The Wind in Our Faces

Well, well, well! It is official that in this part of China, as reported, there are headwinds and today, they arrived with all the trappings to give the riders a sweet little added bonus. The first 50km were pure bliss; a flat road, gorgeous mountain scenery, not too hot or cold. Then the winds did roar; from the back, from the side, from the front and from basically all over the place! So the last 100kms of the ride were frustrating and tough for the riders. Many grouped up to help each other all the way through to our sweet little campsite, the grounds of a cafe (with pink and white walls) where beds are available (many have taken this option as it is cool here tonight!). The cafe serves food and drinks (of all kinds) and there is a gigantic wall that offered wind protection enabling Miles to cook a hot meal! Tomorrow’s ride brings much of the same ‘stuff’ and another desert camp but this is what the trip is all about; enjoying the company, taking in the scenery, learning about other countries, appreciating a well-earned drink at the end of a hard day, taking lots of photos, eating tasty meals and dealing with the environments (beautiful but sometimes harsh) that we have chosen to travel and ride through. This is really what an expedition and biking heaven are all about. We really are the lucky ones.