Three cyclists from the Lebap velayat set off on a trip around Turkmenistan. They dedicate their trip to the 300th birth anniversary of Magtymguly Pyragy.
The initiator and organiser of the tour is a famous traveller and photographer Batyr Abdullayev, who resides in the Parahat village of the Dyanev etrap. He has made several hiking and cycling trips across the country, travelling each time from 700 to 1,800 kilometres. His new trip is the ninth in a row. This time, Hudayberen Saparov from the town of Seydi and a primary school teacher from school 31 in the Koytendag etrap Gulruh Jumayeva set off with him. This is Hudayberen’s third cycling trip. He intends to ride to Ashgabat and then return. Previously, he has travelled twice on a two-wheeled transport to Turkmenbashi. Gulruh, who will accompany the travellers on the road, surprised everyone. It was before the trip that she learned to ride a bicycle and was not afraid to go on such a long journey. The teacher decided that she would tell her students about her journey. Together with Batyr, she will run along the entire route – to Bekdash through Turkmenabat, Mary, Ashgabat and Turkmenbashi and back to Ashgabat, from where they will head towards Dashoguz, and they will ride to Gazojak from the administrative centre of the northern region. After reaching the town of Seydi, they will move to the right bank of the Amudarya River, and then through Turkmenabat, located on the left riverbank, they will head towards Koytendag. The length of the entire route is about 4,000 kilometres. Batyr will beat his own record set in 2014. In that year, he covered 2,581 kilometres riding a bicycle.
