• ⛺ I love having a mobile home! We watched a storm roll in from this scenic spot below Ak Baital Pass. A question for all my fellow camping fanatics... where's you favorite place for wild camping? What makes it so special? . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #pamirhighway #m41 #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #passionpassport #camplife #tent #campeverywhere #bikecamping #wildcamping #adventure #pamirhighway #outdooradventures #igtravel #marmot #outsideisfree #exploremore #tajikistan #adventuretravel #travelgram
    ⛺ I love having a mobile home! We watched a storm roll in from this scenic spot below Ak Baital Pass. A question for all my fellow camping fanatics... where's you favorite place for wild camping? What makes it so special? . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #pamirhighway #m41 #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #passionpassport #camplife #tent #campeverywhere #bikecamping #wildcamping #adventure #pamirhighway #outdooradventures #igtravel #marmot #outsideisfree #exploremore #tajikistan #adventuretravel #travelgram
  • The motorcyclist on the left is Grant, our soon-to-be Scottish road angel. He'd just handed me a cold bottle of water before Eric snapped this pic. (Confusingly, this is NOT the top of the pass. It's the base of the switchbacks before the really steep climbing begins.) This was that fatal moment when Grant asked how things were going and I gave an honest answer: Not that great, we've got to climb a 4,650-meter pass with a single speed. A few minutes later the bikes were in the back of Grant's support vehicle and I was bumping along in the pickup contemplating our choice. I knew we'd have been absolutely miserable pushing Eric's bike those last 7 kilometers up the pass. But still, I couldn't quite crush that tinge of regret for not having biked the entire way. It somehow made me feel as if all the earlier suffering had been in vain. I consoled myself be remarking the lack of truly spectacular views. 😣 😁 The guy on the far right in photo #2 was the driver. Oh and that pink thing covering my face is not a nod to Muslim dress code. Just attempting to protect my extremely sensitive lips from the disastrous effects of sun at such a high altitude. . . #pedaljourneys #roadangel #bikewander #pamirhighway #tajikistan #kindnessofstrangers #hitchhiking #takealift #worldbybike #bicycletouring #bikenomad #fahrrad #voyageavelo #cycletour #biketrip #roadslikethese
    The motorcyclist on the left is Grant, our soon-to-be Scottish road angel. He'd just handed me a cold bottle of water before Eric snapped this pic. (Confusingly, this is NOT the top of the pass. It's the base of the switchbacks before the really steep climbing begins.) This was that fatal moment when Grant asked how things were going and I gave an honest answer: Not that great, we've got to climb a 4,650-meter pass with a single speed. A few minutes later the bikes were in the back of Grant's support vehicle and I was bumping along in the pickup contemplating our choice. I knew we'd have been absolutely miserable pushing Eric's bike those last 7 kilometers up the pass. But still, I couldn't quite crush that tinge of regret for not having biked the entire way. It somehow made me feel as if all the earlier suffering had been in vain. I consoled myself be remarking the lack of truly spectacular views. 😣 😁 The guy on the far right in photo #2 was the driver. Oh and that pink thing covering my face is not a nod to Muslim dress code. Just attempting to protect my extremely sensitive lips from the disastrous effects of sun at such a high altitude. . . #pedaljourneys #roadangel #bikewander #pamirhighway #tajikistan #kindnessofstrangers #hitchhiking #takealift #worldbybike #bicycletouring #bikenomad #fahrrad #voyageavelo #cycletour #biketrip #roadslikethese
  • It was time to face the Pamir's highest pass: Ak Baital at 4,655 meters. Eric would be doing it single speed. The pass is fairly gentle so he could pedal most of the way. When we hit steep sections, I'd pedal ahead and then double back to assist with the pushing. Eric's rig weighs in at around 70 kilos so it was tough going at well over 4,000 meters. Morale was low as we hit the switchbacks for the final push up the pass. It was already late in the day and we had around 7 steep kilometers to the top. I estimated we'd be pushing a fair chunk of the way. And then a pair of friendly motorcyclists stopped to see how we were getting along. When I explained Eric's busted deraileur and single speed limitation, they immediately offered us a lift in their support vehicle! What luck! 👍👍 Traffic on the Pamirs Highway is pretty light and vehicles that do pass are mostly loaded to the max. We hadn't even attempted to hitch a ride because we assumed the chances of success would be close to zilch. The guys could have ferried us all the way to Kohrog, but we declined (something I regretted the next time the pushing began). 🚛They got us up and over the pass and dropped us on the road to Murgab so we could continue self-propelled to Khorog. . . Do you think we made the right decision? Would you have refused a lift? . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #passionpassport #getout #adventure #pamirhighway #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #tajikistan #adventuretravel #travelgram
    It was time to face the Pamir's highest pass: Ak Baital at 4,655 meters. Eric would be doing it single speed. The pass is fairly gentle so he could pedal most of the way. When we hit steep sections, I'd pedal ahead and then double back to assist with the pushing. Eric's rig weighs in at around 70 kilos so it was tough going at well over 4,000 meters. Morale was low as we hit the switchbacks for the final push up the pass. It was already late in the day and we had around 7 steep kilometers to the top. I estimated we'd be pushing a fair chunk of the way. And then a pair of friendly motorcyclists stopped to see how we were getting along. When I explained Eric's busted deraileur and single speed limitation, they immediately offered us a lift in their support vehicle! What luck! 👍👍 Traffic on the Pamirs Highway is pretty light and vehicles that do pass are mostly loaded to the max. We hadn't even attempted to hitch a ride because we assumed the chances of success would be close to zilch. The guys could have ferried us all the way to Kohrog, but we declined (something I regretted the next time the pushing began). 🚛They got us up and over the pass and dropped us on the road to Murgab so we could continue self-propelled to Khorog. . . Do you think we made the right decision? Would you have refused a lift? . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #passionpassport #getout #adventure #pamirhighway #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #tajikistan #adventuretravel #travelgram
  • We set up camp on the shores of Lake Kara Kul and all the day's mechanical challenges quickly faded from memory 😊. . . . . #befree #behappynow #campspot #borntoride #pedaljourneys #passionpassport #bikewander #bikenomad #pamirhighway #tajikistan #bicycletouring #worldbybike #whyiride #cycletouring #bikecamping #wildcamping #lifeoutdoors #marmot
    We set up camp on the shores of Lake Kara Kul and all the day's mechanical challenges quickly faded from memory 😊. . . . . #befree #behappynow #campspot #borntoride #pedaljourneys #passionpassport #bikewander #bikenomad #pamirhighway #tajikistan #bicycletouring #worldbybike #whyiride #cycletouring #bikecamping #wildcamping #lifeoutdoors #marmot
  • First glimpse of lovely KaraKul Lake on our first day in Tajikistan. Just moments earlier Eric's deraileur was declared officially out of commission. A group of friendly motorcyclists from Russia gave it their all to save the bikes gear changing functions but ultimately failed. Eric would now have to tackle the Pamir's highest pass with a single speed. . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurecycling #pamirhighway #adventuretravel #passionpassport #neverstopexploring #intothewild #outdoors #getout #adventure #vagabond #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #adventuretravel #travelgram #pedaljourneys
    First glimpse of lovely KaraKul Lake on our first day in Tajikistan. Just moments earlier Eric's deraileur was declared officially out of commission. A group of friendly motorcyclists from Russia gave it their all to save the bikes gear changing functions but ultimately failed. Eric would now have to tackle the Pamir's highest pass with a single speed. . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurecycling #pamirhighway #adventuretravel #passionpassport #neverstopexploring #intothewild #outdoors #getout #adventure #vagabond #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #adventuretravel #travelgram #pedaljourneys
  • One minute you're indulging in the euphoria of making it to the top of the pass and then disaster strikes! Eric's derailleur hanger busted on the top of Kyzyl-Art Pass (4290m/14,042 ft). Miracle of miracles, stuffed in the bottom of his panniers was a spare. Saved, but not for long. We bumped through the Tajikistan border and got just a bit further before we were hit by daily disaster #2. . . . #whenthingsgowrong #bikewander #worldnomad #worldbiking #pamirhighway #tajikistan #bicycletouring #centralasia #exploremore #ortlieb #weatherornot #bernbike #bikepacking #extremetravel #roadslikethese #gripgrab
    One minute you're indulging in the euphoria of making it to the top of the pass and then disaster strikes! Eric's derailleur hanger busted on the top of Kyzyl-Art Pass (4290m/14,042 ft). Miracle of miracles, stuffed in the bottom of his panniers was a spare. Saved, but not for long. We bumped through the Tajikistan border and got just a bit further before we were hit by daily disaster #2. . . . #whenthingsgowrong #bikewander #worldnomad #worldbiking #pamirhighway #tajikistan #bicycletouring #centralasia #exploremore #ortlieb #weatherornot #bernbike #bikepacking #extremetravel #roadslikethese #gripgrab
  • A snowstorm swooped in to test our determination as we struggled up the first 4,000+ meter pass of the Pamir Highway. Cold, wet and exhausted we rejoiced when a rickety building came into view at the foot of the switchbacks.a few hundred meters below the top of Kizil Art Pass. The friendly family invited us into their home to spend the night protected from the raging storm outside. Rarely have I been so grateful for hospitality 😂. We awoke to brilliant 🔆 and the Pamirs more spectacular than ever dusted in a fresh layer of snow (see picture 2). Picture 3 is a shot of me posing with the friendly family dog who followed us part way up the mountain. . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #intothewild #outdoors #getout #pamirhighway #silkroad #m41 #vagabond #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #naturekyrgyzstan #adventuretravel #travelgram #sometimesyoujusthavetosuffer #roadangel #pedaljourneys
    A snowstorm swooped in to test our determination as we struggled up the first 4,000+ meter pass of the Pamir Highway. Cold, wet and exhausted we rejoiced when a rickety building came into view at the foot of the switchbacks.a few hundred meters below the top of Kizil Art Pass. The friendly family invited us into their home to spend the night protected from the raging storm outside. Rarely have I been so grateful for hospitality 😂. We awoke to brilliant 🔆 and the Pamirs more spectacular than ever dusted in a fresh layer of snow (see picture 2). Picture 3 is a shot of me posing with the friendly family dog who followed us part way up the mountain. . . . #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #intothewild #outdoors #getout #pamirhighway #silkroad #m41 #vagabond #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #naturekyrgyzstan #adventuretravel #travelgram #sometimesyoujusthavetosuffer #roadangel #pedaljourneys
  • Slowly grinding the gears up Taldyk Pass (3463 meters), the first of a double pass before Sary-Tash. As with all big mountain passes, I was euphoric at the top🙋. . . Now we're off to tackle the serious stuff: Uy Bulak pass at a whopping 4232 meters. Been taking Diamox to help combat altitude sickness. I've fallen ill before at over 4,000 meters and it's pretty scary. #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #intothewild #outdoors #getout #adventure #vagabond #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #naturekyrgyzstan #adventuretravel #travelgram
    Slowly grinding the gears up Taldyk Pass (3463 meters), the first of a double pass before Sary-Tash. As with all big mountain passes, I was euphoric at the top🙋. . . Now we're off to tackle the serious stuff: Uy Bulak pass at a whopping 4232 meters. Been taking Diamox to help combat altitude sickness. I've fallen ill before at over 4,000 meters and it's pretty scary. #biketour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #worldbybike #biketrip #bikewander #adventurebybike #adventuretravel #wanderlust #neverstopexploring #intothewild #outdoors #getout #adventure #vagabond #outdooradventures #roadslikethese #ortlieb #outsideisfree #exploremore #naturekyrgyzstan #adventuretravel #travelgram
  • Doesn't​ this road just beg to be explored? (Unfortunately, we had a massive pass to tackle or would have continued farther.) ⚡⚡ What do you do in similar situations? Embrace adventure and take the path less pedalled or play it safe and stick to your planned route? . . . #exploremore #roadslikethese #worldbybike #borntoride #bikesociety #bikewander #travelgram #naturekyrgyzstan #pamirhighway #centralasia #gooutside #befree #findyourownpath #bicycletour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #ilovemountains #pedaljourneys #passionpassport
    Doesn't​ this road just beg to be explored? (Unfortunately, we had a massive pass to tackle or would have continued farther.) ⚡⚡ What do you do in similar situations? Embrace adventure and take the path less pedalled or play it safe and stick to your planned route? . . . #exploremore #roadslikethese #worldbybike #borntoride #bikesociety #bikewander #travelgram #naturekyrgyzstan #pamirhighway #centralasia #gooutside #befree #findyourownpath #bicycletour #bicycletouring #cycletouring #ilovemountains #pedaljourneys #passionpassport