Andy (R1150GSA), Kurt (R1100GS) and Michael (JH600).

Day 1 - To Inner Mongolia, directly and as quick as possible

Beijing - Huairou - Fengning - Datan - Daerhao - No name Lake
340 km, 98% tarmac

Michael and me (Andy) left Beijing around 6:30 in the morning after we finished loading the bikes. We haven't packed properly the night before, since it's inconvenient to do it in darkness at the parking lot.


Michael doing final packing


Andy still sorting


We picked up Kurt from his home before we started to move North.


Kurt loading the GS


We rode North from Beijing, through Huairou and then followed national road G111 until Tanghekou, where we had our breakfast.


Breakfast is served


Michael enjoying brekkie


After the break, continuing on G111, we made the 90kms to Fengning in only 1 hour and 15 minutes - what a great (fast) ride it was.
This time we passed the border post to Hebei without being checked.
In Fengning we filled up our bikes with 97 gasoline and left the chaotic town. It was Saturday noon, the peak market time as we passed through and decided to have a lunch beer in a village nearby, where, to our surprise we got hands on a cold beer.


Good shopping


Market street


Kurt somehow managed to break his left mirror, but the local craftsman was able to weld it together in less than 5 minutes at 2 RMB.


Welding in progress


Ten kilometers North of Fengning we left G111 and turned West on a minor road towards Datan. Amazing scenery opened up in the valley we rode through.


View into a valley


Another great view


Temple


After we climbed a pass at 1800m, we reached Datan to stock some drinks for the evening. As usual we were surrounded by curious locals interested in the big bikes.


Pass


Curious local bikers


Old lady talking to us


Beer reserves


The final stage for the day lead us further North to Daerhao where we left the paved road to ride on a dirt track to get to "No name Lake", where we spotted a perfect campsite. Surrounded by trees and bushes we were almost invisibly hidden. We were lucky that a huge thunderstorm just passed by and left only a few drops on us.


Campsite


Around the camp


Near campsite


Thunderstorm approaching


Dinner was prepared and eaten quickly, and after washing the dishes in the lake we started to kill our liquid reserves.


Kurt and Michael - cooking ?


Yeah,cooking


Sitting around a small campfire, we had some local, not so tasty beer and genuine German Schnaps.
Around midnight we were all wrapped in our bags and fell asleep quickly.





campfire


Another view


To be continued ...