Can a Harley make it to Magadan?

[Winterbiker]

Shit happens!

[rtwdoug]

Going over a pass, about 12000 feet. No pavement for about 30km near the top. Actually tho, since I got to Khorog, the pavement has been pretty good.


At the top, these small purple flowers were common. They gave the hillsides a purple tint


There was an old graveyard at the top. Some of the burial sites were decorated with horns of Marco Polo sheep, goats, mules, yaks, etc. The people up here are mostly animal worshippers, going back a long time. Some are now muslim or Christian, but most graveyards are decorated with animal parts.






This is Phillip, from Switzerland


A couple of yaks





Your choice of seating arrangements.
They probably did this so they could advertise ‘western toilets’

[rtwdoug]

Then the town went to hell, a biker invasion just like in the movies!





And of course as I didn’t write their names down, I cant remember. But Mario & his friend were from Italy, & Klaus & his friend from Germany.
After we had been BS’n for awhile, Mario & I realized that we had been emailing back & forth about some tires in Kyrkyzstan

They were heading the other way, so we hit the local Shell station before parting ways






I headed on to Murghab

[rtwdoug]

I got to town, & met these guys from Czech. You may remember them, we shared a tin of rotten fish at the Russia/Mongolia border in 09. We were surprised to see each other here!




Murghab is just a dusty town in middle of nowhere. Very little electicity, the lights barely glow. I stayed in a place that ran a generator for a few hours at nite.
And no running water, theres hand pumps like this, always with kids filling buckets of water.



The tourist info center, they had internet via cell modems. Almost better than nothing!


Theres not much here




But there is a gas station


Before I took off, I checked my battery, 11.9 volts. Hmm, this isn’t good. Better keep an eye on it today.

[rtwdoug]

So I headed east, over the biggest pass of the trip.


That’s almost 16000 feet, to those metrically challenged. Highest I’d been in a bike before was about 12000 the bike did ok, but neither of us was ready to run a race. Just walking around up here takes your breath, and I had to use matches to fire up a smoke, as the lighter wouldn’t work.



I stopped, & checked the battery. 10.2v. wont start. Shit. Good thing its downhill from here, I can bump start it!
My friend Sascha from Germany had given me this roll up solar charging panel for my trip. He said the requirement was that I send him a picture of me using it.
So here it is!
It actually did good, after 1 hour, the battery was up almost 1 volt!
Ok, it would take all day to charge it fully, but its designed more for cell fones & similar.
The thing I think is ironic, if you are so far out in the woods you cant find a power outlet for your phone, theres probably not going to be a signal there anyhow J





Now its 85km, downhill to the next town. Lets see if we make it… I bumped the bike to save juice, & down I went.

[rtwdoug]

The fence on the right is the border with china. The maps show it being farther, but the tajik prez has been selling land to the Chinese, I was told. Its now along the M41 for quite a way. The nomads don’t seem impressed by it, as they just cut it where they want to pass to get to their grazing lands. I REALLY wanted to go thru it & turn around, just to say I was in china, but my luck, I’d get busted for it.




The battery is REAL low now. If I hit the horn, the motor dies. If the brakelights come on, the motor dies. I had a meter hooked up, watching it drop. How low can it go? Well, when I got to Kari Kule, and pulled into a homestay, it was at 6.5 volts.

Of course the town has no electricity. But I gave a guy 2 liters of gas to run his generator. When that ran out, it was only at 11.5, so the next morning, I hooked it up to his solar panel for a couple hours, & got it up to 12.5. Hopefully enough to get to the next town….

The homestay was crowded, 2 4 runners full of german tourists. But the people that run the place were nice, & I slept in the TV room. I walked around town some before dark

[rtwdoug]

And down to the lake, which turned out to be salt.








There was a trench with animal parts in it, and a huge rams head pointing to the lake. When I looked closer, it was a graveyard




They make bricks from mud for building houses



And someone is getting a new shitter!

[rtwdoug]

This truck showed up, with missionaries. A pastor from Dushanbe, & 3 Russians. Nice guys. They brought school supplies, toys & bibles to the village kids. It was nice to see the kids getting things, and most of them were pretty amazed. Coloring books, crayons, etc. I gave em some $ to help out with the next trip.















The next morning, I head to the KRG border.






And with a heavy heart, I leave Tajikistan. But only for now, as I will return!
It’s the most awesome place I have ever been to. Beautiful scenery, the people are wonderful, and, well, ok, the roads could use a little work…..

[Mr. Magoo]

Fantastic! Happy Travels ...

[Svane-DK]

I would love to do something like that on my trusted Cb400 four.... Can't kill that machine in any other way!

Have a nice trip, and give me a heads-up if you someday find yourself in the great region of Scandinavia ;)

[mcgo104]

Great freakin' thread. Roll Tide!

[Dirtbauer]

Great photos Doug Thanks for sharing.

[slowpoke69]

Originally Posted by Ritebike

I know why you ride everywhere, you can't get past airport security with the brass ball's clanking.

+1, I'm SO in, plus now I've got to find the other RR's, damn you! Best of luck, ride safe, enjoy it, and don't forget the chics....
I mean pix!

[MrBob]

Have you figured out what's happening with your electrics?
I'm impressed with your patience at the borders. While getting hassled at a checkpoint in Mexico I lost it and called a soldier an asshole and quickly had a .45 held to my head.

[Mr Pif]

Originally Posted by racki

If you think you are a slow traveller, check who I met - first photo taken on 31.07 near Osh (Kyrgyzstan), second on 02.08 near Langar (Tadjikistan)





Keep the good stories coming! Great job!

Bart

,
not for granny BMW but for the guy with the little Suzuki!
RESPECT!!!

for u Doug i have no words.every time u post,it's like i'm travelling.
TOTALLY RESPECT