A Frequent Biker’s Card
By Nate Stein
I could just imagine the frustrated grimaces and jealous scowls on the faces of every disgruntled driver I passed on the clogged Gainesville roadways. Fortunately for people like me with a set of wheels that didn’t add up to four, Gainesville held a huge, hipster-laden, liberal, public university and I could bust ass in the bike lane everywhere I went. On campus my gears could almost keep up with the cars that pushed their luck with the confines of a 20mph speed limit and off-campus, especially during the seemingly endless rush hours, I would always beat the #20 city bus home and pass every motor vehicle in sight. Biking is not without its perils and I, personally, am too cool to wear a helmet, but it is totally worth it. I fell in love with the bicycle in China where I got my first ride in 2008 and brashly named it Shijie Guanjun “International Champion”. My friends and I biked to and from class and to and from the bars in Beijing’s college district Wu Dao kou and did our own little part to curb the pollution of not only smog but unstoppable millions of cars on the over-taxed roads.
Back in America I still wanted to pedal my way through life and bought a terrible girl’s bike for a twenty spot from an older grad student; I painted it white and named it Princess. Later it fell apart right under my nose, or literally right under my butt, while riding home on the phone with my friend Chelsey. Even though I was forced to learn to use the bike-rack on the bus home that day, I was hooked on Gainesville pedaling. I bought a new bike as soon as I could, “new” meaning thirty year-old used piece of work from a department store with the words Royce Union emblazoned across its burnt orange frame, for $50 on Craig list and named it Speedometer because it was my first road bike and it went almost scary-fast, in my amateur opinion, on my maiden voyage around the neighborhood. I converted it to a single-speed because I didn’t understand when to change gears anyway.
My lust for biking continued, and even though I bought a new bike, sprayed it blue, gave it a French name “les yeux bleus,” and swelled my collection of bikes to TWO, my love affair with Speedometer thrived. I would cycle miles a day. Even though I had a speed bump crash incident that left my leg scarred and my bathroom looking like a scene from CSI, I stuck with it.
I don’t have anything tangible to use my Frequent Biker’s Card miles on, but I have a level of physical health that most drivers don’t have, a smaller carbon footprint than most drivers have, and a joy for an active and leisurely hobby that most drivers don’t have. I am not obsessed with biking and because I am no connoisseur, I can still get on any two wheels in any place and pedal away.
I am back in China now and I had to leave Speedometer behind again in Florida, but I know it will wag its tail and bark when I return home just like it always does. Now I own a second-hand, black, cruiser tentatively named The Shanghai Flyer that was left by the last man who lived in my flat. The man down the street trusted me enough to saw off the old lock and sell me a new one. Now I take the Flyer around my carved out section of the neighborhood here, just like I always do.
From the seat of a bike I can get to know a city in ways that most people never do, especially lively streets in a big metropolitan area. It is just fast enough to cover vast distances, just slow enough to interact with the city-life, and not restricted to an air-conditioned and windowed box that prevents a lot of good observing. There aren’t reward trips or electronics to trade my Frequent Biker’s Miles in for, but collecting the miles is a reward itself.
Nate Stein is a recent college graduate and is now educating in Shanghai. Ride2Freedom wishes Nate the best of luck as he starts a new chapter on a new bike.
Beijing Fixed Gear Revolution II
Over the weekend of August 13-15, Beijing saw it’s second annual “Fixed Gear Revolution”. This event was held to highlight, and celebrate the fixed gear bicycle in China, with contestants and spectators coming from as far away as Shenzhen.
The event was compromised of several events, including an Alley Cat race, Bike Polo, and Gold Sprints. The first event to kick off the series was a 19km scratch race near the Olympic Park on Friday the 13th. The scratch race requires no prior knowledge of the cityscape, and only requires speed and stamina to complete 3 laps.The race was purposely held late at night after all the cars had gone to bed for the evening, where the fixed gears could roam unrestrained. A cool picture gallery of the event is available here.
The main draw of the Fixed Gear Revolution II was the ALLEYCAT race. By far this race had the most adrenaline pumping through all the contestants. The Alleycat is not only about speed and agility, but requires an intimate knowledge of the city, and her roads.
5 minutes prior to the start of the race, contestants are lined up facing their bicycles 20 meters away. The race management then distributes a small “manifesto” or map to all racers. On this map are 8 locations that the rider must receive stamps from. The locations are sprawled across the city in no certain order, and the riders can choose the order in which they acquire their stamps.
The first rider back with all stamps and in one piece wins. Furthermore, to receive the stamp, the rider must perform a simple task at the stamp station. For example one of the tasks was to balance a feather on your nose for 5 seconds.
The start of the race is commenced with all the riders sprinting across a parking lot to hop on their bikes, and head off in their respective directions. The field of contestants was roughly 75% Chinese to 25% Non Chinese.
"Fixed Gears For All!"
Riding in Beijing can be a challenge on a normal day. Throw in 60 blood thirsty fixed gear riders into the mix, and you have a lot of hell braking loose. Traffic laws are blatantly refused, pedestrians and drivers alike abused. The race planners strategically placed certain stops in the middle of pedestrian streets with little more than 6 feet of width. Wading through a throng of people shouting “Xiaoxin!” was sufficient to part the waters.
There was a full on documentary crew riding along with the bikes on mopeds, cameras filming. This film will show the full scale and insanity of the ride. Stay tuned for when that film becomes available.
Here is the route that was taken by myself
After two hours, and 22 miles, my part in the race came to a close. I consider myself very lucky to still be alive, and even more so to have come in 1st place. I owe most of this success to my partner during the race who was keeping my pace well above my comfort speed, and who was literally pushing my bike in 5 lanes of traffic as I had my head buried in the map looking for our next turnoff.
Check here for more photos of the ride
Misha my riding partner from the Czech Republic in the Yellow Hat. He won 1st place in the scratch race
Here is the route I took
View Fixed Gear Revolution II Alleycat in a larger map
After the riders limped past the finish line one by one, more events were getting ready to commence. Here are some shots of the bunny hop competition. Most of the riders competing were from Shenzhen.
Lots of locals come out to see the show
After the trick contest, the party then moved over to The Worker’s Stadium. JISU PK was setup ready for riders, along with ample seating, and a passable alcohol selection at the bar.
Due to the tragic landslides of the Gansu landslides earlier in the week, all entertainment including signing, cycling, and dancing were suspending for 24 hours by decree of the Communist government. So the night came to a close a little earlier than expected, but not soon enough to announce the prizes.
"Well Done Champino"
Shunyi Shennanigans
The American Dream meets the fringe of Beijing
The following is a guest post by a friend of Ride2Freedom Stella Jiang. This piece explores the problems, issues, and livelihoods at stake with Western style expansion, and consumption in China’s burgeoning upper class.
Stella writes
In a sub-district of Shunyi called Houshayu, a vast area of grandiose, western-inspired luxury villas have seemingly sprouted overnight. This is known, as the Beijing Central Villas District, an area stretching across thousands of square meters, fully inhabited by upper class Chinese and Westerners alike. Not only does the area attract wealthy clients, but also enterprises that flourish to cater to them.
Artisan cheese is just a short car ride away.
However, that is as far as the trickle-down effect goes, and as the villa areas expand, land is continuously being demanded from the surrounding villagers, forced to abandon their homes. Where dozens are employed as waiters, shop assistants, construction workers, drivers and maids, only a handful manage to establish a small business of sorts, and most become trapped in an economic cycle of dysfunction. Suddenly poor locals come face to face with such financial wealth and success observed only from a distance, and the prospects of earning such money seem but a quickly evaporating dream.
Local construction workers.
“I am old, what is the point?” Replies a 40 year-old illegal-taxi driver when I ask him if he has considered learning English, from an entrepreneurial perspective. He is one of many who feel like they have been left behind and abandoned by a nation vigorously pursuing the capitalist ideals. Capitalism, however, is not just an economic system, it is a social mentality, and as the former can be integrated on a superficial and materialistic level, the latter requires nurture and maturation on a deeper psychological level. Changing mentalities is often a slow process ridden with obstacles, and depending on how individuals view their identity, this process is either rigidified or facilitated. The Central Villas District in Beijing is a perfect example of a clash of identities between low-income villagers and high-income urban-escapees. Both groups are relatively isolated and come into contact only when their lifestyles overlap, when the Porsche driver gets a car wash from villagers, or when a villa owner hires a local maid…
Municipal sanitation workers.
Under such circumstances, stark cultural and financial contrasts entrench social differences.
Though in the light of economic development, resulting socio-cultural effects have been marginalized.
A nation’s development ought to be balanced, if not, the small cracks in the system may lead to greater ruptures in the long run. Social unrest looms and could potentially escalate into a self-reinforced and self-perpetuated crisis unless dealt with in the immediate future. Already, individual animosity towards society is increasing with perceived social injustice. In April of this year, a 47-year-old unemployed man armed with a knife stabbed 29 children aged 4 – 5 in a kindergarten in Taixing, and in August, three children were murdered in a kindergarten in Shandong province. “If the government doesn’t provide channels to allow those who feel they’ve been treated unfairly to be heard or fight for their rights, we’ll see more terrible and unfortunate cases like this.” Says Willy Lam, professor at the Chinese University in Hong Kong. The Beijing Central Villas District is only an example of extreme economic and social segregation, but the phenomenon is widespread throughout China. When asked how he feels about China’s rapid development, a door guard in his mid 50’s resplied “I worked hard to contribute and gave everything I had to this country, yet I have received nothing in return.”
Stella was born in Shandong, and attended high school in Shunyi . She is currently pursuing a degree in International Relations at Nottingham Trent University in the UK. Stella is working as a program assistant for Golden Bridges charity organization in Beijing for the summer.
…For a little context, Shunyi, along with Tongzhou have been designated by the Chinese government as spill over subdivisions to house the more than 20 million citizens living in Beijing. As mentioned before, acute problems such as over consumption, class disparity, and environmental degradation (including long commutes to the city) are all being played out on this battle ground.
Unfortunately, Shunyi is the primarily model being used across China’s numerous booming metropolises. Creating smart and sustainable urban living environments is one of China’s greatest challenges. The response is less than encouraging.
All photos in this post were taken on July 17th 2010 in the Houshayu area of Shunyi.
A Yosemite subdivision security guard.
The Most Expensive Building on the Block
Suburban Excess
"Hello Walter!"
Shopping center with very low occupancy inside.
The view from underneath the Airport Express.
Construction taking place along Jinmi road on the outskirts of Beijing.
Massive infrastructure project. Above ground high speed rail.
Massive infrastructure project. Above ground high speed rail.
Ride2Freedom Discovers Shangri-La
Shangri-La was never on the agenda for Ride2Freedom. The original plan was to navigate from Kunming to Chengdu over the course of 4 weeks crossing into Sichuan from Lugu Lake. Somewhere around Dali, the itinerary got shot to hell. As you find out when having fun, everything happens for a reason, and taking a short detour won’t kill anybody, or will it? While staying at the ultra comfortable “Dali Hump”, the in house music guru, and experienced traveler Tony claimed of a pristine stretch of road high in Tibetan country 4000 meters above sea level with landscapes that resembled the surface of Mars.
This would take us entirely off half of our planned route. We would still be able to make our final destination of Chengdu. And who can say no to Mars? This new course would take us into Western Sichuan, including Daocheng, and Litang, which at the time I only knew as nothing more than two smudges on the provincial map. Before we could reach this alien terrain however, we would need to make a stop off in Shangri-La.
The name Shangri-La is a misnomer and a clever marketing ploy by the city management to increase tourism, and play off the title of James Hilton’s 1933 novel “Lost Horizon”. Hilton never even set foot in Asia, much less Yunnan, and was letting his imagination roam wild while reading reports from Joseph Rock in National Geographic.
All of this is well known material, but to really explore Shangri-la and it’s surrounding area for what it is worth, you need to do some digging around. The opportunities, along with headaches, that accompany riding a bike through China’s undoubtedly most spectacular scenery is tough to beat from a standard tour bus. Screw tour guides.
The easiest way to get to Shangri-La is via bus from the starting point of Lijiang. The ride will cost approximately 60 RMB, and take a little over 5 hours depending on the urgency the driver places on the gas pedal. The Tiger Leaping Gorge lies tantalizingly close to G214, but you won’t see it on your bus ride. What you will see however are astonishing gorges, while water trickles down next to the road following gravity through dam, after dam. The area North of Lijiang in Yunnan is where the Tibetans start coming out of the wood work. Packed 20 deep into a medium sized van, the driver had to enhance this trippy experience by jamming out to some traditional Tibetan beats in the tape deck. Nothing like floating along at 3500 meters above sea level while listening to some Tibeto-Pop on flawless asphalt roads.
The final ascension to the plateau was a sigh of relief. Along the ride you become acquainted with death flashing before your eyes. But there is nothing to fear. The zen like nature of all the other locals riding in the “Death on wheels” has an odd calming effect, and if there had to be one way for me to leave this world, a fiery mountain bus crash wouldn’t sound so bad on the tombstone.
Aside from sparking our imaginations of Mars like terrain, we were given a recommendation on accommodations in Shangri-La. A young gentleman named Ray had opened up his own guest house in the old town and coined his cozy new quarters “Ray’s Joint”. Originally born in Xi’an, Ray was living a simple, yet fulfilling existence in Shangri-la. His pad functioned not only as a place for lodging, but also as a haven for Shangri-la’s burgeoning music scene. “Play a set and stay for free” was advertised on his card. I have no musical talent so I paid the full 30 RMB/night. You can contact Ray at southofclouds @ hotmail . com if you wish to book a bed.
Shangri-La attracts all sorts of eccentric characters from across the globe to work, live, and play in it’s pristine borders. One such personality had set up shop in Shangri-La 11 years earlier by the name of Kevin Skalsky, a Seattle native. Originally planting seeds in the area through educational work, over the years Kevin had mapped out extensive parts of the surrounding countryside through years and years of outdoor activity. With his unique knowledge, Kevin opened an outdoor/ adventure store in a small corner of the old town named The Oasis. An oasis it was, offering hot cups of coffee, and cold bottles of beer both for 5 rmb. Motorcycles could be rented for day outings for under 200 RMB. Camping and mountaineering gear of all sorts could be bought and rented. Hands down Kevin is the go to guy on anything and everything outdoors in Yunnan and Sichuan. This is in contrast to the shanzhai chop shops that litter the old town pushing fake goods out their doors. Go to the Oasis, and get the atmosphere for free.
When asked where was the best place to do an overnight bicycle expedition in Shangri-La, Kevin almost immediate replied “A Bu Ji Shan”. Not located on any official map, this mountain existed only in the minds of locals, and in Kevin’s map room. Taking a sheet of paper from a drawer, Kevin proceeded to sketch out a map from memory, free hand.
The route would take us south 20 kilometers outside of Shangri-La along State road 214. The scant land marks we had to work with were a series of bridges, and a white stupa. Upon crossing the 4th bridge we were instructed to turn left off the main road. This bridge was significant in the fact that a moderately sized monastery could be seen precisely while standing on the bridge. If you go too far, or not far enough the golden shine of the monastery would elude you. Pedaling at a brisk pace, the initial turn off should only take about 3 hours to arrive at. Carrying gear and supplies slows you down considerably, but the good news is that the main highway was relatively even.
When initially planning this bike ride, high altitude bike riding wasn’t in the itinerary. Hot summer shorts, and a light rain jacket were the warmest clothes we had. Nighttime in Shangri-La sees temperatures drop dramatically. What was a blistering hot day soon turns into a huddle around the hearth at night. If we decided to do any sort of camping, we needed insulation. This included pants, and a light down jacket. Kevin was also helpful in this respect. He had a bargain bin of waterproof pants. I picked up a sturdy pair for 40RMB. Forest fashion never looked so good. He also dug up a light down jacket that he lent to us for a few days.
Once off the main road, the trail turned rocky, and muddy. The perfect conditions to test your newly purchased Giant mountain bike as your panniers buckle under the abrasive jolts of hitting a large rock at 30kmp. The roars, and honks of the obnoxious, and toxic DongFeng construction trucks faded into the distance as we made our way further inland. The only indication that we were heading in the right direction was a craggy peak that could barely be seen far, far away to the Northeast. This was A Bu Ji Shan.
The gradient of the dirt road turned steep, and was unrelenting. So steep, and so rocky that we resorted to pushing our bikes forward, giving our calves, and quads some time to recover. Save for a few hand trucks driven by local Tibetan farmers passing by every now and then, we were totally isolated. Before leaving Shangri-La we visited a thinly stocked supermarket to load up on supplies. Meat sticks, quail eggs, 2 large bottles of water per person, and potato chips were placed into a cardboard box and strapped on to the back of the bike. Four tsingtao beers were also purchased for later that night, when our minds became restless and our taste buds thirsty.
The trail was cluttered with roaming yaks. You could see their hulking bodies from a good distance, while they stood in the road staring at you blankly while you barreled towards them. Only with a few meters until impact would they abruptly scatter away. Aside from the yaks, a few local Tibetans could be seen taking leisurely strolls through the accompanying mountain side.
While we weren’t sufficiently prepared for warm clothing before coming to Shangri-La, we were well prepared for camping. A Coleman tent, and a synthetic down sleeping bag picked up in the states would serve us well on this trip. Camping spots were plentiful in this tucked away part of Shangri-La. The only noises we could hear were from the roaming black haired pigs, and a steady stream that flowed adjacent to our camp site. A small black stain of ash had indicated that this place saw its fair share of campers.
With the sun setting, and the craggy mountain peering down at us from it’s sturdy seat, we built the tent. A fire was soon raging, and the mosquitoes were kept at bay. Firewood was not an issue here since all sorts of dead and beaten branches littered the surrounding areas. When the snow melt came rushing down the mountain, it had picked up languishing trees and pushed them farther down the valley. Now they lay in purgatory waiting to be burned to dust.
As we awoke, the clear, brisk day from before had now turned into a cool, and damp morning. The top of the mountain was shrouded in mist. The mountain did not yet want to wake up yet, and neither did we. We spent the morning peeking out our tent flap as a herd of pigs nosed around our food supply. Ugly creatures they were, with coarse black hair sparsely sprouting forth from their shriveled skin. I’ve never seen a pig in the wild before, and they were both athletic and energetic. It was the first time I had ever seen a piglet gallop at full speed before. All 4 legs flailing in different directions at the same time. Cute, and frightening at the same time.
After a few hours of the sun showering the atmosphere with rays, the air finally cleared. We had heard from Kevin about a beautiful lake that his sons had explored years earlier that lay along the base of the mountain an hour and a half away by foot. After breaking down our camp site and cleaning up, we pushed forward. Our food supply was running low, along with our water. The trail seemed to dissipate, and break off into multiple directions. Looking at our watch we figured we did not have enough time to make it to the base of the mountain or the lake. The lush forest below our vantage point and along the banks of the multiple streams would serve us well for hiking in our allotted time.
After a short stint in the woods, meandering around, a quick lunch was eaten. What had been hell the day before clambering up the mountain, was now seen as heaven. A serious decline all the way back to the main highway would test our bikes and our guts, as rocks, dust, and yaks where shredded. What took us three hours to ascend the day before only took 45 minutes to scream downhill.
The rough and tumble road was an adrenaline rush to ride down. Rocks, and potholes kept every sense on high alert. The repetitive jostling of the handle bars had a numbing effect on the hands. I would have to shake them every now and then to get blood rushing back into them.
The scenery flew by us on our way down the path, and before we knew it we had arrived at the main highway. The sun was high over head, and we had a clear shot on back to Shangri-La. One more obstacle had to be over come before the Ride2Freedom crew could call it a successful expedition. BEES!
Bee farming is a staple all throughout Yunnan, but due to China’s lack of tort laws, liability is a tough thing to prosecute. So without regard to passer-byers, large bee farms are set up on the side of the road with boxes of bees buzzing noisily overhead. A pleasant ride would immediately turn into a mad dash throw a thick dark cloud of swarming bees. Heaven forbid someone has an allergy to bee stings, and finds themselves swelling and unable to breathe, as they lay crippled on the side of the road. But those are what if’s and after another 3 hours we found ourselves in the relative safety and comfort of Kevin’s Oasis with time to spare for dinner. We had a lovely dinner of yak meat along with fellow travelers, Kevin’s two sons, and his wife. Ray stayed at Ray’s Joint.
Spontaneous Combustion in Beijing
The past couple of days have seen a sweltering heat wave roll through Beijing. Air conditioners city wide have been turned to full blast as wary pedestrians finally make it back to the relative safety of the indoors. The dead air of summer causes nerves to fry, and you can feel the hot friction of cars, people, bikes and carts, as everyone pushes their way forward through traffic, and on to work.
The official temperatures released by the government haven’t cracked 39 degrees, yet through an egg on the pavement, and you get a flash fry. 43 degrees? 44 degrees Celsius? These numbers where reported by Accuweather at the exact same time in Beijing as the official temperatures. There is speculation behind why the government would fudge the numbers. One theory is that thermometers are placed near bodies of water in parks where the air is cooler. One theory lies behind labor laws in Beijing. If the temperature rises above certain levels, in this case 40 degrees Celsius, then outdoor manual labor ceases for the time being.
Even if the numbers may be a little funny on the official thermometer, sometimes tangible events can sum up an idea floating right in front of your nose.
At around 8:30 a.m. Beijing time, Tuesday July 6th, a city bus spontaneously burst into flames 50 meters south of the Huawei Qiao bridge in Chaoyang District of Beijing outside the United Nations tower. An eyewitness guessed that the fire may have started with the engine
For a spectacular slide show of the bus in flames check out this QQ news link here.
Beijing traffic can be dangerous at times. Crossing the street takes on a new meaning when trying to navigate a 20 lane intersection. All the while loud obnoxious sirens blare from government Audi’s on their way to important meetings, or just on a power trip.
On top of normal traffic perils, flaming buses add to the paranoia of death by 4 wheels. Bus fires are not uncommon in China. In June of last month in the Southwestern city of Chengdu, a bus was burnt to a crisp while many lives were lost in the tragedy. The link of this incident with graphic photos and videos can be found at ChinaSmack.
This was an all too real threat: Engine combustion on the Southwest Bike tour. Riding throughout Yunnan, and Sichuan in long distance buses, at every stop possible, the driver would refill the radiator with water. Especially in water rich areas such as Northern Yunnan and Western Sichuan, hoses would line the road with unabated water flow.
Flaming buses and steaming brake pads are just some of the sights you can see while on the road in Beijing and abroad. With Beijing’s low water table, it isn’t as easy to keep that radiator nice and full. Ride2Freedom fully supports riding your bike to work rather than the bus, even if it is 43 degrees Celsius outside. July 5th saw a reading of 109 degrees Fahrenheit for the high of the day. I’ll take my chances with heat stroke.
Setting out in the early afternoon on June 16h, Ride2Freedom said goodbye to Daocheng and the lovely people at Here Cafe. The next three days would be spent covering rugged, uninhabited terrain above 4000 meters.
We were tipped off in Dali, Yunnan that there was a section of road that resembled the surface of Mars in deep Tibetan country. The road in question was State Road 217. This served as a main artery linking Sichuan to both Tibet, and Yunnan, and also functioned as a backdoor entrance for tourists making long road trips to Lhasa. Large construction vehicles disappeared as Toyota SUV’s (preferred vehicle of the Chinese military) and 150cc motorcycles with bands of robed Tibetans on board raced through the range.
Three days of hard riding brought us 150 kilometers to the next town on the map. A decrepit city, Litang was infested with stray dogs, covered in trash, and plagued with failing infrastructure. After just being surrounded by pristine nature, the noisy confines of this post-apocalyptic town provided a stark contrast, and a desire to be somewhere else started creeping in.
Sparing no time, we secured passage to the next city, Kangding. Since the public bus station refused to take on our bicycles we resorted to the private sector. Laying in wait outside of the bus station were local Tibetans who for their livelihood ferried passengers, mostly local farmers to and fro over large mountain passes.
In a matter of 9 hours, and 3 van switches, the Ride2Freedom team safely entered a drizzling Kangding. Kangding was a welcome change of pace to the previous couple of days. The city, with a size-able population of 100,000 was squeezed in between three misty mountains with a gushing river running through the center of town. Mostly Han, the city still incorporated a strong Tibetan influence.
However our trip still had one more stretch to overcome. This would prove to be the easiest and most comfortable portion of our trip. At the bus station the drivers were very accommodating with our bicycles, and we were even able to enjoy in bus entertainment of Jackie Chan and Stephen Chow. Regrettably, the first 150 kilometers out of Kangding were entirely downhill. If this were known, the bus ride would have waited, and a cruise down green, craggy mountains, and windy rivers could have been experienced. But as is life, we arrived in Chengdu triumphant, doing a victory lap to our lodgings.
Chengdu was everything that memory served it be. Full of spicy food, attractive women, and a relaxed pace of living that automatically slows down your heart beat.
And so the adventure came to a close, and on June 24th at 9 p.m. Elaine Yang, and Anthony Paglino boarded flight CA1426 en route to Beijing.
As far as benchmarks are concerned, not every one of our goals were met, but the lessons learned are valuable, and will serve a purpose on future endeavors both to the team members, and hopefully to readers who will visit this website in the future as more material is posted from the ride.
Over 2000 photographs and videos were taken throughout the ride, along with a detailed travelogue. One of the goals of Ride2Freedom is to provide accurate and helpful information to parties interested in traveling through China’s Southwest, or to those just interested in China in general.
To hold your interest for now, enjoy some of the pictures taken on the way from Daocheng to Chengdu.
Stay tuned for more stories from the road as they roll off the press…
Thanks for the support of family and friends of Ride2Freedom
- Anthony Paglino
Ride2Freedom is now on our 18th day of travel. In the past 10 days we have travelled by bike and bus stretching from Lijiang, to Shangri-La, finally winding up in a small crossroads town called Daocheng.The mountain scenery is breathtaking with rolling valleys, cut off by imposing mountain peaks far off in the distance. The Han majority is an small presence in this minority dominated land. Naxi, Bai, and Tibetans are the bulk of the population, and standard mandarin is just an afterthought.
The village of Xizhou was kind to us. Ride2Freedom caught a glimpse of the local Bai culture by witnessing one day of the three day Raosanlin festival. The festival is a chance for the local people to make pilgrimage to the three temples in the area to worship their patron saints. Xizhou is also the best place to take a dip in the large Erhai Lake. The place offered a nice respite with a plethora of plant life, and a sweeping view of the mountains across the lake.
Resting on the banks of Erhai Lake
From Xizhou, the next stop on our tour was Lijiang, an ancient city which used to be the seat of the Naxi Kingdom up until the Communist take over in 1949. While Lijiang functioned as mostly a tourist trap for well to do Chengdu residents, this was our launching point for visiting our first school, the Nine Rivers Village Middle school which was located a days ride from Lijiang.
Temple over looking a large river valley on the way from Lijiang
We were welcomed with open arms to the middle school, and our first presentation was given to an English class with roughly 50 students, all attentive, and happy to participate. Outside the classroom a quick introduction was made on long distance bike travel, along with some anecdotes from our experience.
Showing the kids the hunting knife.
Group Picture with students from the Nine Rivers Middle School
Once North of Lijiang the terrain takes a steep turn up, with altitudes reaching over 3000 meters. From Nine Rivers we hailed a bus which would take us to the next stop on our ride, Shangri-La, or on the map Zhongdian. The name is a moniker in itself and is primarily used to attract tourists and play off the name of James Hilton’s 1933 novel “Lost Horizon”. The marketing ploy is working, and Zhongdian is a thriving tourist hotspot, with an energetic Tibetan population. With a tip from Old Shangri-La Hand Kevin Skalsky we took an overnight trip to a stunning mountain A Bu ji Shan 20 kilometers out of town. Once off the highway, the trail turned into a bumpy mash of rocks, dust, and roaming herds of pigs and yaks.
Off roading on our way to the base of A Bu Ji Shan
Shangri-La was a lovely town, and a great place to start a trek into Northern Yunnan, or Western Sichuan. The next leg of our trip took us up even higher into the edge of the Himilayan plateau. The bus from Shangri-la to Daocheng was a 12 hour ordeal taking us up snaking rides that lined mountain sides, with no lane dividers, and often times no pavement. A large portion of the road (on the Sichuan side) was actually being paved as we rode along it. Construction vehicles squeezed and somehow defied physics as two vehicles passed each other on a road whose width looked as if it could only manage one.
The city Daocheng is located at a wheeze inducing 3,900 meters above sea level. This 4th tier town mainly functions as a stop-over for tourists and backpackers heading to the Yading Nature preserve which is a 3 hour drive south of the town. While the city itself is lack luster, the surrounding area is full of small streams, boulder laiden valleys, and pastures where Tibetan herders tend to their yaks and pigs. A few kilometers to the East of town lay an 800 year old Tibetan temple named Xiong Deng Si. The temple is under goping massive renovations.
A family of Tibetan herders watches over their flock
The next leg of our trip will take us 120 kilometers North to a another small cross-roads town called Litang. The road which has been rumoured to resemble the landscape of Mars will take 3 days to navigate by bike. The altitude and mountain ranges will be tough obstacles, but Ride2Freedom is looking forward to the physical challenge.
Expect more posts, pics, videos, audio, and outrageous tales from China’s hinterland in the coming weeks and months.
Ride2Freedom is on the road! Sights, sounds, and surly bus drivers abound! The first leg of the trip, Kunming-Dali was a success, and we are on schedule to make our final destination. The scenery has been dominated by rice terraces, misty mountain sides, and unfortunately truck exhaust (cough cough !!) along with copious amounts of aneurysm inducing honking.
The collective Ride2Freedom team is in good health, and banging on all cylinders. The next part of our ride will take us up to a small town outside of Dali called Xizhou, where we will make a visit to the Linden Centre along with experiencing an ethnic Bai festival. After wards, it is a straight 140km shot through a beautiful valley all the way to Lijiang. Outside of Lijiang we will make our first scheduled school visit!
The ride is taking an unexpected, yet extremely exciting detour to Shangri-La. This is only a moniker yet the real place is called Zhongdian located a little over 100km Northwest of Lijiang.
While our posts may be limited since we are currently on the road, expect more full, detailed reports to come after we can process all the amazing experiences and pictures from the relative safety of Beijing. For now though, some shots from the trip.
Our bicycles packed up in boxes courtesy of George and Bicycle Kingdom
Getting Gear together at PEK
View from our Kunming lodgings. Mountains to the West.
The bike all packed up. 2 panniers, tent, sleeping bag, and one front pouch.
Ride out of Kunming turned into escape from Kunming. Plumes of exhaust are always a constant impediment.
Our first pitcuresque view, which happened 65km outside Kunming.
Mountain riding looks more difficult than it sounds.
Country Road 320 was constantly disappearing on us. Lots of gravel.
Excavations for raw resources are a constant site on the route.
Face to Face with nature. Asian Water Buffalo.
Getting lost in corn fields outside of Dali.
Amazing plantations up close and personal.
On the banks of Erhai Lake.
One large component of Ride2Freedom’s trek across Southwest China is to engage, and educate those who lack the means and access to current, up to date, and factual information on the state of China’s environmental affairs. The focus of this education falls on the rural youth in Yunnan, and Sichuan. By connecting with kids at a young age, and explaining and communicating the importance of proper environmental stewardship, we feel that we can train an inspire a new generation of Chinese.
Peace!
Ride2Freedom holds the belief that education, and grassroots level interaction is the most powerful tool in developing solutions to the dizzying array of environmental problems currently plaguing many parts of China. To develop a fun, interactive, and informative presentation, we have gone to the experts in environmental education in China , Friends of Nature. The kind and knowledgeable staff at FON have been working hand in hand with Ride2Freedom to bring geographically specific lessons to rural schools children in Yunnan and Sichuan.
Ride2Freedom is pleased to announce that another school has signed on to participate in our environmental education initiative. The Nine Rivers Middle School is located outside of Lijiang Yunnan and has 3 grades.
For a heart touching story on the reality of rural education, check out Zhang Yimou’s “Not One Less“. The story tells of a young girl who is sent to a poor rural school where she must keep all of her students enrolled for 30 days in order to receive her full pay. While this movie was made in 1999, the issues that this movie explores are still relevant today, 11 years later.
* Want to see Ride2Freedom succeed? Visit our contribution page and see how you can help. We are currently seeking monetary donations in order to purchase environmentally oriented teaching supplies to give out to rural students. The sheer remoteness of the student’s location makes receiving this kind aid all the more meaningful. Internet is limited, along with basic school supplies such as pens and paper.
Ride2Freedom wants to create tangible links between China, and the rest of the word. With any donation of $10 or more, Ride2Freedom will send you a personalized postcard from the road, writing about our travails and travels. Act now. Ride2Freedom sets off in less than 10 days.
Ride2Freedom Pays a Visit to Tongzhou
Located 15 kilometers East of Beijing’s Central Business District, sprouts one of China’s latest economic experiments in creating new cities whole-sale. The modest village of Tongzhou is about to become a hub of economic activity, since being a focal point of the Chinese Government’s 4 point comprehensive urban plan to make Beijing suitable for a population of 22 million people. As the Global Times reports it, the function of Tongzhou is to act as “a regional center town that is able to soak up some of the functions of the congested city center.”
Here is a news report of what Tongzhou is expected to look like upon completion. Wait for awesome 3-D animation of what the future city is projected to look like.
Note* Sampans don’t exist in Beijing… yet.
The city will be divided into cultural and commercial zones, putting focus on foot traffic. It was explicitly explained that the majority of new buildings would restrict any residential housing.
Since the dumping of a massive economic stimulus plan in 2008 in response to the Global Depression, many state banks have been flush with cash, lending out money with low interest along with lax eligibility requirements. With strict laws on capital outflows of the country, wealthy citizens look to real estate as the most profitable and safe option. As a result, money has been pouring into Beijing’s real estate market, pushing up prices, and stoking fears of a property bubble. Apartment sales were up 40 percent year on year in Beijing at the beginning of 2010. For a good overview of the current real estate situation in China, read this article from Foreign Policy
With all these factors in mind, and as a constant presence in the news, the suburb of Tongzhou has been on Ride2Freedom’s radar for the past few months. But most of the reports coming out of Tongzhou has been from a macro- view point. The great thing about a bicycle is the ability to see a place, and the people from a personal level. Interacting, and observing from a saddle provides a clearer window, something that would be missed from driving by in a car, or as part of an organized tour ( Ride2Freedom knows of no organized tours going to Tongzhou). In this post, we aim to give insight, and an on-the-ground viewpoint with a lot of pictures, and background information as our expertise allows.
The Map and the Ride
View Beijing to Tongzhou 5/15/2010 in a larger map
Expat Epicenter of Beijing- Guomao. Starting point for Ride2Freedom
Chaoyang Joy City. The latest result of an over heated real estate market.
The farthest East previously traveled is this brand new mall. The Chaoyang Joy city is 11 Storeys tall, and unapologetic in magnitude. This entertainment and shopping playground was operating at 10% capacity when visited 2 weeks prior. The mall marks the Eastern part of urban expansion in Beijing. just a few meters East lay the Fifth Ring Road, beyond which is unknown territory- Rural Zoning!
Mickey Mouse Mattress
In rural China, rules and regulations sink into oblivion, and personal discretion is applied. This man needed to transport an object, a Minnie the Mouse mattress from A-B. The shortest route possible was the two lane highway.
Bridge to Tongzhou
Bridge Architecture
This canal is central to Tongzhou’s development. The canal will has both tangible and intangible qualities as a water source, and potential as a natural park. For more reading on China’s current water crisis situation see this Ride2Freedom post. During a rest, we took the time to go to the water’s edge, enjoy a snack, and take first hand look at the quality of the shore, and water.
Gas Station/Bridge Combo
At the water's edge
The bridge was located right next to a gas station on the northern edge of town. As we munched down some biscuits, a man walked down with a large, worn and torn, tea kettle. We incredulously looked at the man is if he were going to consume the water in the river. We asked him “You aren’t going to drink that are you?”. He then explained that it was used to cool off cars.
The canal's water still has a function. Cooling down radiators. No sighting of Sampans.
Riding into the Northern Fringes of the city, we get our first glimpse at the transformation. Partially constructed high rises lined the avenue, as migrant workers sulked under the sun.
Like most large scale urban renewal projects in China , the new city is tangential to the old city, basically taking over previously unused land, and starting over fresh. For a prime example of city relocation in China, check out the city with China’s 2nd highest per capita GDP, Ordos. The reason for this may have to do with the fact that the city basically has no residents.
Riding by these newly built apartment complexes, you get an idea of the occupancy rates of these buildings. Most of the rooms are owned on paper, but sit dormant as an investment, not even being rented out.
This scenario does pose problems, and prompted the National government to enact strict rules. The effect of this can already be felt with home prices in Tongzhou falling on average 13% in April. An unstable and falling real-estate market could have a domino effect, resembling the US housing market collapse. Predicting what will happen in China is like looking into one of it’s polluted rivers- cloudy. No on is certain, not even the government on how things will play out. But what we can expect is an exciting, intriguing, and human centered spectacle to play out.
Multi-storey Apartment buildings line the canal
Real estate in China is one of the most powerful tools local officials have for propping up GDP targets. A large number of homes purchased in China are second, third, or even fourth homes. Housing, aside from being a somewhat safe repository for investment, also represents economic security in Chinese culture. There have even been some rumors that the rise in housing prices is partially due to Mother-in-laws. The theory goes that to be a suitable man for marriage, owning a house is the most important qualification to have the daughter’s hand in marriage. While this may be anecdotal, the mind set in Chinese society definitely has an impact on the real estate market, and consumption in general for that matter.
Beijing has applied pressure to the speculation brakes by adopting stricter measures across the board, especially to people who already own multiple homes. One known tactic is for wealthy people with government connections, to secure low income housing, piling up multiple homes in the process. For one scandalous example of this practice, and it’s effect on society, check out this ChinaSmack post (website blocked in China).
After riding through the newest phase of Tongzhou, we end in the current city center. A lively and vibrant place when contrasted to the deserted and war-zone-esque construction site to the North.
- Bustling Tongzhou.
All sense of a logical traffic intersection break down
Constant construction in China permeates the senses at all times. Riding through Tongzhou felt like riding through a war-zone. Piles of rubble that used to be buildings lay like an ant pile just recently stomped. Large buildings lay gutted with only hollow floors, and broken windows to show a failed business attempt.
Building no more
Hydrating with a warm swig of tea.
One of the troubling aspects of construction in China, is the cycle of construction, demolition, and construction that is characteristic of China’s building addiction. The quality of buildings vary, but the majority can’t stand the test of time. Brand new buildings in Beijing look worn, and aged. Aside from poor quality construction, the elements, and toxic air pollutants erode and corrode the buildings facade.
In China, with development comes relocation. This is where a developer or government agency buys out the land from the individual, sometimes at a favorable price. Other times when compensation is too low, and homeowners resist, the result is an attempted, and often times unsuccessful forced evictions. Forced evictions are a point of resentment in Chinese society, and bring out desperate reactions from people facing forced evictions. Recently, extreme cases of resistance have shown up in cities, and villages around China.
China’s Real Estate frenzy and How it Relates to Ride2Freedom
One of the goals of Ride2Freedom is to educate Chinese people on environmental issues, and how the bicycle can play a positive role in alleviating the burdens of car ownership. One of the problems we constantly run up against, is age old thinking about what norms should be in China. The prevailing thought today is, to have face you need to drive a car. To be marriage worthy, you need to own a house. This idea of face most closely ties into the the notion of “Keeping up with the Jones’.” in the US. While there are other facets to the idea of Face, the one most driving consumption directly deals with this aspect of not wanting to fall behind. Read this interesting story from David Feng on the reasons behind purchasing cars in Beijing. Concepts of environmental responsibility, and conservation are still catching on, even in strongholds of modernity in China such as Beijing.
But China does have an early adopter attitude. If something is perceived as trendy, or innovative, or unique, many younger people are eager to accept and imitate. While taking a ride to a suburb of Beijing may not be significant in itself, it does plant a seed in people, exposing them to alternative thinking, something outside the party approved line that actually makes sense.
This guy has the right idea
Seeing two Foriegners on a bike was the last thing these old timers expected to see.
While government policy plays an integral part in solving many problems, a large part of what is missing is individual initiative. Ride2Freedom believes in creating solutions from the ground up, rather than edicts from the bottom down. Interacting with common Chinese folk that we meet on our rides is a small step in the right direction, breaking previously held stereo types on both sides of the interaction. That includes us!
Until Next Time Tongzhou!
Tongzhou Expressway. Next stop, Beijing
Greetings From Ride2Freedom. At the Dog Park on the way Home.
Note* Ride2Freedom is barely 2 months old as a website, and a little older as a concept and dream. We hope to act as a resource for both cyclists, China enthusiasts, and environmentally inclined individuals, providing useful on the ground info, along with facts, multi-media, and commentary about today’s most exciting and interesting place, China! We will be setting off on a long distance ride for charity in less than 2 weeks time. Visit these links for more information about our planned route, and goals . We value and appreciate feedback and comments, so leave your thoughts down below. If you found this post interesting, pass it along to friends and family.
