Day 114 616 days to go. Distance today 125km .
It’s 7.10pm Friday 23/3/2012 Minggang. It appears Rube did the trick. We woke to hazy blue skies today which lifted to a beautiful afternoon J J Two very happy girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did a little dance outside the café this morning much to the amusement of the café folk. So now I understand how they work their café. During the day it’s a roadside stall with the right noodle style food and prices. Then they clean away their front shop and run like a restaurant off the menu in the evenings ohhhh got it.
I bought some take away noodles this morning for lunch and a rice milk and sugar drink to get the body going this morning. The family was so lovely and happy with my stay and more so happy to have a photo session before I headed. Rube and I were dancing. It was really quite uplifting to have such an amazing day after such a crap one. The only downer was that there was a wicked head wind but that was Mother Nature blowing all those nasty rainy bits south like we had hoped. That little shan turned out to be quite a mountainous area but really beautiful to cycle through on such a great day.
It would have been a horror if the weather was a shocker. It was very alpine in feeling with rivers and streams, rolling hills and mountains in the background. We had a break by one river and watched the free range ducks going off in the river below. There were heaps of the nests I’ve been spotting. I noticed today that most of the nests have a bird hanging about it that might be the owner as opposed to cranes. The bird looks and sounds like a willy wagtail on steroids about the size of a crow but just as active and cheeky as its little cousin. I may have been right off the mark or they use the crane nests for their winter vacations? J I enjoyed taking a handful of photos today just to try capture some of the scenery.
I sent thought this town that had a sculptured town archway with chicken monuments. Usually its dragons or something virile and strong but chickens I love it!!!!! I had tried to squeeze out as many kms as I could to make the most of the beautiful day but 125km was all I could manage given the headwind and hills. Still not a bad effort. I was aiming to get under the 1000km to Beijing mark but 9kms to go. Its exciting to see the 1009km sign knowing that Beijing is not so distant now. I’m actually really happy to still have 13 days to enjoy this country the way we are. God it’s a wonderful place and we are having a very special time of it here.
We arrived in Minggang a bit wind blown and happy to be stopping. I got out of the eeeeky gear and sat in the sun while the spot tracker message did its thing. Oh my how delish!!!!!!!!!!!! There’s a old dog at the hotel I’m at and we both just sat there with idiot grins enjoying the rays. Sun is wonderful!!! I haven’t seen it since I can’t remember and we bonded. It was time for a wash and there’s a communal shower set up where Im at. 40 yen a night great price (Thank you moped men for that tip!!!!). It’s happened a few times now that folk don’t know whether I’m a boy or a girl!!! This happened this arv and they didn’t know whether to point me to the men’s or women’s block. I’m certainly relieved we sorted that one out!!!!!
So I’m squeaky and done my shopping for dinner and updated my posts and feeling very happy and content yayayayay. It’ll be an early one tonight as Im a bit tidy wides. I have that been in the sun feel and how good is that!!!!!!!!! Have I told you how much I love China? She can have her weather this time of year but Im following the locals lead and working in with it as best we can. Today on the other hand was delish and more days like this will be a gift, totally appreciated, and totally respected that at any time it can change and does. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. A very very nice day of it. Enjoy the photos!! Talk soon x
shecyclesolo 