It has been 10 long years in the waiting, but this summer I arrived; Xinjiang Tian Shan (新疆天山), the Heavenly Mountains. My Journey to the West was to begin.
等待已经10年了，但今年夏天我到达了；新疆天山，天山。 我的西方之旅要开始了。
Bikepacking out from Kuqa (库车), the land is barren with little food, sparse accommodation and no coffee. Sleeping is limited to Mongolian yurts (蒙古包), temporarily set up for the short season lasting only 4 months from mid June to mid October.
从库卡（库车）骑自行车出发，土地贫瘠，食物很少，住宿稀少，没有咖啡。 睡眠仅限于蒙古包，从6月中旬到10月中旬，短期只持续4个月。
Along the famous 561-kilometre long Duku Highway from Kuqa to Dushanzi, a museum on the way explains the building of this epic road in the 1970s, while a memorial honours the more than one hundred workers who died during its construction.
沿着从库卡到杜山子的著名的561公里长的杜库高速公路，途中有一个博物馆解释了20世纪70年代这座史诗般的道路的建造，同时纪念在建造过程中牺牲的一百多名工人。
Sheep, cows, goats and herds of horses often blocked my way. As sometimes did the heavy SUVs with travellers brought from all over China. And yes, not a single foreign face was seen during the whole trip.
羊、牛、山羊和马群经常挡住我的去路。 就像有时从中国各地带来的旅客的重型SUV一样。 是的，在整個旅行中，沒有看到一張外國面孔。
Especially popular with cyclists, this is a trip on the bucket list of touring enthusiasts, so I met about 100 fellow cyclists, most of them going north to south. There were many happy exchanges and suggestions on where to eat or rest a tired body at night. Some words of Mandarin came in handy.
特别受自行车手的欢迎，这是旅游爱好者遗愿清单上的一次旅行，所以我遇到了大约100名骑自行车的人，其中大部分都是从北到南。 关于晚上在哪里吃饭或休息疲惫的身体，有很多愉快的交流和建议。 一些普通话派上用场了。
On the second 3,200 metre-high mountain pass there was parked another SUV. What was to be found in its open rear? A lonely Xi’an coffee mobile shop. Our Italian friends should excuse me for saying an afternoon Cappuccino has never tasted better.
在第二个3200米高的山口上，停着另一辆SUV。 在它敞开的后部里发现了什么？ 一家孤独的西安咖啡移动商店。 我们的意大利朋友应该原谅我说下午的卡布奇诺从未如此美味。
Bridging a boring section with a several-hour long bus ride, I headed west towards the Sayram lake. It’s a popular spot in summer for blue sky and blue water, as well as in winter for the same blue sky but accompanied by ice and snow.
乘坐了幾個小時的巴士，我向西向Sayram湖走去。 在夏天，蓝天和蓝水是受欢迎的地方，冬天也是蓝天，但伴随着冰雪。
That said, you will probably experience both summer and winter on the same trip. Temperatures ranged from about 30 degrees Celcius in Yining (伊宁) to two degrees one mountain morning. The four 3,000-metre mountain passes saw temperatures of around 10 degrees. That was for travelling from mid August to mid September. Adjust for going earlier or later.
也就是说，你可能会在同一次旅行中同时体验夏天和冬天。 气温从伊宁约30摄氏度到一个山间早晨的两度不等。 四个3000米高的山口温度在10度左右。 那是从8月中旬到9月中旬的旅行。 调整早一点或晚一点去。
Lightweight-conscious cyclists carry two sets of clothing to wash and wear alternately. Take a down jacket of the Uniqlo type. And a waterproof Goretex type windbreaker.
注重轻便的骑自行车者携带两套衣服，交替洗涤和穿着。 拿一件优衣库类型的羽绒服。 还有一件防水的Goretex型风衣。
Yining in Xinjiang’s western lowlands close to Kazakhstan give back some summer feeling. Your nose will find joy when smelling the unmistakable fragrance of lavender.
靠近哈萨克斯坦的新疆西部低地的伊宁给人一种夏天的感觉。 当闻到薰衣草的香味时，你的鼻子会感到愉悦。
To the south and east of Yining, the whole region of Yili provides some of the best mountain scenery for those on both two and four wheels.
在宜宁的南部和东部，整个伊利地区为骑两轮车和四轮车的人提供了一些最好的山景。
Regions and destinations to explore are the Yizhao Highway (伊昭公路; again over 3,000 metres in elevation), Xiata (夏塔), Qiongku Shentai (琼库什台), Qiaxi and Talimu (恰西和塔里木), Kuerdening (库尔德宁), Narati (那拉提) and Tangbula (唐布拉). A rainy day brought snow-capped mountain tops all around; a stunning sight.
要探索的地区和目的地有伊昭公路（海拔超过3000米）、夏塔、琼库什台、恰西和塔里木、库尔德宁、那拉提和唐布拉。 一个雨天把白雪皑皑的山峰带到了四周；一个令人惊叹的景象。
Cuisine in the Duku and Yili regions reflects local people; Uighurs, Mongols, Kazakhs and Han-Chinese. Barbequed mutton with Nan bread is a favourite and it was a joy to be welcomed by extended hands.
德库和伊利地区的美食反映了当地人；维吾尔人、蒙古人、哈萨克人和汉族人。 烤羊肉配南面包是我的最爱，被伸出双手欢迎是一种快乐。
While today there are no checkpoints, and rules and regulations apply as everywhere in China, the odd place might still say, “No foreigners”. But that can happen in Nanjing. Registration of your stay shall usually done by the accommodation.
虽然今天没有检查站，规则和条例和中国各地一样适用，但奇怪的地方可能仍然说“禁止外国人”。 但那可能发生在南京。 您的住宿登记通常由住宿进行。
For the non clyclists, drivers have had questions about how to enter petrol stations; ID is required to open the gates. Yining PSB explained that foreigners can register with their legal ID. Hikers can cross the Tianshan mountain range on a 5-day hike via the Wusun Trail (乌孙古道).
对于非骑自行车的人，司机对如何进入加油站有疑问；需要身份证才能打开大门。 Yining PSB解释说，外国人可以用他们的合法身份证注册。 徒步旅行者可以通过乌孙古道徒步5天，穿越天山山脉。
Such trips are best done after 20 August to avoid the school holidays, busy roads and accommodation at inflated prices. Mid September already sees heavy snowfall in the mountain regions.
此类旅行最好在8月20日之后进行，以避免学校假期、繁忙的道路和价格高昂的住宿。 9月中旬，山区已经下起了大雪。
Cycling in China is an adventure. Going alone adds to the thrill. Topping it are the challenges in navigating it all in Mandarin, even the more so when many do not even understand that.
在中国骑自行车是一种冒险。 独自去增加了刺激。 最重要的是用普通话浏览这一切的挑战，甚至当许多人甚至不懂时，更是如此。