May 26,  Location:  Xi’an  34° 16’N 108° 56’ E elevation 539 metres, riding day #12. 124km today, 1623 total to date.

The ride into Xi’an was total chaos, tons of traffic, buses everywhere, the bike lane changed into a bus/bike lane – you get used to having a full size bus running 5’ behind you – and I was pedaling at 30k.  Unfortunately one of the guys had a lady step out right in front of him, he went down breaking his collar bone.

This ends the first section of our ride, two guys are leaving and three join us.

A simple hotel, but great – not only is there water in the shower, there is warm water, and the drain drains, and the sink plug plugs so I can do my laundry, and it is on a quiet (I think it will be) small alley, and we have toilet paper, and it is a non-smoking room!  Amazing luxury!

                                                                                                                                                              

We went into the Muslim quarter for another fantastic dinner, our chiefs:

We've gone through what seems like a 100 towns like this...

May 26,  Location:  Huayin  34° 32’N 110° 05’ E elevation 389 metres, riding day #11. 142km today, 1499 total to date.

Another day doing the equivalent of a GranFondo, found it hard today.  Feeling very tired.  Goods news is that my right knee is getting better, quite a relief for me. Other good news is that we ride into Xi’an tomorrow (about 130k), then a rest day.

A couple pictures from the day:

Yes this is a flock of sheep being herded into town – possibly part of my dinner tonight.

All the back roads are used for drying a harvest.

I love these overloaded tractors

No idea why these arches are here, or what they represent.

This guy was using a whip that I think is laced with gunpowder to snap at the top, it sounds like a firecracker going off.  Speaking of firecrackers, they go off for almost any reason, completion of a construction achievement, Friday night or whatever.

If you ever find yourself in Huayin, China, go to the restaurant pictured below.  It is a Muslim restaurant and the food is fantastic – except no beer.  Tell them that Zabie from Kashgar sent you.  We have three local support people, Zabie, Abdul and Ackbar are all from Kashgar – great guys.

Most city squares have exercise and dance classes in the early morning and evening.  The same square where the pictures below were taken had several classes going on in the evening, including what I think was a Bangra (sp?) class.