Anne Mustoe, an elderly English woman, has cycled extensively all around the world,
including China, mostly alone, and chronicles her travels in her very entertaining books.
I can recommend them to all cyclists.
"A Bike Ride: 12,000 miles around the world"
"Lone Traveller: One Woman, Two Wheels and the World"
"Che Guevara and the Mountain of Silver: By bicycle and train through South America"