This nearly one thousand kilometer route follows a curve from the far east of the country back to Bishkek, the modest capital. It's different from more familiar Silk Road tours that take in Osh and the Pamir Highway in the southwest, as it's oriented toward a wilderness experience. On the other hand, this trip is well within reach for an intrepid rider looking to try out a more remote bikepacking tour than usual. Though the terrain can be rough, the cultural and logistical dimensions of travel in Kyrgyzstan are not difficult. To us, the 'Stans first and most mean hospitality, history, and amazing landscapes. Certainly don't let the news make you think otherwise.

Sometimes we couldn't quite find the track, but that was fine: we pedaled over the steppe in the direction that we were seeking. We had three to six day spans between towns, so there was a sense of remoteness but not a complete lack of infrastructure.

Almost every day we encountered Kyrgyz on horseback eager to come over and shake hands and acknowledge our visit, even if we could rarely communicate anything more ambitious than our joy and appreciation.

Kyrgyzstan soars to every superlative and defies you to invent new ones.