Konār Sīāh

After we had climbed the 2000m pass south of Shiraz, we thought that was it - 250km downhill back to sea level from that point on. But then we recalled the terrain map of the southern Iran. Fan-shaped mountain ranges are laying parallel to the coast. It felt like our road was cutting through the sharp ridges of them and our navigation app said it all: 2800 more meters to climb in total make 4800 height meters downhill, nice!

The road is hard to beat in terms of scenic beauty (if you like mountains). Dramatic canyons, vertical scraps, serpentinous creeks, dry rivers and beautiful valleys reminded us of 'The Land Before Time'. Unimaginable how it would look like if there was more water, maybe in spring?

The Red Crescent, comparable to the Red Cross, provided us an oasis for relaxation. We had heard that they would accommodate cyclists and we never had the timing to stop by at the end of the day. But this time it was perfect. We had just cycled a new daily record with 117km and then there was their building next to the road. Let's try it! They opened their door, let us in, cooked delicious food, offered us a shower and a bed and we spent a great evening playing ping pong and Iranian card games together. Thanks for everything Mohammed, Reza, Peyman, Ali, Achraf and Erfan!Read more