• Duration: 4. January 2005 - 4. January 2006
  • Distance: 22 747km
  • Totally climbed vertical height: 186 252m
  • 24 passes over 5000m
  • 34 passes over 4000m
Country duration [days] distance [km]
Switzerland 6 300
Italy 5 480
Slovenia 4 200
Croatia 11 650
Bosnia Herzegovina 3 240
Serbia 4 390
Bulgaria 2 230
Greece 5 400
Turkey 51 2890
Georgia 13 630
Azerbaijan 9 780
Iran 53 3400
Turkmenistan 5 450
Usbekistan 14 440
Tadjikistan 24 1500
Kyrgystan 8 320
China 16 + 37 1200 + 3000
Tibet 86 5100
Total 366 22 747

The weather statistics are also quite interesting. Unbelievable how dry it was - taking into account that I started in the middle of the winter in Europe!

sunny231 days
slightly overcast66 days
cloudy29 days
light rain
(< 2h)
13 days
heavy rain
(> 2h)
10 days
light snowfall
(< 2h)
2 days
heavy snowfall
(> 2h)
6 days
  • longest day: 161km from Eskişehir nach Polatli.
  • coldest temperature while cycling: -20°C in Bulgaria ; with wind-chill factor: -35°C in Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • hottest temperature while cycling: 45°C Dasht-e Lut, Iran
  • longest ride in the nonstop rain: 5,5h from Split to Ploče
  • longest ride on snow covered roads: 155km, in Bosnia Herzegovina
  • highest pass: 5575m, Semo La in Western Tibet
  • lowest point: -28m, Baku Azerbaijan
  • longest time waiting for a visa:10 days for Turkmenistan
  • fastest visa: Georgia. Within 15min I get a visa fo Georgia in Ankara
  • biggest climbed height difference in one day: 2320m, Guangxi China
  • strongest head wind: 5 hours for 45km (on a flat road) or 7:15 for 90km in Iran
  • highest place where I camped: Loinbo Kangri Pass, 5500m
  • longest time between two warm showers: 44 days! (Ali-Shigatse)