Oh my, thanks of the report. Angle camera for steep climbs would be indeed great.
It seems I will have to soon get my bike out of the garage.
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Oh my, thanks of the report. Angle camera for steep climbs would be indeed great.
It seems I will have to soon get my bike out of the garage.
Happy New Year guys and girls. We headed out for a litle ride over CNY, the plan was to ride along the coast east of Shenzhen, then head north in to the mountains and go and play in the twisties. We hooked up with chinaV on the second day and he led us to some breathtaking roads in the hills and around the lakes. We were blessed with good weather, no rain and no major bike problems for the whole trip. I had great fun hooning around like lunatics on deserted roads, drinking beers, good food and great company. Here are some bad pics from my iphone, i'm sure chinaV took some stunners on his camera.. enjoy!! Rich:thumbsup:Attachment 3064Attachment 3065Attachment 3063Attachment 3062Attachment 3066
And some more random ones.. the matt black subaru was awesome, not sure if KTM and Nike are going to be too happy.. chinaV's new bike:lol8: and my bike in need of some TLC
rich:thumbsup:Attachment 3071Attachment 3068Attachment 3067Attachment 3070Attachment 3069
That KTM 1st appeared as KTMCO:mwink: then shorted as KTM , finally DON'T use that name anymore. Boss used as bike delear, he knows "tricks" to sale these "no-name" bike. Reliability is quite OK, 60K 3yr engine warranty from maker. M/c Taxi Driver's choice :lol8:
Exported many to KILL Africans. :lol8:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB0-erM4r0o
Hey chinaV, could we see some more pics of that luggage you've got going on on the new Qingqi please? Looks quite interesting and prettier than a plastic box!
Hey Felix.. it ain't pretty but here are some previous attempts at trip packing and luggage systems:lol8::lol8:
rich:thumbsup:Attachment 3145Attachment 3147Attachment 3146
The police panniers took about an hour welding everyday to keep them and the bike together.. leather panniers were held together with gaffer tape and cable ties and the top box fell off half way round:lol8:
Cheap mountain bike panniers were the best but they don't fit my galaxy now because of the high exhaust:confused1:
haha, nice one rich! proper pikey! can't blame you though, not everyone has a chinaV to build them stuff that works and looks good too...
Custom made w/ metal shop :lol8: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=4420964404Quote:
Originally Posted by richardktm
Thanks for posting the pics Rich, it was a lot of fun blasting around Guangdong with you and Tom. :thumbsup:
Before I continue with my Chinese New Year contribution to the winter ride report, I gotta gloat for a second.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090444.jpg
31.2ºC at 10:20 in the morning ain't bad for February...how was the weather up in BJ and SH folks? Oh, that was cruel, but if it makes you feel better, I only managed a meager 3195 kilometers during 9 days of riding. :riding:
Did I mention the weather?
More to come
Cheers!
ChinaV
:hellfire:Quote:
Did I mention the weather?
I already filled you in on the first CNY ride a few posts back, that was a little 338 kilometer solo trip on the QingQi. After that adventure, I decided to mount up a rear box and go meet the Shenzhen boys, Rich and Tom, somewhere near the Baipenzhu reservoir. Rich spotted me blasting through traffic along the way and we headed of for lunch in the town of Baipenzhu.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090185.jpg
After filling our bellies, we enjoyed a beautiful ride along S356. This is a great road that hugs the shoreline of the reservoir.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090190.jpg
With the usual traffic.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090188.jpg
Tom on his QingQiSuzukiZongshen. He is a master of the art of duct tape and zip ties. Just the kind of thing that makes an anal retentive perfectionist like myself cringe. No matter, he was just as fast as Rich and I in everything except the off-road dirt sections.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090189.jpg
Stopping for a bike photo op.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090203.jpg
Along comes Rich on his XTR.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090216.jpg
Tom with a big smile.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090209.jpg
And moi...thanks for the great photo Tom.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090223.jpg
We found a decent hotel in Zijin and did the usual...beers and boasting. The next morning we set off towards Heyuan and another big day of twisties along the Xinfeng Jiang reservoir.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090228.jpg
Group portrait.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090233.jpg
We stayed in the town of Xinfeng that night and continued north the next day. Lots of fires burning all over Guangdong. I think these are started on purpose to clear the dead growth.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090241.jpg
Stopped in some small town and really had a hard time finding food as all the restaurants were closed. Finally scored some great dumplings and spent some time getting artsy fartsy with the camera while Tom was making performance mods at one of the local moto shops.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090246.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090248.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090257.jpg
Back on the road again and burning more rubber.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090270.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090283.jpg
A quick stop for a prayer.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090295.jpg
Many great hairpins later, we arrived in Heping and decided to stay there. The next morning we headed south and again were not having much luck finding lunch. Plenty of fireworks, but no food. So we decided to have some fun making noise with the locals.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090301.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090299.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090304.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090309.jpg
After some rather suspect egg/meat sandwiches, we were off again.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090316.jpg
Not exactly sure what this picture is about.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090318.jpg
Finally reached Zijin, where we stayed the first night, and decided we would head home the next day. In the morning, the boys were off to Shenzhen, and I set out for Dongguan via some less travelled roads.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090325.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090333.jpg
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090338.jpg
Was a great 5 day trip and I'm looking forward to another ride with the Shenzhen faction of MCM. Thanks for the invite guys.
Still have three more days of riding to report, will try to get that done tomorrow.
Cheers!
ChinaV
3195 km could have gotten you to BJ or SH, too scared to come all the way up and check out the weather yourself?!Quote:
Originally Posted by ChinaV
ChinaV,
Great photos and ride report but where are the young ladies. Only one in the whole thread? You are slipping.
wow guangdong actually looks like a lot of fun! hadn't realised there were so many mountain roads out there.
also you have motorbike jackets that grow on trees. very handy.
Barnone, sounds like you're living on the wrong side of the planet mate!
ChinaV, good stuff and great photos as usual. What you shooting with now? I saw you had a Ricoh in one of your exifs.Quote:
Originally Posted by barnone
CC
Thank you very much of the pics and story.
Well I seemed to have forgotten about this thread, sorry for missing the questions.
I'm using the Ricoh CX4 as a pocket cam, and the Panasonic GH1 as my big gun. I want to go full frame, but it's been years since Nikon and Canon have addressed their full frame line ups, so buying now would be stupid.Quote:
Originally Posted by CrazyCarl
I think most of them went back home for CNY, or Rich scared them away :icon10:Quote:
Originally Posted by barnone
I'm putting the last part of my solo trip together and will try to get that up tonight.
Cheers!
ChinaV
After a day of recuperation from the ride with Rich and Tom, I got antsy and decided the weather was too nice for sitting around the house. So I loaded up the Wee Strom and headed towards northern Guangdong.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090361.jpg
Passed through the Nankunshan mountain area.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090357.jpg
Stopped for lunch, somewhere.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090369.jpg
Late in the day near the Guangdong Grand Canyon.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090377.jpg
WTF?
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090381.jpg
See the temple?
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090392.jpg
There it is.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090382.jpg
And a little story. I first discovered the Nanshui reservoir sometime in 2004. At that time, we didn't have fancy GPS units, and maps of the area weren't so great. I purchased a map showing a road going around the west side of the reservoir. I spent the better half of a day looking for that friggin road and never managed to find it. Years rolled on, more maps were purchased, and time after time I would go looking for "the road that doesn't exist". Finally, in 2008, someone said the road was being built and would probably be done in a year or so. Couple more years went by, and I was up there last fall, still no road, but I could see it was being made. I was sure that this time it would finally be open, but arrived to find one last bridge needed to be built before the link would be made.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090398.jpg
The final link.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090401.jpg
Determined to find a way, I set off looking for an alternative route.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090404.jpg
Ended up in the jungle.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090407.jpg
Finally conceded defeat and went looking for a hotel.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090412.jpg
The next morning I decided I would take the road in from the North, because I just had to see the west side of the reservoir. I mean after all, I'd been waiting for something like 7 years, and even though I would have to turn around and back track, I felt it necessary finally ride this road.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090423.jpg
I reached the bridge, this time from the opposite side.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090437.jpg
Had to walk the last half kilometer as the road was blocked.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090443.jpg
On the way back, I happened upon 3 Chinese guys going South. Being fellow bikers, we stopped to chat and I filled them in the bridge situation. They said that couldn't be right, they're maps and GPS show a road. I tried to explain my 7 year waiting period and finally just broke out the camera and showed them the picture of the bridge. They were a bit bummed out. Oh well, at least the scenery was nice.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090450.jpg
I liked this guys helmet cam and wind guard. Chinese motorcycle guys are really pretty hardcore…respect.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090453.jpg
More dirt.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090454.jpg
Long Wang… giggle giggle. :lol8:
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090474.jpg
Beautiful northern Guangdong, near the border of Hunan.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090479.jpg
Stepping into Hunan for a bit.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090482.jpg
Had that feeling of being here before, when I saw this "Rich Boss" sign, I remembered coming through with Franki in 2009.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090487.jpg
Found a love(ly) hotel to stay in.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090495.jpg
Fancy dinner and MCM.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090490.jpg
Heading home the next day passing a lot more fires.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090499.jpg
Somewhere...
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090509.jpg
Autopilot...
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090525.jpg
Final stop before hitting the city.
http://www.contactdi.com/Processed/1090552.jpg
Cheers!
ChinaV
Is it just me or is your photography getting better and better?
That ghost is really funny. When it finally opens nobody will appreciate how long you waited for the fucker! There's a road like that in Suzhou as well which has been on all official maps since 2006 when i moved there, but to this day still has a village parked right in the middle of where it should be. I would be so worried if i lived there...
Love the autopilot, does it run on anroid?
PS: if you're as anal retentive as you say, why doesn't the last picture have a "ChinaV border"? Ruins the report if you ask me...
Love your pics. South China sure seems fun if you know the right people.
Oh Felix, you vewwy funny guy. The last pic is a panorama, I don't border my pano's because annoying you is central to my existence. I don't think the photo's are any better...just snapshots, far from being art, but thanks for the encouragement. Autopilot runs on a prayer, no logic involved.Quote:
Originally Posted by felix
I'm playing with the track data from the trip and will try to post the GPS data later.
Cheers!
ChinaV
Wow! What a great trip! And the pics too... Long Wang, Rich Boss, Haha...
Hahaha, but I have to nag too of the pic without ChinaV borders :lol8: Ur (tm) is ruined now :lol8:Quote:
Originally Posted by ChinaV