Torsten Frank on Instagram: "Day 9 and Naryn awaits! I get up a bit after 7 am. It did indeed rain last night. It’s still very cloudy when I finally start pedalling at 8:42. First interesting point will be Kunda Pass at 3398 m. Well - from this side it’s hardly noticable. It’s only 300 m above the Ak-Say river I crossed yesterday afternoon. But before, surprise: another watch tower, military checkpoint and borderline. Oh yes - here it is where our border permits will be checked. Shortly after I’m already at the crest of the pass. A good rideable serpentine gravel piste follows. Nice views are opening into the North and it’s stark how green everything suddenly is. There is actual grass. And trees. You can also smell it in the air. It’s been 4 days since I’ve been at that low altitude - which still is over 2700 m. And will be 2.400 m at the lowest when I will reach Ak-Muz at noon. But not there yet!
When the major descending part ends the piste and valley turns left and west. Lush valley, contrasting sediment coloured rivers. And then: washboard from hell.
There were traces of whashboard already earlier. Today and on former days. But this is the most severe so far. You also can’t escape to a lesser or even non-corrugated lane. Trying left or right, middle or very edge - nowhere it’s really ok. I title the respective Strava activity of this day as: „Waschbrettpiste des Todes bis Naryn“. On the plus side: it’s basically all slowly downhill (sans a few counter ascents) towards Ak-Muz which I reach 55 km from my morning start point. This took me over 4 hours despite all the descending, though! There really isn’t any rpm left in my motor. It basically is stuck at super low power. This and the washboard combined has me riding at only 100 Watts average! Oh my.
(cont'd in comments)"
28 likes, 4 comments - torsten_frank on December 1, 2025: "Day 9 and Naryn awaits! I get up a bit after 7 am. It did indeed rain last night. It’s still very cloudy when I finally start pedalling at 8:42. First interesting point will be Kunda Pass at 3398 m. Well - from this side it’s hardly noticable. It’s only 300 m above the Ak-Say river I crossed yesterday afternoon. But before, surprise: another watch tower, military checkpoint and borderline. Oh yes - here it is where our border permits will be checked. Shortly after I’m already at the crest of the pass. A good rideable serpentine gravel piste follows. Nice views are opening into the North and it’s stark how green everything suddenly is. There is actual grass. And trees. You can also smell it in the air. It’s been 4 days since I’ve been at that low altitude - which still is over 2700 m. And will be 2.400 m at the lowest when I will reach Ak-Muz at noon. But not there yet!
When the major descending part ends the piste and valley turns left and west. Lush valley, contrasting sediment coloured rivers. And then: washboard from hell.
There were traces of whashboard already earlier. Today and on former days. But this is the most severe so far. You also can’t escape to a lesser or even non-corrugated lane. Trying left or right, middle or very edge - nowhere it’s really ok. I title the respective Strava activity of this day as: „Waschbrettpiste des Todes bis Naryn“. On the plus side: it’s basically all slowly downhill (sans a few counter ascents) towards Ak-Muz which I reach 55 km from my morning start point. This took me over 4 hours despite all the descending, though! There really isn’t any rpm left in my motor. It basically is stuck at super low power. This and the washboard combined has me riding at only 100 Watts average! Oh my.
(cont'd in comments)".
Torsten Frank on Instagram: "When I look out of my tent I already see a rider starting to scale the other side of the river gorge. So he crossed it. First thing I do after packing all my stuff is: heading straight back the side I have come from to examine the track. My hunch (which came to me too late yesterday after already started preparing camp) was right: the piste goes right around the corner. Just 400 meters further and there is a bridge. Facepalm! I could have easily continued to CP2 yesterday night after all…
Oh well. But it still would have been quite a while. As the track continues to rise. Along narrow valley with Yaks, Sheeps and Horses. It’s quite rutted at times. On one of these spots a 4x4 comes up and makes place for me. The drivers mostly are super respectful and mindful. The traffic is so low - one gives each other space, respects and greet each other - regardless of the mode of transportation. Car, horse or bike. Those were my thoughs when I pass and want to continue. But surprise - out jumps Nelson’s mum. They tell me they have just left CP2 but I can just self-confirm my arrival there by making a selfie and sending to race-orga. And wish me good luck. Sweet.
Finally - I crest the last hill and corner and can see the yurt camps (plural). It’s apparently a famous destination (thus the many yurt camps) but I’m rather underwhelmed. Maybe it’s the light (it’s a bit mix of sun, clouds and hazy sky - not in a moody or impressive but rather meh sort of condition) or it’s just that the lakes are further away from the yurt camps. The landscape and immediate valley is pretty standard, even a bit below compared to my expirience of Kyrgyzstan up to now.
But that doesn’t detriment my joy to reach CP2. First things first: real and picturesque yurts! Much nicer to look at than at CP1. Hah - photo opportunity! ;-) My bike shot in front of a nice and clean yurt. Picture perfect, bucket list item checked. :)
I look inside one: spacious, rather sparse but clean furnished. Interesting. That could have been my sleeping opportunity last night wouldn’t I have stranded before yet another river crossing.
(cont'd in comments)"
19 likes, 2 comments - torsten_frank on November 15, 2025: "When I look out of my tent I already see a rider starting to scale the other side of the river gorge. So he crossed it. First thing I do after packing all my stuff is: heading straight back the side I have come from to examine the track. My hunch (which came to me too late yesterday after already started preparing camp) was right: the piste goes right around the corner. Just 400 meters further and there is a bridge. Facepalm! I could have easily continued to CP2 yesterday night after all…
Oh well. But it still would have been quite a while. As the track continues to rise. Along narrow valley with Yaks, Sheeps and Horses. It’s quite rutted at times. On one of these spots a 4x4 comes up and makes place for me. The drivers mostly are super respectful and mindful. The traffic is so low - one gives each other space, respects and greet each other - regardless of the mode of transportation. Car, horse or bike. Those were my thoughs when I pass and want to continue. But surprise - out jumps Nelson’s mum. They tell me they have just left CP2 but I can just self-confirm my arrival there by making a selfie and sending to race-orga. And wish me good luck. Sweet.
Finally - I crest the last hill and corner and can see the yurt camps (plural). It’s apparently a famous destination (thus the many yurt camps) but I’m rather underwhelmed. Maybe it’s the light (it’s a bit mix of sun, clouds and hazy sky - not in a moody or impressive but rather meh sort of condition) or it’s just that the lakes are further away from the yurt camps. The landscape and immediate valley is pretty standard, even a bit below compared to my expirience of Kyrgyzstan up to now.
But that doesn’t detriment my joy to reach CP2. First things first: real and picturesque yurts! Much nicer to look at than at CP1. Hah - photo opportunity! ;-) My bike shot in front of a nice and clean yurt. Picture perfect, bucket list item checked. :)
I look inside one: spacious, rather sparse but clean furnished. Interesting. That could have been my sleeping opportunity last night wouldn’t I have stranded before yet another river crossing.
(cont'd in comments)".
Torsten Frank on Instagram: "Today marks the start of the 7th day already. At the same time it’s also stint no 7 since I basically rode through the first night (besides a short 2 hour sleep just on my mat and under my quilt).
In terms of figures it would need 128 km per day on average to reach the finish line on time. The last two days netted me 40.4 and 32.65 km… Besides the first stint from evening start to evening (225 km) I made 113, 161 and 132 km per day. Ouch. Then there was the cut-off time of CP2 fast approaching. In fact, it was today. At 6:00 pm.
Of course I was calculating and pondering all this and more already yesterday. And I came to the conclusion that with my back problems (which only were a problem with making and breaking camp and getting up in the morning) and my progress I didn’t want to try diehard, making it last second into the finish and then pack my bike during the night for the return bus to Bishkek next morning. No, I wanted my cake and eat it, too. I.e. having also a bit of leisure time at the end and in the finish line town of Karakol.
Also I already was blown away by the country and the fact that I was now well on my way to cross Kyrgyzstan from South-West to North-East. From the Alay mountain range touching the Pamir and then across the Fergana into the Tian Shan! I already had goose bumbs just realizing that while riding (and pushing) my bike there. Also it was no question I would ride under my own steam towards Lake Issyk-Kul and to the finish line in Karakol. But… there was this handy extra loop starting at around km 1200 (which was still way ahead) which would allow me to still follow the race route for the coming days but then to decide (or not) to shortcut to CP 3 and essentially directly to Lake Issyk-Kul. From which I would then ride alongside it’s south shore directly to Karakol. Towards this decision point there were still 350 km, comprising CP2, the Old Soviet Road, Naryn and the Arabel Plateu I absolutely wanted to see.
(cont'd in comments)"
30 likes, 4 comments - torsten_frank on October 31, 2025: "Today marks the start of the 7th day already. At the same time it’s also stint no 7 since I basically rode through the first night (besides a short 2 hour sleep just on my mat and under my quilt).
In terms of figures it would need 128 km per day on average to reach the finish line on time. The last two days netted me 40.4 and 32.65 km… Besides the first stint from evening start to evening (225 km) I made 113, 161 and 132 km per day. Ouch. Then there was the cut-off time of CP2 fast approaching. In fact, it was today. At 6:00 pm.
Of course I was calculating and pondering all this and more already yesterday. And I came to the conclusion that with my back problems (which only were a problem with making and breaking camp and getting up in the morning) and my progress I didn’t want to try diehard, making it last second into the finish and then pack my bike during the night for the return bus to Bishkek next morning. No, I wanted my cake and eat it, too. I.e. having also a bit of leisure time at the end and in the finish line town of Karakol.
Also I already was blown away by the country and the fact that I was now well on my way to cross Kyrgyzstan from South-West to North-East. From the Alay mountain range touching the Pamir and then across the Fergana into the Tian Shan! I already had goose bumbs just realizing that while riding (and pushing) my bike there. Also it was no question I would ride under my own steam towards Lake Issyk-Kul and to the finish line in Karakol. But… there was this handy extra loop starting at around km 1200 (which was still way ahead) which would allow me to still follow the race route for the coming days but then to decide (or not) to shortcut to CP 3 and essentially directly to Lake Issyk-Kul. From which I would then ride alongside it’s south shore directly to Karakol. Towards this decision point there were still 350 km, comprising CP2, the Old Soviet Road, Naryn and the Arabel Plateu I absolutely wanted to see.
(cont'd in comments)".
Torsten Frank