A constant greyness hangs over the city of Chengdu. For a brief moment the clouds broke last night to reveal an almost full moon. The Chinese were there with thier cameras snapping away. I got the impression that they do not see the sky so often. The city is steamy hot. Humid. Sticky. Sweaty. A different heat from that I have experienced for the past week or more, where the skies were clear and the temperature wasnt so hot. The sun however had an incredible intensity and I could feel it cooking my skin whenever I stopped, explaining the darkness of the locals. I passed through many miles of beautiful, empty, high altitude grasslands, punctuated by Tibetan villages dotted along the way. The road constantly rose up and fell between 3200-3600m. I camped next to a nomadic Yert/Ger in a field full of inquisitive Yaks. A young lady invited me to met her family and have some food one afternoon when i stopped to photograph the temple. Then that night i camped in an area full of Tibetan tourist settlements, set up for the Chinese tourist to come and experience the food, horse riding and the life of the Tibetans where there were also huge white Yaks you could sit on for photos. On this occasion I was beckoned in and told I could camp there and given some of the food that and been cooked for the tourist and too much tea. The following evening was a strange one. I had set myself a challenge for the day. I knew the road rose up all day to around 3900m, and that the highest point was around 100miles away. I wanted to get over it and descend a little before camping for the night. The wind however was against me and I only managed to reach the summit, where there was a little hamlet, at sunset and it was quickly getting dark. The road dived down and I knew I shouldnt go any further. There was another grassy area set up for eating. A lad came out and spoke to me, so I asked I could camp there. More than happy for me to, he wheeled my bike up the bank. I was invited in for food. I said no, I have my own food, but they insisted. Then the mother and daughter served me some rice and other bits. There was a gentlemen sat there. I thought he was a customer in the restaurant. When I had finished my food he beckoned me outside and basically told me to clear off now. I was in a bit of shock and I said, well thanks a million for that it, now its pitch black, how am I meant to find somewhere to camp now. The mother and daughter, now realising what, I assume now was the husband, had done were very upset. The mother tried to give me some money. What! No, no. I dont want your money Thank you very much for the food. The daughter was crying a little, and I was very confused by the whole situation and also touched by the warmth and desire to help from the rest of the family. The fact that they wanted to give me money was crazy. It blew my mind. I dont know what the issue was with the guy. He was drinking beer! Maybe that was the trouble!!! I put on my lights and started to descend into the darkness. My mind completely lost by the contrast in behaviour. All I wanted was a patch of grass to put up my tent on. And now I had somehow caused friction in the family. One hundred metres down the road I came to a tunnel. I then spotted a flat area next to it and went to inspect. A little way up from the road was a gravily area that was suitable, so I went about pitching my tent in the dark. The rock face wrapped itself around me in a big curve and as I looked up I swore I saw movement in the darkness up on the cliffs. Shit. My pulse quickened. I shone my touch around expecting to see the shine of eyes. I dont know whether it would have frightened me more. I cursed my batteries for being low on power. They beam wasnt as strong as it could have been and my mind was racing a little thinking about wolves. I then gave myself a good telling off and said stop being stupid. I relaxed and finished putting my tent up, but I wasnt tired so I read late into the night. I was camping at 3800m. how cold would it be! I had ridden to the highest point my trip will take me (I think) at 3850m. Camping near a tunnel though isnt the best idea. Every time a track coming up the hill entered the tunnel a roar would grow and grow until it burst out the entrance. Not great for a good nights sleep. The morning brought sunshine, lokes up the cliff and saw movement. Yaks. There were the wolves I thought about last night. I was blessed with a nice descent down to the town of Songpan where I treated myself to Yak burger and chips. For the next two days I was riding downhill through a stunning gorge. A head wind made it hard work though and I could hardly push 10mph. I was again troubled by punctures with my tyres puncturing themselves with these bits of metal wire. I mended it one at tea time after leaving Songpan and camped on a newly built bridge away from any families and the noise of the road. Just the wind rattling my tent. I awoke and my tyre was flat again. Bloody hell. I pumped it up. And cooked my porridge and watched it go down whilst eating. I changed it again and then packed up camp and loaded my bike. Hopped on and instantly knew there was less air in there than 10mins ago. Yes, I swore rather loudly in to the wind. I had no more spare tyres so pumped it up and took of like a Bradley Wiggens time trialling down this valley. I managed 20mins. Then had to put more air in. One hundred pumps and away I was again. I was a little stressed and miserable with the stupid driving that I had to witness and the horns that stung my ears drums. I know the punctures arent Chinas fault, but Ive had about 15 crossing China due to these bits of wire (only 2 proper ones from a thorn and some glass in 13,000km) and I wasnt happy. After the forth time pumping up my tire I came across a lay by with some puddles and swung in to my 3 innertubes. I lined my tyre with some duck tape (it was all I had) and set off a lot happier. The road and scenery was stunning. Steep slopes towering high above my head. A gorgeous technical descent and white water rapids in the river below. I passed through villages where sweatcorn was layed out to dry and tried to not let the constant wind, that some times almost stopped me dead, beat me. I rode until dusk and camped on a rocky track behind a wall above the river below. Chengdu was about 130kms away. I had to make it tomorrow. I wanted a hot shower. To wash my flithy clothes. To drink a beer. And to chat with someone. Anyone who spoke English. And what a day the final run to Chengdu turned into. The G213 that I was following came to an abrupt end with a sand dune behind which, the road dived into the river. I had to hual my bike through a field and up the sand dune and over a barrier and onto the expressway. Then I disappeared into a 5km tunnel. Straight out into another one of 3km then another 5.5km. They were actually good fun. They were well light, there was no wind and they were slightly downhill. I could do 50kph. The cars were only doing 60, so I could almost keep up. A few slowed down and cheered me on and took my picture as I imagined myself as a top flight pro bike racer. All in all I think I went through seven tunnels, equalling 15miles in length. I was finally of the plateau and back to oxygen rich air. The landscape was green and lush and I could feel the humidity rising. I came to a town and found a shop. I needed water for my noodles. It was around 1.3p and Id done 85km. Now every body knows that you shouldnt go shopping when you are hungry. I grappled a large water and walked around but the shop. I stopped dead. Laughed out loud. Oh my word. I had to put the water down. Right there before my eyes was my most favourite think. It was Christmas right before my eyes. In a small shop, in a small town, somewhere in the middle of China. With my body hungry, craving sugar. Right there on the top shelve was a sight I could not resist if I tried. An unmistakable round blue tin with the words Danish butter cookies on. Oh my god. Ask my mum how much I like these. They were £1. And I had space in my pannier for them. Life just reached a new high. I opened the tin, put 6 biscuits in my back pocket, and set of down the road. The world had changed in an instance. Needless to say, 500m down the road I had to stop and get some more out. And then again and again. I think I managed 10km before I had eaten the whole tin. Which actually I thing I did a good job making them last that far. I arrived in Chengdu. The biggest city Ive been to in China and the traffic was a bit mad. But I made it to my hostel and met a South African guys whos been on the road cycle touring for 7.5yrs. Wow. So I drank beer and chatted with him all evening and learnt a few things, whilst sweating in this humid city... :0)
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 11:21:12 +0000
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