Chinese New Year Solo Ride from Shanghai into Zhejiang.

**Metalmonkey** · 03-07-2018, 12:55 PM

I should continue this.

So, on the second day, I went over the bridge via the elevator and arrived in a maze of small sheets. One thing that is good about riding at Chinese New Year is that everywhere is like a ghost town with very few cars on the road. Fireworks were popping all around and I made my way generally South.
One bad thing about travelling at Chinese New Year is that very few restaurants are open (none except for KFC, which is inevitably crammed with people). That day, my usual “head South” technique - trying to head in a general direction as one is not allowed to take main roads- was wearing me thin. Drizzly weather and such and I ended up stopping in petrol station for a lunch of Fangbian Mian. It wouldn’t be the first time on this trip.
I waited around for inspiration and put on my wet weather gear as it began to spit. This discouraged me massively as it reminded me of my past trip Beijing to Shanghai where it bucketed down for the whole first day.
I asked “what’s good to see near here?” of the pump attendant and the driver of a car that was refilling came over and gave some suggestions. He spoke in clear English, and added my WeChat. He advised to see a famous temple just 30 km South then take the S101 then G329 to Ningbo. I headed South out of town and saw mountains for the first time on the trip, looming up in the fog from a small town where everyone was out buying fireworks from roadside stalls for the coming New Year.

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on the way to the temple

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candles burning in the smaller temple at the bottom of the hill.

I eventually found the way to the Temple which lead me up a long gravel road. Nice. There was then a long walk up the hill to the top. Leaving the bike at the bottom and my kit in a Shrine there.I had the Temple to myself and I wandered around sweaty in the thick fog, watching candles burn and flicker. Coming down was nice, with a view over the valleys and the fireworks rising and popping all around.
After I got down, I made my way into the city.. actually a conurbation of Hangzhou and went in five hotels to find a reasonably priced one that would admit a foreigner.

The next day started early. My mission was now on. I flew down the G329 to Ningbo, through Shaoxing. I’ve since been told that Shaoxing has a lovely old water town, so this would actually be an ideal place to break this journey up.

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On the G329. I thought it was interesting how the names of the people who'd donated money for the construction of this gate were written on the side, with the amouynts in Yuan that they'd given

I want to put more pictures in here. I am, however having the same problems as older posts. Inexplicably most of the pictures come out as the wrong orientation (see test track) even after rotating them. Maybe I need to get used to my Mac and my Iphone. Hmmm.

Slash...
I arrived in Beilun after dark and found an awesome hotel- The Boning hotel. Not making that name up. The English name is Balance hotel. Here’s a tip, if you look on the Meituan app, reception will know off 40-50 yuan from the price when booked there.

This place was heavenly and had a Western breakfast. I kinda didn’t want to leave.

**Metalmonkey** · 03-24-2018, 01:05 AM

Next morning was an early start to catch the ferry to Taohuadao- Peach flower Island... I might have mentioned that the previous day I screamed down the main road to get to Beilun. I had noticed that the oil level was extremely low. The day started my putting a bottle and a half of oil into the bike.

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Oil slick. Knocked the bottle over.

**Metalmonkey** · 04-14-2018, 11:50 AM

Some more pictures from this trip. The first ones are on TaoHua Island.

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**Metalmonkey** · 04-14-2018, 11:51 AM

Some more pictures from this trip. The first ones are on TaoHua Island.

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**Metalmonkey** · 04-14-2018, 11:55 AM

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The hills around Beilun.

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Some roads just run out.. This is outside NingBo

After getting lost amongst cabbage patches on the way out of Ningbo, in the drizzle, I found a very charming temple.

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**Metalmonkey** · 04-14-2018, 12:06 PM

Two things on the way back, the town at the foot of Simingshan was a surprise. A picturesque little tourist town on a river. Apparently was ChiangKai Shek's hometown. Called Xikou（西口）. I stopped a night there then went throught the Simingshan reserve. This was really well paved with twistys. Had some fallen rocks on the good road. The main thing though was the intense fog. Down to 10 m visibility in parts.

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A MASSIVE golden Buddha next to a Temple on the way up Simingshan

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SiMing Mountain (四明山，浙江）

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Ironic this. The LAST picture cocks up.

Anyway....

I blasted through the town of Shaoxing in Zhejiang on the way out and on the return. I heard from a French friend and Chinese friends that actually this place is a destination in it's own right. I saw lovely pitures from them of stepped terraces near the town with rapeseed flowers blooming. I was also told that the town is a famous water town. But...

This trip was over 9 days solo. 8 days riding.

The bike, as I said developed an oil eating problem, so it's now sat outside stripped doiwn waiting for parts to come on Taobao. Then more travel in Summer.