Du - Ku Road - The Bikepacking Route In Xin - Jiang CH12

“流浪者日誌”

2019/6/29

過了庫如力之後，路上大卡車數量激增，進而讓我的旅行興致大打折扣。我個人的計畫是明天早早起床，早早開始騎車，避開車潮，又可以避開炙熱的太陽。可是，常出去跑的人大概都知道，旅伴想的計畫，並非每次都和你相同，甚至可以說是經常不同，所以說好旅伴難找，又有人說，旅行會破壞友情甚至愛情。我這個久違的旅伴小龍，想的就跟我不同。

There’s heavy traffic with large trucks soon as I passed the village. I planned to wake up earlier to avoid traffics and burning sunshine. However, your companion's plan is not always be the same as yours, and it can even be said that it is usually different. So it’s said that a good travel companion is always difficult to find, even some people say that travel would ruin  friendship and even romance. My long-lost companion, Xiaolong, plans differently from me.

早上吃完早餐我打算要收拾東西之時，小龍說道：『阿茅你趕嗎？不趕的話。我看今天的路不長，只有五十公里，我想要練一下烏克麗麗。』我心想：『時間已經不太早了，而且今天的路應該不只五十公里，而是九十多公里吧。。。』之前和小龍聊天的經驗，我知道他對於里程都不會查得很仔細。小龍是個不錯的旅伴，好的點不在於我們速度相當或者他經驗豐富之類的。而是我和他都有相同的旅伴觀念：“如果速度或目標不同的話，那分開走也沒什麼關係。”我們不會去約束彼此，合就一起騎，不合，就個騎個的。現在這個情況我其實是想要早點出發的，但是難得再度碰面，我是想要和這個小夥伴一起騎完獨庫公路的。而且，說實在。我只是想要避開大卡車。說趕嗎？都最後一天了，也沒什麼好趕的。我回應道『不趕，不趕，你慢慢彈。』之後，我就再度躺回被窩，聽著帳篷外小龍悠揚的歌聲與他的烏克麗麗，這樣悠閒的早晨，也是不可多得。

Just as I packing up after finished my breakfast, “Are you in hurry? If it’s not, the distance seems not too long today- only 50km, I’d like to play my ukulele for a while.” Xiaolong said. I thought to myself, "It's a bit late now, and today's mileage should not only be 50km, but more than 90km.” I knew he would not check the mileage carefully as we chatted before. Xiaolong is a quite good companion, it’s not because of we rode at similar speed or he got lots of experience, we share the same philosophy- it’s always okay to separate if we got different goal. I intended to start earlier, but it’s fate that we meet up again, I would like to finish DuKu road with him. To avoid large truck is my only reason and I’m definitely not in hurry since it’s last day of the trip. “No hurry, take your time playing.” I said. I go back to the tent for rest and listen to the melodious singing of Xiaolong and his ukulele. It’s such an exceptional leisurely morning I thought.

在小龍悠揚的樂聲停止後，我們開始打包準備上路前往獨庫道路最後的景點，庫車大峽谷。庫車大峽谷是個景區，進去要收錢，好像一百人民幣左右，我這人不太想花錢買門票，小龍也是，因此我們照著網路上的攻略，到了庫車大峽谷後再往前多騎一公里，就可以看到一座荒廢的峽谷，網路上說，裡面的景色基本上是差不多的。我沒去過庫車大峽谷，無法比較，但是這座廢棄大峽谷的景色的確是讓我大開眼界。走在紅色的峽谷之中，有種非現實的感覺，前兩天還在雪山草原中的我感覺更是強烈。火紅的岩壁宛如烈焰，我想像中的火焰山差不多就是這個樣子。小龍感覺更深，他說這些光禿禿的山體就像是屍體，他看了很怕。在他的家鄉，山都是綠油油的，那些山，是年輕的山。而這邊光禿禿，火紅的山則是老死的山體。人們進入他們的身體，挖掘他們的內臟（煤礦）。我聽他這樣一說，驚為天人。小龍啊，你不寫文章太可惜啦。你這新穎的想法就讓哥哥幫你傳達給大家吧XD。

After the melodious music of Xiaolong stopped, we started to pack up and head for the last attraction of Duku road, the grand canyon of Kuche. The canyon is a scenic area which costs about 100 dollar for entry. I’m not a fan of scenic area, so does  Xiaolong. The Internet guide indicates there’s a deserted canyon 1km away from the scenic area, and the scenery is basically the same. I haven't been to the grand canyon  of Kuche, but the scenic of this canyon is spectacular. Walking in the red canyon gives me an unrealistic feeling, especially for a person who was in the snow-capped mountain and grassland two days ago. The red rock wall made me think of flames, just like Mountain of Fire in my imagination. Xiaolong has even deeper thoughts. He said that the bare mountains were like corpses and he thinks it’s a scary scenery. In his hometown, the mountains are green, and those mountains seems young. The bare, flaming mountains here were dead mountains. People goes into their bodies and dig their internal organs (coal mines). When I heard him say this, I was shocked. Xiaolong, it's a pity that you don't write an article. Let me convey your idea to everyone.

離開這座廢棄峽谷後的路開始有了些緩上坡，載著一堆鍋子，粘版，還有各種我沒想過戴上旅行的小龍上坡果然就慢了下來，甚至下馬牽車。我們的速度差距有點大，因此我就先行一步，但是騎到一半，我發現這樣下去，我可能今天到終點前都不會再遇到小龍，因此停在一個餐廳聚落，待小龍抵達後一起吃午餐，並且跟他說我就這樣子先騎去庫車的酒店等他。小龍也是個乾脆的漢子，一口答應。吃完飯後，我們就兄弟爬山，各自努力。

We soon faced gentle ascent after leaving the canyon. Xiaolong slows down due to his heavy luggage. He has to get off and pushes the bike sometimes. The speed gap between us grows and I decided to ride in the forefront. Soon I learned I will never met him before we arrived the destination if I go on like this. Therefore I stopped at a restaurant to wait Xiaolong for a lunch together, then told him that I would ride to Kuche’s hotel and wait for him. He accepted the proposal and we each go on riding on our own.

這段路無聊的很，雖然網路上說周遭風景有什麼雅丹地貌，皺摺地貌，非常新奇，但我看起來就是覺得還好，加上逆風還有一點飄雨，讓我這一段騎得心煩意亂。我低著頭向前騎，期待著早點抵達酒店，好好洗一下這一週沒清的身體。終於，我來到庫車安全檢查站，我聽說這邊安檢很嚴，深怕身上的瓦斯會被抓到。但這個安檢站跟其他地方一樣，並不會檢查單車上的包包，我也就這樣平安的進入庫車，結束了這如夢似幻的獨庫公路之旅。

It was a boring route- there are Yardang and wrinkled landform in surrounding area but none of them catches my interest, plus upwind and a bit rainy. I just want to arrive the hotel earlier and get a full cleanup after whole week of riding. Finally I arrived Kuche security checkpoint, I heard that the security check was very strict here and my gas can might be found. Fortunately it just like other checkpoint, the bags on the bike will not be checked. Eventually I entered Kuche safely and ended this dream-like trip of Duku road.

庫車這邊沒有便宜的涉外旅館，我們住宿的旅館是小龍用APP美途訂到的庫車飯店，APP上的價錢比較便宜，印象中是179人民幣。小龍是可以住便宜的青旅的，因此我請他來幫我分擔一下房費，他一樣付和青旅一樣的40人民幣就好。在房間，我驕傲的跟小龍說，我已經一週沒洗澡了，今天終於能好好洗一下。小龍回我：『我自從出了烏魯木齊後就沒洗過澡啦，總共兩星期！』我聽到只能甘拜下風，不愧是接下來要繼續騎乘沙漠公路，前進西藏的男人。而我，只打算去看看沙漠長什麼樣子後就打道回府。

There’s no cheap hotel for foreigner in Kuche, we got cheaper stay by the help of Xiaolong- he uses local app for discounted price something like 179RMB. Xiaolong could stay in local hostel for much cheaper price like 40RMB, so I asked him to share my room for the same price. I told him I can finally take a clean bath after have my body unwashed whole week and he replies “I haven’t taken any bath after leaved Urumqi, it’s 2 whole weeks!”. No doubt it’s the man who will continue riding the dessert road to Tibet, you got my respect! I just plan to see what the dessert look like then going back home.

當大家看到這篇日誌的時候，我已經回到日本工作。由於沙漠公路並沒有特別吸引我，加上其他原因，我決定提早一週回台灣。我的旅行，提早結束了。雖然沒有看到沙漠公路，但是這個斷點我覺得斷的挺不錯。騎完獨庫公路進入市區的我有種被拉回現實的感覺。獨庫公路內的美好體驗快速地被侵蝕，如果接下來繼續騎乘國道和我不是很喜歡的市區交通，那這段旅行可能就會變得沒這麼完美。不如就讓回憶停留在這一刻吧。至於沙漠公路的景色，大家可以看看我路上的好兄弟，小龍在今日頭條發佈的短視頻。希望，他能順利的帶我們看到新蔵線的夢幻風景。

I’ve been back to my work in Japan when you read this article. I’ve shortened my trip due to other reasons, but I think this breakpoint is quite good. After riding the Duku road into the city, I felt a sense of being pulled back to reality. The beautiful experience on Duku road is quickly eroded. The trip would become not so perfect if I continue to ride on the highway and in the city traffic. It's better to let the memories stay at this moment. As for the scenery of the desert highway, check the video posted by my best pal on the road- Xiao Long. Hope he travels safely and lead us to see the fantastic scenery of the Tibet highway.