Prep Round-China Bike trip, 2-up, April-May 2012

**DipStick** · 06-05-2012, 05:32 PM

Sounds awesome, you guys! Looking forward to Fred's pictures.

**Fred** · 06-06-2012, 09:03 AM

Well well, where to start, it was such an awesome day !

Before starting, I have to say something right out of the bat : Pete, you were an absolute ace yesterday, you're such a kind and nice bloke, we were both very pleased to have met you !
And before you start blushing, who takes a day off, rides for 300km, leads the way for us and shows us the most beautiful landscapes and roads Shandong has to offer ?? And you even thought about making me practice my U-turns when pretending to be lost ! Just joking mate !

Thank you very much Pete for yesterday, with Celine we are very honored to have met you yesterday.
Guys, if any of you go through beautiful (but smoggy) Shandong, go out of your way to meet Pete, he's worth it and more !

ZCM888, sorry we couldn't meet, but I'm sure it would have been the same with you !

That being said, let's see the pics ! Honestly I do have a hard time choosing which ones to post here (you will get everything Pete, I promise !), we shot 256 yesterday !

Fist thing first, wit Celine, we stopped to take some pictures of the landscape when we heard the high revs sound of a YBR 250 engine, could that be ? Yes, that was Mighty Pete with its black horse !

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After the formal introduction and usual trash-talk was done (Pete, did I tell you that the red ones are faster ?

),
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"no I swear, I can pin it to 180 km/h ! True story !"

we followed Pete on the beautiful roads of Shandong, while Celine was snapping pics "on the move" !
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Pete, I'm sorry we ruined your fun, being so slow in the twisties !
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And that's a very small lean angle from Pete, I swear I saw him touch his elbow on the road while cornering !... I call him Pete Stoner now...

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Fully equipped Pete, looking good !

To be continued in the next post !...

**Fred** · 06-06-2012, 09:29 AM

Still shooting on the move, we managed to catch a glimpse of the ever-eluding "Pete Stoner of Zibo" :
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Avoiding straws all the way (and stealing some under the bike too...)

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Overtaking move, we pulled this off ! Haha Pete, you didn't expect this one from the heavy-loaded red one, huh ?

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Western-style : horses resting outside while the men drink inside...

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"Fred, are you really sure that there's a turbo-boost button under here ?"

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To be continued...

**Fred** · 06-06-2012, 09:41 AM

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Pete navigating trough the straw and the farmers...

One of our road for the day, lovely !
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Waiting for Pete to succeed to pick his nose with the gloves and helmet... Come on mate, I told you it's impossible, I've tried before...

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Pete trying to find Shandong on his GPS, and me still being a kid...

To be continued...

**Fred** · 06-06-2012, 10:01 AM

As Pete wrote, we swapped bikes at one point, to feel the differences between our mounts :

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Pete : "now go on, you slow donkey ! I'll keep the red one and the missus !"

But then, after a full day of fun, it was time to go our separate ways, as we had a hotel to find, and Pete had classes to give !
No tears were shed, we tried to look tough through all of it !

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And the last pic, in order to see who's hiding behind the camera and took all of the day's pics !
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It was an awesome day with you Pete, thanks again, and we will keep in touch promise. Don't forget to check out the 2 bikes I mentioned (daily commuter and touring : Honda NC700X, and the "passion" bike : the Triumph Scrambler !

For us, the day was not over as a Chinese guy came to speak to us while we were parked in front of a big hotel in Yiyuan and helped us to negotiate a good discount on the room : a top official in the police force ! Followed a very expensive dinner with him and his friends (he invited us), where we drank approximately 8 bottles of beer each...
It's without saying that after a full day ride, it killed us....!
But now we arrived in Qingdao, where we will spend at least a full day tomorrow.

Cheers,

Fred

**ZMC888** · 06-06-2012, 10:17 AM

Sounds like you guys had a great time! I hope we can do the trip on Triumphs or big Hondas one day.

**DipStick** · 06-06-2012, 03:53 PM

Fred: génial! On dirait que vous vous êtes bien amusés! I knew Pete was a nice guy, he was helpful getting an English version of the YBR250 user manual for me. And too bad you are leaving Shanghai and China soon. I myself have just arrived in Shanghai 10 months ago and I have only had my YBR250 for a couple of weeks. I could have used your advice!

Great pictures! Thanks!

I was actually going to do a post that today was a big day for me: I drove my bike to work for the first time. I checked the weather forecast: no rain announced. I planned to leave the office at a decent time so as to not have to drive in the dark on my first ride from work. I figured it would best as a newbie to worry about only one thing at a time. Great plan. I actually managed to fail on both counts: I left in the dark, and it rained... But I made it home safely. I have heard so many stories about the slippery markings on the road surface that i think I managed not to touch a single white line!

But then I read Fred's ride report and I thought my little adventure is so lame in comparison...LOL

Thanks for the report. Maybe we will meet someday!

But what a way to wrap up your 10 years in China! Good for you and Céline!

Bravo!

**Fred** · 06-07-2012, 12:59 AM

Haha, very nice comment Dipstick, thanks a lot !

One year ago, I was in your exact shoes with the first commuting in Shanghai with the 250, so I can understand ! I don't know where you live/work, but please be extra careful all the time, even more so when it rains. Some roads like the Hongqiao lu (which I call the U-turners road) are especially dangerous because fast and people are indeed making U-turns there every 50 meters or so...

I'll be in Shanghai from June 15th to 30th, so maybe we can meet !

Cheers,

Fred

**soberpete** · 06-07-2012, 12:36 PM

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A little immaturity keeps the soul young

. You caught me 100% unaware!

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Your manoeuvre was indeed unexpected! I shall never underestimate the French again.

The day felt busy, sapped a lot of my energy and was a lot of fun. If only we could go back and do it again.

**DipStick** · 06-07-2012, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by Fred

Haha, very nice comment Dipstick, thanks a lot !

One year ago, I was in your exact shoes with the first commuting in Shanghai with the 250, so I can understand ! I don't know where you live/work, but please be extra careful all the time, even more so when it rains. Some roads like the Hongqiao lu (which I call the U-turners road) are especially dangerous because fast and people are indeed making U-turns there every 50 meters or so...

I'll be in Shanghai from June 15th to 30th, so maybe we can meet !

Cheers,

Fred

I guess I am a disaster waiting to happen: I work downtown near Jing An temple and I live in Hongqiao. So I do have to take a large portion of the U-turners road twice a day. I am very careful though.

I am encouraged to learn that after only one year of driving in Shanghai, you felt like you could take on this big cross-China trek. Maybe it is true when they say one year of driving experience in Shanghai is worth 10 years experience in Europe or North America!

Would love to meet. Maybe there will be another no-bike night in Shanghai before you leave the country, but even if not, we could arrange something.

Stay safe!