Du had been talking for weeks of wanting to take me out into Yongkang's hinterland during this outfitting visit, and just as the installation was complete the weather broke after what seemed days and days of rain. We saddled up for a ride to a mysterious emcampment in the rain-soaked mountains.

Yongkang is not a big place, but it's very industrialized -- a center for metal fabrication -- and it's not much to look at. But there's a fast-running river through the center of town, and green mountains on three points of the compass. Among Du Rui's friends are a circle of ardent outdoors folks, who run a branch of the Hangzhou-based camping gear chain Jiahe Outdoors. We spent part of the afternoon meeting up with them at the store, and laying in supplies for a night in the woods.

I didn't make pictures of our ride, but Du led us up a lovely twisty canyon, through several villages, and into the mountains. A long concrete road gave way to a muddy dual track road. Finally this became steep single track, and we could go no further.



Du Rui rides a 1996 Honda XRV750 Africa Twin, which he bought in 2003.



A small portion of our provisions for the night. This is going to be interesting...



We start hiking, following the stream up the canyon, and almost immediately cross a stone bridge about 4m across and no more than 25cm wide. That would have stopped me cold even had we been able to motor up the steep, narrow trail.



Over a bluff and the vista opens up. This is a small reservoir, maybe 1500m long, nestled between rugged, heavily forested peaks.



And soon we come upon a non-descript building.



Wasn't this thread supposed to be about boxes??