|  | Edward has reached the Chinese capital Beijing after surviving a terrifying sandstorm in the Gobi Desert when wind speeds reached up to 40mph.
He is now preparing for the final 800-mile leg of his 12,000-mile journey from Exeter, Devon, to Shanghai.
The adventurer set out across the desert into China from the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator, where his bicycle was taken, four weeks ago.
 | Tackling the Gobi Desert
There are lots more pictures in our PHOTO GALLERY: |
Although there was a good road for the first 65 miles, this soon turned into a rough track and eventually there was no path at all.
Edward found himself pushing his bike across the desert much of the time for about 100 miles - and then got caught in the sandstorm.
He said: "Sometimes you can't see your outstretched hand. Half the time I had to stand still and shut my eyes.
"It fills up your panniers as well. When I got to the end of the day, I found I must have been carrying another three or four kilograms of sand."
The cyclist again faced disaster when his rear luggage rack broke in the desert under the weight of the 20 litres of water he needed to carry.
Fortunately he was near a railway station and had left a spare rack in Ulan Bator, which he was able to travel to pick up.
He then crossed the border into China, where the quality of roads dramatically improved, and arrived in Beijing last week from where he sends us his latest diary entry:
THE HARDEST JOURNEY OF ALL
To absent friends |
Well, I made it across the Gobi desert despite
sandstorms and falling off my bike more times than I can remember. When I reached Beijing I heard some very sad news. Richard Mallett, the mechanic at The Bike Shed in Exeter, who designed and built my bike for me, has died of cancer. I spent many, many hours with Richard discussing the plans for my trip, working out the details of the bike I would need. He taught me all I know about bike maintainance and repairs.
 | Rice Paddies in Hebei province, China |
When I first started planning the trip I could barely mend a puncture. Richard patiently and carefully explained all the tricks I might need to keep the bike roadworthy over its long journey. I remember one thing in particular about Richard. He was always smiling. Not just a smiling face, but a smiling person. There aren't many people so good- humoured, and so happy to share their good humour, as Richard was. Richard probably never knew it, but, because he was such an important part of the planning of my journey, I have thought of him nearly every day. Every little running repair, every time I tighten a bolt or put some air in my tyres, reminds me of the time I spent learning the ropes in his workshop at The Bike Shed. Just seven months ago, he waved me off from Exeter. His death has come as a real shock. He was only 30, just three years older than me. I felt connected to him through the bike he built for me. Now there's something missing. Richard married his wife Kim barely a year ago. I
remember him coming back from their honeymoon and saying what a wonderful time they had together. I want to offer Kim my deep sympathy and condolences. This sad news has made me reflect on how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to make this journey. I am getting towards the end now; Shanghai is just a few weeks' ride away. I had been looking forward to telling Richard all about my journey.
I hadn't known, until now, that while I have been pedalling across Asia, he had been on a journey too, one infinitely harder than my own.
Edward
 | Ed's previous diary >>> |  |
We hope to hear from Ed again very soon.
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