The Long Goodbye: From Kunming to Urumqi

[Pat]

Day 3: Shaxi to ???

The next morning I set course for Luguhu. The road out of Shaxi is beautiful, winding through the mountains and over villages:



And through small markets:



Handles better in the mud than my bike:




The mountain pass that leads to Lijiang:



In Lijiang I stopped to get an oil change and meant to get gas on the way out of town, but before I knew it I was out by the train station and then on a perfect road out of the city heading towards Luguhu. The road seemed too good to be true – and it was. Sure enough, before long I reached a barrier and a handwritten sign that said “Luguhu” pointing towards a dirt track that climbed a mountain. I assumed it would be a quick little detour, but it turned out to be a complete reroute – I had no idea what road I was on or where I was going, and my GPS wasn’t much help throughout the rest of the afternoon:



But the road turned back to concrete and was actually in pretty good shape most of the day. At one point I even saw a fisheye! I hadn’t realized fisheye technology had reached China yet, but here I was – seeing around corners like some kind of superhero:



And around every corner there were consistently beautiful views:



The road was great, but they’re still working on barriers - wood: softer when you hit the barrier, harder when you hit the valley below! I think I’ll take concrete :)



Wherever I was, it was remote. My gas tank was emptying, my GPS kept telling me to turn around, I didn’t get the feeling that I was actually getting any closer to Luguhu, and so I stopped for lunch:



My little makeshift restaurant had a great view:



And storm clouds were gathering:



As my gas meter dropped to one bar, I started coasting any time I had a downhill and finally came to a sign of civilization - a gate to a park of some sort. I rode up to the gate and found someone to ask about how to get to Luguhu. And, as if conspiring with my GPS, he told me to turn around! “But I just came from that way! And I need gas!” He kept telling me Mingyin had gas – 22 km backward. “But I just came from that way and didn’t see any gas stations!” He kept insisting – and who was I to argue, after all, I had no idea where I was. So I typed Mingyin into the GPS, and sure enough, it was 22 km behind me. I turned around and set course, at least it was downhill and I could coast. And sure enough about 10 km later I reached an intersection I had barely noticed the first time through, the one intersection I had seen all afternoon, I had made a wrong turn! I went the other direction this time, and coasted shortly thereafter into a gas station that, I’m sure, has nothing but Grade A Petrol:



Things were looking up! My GPS now said U-Turn and go 373 kilometers, but a road sign said just 142 km! Needless to say, I went with the road sign:



The road continued to be spectacular:



And storms continued to threaten:



Running with (chasing) the lambs:



It was starting to get late and I was still hoping to reach Luguhu, but couldn’t resist taking photos:



The road wound round the mountain and began to descend into a valley. As I began descending, I started to see flashes of lightening and hear thunder. The storm was finally closing in. Twisties!



And little did I know, Luguhu was still on the other side of the mountain across the valley:



By the time I had made my way down to the bottom of the valley and crossed the river it had started to rain. I rode through a small village and the road turned to begin climbing yet another mountain. My GPS finally picked up the road I was on, and instead of the 50 km to Luguhu that I thought I had left, it said 80. As I looked at the upcoming mountain, now shrouded in angry black clouds, a villager came out and said “It’s raining, go back to the village and stay in an inn!” The voice of wisdom. I turned around and found a small inn (i.e. a room with a bed) run by a Mosuo family. I had dinner, hung out a bit with some of the family, and to add to the ambiance, they gave me a candle – the power was out due to the storm:



I climbed into bed to the sound of rain pounding down on the sheet metal awning, hoping the storm would pass before morning.

[Pat]

Day 4: ??? to Luguhu

It didn’t. It rained all night long and waking up in the morning, it was still sprinkling:



And to add insult to injury, as I was getting ready to go, I tweaked my back lifting my case onto the back of the bike! It hurt, but wasn’t totally debilitating, so I limped around finishing packing the bike and rode back to the bridge I had crossed the night before:



And then rode back through the town to tackle the mountain. I rode up into the mist:



The storm had taken a toll on the mountain, and small landslides dotted the road:



But the rain stopped, and the mist gradually lifted:



And then I hit a thick patch of mud, with a stuck truck:



I rode through twenty yards or so and then got stuck myself. As much as I revved the engine, I couldn’t get the bike to move forward and the back kept sliding out. Fortunately, as a group of guys coming the other direction waited for the truck to get out of the way they got out to help me. In an attempt to lighten the load, we took all my gear off the bike and they took turns helping me push the bike through the mud. Slowly but surely we were able to get it out of the thick mud:



Exhausted, I parked the bike to rest and reload the gear. One of the workers at the sight came over and instructed me to “ride in the water because the ground is harder there!” Sound advice. I got back on the bike and took off, grateful for all their help and relieved to be through that little mini-ordeal. The dirt and light mud continued for a couple more turns and then with the asphalt in sight:



Are you kidding me?!

Literally inches away from the pavement, the bike slipped out from under me. I tried to lift the bike, but it was too heavy. I found a rock on the side of the road and sat. To make matters worse, there was basically no traffic on this road, so I assumed I was going to be in for a long wait before I could flag down help. If my back hadn’t hurt so much, I would have kicked myself. Several minutes later I heard someone yelling from up above the embankment. “Hallo! Can you help me?” I yelled back. We unintelligibly yelled back and forth and then this older gentleman cloaked in sheepskin emerged from the mist:



The two of us lifted the bike up:



And he walked off into the distance:



But now the bike wouldn’t start. I pushed the ignition and there was no reaction whatsoever. I assumed the engine was flooded and so I sat back down on my rock to wait. I waited half an hour, and it still wouldn’t start. I noticed the engine was still really hot, and even though the indicator light hadn’t gone off, I thought I’d burn some time by filling a discarded beer bottle with water and pouring it over the bike to cool it down:



I was bloody thirsty at this point and down to one gulp of water in my bottle. As the occasional tour bus would go by, I pantomimed drinking and after a few tries a bus actually stopped and gave me a bottle:



After an hour, I got back on the bike and… it started!

But try as I might, I couldn’t get it ride the last foot up onto the concrete. I quickly wore myself out again, and sat back down on my rock to wait for another car to pass. At last a car came by, and they stopped to help me push the bike up the last foot up onto the tarmac. As we pushed the bike, they realized that the front tire was totally cemented by mud and wasn’t spinning! At least I knew why the bike slid out from under me – and why I couldn’t get back up on the tarmac – the front tire was locked up by mud. We set to work digging mud out of the fender. I pulled out my tools to find the allen wrench to take off the fender, and of course the wrench that was included with the bike was too big! So we were left using sticks:



After another half an hour, we finally pried enough mud out to get the bike moving again. I graciously thanked the guys for their help and we went our separate ways. Sacred ground:



I was elated to be on the road again but just a few kilometers later:



I stopped to analyze this patch of mud, looking at different lines I could take. The curb was pretty clean, except for one really thick patch – which left me imagining falling into the ditch. I opted for the fairly beaten down center patch, backed the bike up about thirty yards to get some momentum going into the mud, and then:



Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was really too much. I barely even touched the mud and the bike went down! I unpacked my gear and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could lift it pretty easily if my gear wasn’t on the bike. I got back on the bike and sure enough, the front tire was locked up again. I went to work using sticks and my fingers to pry out mud. Sweating, panting for air, and almost out of water again, I had to stop periodically to rest and managed to pantomime another bottle of water out of a passing bus.

The mud felt hard as a brick underneath fender – and I really could barely even reach it with my fingers. It was already two p.m. – I had been on the road since 8 a.m. – and had only gone 30 kilometers so far, and probably only about two in the last five hours.

I didn’t think I could get the mud out with my fingers and so I decided to try and flag a ride down to next city, still 50 km away, to get the right tools. I got the cover out, covered the bike, and saw an approaching truck. I flagged them down – and it was the guy who had told me to ride through the water!

Three guys jumped out and they immediately went to work on the mud. One of them found a nearby puddle and a littered water bottle (not mine!) and began spraying water up into the fender. Slowly but surely, caked mud continued to fall out of the fender, and eventually they told me to get on the bike and give it try.

I jumped on, started it up, and… it moved! Relief washed over me. I turned it around and road half a kilometer back down the mountain and then back up hoping to knock out some more mud. Returning to the mud, I picked the line down the middle again, and the four of us pushed the bike through to the other side. I was so happy.

My heros:



The guys waited for me to repack the bike and told me to go ahead first to make sure I didn’t have any further problems. I thanked them, took some pictures, and then was on the road again. The road was good the rest of the way and I tried to appreciate the first signs of Tibetan culture:



And a valley with a village and flowers:



And reaching the first city at Luguhu, I immediately stopped for a bike wash:



Fully formed bricks fell out from under the fender and he had to go back to the fender three separate times to get all the mud out. Once the bike was washed, he turned the hose on me and sprayed down my pants and boots. Good as new!

And soon enough I finally saw Luguhu:



Not me:



And quickly made new friends:



Nine hours and ninety kilometers later, exhausted, relieved, cold, wet, and hungry I made it a hotel. I showered (hot water!) and found a restaurant for dinner. The owner struck up a conversation and I told her about the day I had just had – and she told me she had a set of allen wrenches I could have. Things were looking up!

All in all, I wasn’t sure what the day meant yet, but it was definitely a gut check. What happened? Why were just a couple patches of mud such a set back? Did this mean I had to avoid all mud? (The answer would end up being no :) ) I was already planning to take a rest day in Luguhu, so I planned to use the next day to do route planning.

In the meantime, there’s nothing like a touch of adversity to remind us how dependent we are upon each other and how often total strangers are willing to go out of their way to help. The list of people who helped:

The four guys who helped push the bike out of the mud, the mysterious old man who emerged from the mist, two bus drivers who gave me bottles of water, the two guys who helped me get the mud out from the front fender, the three other guys who helped me get mud out of the fender and push the bike through the last spot of mud, and the owner of the restaurant who gave me a set of allen wrenches.

Incredible.

[prince666]

Hi Pat
Well done to sick it out and to get over all that mud! Did someone say on here what a great choice of bike The GW was to do this trip !!! IMO it a street bike and here in china you just don't know what's Around the corner ! As you have found out , just done a trip and still on the trip from Hainan to Thailand and rode into Yunnan as well but more south , someone on MCM did post and said he Could not work out why I am doing this ride on a 125cc YBR G when I have a CF 650 TR If a May Pat can I post a few pictures of some of the road condition I came across 3 weeks ago Like you some was very bad but unlike you Pat the YBR G just plough through the Mud with no And will say "lucky" no falls . I would like to say to other people who are thinink about rides in Yunnan province ( this time of year wet season) like mine and Pat think about what bike will be best !! Street bikes with street tyres no no
A big engine 650 TR with street tyres no no no
Even a full off road trail bike which don't have a good size tank IMO no , but a good ADV bike with some dual sports tyres will be fine , I am just so happy I dint take the TR now

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[prince666]

Just a few more pictures if you don't mine


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See how the correct tyres help !

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Have a save trip Pat thanks for letting me post some pictures

[ZMC888]

Pat, you are experiencing the typical problem with doing any distance in China. The roads are simply dysfunctional. Massively overloaded trucks smash the roads being a former truck driver I know that many times they are running double any kind of reasonable axle weight, and using piss weak tiny engines (probably they think to save money on fuel = myth) so the roads need to be rebuilt at least once every 5 years or properly maintained every year. With a lazy unaccountable government who'd rather traffic paid for using the freeways the suddenly have road repairs with no thought to road users or any diversion given, this usually in the summer. So we do the math, 20% of the roads will need to be rebuilt every year, but they only do this half the year, therefore about 40% of the roads are under repair. So in theory we can ride road bikes on a tour in China, in reality in the summer you're gonna need a dirt bike, or road/trail bike. Maybe a modded front mudguard and a road/trail tires are what you need!

I think that designer front mudguard needs a hacksaw!

[prince666]

Pat, you are experiencing the typical problem with doing any distance in China. The roads are simply dysfunctional. Massively overloaded trucks smash the roads being a former truck driver I know that many times they are running double any kind of reasonable axle weight, and using piss weak tiny engines (probably they think to save money on fuel = myth) so the roads need to be rebuilt at least once every 5 years or properly maintained every year. With a lazy unaccountable government who'd rather traffic paid for using the freeways the suddenly have road repairs with no thought to road users or any diversion given, this usually in the summer. So we do the math, 20% of the roads will need to be rebuilt every year, but they only do this half the year, therefore about 40% of the roads are under repair. So in theory we can ride road bikes on a tour in China, in reality in the summer you're gonna need a dirt bike, or road/trail bike. Maybe a modded front mudguard and a road/trail tires are what you need!

I think that designer front mudguard needs a hacksaw!

Now you understand why I didn't take the TR ZMC888

[MotoKai]

Your RRs will be missed Pat.

Enjoying this one very much. Thank you!

Ride Safe......

[bikerdoc]

Pat, you are experiencing the typical problem with doing any distance in China. The roads are simply dysfunctional. Massively overloaded trucks smash the roads being a former truck driver I know that many times they are running double any kind of reasonable axle weight, and using piss weak tiny engines (probably they think to save money on fuel = myth) so the roads need to be rebuilt at least once every 5 years or properly maintained every year. With a lazy unaccountable government who'd rather traffic paid for using the freeways the suddenly have road repairs with no thought to road users or any diversion given, this usually in the summer. So we do the math, 20% of the roads will need to be rebuilt every year, but they only do this half the year, therefore about 40% of the roads are under repair. So in theory we can ride road bikes on a tour in China, in reality in the summer you're gonna need a dirt bike, or road/trail bike. Maybe a modded front mudguard and a road/trail tires are what you need!...

+1

************************************************** *
Pat, really a great RR and escape...

TIC...

[ZMC888]

Now you understand why I didn't take the TR ZMC888

You can buy road/trail tires for your TR or a CF.
http://www.pirelli.com/tire/us/en/mo...subtype%3Droad

[prince666]

Thank you for the link , for sure these tyres would help in the mud , but not convince it would of been wise to take the TR and you still have the problem with all the mud getting stuck up under the
Front wheel mud guard and I am sure with road/trail tyres would of made things a lot better with the TR !! But one way to find out , try them
Look how much mud got stuck under Pat from mud guard

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