Xichang, Sichuan – Dali, Yunnan

7 Days (~650 KM)

Details:

Xichang to Lige, Lugu Lake: ~270 KM. Paved. Equal up and down. Lots of towns. (2 YHI Hostels in Lige 35 RMB for dorm).

Lige, Lugu Lake to Ninglang: ~ 90 KM. Paved. Big Ascent out of lake, descent the rest. Almost no commodities.

Ninglang to Lijiang: ~ 120 KM. Paved except for 20 KM outside of Lijiang. Big ascents, big descents. Yangtze river crossing. (Garden Inn, 30 RMB for dorm).

Lijiang to Dali ~ 170 KM. Paved, lots of commodities. (The Emu Hostel, 25 RMB for dorm)

After leaving behind what felt like house arrest in one of Xichang's cheap hotels (renewed visa = 7 days of waiting, $150 USD) I hit the pavement towards Lugu Lake. The road to Lugu Lake has very small villages mixed of Yi people and working Han Chinese taking residence for the million or so dams that were situated alongside the adjacent river. These had a mining town vibe, brothels, pubs, and pool tables were hard to miss. One night I slept on the side of a river, greeted by a deaf and mute horsemen as I tucked into dinner. He ended up ascending the hill across the river come nightfall with a lantern to guide his way. This reminded me of a story I had heard in Maui, the lantern holding shepherding ghosts of the West Maui Mountains, very spooky.

I arrived at Lugu Lake after two days (40 RMB entrance fee). An absolutely serene place and slept in a cozy tourist village called Lige. I had to fight my way into the hostel as the manager was blatanty racist, and mistook me for being Jewish. After complaining heavily and threatening to contact the hostels governing body (Youth Hostels International) they let me sleep. I have since complained to YHI anyhow as this is completely out of line.

The road to Lijiang was amazing, as it is under construction, though nearly complete, so traffic was limited to cyclists and local access. Light traffic, smooth roads and a great descent to Ninglang. Crossed the Yangtze river the next day to arrive in Lijiang, a VERY touristy town, which I think can be explored in about 5 hours. I counted 8 different types of shops in the touristy old town: Mosu Scarves, Tibetan Jewelry, Che Guevera Congo Shops, Food Stalls, Naxi Skirts, Tea Shops, and Health Stores. Meeting some fellow travelers this evening at a lovely hostel I decided to leach on to their trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge the next day. Tiger Leaping Gorge is beautiful, but a little on the short side.

The road to Dali is a breeze, nothing beautiful and filled with tourist buses, but easy nonetheless. Sipping good coffee in this bohemian town, which I think I quite like. It's a little less touristy than Lijiang, smaller and more relaxed. Planning the next leg of the trip: to Jinghong or Kunming? Hmmm – We'll see.

Xichang, China

Waiting for a visa renewal with limited funds, my 24th birthday this past Wednesday was probably the toughest day of the entire trip. Not only was I not allowed a visa renewal in the town I was currently located (Jiulong in western Sichuan), I lost both of my debit cards and credit card! So I am stuck in Xichang waiting for some money to arrive via western union money transfer so I can pay for my new visa (thank goodness!), replaying the last week in my head.

From Chengdu, I cycled a few days to the beautiful town Ya'an, where you exit the Sichuan Basin's constant cloud cover. The next day and half were all up hill, cycling among steep, lush gorges with clear water good enough for drinking. At the top of a large hill ~ 2,500m high there was a 4KM tunnel which led me into a different country it seemed. Everything was Tibetan, the people, the landscape, the architecture. A much drier climate.

I arrived in Kangding, a very touristy town for a night in a nice hostel. The next day led me towards a huge pass, about 4,300m (~14,000ft.) high! It is November, so it was pretty cold, but the roads were dry and the sky clear. On top, I had a view of what seemed to be the Tibetan Plateau, absolutely beautiful - rolling hills at 4,000m high. For the next few days I cycled towards a village called Gongga Shan, famous for its namesake mountain, which you can get an amazing view of. I stayed with a Tibetan family this night, eating beef noodles and drinking butter tea.

After cycling another pass further south (about 4,100m) I descended towards Jiulong, and I felt as if I was back in China. Here I contacted the police to get a visa extension. They sent me on a bus to Xichang! And here I am, waiting and dealing with the Chinese banks. I visited the PSB today (the folks who give you visa renewals) and met the head honcho, an extremely nice man who, after hearing my story of losses, put me in his car and took me out for a huge lunch. We met with an Australian expatriate who ended up helping me with the banks. Sadly the outcome was not so good and I will have to wait another few days to receive some dough. I have finally found a hotel to sleep in though (for around 7 bucks), so I don’t have to worry about finding a dodgy camping spot on the fringes of town.

Southern Sichuan is one of the poorer areas of China. There are many ethnic groups living here that have just recently (within the last fifty years) integrated into modern civilization. The Yi predominant this region and are beautifully dressed. I ignorantly thought them to be Tibetan, but there have been some disputes between the two neighboring cultures for years.

Anyways, still waiting for cash (with passport in hand)!

Xian – Chengdu (8 days)

I apologize for any misspellings.

After a thoroughly fun night in Xian with some great hosts, I hit the road around noon time, on the 4th of November and headed southwest towards the Qinling Mountains. The weather was rainy, and it continued to be this way for the next 4 days. I left via highway 210, which goes through flatlands for about 30 KM before arriving at the Qinling range. The roads were beautifully paved throughout the entirety of this to journey, all the way to Chengdu.

Once at the base of the Qinlings, I found that there was a significant amount of climbing, as well as descending, as well as climbing again, peaking at altitude of 2700m or so. This was panda territory I am told, but there was no chance of seeing one apart from the ones on billboard adds and packages of cheap ciggarettes. Beautiful temperate, decidous forest with heavy pine forests at higher altitudes. Towns in the Qinling are ubiquitous and consist of snack and drink stalls as well as a few cafes. If you look at a map, you notice a bend in highway 210 that places it very closely to the G5 freeway. There is a tunnel which leads to G5. Though you cannot cycle on the freeway, I hopped a small guard rail, for efficiencies sake. 5 KM down the road, a 10 KM tunnel started and the police picked me up in their pickup. After 15 KM they pulled off the highway and deposited me where I had wanted to get off the freeway, at the highway 108 junction. No paperwork or nothing, just a click of their mobile phone camera to show off to friends, and they let me go. I like chinese policemen!

At Highway 108, the road started to descend toward Hanzhong, where I met pollution and heavy traffic. A night in a hotel with some friends, a good fish dinner and back on the road. Pulling out of Hanzhong on 108, the road continued to be clustered untlil about 30 KM away where I met beautiful rolling hill scenery. This continued all the way into cloudy / hazy sichuan basin about 100 KM away from Chengdu. In Chengdu, now recovering from some kind of rash, I think from bed bugs, but I am not sure, and planning the rest of the route to Kunming. I would love to get to western Sichuan, but I am not so sure if I have the time! We’ll see!

Back In Action

I arrived in Xi’an three days ago via a train from Beijing. Yes I know, this is called cheating, but China is a massive country and I do not have all the time in the world you know? Hopping aboard was no problem at all. The ticket cost about 150 RMB and the conductor allowed me to place the bike aboard the train with no hassle really, just a breakdown of the major parts – wheels and panniers. I arrived in Xi’an twelve hours later.

I have been staying with a buddy for the past few days visiting the Terracotta Warriors just east of Xi’an about 45 KM. They are a must see! Really beautiful and truly ancient, the 8^th wonder of the world. I will now be embarking on the second half of my journey. I should arrive in Chengdu in about 10 days. I will be cycling highway 108 from Xi’an. Until Chengdu!

Originally posted 11/04/2011

Comfort in Cement

Just made it out of the Gobi desert, at least to the Chinese border. The roads were pretty terrible, and I am stoked to hit the Chinese superhighways. Walked through 5km of sand after mistakingly following the wrong set of power lines. Had my fullfillment of salty tea, sour cheese curds, and defrosted beef. Said goodbye to my awkward camel friends. And saying goodbye to Mongolia; Bayarlaa, Bayartai! Ni hao, CHINA!

Details: Sainshand to Zamyn Uud

220 KM


I left Sainshand past the Telecom office, southwards, on the paved road. In about 2 km this road arrived at a three way stop, in which I took a right. There is a sign marking KM's to Selenge and Erdene (Ulan Uul). The road is paved for about 60-70 KM. I was able to bypass some Chinese workers who were paving the road as I was riding it. By the end of the year I imagine at least 40 KM more of the road will be paved. When the pavement ends it transitions into a well marked gravel road for the next 80 KM or so. This road DOES NOT lead to Selenge or Ulan Uul. The railway is NOT in sight from the road. At the top of a small pass, some 60 KM from Zamyn Uud, the gravel road stopped, and the classic Mongolian dirt roads began.

These last 60 KM are quite difficult, sandy and corrugated. After reaching the end of the gravel road, I passed under a small set of powerlines, and saw the train line visible to my left, to the east of me. I came to an intersection in which the most beaten track turned westerly, but a small track continued SE (the predominant, correct direction) under the small set of powerlines. I mistakingly followed the small set of powerlines and in 20 KM or so the track deteriorated completely (very sandy). These small powerlines also follows the railway. I then pushed my bike off-track, directly west to meet up again with the main track, which is adjacent to a larger set of powerlines. I followed this all the way into Z.U. which is visible from about 20 KM away.

I am told that you cannot use blogger in China, so I guess this will be the last post, but I've also heard that there are ways around the whole deal so we will see. So until next time..

Food Poisoning, On the way to China

Stayed for a few nights in a ger camp, "Gobi Sunrise" on the way to Khamariin Khiid monastery. I got food poisoning, and slept all day which was actually somewhat relaxing. I have never vomited so much. But the stomach is strong now, errr, stronger, and I'm stoked. After resting one day, I headed to Khamariin Khiid monastery and Shambala. It was a holy experience; detoxing via vomit, fasting for a day, and then trecking 40 KM through mostly sand to reach these religious locations. On the way back to the ger camp I met some foreigners who invited me to stay at their ger camp. We danced the night away to Jennifer Lopez, just like her song. As the bacteria exit my stomach, the alcohol seems to entering, hmmm...

This is a silly blog post. I am now headed out of Sainshand for the real deal China. I think it should take me four days to get there.

Until Zamyn Uud,

j

Sainshand, sand, sand, sand.

Lots of sand and corrugations and wondering if I am headed in the right direction or not. It is quite amazing that map companies are legally allowed to print a highway running from Choir to this city, Sainshand. The road is composed of a few weaving dirt tracks. Well... they are actually building a highway, called the Millennium Road (wasn't that in 2000? The artist formally known as Prince and champagne?) which I totally missed because, just like the rest of my life, I was riding on the wrong side of the train tracks. It is being built by a Chinese company, so I hear. - I think the Chinese have some interest in Mongolian culture, or people, or maybe they're all philanthropic hearththrobs investing money out of their good will (Mining Operations). -
It was quite fun riding here. Drank some Airag, watched a man play with his removable front tooth, got utterly confused on my whereabouts while taking a picture of a camel. Now I'm in town, thinking of a hot shower, and sleep. Maybe headed out to a monastery, Khamarin Khiid, 100 km out of the city for a few nights off the bike.

Details: Choir - Sainshand

Coming out of Choir the road is paved for 5 KM. Afterwards the road is a conflaguration (word?) of 4WD tracks criss-crossing eachother but generally headed in one direction, North-South. The railway is located on the west side of the main track. I traveled on the east side of a mine at KM 20 or so (from Choir), with the railway tracks on the west side of the mine. The main track then banked west and followed the rails for the next 50 KM or so until departing again at about 10 KM from a town called "Tsomog" on maps, but something else by the locals. Their was a store here selling food and water. The main track then follows the rails tightly for another ~ 50 KM until reaching a town Airag. You bypass another town along the way, Dalanjargalaan, which has shops and water and All That (not the television show for preteens of the 1990's). Airag has a cafe as well as essential amenities. Coming out of the village, I needed to cross to the west side of the train rails. From Choir to this point, the train has been on my west side. If I would give someone advice about this point in the ride, I would say, "You ride on the rail's west side for as short of a distance as possible before crossing back to the east side." I didn't do this, and ended up on a track a far distance from the rails (though I saw some nice camels), and had to make a sharp east turn to find the rails again, which made me lose about an hour of riding. After gaining the rails again, I followed closely on a loose, sandy, corrugated but well perceived track until KM 200 (from Choir). Here there is a railway "Hamlet", a bunch of housing units for workers, with an underpass. It was here where I found out I was living on the "Wrong Side of the Tracks." There was a paved road here, and looking to the North it spanned until the horizon. It is not complete, there are piles of dirt of 1 km on the thing in which you have to get off the road and then re-enter again, and it also doesn't lead directly to Sainshand. Anyways, I got off that, and road next to the rails (now on my west side) until arriving in Sainshand, a relatively large town.

That's it. Going to try to find a camel, and take a break, and debate whether I should hitch the last 200 clicks to the Chinese border just to say that I've hitch-hiked in Mongolia as well as rode my bike. I am sure my pride won't allow me to do it. Until Zaamyn - Uud (Chinese Border town).

Govi Desert

Arrived in Choir, the start of the Gobi. The sun is hot, the wind is strong, and I am constantly drying out. This is making up for the years I spent rotting and growing mold in the Northwest. Terelj park was a wonderful break from cycling. I thought it would be too touristy, which it was - but not where I ended up staying. The place was called Eco-Ger-Village or something in that vain. It was owned by a dutchman, who made dutch cheese, and spoke a shouting Mongolian as well as English. Rode a horse and can confidently say that I have galloped. It was amazing, no doubt. Forget a dog, I want a horse. After some good conversation and food shared with two Brit.'s, and two Austrians, I came back on the road, sadly, and headed for China. About 400 km from the border now, where the roads turn to dirt, and the days become longer. I am riding about 50-70 km / day now on tread tires. Carrying 13 liters of water for 100 km. One big town, and three small between Choir and the Chinese border. Excited / Nervous / a little bored.

Details: Ulan Bataar - Choir
225 KM

Route is completely paved, with beautiful, flat scenery. Leaving UB was a bit of a rodeo, but the highway was easily found. KM markers the entire route. You finally get out of UB 15 KM from the city center, then it is another 20 until you arrive in a town named Naliak (or something similar). From Naliak, it is about 60 KM until the village of Bayan. From Bayan, there are no commodities until Choir, about 120 KM away. The wind is strong out of the west, and depending on the day, it rotates southerly or northerly, depending on my Karma.

Ulan Bataaaaar

Arrived in UB 2 days ago. Big sprawling city with ger (yurt) type of slums or suburbs not really sure which. Americano at french owned cafe, speaking with an Israeli about Palestine, sipping kvas on tree lined street - not impossible in this town. International vibe for sure. Headed to Terelj Park for some horse riding / ger camping.

Details: Russian / Mongolian Border - U.B.

350 KM of smooth pavement, actually the best roads I've seen so far. Kilometre markers the entire route. Not too many commodities however. I was carrying up to 10 liters of water for safety, and the biggest distance between supply was about 80 km. Nice hillside camping. The ITM map for Mongolia is not at all accurate and I've since purchased a locally made map, which has correct names for cities.

next ride: from Terelj to Choir city. About 200 KM. We'll see how it goes...

Mongoliod

Just arrived in Mongolia. First thing I saw: a cow. On the way out of Russia I: met and camped with two frenchmen (well, a man and a woman) who are also cycling to Ulan Bator. Was given two eggs and two slices of kalbasa (phonetic) by a beautiful young buryat woman (buryat-siberian indigenous in the Ulan Ude area). Got water out of a well, because a store ran out of bottled. The scenery is getting dryer and dryer the further south I travel, and water is becoming more of a commodity and a worry. I've started to carry about 5 liters for every 100 km of travel. Crossing the border into Mongolia was ten times easier than I thought it was going to be (see below).

Details
Ulan Ude - Sukhbataar, Mongolia

The road out of Ulan Ude is beautifully paved and very flat for 100 km. The first big town is Goozisonersk, where I mistakingly did not buy water, this is the last town with water for 80 km. After leaving this town, which sits on Goose Lake, the hills start. No climb lasted longer than 4 km. The riding was serene at most points along this road, just beautiful steppes, mostly good pavement, and low wind (for me). Got water 40 km, outside of Kyakhta.

Border crossing: As of 08.30.2011. Kyakhta, Russia - Mongolia.

Cyclists - No need to hitch a ride, you are considered an automobile. I did not register my Visa while in Russia and found no trouble at all exiting the country. No visas are required for American citizens, so you just get a tiny little stamp and you're in Mongolia. Simple.

Staying at a hotel in Sukbathaar to figure out how to say hello in Mongolian, and where I am going to fit the thousands of paper bills I got from the bank exchange (1$ = 1242 Togrogs). 320 km to Ulan Bataar, where I will check in again.

Almost outta Russhia

Just made it to Ulan Ude, Russia. Staying at a nice hostel for 2 nights recovering from the first signs of saddle soar, and some kind of poison oaky rash on mi legs (not bad). Dipping in Lake Baikal was elegant. Why is it though that the only English word that a lot of Russians know sounds something like "Mutderfosser." After my, baptism-esque, dip in Baikal's Evian-esque waters I was distracted by two teenage fishermen on an inflatable dingy yelling this, effort at an English obsenity, in my direction. Time to wakey wakey, I guessy guess.

Details:

Irkutsk-Ulan Ude (450 km)

Riding out of Irkutsk was easy. Out of downtown, I followed the signs that stated Ulan Ude, which were scattered everywhere. The highway was called M-55. The road itself was mostly tarmac, with intermittent stretches of tar and gravel, and about 10 km out of 450, of dirt. The condition was not supreme, there were lots of bumps. Amenities never stretched themselves more than 50 km apart, so dying of hunger was not a issue. I did however tend to carry a lot of food, because I hadn't learned to ask - how far is the next town? But I know now how to say it - just as I am leaving Russia. Great smoked fish, and cedar pine nuts all along the road, sold by highway vendors. Babushkin - great town, great camping on the other side of the train tracks and on the Baikal shoreline. Meals at roadside cafe's: $2-6 - Borstch, bread and chai. Smoked Omul - $2. Bag of sweet breads (1 kg) ~ $3. Hostel in Ulan Ude $20, http://uuhostel.com/.

I am now in Ulan Ude, and will be riding out of here on Sunday, a two day journey to the Mongol border. I am hoping all of the border control business will go smoothly and I will enter with little to fret. I apologize for all of the misspellings and gramatical incorrections in this blog. Dad.

For now - sending some things back home. Tuning up the bicycle, and researching the next jaunt.

In Irkutsk, Bike Built

Zdrastvitye. I am in Russia. Yesmmm. I am really enjoying myself here. Yes ehmmm. No sarcasm intended at all. I am just tired from the longest train ride of my life. I met two young Russian chaps on this train ride, the Trans-Siberian, from Vladivostok to Irkutsk, who enjoyed the labor of giving. I have never felt so in debt to people I could only, merely say: hello, goodbye, good!, beer, I love you, and how much does this cost, to. We met a few Russian girls, one of which spoke spanish. I spoke in broken spanish to her and she translated to the rest of the group in Russian. Fantastico! (Herescho!)

I have arrived in Irkutsk to meet some of those stern Russian faces I've come to love. I put the bike together at the train station amid a mixed crowd of glaring Uzbec's, Kazakh's, Russki's, and Chinese. One thing I love about Russians is that they have one great mean mug, and they really aren't fazed by much. So I feel like I don't stand out like soar thumb, but I know in my heart that my untucked plaid shirt, dirty trucker's cap, and birkenstocks don't really mix with their Adidas athletic suits. We can all dream though, huh?

I will be riding along Lake Baikal, to Ulan Ude in the next few days and will check back in.

Spabsiba!

Training

Willy "the neat beast" McGee-hee, my personal trainer giving me some tips before leaving on the air-uh-plane. Leaving today!!!

Follow the trip via SPOT

Click on this link to get real time GPS data (updates every ten minutes) showing where I am in the trip:

http://www.findmespot.com/mylocation/?id=5fbFd/37.7625N/122.396W

or

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.7625,-122.396&ll=37.7625,-122.396&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

For those that don't know, a tiny SPOT machine allows me to do this:

If there is an emergency, I press one button, if everything is safe I press another, and it constantly uploads my location via a satellite system.

Map of Route

Here is a map of the route I will be taking, green and red lines.

Gear Check

Here is a list of everything I am bringing on the trip, minus the bicycle and bike supplies:

Upper Layers Goretex, Arcteryx Alpha SV. Patagonia Micropuff Jacket. Patagonia Micropuff Vest. Outdoor Research Microfleece. Patagonia Thermal Top. Cycling T-shirt. Long Sleeved Button Up. Bottom Layers Waterproof Cycling Pants. Patagonia Simple Guide Pants. REI Long Underwear. Cycling Shorts. Shoes Sidi MTB. 2 pairs cycling socks. 1 pair Smartwool warm socks. Birkenstocks!!!. Face Buff Big Ol' Rag thing. Smith Glasses. Prescrip. Glasses Sleeping Bag Books Medical Kit North Face Snowshoe, 0 F Synthetic Russian Translation Athletic Tape Pad Chinese Translation Ace Exped Synthetic, Regular Shantaram Teatree oil Tent Maps Neosporin MSR Hubba, Single Person Russia Bath Cooking Gear Mongolia Toothbrush MSR Whisperlite Intl. /Repair Kit/Fuel Bottle/ 4 Lighters China Toothpaste (2 small) Snowpeak, small pot kit Tibet Floss Lexan Spoon Nepal Sunscreen Leatherman Cameras Lipbalm Water Small Digital Headlamp 250 Iodine Tablets Canon AE1, 13 rolls of Film Repair Kit Foldable Container (for 20 liters) Case that holds all. Bailing Chord Solar Panel Ski Strap Solio, Small Tent repair pole Phone Seamseal iPhone Superglue Zip ties Thin Chord (50 ft.)

Really not all that much

Getting pumped, flying Sunday to Vladivostok

Blog iz Born

I am going to make this blog horrible. I enjoy ridin' bicyclet and I enjoy riding with heart and a hot hed. What I am proposing to do is to ride across a large section of Asia, from Vladivostok, Russia to Kathmandu, Nepal.