Shibar Pass

Pass over the Hindu Kush between the Ghorband valley and Bamyan, Afghanistan. The cycling climax of the Afghan section of Full Tilt.

At a glance

Source	Author	Role	In one line
Full Tilt	Dervla Murphy	turning point	Pushing up hairpins to the snow-line; a ripped tyre on the descent forces her onto a bus.

Full Tilt — Dervla Murphy (1965)

Source: Full Tilt - Ireland to India With a Bicycle · Original · Readwise highlight

Another day of incredible, unforgettable and indescribable beauty, plus our highest climb yet – 10,380 feet over the Shibar Pass; I felt like a fly going up a wall.

• Role: turning point
• In the book: She pushes Roz up the hairpins, past overloaded trucks above a 1,000-foot drop, and reaches the snow-line of the Hindu Kush. Roz’s back tyre is badly ripped on the descent, forcing her onto a bus.
• Why it matters: The pass is the cycling climax of the Afghan section, and its tyre damage sets off the bus ride and rifle-butt incident.