Bicycle Touring The World: China, Urumqi to Turpan

My latest bicycle touring around the world update, cycling across China. Urumqi to Turpan. 121 miles. I got lost coming out of the city this morning. I thought I’d be clever and go out a different way to what I came in! Eventually, I asked a policeman who got his phone out. He pulled a map up and then drew me a copy. He did tell me that I wasn’t allowed on the motorway, which, of course, I said I knew. I wouldn’t do that! Anyway, directions in hand, I set out and found the road I wanted to be on. But it was closed, so I ended up on the motorway again!

It’s All Downhill

Think I’ve been up on a plateau for the past week. This afternoon I had a huge downhill. It must have been forty or fifty miles! The wind had also gotten up, which was blowing me along. I hadn’t realised how windy it was coming down that hill as I was flying anyway. It wasn’t until it levelled off and I changed direction that I felt how strong it really was.

The wind was now coming across me. Although still slightly behind me. I had to ride my bike at a 45° angle; I had a real job just staying upright. Each time a lorry came past, I’d have to stop or be blown off the road. Even stopping, I had a job to stand up! Once the lorry had passed, trying to get going was just as hard. I was just blown off the road. Once I did manage to get going again, after a couple of turns of the pedals, I was up to 30 mph, and this was on the flat; the wind was that strong. Never known anything like it. Finished the day in a dust storm, I was glad to finish today, it was pretty scary stuff!

Tour Information

It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:

• Photos: See my photos on Flickr
• The route: View my journey around the world
• Videos: Check out my YouTube videos
• Tour page: Ride overview

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Subscribe to my blog and follow me as I continue to travel around on my bike. Plus, as a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel my next mile, you can always buy me a beer. And, of course, you can always follow me on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. I’m also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all my tours, along with regular photo updates that I generally publish each month.

If you want to find out if I’m away touring at the moment and check my location, visit the Where’s Garry page. And for an insight into the gear and logistics that keep me on the road, see my Life at 10mph Guide.