Great Race Europe-Final Day
Well, we are somewhere over the Atlantic now, trapped in the middle seat and heading home. I’ve now had a little time to reflect on the route for next year’s Great Race from New York to Paris and the road that we’ve traveled so far.
We have a terrific route in place from New York, across Canada, through China, and in Europe. As you may know, we will be back on the road in a few weeks to connect China to Berlin. One thing is certain; you will be blown away by that drive into Paris; what a way to Finish.
It’s been a few days since my last post and the snowstorm west of Salzburg, so I try to bring you up to speed with a few highlights as we drove into Paris.
Salzburg to Zurich; As I said in my previous post, it snowed in September. That made the day very interesting. I know we traveled some great roads and crossed two mountain passes. At least, I think they were and I would know for sure, if we could have seen passed the hood of the car.
Zurich to Lausanne; Wow, what a great driving day. The snow was gone and summer back came back with a vengeance. Lausanne was beautiful and we traveled over two of the most spectacular roads you will ever drive; just think James Bond, switchbacks and alpine meadows.
Lausanne to Troyes (pronounced “Twa”) Our introduction to France was a drive through the French countryside on more great country roads, which travel through scenic farmland and forests before entering the city. Troyes is known for its unique houses and a picturesque town square, which is a short walk from our hotel and well worth the effort.
I would advise you to spend your last night before the short drive to Paris by sitting in the square and enjoying the atmosphere over some good food, drink and camaraderie. By now, you will have a few stories to share about your experiences over the previous 64 days. Those are stories that will last a lifetime.
The Great Race 2008: New York to Paris will certainly be the adventure of a lifetime. The challenge is in the journey. It is a chance to persevere, to explore, and to experience what very few people ever will. Yes there will be a winner but ultimately, success will be defined by finishing in Paris.
For the participants, The Great Race begins as soon as you cross the George Washington Bridge leaving Manhattan and it will finish as we drive under the Eiffel Tower. At that point, you will have driven nearly around the World.
We have worked diligently on locating and securing quality lodging. You will experience a variety of hotels, all are the very best that we can find in the city and some are world class. Security will be provided each night. Each hotel is situated so that you will have a chance to explore the sites and sounds of each new city.
Will it be easy? I can tell you that it will be a walk in the park compared to the adventurers who participated in 1908. Having driven the route so far, I can tell you that preparation will be the key to success. Fuel is not a problem and water is available for both you and your car. The food varies by the country.
You will need to adapt to the local culture and be mindful of the fact that the experience is part of the adventure and one that I believe will be reward you with a lifetime of memories.
One last note; DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA.
On the road,
Wayne
Well, we are continuing our trip and the light of Paris is in sight. I haven’t posted an update in two days, due to internet challenges on the road. I could access the internet, use my email and my VOIP phone to call anywhere in the world from Western China, but have been challenged over the past two days in Western Europe. We’re back on track today, so I will try to bring you up to date.
Yesterday on our route from Salzburg, Switzerland to Zurich, we drove headlong into summer blizzard that forced even the experience drivers in the Alps to stop. Cars, busses, motorcycles and trucks were all stopped in their tracks by
the sudden onset of a winter storm in September. The Austrian police even flagged us down to ensure that our vehicle was equipped with winter tires. I assured him that it was, but he walked to the front of the car anyway to looked at the front tires somewhat blurred by the white out and then waved us on. A few hours and hundreds of curves later, we arrived in the sunshine in beautiful Zurich, Switzerland.
As we reach Europe on day 58, of the 65-day Great Race, Paris is in sight for our world cars, but first some of the most historic and scenic cities in the old world are calling.
The route from Prague to Salzburg got even better, with more spectacular scenery. The castles get bigger, lunch in town was out of a storybook and to finish the day in Salzburg was not a bad day’s work.
On the road,
After Twelve days in China and I am please to report that we have a great route in place. Tomorrow, we leave for Berlin and continue on to Paris. We will then return to Urumqi in a few weeks to complete the finale stage of the 2008 world route, from Urumqi to Berlin, via Kazakhstan, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
I thought I would finish up this post with a summary of what to expect in our drive across China. First of all, the roads are much like any country around the world. There are the hi-tech expressways that reach nearly across this vast land, there are National Roads, one of which is 312, China’s “Route 66″, which we followed for most of the way. National Road 312 is China’s longest road.
In deference to the traditional Great Race formula of fun and challenging roads, spectacular scenery, interesting stops, accurate course Instructions and great camaraderie, we will drive “the road less traveled across China. In total, we have chosen to drive a more interesting route which uses, all the roads described above, and a few that are not!
Breakfast will be provided each day at the Hotel, and dinner is available in the Hotel each night, or we will guide you to places outside the hotel and after few days you will get a hang of it.
Last night we spent we were in “small” town of Hami, (population 300,000) Hami is the home of the sweet Hami melon and was first established in the 18th Century as the “mighty guard of the Tien Shan” mountains nearby. Our hotel last night was the 4-star Jageda, which was very nice.
The “low point” of the day occurred this afternoon when we reached an altitude of minus 57.5 meters, (159 feet below sea level). Near this location is the second lowest place on Earth after the Dead Sea, (417.27 meters or 1,369 feet below sea level). By the way, Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level.
Gasoline is still abundant with fuel stops always nearby. Best of all, out here in the west, the fuel is cheaper at around $2.50 US, per gallon.
(Wulumuqi) with a city with a population of 3.2 million people. It should be fun!
Day 10 - Dunhuang to Hami
Today, we traveled from Dunhuang to Hami, another oasis along the Silk Road. Hami is known for its melons and fruits. You will see the ever-present venders along the road and the unique way in which drivers just stop right in the traffic lane and negotiate for melons. Trucks fly by, honking their horns, a polite and commonly accepted way to alert you to their presence.
Western China is on the same time zone as Beijing 4,000 km east, so the sun sets and rises late in the day. The locals go to work at 10:00 AM, eat lunch at 2:00 PM, and usually lasts 2 hours and then, its back to work from 4 to 8. (This makes it easy to get a seat in a restaurant.)
Jiauguan is sometimes translated as “nice valley,” and really is. Our hotel was the four-star, Chang Cheng Hotel, located very near the rail station and has some very nice rooms . . . and internet! Jiauguan is located on the great “Silk Road, located in a desert valley, forcing caravans to stop there, en route to, or from the east. The westernmost fortress of the Great Wall was built here, as well as the wall’s oldest signal tower.
We are now 3100 km west of Shanghai in “Yumen,” which between the 6th and 10 century was the western boundary of China. The roads continue to be great and the traffic has become sparse, compared to eastern China. We continue to explore for the road less traveled route but have had the expressway at our disposal should we need it, as we head deeper into the Gobi desert.
Gotta go, dinner is on the way. We are going to sit in the bar on the rooftop deck and watch the sun set over the Gobi desert. (jealous?)
Wuwei was once a prominent city along the Silk Road, connecting China and Central Asia, Mongolia and beyond. Traders from India, and modern Afghanistan walked through Wuwei and brough Buddhism as well as goods and services east. Our hotel in Wuwei was the three star Tian Ma Hotel.
e spent the rest of the day looking for routes with varying degrees of success. More on that later, first let me fill you in on lunch. We had lunch at a farmer’s kitchen. It was a kind of bread and breakfast home-style cooking like mom use to do. There were 10 of these places on the road. We entered through a courtyard and shown to a private room with table and couches we chose the couches and had a great lunch sitting on the couch and eating off the coffee table. Lunch consisted of chicken and chicken feet! You will learn that nothing is wasted.
construction site. As usual, we asked for directions. Well Sim asked and we listened to the animated conversation in the middle of the desert that we had just entered; No problem, just turn left and at about 15 km, you will rejoin the road.
Well, left led us into a scene out of Laurence of Arabia. Driving along at 10 km, we got stuck fast and high centered in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of China. Being seasoned travelers, we were well prepared for such an incident and resorted to digging ourselves out with our bare hands. Needless to say, we chose a different route to finish the day.
Our 450 km day turned into 700km, by the time we reached the hotel in Jiayuguan. After a shower, (we needed it), it was an easy walk to the local restaurant near the Hotel for a meal of seafood stew, baked carp, candied yams, and oh, don’t forget the appetizer–donkey. Yes, I had never eaten Donkey before either. ( and it did not taste like chicken!)
Lanzhou, with a population of 3.2 million people, is the capital of Gansu Province and is located right in the center of China. It also has historical significance thanks to being located where the Silk Road crosses the Yellow River.
Leaving Lanzhou was no problem. Just a quick u-turn out of the hotel, one left-turn to cross the Yellow River and you’re out of town. This morning, the weather was overcast and cool. At 2200 meters (7,200 ft) elevation, it reminded me of central Nevada
Today’s Weather was 75 degrees. In the mountains, the high was in the 60’s. Gas and diesel is everywhere!. By the way we climbed to 2600 meters and spent some time in the fog today! It was cool, literally!
We are spending the night in Wuwei where I did my laundry. 4 shirts 4 pair of pants 6 underwear and 6 pair of socks. There was a 50% surcharge for same day service and the cost was $6.75. And they had it back to my room in two hrs! Wu Wei! Yep, that how you say it! well almost.
After a visit to the temples atop Kong Tong Mountain, we continued to head west and circled a mountain shrouded in fog, climbing to 2700 meters about 8500 feet before dropping into valley and on to lunch on national road “312″.
This afternoon, we left the national road and wander through an amazing countryside that must have taken centuries to carve into the terraced fields that filled the horizon. Along the road people were selling fruit and vegetables. We saw beekeepers perched along the steep slopes overlooking the valleys.
At one point, we stopped in a small village at least 40 kilometers from the nearest main road and walked along the road and spoke, well tried to speak with the locals. Every Chinese word I attempt brings big smiles to people who have seen few westerners. I asked Sim our guide how many foreigners visit this area his answer was that HE had never even been there!