As per request, here’s a list of the cities we chose as our checkpoints. 

Our walk began way out in Gansu province in Jiayuguan.

Back in ancient times, the fort at Jiayuguan was considered the end of civililazion.  When a person was exiled they were sent here, and out the West gate they went.  Once outside, the exiled could test their fate by throwing a rock against the Wall.  If the rock bounced off, they would again find civilization, but if it slid down, they were doomed to a life of isolation.

Although we were supposed to start mid-May, visa complications set us back a bit, and we didn’t set off until May 26th.

Our first checkpoint city, Zhangye, was reached on Friday, June 9th.

On Saturday, June 24th, we reached our second check point city of Wuwei.

I’ll date the rest of these as we reach them, and I’ll add photos when I can as well.

3.)Zhongwei, reached on Sunday, July 9th.

4.)Yinchuan; reached on July 18th. We’re 1/3rd of the way done!

5.)Dingbian; reached on August 4th.

6.)Yulin; reached on August 21st.

7.)Shenmu; reached on August 29th.

8.)Fugu; reached on September 5th.

9.)Hequ; reached on September 7th.

10.)Pianguan; reached on September 11th.

11.)Datong; reached on September 21st.

12.)Zhangjiakou; reached on October 4th.

13.)Yanqing; reached on October 21st.

And not so much a checkpoint city as a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, we have Shanhaiguan; dubbed “Old Dragon’s Head”, this is where the wall ends (actually, this is where it begins, but where we’ll end) and plunges into the Bo Hai sea.