The four-day, three-night "First Sight Tengri", if May 1 symbolizes the scattered stars, like the Water Margin heroes gathering rally Liang Shanbo, forming a blazing fire, then the second day of the event, that is, May 2 is the first time we gathered after the march, towards the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert, the desert. "Seeing the desert for the first time. Dreaming of the Silk Road. Extreme Trailwalking". The desert is endless, the Tengri is majestic and wide, we are here!
According to the requirements of the first day of the mobilization meeting, on May 2, we woke up at 6:00 am, had breakfast at 7:00 am, and departed from the Yellow River Pearl Hotel at 7:30 am on time. In view of the large number of people on this trip, plus the vast majority of partners are the first time to come to Tengger, and even the first time to the desert, the leader told everyone that this hike to light walking path, heavy equipment can be stored in the hotel or follow the vehicle directly transported to the campground. So, with full expectations, according to the leader's requirements, rearranged luggage, boarded the vehicle belonging to their respective groups, Tengri officially set off.
Vehicles from Yinchuan, leisurely start, over the Helan Mountains, traveling about three hours, gradually into the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Alxa League left flag territory. The dunes outside the window, as well as the many stars of the sand willow, as if to tell the world the history of this land past, as if to tell us that the Tengger Desert is not far away from the front. The long three-hour journey, the leader gave us each a special gift --- each person can redeem a 5 skewers of lamb kebabs barbecue coupons, curious and doubtful like looking forward to the evening barbecue carnival. When the morning time came to 11 o'clock, the vehicle parked in a yurt style restaurant. Under the guidance of the leader, our group of nearly a hundred people entered the restaurant, and the restless crowd made the small space a little cramped. Two groups sat down at the table, and in a short time, each of us was served a bowl of steaming hot mutton noodle soup with a Western flavor. On the way to enjoy the exquisite lunch, the leader constantly reminded us that this is the last meal before entering the desert, eat enough, eat warm, in order to have the strength to walk in the desert.
After enjoying the exquisite lunch for nearly an hour, we returned to the car again. Follow the vehicle driving nearly two kilometers, the vehicle parked in a sandy meadow, and this place belongs to the edge of the Tengger Desert. After getting off the bus, we did three main things. First, according to the luggage tags distributed in advance by the leader, as well as a group of orange ribbons, two groups of green ribbons, everyone in turn will be hiking in the temporarily unwanted heavy equipment, tied to their respective luggage tags and ribbons, and placed in the designated area, waiting for the staff will be transported to the campsite in the evening; Secondly, everyone to organize the equipment, light on the battlefield, in order to equip from the top to the bottom of the hat, sunglasses, magic bandana, ice sleeves, sandproof shoe covers The first is to adjust the height of the hiking poles suitable for themselves, armed, backpacks, looking at the picture woven by the colorful bandana, beautiful, has let everyone can not distinguish between the real appearance of each person; Third, after the completion of the equipment, the leader in accordance with the first day of the hiking route, each person was issued two bottles of water, as well as a packet of food.
All ready, in accordance with the requirements of the leader, we formed a column, toward the Tengger Desert whole set off. Our party, follow the leader's pace, flow through the sandy meadow, along the dunes slowly upward climb, not out of dozens of steps, a towered into the sky of the sand sea jumped in front of our eyes. Boundless desert like a yellow sea, the sun shines on it, unusually bright and dazzling. Faced with the vastness of the desert, even if still out of the edge of the area, but still see its rolling, magnificent. See the majesty of the desert, in addition to marveling at nature's wonderful writing, more y in the period of each of us, suddenly seemed so insignificant. Along the dune ramp continue to go up, will come to a flat sandy road, and the scene in front of us is exceptionally shocking. Look, the hiking trail must pass through the road, not far from the stand up a about three meters high red welcome arch. Above the arch is written five big white words, "the first time to see Tengri". Along the road of the arch, dozens of yellow "the first time to see Tengri" flags were placed on both sides of the road, and we were facing each other, forming a splendid and unique welcome! The track. In the track we just arrived, the left side placed a set of sound, a drum, sound and drums in the desert rendering, seems very harmonious and solemn, but also let us experience a different Western style. Then look at the right side, parked an SUV, the body side of the rope tied to the arch, I think the vehicle is used to pull the peripheral items, as well as to make the welcome arch in the desert sand more and more solid and upright.
Sometimes it seems to repeat the monotonous life, often also need to add a few points of passion like fire sense of ceremony. For the first time in Tengri, when we saw the red welcoming arch in front of us, we marveled at the unique rituals created by the "First Look at Tengri" security team. We were lined up in two rows in the order of the two team members in front of the arch. The team leader walked to the center of the archway and congratulated us on the beginning of our amazing journey. At the same time, the leader told us that in the next desert hiking journey, waiting for each of us in addition to surprise, joy, happiness and other happy moments, there are many sadness, regret, sorrow and other negative emotions, do not be afraid to believe in yourself, the road ahead to follow the leader, all the way down, we will harvest a new self. The leader is introducing us to the Tengger Desert, and the culmination of the "First Look at Tengger" ceremony has begun.
Just as the leader was talking, about three to five people carried a wine table, placed in the center of us and the leader, and on the wine table neatly placed nearly a hundred bowls of wine, each bowl was filled with a bowl of wine. The leader raised a glass of wine, and called on each of us to pick up a glass of wine, *** drink this cup, in the unknown journey, together with the thorns and thistles. Being in the vastness of the desert, facing the fantastic welcome ceremony, we pick up the bowl of wine, accompanied by a slight breeze, **** drink a bowl. Wine is not drunk, wine is fruit wine, compared to ordinary white wine astringent spicy, dry and cracked, this bowl of fruit wine is more sweet, fragrant, mixed with some fine thin sand, so that this bowl of fruit wine more and more precious. *** Tong lifted up the bowl, *** drink this bowl of fruit wine, the mind suddenly appeared in the ancient heroes and heroes drinking brake blood for the alliance, wrestling cups for the scene, but unfortunately in the desert, the bowl even if the fall, Duan Ran can not be broken.
***Drinking fruit wine, we set out to conquer Tengri's long and slow road. About one kilometer after the departure, over a dune, the leader brought us to a wide sand beams above, start the most important part of the movement before - warm-up exercises. After the warm-up activity, we reorganized our makeup and faced the endless desert, the hiking trip was ready to go.
On May 2, the weather forecast for the Tengger Desert was sunny and cloudy, with a light breeze, perfect for galloping through the desert. We officially set sail at noon ten, in the scorching sun baking, the desert rose out of a wave of heat, called people even breathing is difficult. Look, the vast desert, the dead sea of sand. Majestic, quiet mold, always give people a monotonous yellow, and is the kind of burning yellow, as if nature here to the raging waves, rows of angry waves, instantly solidified, so that it will always be still. Our group followed the leader's footsteps, deep and shallow feet gallop in the desert, over a mountain, over a curve. Gradually, the initial departure of the excited ecstatic enthusiasm, accompanied by a sky of sand and dust and the unknown road ahead, so that people gradually forget the initial goal of hiking Tengger, and even remorse, sadness, hatred and many other negative emotions are endless.
Due to the large number of people, plus many young children, our team stretched for several kilometers. As a result, the leader adjusted the pace at the right time, and the security team followed us to give us a little rest and buffer. After a short break, we continued on our way. " Lonely Smoke in the Desert, Long River Sunset Round", standing on the sand hills, looking down below, rolling, high and low sand hills below the lush forest, forest flowers, dotted with a different kind of sand sea. Extend the sky of the sand sea, relying on the stars point of the sand willow embellishment, to the originally silent sand sea injected the vitality of life. The sand willow by virtue of their own tenacity, the roots are y rooted in the sand, up to dozens of meters long, has been extended to the place where there is a water source.
The Tengger Desert is a magical place, where nature has laid a yellow carpet. The wind blew, as if someone lifted the carpet in the shaking, the sky raised dust and smoke. Originally clear skies of the desert, with the dust in the sky, the weather has changed. By the sunny day breeze to cloudy day gale, in the cloudy day gale on the basis of sporadic dotted with light rain, a stream of gale, rolled up dozens of meters high sand, spinning in the desert running, the sky and the earth, like a dragon roaring, magical and changeable Tengri, and constantly challenge each of us to perseverance. Desert far away, the feast of vision, benefit from my heart full of feelings. The breath of the desert field, opened the claustrophobic seven orifices, so that I am refreshed to think about their own untreated melancholy, experience the physical body can only be placed in the birthplace, in order to restore the body to be able to sense.
In this way we hiked hard in the desert for about five hours, following the leader's footsteps, and gradually realized that not far away there is a glittering green area. On one side is a continuous endless vast desert, not an inch of grass, calling for despair; on the other side is a rippling water, grass and trees, a vibrant scene. The leader told us that this oasis is called " Swan Lake ", is also the location of the night camp. Swan Lake is surrounded by a majestic and vast desert, with rolling dunes and sand waves. The lake is surrounded by green trees, sand dunes, lake water, green trees in the desert cover each other, but also let people temporarily forget the fatigue of the journey. To reach the Swan Lake, also heralded the first day of May 2 hiking mileage officially ended, the trip about five hours, mileage of about 14 kilometers.
The camp was set up on a large sand dune next to Swan Lake, with ten two-meter-high tents fixed to a van, forming the main part of the camp. Around the ten tents are divided into camping area, washing area, luggage area, food area and other functional areas. Arriving at the campsite does not mean the end of the day's desert journey. The leader firstly led everyone to do stretching exercises after exercise, so as to avoid body relaxation in the next day. Afterwards, tents, moisture-proof mats and sleeping bags were distributed, and everyone was guided by the leader to choose the tent location, set up the tent, fix the tent, then lay the moisture-proof mats and sleeping bags, take the luggage and place it in the tent, everything was ready, take a short break and start the exquisite dinner moment.
We all took our lunch boxes and walked into the ten big tents one by one, first of all, there were many kinds of local fresh fruits, thanks to the logistic support team for providing sweet fruits to all of us, which made us forget the fatigue of the journey for the time being. Fruit tasting is not long, a number of steaming dishes with Western characteristics, served on the table, multiplied by the fragrant rice, in the sand, feel the different desert style. Exquisite meal end, does not mean the end of the day trip. The end of dinner, nightfall, Tengri also draped in light blue veil, beautiful and quiet.
After an hour of leisurely waiting, the barbecue is ready. Take the leader issued in advance of the barbecue coupon, in the desert hinterland, hand holding the fragrant lamb kebabs, look up at the sky full of stars. The Big Dipper, bright or dark, the North Star, brilliant as a star. Under the cover of the starry sky, walking in the desert, tired body, more and more seem so quiet and bright. The first day of desert hiking in the vast starry sky, fell prologue.
The first day of the Tengger Desert hiking, although only the desert first experience, although the feeling of physical fatigue, tired, but we are still brave to stick down. If the desert hiking is a practice, then we must not let the life of our body, not to let it also trip our mind. Lying in the tent, full of novelty, the desert journey has set sail, the practice of the journey to continue the next day, the fantasy desert waiting for us to conquer, the unknown themselves waiting for us to explore.