2 Wheels 4 Girls

Mountains to XiLinHaote

Okay, so I’m trying to speed through the mountains with 4 non functioning cog wheels. I figure, “oh, we will just cut straight West and travel on these very small country roads (they are the thin red lines on a China Road Atlas).”

Well…sh*t! We encountered a mountain that took us 2 hours to push our bikes up. We found out from the workers on the mountain, installing sand bags that the road is for tour buses only. That’s why we weren’t allowed to ride down the other side – yeah, talk about a bummer!!!! We got loaded into a tour bus and driven down the other side of the mountain.

I’m still not sure where we were, or how we got there…but somewhere smack dab in the mountains between XiLinHaoTe and LinXin.

Needless to say, that’s the 3rd and final time (maybe )through that mountain range.

We’ve hit the Inner Mongolian Plateau (which is my second time). Jason has asked, “how much more of this up and down?!?!” We had a head wind to boot one day and now he understands what I was facing in Hulun Buir. He tells me what hurts and what he hates…and I COMPLETELY 110% understand…I’ve been there…over and over again.

I’m praying for overcast skies and a tailwind tomorrow to get us to the Mongolian border in 2 days. I wanted to be in Mongolia 2 weeks ago…and when I didn’t forsee that a month ago- I said August 1…well, I’m behind.

It’s nice to have a partner right now…it keeps my sanity at points, especially when every thing seems to be breaking.

I’ve added a Nikon Coolpix 6000 to my equipment, that has really captured some great moments that I miss when I can’t pull out the big guy.   I also sold a 50mm prime for a 300mm prime.

Expect my next post from Ulanbatar in 8 days.

This time I have company, my “teammate” Jason Yen. He is riding his handbuilt frame he made at UBI in Oregon. It’s a real beaut’.

I had my front fork replaced in Chifeng and my chain.

We left Chifeng on Saturday in blazing heat. Before leaving, my derailer begin to have problems. We had about 10 people from Chifeng riding with us, which Jason and I don’t really like…but that’s okay. They meant well.

Jason and I continued on after lunch together and met up with Qi Ge at our next town. We are headed to some “Mongolian Festival”…I don’t know…

The next morning, “Mr. Know it All” rode along with us. He ended up calling his cronies to pick him up in an SUV. Besides being a Know it All (as we had met him at that bike shop in Chifeng) he is also a fake and a braggert. On top of this, he orders me around. He got in Jason’s way when Jason tried to buy us a snack. He orders me to eat and eat until I’m about to die. We take a rest at the police dorms (where he use to work) and then doesn’t want to ride because it’s 34C outside…so now he is a baby too. I don’t like this man AT ALL.

His cronies make fun of him because a woman can ride harder and better than him. He will have to live with that shame.

I say I’m leaving…either way. We head out. Jason and I arrive at the next city without them and we find a bingguan…too late…Mr Know it All orders us to stay at his house…with no shower…and no AC…I have to sleep on the floor in my underwear to try and stay cool. No fan…you would think that a man that carries around a Leica digital camera and drives a Toyota RAV4 could splurge for a fan or even AC.

The next day he takes us to a joke of a repair shop and I finally put my foot down and I say I’ve had enough. Jason and I try to make adjustments and I AM NOT going to the festival…I’m fed up. We load up after Lotus arrives, and it’s a heartfelt goodbye.

We hit mountains for 3 days, now the Inner Mongolian Plateau.

It took us 2 hours to walk our bikes up a mountain – it was no joke. I’ve ridden 500 km, moutains, and the plateau with 3-4 useless cog wheels. There is nowhere for repairs.

My pants won’t fit because my thighs are now crazy big.

Broke:
-iPod
-fake GShock watch (my sweat flooded it after 2 days)

We camped the night before last…went 3 days of riding without showers – I was rank.

Today is a rest day in Xilinhot.

We should be at the Mongolian border in 3 days max.

Jason and I are both

To see what I helped fulfill, click here

View First 5050 Km and 2 months in a larger map

When I look at Lieutenant in these photos, she really does take on a personality.  She has been the only thing that I see every single day – she is the only constant in my life.

taken June 20 2010, somewhere around HaiLa'er