Thursday, August 16, 2018

Day 7 - Yashikul Lake (3600 metres) - 48kms

We got into it right from the start as we launched into a gruelling 13km climb to the top of the 4,350 metre Kargush pass on a mixture of roads ranging from really bad to just plain terrible !

An early stop at a military checkpoint gave us the opportunity to take in our vast surrounds as well as talk to the occupants of a number of cars competing in the iconic Mongol car rally

After finally completing the climb we took on a bike jarring descent through an "other world" landscape interrupted only by my mad dash to nearby rocks where I also joined the "Tajiky Trots" casualty list !

After lunch we joined the famed and more importantly well sealed Pamir Highway. Our praise of thanks after numerous days on bone jarring road surfaces was followed by a collective groan when only after 1km we exited ! The final 20 km descent on a combo of jarring and difficult sandy roads had us pretty exhausted by the time we arrived to our picturesque camp site at Lake Yashikul

The murky green waters did not put us off as we soaked away the layers of dust and aches and pains of the days ride ! 

A brief stop before the military checkpoint 

Kiwi Pete giving a thumbs up after the mornings climb !  

The Kargush Pass beckons

Remote countryside !

Neil enjoys the downhill 
Simon reacts at reaching the Pamir Hwy and bitumen !   



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