Tibet meets the pioneers, 6000KM witnesses the strength of the “tough guy”

Author: Hu Ke

It is said that there are two impulses in life, one is desperate love, and the other is a spontaneous trip. During the longest National Day in history, a few friends and I impulsively took a quick self-driving tour of Tibet with a Chevrolet Trailblazer: it lasted 12 days, entering on the Sichuan-Tibet line and exiting on the Qinghai-Tibet line, covering nearly 6,000 kilometers. The trip allowed us to harvest beautiful scenery and various adventures. The shocks along the way have turned into deep imprints, engraved on the long scroll of life, and once again confirmed the saying: the most beautiful scenery is always on the road.

Departing on 01? and heading towards the plateau

It is 2,000 kilometers from Chengdu to Lhasa. In order to avoid the holiday travel peak, we chose to set off from Chengdu a few days in advance. It was cloudy and rainy on the morning of departure. A friend traveling with us read the weather forecast and said that the Sichuan-Tibet line will be rainy these days, and even sleet in some places. However, we have always adhered to the style of rain or shine. How can we drive away the mere rain and snow? Walk our pilgrimage heart?

Not long after, we drove the Trailblazer and turned onto the Chengya Expressway. Now the Sichuan-Tibet Expressway can go all the way to Kangding, the city of love songs. At high speeds, the Trailblazer 2.0T turbocharged engine shows excellent power. When there was less traffic, I tried to accelerate with floor oil, and the transmission responded quickly. When I stepped on the accelerator, the transmission quickly downshifted several gears to accelerate, and a pushing feeling came immediately. The wide 265/45R21 tires released strong grip, without any slipping or tire squealing. Because the speed was too fast, I quickly closed the accelerator and used inertia to coast to 120km/h. Then I turned on the ACC full-speed adaptive cruise system and moved my feet Freed up to save energy for this long journey. The maximum power of 174kW/5000rpm and the peak torque of 350Nm/1500-4000rpm are more than enough to cope with a vehicle weight of 2 tons, four adults and a full vehicle of luggage.

The Trailblazer is matched with GM's latest 9-speed automatic manual transmission. The 9 gears allow the transmission to have a wider gear ratio, which can provide high torque in low gears when off-road, and can be used during high-speed cruising. Achieve low engine speed. When cruising at 120km/h, the engine speed is less than 2000rpm. Such a low speed is of great benefit to fuel economy.

It is worth mentioning that the Trailblazer's electronic power assist direction is moderately heavy, and there is no pressure on long-term driving. Compared with the sense of direction, the Trailblazer's brakes are heavier and require a little more force to achieve a good braking effect. This may take some getting used to for women. However, compared to European SUVs, everyone will think that the Trailblazer is easy to drive.

After we turned off the highway, had lunch in Luding and visited Luding Bridge, we turned off the highway again and arrived in Kangding not long after. Starting from Kangding, the expressway in Sichuan on the Sichuan-Tibet Line has ended and officially entered the non-high-speed section of National Highway 318 in Sichuan. In fact, even on non-high-speed sections, the road conditions are very good. The speed of the flat asphalt road is not slow, and you can often run at the speed limit of 80km/h.

We easily arrived at Zheduo Mountain, the first snow-capped mountain on the Sichuan-Tibet line with an altitude of over 4,000 meters. High altitude has a great impact on the human body, and friends traveling with us are worried. High reaction, and I am more worried about whether the Blazers will be "high reaction". What's even more troublesome is that when climbing through many mountains, the rain gets heavier as you go up. After the altitude exceeds 3,500 meters, it starts to snow again, and the grass on the roadside is also covered with a layer of white snow.

Facing the slippery road surface, the Michelin tires matched by the Trailblazer showed good drainage and did not feel too slippery when running over standing water, which made me feel much more at ease. There are many twists and turns and narrow roads. If two large trucks meet in the bend, they must borrow each other's lane to pass slowly, which seriously reduces the traffic efficiency and often leads to congestion. Next to the winding mountain road, there is occasionally a rotten road that has been in disrepair for a long time. It is a temporary emergency passage. Not to mention the potholes, the dirt road is soft and muddy after being washed by rain. If you are not careful, you will get a car stuck. There are always more than a dozen cars in front and behind it. Only a few hardcore off-road vehicles turned up. At first, I didn’t know whether the Trailblazer was up to the task, and I was always hesitant to go up. But I thought that the Trailblazer also has a four-wheel drive mode, so why not give it a try.

The top-of-the-line RS engine version of the Trail Blazer is equipped with an AWD real-time four-wheel drive system. The rear axle has a Twin-Clutch function. There are also clutches on both sides to independently control the torque, which can achieve a torque ratio of 100:0-100:0 for the left and right rear wheels. Continuous distribution between 0:100 improves the ability to escape difficulties. Every time you start, the four wheels will spin more or less when you lightly press the accelerator, but soon the four-wheel drive system will distribute the torque reasonably, and combined with the "off-road" mode in the all-road driving mode and the strong grip of Michelin tires, that's it. Drive forward at a constant speed in 1st gear. Although it is slow, it is stable and reassuring. In the end, the anti-skid chains, tow ropes, and engineer shovels that came with the car were not used even once. We easily passed several kilometers of bad roads without even getting off the car.

It is getting dark. After crossing Zheduo Mountain, we must pass Xinduqiao with an altitude of 3,600 meters and Gaoersi Mountain with an altitude of 4,400 meters. There is less traffic than before, and the vehicle speed is also much faster. Rapid driving in high-altitude areas places high demands on the engine's ability to withstand high altitude reactions. However, the Trailblazer's 2.0T engine did not have obvious power shortage in a high altitude environment of more than 4,000 meters.

When accelerating and overtaking on a slope, the engine's response to the accelerator is still very positive, and acceleration and overtaking are also very easy.

02? The most comfortable posture, the most beautiful scenery

On the entire Sichuan-Tibet line, Yajiang and Batang have the lowest altitudes. Instead, we chose to stay in Yajiang on the first day. Early the next morning, in order to avoid the travel restrictions from Yajiang to Litang, we set off at around 5 o'clock. Because we got up early, the whole journey was smooth. When we were still 8 kilometers away from Zhubalong, the junction of Sichuan and Tibet, we encountered an unpaved gravel road again.

The car in front kicked up a cloud of sand and dust, and the Trailblazer we were driving was also shrouded in it. Fortunately, its sealing is good. After turning on the internal circulation and negative ion purification, there is no dust or odor in the car. At the same time, the Trailblazer's NVH is also very good. When driving on gravel roads, there is not much road noise and engine noise in the car, and the comfort is very good. Careful study revealed that the Trailblazer uses a large area of ??sound insulation cotton under the hood, the door frame also uses twice sealing rubber, and all Trailblazers come standard with active noise reduction. These are the secrets to the Trailblazer's good sound insulation effect.

After passing Drukpa Longxiang, we officially entered Tibet. Not long after coming out of Batang, the Jinsha River was always accompanying the roadside. It is said to be a river, but in fact the surface of the river is very narrow, like a small river, and the water is also very turbid. There are no trees on the mountains beside the river. The exposed rocks and low shrubs are intertwined, making it look particularly desolate. The source of any big river originates like this. Every drop of water merges into the river and the sea, which further demonstrates the greatness of the Yangtze River.

After resting in Mangkang on the second night, we set out on the road again. In fact, the altitude of Mangkang is 3800 meters, and none of us had a good rest. Maybe it was altitude sickness that was causing the problem. The beautiful scenery is all outside the car window, and the mountains in front of you are shining in the sun, aloof and cold. Suddenly I saw a dazzling white in the distance. Is it white clouds or snow-capped mountains? The car drove forward again, and I felt a burst of ecstasy. It was the snow-capped mountains, creating a completely different scenery between the sky and the earth. When you walk into this world, you can truly feel how high the sky is, how vast the land is, how strange the mountains are, and how bright the sun is.

From Mangkang to Ranwu, I drove the Trailblazer over mountains and ridges, sometimes high mountains, sometimes canyons. It was so enjoyable. We stayed in Ranwu Town for the third night as planned. The hotel was right on the edge of Ranwu Lake. The picturesque scenery by the lake made us so excited that we couldn't sleep. Ranwu Lake is 3850 meters above sea level and covers an area of ??22 square kilometers. The calm lake surface, distant mountains, snow-white glaciers, turquoise lake water, floating edges, and lush forests are a kind of natural and aloof beauty.

It is 750 kilometers from Ranwuzhen to Lhasa, and we drove there in just one day. During this process, the vehicle-machine system really helped us a lot. For example, we can use our voice to turn on the built-in Kugou music, enjoy the beautiful scenery while listening to music, and alleviate the boredom we feel on the road. Because of the opening of the Tongmaite Bridge and the completion of the Linla Highway, the driving time has been greatly shortened. Linla Highway is a high-grade highway with a speed limit of 100km/h, which is no different from the highways we usually drive on. Moreover, the entire 390km journey is free, which is very cool. The only regret is that the Mira Pass, the highest altitude on the Sichuan-Tibet Line (5,013 meters above sea level), has been replaced by the 5.8-kilometer-long Mira Mountain Tunnel on the Linla Highway, which makes self-driving on the Sichuan-Tibet Line a few levels lower. , and also missed the beautiful scenery of Mira Pass.

03? Pilgrimage, harmony between man and nature

After passing the Lhasa checkpoint at 9pm, we merged into the urban traffic. At the beginning of the night, Lhasa is bustling with traffic. During the few days in Tibet, we drove the Trailblazer to fully appreciate the scenery of the snowy plateau: whether it was the mysterious Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka, or the winding and graceful Yamdrok Yongcuo, which is said in the legend Namtso, the wife of Qingtanglha Mountain, conveys to the people passing by a return to nature, a majestic beauty of harmony between man and nature.

In the distance are white snow-capped mountains and clouds. The blue lake water and the majestic snow-capped mountains set off each other. This clear world has the momentum of embracing all rivers. The beauty of Tibet and the majestic SUV beside it couldn't be more harmonious. The Trailblazer is nearly 5 meters long. From a distance, this big guy looks like a burly tough guy, providing the strongest guarantee for us to explore unknown territories. The ample interior space of the Trailblazer also made our trip extremely comfortable. In a word, during the entire 6,000km long-distance self-driving, no one had any objection to the interior space of the Trailblazer. And because we also loaded a lot of luggage on this trip, we electric-folded the free third-row seats to expand the storage space. I have to say that the Trailblazer’s trunk space is really great. Even if the place we go is further away, the Trailblazer can handle it perfectly. In Lhasa, in addition to the must-visit attractions such as the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, another must-see item is to watch the magnificent and soul-stirring Tibetan culture classic epic masterpiece - "Princess Wencheng", a large-scale live-action drama. Under the bright starry sky of the plateau sanctuary, the live-action drama fully restored the historical scene of the marriage between Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty and King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet, and reproduced Princess Wencheng's long and arduous journey and ups and downs of her heart. It also used lighting, stage design, etc. Modern artistic means interpret the love legend of the prosperous Tang Dynasty and sing the touching history of harmony between China and Tibet.

Live performances give people the enjoyment of stage art, while cars always show the beauty of industrial art.

Take the Trailblazer in front of you as an example. The large air intake grille is majestic and steady, and decorated with sharp LED daytime running lights, it has a fashionable and elegant artistic atmosphere. The waistline that extends from both sides of the hood and fenders to the rear and gradually rises is perfectly integrated with the taillight group, making the sides and rear of the car look domineering and giving people a sense of stability.

This sense of stability not only comes from the appearance, but also depends on the strong frame of the Trailblazer, which is also our strongest source of confidence during the long journey. After finishing our trip to Tibet, we took the 109 National Highway Qinghai-Tibet Line on the way back. It is 830km from Nagqu to Golmud, and the middle section is about 500 to 600 kilometers of asphalt road. Due to plateau frozen soil, super ultraviolet rays, large temperature difference between day and night, etc., There are shell craters and ravines everywhere. As long as you drive faster, your car will fly up if you are not careful.

On this road full of traps, the Chevrolet Trailblazer’s chassis skills are fully demonstrated. The front MacPherson and rear five-link suspension system is very tough, unlike many urban SUVs of the same level that can’t be used on bad roads. It feels like a "soft-legged crab" when driving. Although the Trailblazer's body is tall and heavy, the roll during corners is not obvious and is completely within a reasonable range. Don't think that bumps will be caused by sufficient suspension support. In fact, on most potholed roads, drivers and passengers will not feel much vibration in the car because it is basically eliminated by the tires, suspension and seats. Even if you occasionally encounter a big pothole, or the vehicle speed is too fast and the four wheels fly off the road, the compression of the suspension will not be too exaggerated when landing. It only takes 1-2 bumps up and down to restore the car body to a stable state. To be honest, if the Trailblazer didn't have such a rigid and shock-absorbing suspension, on such a long bad road, even if there were no problems with the car, my friends and I would have had some problems with our cervical and lumbar vertebrae.

There is still a 1800km highway from Golmud back to Chengdu. We spent two days and visited Chaka Salt Lake and Qinghai Lake along the way. We ate grilled lamb chops in Xining and went to Lanzhou to eat the most authentic food. Beef Ramen. Compared with the road conditions in front, driving on the back 1/3 of the highway is extremely easy.

On the return journey, I would like to thank again this 2.0T engine, which has three-stage (four-cylinder power, four-cylinder efficiency and two-cylinder smoothness) intelligent cylinder change technology, which does not require large power output like high-speed cruising. In this case, the engine will automatically switch to two-cylinder operation, further reducing fuel consumption, and the switching is very smooth, and you cannot feel the switching process at all. Because of this, during the entire Tibet self-driving tour, the Pioneer's average fuel consumption per 100 kilometers under comprehensive road conditions (high-speed, bad roads, off-road, urban areas, congestion, national highways, mountain roads, etc.) is only 9.2L, with a vehicle weight of 2 tons and a full load. In terms of fuel consumption, it is very fuel-efficient, effectively saving us time in refueling and finding gas stations.

The 11-day self-driving tour of nearly 6,000 kilometers in Tibet has come to an end, and everyone traveling with us felt that it was a worthwhile trip. Not only did I appreciate the infinite scenery of nature, but I also developed the perseverance that can only be possessed after experiencing a difficult environment, as well as an understanding of life and various touches on human nature.

There is no doubt that the sky in Tibet is bluer, the clouds are whiter, the water is clearer, and it is spotlessly pure. For those of us who have lived in the city for a long time, it is indeed a rare opportunity to drive and indulge in the mountains and rivers and find a different kind of feelings in a different way. Perhaps this self-driving trip to Tibet is just an episode in the long road of life. The majestic snow-capped mountains, blue sky, white clouds, and of course the powerful pioneers...these most picturesque scenery has been deeply imprinted on our country. In the hearts of me and my friends!

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.