Day 165 - Zhu Ba Long to Batang

Start: Zhu Ba Long, Sichuan, China
End: Batang, Sichuan, China
Distance: 42 km
Time: 3'40"
Avg: 11.4 k/h
Max: 32 k/h
Total: 9454 km
Total riding days: 107
Riding hours: 0945 - 1430

Out of curiosity, I cross the bridge to the Tibetan (Tibet Autonomous Region, TAR) side, to see if I get arrested. There are no checks at the bridge, I cross in broad daylight and the man at the checkpoint in the village on the Tibetan side just waves me through. So perhaps the authorities are opening up the TAR a little now. Cyclists used to have to sneak through under cover of darkness.

Here's my "Tibet Photo" - Sichuan is on the other side. The current bridge is in the background; nearer the camera, they're building a new bridge.

This is the G318, the Shanghai-Lhasa-Nepal highway, on the Tibet side. I last saw the G318 when I rode out of Shanghai in September 2005.