to Toktogul Lake: one hill and a lake - Racpat RTW 2015-2017 - CycleBlaze

August 7, 2016

to Toktogul Lake: one hill and a lake

We have a good night at our peninsula campsite.

In the morning everyone is busy packing and having breakfast. We get on the road at about eight and almost immediately see our first big hill. The road leaves the reservoir we camped on and we climb steeply up a side valley.

Then the road changes to a more gradual uphill for the next 20km. The landscape is getting more interesting; green hills, rocky mountain sides and some higher peaks. The last 5km are steep again and it is hot, again. At the top is a nice little shop with a bottle of icecold, partially frozen icetea.

Then a downhill to Toktogul Lake. We get nice views of the tall mountains across the lake. The Koreans told us about a nice restaurant with glass facades for maximum views over the lake. We find it and have lunch there, but our hopes to camp here too are squashed because there is no shade to be had. Just a kilometer down the road though a small road heads down towards a grove of trees near the lake.

We are a bit confused what it is, there are several families on those dining shelters amongst the trees, the whole place is fenced and there is a gate across the road. We ask to camp and are told there is no problem, but a little later a woman tries to get first 1000 COM, but when we refuse drops it to 100 COM per person. There are six of us at this time, two French cyclists joined us while we were at the restaurant. When we refuse this as well, they drop the fee completely.

Either way, we have shade, and the lake is 200 meters away. The water is warm and there are small waves. We all go swimming in our clothes...laundry done! The beach is covered in wild cannabis plants. The other campers sing and drink vodka as the evening passes.

Some inspiring Soviet architecture. It also shows the map of the dam system on the Naryn River.
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We start seeing more of the elaborate cemeteries.
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Lonely outhouse in the shade.
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Small shop at the top of the pass. Of course they have vodka, but also cold fruit flavored ice-tea.
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This one didn't make it up the hill. Lake Toktogul in the distance.
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Downhill to Toktogul Lake.
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Downhill to Toktogul Lake.
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Toktogul Lake.
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Camping with French cyclists at Toktogul Lake.
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Wild growing weed(s).
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Thistle along Toktogul Lake.
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Evening swim in Toktogul Lake.
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Today's ride: 50 km (31 miles)
Total: 20,188 km (12,537 miles)

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