Mood:  celebratory

I MADE IT!! Rolled thru the Shenzhen customs entry this morning after putting in a string of five 90-100k days from Shaoguan. Folks this has still not hit me. My visions of rolling down the final hill into Hong Kong were just that. Turns out that to get to Hong Kong Island it's either a ferry or a bus ride. Plus the airport is on a different island. Plus I didn't know where my friends cousin lived besides the fact I couldn't raise her on the phone. No problem! This journey has turned almost daily on the good will of strangers. Oiling my noisy chain on the side of a bike path (due to a killer rain storm I rode thru yesterday) I meet KS and his wife. They hear "the story" and the next thing I'm heading to their place to use the computer. Now all problems are solved. Going to visit Hong Kong city in the morning, zipping in on the back of a motorcycle. As KS puts in a few work hours in the morning, I'll visit the city. In the afternoon we'll mail off the bike and equipment and tues. morning early bussing out to the airport to try to get flight to San Francisco. It's not what I expected but what's new? I had visions of pouring an ice cold beer all over the bike and myself, doing a jig in the street! Hey I'm just so glad I'm only a few days away from seeing my wife and the boys, all my friends and sharing all the crazy stories. I have traveled a lifetime in 8 months. Completed a trek I have dreamed of for years and lost over 40 lbs. doing it. I've made friends all over the world and my life and outlook on it will be forever changed. Washed my mind of all the petty problems and worries that weigh us all down as the years go on. I can see and feel what's important and what's not. I'm the luckiest guy on earth today. I've ridden a bicycle around the world. Around the world.  To all my family, old friends and new ones that helped me out so much, thanks for following along, thanks for emailing and givng me a boost when I needed it and thanks for checking in to see where the fat guy on the orange bike is today!! Be cool and see you all soon.     Brian         

Posted by briansride at 1:44 AM PDT

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Mood:  don't ask

Writing to you from Shaoguan, about a 5/6 day ride from Hong Kong. Wuhan was a great stop. Made some great friends there and they really helped me out. Stayed in a nice hostel for a few days and spent the last couple of nights upstairs in Jacky's coffee shop. They took me all around Wuhan and hit up some nice blues bars, coffee shops and a restaurant ran by a big happy Belgium who came there to work and decided to stay.

Left Wuhan with the new visa and went about 2 days making poor progress since the heat and humidity here is atrocious. Had to visit a doctor in Wuhan to fight a heat induced skin rash that was getting out of control and spreading all over. The doc got me healing up ok but the strong astringents used to to dry out the skin was just making my skin crawl and itch in the hot wet air. Wearing a headband and keeping a towel on the bars to constantly wipe the brow and face and of course the legs were feeling empty. All along through this journey my strategy was to never think about the total distance, just how far must I go today. It's worked quite well until now. I'm just too close to Hong Kong to think of anything else.

So in Xianning I got on a train to Shaoguan. I reasoned that I was gaining back the week I lost in Wuhan waiting for the visa but I know what the truth is: I just want to go home. From here I can take some smaller roads into HK, avoid Guangzhou, a huge metropolis that would take me a day to get around anyway and still feel like I'm finishing with a good ride. At this point I feel it's all behind me and the rest is just a victory lap. I've seen so much of China, all I can say to anyone is you have to visit this place. The culture, people, politics, past and future history, China is the most fascinating place I've ever seen.

Looks like a hurricane is landing south of Hong Kong from what I can gather from the Chinese news, which I don't understand, just look at the pictures! It means rain and overcast for the next few days and it's raining right now here. As long as it's not so damn hot and sweaty I welcome it. Hey cousin Shon I hear from sis you're following along, drop me a email, it would be great to hear from you! To everyone thanks for keeping up with the journey, next blog will be from the finish line.  take care and be cool.    Brian

Posted by briansride at 6:29 PM PDT

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I'm in Wuhan, still about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks ride from Hong Kong, but came close to having to toss in the towel. My 60 day visa expired today 9/12. Had been told all along that I could get a visa extension at any decent size police station. About the time I figured on trying to extend I got hit with a flu bug that slammed me for 2 days, not to mention thunderstorms that I couldn't ride in anyway. Tried the local station and they said no way. Had to head off to the next town, Jingman, where I was told I'll get the extension no problem. 3 days to go.

Made Jingman concerned about the lag time between applying and receiving the 30 days extra. The "Public Security Bureau" didn't open until 3 in the afternoon! When I got in the guy refused to even talk about an extension. Said I must go to Wuhan for an extension, a 3 day ride and I have 3 days left in country until they detain me and fine me to the tune of about $900 or so a day while a new visa is processed for a week. I asked how can the Bureau in Wuhan give me one but the same Bureau here cannot? "There is no reason, I just will not give you one" he says. So I was up at 4a.m. the next morning and managed to put the bike on a bus and headed for Wuhan.

The Bureau opens again at 3pm. for afternoon hours. I was sitting outside the station waiting for the doors to open, and a guy pulls up on a mountain bike. Jackie, an American, raised in Seattle and running a coffee shop with his girlfriend Kat about a block away. I have a great cup of real brew and back to the office. They want proof of $100 a day for my continuing stay in China, hotel registration forms, photos, and to wait a week. I have 1 day to go on the visa. I'm balancing hotel cost for a week, the fact I want to go home so bad, coming up with the documents etc.

Back to Jackies. Great guy. Talk it over, I take a walk, wanted to go home more than fight the Chinese for permission to stay in their country for another 3 wks. With weighing out the right thing to do, and Jackie cluing me in on a cheap hostel, plus a buddy of his in the police dept. that might possibly be able to make things happen a little faster I decided to press on. Went on a mad treasure hunt for all the documents they wanted, hitting banks for a fund print out, hotels, photo shops and having a blast ripping around Wuhan at night on Jackie's mountain bike. His police buddy Tony and I turned in all the paperwork this morning with hours left on the visa, receiving a "stay out of jail" receipt.

So I have a week to relax, but when I receive the visa it'll only have 23 days left on it so I'll have to put my head down to make Hong Kong in time, but I know I can do it barring any problems. Might see if I can get a bus out to the 3 gorges dam that I figured I was going to miss. It's all good. Meeting Jackie was a great uplift and helped me decide to stay and fight. The light always shines on me when I need it, must be the good coffee! later Brian

Posted by briansride at 11:44 AM PDT

Updated: Friday, 12 September 2008 11:48 AM PDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Well since the last update I've been climbing thru the mountains and hills of central China. It's rural but at the same time there are people everywhere. Not a plot of land or hillside that isn't covered in corn crops, vegetable or fruit farms. People have been farming here for a LONG time so they're kind of dug in. Beside the 5000 yr old dynastys that have written history, I passed thru one place just south of Xi'an where back in the 60's they found an old boy dating back 500,000 yrs. So I may not be the first one here, but I swear I'm one of the first westerners in many places I go. People stop and stare at me wide mouthed and even after I say hello (neeha) still they just look dumbfounded at me.

Got off the beaten path taking a direct route down to visit the 3 gorges dam and after a day and a half of climbing and rolling over a big mountain got to a point where the people were indicating to me I was approaching a militarized zone. There was only one road beside backtracking but they assured me I would be cuffed and fined by the friendly Chinese army. Tried to get them to pinpoint the exact area of the zone but couldn't get a good answer, just the general area I was approaching. Not wanting to repeat the Russian incident, I had to turn back.

Flagged down a truck to take me back over the mountain and back here to Shiyan. It may screw up my plans for the 3 gorges since this new route takes me further east. I'll see in a few days. At least I'm out of the hills for awhile. Been very lucky with the weather. Nice days and uncomparable scenery. High mountains, streams and quiet villages. Rapidly approaching Hong Kong, but not rapidly enough. Will have to renew my visa in a few days to give me enough time to make it. I'm hanging in there and I'll talk to again soon.   Brian

Posted by briansride at 12:41 AM PDT

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Mood:  a-ok

I've now made it to Xian. Many may have not of heard of it, but it's the home of the terra cotta warriors, a very well known archiology discovery some years back. I'm going out to visit them tomorrow, staying here for a few days. It's also the center of many chinese dynastys stretching back more than 3000 years. The home of chairman Mao to boot. The smog here is incredible. There's only about a half mile visibility. Local guy told me that's just the way it is.

It's a significant waypoint of my journey since I knew I was always going to stop here and see the warriors, but also where I begin turning directly southeast heading for Hong Kong. Still about 1000 miles to go, but I feel it's like the last leg. Been passing thru some very scenic country of late, all terraced farmland, miles of willow lined roads, fruit stands everywhere and passing thru some of the craziest tunnels I've ever seen. Dark dust filled no lights 1k long. Signs outside saying no bicycles but hey this is the only road. Hope they're behind me.

So many people everywhere in contrast to the Gobi, villages every couple of k's so it's been hard to stealth camp. Lucky I find these 20 yuan ($3.50) hotels in the small towns. The bigger towns and cities have cheap hotels too, but several times now I've been kicked out of them after I've settled in for the evening once the keepers report my presence to the police. Only the expensive hotels it seems are certified to host foreigners. I'm staying here in a youth hostel that is reasonably priced and they have a great coffee/pizza cafe. Haven't had a decent cup of coffee since leaving Germany.

This is a walled city, the former fortress of kings so I'll get out tomorrow and take a few pics. I'm finally adjusting to China, been here 5 weeks now and am learning to order some different food, or rather different types of noodles. I'm getting used to people being amazed and tugging at my arm hair, being gawked at and beginning to think that if the drivers didn't honk their horns at everyone they'd be running people over constantly. Seen so many people, bicycles, cars, and farm equipment just mosey out in front of traffic, relying only on the horn blaring to tell them to take a look.

As I slowly approach the population centers of the East I can feel the humanity getting more and more dense. Still it's just another part of this grand journey. I'm feeling good and it's just getting better by the day as I approach the end. Hope everyone is well and talk to again soon.     Brian

Posted by briansride at 4:15 PM PDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Hi everyone. I know the maps you may access don't have alot of the little and not so little towns I mention in my blogs; google and yahoo maps are worthless in this country. Anyways, I'm on the very southern edge of the Gobi, been out of the true desert for several days, and out of the winds from hell for almost a week. Here in Wuwie, as in Whoowee, I'm out of the desert! Have seen some sections of the Great Wall and tomorrow about 16k south of here will catch my best view and perhaps last. I'll load those pics in another few days.

After that I start climbing into what looks on the relief map an endless terrain of hills and small mountains for the rest of the trip. Met a Vancouver Canada couple heading the other way about 2 days ago. Damian and Jill are cycling from the Shanghai area and are heading for London. Nice people who gave me the news that after Langzhou, about a 3/4 days from here the winds end so the hills won't be so bad. This morning riding in I met Neil, cyclist who started in New Zealand and is heading home to Tipperary, Ireland. Such an encouragement to meet other westerners, lets me know I'm rolling closer to home.

The police here in China are nice people, I should know, been "interviewed" by them half a dozen times, 3 or 4 times they show up at the hotel room in the late evening wanting to look at the passport and visa. Pleasant manners but still a unique experience for it to occur so frequently. From the other cyclist reports it just gets worse as I head east, terror plot worries for the Olympics have jacked up security in a very secure place. It's all part of the journey and I have come to expect it. Hell I've taken to rolling into a town and speaking to the first officer I see and ask for a pingqua (hotel), might as well make it easy for them and get it out of the way.

Serini, by the time you read this I hear that you attended Ken's block party, hope everyone had a good time and got in a little trouble at least!

I'm writing this on a computer in a computer sales store, they were kind enough to give me a little time and everyone is sitting around watching me type, although no one can read what I'm saying! I have come accustom to eating, drinking, typing and doing small repairs with an audiance! Now I know how film stars and hot chicks must feel! So keep the faith everyone, I'm coming home on time and (hopefully) on budget. China is as close as I'll ever get to visiting another planet and I'm getting better everyday with the chopsticks!   Be cool, talk to you again soon.   Brian

Posted by briansride at 9:56 AM PDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Just a quick note: I've made it to Hami, the other big town here in the Gobi. Turns out I need to look at my map more and look at the Chinese road signs less, it was a 320k jaunt to Hami.Lucked out leaving Shanshan the other day, overcast! Put on 100+k on a cool day, camped out under a culvert overpass in absolute nowhere. Woke up the next morning and RAIN! Light to moderate all day, put on the gear and went another 100k, another night in the desert.

Today was a mix and less climbing so I made Hami in good time. Might stay here a day, not sure as I write this.  Calling for thunderstorms early. So far the brutal heat I experienced past Urumqi has given me a break. Supposed to return in about 3 days, still I'm playing a winning hand weather wise on the whole.That's it for now, talk to you soon.  Brian

Posted by briansride at 2:23 PM PDT

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Mood:  a-ok

It's only been a few days since the last blog but I found a hotel in Shanshan with internet in the room. Was turned away from a couple of hotels in the past few days, didn't understand why, like they didn't want an American staying there. Then I spoke with a Chinese policeman and he explained that not all hotels are allowed to accept foreigners. A shame since the small places are always the cheapest and all I want is a bed and a shower. Many times they only offer cold water!

Had a time this morning trying to get an atm machine to accept my card. A bank teller walked me down the street like 4 blocks to a bank that it would work at. Try that in San Francisco! It was getting late in the morning so I decided to stay an extra day here.Managed to upload lots of photos so it was worth it. The temps here are in the low 100's in the mid afternoon, been going thru like a gallon+ of water everyday. The landscape is Mars like, rock, dirt, and barren mountains.

Spent one day fighting a strong cross wind that kept blowing me off the road. Had to ride for miles kind of tacking the wind with a leg out to catch myself when the sudden gusts would just move you sideways without warning.Saw two trucks turned over and many truck windsheilds laying in the dirt from past accidents. Been seeing camels and all the signs are in Chinese and some Islamic writing, evidence that much of this region, population, and culture had once been part of Kazakstan and Uzbekistan before the Chinese took over.

Still trying to get used to the food, it's so different and of course I don't know one Chinese symbol so it's hard to order. Also alot of it just doesn't agree with me. The heat, pedaling, and food issues should work out well for my continuing weight loss program! If I make it home and my snoring has decreased I'm sure Sheree will feel it was all worth it! There's a major eclipse coming about August 1st and apparently I'm in one of the best parts of the world to see it, perhaps I'll be in a small village and predict it, they'll really think I'm cool!

China is a fascinating place, glad to be here but really glad it's my final country. Everything is going well and this adventure just keeps rolling along. Everyday I roll out of bed or the bag and wonder what will happen today? My luck is holding and I thank you all for following along. Until next time, take it easy. Later    Brian

Posted by briansride at 12:29 AM PDT

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Mood:  a-ok

Folks I am chillin' in Urumqi, getting ready for what I beleive to be the best challenge of the journey, crossing the Gobi. In the last several days I passed out of bleak desert into some very nice irrigated lands full of melons and vineyards. I'll skirt along a mountain range for about a week before hitting Hami, where the road turns south and plunges across the open desert. I have faith from what I've seen so far, the roads are very nice and have good space on the side and there's the national gas stations every 20-40 k's. Like most things, I'm expecting the worst and it'll probably be just fine as long as I keep thinking ahead.

Urumqi is a very large nice city but in the country it looks like a post nuclear age where everyone just decided to move back in. Everyone lives in some mud shack or broken building.They just put a shade cover up front and move in. I needn't mean to speak poorly of what I see, it's just the only way I can quickly describe it. The people are just as nice as I've run into, everytime I stop they whip out a drink, a melon and smokes and politely ask if they can have their picture taken with me and offer me a place to stay. I'm having to relay this and the rest of my messages for the journey thru Cody, my website will simply not load here in China, there's a national filter and perhaps because mine is a new site it hasn't made the grade.

I really enjoy reading everyones remarks to the blog so I am going to have Cody email me all of the comments. Again, I'll try to load some pics, but can't promise anything. I'm keeping my head into this, trying to ride it hard all the way to the finish, telling myself don't ever think you've made it until I arrive in Hong Kong. Plenty of adventure ahead and some incredible scenery. Oh and plenty of mountains. Take care everyone.    Brian

Posted by briansride at 10:59 AM PDT

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