I am in Sevastopol now, I was with Doug, he go around Black Sea, I tommorow I go to Volgograd and Samara...Alexandra, I hope we meet there, I dont know who much time I need to be in Almaty and Bishkek. I driving 15-hour non stop, no problem for me:mchappy:. If you see Yamaha tenbere 600 with reserve tyres on baggage its me:D See you people:Beach:

Bad News Pamir Highway / Khorog
 

Hi everybody,

bad news for all who want to travel via the Pamir Highway.
See this link:
BBC News - Tajikistan clashes: 'Many dead' in Gorno-Badakhshan

Just a rough summary. There is fighgting going on in and around Khorog.
More than 200 killed. People can't leave their houses. Only military and emergency vehicles can pass.
Apparently the boarder between Kirgistan and Tadschikistan (Osh to Murghab) is closed.
We will go to the the Tadschgik embassy today and hope to find out, which boarders are open. There is one between Osh and Dushanbe, where the trucks from China are going.

There is definately no way to travel the Pamir Highway at the moment.

A real shame, as Khorog especially is a highlight in this area itself.

So check the situation, before you start to the Pamirs.

Alexandra & André

As per end of Sat 28th July, I'm back in Osh/Kyrg (Tes Guesthouse) after having visited Tajikistan. The sh!t has indeed hit Khorog. It is possible to enter Tajik via Sary Tash and travel as far as Murgab (I was turned away from continued travel towards Khorog or Ishakrim(sp??)/Wakan valley at 3pm on 27july). They are letting tourists out the Pamir region via the border near Sani Tash.

You can enter Tajik and travel as far as Murgab, but no further along the Pamir Hwy.

So, some people are now traveling via the Bartang(sp??) valley to get to Dushanbe. It is doable on a push-bike and also on 2 Polish AfTwins with lots of luggage (I saw their videos: looked nice). Asuming no/little rain...

I'm heading north via Bishkek to Almaty. Hope to enter Altai-Russia in early August. Then Mongolia.

If you want to contact me, my Kaz cell phone number is best (I posted it earlier...). My internet access is v internittent.

Later
C

Oh, no, I am in Kurgan, Siberia (Russia) and I think to come in to Kazahstan...now, I dont know what I doing....maybe I drive around Siberia....:eek3::eek3::eek3:......

Hey Scii just 3 days behind you, I am in Kazan right now, will be stopping also in kurgan then head to omsk->novissibirisk->Barnaul.

Hey,
I am in Barnaul now.
Leaving tomorrow for the border.
There is a really good service here if someone is in need. The guy is called Victor, speaks only Russian, he works with a guy called Andrei he does speak English, email me if you want their contact numbers.
Victor knows his stuff really well.

GPS Coordinates: N 53 deg 20.224' E 083 deg 39.861'

My Russian number +79132667669

Henryk

Just this second arrived back in Almaty/Kazakhstan (01 Aug). Heading for Semey and Barnaul tomorrow. Likely 2 days to S and a further day or 2 to B, so 3 or 4 days approx to Barnaul.

cheers
C

Victor's workshop is also waypointed in Colebatch's waypoints (see the North Asia forum)

We are leaving from Ulan Ude to Vald sometime in the next week or so if any one wants to join us. We are fairly flexible so can wait a little we need to be in Vlad on the 19th.

Just watched some video footage from a mate's helmet cam who rode through Khorog shortly after the shootings. There was a 2 hours ceasefire and they rode through town coming from the Pamir region, heading north towards Dushanbe. There are streams of women and childen leaving and trucks full of local men driving in to join the fight.

Also roadblocks and burnt out trucks and tanks. Looked very scarey and young soldiers (the opposition to the the above mentioned local men) with big machine guns.

If you get in, good luck. I'm heading the opposite way, for Russia, and will try to be manly enough to dodge the stupid car drivers and marginally more intelligent cows and donkeys.

PS. Went to My Town Moto to buy some oil and saw Walter, HU and Tiff's stickers on the gate:cool4:

Met up with Moritz (Hellcoder) in Semey/Kaz and will head for Barnau/Rus tomorrow/today (depends when you read this...) 04 August.

I'll aim to enter Mongolia before next Friday (10Aug). I think Moritz has a more flexible timeframe.

Hi is that Keith (from Almaty) videocam as I and him rode though the city of Khorog just during ceasefire and we only saw one other motorcyclist with DRZ400 trying same at that time?

Hi Sami
It's Chris here, the Brit bloke on the black Transalp from Song Kul lake. Yeh, I met with Keith for a beer in Almaty a couple of days ago. He showed me the webcam footage on his netbook. The back of your bike (and back of your head: your best side :innocent:?) is in most of the video.

Seriously, it looked scarey riding round all those burnt out trucks and stuff. And riding on the pavement. Although there was no sound, your dialogues and with the guy on the DRZ looked very urgent.

Good that you got through ok.

How is the boring ride across the Steppes of Russia? When do you expect to be home in Finland?

Arrived in Barnaul today. Glad to be out of Kazakhstan. With the exception of Almaty, I thought it was a sh!thole.

Ride safely.

Hi Chris!

Yes i figured we met in Songkul. Good to hear your safely in Almaty. I just sented email to Keith of video material as i am also interested to see my best side :)

Yes, i have to say riding through Khorog wasnt probably most pleasent riding experience i have had. At the first i felt also nervous as we were first directed to small bridge and i got my bike stuck there. People then directed us to go into that big bridge where we met UK guy with DZR. Suprisingly even after that were in more dangerous zone i felt more calmer and i dont know how well it is visible what happened in that roadblock with BTR-80 and young soldier with machine gun. I just later have thought it and thought how damn dangerous situation that actually was. Then it didnt felt it at all though when soldier jumped back and removed safety i thought he is going to shoot.

I am allready back in Finland as i rode really fast through Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Russia. Basiscly 3 days from Bukhara to Finland. Driving from Mongolia through Russia steppe to Europe/FInland is damn boring as there is not much to see if your using main highway.

Drive safely Chris and hope to hear how your doing there. You can drop me a email sami.viljanen(at)gmail.com

Hi, I was in Novosibirsk and I now go home to Europe. Its born to driving in Russian steppe, but I driving 800-1000km per daz and fast go out. Be carefful and good way to all. Police in Russia are normal and I have not problem. In Ukraina I have problem and stay without 60e for nothing (coruption and realy mafia are in police).

In Tsetserleg, Mongolia today (Fairfield GH), finally on the pavement, after riding the "Middle" Route via Olgi, Ullangom, Chjargas Nuur lake, Songino, Tosontsengel etc. Heading for UB probably tomorrow, maybe taking 2 days.

Riding with German chap Moritz/Hellcoder on HUBB.

Had lots of fun en route (will try to get ride report started sooner than later), including suberged bike, sun, rain, storms, sleet, snow, big mud, dust, sand, wonderful views, complete white out etc. Apparently "worst rains for 30 years".

Gone slightly mad and become a cannibal too, see attached pic. Luckily lucid enough to write the occasional post on the HUBB. Internet connect p!ss poor, so won't write much (conveniently?).

xx