Rain

Desert Camp to Zhangye
October 17th
112km (802m vertical)

It got pretty cold last night...which helped me to justify the custom snow-pants. It started raining during the night and, for the first time, I had to pack-up my tent in steady rain. (Never a camping highlight.) I had hoped that sunrise would yield impressive mountain photos, but the sun and the mountains were both hidden in the clouds.

It was 42F as we hit the road, but the rain and wind made it feel much colder. Our initial decent from camp was enough to give me wet legs, frozen toes and numb fingers until the rain stopped and the sun dried me off.

Found an internet cafe all by myself this afternoon. I recognized the Chinese characters on a sign, and followed the posters of bikini-clad women with laser guns up two flights of stairs to the sea of computers. A proud moment.

As I write this, the radiator beside my bed is blasting hot air into an already hot hotel room and I am melting, despite the open window. There is no English television, so I'm watching Olympic reruns, which are on constantly.

Fall colours with a snow-capped background:

Me at lunch...with my seven local admirers...and Mike's finger: