Day 2. Monday May 16.

Yanqing to Zhangjiakou(China)

Distance:  129 km

Cumulative Distance: 208 km

Time: 6 hrs 43 min

Speed:  19.1 km/hr

Feet Climbed:  2437

Cumulative Climb: 4247 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 113 bpm

Punctures: 0

Altitude tonight: 2425 ft ASL.  (Beijing at 240 ft ASL)

Not a very scenic day. It was the type of day I had expected for yesterday - trying to shake off the industrial and built-up shackles of a major city like Beijing and then get to the more scenic part today. Things just came in reverse. Is ait an mac an saol.

Breakfast at 6am after loading all the luggage, preparing the bikes and vacating the rooms. It wasn't the traditional Full Irish, it wasn't what we call a quick breakfast. But it was adequate and consumed by each and everyone - all part of the adventure.

The wide streets of Yanqing were still deserted as we hit out with the still rising sun. At the edge of the city (population over a million) we passed down the narrow lanes; these were busier. There was bright sunshine but a certain chill in the air; I wore a jacket for the first few km. When the city turned to country it was like one of those long vista roads in France.

Stretches of water were visible on either side; there is a lake nearby but also a number of old gravel pits flooded. Men could be seen out angling on the banks on this fresh morning beneath the craggy mountains to the north of our route.

After just 7 km on these quiet roads we came on the impressive building of the World Potato Congress with a sculpture of ’Sammy Spud’ out front. Must be an important crop in these regions. I did see squads of workers winding themselves up to get stuck in for the day, but I couldn't see what crop they were working on. And didn't see anything resembling potatoes for the rest of the day.

After just 18 km we (Rob and I) merged onto a very busy road. Heavy trucks were travelling in both directions and at this stage I donned the smog-mask again. I wore it for the rest of the day and didn't regret it a bit. It was a wide road and trucks did bip the horn behind when they were still a bit off. Fumes weren't too bad on the flat (most of the time) but did increase when we came to the early climb at 63 km, a 5 km pull at 5% for 5 km. And petrol stations along this stretch were on a grand scale, vast forecourts and canopies.

There was relief when the crest finally appeared beneath a motorway overpass. Once over the top it was tally-ho to lose all those feet gained with such effort.

 Along our side of the road, we had the company of so many other vehicles, two, three and for wheeled ones. The electric bikes and scooters are so silent that a mirror is a must in order to keep aware of them. Those dingy little scooters are all over the place, sometimes with two adults on board. Some other of our comrades were serious work machines, even those in the trailer were sternly serious.

After 40 km we stopped in Gongyuan to view the market that was just getting into the swing of business.....it was still just 8 am.  Clothing and food were the main merchandise and stalls had blaring loudspeakers bawling out their wares. We were also just at the right position to join in with the pre/post wedding photos of the bride and groom. 

At this stage we still cycled on level ground with the mountains on our right and a vast plain (plain of Beijing) beneath us on the right. There was just a small amount of cultivated between us and the mountains with some remnants of previous occupation.

Trucks still piled past us in both directions, this is on the main route up to far-off Mongolia.

Our lunch stop (at 10.30??) was off the road in a quiet spot but we located it easily from the detailed directions given. A welcome stop.

Just away from the lunch-stop we rejoined the main thoroughfare in a town apparently in the course of construction - new blocks of houses not occupied yet, vast earth-works in progress and the aftermath of a hotel-opening. (We had heard the sounds of fireworks earlier during lunch; the hotel-opening explained it.

And now it was time for the second climb of the day. But this one was on a quiet side road (surface was of second quality also). Most of today's roads were of excellent quality - recently 4- lane highways. But our route purposely selected small side roads to link up with the good roads. We crossed under and over the same Highways a number of times in the course of the day. This second ’climb’ snaked away in the distance ahead and then descended through a few scattered tiny villages.

Terraced fields were cultivated and the road verge even was recently planted. Shepherds led their flocks to better pastures. It was at this stage that Rob and I got separated  do and I rode solo for the remaining 40 km. 

Some industrial buildings were in a state of near-completion and needed the touch of experts to give them the finishing touch. Must be a shortage of such experts in the region. An opportunity!

Xianhua appeared in the distance - a vast industrial city with a historical landmark in the centre. Everyone had a dilemma here as the flagging tape didn't exactly agree with our notes. But, sensibly, at a major intersection dominated by a large bank building we went according to the tape....put out just a few hours ahead of us.

Xianhua is proud of its magnificent gate...one of the four largest glares in China. It was a gate in one of the protective walls. What we call The Great Wall is in fact a series of disjoint walls made from different materials at different times, damaged, breached, repaired and ultimately abandoned. One guide book I read said ’it’ could in fact be called The Sprawling Dilapidated Half Walls of China. But the tourist wouldn't like that and what the tourist sees today are reconstructed parts. Also it's a myth that it can be seen from space. I found it impossible to locate it unaided on Google maps.

From the large city of Xuanhua (in 2007 the USA had 9 cities over 1 million but China had 49....and most of them we've never heard of) it was a swing right along a very wide long soul-destroying drag all the way to Zhangjiakou. At each break in the intersection between the main carriageway and the cycle/motorcycle lane stalls were set up offering all items dealing with the car - Mars, seat covers, CD and DVD, window washer etc. But most seemed idle.

For those in the throes of building houses at home  and nearing completion at present, I came on the right spot for discreet garden ornaments. And the Chinese love their lions. If interested, I can get a brochure and act as agent for the transaction !!!

Just 15 km short of Zhangjiakou were two enormous power stations. From what I saw, I think one was coal (lots of open-cast coal mining around Xuanhua) and the other probably nuclear. Both occupied the road for well over a kilometre.

So, just after 2.30 I hit the start of Zhangjiakou and to aid performance I drafted for a while behind one of these scooters. This is another million plus city with all international outlets. Later this evening I did a bit of shopping for Rest Day tomorrow in a well-known store.

Better enjoy this hotel for the two days. Our days in hotels will soon come to an end; then it won't be 3,4 or 5-star ones but all-the-stars-in-heaven ones. 

It was a day of getting from A to B. The last 25 km was a drag. But, that’s all part of this adventure.

 Judging just from today and behaviour in traffic, it's all a matter of live and let live. Trucks kindly announce their approach, cycle and scooter traffic travel in both directions along the same lane but all keep their own line, sometimes those approaching pass to your left and sometimes to your right. At intersections (with lights) one with green lights just has to keep going, the other will accommodate then. I just came across one impatient driver today, nothing serious but just out of character with his countrymen/women.

But a satisfying day nevertheless.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.