Leibo – Ma Hu – 50 km
Reckoning Leibo was at the top of the mountain, we looked forward to a good
descent. That was, however, not the case and from Leibo the road climbed and
climbed to a devastating height where small settlements clung to the cliffside,
barely visible through the thick mist. Toothless old ladies sat on their haunches,
smoking thin long-stemmed pipes, wrapped in cloaks of blanket-like material.
A heavy mist hung over the area, and one could barely see the valley floor or the
top of the mountain; maybe it was a good thing. At times it's best not to know
where the path was heading, but spotting kids on go-carts flying down the hill,
we reckoned we were over the worst of it.
Still, it took 33 kilometres of climbing until we reached the descent and flew
down the mountain for the next 20 kilometres. Finally, we came to a screeching
halt in a small village offering food, welcoming inhabitants, and basic rooms. As
has become the norm, we rushed to the vendors selling steamed buns, fried
potatoes, grilled vegetables and rice. The entire community followed in our wake
as we strolled from shop to shop. Each shop owner eagerly wanted to sell us
what he had on offer and I felt sorry I couldn’t support them all.
Ma Hu – Bridge junction town - 58 km
The day dawned misty and hazy as we prepared for an additional day of climbing
over high mountains. But, instead, a pleasant surprise awaited as the road
descended even further.
Leibo Lake popped out of the mist, and it became a relaxing ride along its misty
shores. From the lake, a downhill ride ran to the Jinsha River. Up to that point,
the road had been good but once along the river, it again deteriorated. Mercifully,
it took only a short time to come across a brand-new highway running way above
the river along the cliffside, consisting mainly of tunnels and bridges. The
Chinese sure did things on a grand scale.