The ground where I camped last night was full of thorny dry grasses and stinging seeds. I didn't notice that in the darkness last night, while dogs in the next village annoyingly barked and I had to move around.
Both tires got flat by the morning. Tens of thorns I had to take out from them with a pench and a knife. The worn out front tire, which had been used for 4000km, was worse. (The rear had been changed recently.) I tried to repair its tube, but run out of rubber patches after 6.
Later in a hotel room, I counted 26 patches newly added to the tube after repair. It looked quite unreliable.
I'd had puncture yesterday too. Strong wind blew from west, right against my directionin, in the evening. I felt slight but nasty pain on my back and had to stop sometimes with anxiety. Dogs untied chased me twice. It all happened as I came closer to Urumuchi, as if I was not welcome. It was only 180km from Torfan, but it took me three days. Anyway, I arrieved at last, at the huge modern capital city of the arid province.
9 Aug. Urumuchi(烏魯木介), 5753km
