-115 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
After the 150 km mark there were long stretches of deeper gravel and one particularly deep sand section that claimed Trevor and Sara.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4291/...07d4508c_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...13aaeca7_b.jpgTajik Pamir-118 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4328/...0766fafa_b.jpgTajik Pamir-119 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4324/...2319ac99_b.jpgTajik Pamir-120 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/...8a7d74d5_b.jpgTajik Pamir-121 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...3677d59d_b.jpgTajik Pamir-122 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4308/...5fc85d6d_b.jpgTajik Pamir-124 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4326/...5fc03d52_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4307/...e3328153_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4314/...cae43b45_b.jpgTajik Pamir-125 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4329/...d14b5bde_b.jpgTajik Pamir-126 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We did keep going as we did not find anywhere to camp with any shelter. Finally at about 4 we came across a homes tay with a walled yard that was across the river from Pagol Afganistan. We could camp here with breakfast for 5$. The toilet in a long drop, but odour free. The “douche” was awesome. They have a huge metal barrel filled with water on a electric burner device and it was glorious. You stood in the tub and poured clean hot water over yourself! The tents and gear set up done it was time to cook our pasta and sauce with mars bars for dessert. The camp is at 3000 m, which is a bit high for us as we were at 2500 m last night and with the head colds Sara and Orvar did suffer. We are glad to be inside the walls as the evening thermal wind is brisk and gusting.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4291/...65489abf_b.jpgTajikistan Pagol-22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4301/...ba4e108b_b.jpgTajik Pamir-127 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/...056b003f_b.jpgTajik Pamir-128 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4313/...422881e4_b.jpgTajik Pamir-129 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4319/...2296b039_b.jpgTajik Pamir-130 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4316/...a2f3d61b_b.jpgTajik Pamir-131 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
July 15 “Pagol" to Murgab
Today the plan was to get another 1/3 of the way to Murgab at least. We were up at 6 as we were in bed at asleep at 830. But first some breakfast and we hit the road just before 9. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4311/...c0e2fc30_b.jpgTajik Pamir-132 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4323/...0b7cdcd4_b.jpgTajik Pamir-133 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The more we think about it the more we think we can make it all the way to Murgab today. Google will not route that way so here is the SPOT map. It is about 300 km and all but the last 130 km is unpaved. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4310/...0aabc950_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-07-17 at 17.11.53 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
It is 30 km more along the river before the road heads north. Almost all of this is unpaved and there are long stretches of deep gravel they have dumped on the road and a fair amount of sand. The rest is terrible wrist breaking wash board.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4293/...480c3d76_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/...605701b1_b.jpgTajik Pamir-134 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4311/...de001e35_b.jpgTajik Pamir-135 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/...a20aa79a_b.jpgTajik Pamir-136 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...9ae74016_b.jpgTajik Pamir-137 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
When we head north off the river and the Afghan border the fist section is 6 tight, steep, rocky off camber switchbacks, but then the road surface is mostly firm going up into the mountains. There are just a few short sandy sections to contend with.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4304/...c820870d_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4328/...8e25ca85_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4305/...239857fa_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4329/...5f585030_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4293/...efaab5c2_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4299/...6c0bf6fc_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4295/...035fa8df_b.jpgTajik Pamir-138 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4324/...0001694a_b.jpgTajik Pamir-141 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4320/...b3e05f04_b.jpgTajik Pamir-142 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4292/...9a26b9d5_b.jpgTajik Pamir-143 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4300/...4d373b6f_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4329/...b4c0429f_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4328/...cc5a555d_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4298/...508520ae_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4294/...671799c7_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4295/...764f954d_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We came upon a huge waterfall and there were 8 cyclists and Jo in a truck. We had a nice rest and talked to the other traveler. We gave 2 of the girls some candy bars and food as they had run out of food except pasta and ketchup. (There is nothing for at least 40 km where there is a small village and then nowhere else until you reach Murgab in 200 km).
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/...bcced924_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4292/...6d5837ac_b.jpgTajik Pamir-147 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4308/...fa89ae2b_b.jpgTajikistan Murgab-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4315/...1506a305_b.jpgTajik Pamir-144 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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