First days on the bike. Riding from Lanzhou to Xiahe, Gansu.


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Asia » China » Gansu » Linxia
June 5th 2013
Published: June 5th 2013
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Dear Friends and Family, After 2 lovely weeks in Beijing with Becky I finally started my bike trip that will eventually take me to Turkey in April or May 2014. I took a night train to Lanzhou city, the capital city of Gansu province (Western China). It was a 16-hour train ride. I must admit I was filled with excitement but also anxiety as the train approached Lanzhou. I had already shipped my bik... Read Full Entry



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best place to stop on the way to Xiahe!best place to stop on the way to Xiahe!
best place to stop on the way to Xiahe!

This is where I met a group of young Tibetan guys who invited me over for tea and good conversation for the whole evening
I met Larry at a Tibetan restaurant and he invited me to his home for the nightI met Larry at a Tibetan restaurant and he invited me to his home for the night
I met Larry at a Tibetan restaurant and he invited me to his home for the night

we talked until late at night. Tibetan men always stay with their parents but they have their own room
My Tibetan friends. I ended up spending 2 evenings with these guys. My Tibetan friends. I ended up spending 2 evenings with these guys.
My Tibetan friends. I ended up spending 2 evenings with these guys.

A week later (on my way back) we would play basketball, share some yogurt (haha!) and talk while some of them would play the guitar
Tibetan valley Tibetan valley
Tibetan valley

the greenest place on my trip
ready to hit the road again!ready to hit the road again!
ready to hit the road again!

a few hours away from Xiahe



5th June 2013

So you bike trip has finally started!
I am really looking forward to your travels along the Silk Road. My son and I did it the easy way in March and April 2013, taking the train from Beijing to Lanzhou, just as you did. But from there we took a bus to Xiahe in 3 1/2 hours (but yours was the more adventurous trip) and back, and then the train from Lanzhou to Dunhuang, back to Jiayuguan, then to Turpan and Urumqi...all in two weeks. From there we flew to Uzbekistan and visited Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara...in one week. We finished up with a week in the Baltics and Finland. So you can understand why following your in depth journey will really add to what we saw. I had a personal reason to visit Xiahe...my parents were married there in 1949. All this is in my blogs...if you have time to read any. Take care!

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