The biggest problem you’ll encounter is knowing what particular area will bring the best quality of good cycling. This totally depends upon what you want from the trip. National Highways are to be avoided, unless you fancy going 10 Rounds with a TATA truck !! The driving mentality is the worst in the world, you’ll see many accidents on a long trip, but allways remember the one law of indian drivers, "might is right".

I’m not about to explain what particular states & areas offer varying degress of scenery, or what planning is needed, for this can be found in any typical toilet paper, er, guide book.

A short note, regarding drinking water though, bottled mineral water is available throughout India, though the term mineral is heavily misused, as most of it is just treated tapwater. In remote areas, off the tourist scene, generally bottled water is not available, theres no point, as the locals just drink well & tap water. It’s a good idea to take iodine purifying pills or a good quality water filter, (remember..filters only generally remove pathogens, such as guardia & NOT bacteria) Iodine kills everything. Glass bottled soda water is sold at every road side kiosk, for just 4 to 5 rupees. It may not be chilled, but a refreshing fresh lemon soda is a good alternative to self treated water & it makes a good stop off to meeting the locals, ( or should I say been watched by them) as the more mechanically minded will fathom out & ponder how a geared cycle works, something rarely seen.

Prepared to be stared at constantly. Women cyclists should not return staring glances, indian men may class this as a come on. Everyone will want to know where tour going & why on earth your doing it on a cycle. To be bluntly honest, India is not the easiest of countries to cycle around, due to the people factor & many cyclists sum up India with the words "never again..", though yet to say, the warmth & generosity of the people will bould you over.

Hope you enjoy it…

A quick note regarding road maps. To put a fine point on it, all so called detailed maps available in & out of the country are "shite". They can be trusted for only major highways & main roads & are NOT intended for K conscious cyclists. It’s as if the publishes link the main towns & cities in the morning, drop a few tabs of acid in the afternoon, then have a good old laugh drawing in the local roads to fill up space. Also take all info regarding distances on local roads with a pinch of salt.

TTK fold out state maps are available in major towns & cities & Lonely Planet also publish a travel atlas. Both don’t really provide the info you need. The only sure way is by asking the locals.

BUS

Getting your bike on top of the bus is easy. Go on the roof & make sure it’s well secured personally, even lock it to the roof frame if your a paranoid bastard, like myself. Whatever transport charge is asked, offer half or what seems reasonable & be prepared to argue.

TRAIN

For most journeys on passanger trains (starting & ending at any station), your bicycle can be booked in as luggage & will be placed in the luggage carriage. Arrive at least 1 hour before departure, where you will be asked to fill out a form & the transport cost is generally half of a 2nd class ticket adult ticket. For Express trains, this is slightly more complicated, as from our experience, your cycle can only be booked into the luggage carriage, directly from the originating station. This is due to the luggage carriage been sealed. You will need an identification board (about the size of an A4 paper), with name, frame no, starting & ending station. A word of warning, transporting your cycle by train is when it will suffer the most damage, allways protect the seat & gear shifters at a minimum. Do not take any shit about it being "our responsibilty now", as you see your loving cycle been physically thrown into the carriage. Loading porters have no concept of delicate. I’ve had tyres gashed, ripped seats & damaged de-railers.

Three weeks of love and adventure on a bike!

Antequerra to Cordoba.
First ride out towards the Fuente de la Piedra a lake where flocks of flamingos breed.
From here there is a rail line to Cordoba or you can follow little roads that go along this flat 100km up to the city.
Cordoba is one of the worlds most beautiful cities and you’ll need a few days here to explore the city as there are a lot of things to see.

North Thailand has begun to develop in the last decade but it’s still possible to find villages where nothing has changed in centuries.
 To get to them one must first negotiate single and jeep track routes through a spectacular jungle setting.
There’s not much that beats this in mountain bike travel.

1. Chang Mai is the biggest city in the north and makes a good starting point as there are plenty of bike shops and hotels.
Tom Matty runs Top Gear bicycles 35/7 Tung Hotel Rd. Soi Sa Ha Hang Moo Baan Sri Suk Amphor Muang CM Tel Fax 66 53 243 660
Also in Chang Mai the Song Bicycles shop is ok tel 213404    3/4 Sripoom rd. Muang district
2. Nan is for the adventurous, only recently cleared of bandits there is little here to help the unprepared so make sure you have what you need before you go.
3. Chang Rai is like a smaller Chang Mai. The city Mayor is a keen biker so you’ll be well received by the locals and the surrounding tracks are amongst the best in the country. On Sunday mornings at 6am the city gathers at the city hall for a bike ride sometimes the mayor joins in.
4. Mae Hong Song; almost all of the hill tribe peoples are represented in this area including the famous long neck Karen. Pai is a major tourist resort nearby and is a great starting point for a ride in the surrounding hills.

Maps
Your most important guide is a map the best overview of the region is the Berndtson Berndtson B&B Thailand North Map available at all book stores in Thailand. For a more detailed map it is possible to get 1:50000 topographical maps  from the Suriwong book centre, Sri Dornchai road, Chang Mai. These are almost too detailed to follow.
Once you have a map just get on a bus to the beginning of a track and go.

Accommodation.
This is tourist land and there are hotels everywhere, most of them marked on the B&B map. If you get stuck out  in the jungle  every village is desperate for your cash and will treat you like kings and queens. They will feed you and let you stay in their huts, they’ll even feed you opium if that’s your thing, although the Thai government is cracking down so it’s better not to ask. This is much better than joining an organized trek from Chang Mai as your money goes directly into the village and not to a city tour operator.

How to get to the trail head:
cycle out of Mae Salomg on the main Mae Chan road
Description of the route:
The road heads out of Mae Salong is very hilly some up buit overall down. It gets to the main road and is gently downhill to Mae Chan From here the road is flat but very busy. It is also possible to take a bus the 30km into Chang Rai from Mae Chan.
It is also possible to go from Mae Salong to Chang Rai by track through villages.
 

EQUIPMENT

Your bike can be carried as part of your baggage allowance on international flights. Cardboard bike boxes are still the best protection & value and can be easily stored or disposed of later. You are required to deflate the tyres and turn the handlebars parallel with the frame and remove your pedals. It also allows you to store your helmet etc inside.

These days passage through Nepali customs is quite simple and you may only need to reassure airport officers that it’s your bike and it will be returning with you. Having your bike signed into your passport, to make sure you take it out with you, no longer seems to apply.

If you bring your bike it is essential to bring tools and spare parts, as these are largely not available in Nepal. Unfortunately, carrying a complete tool kit and spares for everything situation may be impractical. Here an established mountain bike tours operator (like Himalayan Mountain Bikes – who offers a full bike servicing center in Kathmandu with a mechanic and a full range of bike tools) can help. This is especially useful for those touring and who often stop in Kathmandu for running repairs after many months or more traversing India and the far off reaches that skirt the Himalayas and beyond. Once on the trails you’re on your own, so plan for such situations and be ready to improvise.

If you are game, what the small local bike repair shops lack in spare parts and knowledge of the latest bike fads & equipment, they make up in their ability to copy & improvise. For basic adjustments their standard of skill is usually high. But still maintain a watchful eye on your equipment.

WHAT TO BRING:

A quick check list:

Although not complete, here are a few items worth considering to bring along.

Lightweight clothing i.e. ‘Coolmax & Gortex’, Windproof windbreaker, stiffsoled shoes that suit riding & walking, cycling tops & shorts, warm hat & gloves (in cooler weather), sun protection, sunglasses, a camelback or water bottles, torch, fleecy top for evenings, cycle gloves/mitts, helmet & sun peak, basic range of bike tools, spare parts (inner tubes), bike lube, (mini) pump, powerbars & electrolyte water additives, bike bell, medium sized mtb fanny bag plus basic first aid kit.

Given the extensive range of cycling clothing available for any season, first check the temperatures for the period during your tour and match it with your clothing. More thin layers of clothes offer better protection and convenience than thick / bulky items.

Note: sleeping bags, mats, jackets, tents and panniers can all be hired in Kathmandu cheaply.

TRAIL ETIQUETTE

When arriving in a new country for a short time where social & cultural values are vastly different from those of our home country it does not allow much time, if any, to gain an appreciation of these matters. This often only comes after years of observation and interaction with locals. You can be assured that everything happens for a reason no matter what our judgments. Consider a few pointers to help you on your way that will develop mutual respect & understanding for all.

Clothing: Tight fitting Lycra bike clothing, although functional, are a shock to the locals who maintain a very modest approach to dressing. Such clothing is embarrassing and offensive to the Nepalese.

An effective alternative to this is simply wearing a pair of comfortable shorts &/or a

T-shirt over your body hugging bike gear. This is especially applicable to women bikers as women in Nepal are expected to & prefer to dress conservatively, which is easy to see at a glance. For both men & women, arms and legs should be covered when entering a temple or monastery.

On the Trails: Trails can often be filled with locals going about their daily work of farming, carting food, portering, playing, passing the time of day and shepherding their stock. A small hammer bell attached to your handlebars and used as a warning of your approach, reducing your speed and a friendly call of "cycle i-oh!" (Cycle coming!) goes a long way in keeping all on the trails happy & safe. Children love the novelty of the bikes, fancy helmets, the colors & novel clothing and will come running from all directions to greet you. They also love to grab hold of the back of your bike and run with you. You need to maintain a watchful eye so no one gets hurt.

Environment: Although issues relating to awareness of environmental is not high for many locals, seeing visitors respecting the land & environment can be a great lesson & education to them. So don’t destroy the trails & vegetation or litter. Leave things as you found them or better than you found them.

Leave the landscape and areas visited as you found it or better than you found it, especially if you are camping. At all times refrain from using wood fires for cooking etc and support those organizations that have the environment at heart.

Bike Hire:

There are two types of bike rentals to consider. Those that will get you around the general urban areas and those needed to go tackle the majority of trails described herein. Warning: Bikes can go missing at the blink of an eye, especially the fancy looking ones that you may bring with you. Needless to say such bikes will standout as much as a white person sitting cross legged on the steps of Pashupartinath, so watch your bike!. Be sure you have a quality bike lock and attach it to something permanent when you intend parting company with your trail companion, or you could be lonelly & walking.

City Riding:

A rented bicycle (saikal) can be found on almost any of the main downtown tourist precincts, especially Thamel. None are better than another & it’s a matter of stumbling on the operator who has the newest bikes. Little attention is given to maintenance and reliable repairs and they care little if it breaks down once you’re out of sight. These are Indian brand bikes that can loosely be termed ‘mountain bikes’, only because they resemble the look of a mountain bike and the sticker says so! Their components are cheap and will not withstand the riggers of off-road ridding. Don’t plan to take these far useless you are prepared to walk them home. They are fine for city riding and getting around the local sites at a very reasonable rate.

Hire charges: Approx. Rs20/hr or Rs150/day.

As a matter of interest the big navy green Indian clunkers can be bought new for about Rs4,000 and good second hand for Rs 3,000 (US$45).

Hire Tips:

Trail & Off Road

These are the real thing and can only be found in the 2 locations detailed under ‘mountain bike tour operators’ i.e. Himalayan Mountain Bikes & Dawn till Dusk. These bikes are quite new models and comprise many of the most popular brand names. Not many come with front shocks and generally they are well maintained. It will be your job to check over the bike and make sure all is to your liking.

The hire cost is between $10-15/day for a bike; the model and features of the bike, on offer, will determine this. A discount may apply if you are hiring a bike for a longer period of time i.e. 2 weeks. Briefly the main difference is as follows:

Himalayan Mountain Bikes:

HMB has a full time mechanic to maintain the bikes available. They keep a separate fleet of hire bikes from the tour bikes, all serviced daily. Cycling clothing, t-shirts and spare parts, bike boxes ( packing service), pack racks & panniers ( saddle bags) are available.. These are available in Kathmandu & Pokhara.

Dawn till Dusk:

A single fleet of bikes is kept for all purposes and as such when tours are operating there maybe a smaller selection of bikes & sizes to choose from. Some spare parts may be available for purchase.

Hire Tips:

• Book your bike as soon as possible rather than the day before you plan to start riding.
• You’ll need to leave a passport or something worthwhile as security.
• Panniers & racks can often be available.
• You’ll be responsible to cover loss or damage to the bikes.
• Cycle clothing is not available
• It’s best to come with your own tool kit, pump, puncture repair kit and inner tube(s).
• If you are somewhat attached to your helmet, bike saddle/seat or peddles (SPD’s etc) bring them along and they should be able to be fitted to your hire bike for comfort.
• A small hammer bell or any bell is very handy on/off the trails, to give as a warning.

Unlike the trekking seasons for which there are two main periods, mountain biking offers a huge span of time to over the year, most of which offers perfect to near perfect riding conditions. Here’s a short summary:

1.      Prime time:

If you’ve got the choice then go for October through December, whilst October gets a 5star & November a 4star cycle rating. The main difference is that from Mid-Nov. into Dec. it’s getting a lot cooler in the late afternoons & nights. The days are sunny & fine with little chance of rain. You need to be off the trails by approx. 4:00 to 4:30pm in the latter months, due to light. Visibility is as good as it gets. The first months are the busiest on the trails as its no surprise that this is also prime trekking time.

2.      Close behind:

From January to March you are experiencing the same conditions as above but in reverse, as winter meets fall/autumn. It’s a great time to bike as few people are around, trails are empty, hotels mostly quiet and the views so good they’ll stop chattering downhill teeth as your mouth assumes the position of WOW!

Make a detour to Pokhara as on average it’s about 5 degrees (Celsius) warmer and offers stunning mountain trails & vista’s.

3.     Sizzle:

April to June sees the warm weather emerge and increase in intensity in the latter weeks before the summer rains are welcomed in. Still good ridding time making for T-shirt only conditions and suntans plus an extra water bottle. It’s dustier, the air & views more hazy and the city a lot less tolerable in the heat & pollution. Long day light hours.

4.     Monsoons:

July to September is generally not the best season for cycling however it can still offer superb riding time as the rains are limited to an hour or two in a day and mud trails dry fast. The land is lush and green and offers sights to behold & unavailable in any other season. The mountains are generally covered in fluffy clouds as the Himalayas go on holidays along with many locals.

This is prime riding time for Tibet & Ladakh & those regions, which fall in the shadow of the monsoon. HMB offers regular departures in these areas during the monsoon season.

To get to the trails you maybe riding partly ‘on-road’, unless your being taken on an organised tour, as such if you are sensitive to fumes & dust consider bringing some sort of pollution mask. Of course it is always wise to bring a bike helmet no matter where you’re riding.

Extreme care should be taken whilst on the trails as near villages young children play on the trails…. and roads!

On the trails animals should be approached with caution – buffaloes can be particularly unpredictable and are worth giving a wide berth to. Their caretakers get a little irrate if you frighten them down the trails for a kilometer or two, given they have to go chase them. Don’t even try to predict what a dog or chicken will do, just ride straight and they’ll get out of your way. The people are generally the opposite. If they see you they will normally standstill and let you avoid them.

A few adventurous mountain bikers have taken bikes into trekking areas hoping to find great riding. What they discovered is that these areas are generally not suitable for mountain biking and they are faced with carrying their bikes for between 70% and 80% of the time!. Most trekking trails are unreliable, subject to avalanche and have frequent obstacles. Even stretching a few hours riding together in parts can mean a whole day’s carry the next. To have the satisfaction of saying you’ve "been there" may be enough however there are other equally great locations available that ‘can’ be ridden.

On the main trails, there are always trekkers, porters and local people to share the trails with. Some see bikers as an intrusion and just adding one more problem to these heavy-traffic areas in peak season. (See riding seasons). Riders who have taken bikes to such places as the Everest Base Camp or around the Annapurna Circuit will know of the long carries. If you decide to indulge in such a bike trek have a good shoulder pad and be thoughtful of others sharing the trails.

One good thing is that you don’t have to ride all the way! Thankfully the frequent local buses are useful if you wish to avoid some of the routes that carry heavy traffic. You can place your bike on the roof for an additional charge (between Rs 40 to Rs 80), depending on the length of the journey and the bus company. This can be negotiated remember and they will start on the high side, of course.

On the buses take some rope or bunjy cords to tie the bike down. Make sure the bike is tied securely to cope with the rough roads. Also that it’s lying as flat as possible to prevent it catching low wires or tree branches. Unless you travel with foam padding it is hard to avoid the scratches to the frame but a daypack may come in handy. Supervise it’s loading and protect the rear derailluer from being damaged as more is loaded on top, whilst you’re inside!. With domestic flights, if you pack your bike correctly (removing wheels, pedals & handlebars) it is possible to load them in the cargo hold of most airlines. Check in advance and ask about luggage limits.

Organized Tour Operators:

For many the benefits of joining a tour is without question the best alternative. This can be for reasons of: limited vacation time (which doesn’t allow you to just go scout the best trails), having all the logistics of a tour managed for you, little risk, local knowledge provided, English speaking guides that can introduce you to the culture of the country and provide insights to many questions, equipment availability, a variety of itineraries to suit your demands, flexibility, permits, health and client safety managed, to mention just a few. All of this should come with a professional tour operation.

There are a small number of companies offering guided trips on mountain bikes. Most provide high-quality bikes, local and western guides, pannier bags, helmets and all the necessary equipment. There is normally a minimum of four clients per trip required although for shorter tours two is also sufficient. For the shorter tours (2 to 3 days) vehicle support is not required whilst for longer tours vehicles can be provided at an extra cost. This provides the extra comfort of taking more gear plus the hair dryer, to warm the bed on cold nights!

Mountain Bike Tour Operators:

Himalayan Mountain Bikes or HMB

The longest serving operator in Nepal is Himalayan Mountain Bikes. Foreign operated and having been established since 1988 and introducing mountain bike tours to Nepal.

HMB has offices both in Kathmandu & Pokhara, and also operates throughout Asia.

Their Thamel office is just inside North Field Café which adjoins Pilgrims Book House, in the center of Thamel, whilst the Pokhara office is in Lakeside, between the entrance to the Royal Palace and the small Shiva Mandir that is perched over the lake at the south end of Lakeside.

HMB offers a full range of tours from one day (around $30) or 3 to 4 day tours (around $45/day, all inclusive) and up to 21day fully catered for trips (around $80/day) plus barebone & customized group tours. Most details can be found on their web page.

They have a complete workshop service center in Gongabu – Kathmandu (Ph: 355607) with a full time mechanic offering bike servicing in addition to quality bike clothing plus tour & rental bikes & bikes for sale.

Thamel Office: (Tel: 977- 01- 437437 Fax: 419237) Pokhara: Ph/fax: 977-61-21119

E-mail: bike@hmb.wlink.com.np 

Dawn till Dusk

A recent additional to Kathmandu is Dawn till Dusk run by two Nepali brothers. They run many tours similar to that of HMB and at similar prices. They are located inside the compound of the Kathmandu Guest House –Thamel and have a good range of tour/ rental bikes to choose from.

They can be contacted via The Kathmandu Guest House phone number is 977-01- 418733 and by e-mail on DTD@frontier.wlink.com.np.

Bikeman

Bikeman is a local lad that has operated out of Kathmandu for several years and has a small but consistent operation offering tours ranging from one day or more. He also arranges customized tours over one or more weeks. He also undertakes bike servicing. He is located in the Thamel area and can be contacted on Ph 977-1- ???

In many ways Nepal is ideally set up for the independent traveler as many of the well known treks are capable of accommodating such trekkers given the well worn trails, frequent lodges & supply shops, lots of travel books and little likelihood of any personal threat. Kathmandu Valley especially is designed this way given the web of village trails that have existed for centuries and splinter in all directions. Any wonder, given many are the original trade routes and pathway of communication for all their needs. Walking tracks also make great biking trails but they need to be shared with a multitude of others including chickens, cows, dogs, ducks, buffalo, children, adults (young & old) all of whom rarely expect to come across a mountain biker travelling at speeds beyond the sleepy pace of the villagers. Take care! or the consequences can range from paying rupees Rs250 for the chicken you ran down (and they keep the chicken) to being carried out and taxied to the nearest clinic, which maybe some distance ( Kathmandu City).

Out on the roads:

Typically the Nepalese as pedestrains have little sense of what is around them and mostly they seem preoccupied with whatever it is they maybe doing or has caught their attention. There is an inherent attitude of "let all others watch out for me" and until you’ve had the chance to see this in action, over most areas of life, it may misconstrued.

Another way to interpret it is that once you see an on coming vehicle then you have the responsibility to avoid it, until then it’s the vehicle job to avoid them, so why look. The pecking order is that the bigger vehicle has priority, however in the event of an accident the bigger vehicle will be held at fault. With that you must have sounded a warning (horn / bell) of your impending arrival. This will help explain the huge dim that surrounds any traffic at all, be it bikes, tempo’s, taxi’s to trucks. Everyone sounding horns and bells will add a few more hear shattering belchers just for luck in case someone may have been missed. The more you watch what goes on you’ll see the order in the chaos!

Notice as pedestrians walk into the face of oncoming traffic without the "look left, right & left again" road safety rule!…… nothing, they’ll just step off the kerb with Shiva’s blessing and let the traffic or the God’s handle it. As such there is a constant chain reaction of swerving motorbikes, tempo’s & cars as they all swirve to avoid each other. This is where the foreigner should beware. You’ll quickly see there are no road rules, that police have little or no authority and if you hit someone you’ll almost surely be asked to compensated them and or take care of medical expenses at inflated rates, whether it was your fault or not. Until you get into the swing of it you’ll have to manage with cars and buses squeezing you off the road, motor bikes approaching you head on, on the wrong side of the road, traffic swerving to avoid a pothole whether or not you are in the way …… it’s an eternal game of ‘chicken’. Add to this cud-chewing cows warming themselves on the bitumen of major roads and children blindly playing within meters of on-coming hopelessly overcrowded buses and drivers sharing their seats with two others an this is what you need to be ready for on the roads, whilst cycling. I figure it’s still a lot better than being in the taxi’s or buses.

The single saving grace is the speed at which most people travel and this saves countless accidents. However, the 4WD barons are claiming the roads with greater frequency as affluence grows and as a result the traffic is getting faster.

The pollution in the City Kathmandu and its major roads has reached staggering levels as the government continues to allude taking any stance. This quickens the need for many tourists to depart the city and find a green quiet haven. A mountain bike is ideal to escape the smoggy environment and even within 20-30 minutes of the city you can find the tranquility of the trails and rice fields.

Take care:

So, get on your bike and clear the city as soon as you can and head for the hills. As an independent biker there are certain difficulties you’ll be faced with:

Here’s a clue: Get a small pocket phrase book and learn a few basic words. Don’t point when asking directions i.e. "is this the direction to………" as most people out of courtesy will say "Yes!" even if they don’t know. Better to put your hands in your pockets and ask "which way to…….." and do this several times in a short distance to be sure you’ve got the right answer.

The more care & precautions you need to take.

5. Distances in kilometers have little bearing in Nepal by western standards. Don’t gauge your rides by what you ride back home. The most realistic comparison "is hours riding per day" and most will find a 6-7-hr. day, including lunch break to be sufficient. Plan to arrive at your destination around 3pm, which provides for a balanced day and time for some sight seeing, repairs & washing etc on arrival.
6. Ask the riding (walking) time to the next village, were you could get accommodation, if you are uncertain of your estimated arrival time and evenings destination. Don’t expect the answers to be too accurate as it’s unlikely they have ever ridden it and converting walking time to riding time leaves a lot to contemplate.

The furthest point in the world from the sea, rivers here flow into the Artic Ocean.

The easiest way to get here is by overnight sleeper bus from the long distance bus station to Buerjin a 600km journey. Bikes are charged as a full ticket price on the roof of the bus but they go for just a few RMB if you put them in a bike bag as you get 10kg of luggage free of charge. Chinese sleeper buses with two tiers of narrow beds are the most comfortable way to travel long distances on the still potholed roads. Although space is limited and regular bumps catapult your whole body skywards it is possible to get some sleep on the bus as at least you are lying down.

Buerjin has been built to the same plan that it seems most towns in China are designed to; wide straight streets lined by tiled concrete blocks. It has a few good noodle bars, there is a Giant bike shop and the Xinhua bookshop sells a useful map of the region.
Hanasi Lake is the premier tourist attraction in the region; it is a spectacular 170km ride there from Buerjin.A three-day ride the road will be completely surfaced by the end of August 2001.

Day 1 Buerjin-Chonghuer 90km Starting out from Buerjin the road crosses a the river then heads flat out along grassy plains until climbing up over a small pass and down into the fertile lushness of Chonghuer.
Day 2 Chonghuer- Jia Deng Gu 55km By September 2001 the road works will be complete and there will be a surfaced road all the way to the lake. When we rode this route the road surface was rocks covered with sand. The first 15km to Suwukebasitao are a steep climb up onto a plateau.

Suwukebasitao is a tiny Kazak village 1km off the road; the shops and noodle bars that line the only street which are painted in bright blues, reds and whites have horses and camels tethered outside. As we rode into town the people a mixture of Russian, Kazak and Chinese dressed in long riding capes and Russian style hats fixed their attention on us, it felt like the scene from a Spaghetti western as the stranger rides into town.
We chose the restaurant at the far end of the town and stopped for noodles. The friendly fat owners explained to us that this was a summer town as the snow in winter is several metres high. Mostly shepherds herding sheep, they also come here to raise horses, which they sell for up to 3000RMB (370USD) each. They told us that they knew trails all around the area and could take us on a horse trek if we wanted. Interested to know about the trails I found it was possible to go to the lake without using the road, but they were unsure if the bikes could go that way.
We decided that we would continue to the lake alone by road and would be back to investigate further later. The next 40km climbs up and down from valley to valley each full of Yurts the Kazak shepherds traditional tents. The open grass plains of each valley slowly fill with trees as we approsach the river. The road finally descends to Jiadenggu where there are a few restaurants at the intersection of the road.