Hi Apollofish! I'll post in the end as final photo.
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Hi Apollofish! I'll post in the end as final photo.
Day four, continuing
Later we enquire that they were broken last winter by the ice motion down the river. The water level in the river more than a meter, the water temperature is 5 degrees. I don’t know the flow speed, but as you will see on video the cords is tightening hard. To be honest, I was really scared. Drive back - 1500 km, no any circuit road and my shorty couldn’t drive throw this river without snorkel. As you can see I was the only car without lift, 33’ tires, snorkel and lockers in our trip because we didn’t expect so much of problems with bridges because one of our guys already had trips on this road a few years ago when the bridges were still there. The most lifted GQ went to the other side of river and found a passage to the road from the bridge on the other side. It was already dark so we decided to try our passage in the evening.
We expected that in the morning the water level in the river would fall a bit, but we were not so lucky, it was the same. The first one who forced the river (name Kara-Coba) was the big GQ, as you can see he had no problem with it. Next were the GU and no problem again. The next one was long GU with 3 tied straps attached to each other long enough from shore to shore to transport me. As you will see in video the river is very fast and a lot of big stones lay on the bottom of it.
Preparing my car for the passing throw the river. All doors sealers where lubricated with the silicone and the doors from the side of the stream is sealed by adhesive tape. Ventilation air scoopers also sealing with adhesive tape. Outside air intake is closed. Praying.
On the other side of the river two tied together GU, for a case if my engine will stuck they can pull me out from the river even with blocked wheels or etc.
The most mass of the water flow is flowing under lifted trols but in my case it hardly hits my shorty in the right side. We started our moving together after command by radio. I didn’t remember how it was but I remembered, when car jump into the river it immediately began to bearing by heavy downstream. I was a big lucky because on my way there is no big stones which I can catch by axels or oil pan. Several times the water flowed through the hood. When I already stop on the other side I immediately ran to inspect the water in the air intake. Half of the box with the air filter was filled with water. The water-hammer effect was quite near. After inspecting the bottom of the car, I realized that I was lucky again to overcome this path without damage.
The last one of us – Prado with caravan was left on the other side. Guys decided to pass it like me because we were afraid that that the light weight caravan could pop up and pull the car down the stream. The long GU went for them and stuck in the middle of the river. His engine went into emergency mode; it is continued working, but it is not forcing more than 1 400 rpm. Driver climbed on the roof with a hitched strap and started throwing it to us. If strap touches water it will be immediately wrested out from arms and carried away with the flow. Only when 3 guys try to hold it a few seconds and another one try to fix it with clevis we made it after a few rounds. Then we towed it to the shore. Water level in the car was up to the seats the engine is steel working rough and then completely stall. The Prado where transported without any problems with GQ support. On shore we change oil and oil and fuel filters. A short time afterwards we start the engine with enough power to drive ahead.
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The next bridge was broken again but in this place river was wider and shallow, so we clear some bushes and make our own ramp to the river. For our safety I was transported on strap again but this time there is no any marks of water on air filter. Then we forced this river in 2 more times in shallow places without any problems.
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Then the mountain plateau is begun, and we climb to the pass.
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Along the way, we were lucky to see the highest mountain of the Altai mountains – Beluha, Its height - 4509 m. It is very rare that she would not be covered by clouds. It's a white twoheaded peak on this photo.
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The plato climb was changing to the forest mountain road. The top of the our pass - 2 137 meters. As always to the all beautiful places we came at night.
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When we back to asphalt at night we stopped by a police patrol. They check us for hunting guns cause is a protected area where hunting is forbidden, and they ask us where are we are from and then said that we are crazy to drive on that road.
This is was our first night in beds not in tents. We spend it in the deer’s farm.
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The fifth day.
After looking to the deer’s and checking the machine we moved back home across the country. Monday is near so work is waiting for us. The road back was already on the normal asphalt roads and again at night. In the darkness, we drove throw a very beautiful places and blamed ourselves for that, that we find only one week for whole trip. During the road back home the flushed engine is completely dead. We tow it to the nearest city to the nearest workshop and there we are divided. Broken GU and Prado stayed to wait for repair and 3 patrol is drove back home.
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The sixth day.
Our road back was not without surprises again. Pipe from the pump to the nozzle is broke right in the middle. We reached to the nearest village with 5 L bottle under the hood of drained diesel from the broken pipe, find a welder and go ahead. We spent the night in the same abandoned gas station.
The seventh day.
Just a 130 km from the home we were covered with a very strong dust storm and then we stuck in great traffic jam after it. I came home at 2 am, and in the morning went to work.
So I can say that we had a great ride full of adventures.
Our video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-382TkwawF0
Finish!
Thank you for a fantastic video and photos.
A few great photo of this road from internet:
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Agree some of the best roads and trips are where no one has been before.
Awesome countryside. love the asprin fix you must do a demo lol
Wow! Thanks so much for the photos and write up. What a beautiful part of the world.
>>>tappin from tassie
That is one of the best things I've read! Very funnyQuote:
Originally Posted by Wine_maker
>>>tappin from tassie
Great write up on your trip. Thank you very much...
Edit : Yeah that first river crossing you guys were pretty brave. Those shorties were floating in some sections. Great Video of your trip....
Must of been bad they had fly netting on their hatsQuote:
Originally Posted by taslucas
Moths that is