6th Cycling Trip around Hohhot (1988)
Cycling on the Roadless Plain of Inner Mongolia

                                                                    Toshie Miyai

   It was scheduled that we would cycle around the road on the grassland of Inner Mongolia.  We were to cycle for about 260 miles in six days.

The First Day---from Wu Chuan to Zhaohe (25 miles)

   We left Hohhot, capital city of Inner Mongolia, by bus in the morning and arrived at Wu Chuan in an hour.  After lunch we assembled the bicycles which had been taken apart in Japan.  Around three o'clock we started cycling toward vast grassy field.  After cycling for about 10 miles, the paved road came to an end and it turned into a dirt road.  On the dirt road I  concentrated only on my handlebar and had little time to look around.  When looking up, I found the view had changed.  High buildings were out of sight and gentle hills were all around us.  When we climbed up a long gravel road, we caught sight of a vast green field under our eyes.  Round unique houses could be seen here and there in the field.  They were traditional Mongolian houses called “pao.”   Seeing them, some shouted, “That's Mongolia!” or “Just like I'm in a dream!” and cycled down slope toward them.  We got to Zhaohe at 5 o'clock where we stayed the night.  After supper we enjoyed listening to “Horse fiddle”, a stringed musical instrument which has a horse’s head carved on the top, and strings made of horsehair , and watching a traditional dance.  We also displayed fireworks in the dark.

The Second Day---from Zhaohe to Eerdengaobao (42 miles) 

   We started cycling at 9:30 in the morning.  A man riding on a horse led us in traditional Mongolian costume.  The road was still dirt and we found some green objects scattered on the road.  They might be droppings of horses or camels.  We had to avoid treading on them because they would cause tires slip and we might fall off the bicycle.  Warning voices, “Watch the droppings!” began to be sent from the leaders of the group.  Such an alarm was added to our routine warnings, “Watch the stones!” or “Watch the glasses!”
   We had lunch at a village called Mingshui Cun.  A large enamelware bowl of hot noodle with tomato and eggs were set on a table and we enjoyed the simple lunch.  In the afternoon we cycled, struggling with dirt and sand.  Tires sank into the sand and we tried hard to keep control of the bicycle.  The view was getting larger---small hills were out of sight and the green field stretched as far as the eye could see.  From behind the group I could see dots of yellow uniform of our members in the vast green field.  When a member ahead me climbed down a hill, I could see nothing but the green field and I felt as if I were all alone on the earth.  I enjoyed cycling in such feelings of solitude.
   We arrived at Eerdengaobao at four o'clock.  We were about to put up a tent there, when a Chinese staff said, “There is a better tent site if you go a little more.” We resumed cycling toward the tent site.  However, “a little more” turned out to be 10 miles.  Moreover, we had to wait for more than two hours until we got supper.  We rode a bus to a village where supper was prepared and we waited until it was ready.  We were quite tired but enjoyed watching sky-full-of stars while waiting.  The Milky Way looked as if it were a wide shining river crossing from horizon to horizon.  It was really a River in the Heaven (Ama-no-Kawa in Japanese).
   After supper we took part in a campfire held at the village.  We also saw a sheep slaughtered in Mongolian traditional way.  A sheep was laid on its back, its chest was cut open and a man put his arm into its heart to cut the artery.  Internals were taken out and blood inside was scooped out. Then it was skinned and dissected without shedding any blood.  This ceremony of slaughter was said to be the utmost treatment for the visitors.  We enjoyed dancing and listening to Horse fiddle until late.

The Third Day---from Eerdengaobao to Baiyinhua (50 miles)

   We started cycling at ten because breakfast was late to arrive from the village.  The road was getting worse and many members had a flat tire or fell off the bike.  All of a sudden a big river with no bridge blocked our way.  We had to cross the river with our bike on the shoulders.  The minibus was pulled by the truck and the truck was pushed by male members to cross the river.
   At a village where we had lunch we met an old man.  He said, “A Japanese named Kamiyama came here in 1945.  He taught us Japanese.  Do you know him?” So we found we were not the first visitors from Japan.  I realized the fact that the Japanese army occupied such a remote place as this small village. 
   We set up tent in the middle of the field where we could survey all the view to the horizon.  The supper was brought from the near village and we were very happy to have food sitting around on the grass and looking at the setting sun.  After supper we also enjoyed a campfire and barbecue.

The Fourth Day---from Baiyinhua to Wangfu Yidui (83 miles)

   We started cycling before nine.  The view was getting dull.  Green grass was getting fewer and I guessed we were drawing near the desert.  We tried hard to keep control of the handlebar on the sandy road.  Neither trees nor bushes could be seen and we had no shade to escape from the sun.  There was no traffic sign to show how far it was to the destination.  We were supposed to cycle for 40 miles in the morning but we had already cycled more than 50 miles.  It was past four o'clock when we had lunch.
   Cycling in the afternoon was scheduled to be 25 miles.  We had already covered 25 miles but did not get to the destination.  Whenever we asked the guides how far it would be, they answered, “Four miles.”  It seemed “four miles” would never be reached.  At last it was getting dark.  There was no light in the field and we could not see obstacles such as rocks or holes on the road.  We could not see even the members cycling ahead.  Finally we cycled in a row with the help of the headlight of the truck.  At long last we got to Wangfu Yidui at 9:20.We stayed “pao” for tourists.

The Fifth Day---from Wangfu Yidui to Siziwangqi (22 miles)

   In the morning we enjoyed sight-seeing---a visit to a Mongolian family, horse-riding, camel-riding, etc.  We also enjoyed watching Mongolian wrestling, in which some of the male members took part.

   After lunch we resumed cycling.  The road was still dirt but sand was getting thinner.  Trees and bushes began to come in sight.  We could see such crops as wheat or buckwheat planted in the field.  We could see houses or villages and we felt we were drawing near a city.  At 5:25 we got to a hotel at Siziwangqi run by the city Government.   There we took shower after a long interval and got refreshed.  At supper we enjoyed having “Shuang-yang-row”, sliced mutton boiled in the hot water.

The Final Day---from Siziwangdqi to Wu Chuan (36 miles)

   The final cycling was from Siziwangqi to Wu Chuan.  The road was completely paved and flat.  We enjoyed comfortable cycling including a “free cycling” which meant we could cycle at our own pace.  The grass field was out of sight and instead the crop field was visible on both side of the road.  At 12:10 we arrived at a hotel in Wu Chuan and were heartily welcomed by many people with the brass band and firecrackers.  I was most pleased to cycle the entire 260 miles together with the 27 members.