I'm seriously thinking of taking some time between work and university and go on a 2 month long trip to China. the months in question are July and August. I've this in not the best time to visit but I don't really have other options.
I already have a list of places in the usual tourists area (Yunnan, Sachuan etc.) and I was wondering if it will be a good idea to go farther, to the western part of China, around Urumqi or maybe to the north, around Harbin. I don't plan to use domestic flights, only trains/buses.
I'm a slow traveler and like to take my time. in addition, it's my first visit to China so I wanted to ask if you think it will be a good idea.

weather2travel.com virtualtourist.com travel by train in the north in the summer can be lots of fun if a seasoned backpacker. www.tucantravel.com as some good budget groups you might look at if more of a newbie.Years back trans siberian or trans monolian was fun for me. sea61.com/china

A journey in pictures from Moscow to Beijing on train number 4 via the Trans-Siberian and Trans-Mongolian railways. A day by day account of the things to see.

www.seat61.com/Trans-Siberian-moscow-beijing.htm

Qw has recommend some group travel. There is no need for a tour in China, you can easily do it on your own. Besides, I don't know of any group tours that allow for slow travel.

There are quite a few trip reports here from solo travelers in China.

I very much enjoyed my trip through western China, which I did with Intrepid travel (solo travel in Xinjiang wasn't so easy in 2001). It was 2001, and much has changed since then in terms of destruction of the local non-Han culture. However, the scenery will still be good - see http://wilhelmswords.com/asia2001/index.html for info on that trip. You could also try to make it to Xiahe.

And with that much time you could take the train south into Vietnam.

We traveled to Dunhuang, Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar in mid- late September. It was very warm,really hot at times and I wonder how uncomfortable the summer months would be.It was a facinating area, filled with antiquities,and few western tourists.We flew between the cities tokk a round trip bus Urumqi to Turpan and back.

I'm glad to say that solo travel in China is perfectly possible, even if you veer off the usual tourist route. I took tremendous inspiration from thursdaysd and other Fodorites who went before me.

If you want to go, do it!

To go north and west summer is actually the best time to go as it is otherwise too cold. However the distances are great and you will spend a lot of time on trains. I would not recommend buses, especially if it is your first time in China.