Stage 110: From Toktogul via the Ala-Bel Pass

After the rest day in Toktogul, we both felt ready for the next adventure. It was warm and sunny, I refilled my gasoline bottle at a gas station, and then we went back into the mountains. For hours, we enjoyed the drive through idyllic valleys with yurts and horses, sheep and cows. Only Amans tire sometimes didn't cooperate, and we had to take a break to fix it. The climb was initially only slightly noticeable, but it got steeper and steeper. We went uphill almost without a break for 65 kilometers until in the afternoon, proud and exhausted, we reached the Ala-Bel Pass at an altitude of 3200 meters. The scenery with snow-covered mountains was a beautiful contrast to Lake Toktogul and the picturesque valleys on the way there. We hoped to find a small market at the pass because our supplies were running low. Of course, there was none, but we found a small village after another 20 kilometers of descent. It was slowly getting dark, and we agreed that we had done enough for today. In the end, it was 90 kilometers, but with 2300 meters of altitude, which was probably a new record for me. Added to that was the breathtaking and varied landscape, making the stage simply beautiful. We found a secluded campsite by the Susamyr River and cooked food and tea again with the hopefully clean water from the mountain stream. At an altitude of 2500 meters, we noticed how the moon only rose very late and appeared unusually large and yellowish.