This was a terrible day.

190 km through the desert.

To our left, the naked peaks of “the celestial mountains”, shining in a pale grey under the merciless sun, our only distraction for the whole day.

To our right, the beginning of the deadly Taklamakan desert, extending for thousand of kilometers.

In the middle, a long, boring, never ending road. Totally straight, shimmering in the incredible heat. For the first time our thermometer reached 40 degrees C. Only two small villages and a few gas-stations to offer a little shadow. But even this was just a small relief; even in the shadow the temperature was still around 36 degrees. Only once, after about one third of the route, we could cool down at an irrigation well. From there on, nothing. We had to drink lots, but the water in our drinking bottles was so disgustingly hot, that later in the day we could not swallow it anymore; we just moistened our dry throats, and spit it out immediately.

As for me, I knew already before the start, that this stage would be too long for me. Cycling 190 km on a mountain bike through the desert on the fourth day already, was too early for me. But it was not just the distance that overcame me; it was rather the heat and the hunger. So, after 150 km, I decided to call it quits. My body was totally overheated and in order to avoid bigger problems, I finished the day in our van.

Ten km later, Nico decided to stop as well, he also feared further problems if he had insisted more than the common sense would have advised.

Finally only three of us managed to cycle all 190 km. Charles, strong as usual, a surprising Curt, and Jason, our Chinese guide, more used to these conditions as we Europeans.

Taklamakan desert and celestian mountains