Our second day of the trek was our first day of real riding, heading out of Shangri-la and into the mountains.
Very much Tibetan country - we passed by a white stupa decorated with traditional colorful prayer flags as we reached the top of our first hill.
The countryside was filled with the thick-walled, incredibly solid Tibetan homes and farms, surrounded by a mix of pine forests and arid highlands.
Our first stop was Potatso National Park (普達措國家公園) where we had some lunch and recharged.
The axle we made held up well and there were some adjustments we had to make to the bikes, but generally riding was smooth with only a few bigger hills.
We passed through villages that haven't changed for generations - people in traditional clothing, fences and buildings made from local materials, yaks and mountain goats in the road and amazing vistas.
Camp was at an amazing spot on the land of a herder. We tucked our tents under the eave of his barn and Haige started a fire. By the time we caught up, it was time to eat and we had a meal of dried beef, instant noodles, eggs and sausages.
The only downside of the night was that temperatures dropped down below freezing and some snoring that kept Haige and some of the team awake...but all par for the course!
Riding Stats:
Leg 1: (23.11km, 1h33m, 14.8km/h)
Leg 2: (30.1km, 2h16m, 13.2km/h)
Very much Tibetan country - we passed by a white stupa decorated with traditional colorful prayer flags as we reached the top of our first hill.
The countryside was filled with the thick-walled, incredibly solid Tibetan homes and farms, surrounded by a mix of pine forests and arid highlands.
Our first stop was Potatso National Park (普達措國家公園) where we had some lunch and recharged.
The axle we made held up well and there were some adjustments we had to make to the bikes, but generally riding was smooth with only a few bigger hills.
We passed through villages that haven't changed for generations - people in traditional clothing, fences and buildings made from local materials, yaks and mountain goats in the road and amazing vistas.
Camp was at an amazing spot on the land of a herder. We tucked our tents under the eave of his barn and Haige started a fire. By the time we caught up, it was time to eat and we had a meal of dried beef, instant noodles, eggs and sausages.
The only downside of the night was that temperatures dropped down below freezing and some snoring that kept Haige and some of the team awake...but all par for the course!
Riding Stats:
Leg 1: (23.11km, 1h33m, 14.8km/h)
Leg 2: (30.1km, 2h16m, 13.2km/h)