A Honeymoon to Remember

Road Trips / Vacations / Hiking / Trekking

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anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:38:24 +0500 #181

Little piggies playing in a yard outside of Gorno-Altaysk.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:39:49 +0500 #182

All of the villages we passed through were classic scenes of rural mountain life. As we were stopped taking pictures around us, a couple of cycle tourists rode towards us heading the opposite direction. The couple, Gael and Elena, had originally planned an 18-month tour of Asia much like ours, but are now in their third year of riding. We stood by the roadside and chatted for nearly 45 minutes - their tales of Pakistan and elsewhere were fascinating. They had ridden the southern (desert) route from Ulaanbaatar to Russia, so we got more info on border crossings, etc. from them. They are blogging at Welcome on Common-Life website !

With Gael (from France) and Elena (from Russia), a couple we ran into on the road outside of Gorno-Altaysk

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:41:00 +0500 #183

The terrain changed noticeably from the rainy, lush lowlands to pine forest rapidly. All day we were surrounded by pristine, remote forests, only to suddenly come upon this belcher in mid-afternoon. The coal must be mined right there as we saw no evidence of train tracks or truck traffic going in or out, and we had been on the only access road leading to the plant for days.

In the middle of serenity, a coal-fired power plant.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:42:06 +0500 #184

Evening in our camp in a beautiful pine grove.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:42:57 +0500 #185

Our camp in the pine grove.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:45:51 +0500 #186

Aug. 29: After a scenic pass, we arrive in Ongudai, a depressing town

Friday August 29, 2008, 39 miles (63 km) - Total so far: 619 miles (996 km)

Barkley pedals to the summit.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:46:45 +0500 #187

At the top of the pass.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:47:30 +0500 #188

Hm, we're a little over half-way between Moscow and Beijing.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:48:19 +0500 #189

These are the women who ran the cafe where we had a snack at the summit before descending to Ongudai.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:49:03 +0500 #190

We saw many memorials like this.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:50:07 +0500 #191

We had a 30-kilometer descent, always a thrill.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:50:54 +0500 #192

A basketball hoop near Ongudai, Altai Republic, Russia.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:51:54 +0500 #193

More of the descent.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:52:49 +0500 #194

Using a jeep to bale hay.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:54:04 +0500 #195

Sam heading into Ongudai.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:54:59 +0500 #196

We were excited to reach Ongudai, thinking it would be a welcome rest in a mountain town.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:55:59 +0500 #197

Erin rests at the base of a surprisingly new-looking Lenin.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:56:44 +0500 #198

Aug. 30: Nothing happens in Ongudai

Saturday August 30, 2008

Really, nothing. We tried to find a cafe, but the only one near the town was a few kilometers down the road, and given the frequency of closures and no food at Russian cafes, we stuck to grocery stores for our 4 meals in Ongudai. The food selection was awful, at one point, we resorted to eating a can of peas for a meal. Wandering around the town was out of the question as the number of apparently unemployed drunk men was incredibly high, all listlessly loitering around the streets. Even gangs of small kids, smoking cigarettes and hanging out in vacant lots, were not entirely friendly to us. We stayed in our hotel room processing photos all day.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 05:59:20 +0500 #199

Aug. 31: The Katun River 2008 World Rafting Competition

Sunday August 31, 2008, 28 miles (45 km) - Total so far: 647 miles (1,041 km)

We started off the day with a climb.

The valley from which we climbed and the road on up over the pass.

anjum153 (anjum) 2010-06-16 06:00:14 +0500 #200

It may look like Erin was coasting down hill, but actually she is climbing up the pass.