Editor’s note: I have been working for some years, but because of the nature of my work, I have never been to Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang and Tibet, so I always want to go. Taking advantage of the holidays finally come true!
Since my wife decided to accompany my son on a study abroad trip (two weeks), I have planned my trip to the west. The purpose is nothing more than the northernmost border in the northwest of Xinjiang and Lhasa.
This time there are only 16 days, so I can only solve the problem, so I have to go to realize my dream first. I don’t have so many messy feelings, I just haven’t been there, and I want to go. To be honest, this year, the work has been really exhausting and the pressure in all aspects is also great. I still want to go out for a walk if I have such a chance to go out alone. The unit leader also encouraged me to go out for a walk. I feel that it has been a bit hard recently, so I should go and relax.
I have been working for some years, but because of the nature of my work, I have never been to Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang and Tibet, so I always want to go. I don’t have time to go out to play by myself. I have one or two long vacations to go, but my wife can’t bear the child, so she has to give up. Although I haven’t been there, I have read too many articles, and I am already familiar with several routes to Tibet.
After work every day, I study the route, plan a single bicycle, and slowly prepare equipment. Although most of them are useless, I go out a lot, and I feel that it is more practical to carry them. The camera brought Go4, drone, Canon EOSX2, and lens X2, but it turned out to be useless. I can only say that the Huawei mobile phone (P20P) is too easy to use.
The days are approaching day by day, and I told a few good riders that I want to go cycling, and they also provided me with a lot of good advice.
As a result, my brother was so fast that I flickered, so I ran to northern Xinjiang with him.
Kuaiye is a car friend I always hang out with. We know each other better. It can be said that he has always treated me like a little brother and took good care of me in many things.
In fact, through this trip, I realized even more the generosity and thoughtfulness of Kuai Ye, the big brother, and his tolerance for me. This is a later story, and I will elaborate on it later.
Along the way, the wonderful stories are all in the first half of my journey with Kuaiye, and I met many lovely people.
That’s why we all like to cross the road we haven’t taken, just to experience those unknown scenery, unknown stories, unknown passers-by…
According to the plan and road book made by Mr. Kuai, I made a simple road map, which was quite different from this one in the end, because Gao De would not find that kind of crossing route.
9th
In the evening, after sending Ah You and his mother into the security checkpoint, I waited until they passed the security check, and it was 10:15 in the evening, so I felt at ease.
When I saw them off at the airport, I couldn’t contain my excitement.
After leaving the parking lot and going up the Sixth Ring Road, the rain started to rain heavily, and it stopped immediately after passing the Badaling Great Wall exit.
We drove until 3 a.m., arrived in Hohhot, and slept in the service area.
At 11:30 on the 10th, I arrived at Kuaiye’s house, packed his things and prepared drinks and food.
Kuaiye’s family prepared delicious meals, and I felt so stupid after eating them.
Because I was going to northern Xinjiang soon, I was very excited, so I made a fuss about leaving early.
Quick Master insisted on letting me sleep for a while, saying that I drove too late last night.
To say that the place in Ordos is really comfortable, the house of Mr. Kuai is also big, and he had a very comfortable sleep on the bed.
We set off at two o’clock in the afternoon, and bought several insurance spares for wipers through the auto parts city.
The plan for the day is to go through Guyang, Baotou, and look at the ruins of the Qin Great Wall.
In the evening we stayed in Utla Zhongqi.
To be honest, Utla Middle Banner is really a relatively poor place, and the streets are relatively simple.
In the evening we found a place to eat hand-meat.
Because I don’t like meat, I just order a little, and I’m full after a few bites.
The two of us occupied a big yurt, we just ate this, chatted for a while and went back to sleep.
On the 11th Utla Middle Banner—Ejina Banner
The main itinerary of the day was from Utla Middle Banner to Ejina Banner. We took a border road with few cars. We walked from the grassland to the sandy land, and then from the sandy land to the Gobi. (Track to be added) Breakfast in the county town, mutton siu mai.
After refueling, we set off.
This is the second day after I came out. So far we are still in Inner Mongolia, which shows how vast the motherland is.
This also caused me a little anxious, I hope to go to Xinjiang as soon as possible.
But the itinerary arranged by Kuaiye also hoped that I would cross the border road from Inner Mongolia to Xinjiang.
I am impatient, I really love to be anxious.
For this reason, I was not sensible the next day.
What happened to us, we will talk about it tomorrow.
On the 12th, Ejina Banner—-Mazong Mountain 470 kilometers
Ejina Banner came out and took a section of the high-speed G7. After refueling in Zangchahan, we started to cross the provincial highway 214.
It is said to be a provincial road, but in fact there is no road, but milestones can be seen.
Zangchahan is a dilapidated place, and there should have been mines in the past.
Wearing clothes and walking to this person’s territory, the next door to this article belongs to his house. He caught up to see what we were doing, and was a little wary.
Master Kuai gave him a cigarette, and I gave him a bottle of tea.
Master Kuai chatted with him for a while and studied the way.
Quick Master and I ate watermelon in this abandoned army water house. It was too hot to stand on the Gobi Desert for a while.
When I got here, it was already four o’clock in the afternoon, and I still couldn’t get dressed, so I was a little anxious. I thought that I hadn’t arrived in Xinjiang for a few days, so I was a little anxious. It was still time for me to drive, so I drove very fast.
Master Kuai found out that my emotions were not right and told me to slow down. I didn’t listen and kept driving. He quickly stopped and asked me what’s wrong? !
I was a little excited, saying that today is the third day, and I haven’t arrived in Xinjiang yet, so I’m a little anxious.
He got out of the car and comforted me for a while.
To be honest, I’m really not angry with Mr. Kuai, but I’m a little anxious.
Thank you for your generosity.
We finally traveled from Inner Mongolia to Gansu. Quick Master and I on the boundary marker.
The roadbed was all washed out.
At around six o’clock in the afternoon, we completed the crossing.
When I came out, I was relieved when I saw the road sign. Master Kuai and I went to the Mazongshan Port to the right to have a look. The road is easy to walk. After walking for a few kilometers, Mr. Kuai said to go back quickly, because we are going to take G7 to live in Yiwu County.
Fortunately, I didn’t go any further.
When we came back, there was a border checkpoint, we were not allowed to pass, let us go back.
Two little soldiers checked our border defense card and the inside of the car. There was no problem, but they dared not let it go.
Later, their battalion commander came, and brought his baby from the camp for a run.
Without further ado, the battalion commander took our ID and contacted the Mazongshan police to check our ID and household registration information.
To put it bluntly, Beijing-branded vehicles and Beijing-registered ID cards still receive preferential treatment (Summary by Kuaiye), so generally speaking, you can rest assured.
After checking that we had no problem, we chatted for a while.
The place we are in belongs to Gansu, but the border defense is taken over by the Xinjiang army.
The battalion commander asked about our destination, and also called their brother troops for us, telling them the situation of our car and asking them to take care of it.
I have to say that these people are really lovely, and our border is so peaceful because of them.
They told us that they not only take care of border defense, but they also take care of them when they see people hunting and killing wild animals.
As mentioned above, after we came out of the border of Inner Mongolia, we entered the border of Gansu, walked a section of road in Gansu, entered the border of Mazong Mountain, and was stopped by a border guard station for inspection, which was delayed for more than half an hour. It was past five o’clock after the inspection. Master Kuai discussed with me and decided to live in Mazongshan. Enter Yiwu County on the second day to live.
On the 13th, we departed from Mazong Mountain in Yiwu County and came out of Mazong Mountain. We walked a section of high speed, and Mr. Kuai wanted to take me to see the ruins of the Mingshui military fortress.
After seeing the ruins, although there is no exit, I took a look at it from a distance. The military fortress set up in this place is built on the mountain and can patrol around. With the mountain as the support and the wall as the guard, it is condescending and easy to defend but difficult to attack. It is an important stronghold for guarding the border between China and Mongolia.
I feel that the selection of this fortress is very particular, and those who are interested can learn about it.
After looking at the Mingshui site, we saw that there was a highway built directly to Yiwu County, so we decided to take a walk.
Waiting to see, it is still being repaired. Although you can continue to follow the roadbed, you are worried that there will be detours on the road and delays in time. We encountered this situation when we took the border road, and it was a waste of time.
So we turned around and went back to find Guanghui Highway (X098 Road Exit Expressway).
Guanghui Highway is a road repaired by Xinjiang Guanghui and only used to pull ore for its own mines. It was previously open to public vehicles, but there was a fee.
But social vehicles are not allowed to go now.
There are checkpoints at both ends.
We passed the entrance flickeringly, but the exit blocked us from going, so we could only “go around” and passed easily.
When we arrived in Yiwu County, we were going to go in the direction of Naomao Lake.
On the way, we began to see the Yadan landform.
We decided to check it out.
We wanted to drive the car behind this mound to take a photo with the car. When going uphill, the fast man let go of the gas and the car got stuck.
Below the black surface on the top is all very soft sand.
Cycling, there is no way, loose air digs the soil.
It came out in a few clicks, and it was hot enough.
keep going. I can see Populus euphratica forest, I am a little excited.
While walking and playing, Mr. Kuai saw my excitement and let me take pictures like an adult caring for mentally handicapped children.
After playing around, we arrived at Santanghu Town, and it was already around six o’clock in the afternoon. We were looking for a hotel in Santanghu Town. It took only five minutes to walk around the town. There were no decent hotels, only very dilapidated guest houses. We didn’t want to go in. They were broken and unclean.
We inquired and found a hotel near a port, twelve kilometers to the north.
We killed the past, were rejected, and were not open to the outside world.
When we went back to Santanghu Town, there was a community. At first glance, it looked like a relocated community, which was quite new.
The property owner took several empty houses and made them homestays.
We just asked for one, two rooms and one living room, 138 yuan per person.
Unexpectedly, there is still a room for one person. This is the most comfortable stay since the departure.
After we settled down, we ate something casually in a small shop at the gate of the community.
The next day I fell asleep very much and was woken up by Mr. Kuai.
On the 14th, Balikun Santang Lake-Salto Sea-Turhong-Sandaohai
Every morning when I go out, it is very hot, because I basically go to the northwest, and I get as hot as a dog every day.
Quick Master said that my side was so hot that it was smoking, so I put my towel on his hand.
After passing Agate Beach, we went down the road to search, and the stones were not as good as those in Inner Mongolia.
Passing through a nest, Kuaiye, a curious little baby, couldn’t hold back anymore, went down to have a look, and even tasted the ghee.
At two o’clock in the afternoon, both of them were a little hungry, and passed a T-junction, where there was a Montenegro restaurant.
Reminds me of Montenegro.
One person ate a portion of noodles, not to mention, it was delicious.
I took out our watermelon and ate half of it, and left the rest for the boss and his wife.
