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Our eyes met over a road side barrier. It was love



I started off thoroughly demoralised after my hot journey to Yunyang, but I have ended up pretty damn happy. Although I consider myself to be a very emotionally stable person, on a journey like this I'm pushing everything to the limit. I get really angry, I get sad, I become ecstatic and then become completely neutral. Neutral is where I want to be.

Watching your insides become angry at someone who means no harm is an ugly thing to see. When I'm tired and just want to be left alone, or Little Wheelie needs fixing and I want peace and quiet, this is the time I get mobbed by villagers. They are lovely, but they cannot take a hint that I want to be left alone. I feel like saying, please go away I don't like you all watching my every move, but when I go to speak I look into their eyes and all I see is innocent inquisitiveness and kindness. My bad thoughts reflect back at me, I grow silent, take a deep breath and try to remain equanimous.

This trip is so long that I will no doubt experience every kind of emotion along the way. Very good things will happen and bad things too. Hopefully not many of those.

I watch the Chinese and they watch me and we try to understand each other. I have written many things in previous entries about this. I see many problems within the culture, yet I also see so many problems within myself and my own culture. If something bugs me then it is normally a reflection of myself. These are all the things that wash over me as I sweat and pedal away. Its one giant melting pot of ideas, thoughts and feelings. Some days I can't be bothered to pedal, but then I get agitated when I stay still for too long. I've travelled 3000km already, but I still have another 22,000km to go. Remaining stationary doesn't help.

For the last 4 days I've been travelling roughly along the Chang Jiang (Yangzi river), but have not had the pleasure of drifting along in a boat. My theory about it all being down hill has been rejected by my legs. It was a load of rubbish.

The reason why the 3 gorges are so famous, is because they are really beautiful. They are also bloody big gorges, which equals to eaten away mountains. A boat moves gently down the river and the passengers gaze up lazily at the dramatic rock formations. A bike moves painfully slow up the dramatic rock formations and the passenger looks lazily down at other valleys, unseen by most tourists visiting this area.



I say sod the 3 gorges ! There are loads of really great gorges in the same area, but with smaller rivers. I've seen behind the scenes and I rate it very highly.

I'll start off at Yunyang and work my way forward to where I am now.



Leaving Yunyang I headed up the mountain side. This area was littered with those mysterious giant fibreglass bowls.





The only thing I can think of, is that they are either used for collecting water, hats for swollen heads or spy drones prior to an alien invasion. I stopped off half way up a mountain to make myself lighter. Looking into the gutter I noticed something moving.






A red Crab.

I had no idea why it was there. Was it a market escapee or perhaps a displaced riverside dweller. If anyone knows about Yunyang Red crabs then please let me know.

It was along this same stretch of road that a dog jumped out of a hole and scared the hell out of me. It was chained up and recoiled back when it reached the end, which happened to be very close to the bike........Vicious thing. Its underground home was well concealed and perfectly hidden between two small trees.

For any geologists out there, who feel I haven't been paying enough to the mud and minerals, here you go. I thought I'd include this shot to give you an idea of the type of rock in this area.


It is then sometimes covered in concrete and painted over.



My Chongqing map is basically useless. Its not that it is falling apart.


Every section so far has been a minimum 20km out. The further East I go the worse it becomes.
Each day I now add on 20 - 30km just to make sure. The road to Fengjie is straight up into the mountains and the road winds its way through some beautiful gorges.

But not everything was running smoothly. My second flat tyre. The tar like road has caused all sorts of things to stick to my tyres. This time it was a shard of metal.


I pushed on up the road.


In the mountains, reality was starting to shift.

Girl captured by metal barrier

As night descended the rocks on the way up the mountain gradually came to life. It was quite wierd really. Faces staring at me in the twilight.


I spent the night in a small village called Shimen (rock door) and met most of the residents.



I woke up to a thunder storm but pushed on regardless. There was a 40km down hill section and not even a lightning bolt was going to stop me enjoying it.


Fengjie is a town situated right on the Chang Jiang at the entrance to the Qutang Gorge. You can see it in the distance here.

To the left is the mouth of tributary, one that is steadily filling up and growing in width.

I chatted to a local resident on the way into Fengjie and asked what he thought about the dam project. He shrugged and basically said 'What can you do". We looked down into a valley that once was a collection of farming areas besides a peaceful river. But they have all been swamped.


The houses on the back to the right will also be covered soon.

He told me the locals had been moved to the top of the hill, to houses without electricity or water. A real pain in the arse. Before they had fresh running water, electricity and some of the best position in the area. Now they have nothing. The project is such a vast undertaking that millions are affected. In the end I hope it benefits everyone, but it is always the poor that loose out. This is true in most countries. There is a lot of money being spent in these areas. New developments, new prime positions on the imaginary but soon to be water front. Property prices are going up. All the old building are being knocked down. The area is totally changing. The level in Fengjie is already at 130m and will rise another 120m in September. Last minute fortifications are being made along the not so mighty Chang Jiangs banks.



My room



My next stop was up and over the mountains.


No fancy boat trips. The road follows some of the tributaries and takes you through some fantastic scenery.

Valley before it floods

Valley with water levels rising

New bridges

Already flooded sections

The road to Wushan was 60km straight up. I have no idea what the 'Wu' stands for, but the 'Shan' means mountain, and it was a pretty big one.



The road was gentle but relentless.






I ate 'Good' biscuits along the way.




















I reached the top just as night was closing in. It was stunning.


and raced down hill for 20km, almost decapitating myself on a piece of string across the road.


Road works are not marked with reflective barriers in China. They either have rocks in the road to give you warning or nothing at all.......... well sometimes string.

I've got a bit of a gear problem again. The twister isn't twisting. Lucky I'm not in the mountains then ?

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