Kunming -> Chengdu -> Kunming [2010]

[Lao Jia Hou]

Really a great report - thanks!

Waiting for the next installment

[slabo]

Thanks for all the kind words, nice to know someone is reading this. Very fond memories for me.

Day4 is writeup due tomorrow.

[dewsnap]

Inspirational ride report Slabo... Eagerly anticpating Day 4.

Euphonius, did you mention once that you did Shanghai to Beijing? I would LOVE to see that written up.

[slabo]

Day 4

Rain, little did I know this will be a long long day. 9 am, a marching band of drummers. I rode for 10 minutes in the rain, and quickly decided I need some more protection. I bought the common overcoat everyone everyone on electric scooters buys, for double the price of course. It quickly find out it's useless, at least against Chengdu rain and on a motorbike. At least my boots are holding up so far, and I don't feel too cold yet. I manage to sneak past the toll gate hidden behind a truck... and now back on the highway. I'm running late, and I really don't want to miss that boat.



The road was terrible. The other side was being repaired, so the road going north had traffic in both directions, one lane each. The potholes had their own potholes. I had the best vehicle for such a road, really I didn't mind, bike took it all easily. That didn't last long. Highway patrol caught up to me, they were calling for me to stop, but I played dumb and let them chase me for another 2km. Road opened up soon, two lanes, so they caught up with me and I was forced to politely pull over.

I tried the "I don't speak Chinese" scheme for a bit, but then as I was getting off the bike to show my papers... I splashed the officer with the most stars with all the water in my "pouch" hehe... Bad reflex, I said "bu hao yissa, diuboxi" .. in a very convincing tone. They all jumped around .. "you speak chinese!!!"

They escorted me off the highway, and found a translator to speak to me over the phone. "You must go back to Yibin, leave the bike there, and take the bus to Chengdu.. you can't ride here, it's dangerous!!" me: "No" This dialog was repeated and went back and forth for sometime, while I tried to dry my boots and the villagers were gathering around to look at the monkey, (me).... All the time I was thinking.. I really don't have time for this... I have to make it to Chengdu tonight.




An hour later, they understand that I'm not taking the bus. They found someone to show me the way to Zigong...Adventure begins here… All the time I was wishing I had tires with better road profile. Soon, I will start to really like my bike the way it is. I wish I had a helmet cam for this section. A local villager rode with me for about 2 km to show me the way, and so far it looks just gorgeous, I can't imagine a better road.






That didn't last long. For the next ~40km, the road was unpaved, and muddy as muddy can be. Here, I'm very thankful I have knobbies. Workers were prepping to lay asphalt. The narrow road was split into two lanes, one smooth and packed with soft gravel, the other still rough with rocks and what not. There's a sign that I think is said I'm not supposed to be on the side with packed gravel. But now I'm really angry at everyone and everything for wasting a very important 2 hours from my day, everyone else's fault but mine of course, so I thought I can make it up by riding on the better side of the road.


Workers wave me down motioning for me to go to the other lane, I ignore them and continue riding, switching lanes if I need to pass anything, and really pushing the bike. A policeman comes riding in the opposite direction on a motorcycle with an umbrella. He's trying to wave his right hand motioning for me to stop, but his front looses grip, crashes into the mud. Ah, they can't follow me, i thought, and I will not stop anymore.. Now I'm really pushing my luck.


I come up to a van and a truck going in opposite directions trying to pass each other... ahh, too slow, i see a gap between the two and make a run for it. Last moment, the small van turns to my side, hits me with his door and I bounce off to the other lane. Just my pride, mirror, and horn mount broken. I stuff the bits into the bag and ride on.


A few Km later I come to a police checkpoint. A few minutes later I look behind me to find the same policeman that crashed earlier… He's been following me all the way! And seems they have radios, hehe.. He shouts something and turned back, didn't approach me. Another policeman at the checkpoint snatches my key and steps back. ARRRGHHH


I have no idea what they're saying in their ugly Sichuan accent, but I answer something anyway. There were two policemen, one has my keys, and the other is friendly and trying to talk to me. I start pointing to the Speedo and repeating 800, 800… Wo hen lei.. hen lei... and to the guy with my keys I shout "give me my f** keys"... This goes on for 10 minutes when finally the guy with my keys steps closer. I snatch my keys and start off, slowly because that's how the Shineray likes to go... but so far no one is calling me... phew...

Not proud of any of this, but really the only thing on my mind was getting to Chengdu ASAP


Lunch. By now I'm totally soaked. I'm swimming in my boots. But the mud in my boots is kind of soothing, like a sensual massage. Or I'm just really tired.



I had noodles with something, and a steamed bun (mentou). I saw what looks like a cockroach's leg in my mentaou, but I just ate around it anyway. So tired I don't really care. I was sitting with about 20 kids an old man. The old man was trying to say something in English..



Like I said before, the my gps turned out to be be useless from even before I left Kunming. I stopped by a wangbar(internet café) and checked the route between Yibin and Chengdu. I wrote down the names of the towns I should pass through, and that's my map. I got lost of course. Here I tried to stop this police car, the lady was driving. She wouldn't stop first, then I blocked the car, she looked and suddenly said ahh.. wigou ren!!



She showed me the way to the next town..



It's 7.30, and I'm still more than 200km away from Chengdu. By now I can't hold the bike straight anymore. I usually try to stay away from trucks, but now I saw them as a blessing. I rode as close as possible in their light. In my head, I called them big brother.



Soon, even the trucks left me. And it started raining again. I give up, no way, I can't make it to Chendgu tonight. I'll have to find a place to sleep. But the last town I passed through was 3 hours ago, and no hotels since.



At 9pm, I see what looks like a small guesthouse. I saw three lit rooms upstairs and what could be a big dinning hall on the ground floor. I think : ok, at least I should get something to eat and drink, then maybe I can push on another 100km. I pull over, and walk in. I see a man sitting alone watching TV.
Ni hao.
Ni hao.
Chengdu dou shao daole? Gonli, Gonmi.. dou shao? (in broken Chinese I'm trying to ask how far is Chengdu.)
I don't know what he said, but I just catch the number 100
Aha... Long pause.
Then I literally said: wo yao che dongshi.
Ok.
A minute later, a lady in robe comes down and starts to cook. Strange, I think to myself, no menu, they didn't ask me what I want.. i don't care.. Then they give me some tea, and fruit. Still, it's all very confusing to me... but I sit there and wait. A young girl comes down and starts helping the lady in the robe. Strange..
Then the girl starts talking, and I notice she speaks perfect english! She works for the Ritz hotel chain training staff to communicate in English. She was home for the holiday.



When I got my senses back, I ask for a room. The girl tells its their home!!! Shit! Imagine someone walks into your home while you're watching TV, and says I want to eat something. I look like an old street cat, but these people gave me food and drink, a bowl of hot watch to dip my feet in, and slippers!



They let me sleep on one of the benches. They gave me thick heavy blankets and after a small photoshoot, bid me goodnight. I brushed myteeth and washed my face and jump into 'bed'. It's 10.45 now, but I just can't sleep.
12.30: the door is open and two ladies walk in. The go in a I didn't see before just where I'm sleeping. Sounds like they're chopping carrots. They're cooking. I can hear the gas burning and the wok banging against the stove. 1.15, some 20 people come in. Sit down, and start eating. I still can't sleep. After they finish eating, a man sees my eyes are open, brings up a chair and sits near me, he light's up a cigarette, and while puffing in my face, offers me one. Ahhhhhh... this will be a long night. But maybe it's better than being hungry in a tent. I don't smoke, never did, probably never will, but the questioning and smoking went on. Eventhough I don't understand anything they're saying, and really wasn't making any effort to answer them, still they probably found it entertaining watching a laowai trying to sleep. This went on untill 3 am, then everyone left. I probably fell asleep at 4.



Next morning I woke up at 7.30. They told me they rent the hall and the kitchen in the back to the factory workers next door to use as a canteen. So the night before, I met the night shift. Maybe that's why it looked like a guest house first?



I will never forget these people. I probably owe them my life. Anyone planning on passing through Rongshen? A town 100km south of Chengdu. I promised I will send them the pictures we took together someday.

[slabo]

Inspirational ride report Slabo... Eagerly anticpating Day 4.

Euphonius, did you mention once that you did Shanghai to Beijing? I would LOVE to see that written up.

Ditto But I know he's done trip(s) longer than that. And I know what Euphonius does for a living. Journalist/photographer and he's been in China since forever. Euphonis, your perspective on China from the road would be invaluable. If you start, maybe you would end up writing a book!

[Lao Jia Hou]

Slabo - your Day 4 report is excellent!

I was laughing my head off as you described your venture to the "Inn" for a night's lodging.

But it is so true, and in line with my experiences in China - people are overwhelmingly friendly, helpful and welcoming. But perhaps this family didn't know they were harboring a fugitive, running from the police checkpoints ... a genuine "outlaw biker" looking for a hideout to lay low for a while!

Great report!

PS: I've gotta remember your line "the potholes had their own potholes" ... classic

[moilami]

Thanks again, a great report.

[GRF_Hans]

That is a hilarious story man. It's amazing how things work out in the end, isn't it! Riding in the rain is definitely not fun, either. Stay warm and safe.

[felix]

Excellent report! All that stuff happened in one day?!? Badass.

[slabo]

Day 5
Not much happened this day. Woke up, packed my stuff and got on the bike. Found some ducks on the way.



In Chengdu I met a friend. He took a photo of my completely soaked under a bridge, a photo of the "i did it moment". Somehow I lost it. After lunch and two coffees, I was starting to dry up. He showed me to his apartment where I was to leave the bike for two days. After that, I headed to the Sichuan Provincial Gymnasium to meet the group. I was half and hour early. Suddenly I sensed a foul smell of rotten fish ... oh, that must be me. I headed into one of the outdoor shops and bought a new shirt, washed my face a bit... Ahh, better. On the bus I still wreaked of stinking fish but the AC was on..



That day we practiced rowing, how to hold the oar, how to stay in synch with the team... Next day we were racing against some 10 other well trained Chinese teams and another team of laowais from some Chengdu university. We beat the other laowais by ~3 minutes(15 minutes race for us, but this was probably just a warmup for the Chinese, just to get us out of the way.)
I packed up, all my stuff still wet, and we got on the bus back to Chengdu. Now I have a chance to think and reflect on the trip.

It was painful. For two days I was wet and cold. All the time I was trying to out my mind elsewhere. As marathon runners say: Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Later I called the trip Experiments in Pain. I didn't expect this. I rarely carry an umbrella, even when it's raining, I don't usually mind getting wet. I used to ride a bicycle everyday in London. I actually enjoyed the mud and rain at times. But this was different. I didn't have a chance to stop for photos or talk to locals as much as wanted. Three days, three nights and two half days, and I barely had time for anything but being in the saddle, I didn't think it would be that way. But really all of this is avoidable. I have more than enough money to buy all the proper gear I need in Chengdu(I read there are plenty of shops well stocked with motorcycle gear here). I have two days, I will figure out navigating with the GPS on my phone, and buy whatever I need to stay dry. Also I should change the rear gear to something smaller, to get a bit more top end at lower rpm. No problems, everything will be ok.