The south Zhejiang ride sounds awesome, enjoy! I've done that area many times on a bicycle before, but obviously the distance is more limited compared to what you can do with an engine.

As for getting lost, that was partly how I've discovered multiple side routes that go between Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces. That is to say, each province has its own various benefits that the others provinces do not.

One major potential advantage to the Ningbo - Shanghai run would be bikes crossing the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, and thus bypassing Hangzhou completely -- but that is unfortuntely not allowed for bikes. And I've already tried to sneak on, it doesn't work. The best plan would have been to try and sneak into the petrol stations on the expressway using the backroads, and then ride the bridge. But to my knowledge there is no way to get into those stations apart from the highways. The side routes are all blocked with 'bao an' security guards.

Maybe it has to be really early in the morning. Anyways, will try for another ride.