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Around China in 100 days
Hey guys,
On the 9th of March 2011 a friend and I will start our 20,000 kilometer motorcycle journey around China. It’s going to take us 100 days to travel from Chongqing anti-clockwise around the 3rd largest country in the world toChina arrive back in Chonqing in Mid-June. We’ll be driving Chinese-made Lifan motorcycles. I’m on an LF150-3K and Lulu is on an LF100-2V. Both are the kinds of bikes commonly seen on Chinese streets and they’re no exactly specialized for touring, so we’ll see how this goes. I was planning to do it on a Shineray 200GY-7, but recently my friend was adamant that she come along and talked to Lifan who kindly decided to let us borrow two of their new bikes. The Lifan is not nearly as smooth over the roads at the Shineray, but it vibrates a hell of a lot less, so my arms don’t feel like jelly after several hours riding any more. I will have an iron butt after a couple of weeks though.
Us on motos and with the Chongqing motorcycle club
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Trip route
http://aroundchina.org/wp-content/up...6%9C%AC640.gif
Along the way we hope to raise USD$20,000 for the Half the Sky Foundation, a non-governmental organization that works with orphans all over China. Half the Sky is one of only 6 NGOs registered with the government of the People’s Republic of China, and they’ve been awarded a four star rating, the highest possible, on www.charitynavigator.com.
We will be fundraising for the Infant Nurture Program at the Half the Sky Centre in Urumqi, Xinjiang. They work with government run orphanage to recruit and train unemployed women from the community to become full-time nannies for the 150 young children at the center. Each of these nannies provide 3-5 orphaned babies the stimulation, bonding and affection that are essential to a healthy start.
Right now, we don’t have the registration for the bikes, but we hope to get that tomorrow, otherwise we’ll have to push back the starting date (again!!). After planning this for so many months it seems absurd that the start should be delayed so significantly much, but this is China and anything can happen.
We have a long way to go to reach our goal and it would be great to have some donations coming in from the generous guys and girls on MCM. If you would like to donate (or are just curious) check out www.aroundchina.org, or if you would like find out more about Half the Sky’s other programs their site is www.halfthesky.org
I’ll be doing my best to post here on the forum as often as possible.
Cheers:riding:
Jeremy
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Welcome to the forum and good luck with your trip. You are doing 200km/day on average, which sounds high. Will be tough trip!
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Yes, welcome to you and thanks for the info. Ride safe.
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Jeremy,
From the looks of your launch in Chongqing, looks like you and Lulu and the club have done a lot of organizing. With a high profile, you'll be riding as an ambassador for safe recreational motorcycling in China, which is awesome. Big responsibility. Hope when the local media who will be greeting you shove microphones in your face you can say a good word or two about how motorcycles, if ridden safely and responsibly, are an advantage to society, not the curse that we are so often painted to be -- especially by city planners and policymakers. Just have two or three sentences that you or Lulu can trot out every time, in addition to your promotion of the excellent Half the Sky charity.
Oh, and also about how motorcycles are not just for guys!!
Good luck, and ride safe. Looking forward to reading your progress reports!
cheers
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Re: Around China in 100 days
I wonder a round trip like this high for local Chinese would be good opportunity to demonstrate different view about the motorcycle ban. Oh, at the edge of off topic. Good luck though.
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Re: Around China in 100 days
We often go off topic, don't worry. Makes it all human and we learn other stuff. gives us all good ideas. New members soon get used to that I hope!
I would like to see some joint trips, half Chinese, half 'foreign'. Like the Pyle brothers did, how much more relevant if half Chinese crew and riders instead of foreigners 'touring' through other people's homes and making DVD's? Now I don't mean just wife/GF or companion as in this case although that must help!
I mean sponsored or at least arranged rides to show what td-ref and Euphonius say, that bikes can be fun and safe for travel through a wonderful land, not just a tool for poor peasants that cannot afford cars yet. It might stop some of the divide between city and country and area and area as well.
I can imagine a ride with MCM members meeting each other in relays as they are passing through areas, but also meeting Chinese bike clubs for dinner and BBQ and to ride along on some legs, and inviting llocal farmers with bikes to join in on family days once a week as they travel along, or some similar. A slow, friendly trip building up momentum and showing we actually appreciate our Chinabikes and friends? Lots of ideas for media and messages for the good of all.
In fact, I can imagine the 'MCM annual slow tour across China' trip. Need to get that badge designed though.
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Biggest challenge, Jape, is language. MCM because it's in English is not very accessible to most Chinese riders. There are tons of forums in Chinese, and though I speak and read Chinese pretty well I find them daunting and don't go in there much. Google Translate gets us a lot closer, but until such a day as the language interface is seamless it's hard to bridge these two communities.
I will be trying to spend more time with Chinese riders this year. It's another reason why I like the Bike Night concept, since it makes it a lot easier for Chinese to participate. If we make it a regular thing, and post to a couple of forums, I bet it would really take off.
cheers
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but definitely check out MoTuoMi 摩托迷. That's the one that all of us in Shanghai use. There are definitely a TON of Chinese riders and we need to get something going like jape said. Every time I try to get anyone to go anywhere longer than 3-4 days, though, things fall apart.
Anyways...back to the point. Best of luck on your trip! Definitely will be following this, and damn that is a high-profile launch! You must be very excited, provided everything is still going to plan. Safe riding, and you should have gone with the Shineray :D
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jape
We often go off topic, don't worry. Makes it all human and we learn other stuff. gives us all good ideas. New members soon get used to that I hope!
I would like to see some joint trips, half Chinese, half 'foreign'. Like the Pyle brothers did, how much more relevant if half Chinese crew and riders instead of foreigners 'touring' through other people's homes and making DVD's? Now I don't mean just wife/GF or companion as in this case although that must help!
I mean sponsored or at least arranged rides to show what td-ref and Euphonius say, that bikes can be fun and safe for travel through a wonderful land, not just a tool for poor peasants that cannot afford cars yet. It might stop some of the divide between city and country and area and area as well.
I can imagine a ride with MCM members meeting each other in relays as they are passing through areas, but also meeting Chinese bike clubs for dinner and BBQ and to ride along on some legs, and inviting llocal farmers with bikes to join in on family days once a week as they travel along, or some similar. A slow, friendly trip building up momentum and showing we actually appreciate our Chinabikes and friends? Lots of ideas for media and messages for the good of all.
In fact, I can imagine the 'MCM annual slow tour across China' trip. Need to get that badge designed though.
That's a great idea Jape. We had about 10 guys from the motorcycle club in Chongqing come with us on the first day which was a great way to ease into things (and check out their bikes). Lulu has contacted the guys from motofans in Guangzhou to see if they're interested in a ride along to support the charity when we head out from there in a week. If anyone in Guangzhou is free you should come along, if even for an hour or two.
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Re: Around China in 100 days
This sounds like an amazing trip for a good cause, keep us posted as you make it from one city to the next!
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Re: Around China in 100 days
More info on the Guangzhou portion of your trip please? You're not really going to ride into that city, are you?
Cheers!
ChinaV
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Re: Around China in 100 days
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Originally Posted by
ChinaV
More info on the Guangzhou portion of your trip please? You're not really going to ride into that city, are you?
Cheers!
ChinaV
Nope. The friendly police people will probably take my bike away, or at least give me a hefty fine. We want to arrange something close to the city but don't know where the best place for this would be. Any suggestions?
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Re: Around China in 100 days
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Originally Posted by
GRF_Hans
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but definitely check out
MoTuoMi 摩托迷. That's the one that all of us in Shanghai use. There are definitely a TON of Chinese riders and we need to get something going like jape said. Every time I try to get anyone to go anywhere longer than 3-4 days, though, things fall apart.
Anyways...back to the point. Best of luck on your trip! Definitely will be following this, and damn that is a high-profile launch! You must be very excited, provided everything is still going to plan. Safe riding, and you should have gone with the Shineray :D
Hey Hans, we have a couple of numbers of some interested motorfans guys in Guangzhou. I'm sure they won't be joining us for more than a day though, especially at such short notice.
Thanks for the suggestion and good luck with your Shineray engine. My Shineray is probably feeling sad and isolated sitting in the Lifan warehouse in Chongqing. I almost feel guilty leaving it behind after promising it so much.
Hopefully you guys get going soon. You've got a great ride report there.
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Re: Around China in 100 days
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Originally Posted by
Roadrunner
Nope. The friendly police people will probably take my bike away, or at least give me a hefty fine. We want to arrange something close to the city but don't know where the best place for this would be. Any suggestions?
Do you need to go there for some reason? Everything within 50 kilometers is disgusting and highly congested. I would try to stay as far north as possible, look around Zengcheng.
Here are some routes across Guangdong that I suggested to "Middle Kingdom Ride" guys when they came through.
http://www.contactdi.com/2010/rp/Overview2.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/2010/rp/Overview3.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/2010/rp/Overview4.jpg
Cheers!
ChinaV
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Great job your doing Jeremy.
Your trip looks like a real challenge and for a great cause.
Best of luck. Keep us posted.
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Convoy. in Guizhou .The next day. 10/3/2011
I'm Stormknight from Chongqing. I Convoy for Lulu and Jimmy, Chongqing to Tongzi Guizhou Probably 280KM.
We Farewell in Tongzi,at 17:30, Then I back Chongqing's home at 24:00. very fast,HA HA !the journey very happy!
God bless,wish they bon voyage!
Welcome to www.moyoucn.com
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Re: Around China in 100 days
This is sooooooooo cool! Thanks for the great ride report!
Good luck to you, and I look forward to more pics!
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Stormknight! Fantastic posts! Thanks so much. If anyone had any doubts, your pictures show just how awesome Guizhou is for motorcycling. Thanks for documenting this leg of the 100 Days journey!
Lovely!
cheers
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Some breathtaking roads in Guizhuo and very friendly generous people, I had many free meals and bike repairs there..
Keep up the good work guys and and keep posting some pics and details of your future routes so we can advise, chinaV's 3 route across Guangdong is a real peach.
p.s. Lulu looks like a great riding buddy, is her jacket any good? have armour?
I'm looking for one for my girlfriend
rich:thumbsup:
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Looks like the beginning of an amazing journey that'll shape you guys for the rest of your lives! Really amazing stuff guys, ride safe!
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Re: Around China in 100 days
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Originally Posted by
ChinaV
We have to go to Guangzhou to pick up some decent luggage cases for the bikes. Lulu only has a backpack and two small CITS bags to strap onto the rack and they aren't waterproof. We are also planning on doing a short presentation and fundraiser there, which is being organised.
Thanks for the route. We are in a small town near Huaiji at the moment so should get to Foshan tomorrow afternoon. We'll spend a day doing trip stuff before leaving on our way to Fujian on Sunday morning. We'll follow your route #1 through Zengcheng and should have a couple of motorfans riders with us for a bit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stormknight
Convoy. in Guizhou .The next day. 10/3/2011
I'm Stormknight from Chongqing. I Convoy for Lulu and Jimmy, Chongqing to Tongzi Guizhou Probably 280KM.
We Farewell in Tongzi,at 17:30, Then I back Chongqing's home at 24:00. very fast,HA HA !the journey very happy!
God bless,wish they bon voyage!
Welcome to
www.moyoucn.com
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Thanks alot for putting those pictures up Stormknight, and thanks for coming with us so far.
I haven't had the time to update the thread with info and pics from the ride, so that's grand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
richardktm
Some breathtaking roads in Guizhuo and very friendly generous people, I had many free meals and bike repairs there..
Keep up the good work guys and and keep posting some pics and details of your future routes so we can advise, chinaV's 3 route across Guangdong is a real peach.
p.s. Lulu looks like a great riding buddy, is her jacket any good? have armour?
I'm looking for one for my girlfriend
rich:thumbsup:
I'd love to take route #3 but we're a little short on time.
Lulu is a great riding buddy. Tougher than I am for sure! Her jacket is a little small and only water resistant (the suit is possibly missing a waterproof lining), so she has been wearing one of those long blue plastic raincoats to keep the rain out. My suit is similar, but it has two inner linings, one waterproof and one to keep you warm.
It didn't come with armour, but has pockets for when we do get our hands on some.
Cheers for the support guys. We're averaging 10 hours a day on the road so we're plenty sore, but the riding is amazing.
Cheers,
Jeremy
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Re: Around China in 100 days
Thanks of the report, good pictures. Looks like yoiu are having great time there.
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great, i look forward to your Guangdong pictures. Until now only saw it from behind a window in the train but lots of mountains and nice weather.
Have fun!
