In August 2023, a new milestone event is planned in my life as the founder of bikepackingkyrgyzstan.cc.
But first, I would like to announce that I will not participate in the Silk Road Mountain Race in 2023. This race and related events have captured my mind since August 2018 until today. Over the past few years, my schedule has been built around preparation, training and taking on this adventure. Now it's time to take a break and the reason is another event that naturally (now I can characterize this sequence) appeared in my summer schedule for this year.
Last November, I was contacted from Switzerland and offered to join a solo bike tour as a local guide. From that moment until now, the thought of this opportunity makes me happy more than what I already am. Now after we have confirmed our intentions, we have three months of preparation ahead of us.
The moment I received the GPX file with the completed route, I immediately thought that it is partially matches with the 2019 SRMR route. After that, I received several more direct messages from different people, with the questions for the same route with the mention of TT Traverse, than I realized that was seeing and reviewing this route back in 2018 when I first discovered the treasure trove of bikepacking information that
bikepacking.com is.
Tian-Shan Traverse (Tengir-Touo Traverse *) described on bikepacking.com is a classic mountainbike route crossing from the city of Karakol in the Eastern Issyk-Kul region through the mountain systems to the city of Naryn, to the At-Bashi valley and Tashrabat Caravanserai, the valleys of Ak-Talaa, Lake Sonkul, following Suusamyr valley and the final climb of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too ridge, ending in Bishkek.
Our route will repeat the classic route, but in the opposite direction and without climbing the Zhuku Pass, but descending along a first-class gravel road along the Barskoon gorge. We start from Bishkek and finish in Issyk-Kul.
Brief information about the route.
Dates: Aug 21 - Sept 2, 2023
Highlights:
- incredibly accessible and absolutely mesmerizing Kegety pass
- high mountain pastures of the Western and Eastern Karakol rivers
- the gorge of the Kokomeren River and a long washboard road along the gorge
- lake Son-Kul
- serpentine of Moldo Ashuu Pass
- panorama of Ak-Tala Region from the height of the Mels Turdaliev Pass
- ancient and mystical medieval Tashrabat Caravanserai, surrounded by squatters
- long highland trail from Naryn to the Arabel plateau
- Arabel plateau - polar tundra in the heart of Asia
- descent to the lake Issyk-Kul - the Kyrgyz Sea
The total distance is 962 km.
Rigs:
I'll be riding a gravel bike with 700c wheels and 50mm tires, equipped with bikepacking bags.
My solo overseas traveler companion I'll be guiding will ride MTB.
See the route description at
bikepacking.com