Women know it all too well....

The wind-factor

The way to Baxkorgan, my next planned stop, went initially well. Along the road I passed 3 police check-points where they, for the first time, really checked my passport and Visa.

How far can you go....letting the local police do a "JUMP SHOT"

After that check-point it went first uphill where after I came in a valley. It was around 5pm and I only had to do 35 more kilometers which takes me normally 2 hours.
Then the trouble started. I was in a wide open area and the wind increased. Due to this strong headwind and uphill, the speed went down to only 5km/h. (try this out.....this is REEEALY slow!!!).
This meant I had to do 7 more hours and will arrive at midnight.....
Not a good motivator.

Love the sign! More of this please........

Good that after 15 km, I again was in the mountains and the wind dropped. Even better, the last 19km. it went downhill.

The place where I arrived was a kind of weird. A lot of stones laying all over......Asking what they were doing, they replied: "We are protecting the minerals", which means in reality: illegal mining!

The "protecting minerals" headquarter

Super day!

The women know it very well: What goes up, also goes down!

The next morning, the first 34km was only downhill!
Not 1 push for the first hour and descending from 2500 meter to 700 meter, following a river in a beautiful canyon like environment. Really enjoyable!





No words.....

Arriving at Milan, I needed to make a decision. Going strait to Ruoqian or making a shortcut, saving around 100km.
I checked 3 maps and consulted a dozen truck drivers and although they had not all the same opinion, I gave it a try. This time it turned out all right.


LUAC promotion team

I was now riding in the middle of the dessert again and thought: "With a population of less then 0.000001 heads per square kilometer and wearing a nice T-shirt,  this might be the right place to make some promotion for LUAC, the best soaring club in the world."
So I did...... 
(Hartmut and LUAC Co, in case someone from Xinjian region wants to become a member, at least you own me a Hoegaarden!)



Multi-tasking, 3 in 1: Doing a pee, giving the dessert the so needed water and making promotion.....

The truck stop that suppose to be there on my planned stop was vanished...instead there were a group of oil drill workers. I could stay overnight however, their "leader" had some doubts and thought that I might be a dangerous person. To prove I was not, he requested to see my luggage. Of course I did not present my bag with my laptop and camera, instead I showed him the bag with my dirty underwear.
It must have been dirty enough because I passed the "dangerous man" test.
Passing or not, I did not feel welcome and left.
33km. further, a Muslim family offered me a bed and with 230km. total cycling that day,  I slept fantastic. 

I am now in Tikanlik, 200km. SOUTH of Korla, and beside meeting some friendly truck drivers on the way, it was just another, sandy day.....



The truck drivers informed me: according Chinese law, every vehicle needs to have a license plate 



What do you find in the Takelamagan dessert? Right!
Sand, sand and speed cameras.....