Monday, June 21, 2010

China (Yunnan 2nd part)

08 and 09 April 2010 / Hong Kong to Dali / 0km / Total 5134km
At 03:30 in the morning we took the Bus from Hong Kong to the Chinese Border and then with a Taxi we continued to Shenzen Airport. Our flight from Shenzen to Kunming was 1,5 Hour and around 10:00 we arrived at the bicycle shop to pick up our bikes. With the bus we went back to Dali where we had stored all our luggage during our stay in Hong Kong. We also went to Xiaguan to buy 2 new front panniers for my bicycle because the ones I bought in Kunming (i.e. for 30 Euros) did not lasted 1 day.

Proud owner of a new pair of front paniers

 Downhill somewhere between Lijang and Shangri-La



10 April 2010 / Dali to Eryuan / 50km / Total 5228km
We left Dali after an early breakfast with Alejandro. A Chinese Cyclist we met in Dali.  He will travel with us to Lijang. We had an easy way today, all the way flat and with strong tail wind. We arrived for lunch in Eryuan which is famous for its hot-springs. We checked in at a Hotel with a big pool for 80Y and spent the afternoon with bathing, reading and sleeping.

On the way to Dali

11 April 2010 / Eryuan to Baihanchan / 98km / Total 5326km
Easy ride today from the hot springs to the bottom of a pass which we have to climb tomorrow in order to reach Lijang.

Roadside chinese worker!


12 April 2010 / Baihanchan to Lijang / 48km / Total 5374km
The so far most beautiful climb we had so far. We had very nice weather and the road ( closed for trucks and big vehicles) was just awesome. At the top (2800m) we could even see the snow mountains.



13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 April 2010 / Lijang / 98km / Total 5472km
We stayed the first few nights in Lijang old town, but then moved to a small place called Suhe were we stayed in a beautful small Guesthouse ( called NOMAD). We had several meetings with Hutch and the Groupe in order to prepare our trip to Tibet. We also went with some Cyclist to Weihan Lake for camping. It was a very nice ride although we had to climb a pass all on dirt road for more than 24km and 3200m. We also went for a 2 day hike to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, which just was awesome.

Arrived in Lijang


Lake Weihan (3200 m.a.s.l.)


Camping at Weihan Lake


21 April 2010 / Lijang to Tiger Leaping Gorge / 83km / Total 5555km
We met Chris, Christoph at 09:00 just outside Lijang. The came with the Groupe ( Hutch and several Chinese cyclist) to say good by to us. We rode with Chris and Christoph until the entrance of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. After some coffee, we were looking for a Hotel whilst Chris and Christoph are riding through then Gorge and take an alternative route to Shangri La.
Tiger Leaping Gorge

Crossing the river at the end of tiger leaping gorge

22 April 2010 / Tiger Leaping Gorge to Xiazohongdian / 64km / Total 5619km
We laft the Gorge at around 8:30 and did the first 20 km without any problem. At around lunchtime it started to rain and we stopped at a House and asked for hot water. We had an Ovomaltine, put our rain gear on and off we went until the top of the plateau which is at some 3300 m. It was quite foggy and the rain did not stopped until we reached a small Guesthouse in Xiazohongdian. They had a very nice fire place and we left all our wet clothes and shoes overnight under the stove for drying.
One of the few rainy days

23 April 2010 / Xiazohongdian to Shangri La / 83km / Total 5702km
The whole ride we had rain and it was quite cold. But the landscape has changed completely. We are now riding on a plateau at 3300m a.s.L. We saw for the first time some big Yaks. We found a small Guesthouse in the old town with a nice fire place. We had our clothes washed and did some reading and internet in the afternoon.
Taking out the engine on the road!

24 /25 April 2010 / Shangri La /rest days / 0km / Total 5702km
We spent 2 days in Shangri-La. Most of the time the weather was not nice at all and the sun we hardly ever saw. We met Chris , Christoph and Hannah in Shangri_La. We will ride with them together until Litang.

Shangri La

Nice Tibetan restaurant in Shangri La (with Christoph and Hannah)

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