We follow the 303 for several days, getting higher and closer to Tibet. The scenery is gobsmackingly beautiful and the road at times is so new we ride on smoking asphalt.
We pass through Xiaojin and Danba and eventually we come to Litang. Its not possible to go further west without a guide and various permits so we turn south towards Daocheng. We ride for days, stopping to eat and sleep. The names of the towns mean nothing we just enjoy the roads. Everything is cheap and the cops give us no trouble, we are cruising. We come to Peoples Provincial Highway (S216) heading south from Xianggelilazhen. Seeing this bridge. We are afraid and do not want to cross the bridge.

We ride along the valley but there is no other bridge or ford. The river is high and fast, a dirty brown uninviting mess that I don’t even want to look at. Turning around and riding back hundreds of km is our option so Murray walks down to inspect the bridge. He doesn’t come back so I scramble down the goat track which passes as the approach road. There are signs of recent maintenance and the cables are greased and at least 25mm in diameter, there are lots of cables, the bridge is actually strong. It is however swaying about like a drunken whore and just like a drunken whore we decide to ride it.
When I say ride I mean cross it. I had no intention of riding across as the thing was swaying like the aforementioned whore. I took off my jacket and helmet, slipped the bike into first and walked it over then rode up the track on the far side. Murray just rode straight over in full gear. We were now on the Wawa highway to Muli.
The bridge sets the tone for the Wawa. The road is rough as guts made of rocks and red clay, remote, inhabited only by ethnic minorities, travelled only by bikes or horses. We are very happy to be here.
It is quite a long way to Muli and it is not a place to ride fast. So slowly go we went and of course it eventually became dark. Around the corner this appeared.
Our home for the night complete with roof, covered parking and pool table.