Adventure, Adventure, Motorcycle

Great Ride Of China

/ September 18th, 2013
A woman in motorcycle gear stands beside a black motorcycle, smiling and holding a white banner with Chinese text. Large bags are strapped to the bike, ready for a Great Ride—a perfect scene for unforgettable China travel adventures.

It might be one of the most ambitious motorcycle journeys we’ve seen in a long time. If it goes as planned, it will even earn a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest motorcycle tour in a single country. Adventurers Buck and Amy are currently more than 60 days and 6,000 miles into what will be a 20,000 mile loop around the entirety of China. Visiting all 33 provinces, their trip will take them from the deserts of Xinjiang to the base camp of Mount Everest, just to name a few of the exotic locations they’ll visit.

Buck, an intrepid Canadian now living in China, has already completed a number of long motorcycle tours in the US as well as a successful thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Amy was educated in Oxford, England as an architect and now works with Chinese developers as a building restoration consultant. Together, they’re a formidable duo having already knocked down nearly one third of their trip in just a little over five weeks.

Their website is a captivating window into their travels with hundreds of photographs and interesting accounts of their adventure as it unfolds.

thegreatrideofchina.com

A large, arched building stands partially visible through dense fog on a brick-paved courtyard, evoking the intrigue of the Great Ride Of China. Another similar structure is faintly seen in the background, adding to the misty, mysterious atmosphere.

Colorful, ornate paper umbrellas decorated with intricate patterns, flowers, and traditional Asian motifs are displayed overlapping each other, evoking the vibrant spirit of the Great Ride Of China and creating a festive atmosphere.

A view of desert sand dunes at sunset highlights the Great Ride Of China, with a small oasis—its pond, green vegetation, and buildings nestled in the lower foreground beneath a partly cloudy sky.

A field of yellow coneflowers in the foreground with lush green grass and rolling hills in the background, under a partly cloudy blue sky—scenery reminiscent of the landscapes you might witness during the Great Ride Of China.

A red street food cart attached to a motorcycle, part of the Great Ride Of China, is parked on a city sidewalk. Two people are inside—one standing, one seated—with food and cooking supplies visible through the open side window.

Two people in motorcycle gear hold a sign in front of the Hushan Great Wall monument, setting out on their Great Ride Of China, with traditional Chinese gates and a green hill rising in the background.

Traditional Chinese building illuminated with colorful lights at night, featuring ornate wooden carvings and upturned eaves—an iconic sight along the Great Ride Of China, standing out beautifully against the deep blue sky.

Ancient cave dwellings built into a rocky cliff, with multiple rectangular entrances and windows, wooden railings, and a tiled walkway in front—these sites are highlights along the Great Ride Of China. Some structures feature traditional Asian roof designs.

Four motorcyclists pose with their loaded bikes on a gravel road beside a rocky hillside. Yellow wildflowers line the route as the riders, part of the Great Ride Of China, take in the rugged and arid landscape in their travel gear.

Three motorcyclists in riding gear stand talking outside a building with Chinese characters above the entrance, their bikes parked nearby on a dirt road in a mountainous area during the Great Ride Of China.

Christophe Noel is a journalist from Prescott, Arizona. Born into a family of backcountry enthusiasts, Christophe grew up backpacking the mountains and deserts of the American West. An avid cyclist and bikepacker, he also has a passion for motorcycles, travel, food and overlanding.