Day 182 (Tajikistan): Dersu - Khorog (slow days are good)

daily distance: 74km
total distance: 11,009km
riding time: 4-5h

The night had been cold as anticipated, but it was a great way to see the Milky Way above me. Can’t beat that kind of stuff. In the morning I set out in the still frigid air and pottered along the valley for the next few hours. The landscape was still at its grandiose best and the riding not too difficult. The road was mostly good.

But after the last days of roughness by bike has taken a beating and certain screws are becoming problem children it seems. One has actually completely failed and has shaken loose. I could replace it on the spot - and at night was given an even better replacement by Bill, another biker staying in the same hostel here in Khorog.

Khorog is nothing special. It’s a place for me to rest for a day, try to set up things for an interview at the US embassy in Bishkek in a couple of weeks and replenish some supplies. I will no longer ride along the river that I have been seeing for days now and Afghanistan will no longer be on my right hand side.  In the hostel I happened upon Bill, another biker from the US who is taking an indefinite vacation (limitation: money) and has graciously let me use his lockite on my screws - which I hope will settle the issue.