Chongming Island visited

[Nick in PRC.]

Finally and successfully got out to Chongming Island and more importantly made it back without the help of the blue trucks.
So there was Winston, and Peter from CJ Sidecars, Pierre, Ingo, Lloyd, Dave and Me.

We have a few video clips............not to the standard of the Beijing contingent but then again we are from Shanghai and we make do........we're all about speed of delivery

It was Dragon Boat Festival long holiday weekend which started for many on Thursday, so 7 Chang Jiangs scrambled to make the trip to the ferry of a quazi early start.

We met up downtown Shanghai at a KFC had a little breakfast and OJ and proceeded to the ferry. Traffic thankfully was light although it appeared that most of Shanghai was waiting in the line for the ferry.
We snuck down the ferry exit line and cut in about 50 meters down when the traffic from the boat unloaded and the traffic police herded back in line.


Video clip of the line for the ferry.


After another half hour or so of waiting a couple of the riders were getting restless and contemplated heading out but fortunately one of the ranking cops signaled us to to to the front of the line............the front of the line was about a three hour wait ahead of where we were. So again down the up ramp we went to the head of the line and the police there got a bit angry and were trying to get us to go back from whence we came but finally got the radio call to get us on the boat ASAP. One of the group was ushered to the side and taken to get the tickets for the rest of us........27 RMB ($4) per person and the bike for the 45 min ride. We even tried to bribe him for his trouble but as a proud member for the Shanghai PD he refused
Up to the boat and loaded........and safely thru locked gates that would be welcome in a fire we made it to the passenger deck.




We upgraded to a 10 RMB deck seat while on the boat that included hot tea and a plastic lawn chair............and we were off.



Chongming Island was an oasis from the packed roads of the city, as it is still for the moment only accessible by ferry. This though will no doubt soon end when the tunnel and bridge are opened some time later this year or early next year........shame.
At the moment the local govt are selling the idea of Chongming Island as an eco paradise, but the bridge and tunnel will soon put an end to that with all the associated developments that a tourist trap entails.

Great bit of road......video clip




then we had to traverse this..............no warnings, no road closed signs or bollards or anything.








A memorial to the firearm or something..........with a Chang parked under it.




Lunch...........if you park a bike without a cover on the side car bucket it becomes a public seat by default.




Conveniently these wind turbines are conveniently located next to the wetlands bird sanctuary...............and encroaching the sanctuary on the north side is a PLA air force base the no photography signs were enough to put me off.



Wetlands being wetlands.....however these were passable. You'd think a sanctuary would have a fence around it



We could have gone further but..........we decided the birds needed a bit of quiet



So we turned around and headed back out.......



My buddy Dave couldn't stay overnight and it's not advisable to ride alone after dark.....just in case, I returned with him while the 5 other riders stayed.

I think I need to figure out some kinda helmet cam.........I like the vids but stopping and getting off is a pain.
Hopefully Winston will flesh out the thread with a few more pictures from the second day.
I guess on a non holiday day the ferry traffic would be less and that it would be a great destination to get out of Shanghai and away from the ever present traffic, even though it's as flat as a billiard table the roads are nice (the ones not under construction anyway) and practically idiot free, especially when we're not there. On the way back we bought a ticket and drove right onto the boat, no waiting.

[CrazyCarl]

The more I see the CJ's in action, the more I like em. Did you actually see any birds at the bird sanctuary or did the airplanes and massive white spinning metal things scare them all off?

CC