On the Road to Everest

Day 15 Shigatse to Lhasa

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:02:38 +0000

The final leg of the drive took us first to a carpet factory, then through the deep Yellow River Gorge, which will be added to the 2010 itinerary as a break from the drive. As the tour falls just before Oct 1st, which in China’s National Birthday, security was heavier, with numerous police checkpoints. This year marks 60 years for the People’s Republic of China, with flowers and decorations everywhere (along with police & soldiers). Due to security regulations, we won’t have any photos after our arrival in Lhasa, so today will be our last posting to this year’s tour photoblog.

Preparing the wool for carpet making, all hand spun and dyed.

Creating the complex patterns on handlooms, with 50 hand tied knots per square inch.

The Yellow River prior to entering the narrow valley ahead, this Yellow River flows to India and is not connected to its namesake inside central China

Small riverside village, their connection to the outside world is a 12 km trail to a small suspension bridge ... not easy to run out for a six pack

Entering the Yellow River Gorge

General images from the gorge

One of the few bridges allowing access across the river during it's 50 kms plus journey through the gorge

More imagery from the gorge

Some moderate white water rapids pop up from time to time through the gorge

Day 14 Everest to Shigatse

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:39:05 +0000

The cycling portion of our tour has wound down and we are enroute back to Lhasa using the support vehicles. Even by car it is two days drive back to Lhasa, so we will overnight in Shigatse, do a bit of exploring, then finish the drive.

Back to Pang La, where the crew stopped for prayer flags

Then added them to our bikes for safe traveling back to Lhasa

Arriving early afternoon at Shigatse, we set out ot explore the Tashi Lunpo Monastery, the largest in Tibet (the Portola Palace is larger, but it is considered a palace not monastery).

Stuphas at Tashi Lunpo Monastery

Tashi Lunpo Monastery assorted images

More monastery imagery

Monks quarters with colorful window covers made from Yak wool

The tree of life, four animals which represent all life in Tibetan Buddhism

Day 13 Tingri to Everest

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:20:41 +0000

The last leg takes us from Tingri along the new road to Rongbuk Monastery and the Everest Base Camp. China built an impressive road through the mountains for the Olympics, but have done an equally unimpressive job of maintaining it and it has fallen into total disrepair in little over a year. 102 kms of washboard, ruts and big rocks, so we drove.

Our first glimpse from Pang La

And just around the bend, Everest springs into full view

Along with Cho Oyu and several other 8000+ meter peaks

It just keeps getting bigger and brighter

The view from behind our guesthouse at Rongbuk Monastery

Prayer flags above the climbers base camp, the furtherest point tourists can go towards the mountain.

Late afternoon light after some of the clouds lifted.

Day 12 Lhatse to Old Tingri

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:06:07 +0000

Our route continued along the Nepal China Friendship Highway, through the dry central regions. Today’s starts with a bang, as we climb to Lappa La, the highest point on our tour at 5220 meters. But the reward is 60 kilometers of continuous downhill to our hotel in Old Tingri.

Cresting Lappa La

The pass also marks entry into the National Park

Thousands of prayers flags adorn the pass

Village along the descent

Dry landscapes

There are some 6000 monasteries in Tibet ranging from small to gigantic

Glimpse of the wonderful mountains to come

Tingri Monastery, at its peak held 1500 monks, but was mostly destroyed during the cultural revolution

Prayer wheels at Tingri

Day 11 Shigatse to Lhatse

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:51:31 +0000

Today’s ride takes us through an area reminiscent of southern Utah’s high desert. Colorful hillsides and rugged rockscapes, punctuated by small villages and monasteries. The day’s first climb was a short one, but the ride finished with a fair sized alpine ascent.

dry countryside

Rural countryside

Rape Oil seeds (for those politically correct folks in Canada & the USA, Canola Oil). Used solely by the villagers, not sold in markets.

Village shepherd

Yaks

The village's greenhouse for growing vegies and vine fruits such as watermelon

Yulong Pass

Day 10 – Gyantse to Shigatse

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:15:17 +0000

A reward for two days of climbing, a flat leisurely spin through rural valleys to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet. Shigatse is our only upload point outside of Lhasa, so the last post for a while.

Popular transport for the farmers

Old fortress ruins above a newer village

Community prayer flags, replaced every new year

Barley hay being prepared for winter feeding of Yak and sheep.

Rural house

Yak dung and straw mixture drying on walls. Will be used for cooking and heat during the winter.

Ruins of an old watchtower still standing guard over the village monastery.

Day 9 – Nangartse to Gyantse

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:58:02 +0000

One of the more spectacular rides of the tour, rolling through both alpine terrain and high mountain desert. Two climbs take us past glaciers, turquoise reservoirs, old towns and monasteries. The day starts with a visit to Samdeng Monastery, home to the only female incarnate of Buddha and ends with the Baijung Monastery with its mandala shaped temple structure.

Morning at Yamdrok Lake

Samdeng Monastery

temple murals

Temple murals

landscapes along the way

Landscapes along the way

Kharo La Glacier

Ruins above the reservior

Baijung Monastery, with fortification walls in the background

Mandala shaped stupha at Baijung Monastery

Fortress ruins, used by Tibetans to defend against British Colonial Forces

Day 8 – Quxul to Nangartse

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:36:12 +0000

The day starts mellow, following the Lhasa River a bit further, then turns south up and over our first pass, Kamba La at 4750 m. The view from the top of turquoise Yamdrok Lake is spectacular and balance of the day was cycling along this sacred lake.

Greenhouses growing fruits & vegies

Many highways are nicely lined by trees, providing both wind blocks and shade.

Popular stop for travelers

Terraced farms along the climb

Barley fields being cut to use as hay during the coming winter

After 1100 meters of climbing ... the top !!

Yamdrok Lake from the pass (yes that is snow falling in the background)

Yamdok Lake, from the lakeshore road

Unusual rock formation across Yamdrok Lake

Day 7 – On our way

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:25:39 +0000

We are off and on our way to the Everest Base Camp. Today’s ride is a leisurely spin through the valley of the Lhasa River. Poplar trees line the road and traffic is pretty quiet. The area contains hundreds of greenhouses growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Quiet roads (which happens to be Tibet's main highway to India)

Prayer flags

Buddha figures carved into cliff face

More of the ever present prayer flags

Lhasa River

Tibetan restaurant in Quxul, our overnight stop

View from behind our guesthouse in Quxul

Quxul city park

Day 6 – free day

Pedalers Pub & Grille — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:39:45 +0000

A leisurely day before starting the ride to the Everest Base Camp. All the photos that follow are simple street scenes, that we took while walking around both the historic and modern parts of the city.

pilgrims walking the circuit of Jokhang Monastery

Backside of Jokhang Monastery

Vegies anyone ?

Spelling error or ??

Tea

How can you not take photos of this place

A lonesome historic structure tucked away in modern Lhasa