Getting ready to head out East

About 18 months ago a friend, Dave, suggested we jump on a plane, fly out to Mongolia, rent some motorbikes, rag them around for a month and fly back.

Jean thought it was a great idea as well. But, as always, she had a better idea. How about we ride out to Mongolia, meet Dave, still rent some bikes, rag around for a month and then ride home.

Seemed a good plan, we could time our arrival and have the bike hire sorted for when Dave arrived.

My grey Pegaso was a bit long in the tooth by now, prone to break downs and bits dropping off. So we bought a new(used) one for Jean and I will be riding her old one.

We were all geared up to head out in June 2017, meet Dave at the beginning of August. Then Dave's family circumstances changed, and he couldn't go.

Not having a fixed date to aim for we have adjusted our plans, again. We hope to leave in the 1st couple of weeks in May, not bother hiring any bikes and do Mongolia East -> West.

We should then have time to drop into Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan before heading up through Kazakhstan, back to Russia and down to Georgia and then Turkey.

By then it should be November, and getting cold. We might try and get to Greece, leave the bikes there and fly home. Returning the next year to collect them.

Something like this. And yes, our plan ends in Turkey.