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Trying to SURVIVE road MADNESS in CHINA! 🇨🇳 S01E41
Riding Through Labrang Monastery, Tianshui and Xi’an: Road-M
In this episode of my motorcycle journey from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, I ride through some of the most impressive places in China. From the beautiful Labrang monastery and the charming ancient town of Tianshui to mega cities such as Xi’an, with millions of people, all absolutely worth the long days...
In this episode the rider travels from Amsterdam toward Kuala Lumpur, stopping at notable Chinese locations. He visits the tranquil Labrang monastery, the historic town of Tianshui, and the bustling city of Xi’an before facing a motorcycle breakdown and witnessing a road accident. The tone blends adventure with caution and resilience, highlighting the beauty and unpredictability of long-distance riding through China. This is a candid travel diary of a presence on the road, focusing on scenery, road conditions, and personal challenges.
Checkpoint Chaser takes us along a bold motorcycle journey from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, weaving through some of China’s most striking contrasts. He showcases the serene Labrang monastery and the charming ancient town of Tianshui, then dives into the energy of modern Xi’an, a city home to millions. The ride promises awe and discovery, but it’s not all smooth sailing: a complete engine shutdown tests patience, and a truck accident reminds him that even calm days on the road can turn chaotic. The episode blends breathtaking scenery with real-world travel grit, capturing the excitement, risk, and resilience of long-distance motorcycling through China.
In this episode the rider travels from Amsterdam toward Kuala Lumpur, stopping at notable Chinese locations. He visits the tranquil Labrang monastery, the historic town of Tianshui, and the bustling city of Xi’an before facing a motorcycle breakdown and witnessing a road accident. The tone blends adventure with caution and resilience, highlighting the beauty and unpredictability of long-distance riding through China. This is a candid travel diary of a presence on the road, focusing on scenery, road conditions, and personal challenges.
Checkpoint Chaser makes landfall in Xiahe, where a fragile maintenance day unfolds before he visits the Labrang Monastery, a major Tibetan Buddhist site with vast prayer walls and a long history along the Silk Road. He notes the architecture, the color and the presence of hundreds of monks, and he respects the rules about photography inside the temple. The ride continues toward Tianshui, then Xi’an, with long stretches on highways to cover hundreds of kilometers. He witnesses a dangerous truck incident on a rural road that underscores how unpredictable long-distance rides can be. The scenery stays relentlessly cinematic—fragrant hills, dense greenery, and a changing climate—culminating in Xi’an’s impressive city walls and the decision to postpone the Terracotta Warriors for a future leg. Throughout, he jokes about his 20,000 km milestone and reflects on equipment failures from chain to camera and bag zippers, each becoming a small battle to keep moving. Checkpoint Chaser, nicknamed in the title as the road warrior, keeps a practical tone, narrating the challenges with resilience and humor, and he even signs off with a hopeful gaze toward the next leg of the journey, where the Terracotta Warriors await. The episode feels like a candid road diary, blending awe for ancient sites with the grit of a rider who keeps the wheels turning despite glitches and delays. Checkpoint Chaser mentions the travel partner-like bond of fellow riders who helped diagnose the sensor issue and his intention to fix the stand in Xi’an with glue for a long-term fix. It’s a vivid portrait of China’s landscapes, traffic chaos, and the patient persistence required for a modern Silk Road adventure.
Checkpoint Chaser continues the ambitious overland ride from Amsterdam toward Kuala Lumpur, weaving between sacred sites, ancient towns, and the bustle of China’s modern cities. He arrives in Xiahe and greets the day with bike trouble on the chain, quietly taking stock of wear and safety as he heads to the Labrang Monastery, one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist temples outside Tibet. The temple visit becomes a study in color, sound, and ritual, with prayer wheels, prayer flags, and the surrounding monks in traditional dress. Back on the road, the journey exposes a spectacular contrast: emerald valleys and terraced fields giving way to Xi’an’s immense skyline and ancient walls. The ride is punctuated by mechanical misfortune and near misses, including a risky encounter with a truck and sensor failures that threaten to halt progress on the highway. Checkpoint Chaser leans into careful problem solving, improvising temporary fixes and planning a longer stay to solve the bike’s sensor issue,
Checkpoint Chaser travels from Xiahe to Xi’an, visiting Labrang Monastery, experiencing stunning countryside and city scales, while managing bike troubles and a
Road Trip Through Labrang to Xi’an: Monastery to Terracotta Secrets
00:15 Keep an eye on chain tension and carry spare parts; follow the maintenance book for tensioning and set checks.
08:40 Monitor electrical power and bike sensors; if a stand sensor misreads gear, safely pull over and troubleshoot.
17:41 In big cities like Xi’an, plan buffer time for traffic and ticketing; prioritize safety over rushing iconic sites.
18:20 Carry improvised fixes and tools; if a clip or mount breaks, have spare ties and glue for temporary fixes until a proper repair.
00:15 Keep an eye on chain tension and carry spare parts; follow the maintenance book for tensioning and set checks.
08:40 Monitor electrical power and bike sensors; if a stand sensor misreads gear, safely pull over and troubleshoot.
17:41 In big cities like Xi’an, plan buffer time for traffic and ticketing; prioritize safety over rushing iconic sites.
18:20 Carry improvised fixes and tools; if a clip or mount breaks, have spare ties and glue for temporary fixes until a proper repair.
00:01 power loss reality check
00:37 Labrang Temple intro
03:19 temple history highlights
05:30 long ride and plan uncertainty
06:20 milestone of 20000 km
16:02 sensor case cracked; helpers diagnose
17:24 Xi’an tomorrow; plan to fix
28:36 Terracotta Warriors on next visit
00:00 Intro and route overview
01:45 Labrang monastery highlights
03:30 Ancient town of Tianshui
roadtrip中國旅遊monasteryxi’ansilk roadlandscapesWhat caused the bike trouble and how is it being addressed?
A cracked sensor case made the stand seem out, causing the bike to shut down. Helpers diagnosed it and the plan is to glue or temporarily fix the sensor in Xi’an before a proper repair.
