Zhejiang to Fujian - JH600 home ride
Hi,
Those of you, following my tread - My New JH600 - know, that I went up to Zhejiang province, a town named Yongkang to ride my JH600 back to Fuzhou.
A quick intro for the other readers: I am a proud owner of a Jialing JH600 motorcycle in China. Not only do I like riding motorcycle, but also I like working and modifying my bikes. I have sent the JH600by truck from Fuzhou - where I keep the bike -to a friend of a friend,who will do some modification work there for me (like adding panniers and luggage rack). The job is done now and I start a 5 hours ride by car to get to Yongkang from Fuzhou.
The plan is to ride mostly on smaller back-roads. Google map and GPS preparations done. distance roughly 600km. Time: 1 (no way) or 2 days.
Here a map of the ride:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...3_StAXw-XL.jpg
Day 1 - getting to Yongkang
This is a long day, starting early morning from Hong Kong to Fuzhou by plane. As usual, if you want to reach a place early, there is delay. After boarding, the pilot announcement "problems with the water-flushing system on all toilets. aircraft change. Delay: 1.5 hours.
In Fuzhou, drive to my garage in Lienjiang, packing my gear, quick lunch and off by car to Yongkang.
Weather: cold, dark and rainy. Don't take many pictures on the way up, but just to give you an idea:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...2_GVZzq-XL.jpg
Arriving at the hotel in Yongkang, I meet up with the guys who bring my bike on a small truck:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...3_hboq5-XL.jpg
The bike looks great. More details can be seen there: My new JH600. Everything is made as discussed. I can't wait to get off and ride.
But...!!! They don't want to give me my bike right now....:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...0_gtJTQ-XL.jpg
...because first, as always - dinner time:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...7_KZLbr-XL.jpg
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The night doesn't end at the restaurant. :goodtime: We continue with some beers at a nice little bar and the guys are showing me their tread on moto8.cn. WOW, what a surprise! The whole story of my JH600's ordeal to Yongkang and all details of the make-up discussed in Chinese. By now over 100.000 clicks and the first post just came up in March. I never thought that there is such a big community out there in China, interested in JH600 motorcycles. Too bad I can't read Chinese, really. :confused1:
(The smaller pictures are borrowed from my friends Chinese tread - I hope you guys don't mind)
Re: Day 2 - Starting off...
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...5_KgTnb-XL.jpg
In one village I see many shredders, chopping wood into little chips and open roofs, under which people seem to dry these chips. I wonder what is this for?
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...0_z8RGo-XL.jpg
Re: Day 2 - "Road of Stones"
ATTENTION - ADVENTURE AHEAD!!!
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...7_U6tt8-XL.jpg
On the way, when mountains are steeper, I see a lot of stones, rocks and landslides. In general, even not much traffic, there is massive road construction everywhere. Older roads, unpaved, are being replaced by smaller or bigger concrete or even asphalt roads. The speed of construction comes at a price:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...6_GdFFR-XL.jpg
I am not sure, how this happened. Based on traces this happened some days before I came there:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...5_53nXV-XL.jpg
More rocks on the street. I do not want to ride here during heavy rain:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...0_mXorH-XL.jpg
The little river below is being blocked by several dams along the road:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_mdR54-XL.jpg
And here we go. The end of that road? It looks like riding back those 80km out of that valley:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...7_7E8bk-XL.jpg
Closer inspection. Wood and bigger rocks are blocking the little "foot-path"...:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_4UGEX-XL.jpg
Some locals arriving at one side of the roadblock, and leaving at "my" side on a waiting truck. I'm alone here now:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_4UGEX-XL.jpg
Look at the natural rain-coat, the guys wears on the leftt:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...7_YBNnU-XL.jpg
Still time by time some rocks are coming down from there:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...3_MtNMN-XL.jpg
What happens now is about 30 minutes of road improvement work. Moving wood and rocks to make a path for the bike. Protected with helmet and bike jacket. I'm dirty and sweaty now. Taking the panniers off the bike, fire it up and push it in first gear towards the landslide. Heart is pounding. What if I get stuck? Constantly looking for falling rocks I push the bike up. Then I can't move forward. A piece of wood catches the bike at the other side. I climb on the seat to kick the bike free. Break pedal is bent now. I move on - still looking for rocks. after some minutes of pushing its over and done. Two more runs for the panniers. A cigarillo and 2 bottles of water. Cooling off and get relaxed again. No pictures taken during action.
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...7_Rn7v7-XL.jpg
Looking back:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_bxvKt-XL.jpg
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Damage assessment. The bent break pedal is soon back to original shape thanks to soft chinese steel quality. The aluminum engine sump guard is a bit dented. Nothing, which a plastic hammer can't fix later at the garage. Obviously the newly installed protectors had done their job, especially protecting water pump and hoses:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...8_bsopZ-XL.jpg
Roadwork is still ongoing here. I wonder how this road looked like 1 year ago:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...3_4r867-XL.jpg
Can you see the flying bamboo trunks:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...5_PArHp-XL.jpg
A cable car for bamboo:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...9_b86k7-XL.jpg
more slides and rocks:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...2_HEe7K-XL.jpg
The road is really carved into the steep mountain sloop:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...3_qRTmJ-XL.jpg
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...0_DuU2V-XL.jpg
Workers cleaning off the road:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_dmZ47-XL.jpg
Here you can see the old road on the right,which is actually under water - river dam project - and track of the new road, not on the map, where I am riding.
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_G2Qfx-XL.jpg
Day 2 - Riding on south...
Back on the S 228 - bigger road, I am taking a break and some nutritious food. No time for restaurants. I want to ride on and see how far I still can get on this day.
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...4_4Z5NP-XL.jpg
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Playing around with the camera...:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_6crLf-XL.jpg
Still nice mountains around - almost no traffic at all on this brand new road.
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...3_AUK6z-XL.jpg
A waterfall, next to a tunnel:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...4_8jNh5-XL.jpg
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...4_58Soo-XL.jpg
There are tourist spots around. Hard to identify though... for me at least:
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...8_wNYpy-XL.jpg
Re: Day 2 - Lucky in the evening
As I ride on, I open the visor of my helmet to get some air in, almost at the same time something hits me on my right eye and I just see a stone falling out of my helmet. Not a small one. Pain, tears, I think blood at first. Stop at the side of the road to check - lucky, first of all, no blood, not a scratch. But the vision of my right eye is totally blurry now, even after 20 minutes rest. I ride on, keep the visor closed, since the slightest wind cause the eye even more to itch.
I think this was a close call... It reminds you, how fragile everything is. Also this trip. In a moment you think everything is under control. Nothing can happen - you are the hero. A blink of an eye later, almost everything could be over. Broken skin, hospital, stitching, or worse... The trip would have been finished.
Lucky for me - not this time.
However, as it gets darker, the eye still in some pain and vision not back to normal. I realize there is no way for me to press on today. As all of you China riders know well, the night is dangerous on the road here and with all car driving on high beam at any time, my bad eye - it was almost impossible to get a clear sight.
Fu'an - a small town about 150km before my final destination comes just at the right time. After confusing the local police building - which was colorful illuminated - with a hotel, I finally found a decent looking place for the night. No English? no problem! With a little patience communication is easy...
Again, all the excitement - no pictures of the hotel taken. Just a final look at the parking spot besides the security booth and a picture (in case the bike would no more be here the other day...:icon10:...
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...1_XGxVh-XL.jpg
This guy promised to watch out...
http://pfaelzer.smugmug.com/Biking/Z...6_L8FsL-XL.jpg
Re: Day 2 - Lucky in the evening
Wow, AW, glad you made it back in one piece! Can't wait to see and read the adventure on your second day!
Hope the eye returned to normal with some rest. Sobering words you've written about the thin line between joy and disaster. Safety first. Always. All The Gear All The Time.
Now I'm more excited than ever about finally getting my JH600. I'll have a look through that moto8.cn thread.
Keep it coming!
cheers,
jkp
Re: Day 3 - Ride in the rain
Very sweet report, AW! Absolutely inspiring! The picture of you in your Fuzhou garage says it all -- grinning ear to ear (and no obvious trauma to your eye).
Pictures are a nice size for downloading here in Shanghai. No delays at all. (Not sure where mychinamoto is hosted, but sometimes it's slow, so I'm guessing it's offshore.)
What image size are you posting?
See you soon if you are indeed coming up for Chinaplas.
cheers,
jkp