Out of my Mind !

What was I thinking ! I've been at altitude nearly a dozen times on adventures from Tibet to Ladahk to the Altiplano in Peru & the Everest foothills yet somehow I'd forgotten what it's like trying to function while having access to 40% less Oxygen !

Sure there's the obvious ! Trying to breathe when it feels like your lungs have forgotten how to inflate but there's also the "other" side effects - where food is marginally less appealing than dog puke &  where coughing is par for the course leaving you at high risk of herniating a disc or two !

The "all in one" combo though of diet, altitude, exertion and 3rd world super bugs can bring yet another dimension where you can easily spend many an hour on tour looking over the terrain for a suitable "evacuation" point !

So why then the Pamirs ?

This iconic and beautiful location (a former Silk trade route) is one of the least visited areas on the planet ! Make no mistake though the secret is out. The former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan is over run by magnificent splendor. Vast open plains, colorful Mountains that dazzle with the setting sun, high passes over 4,000 metres and a stunning eastern border with Afghanistan along the Wakkan corridor and the Panj River that once played host to Marco Polo. This is an extraordinarily beautiful area populated by some of the friendliest people on Earth ! Add on the challenge and freedom that adventure cycling provides and you have a destination that just can't be missed !