Posts Tagged ‘Cycling’

Day 226. 72km. Erchu – Geka

Posted: December 24, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
0

Today the sun shone, the road was immaculate, and I climbed into the heavens. A 1100m climb and a 1650m drop. These mountains are big!

High mountains

High mountains

The climb followed the valley to the north, which meant I had no wind – or tailwind. The road climbed, rising higher and higher over the river a long way below. Higher peaks poked over the horizon, and even rugged snow-capped peaks in the distance.

Farm

Farm

Temple in the sun

Temple in the sun

Temple in the distance

Temple in the distance

The drop was enormous, and quite steep as I followed a fast flowing river. The headwind kept my speed in check. I am in the last village before the now infamous ‘bad road’. Everyone shakes their head in disbelief that I intend to cycle it. I have been told it is 40km to the summit. I am now at 2500m, and I suspect the summit is at about 4500m. It is going to be a hard day tomorrow – a hard day in beautiful sunny weather.

Some twists and turns

Some twists and turns

Day 225. 88km. Daocheng – Erchu

Posted: December 23, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
4

‘That road is impossible!’
‘The road to Shangri La is back where you have come from.’
I get warnings of people indicating a near vertical climb on rocks and through mud. This is sounding worrying. Following the insider tip from my hotel manager.

View from my abode

View from my abode

The main road from Daocheng to Shangri La is a mudbath. I spent 12 hours in a bus on it from Daocheng to Shangri La and 12 hours back. 300km in 12 hours. The valley is very beautiful with some massive, massive climbs.

Shangri La was my well-earned rest and recreation. I ate western food to my heart’s content, and hung out in cafes, sipping tea as the sun shone in through the window. I was forced to stay there for 4 days waiting for my visa extension. I’m glad I was forced. ☺

Me and my cat

Me and my cat

The alternate road to Shangri La so far is great. The perfect, brand new road meant that I hardly noticed climbing over the 4500m high pass (despite the standard headwind). I am staying in a Tibetan family’s house. The main room is amazing. All vanished wood, from floor to walls to ceiling, there are three massive pillars along the centre line of the room. The wood stove takes an important place on one side, with an ornate Tibetan painted carving on the wall behind.

I watched on in curiosity as various activities were carried out, including separating cream from milk. What a different life they lead.

Separating the milk

Separating the milk

Another 4500m

Another 4500m

Day 224. 90km. Service Area – Daocheng

Posted: December 22, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
5

Today I cycled through some spectacular scenery in the lovely bright sunshine and the strong headwind. I climbed up to a grassy, sometimes rocky, wasteland where the sun and clouds played beautiful light games. I’m now in Daocheng, ready for a break from cycling – a bus to Shangri La for a visa extension.

Grassy plains

Grassy plains

Looking down the pass

Looking down the pass

View from the top of the pass

View from the top of the pass

Grassy plains

Grassy plains

Rocky plateau

Rocky plateau

Descending from the plains

Descending from the plains

Day 223. 65km. Litang – Service Area

Posted: December 21, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
8

Many towns in the mountains in Sichuan are huge construction sites. Everything, but everything is being built new. The heavy trucks driving around results in all the roads being a quagmire. I have seen it over and over. China is rebuilding itself. A big leap forward.

Mudbath Litang

Mudbath Litang

In my search for dumplings for breakfast, I saw Litang in all its muddy glory. The main road was nearly impossible to traverse – even just pushing the bike. But, once I left the town, the road was pristine.

Mud bath in Litang

Mud bath in Litang

Today was always a bit uncertain. It was 40km to a town, then 80km of nothing, climbing 1000m to the high plains. The 40km town was not far enough, so I proceeded up, planning to camp somewhere. It was lovely and sunny, and the road smooth. Progress was slow due to the sizable headwind, and I called it a day at a little service area where they offered me an empty room.

Hore racing

Hore racing

On the way up

On the way up

My humble abode

My humble abode

Day 222. 80km. Junba – Litang

Posted: December 20, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
1

With 1300m to climb, it was an early start. Rain gave way to sun, and it was beautiful climbing and climbing and climbing. Out of the valley and onto a rolling green mossy landscape. The high plains.

The mossy plains

The mossy plains

And into the construction site town of Litang.

View from the high pass

View from the high pass

View from the top of the pass

View from the top of the pass

At the top of the pass

At the top of the pass

Clouds

Clouds

Litang

Litang

Day 221. 78km. Xinlong – Junba

Posted: December 19, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
2

Last night I didn’t sleep much. Next door there was a hard-rock club playing until the morning – in this monastery town. Then the road continued in the sun, up and down along this steep sided canyon. I’m at the base of a massive climb. Tomorrow will be an early start.

The valley

The valley

Prayer flags

Prayer flags

The valley

The valley

Day 220. 82km. Shadui – Xinlong

Posted: December 18, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
7

Yak butter. The valley smells of yak butter. From every village, from every temple. I pass monks entering the temples – the yak-butter centres. Monks pass me buzzing along on their motor scooters while looking at their phone. I watch the monks circle around the temple perched on the top of the hill in Xinlong. Yak butter.

The cat looks on

The cat looks on

I left early this morning, with the thought of cycling the whole valley to the base of the massive pass in one day – 150km. The road was good, but up and down and up and down – rising above the river, only to drop down at the next corner. The headwind slowed things down, so I accepted it. I’ll take this valley in two days as originally planned.

Village

Village

The monk and his soul mate

The monk and his soul mate

Xinlong

Xinlong

Temple in Xinlong

Temple in Xinlong

Day 219. 107km. Luhou – Shadui

Posted: December 17, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
0

‘Where are you going?’ It was the police in the village I wanted to sleep. There was no room for travellers, and the nearest hotel was back where I had come from. I feared the worst, but the police helped me find a place to stay – in an empty room in the local school. Thank you police!

The weather border

The weather border

Today was about scaling the last pass before Ganzi. I did it in beautiful weather conditions – every minute it changed from bright sun to the darkest clouds. Oh, and with a constant headwind.

The high pass

The high pass

At the top of the pass

At the top of the pass

At the pass

At the pass

The weather border

The weather border

I continued down the road southwards in the evening to get some kilometres done in the evening light. In my haste, I missed passing 19000km. No photos of that yet.. Tomorrow down the river valley that has been recommended to me by different people.

Day 218. 77km. Wengda – Luhuo

Posted: December 16, 2015 in China, Cycling
Tags: , , ,
0

I cycled on the weather border. On one side was bright sun. On the other were the darkest of clouds. I cycled on the roadworks border. Behind me hell on earth. In front of me (mostly) prestine new road. And I cycled over a 4300m pass – my first 4000+ pass since Tajikistan.

The sunny mountains

The sunny mountains

At the top of the pass, I must have hit the true weather border. It started to rain. The wind changed direction. It looked threatening. But today I stayed in the sunny weather. This evening in Luhou I met 5 cyclists who cycled today on the dark side.. They got wet.

Looking towards the dark

Looking towards the dark

The high bridge

The high bridge

New cycle video: Luang Namtha (Laos) – Bangkok (Thailand)

Posted: December 16, 2015 in Cambodia, Cycling, Laos, Thailand
Tags: , , ,
8

I have finished cycling for 2015 and my trusty bike is getting a service – new rims, and various odds and ends are being fixed. In Bangkok, other than eating, I have been working on my latest video, which is now ready for viewing. 🙂 I hope you like it!

Older Entries
Newer Entries