21-Jul-2010 -- This is the fifth out of eight confluence reports referring to my bicycle tour through Yúnnán. The trip starts from 25°N 102°E.

Coming from 25°N 99°E, I cycled upwards the Salween River (怒江). I actually passed by 26°N 99°E, but heavy rainfall discouraged any attempt.

This confluence is located near the 4434 m high mountain Bìluóxuě (碧罗雪山). The confluence itself is at 3480 m altitude at the eastern side of the Nùshān (怒山) mountain range. Actually – and this is why this confluence was on my agenda – there is a mountain trail that connects the Salween River with the Mekong River valley and this path is coming close to the confluence. My plan was to take this mountain pass with my bicycle.

In the town Fúgòng (福贡县) with an elevation of only 1200 m and a beeline distance of 17 km to the confluence, I prepared food and water supplies. I rode my bike 5 km further up the Salween River, until I reached the turnoff to the confluence point (12 km distance). But before leaving the valley, I asked local people for further information. When I asked them, if it was feasible to take the bicycle over the mountain pass, they started laughing. “maybe you can put your bike on a horse” one guy said. Another man put his hand on his breast, indicating how high the water level would be at some river crossings. Nevertheless I started cycling up the mountain (there is a kind of a road for the first 2 hours), but I started thinking that I had to abandon my bike at some point, hike over the mountain pass, find the confluence on the other side and then climb over the pass again in order to get back to my bicycle. There was still a height difference of 2500 m ahead of me (the mountain pass is 3900 m). All these facts made me reconsider my plan. As on top of that the weather started turning worse, I took a picture of my track ahead and then turned around.

My suggestion would be to approach the confluence

• from the eastern side (Mekong River valley)
• without bicycle
• not after a record-breaking rain.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: 12 km
• Distance to a footpath: could be less than 1 km
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 11 km
• Given Name: The Bicycle on Horse Confluence

Story continues at 27°N 100°E.