D80 – 75.1Km
TUESDAY, MARCH 7
N40 01.957 E42 07.092 (1561m – HORASAN) – N39 46.834 E42 45.476 (1736m – 6km after ELESKIRT)
75.1 km – 9H40′
0 km – 1561 m
16.5 km – 1765 m
18.7 km – 1670 m
37.2 km – 2206 m
56.3 km – 1898 m
59.1 km – 2029 m
75.1 km – 1736 m
Now it’s up to you to draw a lovely curve to see today’s profile!
Temperature: -12 Celsius
This morning Serge climbed to more than 2200 meters and the scenery was splendid. We followed a small mountain road sunk in the snow. The strength of the wind increased throughout the morning. Serge had a struggle to advance and it was very cold. The mountain peaks which surround us begin to be of a significant height. As the day progressed, the sun started to heat the ground and towards noon the sides of the road started to steam. This was caused by evaporation which slowly became a thick fog. Visibility was reduced to 30 meters: watch out, danger!
We crossed several small, isolated villages which were desolate. The inhabitants live in the mud with their cattle. The village water supply often comes from a well; however, there is electricity and satellite dishes on the small, flat-roofed houses, most often made of stone, prove that there is television. As in many countries, television is omnipresent: in restaurants, bars, stores……
Heaps of fodder and granaries made of earth and dried mud are an integral part of the landscape. The inhabitants are very tanned, no doubt because of their life out of doors at a high altitude.
This evening we are sleeping at the foot of a ski station which has a ski lift, but it is closed and the place is deserted. Is it already the end of the season?