I’m Sorry, I May Have Lied…to myself.

Upon the turnback in Tibet and reaching my mileage goal (Which is a funny story. I thought I had told everyone it was 15,000 miles, so there was no celebration but more feelings of defeat) I was pretty set on resting the bike and getting a backpack for Xinjiang and the K’stans…because, well, winter is upon us.

If you don’t know anything about Xinjiang, it has 2 seasons…summer and winter. It’s famous for it’s wind and sand storms, i.e. blowing a train car of the tracks and I heard a story of a British cyclist being killed in a wind storm taking the Southern Route of the Silk Road (NW Qinghai) in no mans land.

Well, I have 2 weeks until I set off. In the meantime I’m getting a TB and Hep test…as I’m still physically not up to par. They recommend people that hangout with homeless people get tested. I WAS living on dirt floors with nomads. Also, TB kills a lot of people in Asia and Africa. I had a lot of Tibetans coughing near me, on me, snotty nosed kids sneezing and their mucous getting on me, or mixing my tsampa with their bare hands. (They also don’t use toilet paper)

Also, I’m having new wheels built, my repaired Brooks saddle is on it’s way from England, and…I bought replacement handlebars. The Soma Sparrow 560mm.

The idea of hitchhiking around Xinjiang is exciting because it’s different and the idea of walking around without worries of my bike getting stolen OR broken…is great. BUT, the idea of being in an automobile passing by nomads and locals…tears my heart apart. Also, I don’t have my get-away ride anymore and it’s a little more difficult to go meandering through open’ness or getting up mountains. The photos people love, and I love, are taken from when I was solo and invited in with people. Being in a car, bus…that’s not going to happen…or maybe it will?

I’ll be monitoring the weather conditions every day and there is a storm coming in, maybe I just stay put. Whether on bike or foot. My Work Visa doesn’t expire until Jan 28th, so in all reality…I could spend winter in Xinjiang, head into Kyrgyzstan (Jan 27th) and be in Kazakhstan in early March (that’s close enough to Spring to not freeze, right?).

I’m hoping someone out there, in cyber world, can offer some advice or wisdom…or an answer will come to me from the heavens.

In the meantime, I hope you take a look at the photographs for sale…I really really need some winter gear. Or you could mail me your old stuff.

Godspeed.

老鼠爱大米

我听见你的声音
有种特别的感觉
让我不断想不敢再忘记你
我记得有一个人
永远留在我心中
哪怕只能够这样的想你
如果真的有一天
爱情理想会实现
我会加倍努力好好对你永远不改变
不管路有多么远
一定会让它实现
我会轻轻在你耳边对你说(对你说)
我爱你爱着你
就像老鼠爱大米
不管有多少风雨我都会依然陪着你
我想你想着你
不管有多么的苦
只要能让你开心我什么都愿意
这样爱你
我听见你的声音
有种特别的感觉
让我不断想不敢再忘记你
我记得有一个人
永远留在我心中
哪怕只能够这样的想你
如果真的有一天
爱情理想会实现
我会加倍努力好好对你永远不改变
不管路有多么远
一定会让它实现
我会轻轻在你耳边对你说(对你说)
我爱你爱着你
就像老鼠爱大米
不管有多少风雨我都会依然陪着你
我想你想着你
不管有多么的苦
只要能让你开心我什么都愿意
这样爱你
我爱你爱着你
就像老鼠爱大米
不管有多少风雨我都会依然陪着你
我想你想着你
不管有多么的苦
只要能让你开心我什么都愿意
这样爱你

Email Correspondance from the Border Police in 东乌珠尔

So along the way, I exchanged email addresses and phone numbers…and the occasional QQ number.  Every so often I get a random note from someone I have met along the way.  Please use Google Translate to get the jist of this communication.
—————————————————————————————————————————
你好  我是 你的好朋友 ,还记得我吗、我是 呼伦贝尔的  你在哪呢  什么 时候还来呀   记得来找我哦
—————————————————————————————————————————-
me: Yes, yes, yes!!!!  I remember you 🙂  I’m sorry I have been very busy. 不好意思,我没有空。
I hope to return to the town and photograph more people – I’m very interested in photographing 蒙古人 life/culture/horses/蒙古包。
您现在哪里?

Best,
Ellen (American girl on bike)
——————————————————————————————————————————–
我是东乌珠尔边防派出所的,我给你登记 和照相 还记得吗。我在单位呢。 你在哪呢
————————————————————————————————————————–
me:对,我记得。:)
我现在上海。我回来应为没有钱。I will continue my bike ride in the Spring, after the holiday.  I must work and save money now.
你警察?你叫什么名字?如果你是警察,你是一个很亲切,我永远不会忘记的了不起的人们那里。
我的一个骑自行车的原因是要提高在亚洲的贫困儿童慈善机构筹款。
www.2wheels4girls.com
如果你是警察,我记得,会是不错返回拍摄一两个星期。我希望与世界分享这 些照片 – 有这么多美丽的地方和中国人民。
我很高兴听到您的声音!你有一个朋友,说英语,对吗?我 跟她的电话。
————————————————————————————————————————–
哦 原来是这么回事, 我现在很佩服你的善举,你的精神值得我们学习。爱是无国界的。
—————————————————————————————————————————
If you translate anything, run the last sentence through Google Translate…you’ll get Chinglish, but if you have a half a brain…you can ‘figger it out.
This email is from the border police of 东乌珠尔, where I suffered dysentery and made friends with the locals. Of all the police and security officers I encountered…this young man was very kind. After I had filled all the paperwork out at the local station, one of his co-officers organized a photo where I had presented each one of them with my legal stuff…a US Passport and my Chinese Work Visa…it was a fun moment…although I looked not very cute. Dirty, dehydrating, hot (41 degrees those days), tired, and trying to hold my intestines in.


View Larger Map

If you take a moment to view the larger map, see link above, you can see there was nothing around for miles, days, and I had been facing that damn headwind that TOO OFTEN comes across from the NW.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would love to hear from you!