2023 Uzbekistan – Legs and Feets

Twisted Knee, 17-23 July 23

It was the end of the day on the 17th of July and the last shopping had just been completed when Feets stepping up over a driveway tripped and hyper extended her knee. After several minutes of rest we decided to take a taxi for the last 1 km to the motel. With packed ice on the knee it was quickly decided that tomorrow we would not be riding. In addition discussions had begun either the trip could even be continued.

Feets walking back to the motel. The left leg does not move.

The next morning did not bring a positive diagnosis, Feets was down for a while. We had another week of riding in Uzbekistan and only 10 days left on our visa. Do figure out how to extend the visa or consider a long recovery and head home. By noon we were scouring the computer for flights home and trying to reserve the motel for several more days.

Legs did the rounds of businesses for packing tape and boxes. In a country where shipping is limited there were few boxes to be had. There are no bicycle shops and refrigerator or tv stores send the boxes home with the customer. The best option was taking 14” x 12” boxes cutting them apart and gluing and taping the pieces together to make three 26” x 26” x 10” boxes.

Tape will not hold these Frankenstein boxes so we ended up glueing the corners down the water bottles were used to weight the glued corners.

After the boxes were made it was time for bike disassembly and packing. This job is getting easier with experience. The process took about 2 hours.

First remove the easy items such as the racks, bottle cages, handlebars, and pedels.

Next remove and clean belts, seats, and cranks.

Now all the wheels start breaking the frame.

With everything removed and disassembled it was time to start packing.

With the boxes built and the bike disassembled it was time for packing. Laying the pieces of bike on the floor in an area that would fit the box we zip tied the frame together and finely wrapped the entire assembly in packing wrap. The wrapped assemblage was lifted and placed in the boxes. This way if the box disintegrated the packaging inside would be intact.

Placing a completely packaged bicycle in the box just incase the boxes came apart.

Once everything was wrapped and the boxes taped we wrapped the boxes in plastic film and taped them again.

All packed, wrapped and taped – ready to go.

Our flight home was going to be a long one. Leaving the motel at 9:30 A.M. the shuttle took only a few minutes to travel the six kilometers to the airport. The first flight left Bukhara at 4:30 for a one hour flight to Tashkent on Uzbekistan Air. The second flight left at 2:30 A.M. and flew to Istanbul landing at 5:50 A.M. The final flight left at 8:15 A.M arriving in Los Angeles at 12:15 P.M. a total of one day 7 hours and 50 minutes.

Pushing our baggage to the terminal. Vehicles were not allowed to approach closer that 1 kilometer.

Of course all did not go as planned. We ended up paying extra luggage for both Uzbekistan Air and Turkish Airlines an additional $1,000. The arrival at Tashkent dropped us at the local airport and we had to catch a taxi to the International airport a 6 km ride around to the opposite side of the airport. Our flight into Istanbul landed two hours late and the leaving plane was starting to board just as we landed and the gates were two sections away with a security check in the middle. Feets found a wheel chair assist to make this journey.

Taxi that drove us around the airport to deliver us to the international terminal.

Visiting Bukhara, 16-17 July 23

People have occupied the area around Bukhara for at least five millennia. Though the early history is a little murky Bukhara became the epicenter of the Persian culture in medieval Asia.

Not much of the early civilizations have survived. By 850 Bukara served as the capital of the Samanid Empire. In the 11th century Bukhara became part of the Turkic state of Karakhanids when many of buildings were constructed that still remain today. In this period the rulers of Bukhara built the Kaylan minaret, Magoki Attori mosque, libraries, palaces and parks it is known for today. It is a major trade center along the Silk Road.

The Kalyan Minaret was built in 1127. It is a circular-pillar of baked brick narrowing to it 150 foot point. The tower is covered with intricate geometric designs. When Henghis Khan invaded in 1220 he was so impressed by the tower he decided to spare it.

Kalyan Minaret was built in 1127 to summon Muslims to prayer.

The Ark of Bukhara was built in the fifth century A.D. The ark was used as a fortress and was occupied by various royal courts until was bombed and the city fell to Russia in 1920. The fort is currently under reconstruction and a small portion are open to tourism with displays and museums.

The Ark of Bukhara with a portion of the reconstructed way and what it looked like before.

Prison Museum at the Ark. This cell is for debtors.

The Samani Mausoleum was built in the tenth century CE and is the resting place of the powerful and influential Islamic Samanid dynasty that ruled from 900 to 1000. It contains three burials. It is also known as the oldest funerary building of Central Asia.

Samanid Mausoleum is suppose to be perfectly symmetrical.

Doors to the Fathullojon Caravansaray a place for weary silk road travelers and their animals could safely lodge for the night.

A Sweat Welcome, 15 July 23

Saturday 15 July Highs 102 F, wind up to 15 mph from North. Sunny skies. We rode 153 km. From a desert camp to Bukhara.

Again starting at 4:00 A.M. we had two hours of light traffic, cool temperatures and fairly calm winds. At 6:00 we took a break at a gas station with a small market. Several families in vehicles had also stopped and we all enjoyed a bench in-front of the station while eating snacks. Feets made instant friends with a young girl who drew her a princess picture and with a greeting from Uzbekistan.

Picture for Feets a princess with a Uzbekistan greeting.

Riding until 10:30 A.M. we found a restaurant and ordered somsa and three liters of Fanta and mineral water. We were going to order tea but while we were sitting at the table a boy came out of the restaurant with a bucket. He put the bucket on the ground picked it up again and dipped the bucket into a water tank. Also while sitting at the table a water truck came by. The water truck was watering the new highway construction down the road. The water trucks were pulling water from a earthen tank a short distance from the restaurant. When the restaurant was low of water the water truck would fill the restaurants water tank. The restaurant’s water was probably not too clean so we decided not to order tea. Taking a long lunch we sat until 4:00 P.M. and though it was still hot got back on the road.

The side winds were quite noticeable today. Riding at 15 km/h really puts a strain on the legs. It was also hot today and the crews were out building a new road. Riding on a clean cement road without traffic it is a blessing.

This new unopened road separated us from traffic on the old asphalt road.

New roads often have barriers keeping the traffic off until they are finished.

On this section of the new road local use as a much needed cart path.

On the outskirts of Bukhara we stopped at a restaurant for some tea and bread. The owner came over and kept asking questions. We kept saying no no to his questions. Well finely we ended up with tea and bread which we ordered along with soup.

You never know what you will get when ordering a meal.

Desert Camp, 14 July 23

Friday 14 July Highs 97 F (probably hotter sense recording was from historic weather which only recorded to 97), wind up to 25 mph from Northwest. Sunny skies. We rode 145 km from and too a desert camp.

The moon was just a sliver and just rising at 2:30 A.M. It had not been a restful night because the camp was near the highway with noisy traffic and lights all night.

At 8:00 A.M. we stopped at a small restaruant along the road with only one item on the menu, eggs and sausage. The plate came looking like a droopy eyed sad face and the sausage was grilled hot dogs. Oh well it was protein.

At 10:00 we crossed a regional border with a monument to the silk road. It was funny to see this monument in the middle of the desert with no town in sight.

Regional boundary monument with life size camels.

At 10:30 a new gas station, not on Google Maps, appeared. Apparently this was a watering hole for the silk road and had many services including a store and very fancy restaurant. It turns out it is a bus stop so when the busses pull in the restaurant is very crowded. Taking rest behind the building and in the shade we slept for three hours before our shade left. We than moved into the restaurant and slowly ate dinner until 6:00 P.M. when the temperatures were cool enough to get back on the road.

The chickens kept us company during the first part of our break.

Once the shade had disappeared we moved into the restaurant and had a very long lunch.

At 5:00 P.M. it was back on the road until dark. Gaining another 60 km we rode until the sun set and found a camping spot off the road. This site was a little further from the highway so we got better sleep.