Shigu, Yunnan

Today we had a pretty ride out of the gorge, winding back along the Yangtze river through remote towns, road side villages and terraced paddy fields. We followed the river to what is known as the 'first bend' of the Yangtze since leaving Tibet.
This is a popular spot for local women to sell fruit and other local produce. On the bank of the river there is a memorial hall commemorating the famous Long March.

Today's ride was a mixture of long patches of flat road, some spiraling hills and nice descents.

Overnight is at the ancient town of Shigu, where the river was crossed in 1936 by the People's Army led by Mao Zedong. It is also believed that Khublai Khan, the
grandson of Genghis Khan, crossed here when Mongolia was the largest empire in the world.

Cycling 75 kmRead more