I started noff feeling really good.

My first adventure was a dust storm of note, which was followed by the biggest whirlwind I have ever seen. Reaching right up into the heavens.

One of my favourite parts of being in this desert, is the daily weather pattern.

The heat rises and then great dark heavy clouds gather over the snow capped mountain peaks. These clouds then roll out onto the plains with gusty winds and sometimes rain.

Yesterday, I have to take cover in a cattle hut as the storm came over vwith lightening, thunder and windy rain.

The heat then took her place again and I continued my path home. I have so enjoyed being out here by myself, normally I am the first to team up with others but this space has really been amazing for me to just reflect on life. We are given so little space in our busy lives to ever really do this and I feel that this was an opportunity which had to be seized.

I reached the overnight place, had a bit of dinner and carried on as night was stirring. Then she arrived, my headlight went on, my backpack red flashing light started blipping and I settled into the most awesome stars I have ever seen. My friends were the moths who drank in my headlight and the strangest little mice which had tails that were at least 30 cm long with bodies of only about 10cm.

Checkpoints came and went and then "home" arrived. 17 hours something later, I hit the hay for a few hours and awoke this morning to the most beautiful place, surrounded by snow capped peaks.

Tomorrow, it is just a short 15km into the old city of Kashgar for the finish line.

Thank you all so

much for your well wishes and love it has been amazing. I love you all. Take care and see you on my return.

Over and out.

Love Geoff xx

First off... ..l.Thank you to all you amazing people for the emails and blogs. you are awesome thank you, I feuel so good on your anmazing words.

Today was tough, it was the day of breaking. Very technical, high and vertical cliffs.

I had a good day and the few niggles which I had were taken away by my excitment of having made it so far. I cannot believe how amazing this knee is, it really is seeing me through and I know that it is all from you amazing people out there sending me success. Thank you.

I am exhausted and have to get vertical as the busses leave for the start line at 6:30 am.

So fingers crossed for tomorrow. I hope that you week of viewing this race has been as much fun as it has been for me.

Todays messge was " How little we need in life." Having carried my life on my back for 7 days. It is so little.

Bye for now, see you at the finish.

Geoff

Standing on that bloody line this morning to find myself going through stage 1 - stage 2 - stage 3 - and home to this beautiful field at 2500 m above sea level. I talked to my knee, stroked my knee, arnica-ed my knee and today I went through with only but 1 small gripe. I have a knee guard on and taking care where my feet land.

So, the lesson in this. When one is about to give up on something, just see it through for a bit more. Stop, breathe, rest and then look at it again.....

Tomorrow is a killer and the hardest day by far.

It is freezing up here and I am shivering writing this as I am only in a pair of shorts. I am in good spirits and my tent mates are wonderful.

Thank you, thank you, thank you everybody for the words of encouragement. You are all so awesome they really helped me through today.

Take care and thanks again.

Geoff

Was strong throughout the day but hit check point 2 and my knee went ka-pow......to add insult the injury I incurred towards the end of the Sahara flared up. A double whammy....

And that was it....

I dragged myself to check point 3 and had to make some serious decisions. Do I carry on or do I call it a day.

Being the mule that I am, I decided to just drag myself to the end. At least I have then finished 2 stages.

Upon, my very lengthly 10 kms through beautiful country, I reflected on the two days and what would be my journey from here. I also thought about the come back of packing it in, the self disapointment (it is huge), the training, the cost... Then I thought about the place I am in and how magnificent it is and the experience that I have been through and will still go through......

By the time I came in, it had taken me near to 5 hours to do 17kms.

I ate, rested and WILL BE ON THE START LINE - tomorrow.

Till then take care and thank you all for the emails they mean so much.

Geoff

Thank you Emma, Dad&Mum, and the Bernade family for the emails. They can’t download the blogs so thanks to those of you who blogged.

Whew!!!

Day 1 is done and I am so happy to be off my pins. I had to pop by the medical tent to have my knee checked out and by the sounds of things” there may be a bit of water under the knee cap and it squeaks like a mouse”. Lucky I am not a medical man so it means little to me. I have had both strapped, so hopefully this will help with tomorrow.

That aside, my spirits are high and I will see where this takes me.

I am praying for a day of this knee taking me through. All character building!

Today, I really breathed in this beautiful part of the world and dissolved with the colours that displayed themselves around me. I came across a beetle who looked like a Tok-Tokkie and after doing my tapping ritual, waiting for him to respond he turned on his back and played dead.

My epiphany today was “ This race will give to me what it wants to not what I want it too” by taking this, it takes my ego to a new level and makes sure that any control issues I may have, do not exist. On that note time to go and get into my freeze dried roast chicken – yum.

Till tomorrow. Adieu.

Princess- I love you so much and wish that you could see where I am, it is quite different. The people are very “Baltic State” looking and are quite taken back by having westerners in their home. My heart is panging for you and it at these times how fond the heart grows. Thank you for your letter and your lovely sayings, they are wonderful. Xxxx Me

Monkey – Hi my boy. I miss you so much and wish that you were here. The stones are amazing you would be having such a lovely time. I picked up some Jade today which is a green stone. Love you my sweet boy and thank you for your note, it means so much xxx Daddy

Faithie – Hi my Faithie, I miss you so much and wish that you could see this place, the children have taken all the “pink route markers” and have decorated their bicycles, they are very funny to see. Thank you for your lovely picture and message, I love it. Love you my precious little girl. Daddy xxx

To start off. Thanks Dan your good work has earned me a tent with a bunch of hot blondes….because all the guys have run away. I like your work my boy and hope that the Saffers killed England today in the rugby.

Now that is enough mention of you for the rest of my race…..

To my sweet Princess, thank you so much for your amazing note, you words are always so special and they will carry me high tomorrow. Faithie and Monkey thank you for your lovely note I have hung them on my bag for tomorrow and know that they will make my leg strong..

We have arrived in this most interesting landscape where locals have travelled from miles around to come and celebrate the arrival of a bunch of mad people. The festivities started with a 1 hour introduction to all of the “Wise people” in whatever it is that is said, whilst the police looked on with stony stares. It was then a sing-song and dance. The finishing act was a local game, where the one team smashes the other team up on horse horse-back, fighting for a dead goat. The black horse team beat the white horse team by 3 dead goats to 1. Pretty weird.

My knee is not feeling hundreds but after a good night sleep I am sure it will feel fine. The landscape is rocky and very lunar. It is not called the “Windy desert” for nothing. It does not get dark till 11pm, so sleeping is going to be an issue. Everything in China works by Beijing time so even though we are in line with Delhi – Beijing it is.

On that note it is adieu and fingers crossed……

Geoff