I got up early to prepare for a potential 10 hour drive. A (motorcycle driving) policeman I met yesterday, told me I can use the highways (Autobahn) even if it is not really allowed. I need to squeeze the bike through the toll stations (right most lanes) and so long as I stay within the speed limits I should be good. Same as what I was told by the Tour Operator.
So let’s see how it works, it would cut the 10 hours to manageable 4 1/2 hours.
Stayed in one of those big Hotel chains (Wanda Hotels), never heard of them, but can only say, top notch quality for a very reasonable price, including an East West breakfast buffet.
Today was another interesting day. After I had a really long day yesterday, I decided to follow the hints of a policeman I met at the hotel to get on the highways. While I was wondering what would happen when I squeezed myself through the right lane of the toll stations, nobody stopped me, no siren, no police car chased me. It was a great sunny, fresh morning and the highway made its way up to the last pass on the Tibetan plateau and I saw the first snow capped mountains to my right while it got fresher and fresher and at 12°C I decided to stop to add another Windstopper/thermal layer, grip heater on all bars. Then suddenly the highway stopped and all traffic ended up on a partly broken national road, meandering up to the last pass at 3,650 meters. And then the rain started while it was freezing cold. Only after 15 minutes driving through these canyons on the narrow road, I found a thin stretch on the side where I could stop and put the bike on the side stand to put the rain jacket on. This started really getting cold, anyway, after maybe another 20 minutes, the canyon suddenly opened up into a wide valley and I later learned it is the beginning of the Hexi corridor. It also was the transition from the green grassland of the Tibetan plateau, to the earthly brown of the Gobi desert. It was really amazing to see the shift from one to another happening in less than one hour driving time. Soon the highway entry came up again and I was back on the highway following this corridor to Zhangye with the mountain ranges left and right (south and north) and the wide flat land between them. While Zhangye is now a modern planned urban development, its history as an important Chinese Silk Road Town goes over 2000 years back. It is often seen, as the last Chinese administered silk road town, before ancient Central Asia started. There will be two more ancient Chinese influenced and controlled towns ahead, before the traditional Central Asia is starting, with different languages, religions and people.
Had to drink a lot, and to stop a lot at the toilets.
Here is what the road book assistant created this morning (and yes, it got really cold)
🌅 MORNING UPDATE — C1-17 | Friday, 19 June 2026
📍 TODAY: Xining → Zhangye (346 km)
⛰ Max altitude: ~3,792 m (Dabanshan Pass)
☀️ WEATHER NOW
Xining: ☀️ Sunny, 11°C → high 21°C. Light rain possible by evening (20%). Winds light.
Zhangye: ⛅ Partly Cloudy, 19°C → high 25°C. Low rain chance all day (<10%).
⚠️ Dabanshan Pass: Expect near-freezing temps at summit (5-10°C cooler than Xining). Pack layers. Light rain possible late afternoon in the mountains.
🚧 ROAD CONDITIONS
✅ G227 National Highway open and clear. No reported closures, landslides, or roadworks. Paved highway in good condition — China’s “Best Driving Road.”
📋 NOTES
• Stop at Biandukou Pass for photos
• Menyuan rapeseed fields should be in golden bloom — peak season
• Zhangye Danxia Rainbow Mountains at the end
Depart: ~5h ride. 🏍️ One of the best riding days of the trip — enjoy G227!
And yes, it was one of the best riding days.
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