Brice what happened? :confused1:
Please send more news, I'm worried.
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Brice what happened? :confused1:
Please send more news, I'm worried.
Good question Carlos. Maybe he got busy for the holiday season? Speaking of which, I've got my own ride report that needs some finishin'! :mwink:
CC
Zhongdian is a booming city. Originally a Tibetan area it sees like many places in West China a massive arrival of people from the East and South.
The old city where I'm stay has kept his original cachet. Its purpose is mostly touristic but the restoration works have been well done.
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Above the old city, there is a temple and this giant prier mill. People can rotate it.
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Detail of a flag
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Next day, back on the road going to Dali, 300km south.
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Mid way, I pass along the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest river canyons. The river is the mighty Yangtze.
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Dali, like Zhongdian or Lijiang (that I skipped) is a touristic city. Again a nice job has been done to rebuilt or preserve old buildings. As usual, you can expect lot of shops selling fakes but it is also possible to find many nice pieces made by local craftmen.
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This is the third time I come to Dali and as usual many tourists in the old city. Many foreigners have renovated old houses and transformed them in coffee shops or guest houses so the area is quite welcoming if you are looking for some western comfort or food.
The place is also well known by backpackers who are looking for weed. Old women are selling it in the street without hiding.
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The Jade Emu is the guest house where I stayed. Nice place owned by an Australian-Chinese couple.
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To be continued...
Brice, these are some fantastic shots!
I am heading for Yunnan during Chinese New Year, visiting wife's family - without bike :crazy:
Last installment of the trip in few days. I was in vacation in Japan where I crossed this Moto Guzzi in the streets of Tokyo. Not a Chinese bike but still a nice old lady.
Just behind you can also see a French Velosolex. Another antic...
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The last few days of the trip are like a big slide from the mountainous north Yunnan to the coastal provinces. Temperature is chilly in the morning but once the sun appears it is just perfect. The mountains are lower than in the north but the landscapes are still fantastic. The roads will be all tarmac or cement from now and they are in good shape. Riding in the hilly south East Yunnan and Guangxi is a pleasure of each instant. Here my average speed has seriously increased and if it was not the stops to take photos I would do more than 400km a day.
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Villagers going to the local market.
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Tombstones maker.
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In rural areas, donkeys, horses, buffaloes and cows are still widely used to transport goods and people.
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A little bit further, I reach a large valley mostly inhabited by Muslims from the Hui minority.
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This is the third time I travel across this area but previously it was in a car so we drove the highways. Now I follow an old but well maintain "national" road that snakes around every single mountain.
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The landscape, the smell of the trees (Eucalyptus, orange) and the weather remind me some part of Spain or South of France.
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A paradise for rider not in hurry.
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Wenshan, a quiet mid size city will be my stop for the night.
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While wandering in the streets, I'm looking at a place for diner, I find a Muslim restaurant. Their food is always tasty specially the small kebabs made of mutton or chicken. After the meal, I stop by an outdoor theater. They are playing an old black and white Chinese movie.
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Fog and cold morning. It didn't last too long until the sun makes it through.
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Yet farmers going to their fields or to the local market.
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Typical countryside road. You have to deal with walkers, animals, potholes and other vehicles.
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Market day in this rural town. Many women are wearing the traditional clothes of their minority group.
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Quite nice outfit.
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Slowly the landscape and the elevation are changing, I'm leaving the hilly South East Yunnan and entering GuangXi province.
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The first karts mountains are appearing, here under the form of a double arch.
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To be continued...
Wonderful photos and story. I anxiously await the next installment. :popcorn:
Dan k.
For the night I stop by Daxin, a small town in Western GuangXi, close to Vietnam border surroundings by karts mountains.
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The city itself is not so nice but it is lively in the evening. People are getting out to enjoy street food and few attractions for kids.
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Back on the road, I travel eastbound through Karts mountains and sugar cane fields. This range of karts mountains goes more than 500km from Guilin/Yangshuo to the East part of Vietnam (Along Bay).
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A little bit further, I made a short halt along a river. They extract sand from the river bed to use it in the booming building industry.
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This one was close to sink.
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I'm now not far from home, 200km and 2 ferries to board. Here I'm waiting for the first one.
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An old rescue boat converted in gravel cargo.
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Here my ride.
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One hour later, I board the second one. It is the same I took one month ago when I started this trip.
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Old fort, this is the site of a famous naval battle in the 17 or 18 century between Imperial Chinese navy and a bunch of pirates.http://lh5.ggpht.com/_pSocT5D2pnE/ST...0/IMG_0839.JPG
At home.
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Thanks for watching.
Brice,
Truly epic adventure :clap:
Thanks for telling the whole story, the photos were fantastic :thumbsup: .
How's the QingQi these days, think she would last through another trip?
Cheers!
ChinaV
QingQi is fine, my daughter uses it everyday for some little jaunt in the compound. She says it's hers now:confused1:
The engine runs great but for a long trip, few things should been reviewed. The fork seals need to be changed as well as the rear shock. When I'll have some time I'll go to Guangzhou bike market to buy some parts.
I'm start thinking of a new long run but this time it should be across Europe like the one I made 20+ years ago.
Great report and photos, thanks for sharing!
Hi Brice
Je m'appelle Sui-Leung, je suis d'origine Hong Kongaise (?), mais j'ai grandi en Angleterre et j'y habite depuis plus de 25 ans.
Ton racontre m'a donné pleine d'envie de faire la même chose un jour moi-même en Chine, merci beaucoup pour les superbes clichés et histoires.
Mais, je reste curieux, tu faits quoi en Chine? Quelques nuances m'ont indiqués que tu sois français, c'est ça? Je m'éxcuse mon mauvais français...
Cordialement
Sui-Leung
Bonjour Sui-Leung,Quote:
Originally Posted by colourblind
Je suis Français, je travaille dans les technologies web. Si tu as l'occasion de faire une telle balade, vas-y! Je le referai dès demain si je pouvais.
Hong Kong est une ville vraiment intéressante.
Cordialement
Brice
Hey Brice,
awesome ride, nice report, great pictures. Shitty story with that little girl, I am just happy that none of you two had any major injuries. I noticed the windshield you added to your bike sometime along the trip. Was it one of these cheapo ones that are attached to the rear mirrors? How did it hold up and how was the effect on you? Totla wind protection or only upper body? Would be nice to hear some feedback on this, thanks!
Dear fahni,Quote:
Originally Posted by fahni
Thanks for bringing back this nice thread which I missed. I ought to start digging into archives of MCM for jewels like this one.
Dear Brice,
I enjoyed your RR immensely. Very jealous of your being able to take such a long trip. I really admire your fearlessness in going on such a long journey by yourself and taking on all the situations as they come, absolutely my kind of trip. Those few days with those migrant workers (民工) on the truck living in an unfinished and unfurnished building (毛坯房) were priceless.
As far as your mishap with that country girl goes, I've been lucky so far after many trips in this country. The worst incident I had was running over a chicken, for which the farmer wanted to extract 250 rmb from us. Luckily I was with some Chinese friends and they would take none of the nonsense. We still ended up paying 40 rmb for a skinny chicken. Funny and sad at the same time.
Hope you come back and do more trips in China.
wow~~~good photos. i like it.
thank you ....
Hello Fahni,
Yes it was a cheap windshield used by the locals in Guizhou to protect themselves from the winter breeze. I paid it 60RMB and even haggle a little bit.... Most of my gears were the same as the local workers. I was and I'm still a cheap bastard.
It was efficient only for the upper body but I was glad to have it while crossing the plateau in Sichuan. My two big toes turned nearly black because of lack of decent thermal protection. You must protect your extremities (feet and hands) which are the first to suffer from the harsh cold.
Brice
Quote:
Originally Posted by fahni
Hello Milton,
Check the first ride reports of CrazyCarl, ChinaV or Franki.
In my opinion doing it solo is the best way. Not always easy but very rewarding.
The migrant workers episode was really an adventure in the adventure. These guys have not much, they live separated from their love ones fo months and still they are ready to help and share with a total stranger that put himself in the shit while touring. Once again it proves that the humbles are often the more generous.
The accident with the little girl is another lesson for me. With my thick westerner skull, It took me sometimes to understand why the Chinese dealt this way. These country side people have no medical coverage. If they don't get the money they can't afford to go to the hospital. So in some way it was normal that the richest of the two parties pay for the medical expenses whatever the circumstances of the accident. The practice was de facto accepted by my insurance company which took a part of the cost at its charge. Once you see the whole picture, you find it adequat.
I'm back in China since one month....
Cheers
Brice
Quote:
Originally Posted by milton
Wow i had totally missed this one!
Awesome report brice, one of the MCM greats! It's going to be an honor to have you in Xi'an.
Yamen,the Song Dynastylast great empire. The song of death makes Chinese civilization backwards
Hi Felix, I'm in Xi'an since few months now but unfortunately without a motorcycle. I live inside the second ring so it is a no go.Quote:
Originally Posted by felix
Instead I'm riding my folding bike and it would be quite fine if it wasn't the pollution... Big change here from Zhuhai.
I saw that most of the pics of the ride report were blocked and unvisible since few months. It is repaired.
Thats some good shit! Nice trip