Day 39. Wednesday. June 29.

  Taskesken to Ushural

Distance:  133 km

Cumulative Distance: 4233 km

Time: 5 hrs 48 min

Speed:  22.8 km/hr

Feet Climbed today: 425

Cumulative Climb: 82,872  ft 

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 114 bpm

Punctures so far: 2.     

Altitude tonight:       ft

Another cool calm night and breakfast this morning in the meadow was like a day on the bog.

Wind was only slight at the start and I decided to give it a lash and do a 50 km Time Trial myself without telling anyone. I went onto the big ring and pushed/pulled hard and passed some of the usual.

Mike and Frieder stayed with me for a while but fell off as I pushed up the pace. Even passed out Paul and Erwin again (much to their surprise) at 45 km and nodded to them saying I just couldn't stop. I did pull in at 50 km quite satisfied with myself with a time of 1 hr 45 mins at a speed of 28.4 km/hr.

Considering the state of the road, carrying a bag on my back and a trunk bag behind, that wasn't too bad.....and all done before 7.30 in the morning.  

After that 50 km I calmed down and waited for the two and we cycled together into lunch.....at 8.30 again. Jacob (staff) was his usual creative self capturing cyclists as they came in.

Road surface today was improved but not perfect. No gravel but plenty of potholes to be avoided. More trucks than before going in both directions and I pitied those drivers trying to navigate a safe passage along. Only the last 10 km into Ushural was consistently smooth and motorists along this stretch were callous at passing and overtaking.

Petrol and diesel here is just about 50c per litre but motorists spend more than us on shock absorbers. Kazakhstan is itself a major producer of oil especially over in the east near the Caspian Sea. Their location is an environmental worry as they are are located in the flood plains of the Caspian and some have been submerged by the 3m rise in the Caspian since the 1970s. They also have a giant off-shore oil field and any leaks there could put an end to the only breeding ground of the beluga sturgeon (white sturgeon) source of the world’s best caviar.

After lunch wind was still of little significance and it was interesting on both sides for the next 15 km. Small lakes appeared on both sides with plenty of tall reeds. This area is known as a bird lovers haven and the Kazakh state is attempting to develop the attraction. At one spot fishermen had a novel floating platform for their passion.

But not all lakes are in a healthy condition. Small ones I saw were almost dried up and just a crust of salt remaining. The Aral Sea (over near the Caspian) was almost the size of Ireland but Soviet decisions in 1950s to boost cotton production by heavy irrigation caused one of the world’s worst ecological disasters. The amount of water taken from the supply rivers doubled but production only increased by 20%. The water supply to the Aral in 1980 was only a tenth of the supply in the 1950s. At prsent it is divided into two separate small seas. Kasakhstan has its share of environmental problems.

For the last 50 km today wind picked up a notch and temperatures increased and then after crossing over the Siberian-Turkmenistan railway the road turned to face directly into it. From 92 to 127 km the road ahead was as straight as an arrow with no shelter.

Progress was curtailed and for this part Mike, Frieder and myself teamed up (as of old) and rotated every kilometre. We passed a few cycling alone and the teamwork brought us into destination at least half an hour earlier than if we cycled individually.

In time we caMe within sight of Ushural (U-SH-A-R-A-L) and passed through the city gate. It was a relieved threesome that parked up the bikes behind the hotel at 12.30.

It's not the hotel that TDA booked, the tourist board here decides which hotel in town you stay in (only two, anyhow). It's basic accommodation but the shave and shower was all that mattered at that stage.

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After my laundry experience ion Semey, I d coded to do it myself.....not much anyhow. The hotel just washed clothes, no drying. Out on the balcony and they dried in jig time. From the balcony the whole town is in view.

A satisfying day of two halves and glad to get into the shade of the room in the early afternoon. All ready for the Rest Day tomorrow. I’ll see what’s about in Ushural - it is a very small place.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.