Southern China Loop on JH600s

[futianshenzhen]

2

Left xiangtan at about 10 after a great Hunan tapas style breakfast. We were on the G320 all morning and it has to be up there with the worst roads I’ve been on. It was potholed and beat up to shit and went through some of the most polluted villages I’ve ever seen. There really wasn’t any redeeming features. After about 200 kms we arrived in Shaoyang where we went our separate ways after a quick lunch. Craig continued on west towards Guizhou and I sadly started back towards Shenzhen and a date at the office.
What followed was 20 kms of road under construction sludge (yes, it was raining again) and I was lucky not to drop the bike a few times. The road then improved and I completed the 90 kms to Yongzhou in a proper monsoon. I found a pikey hotel and went out for some more spicy Hunan fair, I was invited over for a few beers by some local lads who then proceded to blame me forwasting 10 years of their lives in English classes. I tried to explain the usefulness of foreign trade and investment but didn’t get far so went off for a massage some street barbecue and an early night.



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Some excellent Hunan tapas, who knew?!
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[futianshenzhen]

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Now I probably shouldn't say too much about this photo but Craig will be the first to say that it's not what it looks like!

[futianshenzhen]

3/4 - First rode the 400 kms to Ruyuan in Northern Guangdong then back to Shenzhen from there which is about 550 if I remember rightly.


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Southern Hunan


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The next few few photos were all taken north of Ruyuan in northern Guangdong


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[futianshenzhen]

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Check out my new waterproof overcoat, I bought it in the serial killer shop in Ruyuan



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Relaxing with a beer in Ruyuan

[futianshenzhen]

I found these huge rubber overgloves in a small shop in Fujian, they were indispensable when riding for 8 hours in the rain
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So this trip was my first real outing on the jialing and it was a real treat to be on the bigger machine. The increased comfort on the long days was noticeable and the extra power really came in handy on the gaosu. I’m really looking forward to the next trip, maybe Hainan before Christmas this year. The weather was absolutely shocking and we got pissed on nearly every day but for me the real story of this trip was the people we met. First, the guys in Longyan – they are a great group and just love their bikes, and what bikes! My eyes were out on stalks and I was having serious pangs of jealousy! On top of that Xiaohuan’s bike shop is fantastic and should be on the map for all touring bikers in China but more on that later. The Xiangtan club were also incredible and Bamboo and the guys really went out of their way to show us a great time and deal with a potentially trip ending radiator leak. For me meeting all these kindred spirits highlighted what it’s all about here in China and that’s what will stay with me from this trip – that and Motokai’s leaky boots!

Craig was talking about setting up some kind of map/list of outstanding bike shops in China which I think is an awesome idea, I’m not sure what’s happening with this but all the guys mentioned above should definitely be on it. I have contact details for Xiaohuan in Longyan and Craig, I think, has the number and address for Bamboo’s friend’s bike shop in Xiangtan. If anyone else has some mechanics that they think are worthy to be added to the list then let me or Motokai know...

[MotoKai]

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Now I probably shouldn't say too much about this photo but Craig will be the first to say that it's not what it looks like!

They were just wondering if it's true what they say about foreigners - and I had to prove the rumor as fact......

[MotoKai]

......that we all do carry USD bills in our pockets. (What were you thinking?)

As Tom pointed out earlier my rain gear wasn't as waterproof as the police-kit he was wearing (or the serial killer attire he bought on his way home). This meant I needed to carry my cash in my riding pants pockets under my rainpants. Which also means that each time I needed to make a purchase I had to drop my pants (outer layer only of course) to draw some cash. Seemed normal to me until I saw this photo.

By the way, after getting back to Shanghai I took the new boots back to the shop. We put them underwater in the tub for 5 minutes and they were dry on the inside. Seems that the water was dripping in from the top of the boot. I'll need gaiters to complement the nice Italian boots I now love once again.

[euphonius]

...By the way, after getting back to Shanghai I took the new boots back to the shop. We put them underwater in the tub for 5 minutes and they were dry on the inside. Seems that the water was dripping in from the top of the boot. I'll need gaiters to complement the nice Italian boots I now love once again.

There is nothing worse than wearing your nice waterproofies all confident as the rain begins, and then feeling water running down your legs and directly into your expensive waterproof boots. How the &#$% does it get in there? Gaiters won't work either if the water is already inside your raingear from somewhere higher up on your body.

cheers

[futianshenzhen]

I'm glad to hear your boots are waterproof! I spent 200 HKD on a pair of waterproof trousers and that did the trick, they are rubbery on the inside and I think that's the key

[bmboo]

Hi MotoKai and Tom, I am Banboo