Sary Bulak - Ak-Shyrak (Kirgizstan).
A.K.A. "The Pain Junkie Route".
Inte översatt ännu.
The Route:
Ok, this is a hard one. The first day out of Sary Bulak the road conditions
are fine. After that it's difficult to find the right track. Mostly horse paths
and meter deep grass. Some bigger river crossings. Very little or no food. Ara
Bel Pass is probably the hardest I've cycled - good luck in doing that one in
one go! Swampy after the pass all the way to the main road. Here you have the
choice of going directly towards Barskoon or heading for Ak-Shyrak and probably
getting arrested by the military. If choosing the latter alternative, you're in
for a hard ride. 26 climbs one way, some are quite long and all are steep,
sometimes over 20% on crappy roads. The graph is not correct due to the many
short climbs, impossible to keep up with all the changes in altitude. Almost no
food along the way. If arrested, ask the military for a meal. As a whole the
route is very interesting - if for nothing else to see the facial expressions of
the nomads when you arrive on a bike from out of nowhere. Great scenery!

Location |
Distance from Sary
Bulak |
Altitude |
Distance from Cairo |
Sary Bulak |
0 |
2205 |
8191 |
X |
9 |
2290 |
8200 |
X |
39 |
2565 |
8230 |
X |
59 |
2910 |
8250 |
Pass |
70 |
3220 |
8261 |
X |
84 |
2835 |
8275 |
LP T.O. Alchaly, bridge |
109 |
2635 |
8300 |
Bridge, fork |
130 |
2800 |
8321 |
X |
134 |
2870 |
8325 |
Bridge |
140 |
2865 |
8331 |
X |
159 |
2915 |
8350 |
X |
184 |
3155 |
8375 |
(T.O.)Right to pass |
188 |
3205 |
8379 |
CLIMB! |
195 |
3400 |
8386 |
X |
197 |
3640 |
8388 |
Ara-Bel Pass |
199 |
3680 |
8390 |
X |
204 |
3660 |
8395 |
Kontur Daroga |
206 |
3655 |
8397 |
X |
209 |
3725 |
8400 |
Suek Pass |
213 |
3960 |
8404 |
CP |
222 |
3335 |
8413 |
LP, Bridge |
229 |
3185 |
8420 |
X |
234 |
3315 |
8425 |
HP |
241 |
3390 |
8432 |
Karasay+CP close by |
247 |
3220 |
8438 |
X |
259 |
3345 |
8450 |
HP |
267 |
3520 |
8458 |
LP |
277 |
3440 |
8468 |
X |
284 |
3570 |
8475 |
Pass |
291 |
3675 |
8482 |
LP |
294 |
3495 |
8485 |
steep climb |
297 |
3740 |
8488 |
Pass |
299 |
3760 |
8490 |
LP |
308 |
3480 |
8499 |
Pass |
309 |
3550 |
8500 |
LP |
315 |
3395 |
8506 |
Pass |
316 |
3445 |
8507 |
LP |
319 |
3345 |
8510 |
Pass |
320 |
3415 |
8511 |
RCC, bridge |
323 |
3275 |
8514 |
Pass |
326 |
3415 |
8517 |
T.O. Ak-Shyrak |
331 |
3420 |
8522 |
Ak-Shyrak |
341 |
2870 |
8532 |
T.O. Ak-Shyrak |
351 |
3420 |
8542 |
Pass |
356 |
3415 |
8547 |
RCC, bridge |
359 |
3275 |
8550 |
Pass |
362 |
3415 |
8553 |
LP |
363 |
3345 |
8554 |
Pass |
366 |
3445 |
8557 |
LP |
367 |
3395 |
8558 |
Pass |
373 |
3550 |
8564 |
LP |
374 |
3480 |
8565 |
Pass |
383 |
3760 |
8574 |
steep climb |
385 |
3740 |
8576 |
LP |
388 |
3495 |
8579 |
Pass |
391 |
3675 |
8582 |
X |
398 |
3570 |
8589 |
LP |
405 |
3440 |
8596 |
HP |
415 |
3520 |
8606 |
X |
423 |
3345 |
8614 |
Karasay |
435 |
3220 |
8626 |
HP |
441 |
3390 |
8632 |
X |
448 |
3315 |
8639 |
LP, Bridge |
453 |
3185 |
8644 |
CP |
460 |
3335 |
8651 |
Suek Pass |
469 |
3960 |
8660 |
X |
473 |
3725 |
8664 |
Kontur Daroga |
476 |
3655 |
8667 |
Barskoon Pass |
485 |
3705 |
8676 |
Pass |
494 |
3105 |
8685 |
X |
509 |
2360 |
8700 |
Barskoon |
529 |
1800 |
8720 |
|