If Dali, a bicycle

Dali is not a fun place, if the definition of fun is scenic spots, exotic customs and nightlife. But Dali is interesting, rich, low-key, loose and quiet, and all the good things are hidden, like the childhood you can't go back to, the future you can't reach, like the mountains and rivers we lost, reappearing in dreams. For travelers, especially cycling enthusiasts, a mountain bike can easily help you sneak into the hinterland of Dali and explore the secrets of why it is called Utopia. At this time, you will find that you are no longer a spectator. You have integrated into the villages, fields, wild roads, mountains and rivers that you pass by. That’s the joy of riding, and you happen to be in Dali.

I have lived in Dali for 4 years. Based on my habit of walking alone for several years, I recommend the following 3 cycling routes around Dali.

Rim of Erhai Lake

A classic with both landscape and culture

Scenery: 5

Intensity: 3

Mileage: 130 kilometers

Time: 1 day or 2 days

Comprehensive recommendation index: 5

I have visited Qinghai Lake, Lugu Lake, West Lake, and Dianchi Lake before , Poyang Lake (part), are not as classic as Erhai Lake. It has an altitude of 2,000 and a circumference of 130 kilometers. Most of it is flat asphalt roads and is not subject to seasonal restrictions. Everything is just right. The water is clear and you can jump in and take a dip in the summer. There are grasses, water birds, and trees in the water. There are wild fishermen, wetlands, and vast fields on the shore. Everything is growing day and night. You can hear the sound of crops drawing water, egrets fly by, and the scarecrow plays hide-and-seek with the birds.

The road around the sea is not wide, it is close to the water and winds along the shore. There are not many cars, farmers are busy with their hoes, and tourists on bicycles pass by with laughter. Entering the village, we took the narrower streets. Each village has its own main temple, which is usually the oldest building in the village. The ground is paved with bluestones and bricks, and wild grass grows from the gaps. Put a few dollars into the merit box, and the maid or old man guarding the temple will say thank you in Bai dialect. Some will also use Chinese to invite you to sit down and have a cup of tea, or tell you the story of the deity. These streets and alleys are the main roads in the village. There are small shops along the way and the prices are reasonable, so you don’t need to carry too much when riding. Old people wearing traditional Bai costumes were leaning against the wall, chatting and napping. The stalls in the small open-air market were selling the freshest fruits and vegetables. Some large villages still retain theater stages, Kuixing Pavilion, Dragon King Temple, water pumping stations extending into the Erhai Lake, and high water canals. In the area near the water, most of the houses have been rented by outsiders and converted into boutique inns. The street signs are hidden in the alleys and are difficult to see. The architectural form blends in with the village but is different from the Bai houses. They generally have waterside courtyards and viewing terraces. The design is simple, and you can see the sea from the bed and bathtub. It is hard to believe that these traditional fishing villages, which were very remote five years ago, have suddenly become the largest, most beautiful, most designed and most expensive leisure resort inns in China. During the ride, you can turn into some inns that are open to the public, drink coffee, eat cakes just baked by the boss, and take a short rest one meter away from the sea water, but be careful, you may give up on the rest of the journey because of this.

The road on the hillside near Caise Town is one of the famous shooting spots

The Caise stone pier that stretches into the seawater is a large area

130 kilometers away It’s relatively short. Based on an average speed of 18 kilometers, including meals, rests, and photos (3 hours), it takes 10 hours. This refers to cyclists with acceptable physical endurance. It usually takes 12 hours or more. Therefore, it is recommended to start early in the morning and have a filling breakfast. Only some villages have restaurants.

If you start from the ancient city of Dali, it is recommended to go around the sea counterclockwise, passing through Caicun, Longchian, Erbin, Xiaguan, Haidong, Xiaoputuo, and Hose (about 60 kilometers away from the ancient city, which happens to be The middle point of the ride around the sea (you can have lunch here), Shuanglang, Jiangwei, Taoyuan, Xizhou, Jiangshang, Shiling, Fenxi, Xiabosong, Caicun, and finally return to the ancient city. If you go clockwise, you have to ride against the wind to Xianguan in the afternoon. The wind in Erhai Lake is not generally strong, especially in winter and spring, the wind becomes stronger in the afternoon.

The Erhai Lake is so beautiful that you have to stop and take pictures. If you want to go deep into the Bai village, or if you want to experience the legendary sea-view house, and because of your physical strength, you might as well split the ride over two days. It is recommended to stay one night in the tall Shuanglang. This is the only town around the Erhai Lake that is completely close to the water. It has a complete range of inns, bars, restaurants, and specialty shops. Facing Cangshan Mountain, it is the best place to watch the sunset.

You are flying in the sky and I am wandering on the ground - Qi Qin

Sometimes you can see small sailing boats that are almost extinct in the mainland

What is nostalgia? The ancient trees beside the sea tongue in Xizhou Ancient Town are silent

If you start from Shuanglang and finish the ride in one day, in order to avoid riding against the wind in the afternoon, it is recommended to circle the sea clockwise. If you ride in two days, it can be done smoothly or reversibly. You can stay at night in seaside villages such as Longgian, Caicun, Xiabosong, and Fenxi. It is quieter here than Shuanglang. The starry sky is bright. If you are lucky, you will be moved to see the moon over the Erhai Sea. It is also great to get up early to watch the sunrise. The only drawback is that there are very few restaurants in the village, so most of the food is ordered in the inn or shared meals.

Local people running for life

Huanhai East Road to the east of Erhai Lake (locally called Haidong) has a broad view and majestic momentum. Huanhai West Road to the west of Erhai Lake (called Haixi by locals) runs through pastoral villages and wetlands. It is beautiful and timeless, with a strong cultural atmosphere and is closer to nature.

Highly recommended shooting locations include the wooden plank road at Longkan Pier, the long stone pier extending into the sea in Waise Town, the wetlands in the northern part of Erhai Lake (in Jiangwei), the streets and old houses in Xizhou, and the Haitongue Wetland Park. Of course, the fishing boats in the distance, the trees in the water, the winding road around the sea, the sunset between Cangshan Mountain and the Erhai Lake, and you pretending to be cool on the wheel are all must-take photos.

For short-distance cyclists, you can choose the section closest to your residence. As long as it is by the seaside, it is a classic.

There are many kinds of riding, you can have a refreshing time

You can be brave and diligent

You can ride an electric bike

You can ride with this handsome guy Ride a Harley

You can also ride a horse and take a ride

Dali-Jizu Mountain Loop

Looking for the beauty lost in the mountains

Scenery : 4.5

Intensity: 4.5

Mileage: 220 kilometers

Time: 2 days

Comprehensive recommendation index: 4.5

Jizu Mountain is located to the east of Erhai Lake in Binchuan County, Dali Prefecture. It is the intersection of Tibetan, Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism. Legend has it that Kasyapa entered samadhi here. It is a famous Buddhist holy place in history, with prosperous incense and numerous temples and nunneries. In the middle of the Qing Dynasty, it declined due to banditry and other reasons. In the Republic of China, Master Xuyun revived the Taoist temple. Today's Jizu Mountain is not well known, but it is still a good place for practice, worship, and travel. Riding to Jizu Mountain, some ancient people had the intention of going on a pilgrimage with faith, and they seemed to be looking for the beauty lost in this deep mountain. . In fact, one of the roads leading to Jizu Mountain has been abandoned and has no mobile phone signal. It is the essence of this route.

Caise Town is the best place to get in and out of Jizu Mountain because there are few cars recently. The Dali Ancient City-Jizu Mountain Loop is equivalent to 130 kilometers around the Erhai Lake + 90 kilometers around the Jizu Mountain = 220 kilometers. It combines all the riding characteristics of the sea and the mountains, and is especially worth trying for cyclists who love mountains.

Starting from the ancient city of Dali, if you ride counterclockwise like around Erhai Lake, you will arrive at Di Se Lunch at noon. After dinner, we headed east through Gaoxing Village on an asphalt road newly built in the past two or three years, and walked more than 40 kilometers to Jizushan Town at the foot of Jizu Mountain. The altitude of the town is not much different from that of Taise, but most of the 40 kilometers of new roads are winding mountain roads. Baofeng Temple is the highest, and there are wineries and canteens opened by the Lisu people nearby. There are few villages and cars along the way, and the scenery is magnificent. After a long slope down from Baofeng Temple, there is a narrow and beautiful dam in the mountains. Large areas of Binchuan grapes are planted beside the road. Occasionally, villagers pick them and sell them on the roadside. Eat to quench your thirst and refresh yourself, but remember to rinse with clean water. Clean, fear of pesticide residue.

The mileage of the day is more than 90 kilometers, which is not hard at all. After arriving in Jizushan Town, you can bike slowly to find accommodation, ranging from farmhouse inns with tens of yuan to hotels with hundreds of yuan. The town is small, with a small population, and is very quiet. It is covered with a layer of mysterious luster in the afterglow of the setting sun, and the white tower on the mountain is vaguely visible. If your budget is limited, you can choose a farmhouse inn. In the off-season, you can find a room at a bargain price of 40 yuan. It is clean, spacious and has hot water.

After a good sleep, if you have enough time, you can go to Jizu Mountain to worship. There are many temples and they are said to be very spiritual. You can take the cable car to the main peak, Jinding Temple, and return to the inn before evening. I will not list the specific guide.

If you continue riding the next day, it will be the highlight section mentioned above, a 50-kilometer abandoned old road - Kanghe Highway. Not far from the town, you need to walk continuously for 12 kilometers. At a high point, we parked our car and looked down. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the road to Jizu Mountain yesterday was like a strip of white satin, winding through the mountains and disappearing into the dark green forest in the distance. Riding further, I saw Bazi at the foot of the mountain, with golden rice fields, blue reservoirs, well-organized villages and fields, and endless rolling hills in the distance. I couldn’t believe that it was the same road I walked yesterday.

We passed a slope and started to descend for 10 kilometers, passing the only village along the way - Lizichang Village. There is a government-approved industrial hemp base outside the village, and chestnuts, walnuts, plums, pears, etc. are also grown. Fruit trees, with the permission of the owner, you can pick some for a taste. The climate in the mountains changed. The sun was still shining brightly, but then a sudden burst of rain forced us into the thick shade under a big chestnut tree. An old woman came to take shelter from the rain with a sharp machete hanging on her waist. We said something that we couldn't understand and giggled, and then fell into a daze. A ripe chestnut fell from the tree with a snap. We picked it up with a silly smile. Peel it open and eat it.

Three kilometers away from the pass, the rain became heavier and heavier, so we hid in the forest ranger station to have some tea. There is a shortage of water at high altitudes. The water is brought by motorcycle from Lizichang Village. The staff are also from that village. They are polite and talk little. They are not as enthusiastic as the Bai people on the plains. Perhaps they have lived in the mountains for a long time and have little communication with the outside world. If it were us, we would have daily conversations with mountains and forests, marijuana, wild birds, and the unpredictable wind and rain. We would probably feel that a lot of words were superfluous, and even our cell phones would lose signal in a cooperative manner.

Abandoned in the mountains, this road, this village, and the taciturn people form another world of their own. Thanks to the rain, we stayed in it a little longer. We are moving too fast, we need to slow down and find the lost beauty. The road that was once used by vehicles and horses has returned to the mountains. Sand, fallen leaves, reptiles and weeds have gradually regained their lost ground. The road has begun to crack and collapse with the changes in the terrain, but it still retains its dignity. The feeling of riding on it is incomparable. Unparalleled.

After a long downhill road, and then passing through a 5-kilometer-long gravel road (destroyed by the quarry), we returned to the Huanhai Road in Caise Town.

Continue riding according to the previous guide around Erhai Lake and return to the ancient city of Dali. The mileage for the day was 130 kilometers.

Dali-Shaxi Loop

Just to appreciate the other side of Cangshan Mountain

Scenery: 4

Intensity: 4.5

Mileage: 295 kilometers (cycling 240 kilometers)

Time: 2 days

Comprehensive recommendation index: 4

There are two types of travel, one One focuses on the destination, and the other focuses on the scenery along the way. Dali's trip to Shaxi belongs to the former, because the scenery along the way is mediocre. But returning from Shaxi belongs to the latter, because that road is at the west foot of Cangshan Mountain, and it is a fascinating place that we who live at the east foot of Cangshan Mountain rarely set foot on, so the road seems to have a special interest.

Shaxi is known as the only surviving market on the Tea Horse Road. Like Shuanglang and Nuodeng, it is a tourist town (village) that has only emerged in Dali in recent years. So, what’s the reason not to ride to Shaxi? Thinking about this place is exciting.

But when you hit the road one day, you will inevitably be a little disappointed. The road leading to this mysterious town is actually not fun at all. It is more than 100 kilometers long on the ancient Yunnan-Tibet Highway (National Highway 214). The road conditions are poorly maintained, there are many large cars, and some areas are under construction. The dust and smoke are billowing, and the scenery is beautiful. Also very bland. The Niujie Township we passed on the way was quite interesting. The hot springs were good and the villagers liked to pretend to be home to feed the cows and soak their feet. Staying at a farm hotel costs 30 yuan per room, and you can also get a separate private pool for free, and you can soak in it for as long as you like. To the west of Niujie Street, there is a horse trail that leads directly to Shaxi. It requires dozens of kilometers over mountains and ridges. I was afraid of punctured tires and did not dare to ride it.

There are many hot springs in Niujie. In the evening, people like to take some home to soak their feet or feed their cattle.

When you arrive at Diannan Town, Jianchuan County, turn left to Shibaoshan. The road to Shaxi is 25 kilometers long and there are almost no cars. Across a mountain, there is a village in a small dam, with white walls, black tiles and green trees, surrounded by green trees. A small stream passes through the fields. Entering this world from the lively national highway, it feels like a paradise, but the village is really called Taoyuan Village. After climbing over a higher mountain, passing the gate of Shibaoshan, and going down a long slope, a bigger and longer dam suddenly opened up in front of us. The first time I rode here was a dusk in autumn. The Heihui River flowed quietly to the south. A tobacco-curing house made of rammed earth stood in the golden fields. There were several old people sitting on the ancient steps of Ciyin Temple at the entrance of the village. I knew, This is Shaxi.

I stayed at the No. 58 Xiaoyuan Inn owned by a Taiwanese girl, Xiaofen. I was the only guest. I stepped on the creaking wooden boards upstairs and fell asleep soundly. The 130 kilometers only cost me 8 hours. The next year I rode there again. There were more and more inns in Shaxi, and now there are even groups of inns. What’s rare is that the original tranquility is still preserved. You can stay in Shaxi for a long time, basking in the sun under the ancient stage on Sifang Street every day, or cycling to the surrounding villages and climbing Shibao Mountain. It is a 4A scenic spot with few tourists and full of wild charm. It is definitely a worthwhile trip.

Shaxi was so quiet at that time. I sat like this every day in a daze. At that time, Mai Qiu Book Bar was still there, and the little tree was still young

It was finally time to return. In the morning, we continued southbound along the Heihui River, passing by Qiaohou and Shangtie, and arriving at Yangbi County. The entire journey is a county road called x084, 110 kilometers long, winding at the western foot of Cangshan Mountain. Since it is a county road, there are no cars. There are mountains on the left and a river on the right. The mountain road is gentle and smooth. The Bai villages along the way, blocked by Cangshan Mountain, also live in a corner, self-sufficient and contented with themselves. Compared with the villages to the east of Cangshan Mountain, the houses seem to be more dilapidated and ancient, and more reminiscent of the past.

To arrive at Yangbi Station before the last bus to Xiaguan in the evening, when there are few passengers, you can put your car in the aisle behind the bus and ride over Cangshan Mountain. The 55-kilometer mountain road only takes more than an hour. , arrived at Xiaguan. If you choose to ride, this road has many steep slopes and will be very strenuous, and it will be difficult to finish the ride on the same day. As for the road from Xiaguan to Dali, it goes without saying.

Shaxi Market

If you have time, go to the nearby Shibaoshan Mountain

Comprehensive Tips

These three cycling routes, The car cannot be bad, a good car can make you relaxed and happy. A friend of mine borrowed a friend's bicycle to ride the Jizu Mountain Loop. He was almost pushed along the last 20 kilometers of the return trip because the bicycle strained his knees and calves. It is strongly recommended to wear cycling pants, a helmet, gloves and sports glasses. Don't be too fast when going downhill on mountain roads, otherwise accidents will easily occur. Those who are afraid of the sun need to bring long-sleeved clothes or sunscreen. There are supplies along the way, so you don’t need to carry too much weight, but you should prepare simple warm clothes.