Xinjiang
December 8, 2011 – “Nowhere” to Urumqi
High Point: Arriving to Urumqi
Low Point: A day of riding in snow and ice
Tomorrow’s Banana: Rest
I wake up in my windowless room, still too warm. Collecting my clothing from my delirious strip down from the previous night, I let out a few grunts and moans of my sore back. Nothing like an upper body work out when pushing a bike up a mountain.
Laoban instructs, very kindly, I stay for breakfast. Congee, hard boiled eggs, and bread. There is something about Han breakfast I love…especially when I can find fresh “youtiao” – which translates to oil stick – and soy milk. Mmmmmm…Han breakfeast………
Anyhow. Laoban is kind enough to turn the tv onto a CCTV foreign channel. I laugh and tell him very kindly and somewhat embarrassed, “oh laoban, this channel is in French, I don’t understand French. I’m sorry.”
We are both chuckling together and he tells me he can’t understand French either! Well what do you know…this American and my Chinese friend have something in common! The next hour is spent in front of the CCTV News…which I can understand a little – context helps.
I tell him I must get going but he says I should stay a little longer. “It’s very cold right now and snowing.”
“It’s snowing?! Really???”
Yes, it’s snowing.
So after about another 30 minutes I walk down to the first floor with laoban to load up and set off. Damn it! Laoban points out that I have a flat.
Okay, do I unload the bike and find the flat or do I pump it up and see what is to come of it? I’m lazy and try not to work as much as possible. Urumqi isn’t that far away and if it’s a slow leak, I can probably make it. Also, my bike froze up last night so who knows what that bitter cold did.
I pump up the tube outside, with laoban and his friend watching me. Laoban says “goule” but it’s not enough. I know, even though my pump gauge broke about 4,000km ago. But, you know, I don’t like to hurt anyone’s feelings so after a few more pumps I decide I’ll just stop up ahead to finish my pumping. I’ve done this before, at least a dozen times.
It’s a day of heavy traffic, near white out conditions, and cold.
Around 5:00 pm I arrive in Urumqi.
There is a nice Dutch boy as my roommate. We spend the next couple of days together. He wanted me to travel to Gansu with him but I decided I really wanted to rest.
The second rest day, I could barely walk. Being out in the cold and constantly working everyday, I didn’t realize how the last 2 days kicked my ass.
Then, I was blessed with a wonderful eye infection which led to eye surgery here in Urumqi.
My Visa is on it’s way here, should arrive in a couple of days and I’ll be out of here faster than you can say “Wulumu…”
If you have been keeping up with me via this blog or Facebook…or maybe you are a close friend I’ve been corresponding with…you know that my time here has been difficult/challenging but productive on a personal level. I think I needed this time to sit down and really work through some thoughts. So I send the biggest hug to all of you – you know exactly who you are. And another thanks to all of my new followers.
Along with that, some important networking and email writing.
I had over 700 page views yesterday…that’s quite exciting. Looks like this site picked up around 5000 page views in January alone. You all are welcome to send me an email or even text me. I love correspondence and, again, thanks for the love and support.
December 7 2011 – Fukang to Nowhere (10hrs of riding for 20km West)
Highpoint: Not falling in the icy river as I bash my triple outer ring against rocks and upon moving it off seeing remainders of the aluminum glittering on the rock (will file 2 teeth upon arrival to Urumqi).
Lowpoint: Pushing the bike up a 10km iced/snow pass to a dead end – oops! Wrong way! Then another 10 back (slipping) down.
Tomorrow’s Banana: Arriving in Urumqi (Although I should of arrived today.)
The weather is mild in the beginning and I decide to take a small back road to Urumqi…heading South and over some mountains. There is a disconnect on the map, but come on…I’m sure there is some way to get there. Right?
It’s a steady uphill ride along closed mountain vacation spots. If you saw the video I posted a few weeks back of the “Xinjiang Traffic Jam” of the shepherd and his flock – this was the day.
Weather begins to turn as I climb and around 3ish I’ve lost all blue skies and everything is freezing.
That was the last town I pass and the road ends at a drying up river. Well, it’s a river bed with about 2 dozen different water flow paths. I can see the road on the other side so I try to pass by jumping from rock to rock. If I fall in, I’m F*&ked…SERIOUSLY.
WHAM!!! The outer crank wheel collides onto a stone. As I’m balancing on stones, trying to get the bike…shit, I don’t even know what I was doing…just not trying to fall over into the freezing water. I made it out about 5 meters before I just realized this was completely stupid.
I back track…there has got to be a road. Earlier I had seen a cowboy cross the river on his horse and a motorcycle. Going back to there I find a little path to get me across.
Riding Kham and U-Tsang trained me really well at crossing streams, rivers and glacier melt. The first time I tried crossing water, those frozen feet taught me never to just STOP ever again. If the weather is nice and I’m concerned about the photo gear…I’ll take the shoes and socks off to cross.
After crossing and looking back.
This is the point where I’m starting to question where I am. Maps and compass and I’m still having some doubts. I should of asked the people in the town BEFORE crossing the water. Whatever, I’ll keep going on.
The ridge on the other side is speckled with homes and there is a part of me that thinks I should of not crossed the river bed. I’m not sure why I do this but I’m pretty sure I convinced myself that this way would get me to where I’m going.
Ok. Very little tracks in the road. Some villages and homes. Some shepherds. This bike is getting pushed through this range. All 10km or so of it!
I keep looking to right and see the villages on the other side on the ridge. I’m going deeper and deeper and pass another village.
Ending up on the side of a mountain with not a lot of hope ahead, I walk 3km without the bike and just a compass to figure out what the hell is going on. This newly dug up road is not taking me SW.
Try the other road 1 km back. I end up in a little valley and I know for sure this is wrong, there is no way to continue on. I go back to the last village.
I see two men and I remove my glasses and hat and let them know I’m a foreigner. They show me where I am. I have to return to the village on the other side of the water. I’m on the wrong side! (Ha! Ironic when I just wrote a post about never doubt a babe’s navigation/map reading skills. Well, this time I goofed!)
Down the mountain I’m slipping all over the place and nearly land flat on my butt a couple of times.
Damn you water…I have to cross AGAIN!
It’s near 5:30 and I only have about 2 hours MAX of daylight. There is no where to stay here and it’s freezing. I would freeze to death up here…I have to get somewhere so as soon as I get back across the water it’s a race to somewhere.
I talk to a Kazakh man at the village about where I’m going and where I’m coming from. Explaining I want that small road to Urumqi. He tells me the road is too difficult and long and that I need to return to Fukang. He points to the ridge when talking about the small road I’m looking for. Sure…okay…I’m NOT returning to Fukang and ride back up the hill to look for the small road.
With my luck…I see an empty coal truck come along and he takes these tire tracks that I would of NEVER seen if he hadn’t came along. There comes another truck and he takes the same route.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS…FOLLOW THE COAL TRUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am racing light now…as I follow the tracks behind the empty coal trucks.
After a few km I’m on a “road”? Let me just say, imagine what a road would be like in the mountains that only coal trucks take…there, that’s the description.
It’s getting cold and dark…and colder. I’m starting to worry and look for somewhere to set up camp. Not just out, but abandoned buildings or hideaways under the road.
It’s all coal mining out here and I begin to go down the pass at sunset. I pass a coal mine with little concrete, abandoned, building across the road. Shit! Someone sees me and is watching. I want to set up camp in that building but it’s not going to work. The empty coal trucks go to the west, I see loaded trucks coming towards me. Continue to follow the loaded coal trucks.
It’s dark and I’m going down a nasty road. Bouncing everywhere, skidding in loose stones, avoiding the ditches and trenches. Hands are frozen and feet are freezing.
This goes on for a couple of hours, it’s pitch black.
Around 9:30, after about 2 hours in the dark…I hit tarmac. Relief. I have no idea where I am or what way to go. I’m at a fork. Which way shall I go. There is traffic coming from the North…okay…I guess this is the way I go.
EVERYTHING is frozen on my bike. I have to take extra care…she whines every time I touch the brakes and luckily my chosen route is down down down. Smooth tarmac and shading my eyes every time a car passes to keep my shitty night vision.
Around 10:30 I arrive to a little side of the highway stop…thank god. I ask a shop keeper about zhusu and she directs me. Find a nice quaint and warm place on the second floor. We lock my bike up on the first floor that has a massive pot-belly coal burning stove. My poor bike is so frozen and is crying to me for a cleaning.
I really really thought I was going to freeze tonight. Honestly. It goes down as one of the top 10 worst rides. 1-Cold 2-Lost 3-Dark 4-Frozen Bike 5-Anticipated hitting Urumqi to only take a long way around to get a very short distance from Fukang. I only got 20km West of my morning starting point…after riding in the mountains for over 10 hours! Idiot!!!!!! Masochist!!!!!!!!!!!
Scarf down noodles downstairs while the little boy practices his English along with a video on the tv.
Yeah, I was kind of worried about losing my fingers tonight. I still have all 10…because, well, if I lose one or two…how will I transmit my stories!!!!!
Waking up in the middle night soaking in sweat, wiping it from the back of my neck than I get down to my undies. Which, obviously I wasn’t thinking straight because that is a big no no in these types of places. Gross. Someone send me a home TB test!
December 6, 2011 – SanTai Zhen to Fukang
Morning…nice and warm room, don’t want to leave.
Who ever can give the best “What am I thinking?” title to this photo wins…um, I don’t know what…but you win. (Message privately, as some of you do, or leave in the comments.
During the ride I noticed that I’m putting in a lot of power and not feeling a lot of progress. Doh! I have a massive fender icicle. There is minuscule clearance and it’s only getting colder and colder. It’s a big black nasty block of ice.
I had ridden through a lot of open air coal earlier in the day. There were mounds on both sides of me, steam rising into the air. I’m now wondering if this is what triggered the funk in my eye.
It’s still light out upon my arrival to Fukang, and it’s a legit city. So I begin the hunt for a home on the outskirts to find the cheapest place.
Ah-ha! A total hole next to a police station, that’s perfect for a solo babe. And…the 2 flights of stairs are near 2 meter wide…I swoOOoooOOOOosh right up those with my loaded bike.
15rmb and private room…but then the whole police hassle begins.
Laoban takes my copies of Passport/Visa to the station. I have to go to the station with the real ones. Then from there we have to drive over to the main government building. I’m sitting in the back seat trying to count all the times I’ve sat in police vehicles in the past 6 months. Too much police interaction out here.
Then when all that is taken care of they tell me I can catch a taxi back. Um…I don’t think so…you are taking me back.
Home sweet home and there is a about 3 liters of black water under my bike. Ooops, sorry laobanniang.
December 5, 2011 – QiTai Zhen to SanTai Zhen
No photos.
Short day.
Snow.
Slipping on ice, more awesome 180 dances on the ice.
Same shit, different day.
This place was a bitch to find a place to stay.
The first place, before going, I saw some local jump on the roof of the awning and climb into the window of the second floor. Okay…not there….
Second place next to the bus station, no response.
Third place, 130rmb! Bullcrap.
Fourth place, spankin’ clean new room with even a water kettle. Safe place for the bike and gear on the first floor. Under a 100 over 50…whatever.
No police visits. Good rest…actually, super good rest.
December 3 2011 – Mori to LaoQiTai Zhen
Previous post said I had made it to Jimsar, that was incorrect
No photos from the ride today, but this is what it looked like…
…or at least my recollection of it.
I got off the main road early in the day and on a back road through villages. One dude saw me and started shouting Chinese at me and I just lift up my sunglasses and say, “Hey, I don’t understand what you are saying, I’m a foreigner.”
He looks confused.
When I finally made it to the town (a steady, small incline all day), I passed a young Uyghur man selling fruits and he noticed what I was. “Look there is a foreigner.”
It’s rare in the winter to get to hear this. Sometimes I need to be reminded, there are too many days that pass where I feel myself becoming native. Speaking of…
I’m looking for zhusu off the main street, where it’s usually cheaper and I find a little place.
Careful climbing the 3 flights of steps outside, taking note not to slip on the fresh 2cm of snow. (Sorry Americans, I love metric.)
I open the door and look around. Nosey around. Hearing someone in the bathroom.
“Hello? I need accommodation, you have don’t have, and it’s one person.”
Laobanniang (boss lady) starts going on and on and on from the bathroom. Friendly but a little too fast, I understand it but she needs to see my big ol’ white face. There’s nothing like getting the, “foreigners can’t stay here” after making yourself at home.
I begin laughing, “a, laobanniang, hahaha, I’m a foreigner so my Chinese isn’t so good.”
She exits the bathroom laughing too and we take care of the business that needs to be taken care of.
My bike is locked in their cage outside and I make myself at home, in my little hole, and drain the battery on my netbook watching a movie.
I get the visit from the local police. The usual. The photos. The questions of where are coming from where are you going. Takes up a good 20 minutes of my PRECIOUS time of staring at the walls.
When I go out to look for dinner, unsuccessful, there is about 10cm of fresh snow.
It’s going to instant noodles and a Sprite for dinner.
Yo, Ellen, how do you pass the time in those holes you live in, you asked?
It usually goes in this order.
Test the firmness of the board I’ll be sleeping on. Firm…my lady hips love that. Luckily, I’m mostly a stomach sleeper.
A look at the pillowcase (towel) and maybe even take a few sniffs. You’ll learn how to analyze how many oily heads have laid to rest there. And, by all means, I’m probably rockin’ as hard as the best.
I’ll take a glance in the corners and even the space between the bed and the wall. I don’t know why I do this, but I do, and I’m usually grossed out.
Then check out the outlets and electrical cords, to see if I’m going to be burning to my death in the middle of the night.
Of course, then to the tv. Sometimes the remote is wrapped in plastic, but not usually, and I try to avoid the brown/black sticky stuff that it’s been decorated with. Usually the tv doesn’t work or I get scramble vision of one channel.
Find my kaishui, pour a cup of hot water and put on my slippers. Sometimes they are too small, sometimes fried with cigarette burn holes. Speaking of cigarettes, there’s usually an old “Red Bull” can cut open for the ashtray.
Then, well, I enjoy looking at the walls. Usually they have a bit of character, much more than the ceilings do. The curtains are generally a nice thing to ponder over as well. It can be interesting to see how they have been hung, installed, or just the general pattern and choice of fabrics.
The place tonight, I will have neighbors and I can hear the television. It’s not at full volume, which is a rare case here in China. They seem to be well behaved local men and I walk by their room I can see the colored light flickering over their weary faces.
December 2nd 2011 – Mario Bros to Mori
I woke up to a quite cold and dimly lit room. Still, complete silence except for the faint sound of ice cracking in the trees in the back.
Without getting out of bed to look out the window, I can make a weather assessment. Being raised in the Blue Ridge/Appalachia Mountains, I can already tell what it’s like outside by the light coming through the window and the silence with the faint “crack”.
I pack up, eat the remainder of the bread, and drink the last bit of hot water (“kai shui”) in my instant sugar coffee. Again, it’s great staying in places like this because it’s super fast and easy to pack up in the am.
I vow to not take anymore photos with my point and shoot (quit being lazy) unless they are snapshots of me suffering in the elements or I have no option because of situation (i.e. police). Only for video, from now on, Jan 20, 2011.
It’s going to be a very white and cold ride today.
As I exit the building, I see Mario and Luigi taking care of the daily chores. Cow feeding and milking. Yep, I think Mario and Luigi may be a couple. This, I find, AWESOME. They get extra thanks and smiles from me…world love, dudes.
It’s about 10 am’ish. It’s foggy – frozen fog. Not too bad with a few kilometer visibility ahead. Once I get going, I’ll warm up and it won’t be too much of a problem.
10:42 am
The trees all have silver icicles on the tips of their limbs. I am doing okay at this point and enjoy passing the lone cowboy on his horse and my eyes dashing around the landscape. There still seems to be a bit of an incline, or my eyes are just giving me that “false” appearance. (I hate it when I have a false flat and barely pushing 15km, way to make me feel like a baby.)
Little girl’s potty break, although I didn’t use the structure for privacy. I nearly didn’t make it off the saddle in time. (Nothing like wet cycling shorts and an additional odor to add the lovely potpourri I wear around). You can gawk at this if you want, but any one that rides, especially women…one second off the saddle and that’s when it hits with full force.
When there is no traffic, I really just take care of business anywhere. Ladies, don’t be shy when nature calls. Tuck the head down and keep your face from traffic to keep the attention off of the fact that you aren’t “physically” a man. I really have lost any sense of shame. What happened? I guess, you just quit giving a damn and morphed into a true womanimal.
12:30, losing visibility. It only gets worse and worse from this moment on.
Boys get ice beards girls get ice braids. (How fitting for the nickname I picked up years ago, “Ice Princess”)
The balaclava got used after this, and I’m not posting a photo of that because I look like a monster.
I eventually end the day on about 3 meter visibility. Turning on my red blinky because of the fear of getting taken out by a car.
It’s an early day to Mori.
I finally have my gear loaded on my bike so if I take the back rack bag off, I can carry the bike fully loaded up stairs. Yes, I’m a g.d. beast. Well, beastly skills up 3 EXTREMELY LONG and narrow flight of stairs, nearly breaks my neck. I regained my balance before taking an awesome tumble down steps with bike in hands. (Mental note: save beast skills for at least a meter wide staircase, without white sheets covering the carpet, and a larger landings…and just not so many.) Christ! Laziness and short cuts are going to be the death of me. There was a naughty influence with me this summer and some bad habits have stuck.
(The beastly womanimal needs some sleep as I had a delightful 4 hours last night. Jan. 23, 2011)
December 1 2011 – HongKaiZi to The Super Mario Brother’s zhusu
As soon as there was rustling about and the room was lit with sunlight, little sister and I went out back to the “cesuo” (toilet). I hate this type of morning, when my sides ache from the pain of holding my bladder. It feels as if it gets all blocked and takes a few minutes for my body to realize it’s time…to relax.
I can’t help but gazing towards the mountains during these few minutes. It’s cold and I can see the peaks of the little mountains. Damn, if it wasn’t so cold, and I was a little more insane, I’d ride my bike up there to take a look. Disappointed, as I imagine what that range looks like in the Spring – probably a fairly easy day ride with a nice camp. Not now, on December first.
Little sister and her husband wash up for the morning. Afterwards I’m led back over to her in laws for tea and hard breads. As she and I get ready, I get a couple of “how much did that cost?” Please, please…lets not play that game. It’s such a typical Chinese thing and I don’t find it among the minorities so much…please, don’t do this.
Her brother in-law is asleep in the corner. Three additional Kazakh men enter to join us for breakfast. They are quite nice and we go through all the basic questions and comments again. I still can’t get over how adorable her father in law is. Just adorable…in his thick army green pants.
The bread chunks are hard and you have to let them soak in the tea. The tea is different here. They add a yogurt to the milk tea. So there are little chunks of yogurt floating on top of the tea. Watching little sister, I see her scoop up the yogurt with the hard bread. I mimic, delicious.
We all head out, as it’s time for the family chores to be taken care of. Her husband heads out on his motorcycle, father is moving the sheep out of the stable, and mother begins her milking duties.
There is a litter of puppies behind the house. I can’t get over how adorable they are, with their snorting and crying. It’s hard for me not to ask if I can buy one. It’s too cold and they are too young…just would be cruel.
I spend some more time with little sister and I get a few more “how much did that cost?” questions. Okay. I can’t do this anymore.
She asks me if I’m going to stay another day and I just get a strange vibe that maybe I should go on. I know I’m welcome to stay but decide to tell her I will leave and see how she reacts. “No, I really should get going, it’s getting late.”
Not receiving a response that I sometimes get when people REALLY don’t want me to leave. I pack up and set out around 12am. With one final “how much did your bike cost?” Please, little sister…don’t do this to me……..
I give her a hug good-bye and push off. The mama dog decides NOW she wants to attack me. Hearing the barking getting louder I stop in my tracks and see her running towards me. Little sister runs to hold her back.
A wave from the tarmac and I’m off. Within a kilometer I pass her husband on his motorcycle, after putting the sheep to pasture, and I wave goodbye. Good-bye Mr. Handsome!
It’s a long day of riding up. Cold. Very little traffic.
I see the first sign of life around 3 in the afternoon. It consists of a tire fixing place and a restaurant.
Pulling the bike up to the restaurant, removing my sunglasses, and sliding my hat off, I make eye contact with the little toddler in the doorway. I say “Hello!” in my cute child voice for her. She smiles and goes in.
Two older Kazakhs walk out and they are very friendly looking at me and the bike. Harmless, wonderful, people.
I enter into a very old room with a small table and 4 chairs. The cooking area takes up half the space. There is a room to the right that has about 8 Kazakhs and children around a large table. The t.v. is on and some are sitting on the old iron framed bed.
The color palette of the place is browns, reds, dark yellows, and greens. Just a very dark place but I feel warm and the people seem welcoming.
I have a hard time communicating with the woman that’s cooking. I order fried noodles. The folks in the other room ask where I’m from. “I’m American”.
“Ohhhhh, American!” With smiles, nods, and just a feeling of acceptance.
The toddler and I are playing hide and go see around the table and other general child games of looking at each other.
A young man enters and takes a large tray of beef into the small room. When I say “tray of beef”..I mean…it’s basically broiled/roasted whole cow with the skin and organs removed. It actually looks and smells quite delicious.
About 5 minutes later he brings a big chunk out, about 12mm x 12 mm, sets it on a clean plate and drops it in front of me. He smiles, “Chi!”
The cook turns around and smiles while handing me a knife. Well, I guess I just go at it. I’ve had some training in Inner Mongolia and I try not to destroy such a beautiful hunk of beef.
As I cut into the meat, the juices drip down my hands and steam rising from the fresh cut. It may be one of the most delicious meals I’ve had.
My noodles are served with chunks of beef and hot green peppers.
I try to converse with the woman but there is a language barrier. She tells me that the road is mostly flat to the next city. I know to never really believe this stuff completely.
The place is warm and the people are kind. I take a deep breath and relax for a moment. Then filling up my water, I say thank you and head on my way.
From the km count she gave me, I will not be making it to the city unless it’s all downhill.
It’s not. I have a pretty damn good mountain pass to get over. Is it the cold? These climbs just drain me, not like when the weather is fair. I think about how this would of been nothing 4 months ago…but maybe the weather really does drain someone more than you would imagine. I push Nelly the last kilometer.
I’m holding the top of the pass for the remainder of the day…once again, as usual, racing for light.
I don’t know why I do this. Sometimes I think I should just set up camp in the snow but there is a part of me that just says, “keep going keep going, you’ll find something”. At the top of a pass, a nice 20rmb room sure does sound nice.
There is a truck stop on the side of the road. The only “zhusu” has all the windows broken out. I avoid staying where there are truckers like that anyhow. I take a little road down a hill towards a village. No luck. Power back up the hill, past a police station, see 2 officers taking a stroll and I pull clothing over my face. Less trouble.
The pass is a good 15km and I’m not really enjoying it. “Keep the eyes on the prize keep the eyes on the prize keep the eyes on the prize”
Towards sunset I begin the descent. I hate descents in the winter and at sunset. It’s just so damn cold, although the sky is always the most beautiful. I’m trying to get to somewhere warm, take photos, and just not freeze. It’s quite a balancing act.
I’m freezing, it’s near dark and there is no traffic. Luckily, this helps me hold onto my night vision.
With about 10 minutes left of residual light, I spot a hand painted sign with something about “zhusu” and “1.5km”. Oh hell yes!
I pick up the pace and I see a restaurant with “zhusu” attached to it. It’s tucked into a wooded area with only an outhouse and some cows.
Of course they see me and greet me at the door.
“30rmb!? Really? Well, I guess I don’t have an option. Okay.”
We roll my bike into the room and they reassure me it will be warm, safe, no other company…and the sheets are clean. Okay.
In the restaurant, I order a couple of dishes. As I’m sitting there and I notice that these two men are not typical Chinese men. They remind me of 2 people, with their mustaches. Oh, it’s Mario and Luigi! of the Super Mario Bros. fame.
They don’t have rice so I’m given some breads. Cold bread. I only eat one but they insist that I take all the breads, “a gift”, for breakfast. I’m beginning to think that these men have a relationship – they are not brothers.
Sure, not going to turn down free breads.
Back to my room, it’s dark, I have only one candle to last me the night.
I curl up on top of one blanket and cover with 2. It’s silent. For the past couple of nights, all I hear is silence. I love it. The light begins to flicker, as the the flame extinguishes I can hear the sizzle.
Goodnight.