Kasakhstan (Part 2/2)

Up to now the road is in much better condition than expected, it looks that I might be able to cross Kazakhstan in the 4,5 days registration tolerance and save time for something better than looking a place to register. North of Aral the road go strait for many km but it has it's beauty the only thing really annoying is the strong frontal and now side wind since I left Shymkent, making it difficult to rest even when I stop.

Stopped at a resting area in the middle of nowhere, which had a small restaurant which is not common on this route and ordered a goulash.

Every resting area I drove by in Kazakhstan so far has a platform to take a look at the bottom of your car or truck and do repairs on the go more easily.

After ridding for a while following the stop I noted that there was something wrong with the water temperature. Time for an unplanned stop and check what's going on.

Checked everything vital to continue all seamed OK but the thermometer cable seams to be broken somewhere, nice thing that I brought an oil thermometer I'll keep an eye on that more often from now on.

Earth closet that you can find on every resting area. The road conditions deteriorates gradually as I moved on towards Aktöbe, a typical thing (not only) in Kazakhstan is to have potholes squared out with sharp edges that can put an end to the trip, even with an empty road for miles ahead it's not possible to enjoy the views for to long.

When I arrive in Aktöbe I got hit by yet another sandstorm and I can see a huge thunderstorm coming my way so I cross the city as fast as I can to avoid getting wet or having to put the rain protection on. It's early afternoon but I'm tired I plan to stop in the next town if I can get a room. I sopped in Kobda to fill up the tank and ask if there is a hotel in town and they say in the back. I thought that they misunderstood me and where pointing me to the restroom. I asked again and a guy walks out with me and points to the next house. I went there, asked for the room, arranged to put the bike inside the gates. When I came out a guy in a motorbike drives by and turns around, thinking he was another travel due to his luggage I great and walk to him but then I realize he is from Kazakhstan. He tells me something from 5 brothers, that they will camp and I should come with him. When I ask how far he says 5 km, I thought it could be a nice experience and agree to follow him. We drove out of town and stopped at the gas station where the other guys where filling up. Everyone came to greet me and take a selfie, only one of them speaks a bit of English. Then they drive out and all stopped in the middle of the road to take a picture.

After that we went on I tried to drive last and noted immediately that they don't have a group behavior on the road, some speed for a while and then stop or fall back to far but in average most of them are ridding to fast for what I'm willing to. Time goes by and I begin to realize that the guy didn't gave me the correct distance, I remembered that the guy that spoke some English mentioned Oral and that was over 300 km away and I was not fit enough or willing to cover that distance. I kept my speed with the legal limits 4 of the guys speed ahead and the one that first spoke to me fell so far back that I could't see him anymore. I drive always at a constant speed when I'm traveling, it's much less tiring and I can easily calculate the arrival time. Meanwhile a truck in front of me brakes strongly I pull left to over take it and see that the police had stopped all the guys in front of me, I keep my pace until the next city where I drive to the first guest house, drive to the end of the street where the GPS points me but there's no entrance there, then a guy tells me that I need to go around. When I'm driving around a police car arrives driving fast and stops me. Asks me where I'm from and something else that I didn't understand, then pulls his phone calls someone, asks where I'm going and I say hotel. He then the house I was going to is no hotel, "hotel 300 meters" he says, I don't want any trouble and drive the 300 meters. Got a room, a garage for the bike and a lot o nice things to eat.

The next day I drove all the way to the Russian border, on the way I stopped to take a picture of this graveyard.

Then checked the bike and found this:

The owner of the bike bought a hard tire with the intention that it would last the all trip but did not check how old the tire already was. This tire was produced in 2015 and was most probably since then lying around without protection, making it an expensive peace of garbage. The last 100 km from Oral to the border were a nightmare, mostly no road at all, it was so bad that the cars now drive through the fields besides the road.