We’ve come up with a cunning plan that will help us avoid any floods or landslides. I won’t go into detail at this moment in time as I don’t want to drop the lads in the doodoo if you catch my drift but it will allow me to keep a decent speed up for the next few days.
After a quick wash down, chain adjustment and chain lube, we run for the hills. The weather is superb, hot and sunny. Not what I’d expected. The 4 or 5 days before we arrived in Xian were awful. Rained solidly pretty much every day and managed to crash the bike in a tunnel on a patch of mud mixed with diesel.
On the road to Sichuan province
But it’s different now. And the mountains that separate Xian from Sechuan province are just breathtaking. I really am struggling to find words to describe how beautiful this is. It’s the China that I’ve built up in my mind’s eye over the years. Pointed, jagged peaks with rivers flowing down the valleys into rice paddies and orchards. Even if I had the wherewithall to film all this in 360/3D/HD/Widescreen it still wouldn’t do it justice, so I tell you, if you’ve ever fancied doing this kind of motorcycle trip, just do it. Sell the kids, rent out grandma, get a bike and a visa and go!
Li Bai, China’s most famous poet once wrote about the route from Xian to Sichuan
“It is more difficult to reach Sichuan than it is to touch the sky”
Maybe … but it’s fun trying!
