We just came from Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia.
Astkrakhan-Aturay-Maqat-Baughanin - Shubarduqudug-Quandyaghash
Eastern part was very bad condion asphalt. In some parts it was more just a track of holes and some asphalt between holes. This road part also destroyed suspension in one of the bikes as part holding suspension in dogbone broke.
Quandyaghash-Embi-Shalqar was if i remember correctly quite good gravel-asphalt road. There is road from Aqtobe to Aral but some locals said there is part of it missing so we chose this Quandyaghash-Embi-Shalqar part as we were driving to Aral.
In Shalqar we were told road going to Aral from there through Köktumaktu and Shilikti unaccessable now because there are floods and you cant drive on the road. So we head to "main road" near Yrghuz.
Between Yrghuz-Aral there were during july 2010 big road building projects going on. Road was going mainly side of the road being constructed and was everything between stonehard asphalt to very loose sand. It was in some part very hard to drive mainly due extreme heat (well over 40C).
From Aral to Baikonur road was also under constuction and some was asphalt with holes but slighly better than roads in Caspian sea regions. Rest of the Kazakhstan roads toward Shymkent, Almaty and from Almaty to Semey were i would say reasonably good condition and quite easy to ride with motorcycle.
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