Source: Biketo.com| Author: TOMYLOVE

Recently, I received a lot of news about the earthquake in Qinghai, and people will feel * * * about the places they have been. Although I am in Tianjin thousands of miles away, the disaster in this beautiful place still deeply touches my heart, and I pray that everyone can get through the crisis safely. My contact with Qinghai has to start with a bicycle trip during the May Day holiday.

"Driving is too fast, walking is too slow, only cycling is just right". Cycling has always been my way to record and understand the world. After completing two cycling trips around Taiwan Province and Hainan, I set my sights on the mysterious and beautiful Qinghai Lake this May Day holiday. This ride starts from Xining city and takes about 4 days to circle the lake clockwise, which is also the route chosen by most riders around the lake. I don't need to say much. Let's start my travel notes!

In order to complete a smooth long-distance ride, a reliable bicycle is very important, which makes me focus on the Yellow Car, which is used by dozens or even hundreds of people every day. Needless to say, the reliability of the Yellow Car is decided! Tie up the camel bag and go straight!

Just kidding, just kidding. Although the car * * * is solid and durable, it is a public product after all. I can't get through riding it. Even if I can really ride it to Qinghai Lake, I may not get the news after this trip, and people will be exhausted directly. Thinking about it, my little yellow car is the most reliable. This old buddy has accompanied me to many places and seen many scenery. This trip can't be without it.

In terms of bicycle consignment mode, I choose China Railway Express, the "partner" who has been involved for more than n times. The advantage of train consignment is that it is very convenient and fast. Just push the car to the consignment room, fill in the form and send it. The disadvantage is that the bicycle is less protective during transportation. If the car is injured, you need to take responsibility for it yourself. Therefore, if you are riding a carbon car that is afraid of bumping, this way is not suitable for you. Packing in cartons or wooden cases is king.

after nearly 3 hours of green leather car journey, I arrived at the starting point of this journey-Xining city at noon on may day.

In my impression, this city is special and full of charm. Because it is located at the junction of the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Xining has become a multi-ethnic city where Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Catholicism and Taoism can coexist harmoniously, thus creating a bright and rich splendid culture in Xining. With the knowledge and expectation of this city, I can't wait to rest in the hotel, get my bike from the private room and tie up my camel bag, and then I can't wait to start my wandering tour in Xining.

The first thing to punch in is the famous scenic spot in Xining-Dongguan Muslim Temple. This majestic and towering building is the largest mosque in Qinghai Province, which combines many cultural styles such as Han, Tibetan and Islam. When I approach this temple and look up, I really feel a sense of awe in my heart. It is said that there are many complicated requirements to enter the mosque, and I don't know much about it, so I didn't enter the visit.

Hui people who buy dates gather near the Great Temple. The white "number hat" is the symbol of the Hui people. As for why you should wear this small white hat, the reason is that you can't show your hair during religious worship. Therefore, wearing this rimless small white hat is not only in line with the teaching method but also convenient for worship. Over time, it has become a symbolic national costume.

Walking around Xia Nanguan Street, an old living street next to the temple, I saw all kinds of fresh fruits as soon as I entered the street, which were full of weight. Our fruits in the northwest were not covered ~

I just captured a kind old Hui man ~

I really like this colorful contrast style in Xining Old Street, which is a little Mediterranean or Middle Eastern. This style is unique in cities all over the country.

two little boys hiding behind the car. Xining in May is not very hot, but the sunshine is very bright. I was almost blinded by the sun when I was wandering on the street by bike, but the feeling of the afternoon sun bathing in my body was quite comfortable.

A military green "28 Big Bars" on the roadside caught my eye. After so many years of maintenance, it can be seen that the owner is a complete car lover.

Isn't it said that Xining is a fusion of many cultures? How can I not see the most common Ming and Qing architecture? Just as I was wondering, a beautiful and elegant drum tower caught my eye.

Of course, Xining is not just a city that sticks to traditional culture. Driven by economic development, this city has also shown new vitality in generate in the new era. I also see a large number of towering and modern buildings from time to time during cycling. This feeling of shuttling between tradition and modernity is very interesting.

In addition to the contrasting old streets, the buildings on the streets of Xining are also "colorful", and the romance of the northwest people is so straightforward and simple.

After a whole day's shopping, I really couldn't think of anything to eat at night, so I casually found a Muslim restaurant and ordered fried rice with beef and eggs. I have to say, this weight is quite sufficient, I almost didn't finish it, and of course it tastes quite good. It's almost 7: 3 in the evening after dinner. I almost didn't shock me when I walked out of the restaurant. What! ? It's still bright! This really makes me an "idiot" who has never been to the northwest unable to adapt for a while.

according to the weather forecast, the sun will not set until 8 pm in most parts of Qinghai. Although I have long heard that the sunset is late in the northwest, when I really get involved, I still have the illusion that time and space are intertwined. Tomorrow, I will start my official cycling journey. I plan to start from Xining, pass through Huangyuan County and finally reach Xihai Town, the starting point around the lake. Although the journey is only 14 kilometers, it may be a big challenge for my "old arms and legs" who have been inactive for a long time, so I went to bed early to recharge my batteries for tomorrow's cycling.

Xining-Xihai Town

Perhaps I was too excited. I stayed up all night last night, but it didn't affect my excitement in the morning at all. I have done my homework before, and learned that the temperature difference between day and night in Xining will be relatively large, which scared me to put on my jacket and go out. As a result, I found that Xining in the morning is just the same thing, and the temperature is similar to that in the mainland.

Xining city, which is full of vitality in the morning, should have a good weather today ~

After leaving the noisy Xining city, I walked all the way along G19 National Road and experienced the unique sense of desolation in the northwest.

Pay attention to people who ride pigeons every day! Be careful that Lao Wang takes you away!

The river at the foot of the mountain is the Huangshui River. Although it is narrow and small, it is called the "mother river" of Qinghai, which has raised about 6% of the population in Qinghai Province. In addition, this river is one of the main water sources of the Yellow River, and it is also the main water source of Lanzhou city.

There is a stone tablet of "Ming Great Wall Site" on the cliff in front of me, but unfortunately I didn't take this tablet. You may not feel anything from the picture, but when such a domineering cliff stands in front of you, it will still give you great visual impact.

Although the scenery is a little desolate, the road surface condition of National Highway 19 is really good. From time to time, such tree-lined roads will appear, adding a little mood to your monotonous journey.

The first half of the journey was very smooth. Although there were some ups and downs in the road, at least it didn't break you down. I arrived in Huangyuan County at noon. This small county has a long history, and the Han and Tibetan cultures are integrated. The most famous scenic spot is the ancient city of Tangar.

The ancient city of Tangar was built in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, with a history of more than 6 years. It is an important economic and cultural hub and military center in western China. Since the Western Han Dynasty, Tangar has become a commercial and trade center. With the development of commercial trade and cultural exchanges among ethnic groups, buildings such as the City God Temple, the Golden Buddha Temple and the Huozu Pavilion have been built in the ancient city. When you wander through the ancient city, you will have to sigh at the exquisite structure of these buildings.

An old man selling souvenirs in the streets of the ancient city was very embarrassed when he saw me holding up my mobile phone to take pictures. He repeatedly waved his hand and said, "Don't take pictures of me".

Lovely yak doll

After visiting the main road of the ancient city of Tangar, I rode my bike and turned into the narrow and winding people's lane next to it. These quiet corners really attracted me.

In the alley street surrounded by gray brick walls, this peach tree is particularly eye-catching. I think the owner must be a warm and hospitable person ~

I bought a drink at noon and was surprised to find that it matches my sunscreen a little. Speaking of sunscreen, it's because I want to completely abandon the "rough and wild" riding style. I can't let myself be a thorough "Filipino" like in Hainan and Taiwan Province. I want to be an exquisite "pig boy" this time!

However, when I thought the second half of the journey would be as smooth as the first half, I didn't realize that the second half was a complete "nightmare journey". The remaining 5 kilometers made me collapse several times, and I can't stop thinking about my legs until now.

After riding out of Huangyuan County, National Highway 19 became National Highway 315, but when riding, I ran into a toll station, which made me puzzled. Should I ride on the expressway? This toll station looks exactly like a high-speed toll station. I repeatedly checked and compared the map of Gaode several times, and only after I made sure that no one stopped me did I move on with track.

but not far after riding, I found that the real trouble came, and the wind changed greatly. At this time, the air volume suddenly increased sharply, and the most terrible thing was the impartial headwind. This made me feel a little worried when I was full of confidence before. If this is the case for the next journey, then I may really finish my calf.

It turns out that my fears have come true. When I enter the road with dense valleys, the headwind is getting stronger and stronger, and it is still blowing violently for a while, and the strength can almost overturn you instantly. No way, I have to ride another 5 kilometers on this road, so I have to bite the bullet and pedal hard, try to control the handlebars, and silently pray that this damn headwind will stop quickly!

Does the desolate valley in the northwest have the flavor of Mars base? In such a lonely place, I really experienced a desperate feeling of "calling every day, calling the ground ineffective."

A "small waterfall" in the mountains

Standing on the hillside by the roadside overlooking the 315 National Highway, it is really no different from other expressways in appearance, but bicycles can be boarded for free, and motorcycles can also be boarded, so it is not clear whether there is a charge.

18 kilometers per hour? Brother speedometer, I'm afraid you flatter me too much. Now it's good to ride to 8 kilometers per hour in my state ~

It's a beautiful reservoir-Dongdatan Reservoir, which is the largest regulated reservoir in Huangshui River Basin at present. The reservoir is sparkling, and many waterfowl live here. There are several ducks and ducks wandering leisurely on the water not far from the photo. I wonder if the eagle-eyed friends have found it?

The south bank of the reservoir has a natural grassland with a length of 1.2 kilometers and a width of 5 to 8 meters, so it has also become an ideal place for herders to graze. If it weren't for the rush, I could really sit in such a pleasant environment for a day.

There are 176 sheep in the picture. Would you like to count them? After leaving the reservoir, it was less than 2 kilometers away from Xihai Town at this time, but the headwind showed no signs of weakening. On the contrary, it blew bigger and bigger. On the way, I already met two teams of riders who got off the cart. This is really the longest 2 kilometers in my cycling career. Every 2-3 kilometers, I have to stop for a while and frequently open the map of Gaode to check the remaining distance. When the distance is only a single digit, I feel that the finish line is out of reach and my mood is getting more and more agitated. At this time, I am like a soldier squirming on the ground. Every kilometer forward can be regarded as a rare one.

I finally made it to Xihai Town, the end of today's journey. At this time, I was exhausted. It is no exaggeration to say that if I had another 1 kilometers, I might have to come down and push away. Xihai Town is a small town that I admire very much, so a group of lovely people once lived here. In the early days of the People's Republic of China, in order to break the nuclear blackmail of international hostile forces, a group of great scientists came to Xihai Town anonymously, where they established the first nuclear weapons research base in China-the State-run 221 Factory, and successfully developed China's first atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb. Therefore, I think that no matter how noble adjectives are, they can not set off the sacrifices and contributions made by this group of scientists and this city to * * * and China.

The buildings in the town have obvious last century style

The streets are clean and empty, and there are really few people, which adds another mysterious color to Xihai Town, which was once a restricted area.

It's really hard to imagine the determination of the older generation of scientists to set foot on this land in northwest China even though they know that they may never be known by the world.

Not far away stands the statue of Chairman Mao

The empty Xihai Square

Tired and hungry, I wandered around the streets of Xihai Town, and finally found a good mala Tang shop, probably because the owner is a Hui nationality. The method and taste of mala Tang are quite different from those in the mainland, but fortunately the taste is quite good. This trip gave me a "duel" from the beginning. Today's tragic experience made me feel obvious leg pain, and I will enter the official journey around the lake tomorrow. I hope Qinghai Lake can treat me well as an "old arm and old leg" lone rider!

(to be continued .....)