Seems like quite awhile since we left Lijiang on the 9th. Decided to ride to Ninglang and head due east for a shortcut into Scihuan. Well it was shorter if we could have ridden a straight line but numerous mtn passes and switchbacks over the next 5 days made us wonder if we made the right choice. The scenery was fantastic with HUGE mtn valleys, rushing streams and very little in the way of towns or even villages.
From Ninglang one of our maps showed a road over the mtns into Scihuan but 3 others did not. We pulled into town to get fuel for the stove and the man at the gas station wasn't aware of a road, pulled up Google and couldn't find a road! He then pulled up www.soso.com and found there was a road, he even printed out a map and put the names of the villages on the map in English (unfortunately no one was living in the villages as it was too early to farm. Spent the night there due to lateness of the day and to pig out at the local bakery. Next day was a beautiful ride up a really nice road for about 30 km to the pass (gradiants on the Chinese roads are much better than Vietnam!) and down the opposite side for about 15 km. then the pavement stopped and the road turned into a track that appeared, and felt, to have just been blasted and bulldozed for the next 25 km. rocky, dusty with lots of stone retaining wallwork in progress but nothing in the way of a roadbed. Looking at the website we expected to have abou 3 major climbs thus we were carrying foor for 3 days. As it turned out we had the one climb and then it was downhill all the wayto Yan Tang and pavement again after 60 km. We made it in one day and were thrilled by the achievement so we stopped for beer and camped beside a small toxic stream to wash the dust off.
The road again deteriorated after a few km thru a valley sparsely populated and the folks who were there were either unfriendly, as they wouldn't return our greetings, or just dumbstruck by the site of us. About 3 days later we finally rode out of the valley and onto a high windy plain where the people were much fiendlier and really good food in the market: had half a duck for supper for 20 yen or about $3 usd.
Transmission lines and towers all over the mountains since we left Lijiang and more going up all over the place. Obviously very unsightly but I doubt the people care as it's "development" but it seems they run so happazard that there was no planning to minimize the eyesore they cause.
Next day we finally hit Hwy 108 and the main route north in this part of Scihuan (can't ever remember how to spell this province). Lots of freindly people and great snacks in the towns. After 10 km of really nice road the road again turned to crap for 25 km. Flat but under construction, not that we could notice ANY work being done on the road surface. Rocky, dusty, windy, rude drivers: the bigger the vehicle the more right they can claim to the roadway and being the smallest thing on the road you can tell were we ended up. We made it 20km yesterday before stopping for the day and camping along side an irrigation canal, very nice spot actually and quiet. Local farmer actually came by camp this AM and gave us some greens and peas that we have saved for supper.
Back on the road this AM for 3 km and we finally reached the end of the construction, for awhile anyway. After 10km we rode into this small, peaceful, friendly town. Plan was toget some oatmeal and coffee and continue on but it was so quiet and friendly we elected to spend the day and wash 10 days of grime off ourselves and clothes, drink some cheap beer and EAT!! We've now done the laundry, repacked, replaced brake pads, doing email and are resting and getting psyched to hit the road tomorrow.
Our plan is to ride basically north on smaller roads after leaving 108 in another 100 km or so at Shi Mian. Our route, until we elect at the last minute to change it is: Kang Ding to Dan Ba to Ma Er Kang to Tangke to Zoigel to Lanzu where we hope to catch the train to Urumqui. Our visa expires mid May so we hope to be to Urumqui no later than first of May to give us time to get the visa and ride towards Central Asia.
Life has been good so far, we remain healthy, the bikes are running well and no rain since we left Dali. Not counting Vietnam we can count rain days on one hand!!
Thanks for your prayers and we'll try to get some pics to my brother for posting but no promises.
Stan
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