After leaving the inn for breakfast, I had a rare soy milk and fried dough sticks, and then followed the navigation to take the Sichuan-Tibet Line all the way west. Passing through familiar buildings, the group said goodbye to Batang with nucleic acid certificates in their arms.
zuo biebatang
After a few days of rest, my legs were strong and I was able to make great progress all the way. Just after leaving the city, a few wild dogs barked and rushed towards me. I pretended to kick them, so I stopped chasing them.
I saw a large group of sheep crossing the road from a distance and came face to face with them.
A group of sheep in the distance
Motorcycle driving sheep
Jinsha River
Unknown bridge on the river
The bad road is here as promised
Teammates came riding up one after another, and after asking, they found out that it was Sister Lu who had a puncture. And his feet even stepped into the pit. The prophecy came true last night, but I didn't expect it to be so effective. And since this tire blowout, Sister Lu has been on the road to becoming the tire king forever.
Everyone was in a very embarrassed state, wiping away the mud while comparing themselves to each other. No matter how careful you are along the way, you can't avoid mud and water splashing when a car passes by. The car and lower body were splashed with mud, and no one in the team was spared.
It’s all mud
Step on Nilu
A group of clay figures rode onto the Jinsha River Bridge. The original Jinsha River Bridge was washed away, and the one we rode was the repaired version. The Jinsha River roared under the bridge, and we staggered across the Jinsha River.
Jinsha River Bridge
So at a certain moment without realizing it, I set foot on Tibet for the first time in my life. It's a pity that the well-known sign didn't appear, but it doesn't matter. Just as everyone who leaves Tibet believes that they will set foot on this land again one day, I am destined to go again. What's more, in front of Changpo, this sense of ceremony is not enough.
After crossing the Jinsha River Bridge, we started a gentle uphill climb of dozens of kilometers. Walking through the quiet canyon, the Jinsha River on the left turned into blood unconsciously.
Blood Jinsha River
Grand Canyon
Today there is not only dozens of kilometers of uphill climb, but also all the way westward along the Jinsha River. The Jinsha River is more important to China than the other two rivers. The Nu River and the Lancang River both flow abroad, but the Jinsha River refuses to flow into the sea. When it reaches Shigu Town in Naxi, Yunnan, it suddenly makes a rebellious turn and turns around to merge into the Yangtze River. .
Below Shigu Town, the river gradually narrows, and not far to the northeast you will enter the rare Tiger Leaping Gorge. The distance between the upper and lower mouths of Tiger Leaping Gorge is only 16 kilometers, with a drop of 220 meters. It is the section of the Jinsha River with the highest concentration of drops.
In August 2000, I was hiking in the Tiger Leaping Gorge, and the Jinsha River was rushing under my feet. And now while riding, I am accompanied by the roaring waves of the Sichuan-Tibet Line. You see, everything is connected so cleverly.
2020.8.12
Looking at the height of this slope, the most common thought that comes to my mind every day when riding is not that it is so beautiful, but that I suspect that I am out of my mind.
Poe
Rest on the way
Jinsha Riverside
Mud Shoes
Through numerous tunnels
The road signs passed one kilometer after another, and we were almost at the 3333 kilometer sign. Everyone knew in their hearts that they would stop there, so they gritted their teeth and persisted for a few more kilometers until they reached point 3333 to rest and take photos.
Go to sleep
3333
I didn’t rest for too long here because there was still 3344 ahead. We all agreed to rest there, so we pedaled and pedaled until we reached 3344.
Master Zhao wanted to throw himself into the river, but Qingling stopped him, so he did so.
Then the arduous climb began again. During this period, we encountered a small shop and sat under the red parasol at the door to eat some packaged food for lunch. In the scorching sun, that parasol was a salvation. Several teams were there to have lunch and take a break.
After eating, we rode for several hours in the sun. The altitude gradually increased, but there was no scenery to speak of along the way.
Rest in the shade
It’s so hot
I don’t know if it was a psychological effect or because the car was really repaired yesterday. In the afternoon, I left behind the elderly echelon and caught up with Sister Lu and Qing Ling. From then on, the three of them rode together and rested together.
It’s been a boring ride
When I rode to a gas station, I was really happy to find that there was actually a convenience store. What's even more magical is that the convenience store is connected to the gas station staff's rest room, and modern facilities appear for the first time. The sofas and TVs are all available, and there are Open Doors and Avenue of Stars on the TVs, but I don’t know how many of them I haven’t watched. Then we ate and rested for more than half an hour while watching the Avenue of Stars.
Avenue of Stars
After resting, we returned to the time and space we should be in. The flowing clouds are like galloping horses, the sunlight is like splashing water, and there are the receding green shades and the slope leading to the sky.
1123km from Lhasa
This is highland barley
After passing a tunnel, we started the last ten kilometers of steep slopes. How can I describe these ten kilometers? It was simply miserable.
Although the gentle slopes of the dozens of kilometers ahead were difficult, I thought it was okay. The most difficult day was just like this. I didn’t expect that the real test had just begun.
Look at the slope
Finally some scenery
Photographed by Ming
Not being tired doesn’t mean that you are not tired, it’s just that you are used to being tired. No longer whining like in the beginning. Now, looking at the road in front of you leading straight to the blue sky, you grit your teeth and say, okay, it’s just that, I can still stand tall.
Later, Sister Lu caught up, and I followed Sister Lu’s rhythm while resting and riding. Following Sister Lu was simply challenging my physical limit. I had to stop and rest many times but saw that Sister Lu was still riding me and I followed her again. I thought to myself, Sister, if you don’t stop, I will collapse.
Finally found a shady place
Long slopes
Fortunately, we finally had a view. The sunlight splashed on the continuous alpine meadows, and the white clouds floated like galloping horses under the blue sky. It was as beautiful as a painting.
Taken from various teammates
How many times have I said that we should be almost there when we reach the red billboard in front of us? It obviously doesn’t look far away, but after riding for so long, it’s still far away. It's so close and yet so far.
In the last one or two kilometers, Sister Lu went ahead and told me that the red sign was just around the corner. Then I pedaled tirelessly and finally saw the gate of the pass, which read "Tibet Mangkang welcomes you."
I thought that when I arrived in Tibet, I would be like, "Ah, ah, I'm coming to Tibet," but what I didn't expect was, "What a fool, I finally climbed up."
Finally arrived
The happiest moment when riding the Sichuan-Tibet Line is the moment you see the pass. Yes, it’s that simple.
Yakou prayer flags
The senior echelon rides until the sun is about to go down
The light is so nice
This is not what I saw
There is a completely different scene between having sunshine and not having sunshine. I didn't have any sun at that time, so the downhill scenery was greatly reduced.
Downhill
Zongla Mountain Pass
Speed 70 miles
How tiring it is to climb, but how refreshing it is to go downhill
Common Tibetan motorcycles
The wind howls
I chased Sister Lu downhill, took out my nucleic acid test report, and finally rode into Mangkang County and went straight to my accommodation.
Unexpectedly, the accommodation that day was not a hotel or a private inn, but actually a hotel. It was so rare.
The front desk said that the room was on the third floor. I almost fainted when I heard this. I could only climb step by step, dragging my backpack. I was too tired to lift my head while holding on to the handrail. When I reached the room, my legs were no longer my own.
I stumbled up to the fifth floor to do laundry, and then went to the first floor to have dinner. I still remember the sore feeling in my thighs.
It's been a long time since we had a meal together. We were so exhausted that at the end of the day, a group of people gathered around the dinner table to enjoy their meal. It’s still shredded pork with green peppers, it’s still scrambled eggs with tomatoes, it’s still hard to find meat, and the long-lost taste and rotten stems are floating around the dinner table.
Vegetarian Banquet
The most difficult day on the roadmap came just like this. No matter how tired I was at the time, it felt like it was no big deal as long as I rode through it.
Memories are not reliable. I clearly remember the fatigue and embarrassment I felt at that time. But as long as it becomes the past, when you think about it again, only the good things will remain.
Random thoughts: The Sichuan chapter has finally come to an end. I started to regret that I dug too big a hole. I only wrote half of it in half a year. When will I be able to finish it if I keep writing like this?