360 kilometers of loop, 46 kilometers of regret---riding Qinghai Lake

At this time, more than 360 days have passed since the Qinghai Lake ride. At that time, due to various reasons, I put aside the record of this trip. Now I still want to follow the memory to restore the scene at that time. and mood. It’s already 2020 when I start writing again. At this time, the outbreak of the new coronavirus pneumonia has forced everyone to stay at home.

? I have always been envious when I saw others riding the Sichuan-Tibet Line. When others asked me about my dream, I couldn't help but say "riding the Sichuan-Tibet Line", but I have never thought about how to realize this dream, nor have I thought about the difficulties faced in realizing this dream. Finally, on my honeymoon, I had the opportunity to get closer to this dream. Since there are only 7 days left, it is impossible to ride the Sichuan-Tibet Line, so it would be a good idea to come to Qinghai Lake to test your skills. But now I think about it. Fortunately, I only rode Qinghai Lake. The endurance, courage and preparation required to ride the entire Sichuan-Tibet Line are several times that of Qinghai Lake. For me and Lao Xu, who are novices in cycling, there is still a long way to go. !

? After flying from Beijing to Xining in advance, Lao Xu and I began to plan the route and time for riding Qinghai Lake. I remember that it was around nine o'clock in the evening when I arrived in Xining, but the sky was like five o'clock in the afternoon in Beijing. Only then did I realize that the days in the northwest are longer. To be honest, I had no idea about this ride. I couldn't predict what problems I would encounter during the ride, so I gave up. At this time, Lao Xu began to actively look for solutions and persisted. Cycling, so I gained a certain amount of confidence. The first problem to be solved is the riding tool - bicycle, where to rent it and how to return it. At this time, I checked online and found out that Qinghai Lake cycling is already a very mature tourism business. There are many specialized tour groups that provide one-stop services, including bicycles, accommodation, meals, logistics, etc. All the problems you need to solve , I couldn’t help but be tempted, spend more money, worry less and be safe, why not? After discussing with Lao Xu, he felt that this way he would lose a lot of freedom. He could not ride according to his own wishes and could only follow the organization, which would lose a lot of fun. So, we gave up signing up for a group tour and started doing all the activities ourselves. First, I found a place to rent bicycles on the Internet - the Cavalry Camp. After consulting, I learned that they usually start from Xihai Town, go around the lake and then return to Xihai Town. There are some places to supply food and accommodation along the way, so, Check the route, riding distance, and set the itinerary.

Day 1: Take a bus to Xihai Town and rest one night in Xihai Town.

The next day: Xihai Town---Jiangxigou, stay in Jiangxigou at night.

The third day: Jiangxi Valley---Heima River. I heard that Chaka Salt Lake is a popular spot for internet celebrities. I plan to go to Chaka Salt Lake from Heima River. At the same time, the sunrise at Heima River is absolutely not allowed. If you miss it, if you stay in Heima River at night, you can get up early the next morning to watch the sunrise.

Day 4: Heima River---Gangcha, stay in Gangcha for the night, and eat local specialties.

Day 5: Gangcha---Xihai Town, rest in Xihai Town for one night and then return to Xining City.

During the trial run at the cavalry camp, we heard from the staff that the total distance would be 360 ??kilometers. If we rode down, we would be awarded medals. So we also set a goal for ourselves, 360 kilometers, and we were determined to win!

First: Xihai Town-Jiangxigou

Distance: about 100 kilometers

I got up early and went to the place where I rented a bicycle, and tried it out the day before. I put on my safety helmet and fluorescent clothes, took a few photos in the courtyard and entrance of the cavalry camp, and set off with excitement! Unexpectedly, less than two kilometers after riding out of the cavalry camp, a spoke of Lao Xu's car broke, so he had to go back and change the car. For something like this to happen just after I started riding, I actually felt a little bit upset in my heart. Fortunately, we encouraged each other and it was just a small episode. I changed my bike, filled my stomach, and continued on the road.

Riding all the way, I just felt that the field of vision ahead was infinitely broad. I can’t forget the shock I felt when I saw the large rapeseed flowers for the first time. I couldn’t help but get off the bicycle and take pictures. This is probably the charm of riding- --Infinitely close to nature. The most precious things in the world are free, sunlight, water, land, and air.

Of course, equally precious is the beautiful scenery in front of you.

? The vast plains, the wide roads, everything seems to have no end, and I feel more uneasy. Maybe it was because I was not used to riding at the beginning. I felt a little dizzy and had difficulty breathing. When facing the uphill slope, I gave up and had to push the bicycle up slowly behind Lao Xu in order to reach the top. As for the next uphill climb, he was afraid of seeing me come down to push the bike again, but this was the only time I came down to push the bike. In this way, we rode all the way, happily, meeting each other all the way, passing through patches of rapeseed flowers, and of course some boring scenery. We arrived at the Erlangjian Scenic Area. After a short stay, we had no choice but to continue riding to our accommodation destination - --Jiangxi ditch.

After arriving at the accommodation, I could finally rest. Only then did I feel the numbness and soreness in my legs and the unbearable pain in my butt. I quickly found a place to eat. Fortunately, I could take a hot bath in the evening to wash away the fatigue of the day. This day is so fulfilling! Just like in "A Man's Pilgrimage", Harold only has the road under his feet in his heart, and our minds only have the pedals under our feet and the destination we are about to reach.

Second: Jiangxigou---Heima River---Chaka Salt Lake

Distance: 50 kilometers

? Have the first day of riding experience , of course I felt more confident the next day. But the balance between work and rest is still more important. On the second day, we rode along the road ahead to Heima River, stayed in Heima River at night, and went to see the legendary and beautiful sunrise of Heima River early in the morning on the third day. Since this day's schedule was not particularly tight, Lao Xu and I took pictures and played along the way, and finally got to have close contact with Qinghai Lake. The clear lake water washes away the prosperity of the world.

Finally, after 46 kilometers of riding, we arrived at our destination. The moment I saw the big blue sign, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. It was just noon.

After settling in, we planned to go to Chaka Salt Lake after lunch. Lao Xu wanted to ride there with great interest, but I was really tired. Riding back and forth in one afternoon was really a huge challenge for me. I suggested renting a car there so that I could have fun in Chaka Salt Lake. Last lap. So, we found a car on the street and chartered a car there. On the road from Heima River to Chaka Salt Lake, the mountain road was rugged. If we rode, we would definitely break our legs. Of course, we also saw fellow cyclists along the way, and we had to admire their courage and spirit. It was around 3pm when we arrived at Chaka Salt Lake, when the sun was shining brightly, but this could not stop the endless flow of people and beautiful girls wearing red skirts everywhere. I also put on my own red dress. Get ready to join the check-in team. Chaka Salt Lake truly lives up to its reputation as the “Mirror of the Sky”.

Third: Heima River---Gangcha County

Distance: 120 kilometers

? The sunrise at Heima River should be the sunrise closest to the horizon, because The sunrise was early. After asking about where to watch the sunrise the night before, we got up at 5 o'clock the next day and set off. We walked along the yellow halo on the horizon and passed crowded places twice. , Lao Xu always felt that it was not the best viewing spot that we had inquired about yesterday, so we continued to ride forward. Unexpectedly, the sun rose little by little during the ride, and we had already passed the best viewing spot, so we walked on a flat land I took a few pictures of the big sun and then rode on. Maybe this is what travel is like, there are always things you miss and regrets.

? Missing the sunrise cannot affect our pace of moving forward. I met many professional cycling teams along the way, and everyone sometimes chased after each other. The words "come on" were even more encouraging. When I see beautiful scenery on the road, I always want to stop, but on the one hand, I am in a hurry, and on the other hand, I am not willing to stop when my morale is high, and I miss a lot of beautiful scenery.

Finally, after nearly 120 kilometers of riding, we arrived at Gangcha. This is the most modern place I have encountered along the way. It is the county seat after all. After arriving at the hotel, I felt both cold and hot all over my body. I was worried countless times that I would have a fever. As a result, after a short rest, I went to look for food with a hungry stomach.

This was probably the best meal I had on this trip. A pot of butter tea and a few side dishes. I didn't expect that hand-shredded cabbage can be so delicious.

After we had had enough wine and food, the wind blew in the small square for a while. The wind that belongs to Qinghai was really refreshing.

Fourth: Gangcha County---Xihai Town

Distance: 80 kilometers

? After three days of riding, the last shiver is just around the corner . Unexpectedly, as soon as I went out, there was light rain in the sky. After eating xiaolongbao on the roadside, I hurriedly set off to prevent the rain from getting heavier. I have only run in the drizzle before, but I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to ride in the rain. On the one hand, the vision is blurred, and on the other hand, it is windy. A large trailer coming from the opposite direction will cause even greater wind resistance. It almost blew down people and cars. Just like that, the raincoat was blown up and the clothes were soaked. Cold and fear came at the same time, but Lao Xu kept encouraging me, sometimes opening the way for me in front, and sometimes behind to ensure my safety. Just like that, after some distance, we met a house or a health center in the village. We rode in and changed our clothes and continued riding on the road. Unexpectedly, the rain became heavier and the wind became stronger, so we had to stop. Take shelter from the rain. At that time, I was really desperate and wondered why I had to suffer like this. At this time, I just felt that safety was the most important thing, and I really wanted to go back to the warm bed. Lao Xu has always been as steady as a rock, stubbornly wanting to ride to the finish line, and not wanting to give up for the sake of the medal, but my mentality has collapsed. After a while, a bus came over. I tried to wave, but unexpectedly the bus stopped. I asked if it could reach Xihai Town? arrive! It is simply a blessing from God. In this way, we took the bus to Xihai Town, but failed to ride down, which also resulted in the regret of the 46 kilometers.

? Finally, I stayed in Xihai Town for one day, walking around and taking photos. Compared with the days of riding, I felt so comfortable and bored.

Set a flag for yourself and take this route next time you travel by car. Go to the legendary Dunhuang to see the wonders of the desert, and go to the beautiful Zhangye to see the colorful Danxia.