We rode in the spring of 1999 across the Tibetan Plateau from South to North, following the valleys of the great rivers that flow down the tectonic creases in the east where the Plateau meets the plains of Han China, through the provinces of Kham and Amdo (or if you prefer, Yunnan, Sichuan and Qinghai), from Dali to Xining.  In the aurumn of 2000, we rode south from Xining to Lhasa, via Repkong, Qamdo and Bayi. We rarely slept in towns, preferring our tent to hotels (incomparable views for one reason), and never stayed more than long enough to vary our diet with someone else's cooking. The drivers of the few trucks who passed us were considerate and helpful. Except for the main arteries (and usually not even then) the roads were sometimes formed gravel but often just yak tracks. The terrain was steep, the altitude high and the scenery breathtaking. We are going back in the summer of  2002.