Tag: bicycle

11 April 2014

Acrophobia Pt5: Book Pine 书松 to Virtuous Admiration 德钦

We wake to the sound of a dozen Chinese voices preparing for the big ride. Some of them have rolled in at 10 last night but are the first to get up. At their rate, they’ll need it. Only the Hunan group is still around when we finally make it down the stairs. Of our plans to get up at the crack of dawn is not much left.

We put our sweaty and dirty riding gear back on, wipe the sleep grime off our faces and stumble into the kitchen where we’re supposed to get breakfast. And breakfast there is: the owner’s lovely wife (who could really be his daughter) serves us two large helpings of noodles and wraps up a large, freshly-baked baba (a dry wheat cake) for our trip. The neighbouring shop complements our supplies with some drinks and a smile wide enough to allow a small truck to pass.

Pete enjoying breakfast in the inn's kitchen
Pete enjoying breakfast in the inn’s kitchen

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10 April 2014

Acrophobia Pt4: Central Pasture 中甸 to Book Pine 书松

Having rested for a full day, we make another early start into what is now really unknown terrain. A cartload of steamed buns (包子 baozi) and soy sauce eggs (卤蛋 ludan) fill our stomachs and what doesn’t fit goes into a lunch bag. Skies are clear, air is crisp, perfect day for a bike ride.

Leaving Shangri-La in the morning
Leaving Shangri-La in the morning

As we’re climbing out of the messy outskirts of Shangri-La, we’re accompanied by a cloud of ominous buzzards, lazily circling above our heads. Traffic’s relatively busy and we’re hoping to hit the actual old road to Deqin soon. We’re not too sure whether it still exists. On one hand, constructing a new second-class road requires making much more level roads, an ice-free surface and there are certain requirements as to how sharp curves are allowed to be. (more…)

8 April 2014

Acrophobia Pt3: White Water Terrace 白水台 to Central Pasture 中甸 (aka Shangri-La 香格里拉)

We’d had a rest day at Baishuitai to explore the terraces and the forest around it further because it was so pretty. It also allowed us to get a good night’s rest and to leave early on what was supposed to be one of the hardest rides of this trip.

Leaving the hotel at 8am
Leaving the hotel at 8am

No surprises for me this time. I had ridden the murderous 131km from Haba to Shangri-La in one day before and I had literally fallen asleep on the bicycle from exhaustion and altitude. And that was after 4 months of continuous biking. With a lot fewer kilometres in our legs this time, I thought it wiser to cut the distance by 30km by staying in Baishuitai instead of Haba, and also to leave early enough. By 8am we’re on the road.

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6 April 2014

Acrophobia Pt2: Big Tool 大具 to White Water Terrace 白水台

After a night in the smoky torture chamber next to the Mahjong-loving photographer crew from Henan, we’re feeling surprisingly fresh. The sun’s out and it promises to be a lovely day. Whatever remains of our headache and grudge towards the rowdy neighbours is quickly fixed by a large bowl of noodles. We get the owner to boil us some eggs for the road and will rely on Dali bars 达力粑 for the rest of the day.

'morning!
‘morning!

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5 April 2014

Acrophobia Pt1: Pretty River 丽江 to Big Tool 大具

At 7:30am, we disembark the stuffy train and breathe the crisp Lijiang air. Ahead of us looms the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lijiang’s undisputed landmark which attracts gazillions of tourists to its much over-hyped new-old town. Yet behind the city walls, adventure lies in ambush. We’re stoked to surprise it right where it expects us.

Leaving the station
Leaving the station

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8 February 2014

Slap the Belgian! Slap me Baby one more Time!

This section from Yiwu 易武 to Jinghong 景洪 is the forty-seventh and last instalment of my bicycle loop through South-East Asia from Yunnan – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Pretty good 米线 mixian for brekky. Love the condiments and the early morning light on the wall texture.
Pretty good 米线 mixian for brekky. Love the condiments and the early morning light on the wall texture.

After yesteday’s absolute system failure, I cannot believe to be awake by 7 am already. Yes I hit the sheets pretty early, but I didn’t think I’d be able to stand until much, much later. Yet here I am, packing up my stuff and getting ready to ride all the way to Jinghong, a ride of no less than 130km. I remember the road pretty well, and I believe it’ll be a walk in the park, but then, well, on wheels.

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7 February 2014

Slap the Belgian! Lazy Race

This section from Mengla 勐腊 to Yiwu 易武 is the forty-sixth instalment of my bicycle loop through South-East Asia from Yunnan – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Only if you have forest, there will be water; only if you have water, there will be fields; only if you have fields, there will be food; only if you have food, there can be people. Ironically, the forest on either side of this sign have been cleared to plant rubber trees and a banana plantation.
Only if you have forest, there will be water; only if you have water, there will be fields; only if you have fields, there will be food; only if you have food, there can be people. Ironically, the forest on either side of this sign have been cleared to plant rubber trees and a banana plantation.

Oh, I know, I should’ve planned better. But planning takes time, too, and today is the first time I’ve been blessed with proper internet access since – well, since Bangkok. I have a blog backlog of more than seven entries so I spend the better half of my morning uploading pictures, writing captions and completing ride accounts.

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6 February 2014

Slap the Belgian! LIFO!

This section from Luang Namtha to Mengla 勐腊 is the forty-fifth instalment of my bicycle loop through South-East Asia from Yunnan – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Morning Luang Namtha!
Good morning Luang Namtha! Now where does this come from.

I feel grungy. Yesterday’s outing with the Belgians took us past a pizza establishment where beer flowed abundantly and where I had an extra spicy “hot head” pizza with Lao sausage and random chunks of chilli pepper scattered over the surface. It was quite good but now I’m bearing the consequences. I roll over, put ear plugs in, take my clothes off (yes – it’s one of those nights) and sleep another three hours.

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4 February 2014

Slap the Belgian! Belgian Mob!

This section from Vieng Phu Kha to Luang Namtha is the forty-third instalment of my bicycle loop through South-East Asia from Yunnan – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

One of the things I forgot about Laos is that rural people (which is pretty much everyone outside Vientiane) wake up to the lovely sound of news and other government propaganda. The voices and music starts squealing from 6 am through old-school conical loudspeakers mounted on electricity poles all around town. It also doesn’t quite stop until 7.30 or even 8 am, that’s how much news there is. Well I guess if you’re Lao, everything is news.

These megaphone thingies will entertain the town several times a day with long news broadcasts and music. Just wish they would keep quiet until 8am.
These megaphone thingies will entertain the town several times a day with long news broadcasts and music. Just wish they would keep quiet until 8am.

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3 February 2014

Slap the Belgian! Pleasant Surprise, no Happy Ending

This section from Huay Xai to Vieng Phu Kha is the forty-second instalment of my bicycle loop through South-East Asia from Yunnan – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

 With over 120 km and steep hills ahead of me, I deem it a good idea to get up at 6.30. Yesterday’s Beerlao is still in my system but I roll out of bed anyway, pack my bags, and sneak out the door of the empty hotel. The air is pleasantly cool and the sun has just begun peeking over the horizon, giving it a nice purple shade.

Sunrise over Huay Xai
Sunrise over Huay Xai

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