I have “The Incredible Hulk” legs…yes, my thighs have become a little too big for pants. Good bye skinny jeans…
But, I did get some awesome tan lines!
Year: 2010
Little Did I Know…
…that this would be my last day of riding for awhile. Every night I dream I am riding somewhere, and I wake in the morning to wonder where I might be at that exact time.
This weekend I aired out my tent and washed my panniers…the tears were from the soap…I swear!!!!
Qinghai, one day from XiNing
Mr. Ed G, Mr. CW, Mommy, and the Yen Dawg…
Thanks a bajillion for everything. Who knew one dude could know SO much about the roads of China, who knew a man could help me so much in the world of photography, art, and the life it entails. Who knew a woman could love her daughter so much and support whatever hairbrained idea she comes up with. And of course my riding partner of 2,500 km and team mate of 5 years who gets to experience my highs and my lows.
You 4 and all the wonderful, kind, and generous people I have met traveling the lonesome road through China have kept me going.
Much love to all.
GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO…
Already lined up work for all of next week! When life hands you lemons go out and kick it’s booty!
Pause…just press ‘PAUSE’…for a minute!
Financial banking crisis – I must go back to Shanghai to work this out.
Also, Jason wants to leave China in December so I must move.
I’m devastated to say the least…actually, I don’t know what I’m really feeling. My eyes are swollen from hours of crying…feeling like a failure…seeing 16 months of work and dedication ‘end’.
No, I think not…I don’t give up that easily. It sucks when you are defeated by money, or lack there of. Of all the obstacles I’ve faced, money is the one that wants to stop this adventure.
I’m in Qinghai, and upon arrival, I was immediately charged to keep going. It’s absolutely beautiful here, riding through mountains, spotting a lone monk down in a valley. Old temples and Muslims whizzing by on their motorcycles. No coal in the air here.
This post is going to be much shorter than how I really feel and what I’m thinking…as I am really confused and scattered. I didn’t think this would happen, and so abruptly.
I checked my account less than 12hours ago and have already lined up a substitute teaching job that will bring in 2500 rmb and hooked up with some previous students to bring in some cash.
Ohhhhhhh, you haven’t seen the last of me Western China…you sure haven’t.
What has the last 4 months done to me…made me hungry, ‘like wolf’. I want my language skills to be the best and I want to make those images that say something – real. Not just your touristy run of the mill stuff.
I wanted this so bad…I wanted this trip, this ride, this experience, so bad. I haven’t worked this hard for something in a long time and there is no way in heck I’m going to be defeated by something like, money.
Yeah, I read the blogs of other cyclists…and their whole thing about, “we aren’t sponsored, we are doing this on our own dime…blah blah blah”.
Well, just because you are sponsored doesn’t mean you have a big fat bank roll. Being sponsored meant that I, you, spent countless hours researching and writing emails to companies. With perhaps 1 in 10 willing to help. Do you know what it feels like to ask for help, it’s not really all that dignifying, at least for me. That’s a personal battle of mine for another time – I hate asking for help.
Being sponsored means you can’t just quit because you are tired or feel like it.
It also means promising things in return for their generosity and support.
Don’t worry sponsors – I’ll be back in that saddle in no time.
Don’t worry fans and friends – I won’t disappoint – I promise.
With a little time and money making, I can hopefully repair my failing drive chain, get tires (I only had 3 flats 2 days ago…yeah, 3 in one day – balls!), a new pair of shoes, and a better pair of shorts (i’ve got raw saddle sores).
My 2 months plan – make money, repair the ride, make some images locally, pack my crap up except 4 panniers and that beautiful and lovely Saga. Oh, and of course, post some pics.
Tailwinds and Godspeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 Days until XiNing
View 7350km in a larger map
Photos…
more…soon…promise.
Hanging with the Portrait of an LBX and guests
Met up with Evan and Andy of Portrait of an LBX here in LinChuan. Along with 2 recent riders, Dave and Ellen, and recently aquired Pete.
Hell of great people.
Some good laughs of similar stories and thoughts. And of course we have all spotted the Chinese brand “BullTitanUS” and the local department stores. Along with chugging OJ “to keep the scurvy away”.
They depart this morning for the North, hopefully making it back to Beijing by the second week of September.
We head South to get Jason on an airplan and I’m onto Kashgar. The word on the streets is that I have to go see Yunnan.
Tailwinds.
All Signs Pointed to “No Go”…and more…
The last time I visited here, we were going to ride around Mongolia.
Well, it was frigid and there would be intermittent rain – BESIDES the hell of a wind. I can deal with wind when I know there is a town ahead, because you can’t camp in this type of wind. We moved about 30km in about 3-4 hours.
We passed an Italian that had crossed over from Russia and he had a mountain bike. The road would disappear and the terrain would be trying.
After sitting on the side of the road debating, feeling defeated, we turned around.
I woke up with a cold, and lied in bed, stuck in Ulaanbatar for a week. We decided to take a train back to Hohot/Huhehaote (bad idea).
What I learned about cycling Mongolia – I was very ill prepared. My advice:
1-travel North to South, the wind is hell.
2-extreme weather, pack accordingly and drop the panniers and add a cart (food, lots of water, winter gear, 4 season tent, etc.)
3-mountain bike necessary
4-a gps device to give you coordinates OR a satellite phone OR be fluent in Mongolian/Russian
5-a high tolerance for drunks and boiled lamb…lots and lots of boiled lamb
I lost a considerable amount of weight because of my sickness and the awful food.
Would I like to attempt Hell-golia again. Sure. Better prepared. You bet.
It’s been awhile since this so my feelings aren’t so hurt, but I did feel like a failure. I have to remind myself that being an explorer sometimes means having to turn back. Jason was even less prepared and the last thing I wanted to do was drag him out to the middle of nowhere – just to send him back with hypothermia and a broken bike.
Oh, don’t let anyone tell you that Mongolians know English – bull.
We were lucky to find a man at the train station, that reminded of my dad. (There is a possibility that American Indians came from the Mongolian region). He spoke enough English to speak to some random dude because we had to fill out paperwork for customs.
I was afraid of this but didn’t want to admit to it.
It took 4 hours and a lot of paperwork, footwork, and money.
Well….when we finally arrived in HuHeHaote, you could of found me crying in the train station. Turned out that we had to get off at the border to take care of paperwork for our bikes. When was my luck going to turn…really? God, can you hear me???
We have to go back to the border.
No train tickets, only 2 trains a week. Go get bus tickets and we are approached by a private driver – we can leave that day! 125rmb a person,he even helped us find a bingguan for 70mb.
So, if you have ever lived in China – you know the drill. Guess how long it took to take care of the paperwork?!?!
Literally, 3 minutes and 4rmb!
We go back to HuHeHaote the next day.
With all this extra time there, we pass the time at a video arcade.
The bikes arrived – safely. Found a shop to repair my derrailleur – only one cog ring doesn’t work now – rather than 3.
Nothing too noteworthy since leaving HuHehaote – oh, Jason replaced my point and shoot camera with a Canon S90 – it’s pretty friggen awesome!
We did stay in a prostitution hotel, and was awoken twice by our neighbor being serviced. Prostitution here is strange, to say the least.
Route 110 from HuHeHaote sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first day to BaoTou, we looked like coal miners. The coal mining and the trucks loaded with this was flying everywhere. We have had only 1 day out of 6 (left HuHehaote last Thursday am) where we weren’t rinsing grey water off our bodies.
3 days ago, the side wind was so bad it was blowing Jason and I all over the road. It was a dangerous wind. It always happens after 5pm and of course was coming from the North….
Except today!!!! We are traveling South and have a hell of a headwind.
I finally exited Inner Mongolia today and landed in NingXia.
Yesterday, as we are riding along the Yellow River, you see a strip of sand (that we are riding through), then a stip of green, the river, another strip of green, then MASSIVE SAND DUNES!!!
Hey China! You are turning into a giant sand box. There are hundreds of dried river beds that once branched off from the river. I’m riding through imagining what this part of the country looked like 200 years ago. I bet it was the land of milk and honey…seriously.
Hey China! Quit strip mining, at least have some beautiful mountains in your sandbox.
The pollution has been outrageous since leaving HuHeHaote and traveling West. Grey skies and the sides of the road are grey/black from the coal particles. I really can’t imagine what my pink lungs NOW look like.
I’m now 50km North of YinChuan. I got yelled out today because I took pictures of some men striking outside a power plant. Jason translated the signs saying “Goverment workers are people too”. I got surrounded by a bunch of men and just deleted it just to get them off my a$*. The last thing I need is the cops arriving.
Well China…now that you are #2 in GDP, you are going to have to face up to a lot of stuff. And this announcement is very loud and EVERYONE knows about it. Even the poor government workers barely making a living wage.
Good luck with that.
Don’t think I’m hating…I’m really glad to be back in China. The food, the language – THE PEOPLE. I LOVE THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even the prostitutes…they haven’t really been given another option to make a
Brick Wall, Brick Wall, too many brick walls in Mongolia
We got to the border and couldn’t ride across. We had to pay 100rmb per each to hire an old russian jeep to charter us across the border.
Got to Zamyn Udd – hottest city in the country. Roads disappeared and a sandstorm hit. We were stranded for 2 days and finally caught a train to Ulaanbatar. Had to leave our bikes behind on a separate train.
Ambushed at the train station – my new point and shoot Nikon got stolen and other random needless things out of my pocket. Must have happened before waving down the police officer when they loaded our luggage and then wanted way too much money.
All bad luck – but our bikes arrived safely.
We have been at this hostel for 2 nights now and I woke up losing my ambition and drive – I have got to get back on the road. The people here are great and there is a group producing a pilot which they interviewed me – so America – look out, I could be a tv star…ha, yeah right.
The first day here, I walked around crying – overwhelmed and confused. Today is better, just some down time hanging out with folks at this newly opened, and confused hostel. It’s completely occupied by Americans and Israeli’s – strange for Mongolia right?
I’m adjusting to the country but can’t quite come to terms with the alcoholism. I went to try and see about a bike repair and they tried sending me to the black market, with “it’s not too late, they aren’t drunk yet”. No thanks, I’ll wait for China….oh China, I miss you.
This country needs a lot of help. I see too many older kids that look like beaten puppies majority of the working class seem to be women. On the train and at the station there are signs asking that you please don’t get drunk and hang out on the train tracks. I see drunks fighting in the morning (man vs woman) or a woman nearly passing out at 1 in the afternoon with what looks like ketchup down her shirt.
If I ever hear another Chinese person tell me how poor they are I will smack them silly and send them here…this place has NOTHING except for a lot of sand.
When I was in Zamyn-Udd and trying to hitch a ride up North, there were 2 boys riding a bike around us. One would ride and the other would push. They were hanging out around us and were a little worried because of the traffic and hoping they weren’t going to get killed because of us. I gave each of them an American penny after the boy on the bike tried to give me some cash. I had some really great pics of them but they were stolen – my photos stolen. I’m sure he used the money to buy more booze and not clothes for his kids. Hopefully he doesn’t have any children….I don’t know what to think about this country….
We head out tomorrow for 2 weeks…..