Caravanistan

Sounds like even Naryn doesn't have much? Wouldn't things like nuts, dried fruits, and lentils be easy to find, at least in Naryn but possibly in the other smaller towns? I could probably survive with these basic items and a dozen dehydrated meals brought from home.

I bike toured all around Ladakh and stayed in many homestays and never got sick from any of them, nor from any of the Leh restaurants. But I always avoided any dairy or uncooked veggies. So if you only cook yourself, what did you eat? From what I've been gathering, there isn't a whole lot available ...

I hear a lot of stories of how everyone who travels there gets terrible stomach problems. Is it that hard to avoid? I've travelled a lot in Ladakh, India, and can navigate that pretty well. Is it comparable?

So, rain on most days? Did you cycle east of the Barskoon mining road? My plan would be to go up the mining road from Barskoon and west over the Arabel pass towards Naryn. From my initial research that section doesn't seem to have large river crossings. Do you think a traditional setup with four pan...

Can I find dehydrated meals (the type you can find in outdoor shops), in Naryn? Are grocery shops there fairly well stocked? And what about groceries in Chaek and Baetov, and smaller places like Kyzyl-Oi and Susaamyr?

What's nomadic food?

Would rice and lentils, nuts or dried fruits be available in many small town shops?

That's good news. Do you think a lot of the nomads in yurts would have something like plov?

How easy is it to find non-wheat food in smaller towns? I'm gluten intolerant and wondering how self-sufficient I will have to be. Potatoes and rice are fine. I'm thinking of going through Barskoon, Naryn, Baetov, Chaek, Kyzyl Oi, and everything in between. Actually following that bike route: https:...

'm considering a bike trip in the Tian Shan of Kyrgystan, south of Issyk Kul and towards Naryn and Chatyr Kul, and wondering how much rain I can expect in July and August. The climate charts I've looked indicate minimal precipitation, but most blogs I've read mention seemingly frequent rain and down...

I'm considering a bike trip in the Tian Shan of Kyrgystan, south of Issyk Kul and towards Naryn and Chatyr Kul, and wondering how much rain I can expect in July and August. The climate charts I've looked indicate minimal precipitation, but most blogs I've read mention seemingly frequent rain and dow...