Day 170 – Rayen, Kerman Province, Iran
To be honest, I was excited and intimidated at the same Time to cycle 60 km mostly uphill to 3000 Meter. I stayed the past weeks often in Guesthouses and was out of routine for that “living on the Road” Lifestyle. It felt a bit like a newstart but the hunger for moving on was bigger than the Comfortbubble I was in. Ones left Rayen behind me I felt a big relief. The 15 KM Straight Road out of the town into the mountains provided me with a massive Tailwind rather than Headwind the Days before. “The Biketouring Gods are on my Side Today”
With 30 Km/h I flew up the 400 Meter of Elevation while passing the Summit of Hazar (4550m) to my right. The 15k straight came to an End and turned into an also straight 10k light Downhill on a Plato. unfortunately the road changed direction and I cycled in Crosswind from the right/front I pushed the paddles hard, made myself tiny as I could and grabbed the drop on my handlebars tight to keep myself in line against the Wind. I looked like a Procyclist attacking the Peloton on the Tour de France Stage and felt very proud about myself “You cycling strong, Man” . But the hard facts got me shortly after looking down on the Meter that showed me 14 Km/h. It could be very frustrating cycling in Headwind, You working harder than normal and doing way less progress than you are used to. But I know it’s not about the speed, its just putting in the time not the Miles. For Example the first 40 Minutes this Day I had Tailwind and made Uphill very good and easy progress and now I have to Work 40 Minutes harder to make a shorter Distance on easier Terrain but all in all its still decent over the long run.
The Road Changed between steeper parts of climbing in Curves and long stretches on lighter uphill over Platos. Here and there the View opened the enormous wideness on 2500 Meter where I looked up to 40 km over the Plato and even further to the 4000 Meter Mountaintops in the Distance. I love this High Altitude Scenery. The Atmosphere is so special and it felt like I am cycling in a Painting which the World provides for me.
After every Highpoint comes a downhill. The Road is still going Uphill for the next 15 km but everything else started to went down. Temperature dropped down to 6 °C, here and there some Raindrops, I felt hungry had too less food and Water with me and my back tire is loosing air. I Pumped it twice every 5 km till I decided to change the already patched Inner tube. I felt cold, so put on some warm clothes and opened a Can of Beans in Tomatosouce to build up some energy. Two hours till sunset, at 2700 Meters, another 9 km and 300 Meters climbing to the Top. This was not about cycling any more, its just work and Mental Game. Found an inner tube in my Panniers with only one Patch on it, looked good so far, put it in and hoped the best (So God will).
Started Cycling again. My Body empty, legs and mind sore. Somehow I reached the Summit some Minutes after Sunset. I changed clothes to some dry one while my Heard still pumping hard in the Chest and flushing my Body with Blood, Oxygen and adrenalin. Tried to sort out my options: had not enough food and water for Camp, the only possible way is downhill. 15 km down the Valley is the next Village with Restaurants where I will find everything and a place to sleep as well.
The Daylight was almost gone when I started Cycling down with only a signal light at my back. For the Front I mounted my Head torch around the Front Pannier to got seen by other Cars. The Road was steep and full of curves with an amazing view down the long Valley of which i just saw the silhouettes. While Going Downhill with 50 km/h in the dark I hated myself for starting the Days so late and have no Time left for upcoming difficulties like today which causing so much stress and blocking any joy. Strangely 5 Minutes later the heavy Adrenalin rush kicked in and made me total focused and the ride joyfull in an adventures way.
Minutes later I reached the Villages with the Restaurants where I planed to ask for a Place to sleep. But being there caused a strange feeling which I had only a few times during my trip. I even got invited to spend the Night there but still everything in me told me, this is not a place to stay. Out of a habit I just bought two Bottles of Water and some Cakes to vanished into the dark again. I stopped myself some hundred meters after in an empty parking space, to come down, get some breath and lower my adrenalin level to reflect about the Situation I am in right now. “Why I didn’t want to stay?” I asked myself. Well I had in my mind to end my ride somewhere quite on my own and not trapped in a narrow and busy Valley with People causing a strange Atmosphere. To be pumped with Adrenalin and full in going Mode made it even harder for me to stay and closing this Cycling Day. I know that feeling, so ate the cake, tried to relax and waited some Minutes, which changed the mood often very quickly, but not this time. Through the fast Downhill the regular Lightsystem on my bike started to work again which made it seem more doable to continue cycling. All this together brought me back on the Road again, to follow my Hunger for moving on and releasing a new dose of Adrenalin.
The Cars behind me lighted the Road in front of me and made the ride much easier. Signs showed the Distance to Jiroft, the next bigger City down the Valley. Every few Minutes the counting dropped 5 Km. 45, 40, 35, at the 25 Km Sign I saw the lighted City under me. I stopped beside the Road to notice how warm it is. Pulled down my Jacket and Continued further downhill. 20km, 15, 10 I am on the lighted streets around the City. I made it. looked back towards the dark Mountains where I started 60 Km and 90 Minutes ago my Downhill of which I didn’t knew where it will be leading to.
In cosy 25 °C I rolled through the City on Big Streets with Palmtrees in the middle toward the Centre, I felt that I satisfied my Hunger of moving myself somewhere else and to experience a new side of Iran and my Journey the following Days.
