to Zharkent: also part of bicycle touring

August 27, 2016

“Thank you” “Ragmat” Patrick says to the construction worker giving us a jug of tea. We have stopped for lunch at a construction barrier because the road doesn’t go through the nearby town. No shade and it is hot, so the tea is a welcomed treat. We leave the 5L jug and a thank you note at the barrier in case the worker wants it back.

Today is a long boring day, mostly on a bad surface with not much interesting to see. Patrick only takes two photos all day. But this is also part of bicycle touring; you have to take these days to then appreciate the spectacular days even more.

The landscape the first 20kms is desert. Then we get to a greener more agricultural area. The road is supposed to be a slight downhill, but with a mild headwind it’s more like a flat uphill. Then we reach an area where the Chinese are building roads in this ex-soviet state. One side is not yet open, so we use it like it was a giant bike lane. The old road heads north to a small town before turning east towards the border, the new road seems to make a giant curve avoiding the town. Since we are not sure if the road or all its culverts are finished we head back onto the old road.

The landscape changes again with the road lined by wooded areas; melons and apples are being sold along the road side. We pick up some for later in camp. Just before crossing the river at Zharkent, we go down a side road to the right that ends at the river. Lots of locals are enjoying swimming in the river, and Patrick walks back a ways looking for a camping spot.

He finds a nice green area and a side irrigation ditch with clear flowing water. This area is also being enjoyed by many locals today and by the trash scattered around many other times as well. We find a small area like an alcove surrounded by brush for the tent. After kicking the trash into one pile, it’s a nice spot. Patrick takes a wash in the cold irrigation water, Rachel sponges off.

We have had our fill of macaroni noodles with tomato sauce and are really looking forward to a change of fare once in China. No cooking for us tonight; the salami, cheese, melon and apples will have to do. Most people leave once the sun starts to go down, but the area also attracts some late night visitors probably stopping in to enjoy a bottle of vodka. Nobody bothers us though, we are hidden in the bushes. We are pestered by a huge amount of mosquitoes that come out around sunset and spent all night trying to get into the tent.

Long flat road in Kazakhstan. We wonder how they decided where to put these signs, after these two kilometers of bumpy road there will be another one for the next five.

Blissful new concrete road, still closed to traffic so we call it a bikelane.

Taking a break. A driver passing in his grader stops and hands us his large bottle of suntea.

Buying a melon for tonights dinner just outside of Zharkent.

Cool irrigation ditch right next to our campsite.

Nice campsite, until the mosquitoes get active.

Today's ride: 92 km (57 miles)
Total: 21,181 km (13,153 miles)

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