As I plan to return to the region this summer, and by bike, I thought I would put together some old footage of cycling the Silk Road (Southern Route) to Kashgar.
Xinjiang
Tibet and Xinjiang
Until Friday, April 18th 2014, I am making a newly published eBook available for free! It’s an electronic version of “Life on the Tibetan Plateau”. This e-version has an added bonus of the text that was printed in the Brooks Bugle.
You can download from here: Life on the Tibetan Plateau
Also, last week a collection of 139 Uyghur photographs were published into an eBook as well. You can download by visiting: Uyghur
Uighur work published online in The Atlantic
CLICK HERE to be directed to The Atlantic
Three years ago I set out on a journey and exploration of myself and China. Now I sit here, seeing the greater purpose of my life, direction, and vision. It was never just a bike ride for me…it was something so much more.
While you were sleeping…
…dinner was being prepared in Kashgar.
Kashgar…
…while you were sleeping.
花儿为什么这样红
Day 4: Kashgar to Sary-Tash with NESWbyBike (arrive to the China/Kyrgyz border)
March 28th 2012 – PLEASE NOTE THE DATE AND THESE POSTS ARE OF THE PAST.
Good Morning!
The day starts off well. Matt is feeling better and the roads are still paved, for a little while. The weather gets pretty damn warm during the day too.
We stop for lunch on the side of a little river. I, “Auntie”, cooks for the group. That’s the woman’s job, right? After eating we have a delightful visitor.
In just a few kilometers we will lose tarmac…this will be just the very (easy) beginning to a horrific ending.
Traffic
Later in the day, the ice melt causes all the roads to become mud. Thick, slushy mud. We are either pushing our bikes through 4cm of mud or slipping on snow and ice. As the sun begins to set, we know we are going to have everything freezing back on us.
The descent into the border town. Roads here are in exceptional condition. The boys bikes are caked with mud, mine not so. Thank you Soma Saga…I love you.
We make it to the border right before sunset. Kyrgyzstan! Tomorrow…or so we think…
The border town is shit. There is no where to buy supplies. We all decided to go to bed after finding some naan to eat. Nothing wrong with a little hunger, knowing we are out of China tomorrow…again, or so we think.
Sleep well, as the room is flooded with the smell of wet socks and boots. Damn it Lucas…I wish you had done laundry…Bangkok to Bishkek without a single piece laundered. You stink!
*If you enjoy reading and looking at my photos, I hope you’ll take a moment to view my Kickstarter campaign. If you can’t pledge, I understand…perhaps just spread the word. I, and all the people I photograph and speak with, thank you.
Lunch
2rmb for a bowl of pickled shredded potatoes, chick peas/garbanzo beans, chunks of potato, something else, hot sauce, and a whole bunch of awesome.
Arrival to Kashgar
Last 50km into Kashgar was fantastic, hundreds of donkey carts, horses, and of course, the few camels. You can see these majestic beasts a half a kilometer away, their hair swaying back and forth.
