Day 1 - Riding Out to the Mogao Caves

Date: Saturday, September 11, 2010
Ride distance: morning - 28km, afternoon - 28km

The plan was a 56km ride (multiply by 0.6 to calculate mileage), a round trip from the hotel to the Mogao Caves. I hadn’t been on a bike in over a week as I was walking around crowded, humid Hong Kong. I wanted to start out slowly just to see how I’d adjust to the desert air, the altitude of over 3700 feet, and the lack of riding in the lead-up days. I found that Sharon Dowdell was also testing her abilities so I paced with her. A few minutes into the ride, we began casually passing many of the riders that had begun their tour differently, by racing out to a lead.

The ride consisted of an initial stretch of around 13km along the Gansu Highway, then a turn into a minor headwind towards the Mogao Caves. The bicycle that I was assigned was a pretty major downgrade from my own, from the seat, to the handlebar position, down to the drivetrain and brakes. I knew that this would not be a very easy 5 days, and easily decided that the next time I do this, I’m bringing all of my own equipment.

The Mogao caves are an interesting look at the history of the Silk Road. Many cultures of the pre-modern world met here to conduct trade, to learn about each other, and admire the beauty of the Chinese culture. Cameras were not allowed in the exhibits and therefore I can only describe. The Mogao grottoes are a series of thousands of caves where intricate forms of art are embedded into the walls and ceilings. Walking through a small hole in the side of the hill reveals a much larger volume of space where huge statues of the Bodhisatva have been erected.

We of course had another meal that consisted of shlag, and soups, and other forms of delicious offerings. I’m not a fan of shlag, as it tastes ‘gamey’, but I found out quickly that when you’re spending so much time turning a crank, everything that is edible is delicious.

During the return trip to the hotel, Sharon and I were hanging around at the front of the ride pack, and we take breaks in the middle of each leg to allow the rest of the pack to catch up. When you’re in the front, you get a longer break. If you’re hanging around in the back, you might get no break at all as the rest of the crew has given up waiting. Some of the local kids came out to see what was going on as we took a break in their neighborhood, sat on the chairs on their porches. The kids laughed when our Beijing based Senior Executive, Cameron, who’s Caucasian, greeted them in their native tongue.

Add another dinner consisting of shlag, and another trip to the night market. This time, it was with my new friend, Zhu Huiqian, “Joey”.