wuhan - Hunan - Guizhou - Yunnan - Sichuan - Chongqing

[MGAlbion]

A couple of summers back, myself, Neil (Brit) and two mates, James and Dan ( Brit and US) took off on a 20+ day adventure around SW China. It was a superb trip, from the Yangtze plain to the Himalayas. From 40 plus heat to cold weather and torrential rain and landslides. The road conditions were varied too: from brand new, sublime elevated highways to dirt tracks to the most smashed up concrete roads (easily the worst), they were all there for mile after mile.
The bikes were 2 Zhonshen Sierras and 1 Zhongshen 125 ( i think). The sierras went well enough, though they did have problems at altitude and my friends had a serious electrical fault in Chongqing. The older bike was under-powered, but made it round in the end.
As usual with my posts there isnt much detail, but i hope you enjoy the pics. Thanks to Dan and James for some of their pics.
I'll post them province by province..

Hubei (a few of these pics include a warm up weekend we did before setting off on the trip. I include them here as i think they show Hubei in a nice light).


These first few pics are in the Chi Bi area








Beer :)


It gets got in Hubei






Heading for Hunan - Jing Zhou


First bit of trouble, but sorted out quick enough


Crossing the Yangtze - we were to do this many times


Could have happened to anyone!!


Hang on.. double L?

[MGAlbion]

Hunan


ZhangjiaJie Area








Hunan style!


Dan looking happy


James the Stig


Feng Huang


Bikes in hotel.


Feng Huang scene

[MGAlbion]

Guizhou


Beautiful South China Karst landscape




Bikes in hotel - again


'locksmith' - my lock wouldnt open!


Out of Guizhou we met a local bike group and rode with for the day












Swap you!




A bad sign




Getting some attention


Shelter from the previous night


This and the next few pics was a wonderful road. Brand new, elevated highway through the mountains. It came after miles and miles of broken road - heaven!

[MGAlbion]

Yunnan and Sichuan to follow... i gotta go to bed

[Dan H.]

I was the guy on the under-powered bike (Zhongshen 125). These pics are bringing back memories.... Southwest China by motorcycle is awesome....

[dy245000]

Beautiful pictures. I have got to get there. I've already been most of those places by car.

[MGAlbion]

Yunnan












The bikes outside the hotel in Lijiang. Riding through the old town was a great experience. Though i was told later, illegal!


Talking of which: its the Fuzz


Tiger Leaping Gorge.


At Tiger Leaping Gorge we met this intrepid collective. Check out the dog and luggage system!




What a road!




What a view - down the valley from Tiger Leaping Gorge


Some pics just need the bike in them!






Chatting with some friendly local folk




An unusual passenger. Going to visit their home.


Their simple but entirely adequate home.




Campsite including shelter - some heavy rain in those parts


Having a rest and a dry out






True words


Lugu Hu


Some more bikers on the road, complete with red flags!

[MGAlbion]

Sichuan and Chongqing


As throughout the south west, some amazing roads and views


This area reminded me of parts of Africa ive been to. And sadly was very poor and remote.


But great roads




This looks like Mid-Wales




Happy camping!




1 hp




Is that the Yangtze again?


Its a dirty business is motorbike riding - Dan


James


Me - Neil


Hard riding - the worst road of all: broken hard surface.. chuck in 40 degree heat and a few hundred trucks and it becomes pure misery


And then you break-down!


In China there is always a way


And we ride on into or out of the sunset







.

[felix]

Good shit Neil! I had no idea guizhou was that nice, for some reason i never paid attention to that province. Thanks for making my 'china to do list' even longer!

What kind of breakdown causes the tank to disappear into thin air?

[ZMC888]

Amazing stuff! Brilliant photos!