Our ride begins in the windswept town of Erzurum, Eastern Turkey, junction of the Silk Road. Heading west across the steppe, we cross the border at Dogubeyazit into Iran, following the highway to Tabriz. Branching off towards the Caspian Sea, we ride through the towns of Rasht and Gorgan, before crossing the Kopet Dag Range. Descending into Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, our journey unfolds across a former region of the Soviet Union. Gateway to Central Asia, we retrace the Silk Road, continuing through the searing Karakum Desert into Uzbekistan, visiting the walled cities of Buchara and Samarkand. Leaving the plains behind, the climb begins to the high plateaux and mountain passes of Kyrgyzstan. Heading directly east into the heart of this crumpled country, we ride towards the lake of Son-Kol and the caravanserai of Tash Rabat. Winding our way north, our journey comes to an end in Bishkek.