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!
I cannot imagine the cold, isolation but great drive and perseverence
I cannot imagine the cold, isolation but great drive and perseverence
I saw your post about making comments on your blog. I read your post and view the pictures often and enjoy them. I am learning a great deal which is important because in the spring or early summer i will be setting out on a tour of the USA. After that, well i’ll make that decision when the time comes. Keep blogging and FB commenting your readers me included eagerly await each one.
I saw your post about making comments on your blog. I read your post and view the pictures often and enjoy them. I am learning a great deal which is important because in the spring or early summer i will be setting out on a tour of the USA. After that, well i’ll make that decision when the time comes. Keep blogging and FB commenting your readers me included eagerly await each one.
Don’t die dude, Jason would be bummed.
And no tears from you? No crying at my death…seriously…I want a PopPunk Dance Party! BBQLand style!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t die dude, Jason would be bummed.
And no tears from you? No crying at my death…seriously…I want a PopPunk Dance Party! BBQLand style!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your stories often scares me, u r one brave girl!
I need to post that my stories and experiences are a bit uncommon. I’m beginning to think my language skills get me in more trouble than if I couldn’t speak/understand. And…well, I’ve spent a lot of time here in dear ol’China.
Your stories often scares me, u r one brave girl!
I need to post that my stories and experiences are a bit uncommon. I’m beginning to think my language skills get me in more trouble than if I couldn’t speak/understand. And…well, I’ve spent a lot of time here in dear ol’China.
You’ve got mighty big balls for a chick. I salute you, ma’am.
You’ve got mighty big balls for a chick. I salute you, ma’am.
You are one tough lady I enjoy your blogs keep up the great work and never give up hugs from OZ
You are one tough lady I enjoy your blogs keep up the great work and never give up hugs from OZ
Hi Ellen! I enjoy reading about your many crazy adventures. I hope we will get to see each other again. I miss you! Let me know if there is anything you need, I will do my best to get it to you.
Of course! Love you and think of you often…we’ll catch up soon. Promise. (Remember that time I had to buy back my bike from those thug kids that were related to the thief…that kinda sucked!)
Hi Ellen! I enjoy reading about your many crazy adventures. I hope we will get to see each other again. I miss you! Let me know if there is anything you need, I will do my best to get it to you.
Of course! Love you and think of you often…we’ll catch up soon. Promise. (Remember that time I had to buy back my bike from those thug kids that were related to the thief…that kinda sucked!)
Fantastic and engaging experience. I look forward to following your next visit to Tibet…I am with Mountain 2 Mountain and want to correspond with you about it. You are amazing. G
Fantastic and engaging experience. I look forward to following your next visit to Tibet…I am with Mountain 2 Mountain and want to correspond with you about it. You are amazing. G