Page 73 - Bugle Spring 2025

SILK ROAD
MOUNTAIN RACE 2024
In August 2024, I managed to complete
the Silk Road Mountain Race in
Kyrgyzstan, an unsupported bicycle
race (known as ‘bikepacking’), this
year following a route totalling 1938km
and climbing 38,000 metres over the
mountains of Kyrgyzstan. 172 racers
started and only 98 completed the race
within the cut-off, including myself in a
little over 13 days. I had initially planned
on an event in Europe, after watching a
Netflix bikepacking documentary over a
glass of wine in early 2023, but my wife,
Eugenie scalded me and directed me to
go for a more adventurous location!
Being an unsupported race, we needed
to carry our own equipment and enough
food until the next resupply location
(sometimes over 200km apart). Much of
the route was on unpaved roads or tracks
(75%), making it rather punishing on
body and bike. It took us over numerous
mountain passes at 3,800 metres altitude
and at one point through the Chinese
military border zone, a high altitude area
along the border with China which is
controlled by the Chinese military. Most of
the mountain climbs took several hours to
ascend, the final climb involved four hours
of (mostly) walking and pushing over
landslide debris.
My daily routine would involve waking
at 0430hrs, cooking some breakfast in
my tent, packing up then setting off by
0530hrs before first light, cycling until
roughly 2300hrs, setting up camp, getting
into my gonker then repeating the process.
If I was lucky, I could stay in a hostel or
B&B. Otherwise I would need to rely on my
dehydrated rations or the food lottery on
offer in the village shops. If the shop had a
fridge and my Russian was up to scratch,
I could get cheese and fresh flatbread.
Otherwise it was biscuits and Snickers!
Whilst the terrain was breathtaking as
expected, it was the people that made
the experience, which I didn’t anticipate.
The Kyrgyz were incredibly friendly and
hospitable (they invited us into their homes
/yurts on numerous occasions) and the
other racers were pleasantly humble,
despite their extensive experience and
ability. Quite an experience, I might take the
family there one day and enjoy the place.
Lt Col Alex Price RIFLES
If my Russian
was up to
scratch, I could
get cheese and
fresh flatbread.
Otherwise it
was biscuits and
Snickers!
MORE STORIES
RETIREMENT
FROM RIFLES RHQ
Captain (Retired) Ian Foster
Since the formation of The Rifles in 2007, RHQ was very
fortunate to have had Captain (Retired) Ian Foster take care
of the Regiment’s finances in support
of the trustees and the charities
beneficiaries. Prior to 2007, Ian did
a similar job within RHQ The Light
Infantry. Following a full career that
started as a soldier in The Royal Army
Pay Corps, Ian retired as a Captain,
having been a Paymaster/RAO, settled
with his family near Winchester, and
joined the MOD Civil Service to work
in the RHQs. Despite being one of
the busiest people in RHQ, he always
looked to assist and found time to help
others whenever they needed.
September 2024 saw Ian’s ‘second’
retirement and his departure from the
Civil Service and RHQ. The occasion was
marked in The Rifleman’s Museum by
a gathering of Ian’s friends and family,
with the presentation of gifts purchased
from generous donations from his LI
and RIFLES friends. Fittingly, the gifts
Despite
being one
of the
busiest
people in
RHQ, he
always
looked to
assist and
found time
to help
others
whenever
they
needed.
included the award of a silver bugle by
Major General Tom Bewick, Assistant
Colonel Commandant The Rifles.
RIFLES The Bugle 73