Cycling Western Sichuan

Without a doubt, western Sichuan was the real highlight of our trip to China. People say that Tibet really begins in Western Sichuan, and we definitely felt like we had entered a new country and culture. Villages are populated with Tibetan people, have Tibetan architecture and, despite apparent poverty, are awash in the vivid colors and patterns of Tibetan life. These colorful patterns are everywhere: on clothing, prayer flags, and the doors of houses and barns; woven into intricate window patterns and the manes and tails of horses; and flying on prayer flags and long streamers attached to motorbike handles. All of this is found above 4000-meter altitudes against the backdrop of the grand and imposing Himalayas.

Cycling through this unique and beautiful place was an extraordinary experience, though, of course, not without its frustrations and challenges. Biking at high altitudes, you can definitely feel there's a smaller amount of oxygen in the air! So as not to talk your ear off, so to speak, we came up with a list of some of the highlights, or just plain memorable moments, of our time. The accompanying pictures tell more of the story.

Tibetan Sichuan has a kind of Wild West feel thanks to the fact most men wear cowboy hats over long hair, and sometimes even leather vests and boots. It's perfect gear for being outdoors herding yaks and handling horses – plus it looks really cool. It becomes more of a Burning Man feel when you factor in that most of them are tearing around towns and highways on probably the coolest motorcycles ever - all painted in bright crazy colors, with masses of long, colored streamers whipping in the wind behind them.