Shenzhen - Chongching - Yangshuo - Shenzhen

[futianshenzhen]

I just returned yesterday from a great solo ride, 4440 kms in total. I had ten days off and had decided to do a trip around Guizhou when I remembered that yingang had said they could provide me with a new swing arm and shock. You may remember they also sent me a new front and rear brake systems a while back.

http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...yingang+brakes

This is because the bike I ride is really a prototype for the Chinese market and they now have a new beefed up model, also they are a biker friendly company who are pretty unique in China.

So I decided to visit the factory in Chingqing and make that the focal point of the trip. All of my mates either had girlfriend issues, fiancee issues, money issues, baby issues, work issues etc etc, so I set off on my own on the May 29th.

For the first time ever in my life I felt the need to keep a diary, perhaps due to the lack of people to talk to over a beer in the evening, so I will copy and paste it into this report.


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Winston with his CB in Huiyang, just out of Shenzhen.

Tue 29

Left shed at 7.30 with Winston, did 75 kms to huiyang then he turned back. Pushed on to zengcheng, arriving at luckys (bike shop in Zengcheng) at 10.30, 201 kms total. Good clear roads, boshing along at 100 plus.

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Beer and dog on a stick, what more do you need?

Wed 30

Left zengcheng from luckys 8.20, arrived ruyuan at 12.40 for lunch. Had 1.5 quai noodles on the way. Presently 476 kms total, 275 kms from zengcheng to ruyuan. Terrible last 100 kms directly south of shaoguan, road totally smashed to bits by trucks. Must be avoided on way back. The bike shop we used last time in ry is no longer there, he packed it in apparently. Found another just down the road, getting my chain sorted now.

Arrived at shuikouzhen in the southwestern corner of hunan, 750 kms total. 274 after lunch, 550 kms for the day. Put the camera to use in the twisties leaving ruyuan then entered the clouds at the top of the mountain so put camera away. It then drizzled for most of the afternoon. 50 kms of absolute shite before coming on to a great road leading up to shuikouzhen. At the bottom of a gorge following a pretty river with old woodcutters houses either side. Lots of cool pikey footbridges. SKZ is a two horse town, one of the smallest I've stayed in. Lucked out with nice hotel with great covered parking, 80 quai with PC!

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Northern Guangdong

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Southern Hunan

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My answer to the go pro. Skinny people need not apply, a substantial beer belly is required to properly aim the camera!


Wed 30 (continued)

Just reviewed footage and anything over 40 km/h is borderline unwatchable (too much rubber in mount). Have just pikied the camera case with holes front and rear, plan to wear it like a necklace.

Because I've pushed on today I now have three 400 km days ahead of me instead of 500 per day. I deserve a beer, gonna explore SKZ.

Maybe bypass SKZ on the way back, come thru ningyuan and lanshan instead.

Thur 31

Left SKZ at 8.20, took a wrong turn and went up a tiny path on wrong side of river. Got some great footage of tiny hamlets, new camera mounting system is working great. Needed to remove waterproofs from tank bag but then ok. Once on right road everything very nice, more woodcutters villages on road following the river. More good video footage.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwNjEzNjE2.html

(Before heading on to the woodcutters' road I took a wrong turn)

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDEwMjUwNzA4.html

(Leaving Shuikouzhen on what I called the woodcutters' road)

Good road ended at jianghua then just normal Chinese road...not bad but with bust up sections. Had great noodles, loads of chili and msg then hit a few bumps and rear wheel has smashed bottom of battery. It's now 11.30 have stopped in Daoxian to replace battery as bike konked out at traffic lights. Immediately drew a large crowd who had lively discussion on whether my bike was a Yamaha or not. I thought the fuse had blown but it hadn't so pushed it to a bike shop.

Pulled into Huangqiaozhen at around 6 pm. 390 kms today, 1140 total. Shitty day in all, after replacing the battery the phone charging system went down, possibly due to large puddles and or rain. Luckily I had the portable charger so no biggie. Roads were pretty good with some battered sections. Did the same twisties I did with posh (an English friend) on the qingqi in 2010? but it was too wet to enjoy. New boots did keep my feet dry tho, a first on a bike trip and hair dryer is not needed for once. Did get some great videos in between showers, the beer belly mount system is a beaut. Yingang is cleaned and lubed ready for tomorrow (oil changed today, 140 on the clock), planning an early start as the weather looks likely to be shit.