Headwind once again

I set off at ten o’clock this morning. After a short climb came a descent through a very beautiful rocky landscape. After only a few fast kilometers, however, the long ascent began. For the next 40 kilometers, the road climbed steadily until reaching about 2,150 meters above sea level. Because I was facing a strong headwind, those 40 kilometers felt like they lasted an eternity.

Shortly before the highest point of the day, I met Gabriel from Munich. He has already cycled more than 30,000 kilometers on his bicycle journey around the world and is now essentially on his way home. We chatted for a while when suddenly a Chinese cyclist appeared. The three of us took the obligatory selfie together. I spoke briefly with the Chinese cyclist before he continued on his way. As for Gabriel, I could easily have talked with him for hours. We probably said goodbye three times, only to start discussing something new again each time. Eventually—I am sure at least an hour had passed—we finally managed to bring the conversation to an end.

From that point onward, it was all downhill for me. At first the descent was steeper, but it gradually became flatter and flatter, so that despite the downhill gradient I still had to pedal quite hard because of the headwind. As a result, the remaining 70 kilometers still felt rather long. Gradually, I also began to notice that I had not slept particularly well the night before. So, about 20 kilometers before the finish, I took another longer break before patiently and slowly pedaling the final stretch to the hotel, where I arrived shortly after 7 p.m.

The receptionist then told me that foreigners were not allowed to stay there. I asked her to call the police for assistance, because since 2024 all hotels in China are required to accept foreign guests. Before long, two police officers arrived and helped her complete my registration correctly. After that, everything was fine and I was allowed to stay. I even received a room upgrade so that I could store my bicycle more easily. That suited me just fine.

Afterward, she asked me for a few photos so that she could post a TikTok video featuring me. The guest who helped take the pictures then immediately wanted a photo with me as well.

For dinner, I went to the old town, or rather the town center, where there are a great many restaurants—an entire street full of them. After I had finished eating and already paid the bill, two Chinese men around the age of fifty started chatting with me. They invited me to join their table, and I was treated to a drink. When I was finally ready to leave, they also wanted photos with me and suggested that I could make money through TikTok videos. They even compared me to a highly successful Chinese cycling influencer. I waved the idea away. Then the restaurant owner wanted a photo with me as well, prompting the two men to say, “See how popular you are?” All well and good, but it made the evening even longer than it already was. By the time I finally returned to my hotel room, it was almost midnight.