day 255: 玉门 (yumen) = 0km

I still didn’t think much of the idea of my little brother walking through the Gobi desert.

No experience. No additional caboose to haul the extra luggage around. No contingency plan.

I knew he really really wanted to walk, but I just didn’t allow it.

…the beauty of being the bigger brother.

So we went back to the place where the dogs are sad and the people are shitty:

“农机市场” – the “tractor market” – we picked the bike that seemed to suck the least, and had some unfriendly dudes look over it:

So here it is – the “Cucumber II”:

Cucumber?

We’ll have to go back to a different time and a different part of China for this: It’s a 2006 ride from 杭州 (Hangzhou) to 上海 (Shanghai), and here’s the original recap:

“It’s April 2006 and my little brother comes to check out the People’s Republic of China. What do you know – he’s loving it!

We buy a bike (300yuan actually get us something with 3 wheels, so it’s more like a trike) and we take a 5-day-ride.

The plate on the thing says it’s a “Red Star”.

Lots of heavy rain on the way, but we are not made of sugar are we?

It breaks down on us one time though.

And then again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

The rechristened “Cucumber” sells for 120rmb after we make it to the big city.

Note: It’s nice to ride downhill.”

…happy times.

Robozwerg says:

“Good times we had. Good food we had!”

Soundtrack: Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain”

—total: 3286,2km