#1: [24-Nov-05] (incomplete)

11-Jul-2010 -- This is the second confluence report out of six successful visits that I completed on a bicycle tour through Yúnnán. The trip starts from 25°N 102°E.

On day number four of the tour I started in the early morning from the village Sānjiē (三街镇). In Yúnnán dialect, it is pronounced “Sangai”. This village is already located very remotely and can be accessed by a little mountain road 90 km from the town Nánhuá (南华). In contrast to Peter, the first attempter of this confluence, I was not in a hurry at all and therefore could take all the time that a mountain-confluence visit needs in order to become successful.

Even after watching the nightly world cup soccer game (Germany getting the 3^rd rank winning Uruguay), I managed to get up at 5:30 a.m. in Sānjiē, which is 5.3 km beeline from the confluence. Equipped with only large scale maps, I thought this distance should be covered within 15 minutes by bicycle. However, it turned out that I was totally wrong: The actual road distance is 16 km. Moreover, it is a rough plaster-stone and dust road with never-ending serpentines that ascend upwards in height for 1000 m. It took me 3.5 hours to get to the nearest distance of the road (that is 300 m). At this 300 m distance spot, there was a house and people – actually a good starting spot. But I had learned that it is simpler to visit the confluence secretly and socialize only after the visit. Otherwise, there is no plausible explanation where you are going, which leads to suspiciousness and may end up with people calling the police or practicing mob law that may end up in lynching.

So, I hid my bicycle nearby the road in the forest and climbed down for about 200 m in height – actually a steep and not easy climb that suggests an easier approach coming from the valley side. The confluence is located directly in the center of the steep valley and there is a footpath directly leading to the confluence. The terrain is densely covered with forest and underbrush. It took me 2 hours to be back to my bike.

The rest of the day I spend with cycling to the next town Bājiǎo (八角镇). I was very welcomed there and people said I was the first foreigner visiting this town.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: 5.3 km
• Distance to a road: 350 m
• Distance to a footpath: 0 m
• Distance of parking the bike: 317 m
• Distance to houses: 300 m
• Time starting the hike: 11:16 a.m.
• Time at the CP: 12:45 a.m.
• Riding time (distance) from Sānjiē: 3:30 hours (16 km)
• Measured height: 2534 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 2 m
• Position accuracy at the CP: 10 m
• Topography: in the mid a steep jungle valley.
• Vegetation: dense and dark forest.
• Weather: fine, 25° C (felt temperature)
• Description of the CP: On Yúnnán’s central high plateau. In a dense deciduous forest with different tree species.
• Given Name: The Peter’s Hasty Confluence

Story continues at 25°N 100°E.