Bicycle Touring in western China: Taklamakan Desert, The Silk Road, Tarim Desert Highway

 Hotan, Uyghur Autonomous Region of China (in style for breakfast and tea)

Outside the international hotel a small gathering comes together  

 I use my diary to record QQ.com numbers, these are addresses for email and a version of Facebook used entirely across China. I want to get a QQ.com account - there's a new world to explore!

 Okay, tell me your digits or I'll give you mine. Sadly, Beijing's censorship is so tight...even this harmless blog isn't visible in the Asian Giant (apt name for a popular mountain bike Made in China.)

 Okay, I am getting to it!

 I don't want to meet strangers and remain strangers. I sent email out to 76 people in China. I used Google translate to send a personal message in Chinese language. I reply to friends on Facebook using their native language as well. It's a globalized world, but show some respect for native languages too! 

 This purple pen was falling apart for the entire 60 day expedition, sending the love...I kept a constant diary and recorded daily events, names, places, distances and elevations. 

 Thanks guys, made me feel important for a moment in my tiny life. 

 Back on the road. My choice ride is built with a 2008 frame (13400km) and 2008 components as well

 Tires of choice, Schwalbe Marathon Tour Plus (revision of Marathon XR)

 My front racks are $20 (USD) plus a 0.25 cent rebar piece from Urumqi metal street-recycler. + Zip PVC plastic ties to keep it all together. It looks rough, but there is science in there. Perfection for 3200km!

 Taklamakan Desert, July 2011. Note the irrigation lines and shrubs offer no relief from the sun.

 At night (infrared photo) Taklamakan Desert beats with dust storms, really nasty stuff!

 I'm camping 1/2 way in the entrance to a diesel engine room, an engine turns the pumps and brings water out of aqua ducts beneath the desert floor

 Feeling awesome -this is freedom to me, deserts, camping, bikes, touring, all in one!

 Good morning! - Stoked (excited) to be full of life (better half full than half empty)

 Talking to Mi Sung and the kids in Canada, wow -technology!

 My host watches in disbelief, a costume character with a bicycle in the Taklamakan - "What the hell???"

 I'm having a great chat with Mi Sung and the kids, the camera takes photos when someone is smiling like (:

 A few days of explosive diarrhea is great, I'm getting slimmer by the day!

 My ride. in park mode on concrete power poles in the Taklamakan Desert

 Hwy 315 (2375km from somewhere) Taklamakan Tarim Desert Highway (Great article to read, all true!)

 I lost Lysanne and Louis-Philippe's card after leaving the desert. Here is the photo to reconnect with them. We met in Beijing about 3625km away from this location in the Taklamakan. Checking up with them, they traveled 4500km in 88 days in China. Awesome! More updates at their link, I will follow them!

And this is only the beginning of my adventure... To be continued...