A tough day it was going over a pass over 2000m, with my spoiled body after the rubbishy days in Bishkek. I coursed all kinds of booze that I had, cigaretts that I smoked, etc. (Who blamed my wife for her somking?)
The bags on my bike were heavy again with foods for... 3 days? But I would need to carry food for more days, perhaps for 5 days for maximum, on longer and tougher passes. Gee. Would I manage?
I climbed up the pass as slow as a snail, registing the gravity and my age. There were so many cars honked at me to cheer me up. Pushing up the bike was the last thing that I wanted to do.
The altitude of the highest point of the pass was 2564m on the map. But the altitude meter on my wrist watch indicated 2910m on top. Too much difference. Was it because of the misty weather on top? Or because of rough measurement?
It was already getting dark after the top, and was freezing cold to come down. There were stands of nomads here and there along the road. They sold "Kumus", which was light & sour booze made of horse milk. Booze. That may warm me up. I bought a bottle and drunk it at once. No, it didn't work. It was not at all strong enough, was rather like drinking beer outside in winter. That, and exhaution, caused me diarrhea at night. What a start.
19 Sep 2008, Tuz Asuu pass, 7626km (78km/day), alt.800m-2910m-2015m
