Bike-Ride To Australia Friday 13th-January 2012 Yuanjiang to Mojiang. 49 miles. Well, I think today’s ride must rank amongst one of the hardest I’ve ever had! I spent the first 26 miles of the day going uphill!
While I was plodding up that first 26 miles, I came across three other cyclists. (more idiots!) They were students heading home for the Chinese New Year. They had also come from Kunming, but they’d left a few days before me. And one of them was even carrying his pet rabbit in a cage on the back of his bike! He said there was nobody to look after it, so he brought it with him! I’d already been cycling up this hill for two hours and asked them how much further there was to go. 13km, the one with the rabbit replied. I wished them luck and went on my way. Even though I was carrying a bigger load and was cycling really slowly, I was still faster than them!
Dangerous Roads
It started to rain today, and I’d stopped under a tree to put my waterproofs on. While I was there phaffing about the student, cyclists caught me up and stopped for another chat. I think, like me, they use any excuse to stop and take a break from the hills! As we all huddled under the tree, a motorbike went past us. The motorbike pulled up a hundred or so metres ahead of us to put their coat on. As the rider stood next to his bike putting his jacket on a lorry came round the corner, lost the back end and careered into the motorbike and the person! The bike went under the truck, and the person got knocked flying into the trees! I couldn’t see the person, neither did I really wish to! They were behind a big rock! Luckily, plenty of other people was around helping, along with the Chinese cyclists.
I Hope Everything Was Okay
I decided that there wasn’t much I could do, so I carried on up the hill, leaving the bike under the lorry and cries of pain coming from behind the rock! Needless to say, I was very cautious going around corners. The roads had become very slippery! And if there was a lorry coming in the opposite direction, I’d be ultra-cautious!
I eventually reached the top of this hill. Actually, maybe I should start calling them mountains! Anyway, as I was saying, I got the top after five hours of peddling! And I think that when the student told me it was 13km to the top, he may have meant 30km! The ride up was made even worse when I passed through a small village. I caught sight of some men manhandling a pig out of a sty. They laid it down on the ground, with the poor thing squealing away. I soon found out why! They cut its throat and left it to bleed to death! Not a pleasant sight!
Finally, At The Top
Now at the top of my mountain, I was looking forward to freewheeling downhill for a while. It didn’t last long! After about two miles, the road levelled out before once again climbing!
I bumped into the three students later on in the day and asked after the biker. They said that he was okay and not badly hurt. I do hope, so he did go flying through the air! It was like something you’d see in a film! I also asked them how much further it was to the next town. About 3km, they said. This time I took it with a pinch of salt, and just as well, it was more like 20km! If I bump into them tomorrow, I don’t think I’ll ask them how much further things are!
I had a lot of trouble finding a room tonight! I’m not too sure if it’s because of the weekend or because it’s coming up to the Chinese New Year! Or maybe I just smelt a little too ripe!! I’d tried five hotels before eventually finding the one I’m in!
I’m not too sure what I had for dinner tonight! Not sure whether it was eel or pike. It might have even been snake, although I don’t think so, all I could say is it was very bony and not much meat, can’t say I enjoyed it that much! My first meal on all my travels that I’ve not enjoyed!
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