After my first attempt into the Pamirs, and a return to Dushanbe during the fighting…I will be going back out in 1 day…hopefully.
In the meantime, here is a little bit of what I’ve already gone through:
The 22nd, the day the KGB boss was killed and started the fighting…I pulled a bonehead move.
I came to a river. I knew Chris (a guy I had ridden with for 3 days) had crossed it so I figured I could too.
The second push in the brown muddy water, waves went over my front panniers and the tire wasn’t touching the bottom. I’m not sure how long this went on but the water was over my waist as I’m screaming trying to push the bike back up on the bank.
I was desperately trying to keep the bar bag above water – camera. There was a helicopter over me (because of the murder) and I’m hoping some of the miners will come to my rescue. There are a few men watching from the hill as I scream at the top of my lungs for help.
I think…I’m not really sure what happened or I tried to do, but I tried to take the bar bag off to throw on the bank but instead the bike is whipped and pushed on top of me and I’m taken down with water under my armpits, water rushing over my entire bike, and I’m carried nearly 2 meters before crashing against the stones. My bike is on top of me, I’m almost completely submerged. I think my adrenaline gave me a moment of superhuman strength…as my bike is pushed across my body, the current taking it further, I crawl out and pull my bike out too.
It’s a grey fog, I’m not sure how I got out, what actually happened…but I’m alive and the only thing I lost was the tupperware container full of food and my book. I remember seeing the bin go down the river followed by a book…as I was pulling the bike out. There were some pressed wildflowers from Kyrgyzstan I had planned on giving to my gramma.
Earlier that day, a boy had been launching rocks off the ledge at me as I tried to repair the snapped bolt on my racks. I had washed my hair, and my clothes…and now…I was soaking wet from muddy waters.
(The day before, at a homestay, an older Tajik woman had insisted I take a bath. I was naked in her tub, while she poured warm water over my body…she helping wash my back. Yeah…only this gal would have stories of spongebaths from new Tajik lady friends!)
A mining truck came down to take me across the flooded river. We loaded the wet gear into the truck and we crossed. The water going over the massive wheels. I’m holding on in the truck, thinking it’s about to tip over in certain areas.
At the top, I unload my bags to dry and let it all out…
Then a jeep of Russian mechanics drove me up a pass of massive rocks…Chris had to push his bike for 3 hours…the path was unrideable.
That evening, arriving at the following city, it was raining and too dark to continue on. I slept in an old outdoor bazaar, on top of the stall tables where the produce is usually sold. Up to this point, I had at least one pass a day, sometimes 2…and tomorrow I would be tackling a big boy…
I had to push my bike for 2 days up the pass from hell towards Kala-i Kumb…body bruised, cut, banged. Ego damaged…breaking into tears every now and again. It rained so the first day was pushing through a few cm’s of mud. Also, the screw on my seat tube was stripped so my saddle would slowly drop in.
At the end of the second day, some backpackers I had met in Samarkand stopped on the road to see if I was okay. As soon as Maria asked me, “Are you okay?”…tears started flowing. It had been the first person to express what had happened to me. Maria and Max tried to get me in their jeep and the next one to come along…but no room. I thanked them anyhow and they donated a bag of snacks and bread.
That evening I would stay with a family up the pass that owned a cafe. A French mountaineer would alert me of the current situation with the fighting and the rebels.
Chilling with Grandpa! He is wearing a traditional hat that the Uzbek minorities wear. There are a lot of Uzbeks, and Kyrgzy, that reside in Tajikistan.
Riding down the pass…a group of boys launched apple cores and rocks at me. 20 meters later a group of boys come up to me in the road trying to talk and then start throwing sticks and rocks at me….I go absolute ape shit. I leave my bike in the middle of the road, pick up the biggest rock I can and start screaming, “I’m going to bash you fucking skulls in you fucking mother fuckers!” and chase them down the street and begin down the steps through homes. EVERYONE comes out to the street and I’m explaining to the men what they had done. I climb onto my bike, tears streaming down my face to find myself in Kala-i Kumb.
I stayed there, along with 9 other cyclists…where 8 of us took cars back to the capital after 3 days of waiting out the fighting in the Pamirs.
Of course, a bike in a car always gets damaged. For the past few days I’ve been trying to repair a snapped plunger on my stove and my Brooks saddle looks like a dog chewed on it. All from a 10 hour car ride back to the capital, Dushanbe.
I’ve been able to find a replacement pump for the stove, a replacement screw for my seat tube, and my body is nearly healed. Let’s try this again!!!
There are rumors of what is going on. Some say borders are closed, cities are shut down, fighting continues. No one can get the story straight, or accurate.
I promise to come back to the beginning of this story…of the Pamirs…after the Pamirs….
See you on the other side!
So, was it a good book that got washed away? Glad you’re alive. -Ned-
So, was it a good book that got washed away? Glad you’re alive. -Ned-
So glad you found replacement pump. As for the boys chucking shit at you — it is probably no different than the kids who always chuck stuff at passing cars or drop things from overpasses. I believe that young people the world over re not inherently cruel, just mischievous and unfeeling as they have yet to experience the realities of adulthood. But I know how you are feeling and you show great restraint. I wish you all the best in your second attempt at the Pamirs. You know how to keep you head down and stay under the radar. And you always seem to find the kindness of the people that are living under such bad conditions. You have a growing team of support here to keep posted and know that we are prepared to do whatever it takes to help you if ever you need it — which you don’t seem to much! You are one of the strongest people I have ever seen! Namaste. GG
So glad you found replacement pump. As for the boys chucking shit at you — it is probably no different than the kids who always chuck stuff at passing cars or drop things from overpasses. I believe that young people the world over re not inherently cruel, just mischievous and unfeeling as they have yet to experience the realities of adulthood. But I know how you are feeling and you show great restraint. I wish you all the best in your second attempt at the Pamirs. You know how to keep you head down and stay under the radar. And you always seem to find the kindness of the people that are living under such bad conditions. You have a growing team of support here to keep posted and know that we are prepared to do whatever it takes to help you if ever you need it — which you don’t seem to much! You are one of the strongest people I have ever seen! Namaste. GG
Another 30 years on the road and you’ll have a tan like that guy 🙂
Another 30 years on the road and you’ll have a tan like that guy 🙂
You made it! That is what matters and with a little tears shows heart and pain – push on to what you want and you will be fine. You are safe, be safe
Love you
You made it! That is what matters and with a little tears shows heart and pain – push on to what you want and you will be fine. You are safe, be safe
Love you
Hang in there. If it doesn’t kill you it will make you stronger
Hang in there. If it doesn’t kill you it will make you stronger
Hi Honey
We were wondering where you were as we were sheltering from the bullets in Khorog and hoping you hadn`t made it in there (in the nicest possible way!?). We heard the story of your attempted river crossing 3rd hand from Rhona (Kiwi @ Bahadir) who`d seen Max and Maria, nightmare. Brilliant video of the aftermath, who would think to take out the camera and document their situation under those circumstances? You`re a star!! When will we catch up? In Osh en-route to Biskek by the 13th to try for China!!? Hope you`re recovered and sending you huge hugs from us both.
Love…x
I’m in Kashgar right now!
Hi Honey
We were wondering where you were as we were sheltering from the bullets in Khorog and hoping you hadn`t made it in there (in the nicest possible way!?). We heard the story of your attempted river crossing 3rd hand from Rhona (Kiwi @ Bahadir) who`d seen Max and Maria, nightmare. Brilliant video of the aftermath, who would think to take out the camera and document their situation under those circumstances? You`re a star!! When will we catch up? In Osh en-route to Biskek by the 13th to try for China!!? Hope you`re recovered and sending you huge hugs from us both.
Love…x
I’m in Kashgar right now!