Cycling Korea - Sea to Mountains, Sun to Blizzards

First series of photographs from training (Cycling in Korea) for the completed 3200km/1800mile cycling trek across western China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Tian Shen Mountains, Taklamakan Desert, Sichuan and Yunnan's outback routes linked outlying Tibet Autonomous Region. The expedition was extra special, now supporting: 


IDEAS foundation of Canada
http://nogutsknowglory.com and http://weneedideas.com

ETE - Education Through Expeditions, UK
http://www.etelive.org 

"Warm wishes, to those who dare to live, facing old fears and living new dreams!"-me.

Cycling Korea - Sea to Mountain, Sun to Blizzards Slideshow: Brian’s trip from 서울특별시, 대한민국 to 4 cities 속초시, 강릉시, 동해시 and 포항시 

Bicycle Touring in western China: Taklamakan Desert, The Silk Road, Tarim Desert Highway

 Hotan, Uyghur Autonomous Region of China (in style for breakfast and tea)

Outside the international hotel a small gathering comes together  

 I use my diary to record QQ.com numbers, these are addresses for email and a version of Facebook used entirely across China. I want to get a QQ.com account - there's a new world to explore!

 Okay, tell me your digits or I'll give you mine. Sadly, Beijing's censorship is so tight...even this harmless blog isn't visible in the Asian Giant (apt name for a popular mountain bike Made in China.)

 Okay, I am getting to it!

 I don't want to meet strangers and remain strangers. I sent email out to 76 people in China. I used Google translate to send a personal message in Chinese language. I reply to friends on Facebook using their native language as well. It's a globalized world, but show some respect for native languages too! 

 This purple pen was falling apart for the entire 60 day expedition, sending the love...I kept a constant diary and recorded daily events, names, places, distances and elevations. 

 Thanks guys, made me feel important for a moment in my tiny life. 

 Back on the road. My choice ride is built with a 2008 frame (13400km) and 2008 components as well

 Tires of choice, Schwalbe Marathon Tour Plus (revision of Marathon XR)

 My front racks are $20 (USD) plus a 0.25 cent rebar piece from Urumqi metal street-recycler. + Zip PVC plastic ties to keep it all together. It looks rough, but there is science in there. Perfection for 3200km!

 Taklamakan Desert, July 2011. Note the irrigation lines and shrubs offer no relief from the sun.

 At night (infrared photo) Taklamakan Desert beats with dust storms, really nasty stuff!

 I'm camping 1/2 way in the entrance to a diesel engine room, an engine turns the pumps and brings water out of aqua ducts beneath the desert floor

 Feeling awesome -this is freedom to me, deserts, camping, bikes, touring, all in one!

 Good morning! - Stoked (excited) to be full of life (better half full than half empty)

 Talking to Mi Sung and the kids in Canada, wow -technology!

 My host watches in disbelief, a costume character with a bicycle in the Taklamakan - "What the hell???"

 I'm having a great chat with Mi Sung and the kids, the camera takes photos when someone is smiling like (:

 A few days of explosive diarrhea is great, I'm getting slimmer by the day!

 My ride. in park mode on concrete power poles in the Taklamakan Desert

 Hwy 315 (2375km from somewhere) Taklamakan Tarim Desert Highway (Great article to read, all true!)

 I lost Lysanne and Louis-Philippe's card after leaving the desert. Here is the photo to reconnect with them. We met in Beijing about 3625km away from this location in the Taklamakan. Checking up with them, they traveled 4500km in 88 days in China. Awesome! More updates at their link, I will follow them!

And this is only the beginning of my adventure... To be continued...

Cycling from the Hermit Kingdom to Western China, Reloaded Bicycle Expedition Touring

Northern Silk Road - G314, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, western China (south of Tian Shan!)

My first expedition by bicycle, 3240km standing-only train, 1028km of extreme bus journey, 505km of hitch-hiking, 3200km cycling in western China - solo & with other adventurers down the road

 After the painful arrival on the train (36 hours, no toilet, no seats, standing-room only) Mark helps with a mobile phone purchase (100 RMB/Chinese Reminbi/Yuan) and mobile card for the first 30 days (100RMB)

 Mobile phone markets are common in China. Find a deal for less than new. I purchased a 2003 Siemens mobile and a China mobile 100RMB recharge card (including mobile telephone number). Deal.

 iPhones are available in the Chinese market, cheaper than export markets, Made in China.

 Mark and I met on the Beijing-Urumqi Express train ($49 USD, 316 RMB/Yuan)

 Not only are the noodles good in China, there are all sorts of ways to serve it up in Urumqi, Xinjiang 

The bare essentials - Ortlieb Ultimate (Large, Black) waterproof, handlebar bag, bottles, snack, water, toothbrush/paste, rear mirror, diary/pen*,bike repair tools (Topeak Alien II), glasses, Xpedition stickers

 Lowepro SLR camera bag (circa 1994), Canon IXUS 90is, Sony Handycam HDR-XR550V, Samsung Yepp 4GB mp3 player, Siemens phone/mini charger, Bodyglove sunglasses, spare batteries

Food supply for the expedition, oatmeal, raisins, dried apricots, water...Taklamakan Desert 552km was crossed with this and 6 loaves of Nan Bread. Just Do It. 

 Starting out on a new ride, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Western China 

 Cycling the G314 leads to Kashgar, northwest to Kazhakstan, north to Mongolia, west to India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, South to Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Burma (Myanmar)

 Proposed route across the Spine of TIBET, Himalayas of Xizang Autonomous Region of western China

 Proposed route across the Tian Shan Mountains, Taklamakan Desert, Uyghur Autonomous Region

 Leaving Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea from LPG car (Gangneung-Incheon, 3 hours) to Ferry (Incheon-Tianjin, 36 hours) to Bike/Bus Tianjin/Train (2 hours) to Bike to Train to Bike 

 China is a very big place (especially when coming from South Korea!)

Mark wishes me all the best (but I think he had serious doubts about my safety on the road, he didn't know me well enough...same is true of many cyclists in Korea, they don't know me!!!!) 

 Finally ready for lift-off from Urumqi, China 

 Something important I prepared before leaving the Korean-World, a Logo banner supporting IDEAS foundation and Education Through Expeditions - Love you guys and important missions!

 Custom touring mountain bike (I wouldn't have it any other way...2008 Blackcat stock-aluminum frame OEM Giant, Bontrager Race Disc Wheelsets, Shimano Deore LX Hollow crank, Fox RL 32 front shocks

 Pavement and poplars in Urumqi metropolitan area

 Strapped for an expedition, cycle weighs 23kg, equipment 27kg, full-loaded touring

 My GOPRO helmet camera HD, 32GB Class 10 memory loaded

 My graphic design job, 1 semester of graphic design in California (circa 2001)

 Hitting the pavement for the next 3200km of expedition bicycle touring (10% of the A2A2012-2014)

 Signs are explained in Arabic, Chinese Pinying, and English (+ Numerical) at the start

 Older Uyghur settlements in Urumqi are being paved over, history is right next to the road!

 G30 Southbound, Highway travel by bicycle is NOT enforced as illegal in Xinjiang (luckily!)

 I ride hard, I always wear my mask (dust allergies, asthma, keeps hydration levels higher)

 Crankwerks sessions, 100km a day, 3200km + leap days+/days off-, I returned to Beijing 57 days later.

 Note: non-ergo grips. I rode the entire expedition hard on the hands. Next stage, Ergo grips already installed!

 G312/G30 split, the modern Silk Road in China never looked smoother. Straight ahead!

 Signs change to Arabic, Chinese Pinying and Numerical 

 Irrigation such as this is essential and breathes life into Uyghur Autonomous Region (the way they always did it...something of yesterday and of today). Waters run south from the Tian Shan Mountains.

 Open roads beckon the endurance cyclist in western China. I found the expressways an essential route across some of the barren parts of Xinjiang (New Province in Chinese language). Note: this is Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. A unique culture living alongside the Han Chinese.

 Feeling thirsty? With a MSR micro-filtration system...it's a source of a cyclist's best friend on the road, H2O.

 Long haul truckin' on a custom MTB-touring bike, it's an awesome feeling today! Turpan 157km, others?

 HimalayasX2011 is a unique cycle experience to take on my greatest challenge to date, the unknown western  ranges of China

 Sheep travel in small herds in Xinjiang, Uyghur Autonomous Region, China

 Getting water when I was running low. This is a full-service, 1-stop brothel alone the desert highway.

 Friendly people making a living. I escaped with boiled water (Rhur Shuaa/Kai Shuaa)

 Back on the G30,G312 and glad to see that China is thinking ahead: Wind Turbine Power.

 Stoked (excited) to meet people at truck stops after traveling for hours in the desolate western G312

 Truckers out west in China have big hearts, nice to meet so many of you all!

 How is this for an amazing shot, high school students who work at the Petrochem station, Thanks guys!

 The high school students work at the Petrochem station and live in the dormitory, I take a room for free and share some GOPRO video with them. Language and cultures connect. 

Peace guys, you made my adventure great!