Amahia's next great adventure--China

You may remember that MU grad student Amahia has ridden a cross-country route, and written about it on CyclExtreme's web site, each of the past two summers. Amahia's next adventure is a bike ride across China:

This trip combines three features of north China: the Great Wall, the Silk Road and the Yellow River. They are braided through the region's history and across its landscape.

I've always wanted to go to China and I chose the north because it resembles landscapes I know and love in North America. Like the American West, there are big deserts and mountains. Generally, the area is sparsely populated, contains the majority of China's minorities and is a resource extractive economy. The Great Plains and the steppes of north China and Mongolia have similarities--places good for grazing animals and fertile if irrigated. . . .

I begin my six week trip in Shanghai--on the sea and the largest city in China--then head northwest to Urumqi by train. I will return to the east by bike. I like this plan for a number of reasons, not least of which is that the prevailing winds will be at my back and it is downhill! As time and access permits, I will post journal entries.

Read more on the CyclExtreme web site.