Category: Tibet26
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Last Pass, Monistry & Lhasa
Day 20 was a tough one, going cycling up the Mila pass to 5000m. Very slow going. Met a young rider with a crazy gear ratio grinding up the mountain. I’m so pleased with my kit. Works without fault. Day 21 was a short ride to Ganden Monastery. Then an easy ride into Lhasa. The…
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50 30 Perfection
Woke to sun and put the 50mm gravel tires on the bike and went the wrong way around the lake (should be CW)… Anyway, probably the most scenic and fun ride on the gravel bike I’ve had in China. Empty roads, stunning lake mountain views, grasslands, and rolling single track. Good to chat with the…
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D18 Bumps to Xincou Lake
D18 was bumps to Xincou lake. I pulled my back, not doing enough stretching, and the route was the terrible pot hole washboard, combined with some of the most stunning scenery. Should be some great hiking around Xincou Lake. Got the car back to my rip-off Basongcou hotel. 第18天前往新口湖的路途颠簸不已。我因为拉伸不足导致背部拉伤，而路况更是糟糕透顶——坑洼如洗衣板的路面，却与绝美的风景交织在一起。新口湖周边应该很适合徒步。最后把车开回了那家坑人的巴松口酒店。
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Lunang to Basongcou
Lake to Lake D15 I rested in Luliangzhen. A planned rest day and a bad stomach meant I just chilled out in the hotel. The area is bit of a failed cultural theme park. From a landscape perspective, it feels like I’ve moved from the lowlands of a Chinese Welsh valley to the Swiss village…
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SGL LH D14: Wales to Switzerland
S:5 R:2 H:4. Good night’s sleep at low altitude and a good Zhangzhu meal. Nice ride along the river for 85km, mostly flatish downhill. Actually stunning scenery, but too much traffic. Stopped for lunch and put the bike back in the car so I would have enough time to check out the Yigong Lake…
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SGL LH D12: To Lake Ranwu
Good nights sleep and nice day riding. A slow climb up from 3200m to 4470m and then a quick ride down to 3900m or so. Traffic was not too bad, and the weather remains on our side. Chatting with other cyclists on the road. A 68-year-old doing the G318 fully loaded, putting me to shame.…
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Gama La Pass & 72 Turns
SGL LH D11: S:4 R:2.5 H:3.5 https://www.strava.com/activities/18604636483 Terrible sleep, kept waking thinking I was drowning and forgetting to breathe. Guess sleeping above 4000m hurts. A not too long climb up to 4600m to the Gama La Pass and then the amazing 72 turn 1800m downhill back to the Nu River (2800m). The Nu here is…
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Tongda La Pass
SGL LH D9: Tongda La Pass S:4 R: 2.5 H:3. https://www.strava.com/activities/18579143835 Long uphill to 5100m after car ride. Over ambitious with the planning, so drove the first 60km and did the big hill. Very slow going and 85km riding was more than enough. Now being on the G318 means a lot more traffic, but it’s…
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Hong La Pass
SGL LH D8: Hong La Pass S:5 R:3 H:2. https://www.strava.com/activities/18564882272 Long uphill to 4300m. A nice start after a big breakfast and a steady climb up to 4300m. Nice views along the way of the adjacent mountain range. Snowy sleet came in and a bit of a wet downhill followed by a steady uphill to…
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Enter Tibet
D6: was a rest day, organizing my bags and gear, cleaning the bike, and meeting the guide/driver. I enjoy my 4+2, but it’s been me doing the driving and having the flexibility to do my own planning. This is quite different, a regimented itinerary, permits, and a guide with you. It’s also not the cheapest…
