Cycling around Qinghai Lake (1) takes you to explore different Xining cities.

Source: Biketo.com| Maggie. Com author: TOMYLOVE

Recently received a lot of news about the Qinghai earthquake, people will have a sense of where they have been. Although I am thousands of miles away in Tianjin, the disaster in this beautiful place still deeply affects my heart. I pray that everyone can survive the crisis safely. My connection with Qinghai has to start with a bicycle trip during the May Day holiday.

"Driving too fast, walking too slow, only cycling is just right." Riding has always been my way of recording and understanding the world. After completing two bicycle trips in Taiwan Province Province and Hainan, I turned my attention to the mysterious and beautiful Qinghai Lake during this May Day holiday. It takes about 4 days to start from Xining city and circle the lake clockwise, which is also the route chosen by most cyclists around the lake. I don't need to say anything. Start my travel notes!

If you want to complete a smooth long-distance ride, a reliable bicycle is very important, which makes me focus on the yellow car, which is used by dozens or even hundreds of people every day. Needless to say, the reliability of the yellow car is decided! Tie up the camel bag and go straight!

Just kidding, just kidding. Although * * enjoys a yellow car, which is sturdy and durable, it is a public product after all. It's hard for me to ride it. Even if you can really ride to Qinghai Lake, you may not get news after this trip, and people will be tired directly. After thinking about it, my little yellow car is the most reliable. This old buddy has accompanied me to many places and seen many scenery. We can't travel without it.

In the way of bicycle consignment, I have chosen China Railway Express as a "partner" for more than N times. The advantage of train consignment is that it is very convenient and fast. Push the car to the consignment room, fill out the form and send it there. The disadvantage is that the bicycle has poor protection during transportation. If the car is injured, you need to take the responsibility yourself. So, if you are riding a carbon car that is afraid of bumps, this way is not suitable for you. Packing in cartons or wooden cases is king.

After nearly 30 hours of green leather car journey, I arrived at the starting point of this journey-Xining city at noon on May 1.

In my impression, this city is very special and full of charm. Located at the junction of the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Xining has become a multi-ethnic city where Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Catholicism and Taoism coexist harmoniously, thus creating a splendid and rich culture in Xining. With the knowledge and expectation of this city, I can't wait to rest in the hotel, take my bike from the private room, tie up my camel bag, and then I can't wait to start my wandering trip in Xining.

The first thing to punch in is the famous scenic spot in Xining-Dongguan Muslim Temple. This majestic and towering building is the largest mosque in Qinghai province, which combines many cultural styles such as Han, Tibetan and Islam. When I approached the temple and looked up, I really felt a sense of awe. It is said that there are many complicated requirements for entering the mosque, and I don't know much about it, so I didn't enter the visit.

Hui people gathered near the big temple to buy dates. The white "digital hat" is a symbol of the Hui nationality. As for why you wear this little white hat, the reason is that you can't show your hair during religious worship. Therefore, wearing this frameless white hat is not only in line with the teaching method but also convenient for worship. Over time, it has become a symbolic national costume.

Go to Xiananguan Street, the old life street next to the temple. As soon as I entered the street, I saw all kinds of fresh fruits, which were full of weight. Our fruits in the northwest are not covered ~

Just caught a nice Hui old man ~

I really like the colorful contrast style of Xining Old Street, which has a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern flavor. This style is unique among cities in China.

Two little boys are hiding behind the car. Xining in May is not very hot, but the sun is shining. I was almost blinded by the sun when I was wandering in the street by bike, but it was quite comfortable to be bathed in the sun in the afternoon.

A military green "28 Big Bar" on the roadside caught my eye. After all these years, you can still stay so bright. It can be seen that the owner is an out-and-out car enthusiast.

Isn't Xining a fusion of multiple cultures? How can you not see the most common Ming and Qing architecture? Just when I was wondering, a beautiful and elegant drum tower caught my eye.

Of course, Xining is not just a city "bound" by traditional culture. Driven by the economic development, the city has also shown new vitality in the new era. A large number of towering modern buildings are also seen from time to time during riding. This feeling of shuttling between tradition and modernity is very interesting.

In addition to the contrasting old streets, the buildings on the streets of Xining are also "colorful", and the romance of the northwest people is so straightforward and simple.

After a day's shopping, I really couldn't figure out what to eat at night, so I just found a Muslim restaurant and ordered a fried rice with beef and eggs. I have to say, this weight is quite enough. I almost didn't finish it, and of course it tastes good. It's almost 7: 30 in the evening after dinner. I almost didn't scare me when I walked out of the restaurant. What! ? It's still bright! This really makes me a "idiot" who has never been to the northwest unable to adapt for a while.

According to the weather forecast, the sun will not set until 8 pm in most parts of Qinghai. Although I have long heard of the sunset glow in the northwest, I still have the illusion that time and space are intertwined when I really set foot in it. Tomorrow, I will start my official cycling. It is planned to start from Xining, pass Huangyuan County, and finally reach Xihai Town, the starting point around the lake. Although the journey is only 104 km, it may be a big challenge for people who have been inactive for a long time, so I went to bed early to save energy for tomorrow's ride.

Xining-Xihai Town

Maybe it was because I was so excited that I didn't sleep all night last night, but it didn't affect the excitement in the morning at all. I have done my homework before and learned that the temperature difference between day and night in Xining will be relatively large, which scared me to put on my coat and go out. It turns out that Xining in the morning is just like this, and the temperature is similar to that in the mainland.

In the vibrant city of Xining in the early morning, the weather today should be very good ~

Leaving the hustle and bustle of Xining city, I walked along the G 109 National Road and experienced the unique desolation in the northwest.

Pay attention to those who ride pigeons every day! Be careful that Lao Wang takes you away!

The river at the foot of the mountain is Huangshui River. Although narrow and small, it is called the "mother river" of Qinghai, which has nurtured about 60% of the population in Qinghai Province. In addition, this river is one of the main water sources of the Yellow River and Lanzhou City.

There is a stone tablet of "Ming Great Wall Site" on the cliff in front of me, but unfortunately I didn't photograph this stone tablet. You may not feel anything from the picture, but when such a domineering cliff stands in front of you, it will still give you a great visual impact.

Although the scenery is a bit desolate, the road surface condition of National Highway 109 is really good, and such a tree-lined road will appear from time to time, adding a little mood to your monotonous journey.

The first half of the journey was very smooth. Although this road has some ups and downs, at least it doesn't break you down. At noon, I arrived in Huangyuan County. This small county has a long history, and the Han and Tibetan cultures are integrated. The most famous scenic spot is the ancient city of Tangar.

The ancient city of Tangar was built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, with a history of more than 600 years. It is an important economic and cultural hub and military center in western China. Since the Western Han Dynasty, Tanggar has become an important commercial and trade place. With the development of commerce and cultural exchanges among ethnic groups, the city god temple, Jinfo Temple, Huozu Pavilion and other buildings have been built in the ancient city. When you stroll through the ancient city, you will have to sigh the exquisite structure of these buildings.

An old man selling souvenirs on the streets of the ancient city was embarrassed to see me holding my mobile phone to take pictures. He waved his hand again and again and said, "Don't shoot."

Lovely yak doll

After visiting the main road of the ancient city of Tangar, I rode into the narrow and winding People's Lane next to it. These quiet corners are what really attract me.

This peach tree stands out in the alley street surrounded by gray brick walls. I think the host must be a hospitable person ~

I bought a drink during my lunch break, but I was surprised to find that it matched my sunscreen a little. When it comes to sun protection, it is because I want to completely abandon the "rough and wild" riding style. I can't allow myself to be an out-and-out Filipino, as I was in Hainan and Taiwan Province Province. This time I want to be a delicate "pig"!

However, when I thought the second half of the journey would be as smooth as the first half, I didn't know that the second half was a "nightmare journey". The remaining 50 kilometers made me collapse several times, and I can't stop thinking about my legs until now.

After riding out of Huangyuan County, the 109 national highway became the 3 15 national highway, but I was puzzled when I rode into a toll booth. Should I ride a bike on the highway? This toll station looks exactly like a high-speed toll station. I checked and compared Gaud's map several times, and only after I was sure that no one stopped me did I continue along the track.

But it didn't take long to ride, and I found that the real trouble came and the wind changed greatly. At this time, the air volume suddenly increased sharply, and the most terrible thing was the impartial head-on headwind. This made me a little worried when I was full of confidence. If the rest of the journey is like this, then I may really finish my calf.

Facts have proved that my fears have come true. When I enter the road with dense valleys, the headwind is getting stronger and stronger, and it is still blowing violently for a while, and the power can almost overturn you instantly. No way, I have to ride another 50 kilometers on this road, so I have to bite the bullet and pedal hard, try to control the handlebars, and silently pray that this damn headwind will stop soon!

Does the desolate valley in the northwest smell like a Mars base? In such a lonely place, I really experienced a sense of despair of "calling every day and calling the ground is ineffective"

The "small waterfall" in the mountains

Standing on the hillside overlooking the 3 15 national highway, it is really no different from other expressways in appearance, but bicycles can be boarded for free and motorcycles can also be boarded. It is not clear whether there is a charge.

Speed 18 km? Brother speedometer, I'm afraid you flatter me. Now it's good for me to ride to 8 kilometers per hour in this state ~

Passing through a beautiful reservoir-Dongdatan Reservoir, which is the largest regulated reservoir in Huangshui River Basin at present. The reservoir is sparkling and many waterfowl live here. There are several ducks and ducks wandering leisurely on the water not far from the photo. I wonder if the sharp-eyed friends have found it?

There is a natural grassland with a length of 1.2km and a width of 50-80m on the south bank of the reservoir, which has become an ideal place for herders to graze. If I wasn't in a hurry, I could really sit in such a pleasant environment for a day.

There are 176 sheep in the picture. Do you want to count? After leaving the reservoir, it is less than 20 kilometers away from Xihai Town, but the headwind shows no signs of weakening. On the contrary, it is getting bigger and bigger. On the way, I have met two teams of riders who got off the bus. This is really the longest 20 kilometers in my cycling career. Every 2-3 kilometers, I will stop and open the map of Gaode frequently to check the remaining distance. When the distance is only single digits, I feel that the finish line is out of reach and my mood is getting more and more irritable. At this time, I am like a soldier crawling on the ground. Every kilometer forward can be regarded as a rare sight.

Finally arrived at the end of today's trip-Xihai Town. By this time, I was exhausted. It is no exaggeration to say that if I had 10 km more, I might have to come down and push it away. Xihai Town is a small town I admire very much, so there used to be a group of lovely people living here. In the early days of the People's Republic of China, in order to break the nuclear blackmail of international hostile forces, a group of great scientists came to Xihai Town anonymously, where they established the first nuclear weapons research base in China-State-run 22 1 Factory, and successfully developed China's first atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb. So I think no matter how noble adjectives are, they can't set off the sacrifices and contributions made by this group of scientists and this city to * * * and China.

The buildings in the town obviously have the style of the last century.

The streets are clean and empty, and there are really few people, which adds a mysterious color to Xihai Town, which was once a restricted area.

It is really hard to imagine the determination of the older generation of scientists to set foot on this land in northwest China even though they know that they may never be known to the world.

Not far away stands a statue of Chairman Mao.

The empty West Sea Plaza

Tired and hungry, I wandered around the streets of Xihai Town and finally found a good mala Tang restaurant, probably because the owner is Hui. The way and taste of mala Tang are very different from those in the mainland, but fortunately it tastes good. This trip gave me a duel from the beginning. Today's tragic experience made me feel obvious leg pain, and I will enter a formal trip around the lake tomorrow. I hope Qinghai Lake can be kind to me, a lone ranger with old arms and legs!

(To be continued ...)