Day 3 /54. Wednesday. May 18.

Zhangjiakou to Zhangbei(China)

Distance:  60 km

Cumulative Distance: 268 km

Time: 4 hrs 02 min

Speed:  15 km/hr

Feet Climbed:  2415

Cumulative Climb: 6662 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 111 bpm

Punctures: 0

Altitude tonight: 4674 ft ASL.

Good to be back in the saddle again. With today's distance shorter than usual, departure was a little later and accordingly we encountered heavier morning traffic as we rode through the centre of the city. In the very centre a large busy roundabout beneath a flyover stood in our way but we negotiated this inconvenience like locals.

Once we crossed the river (Tongqiao) after 8 km and turned right upstream all got much quieter. A cool red bridge had been mentioned to us as a landmark - couldn't miss that one.

Our route today is our last in Hebei province (it wraps around Greater Beijing and Tianjin) which has a population of 65 million. It's generally regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilisation and has 2000 km of the Great Wall among its many tourist sites.

Rob, Bruno and I (with a few others) pulled off to view the Dajingnen Gate, one of the more revered gates of the Wall. The gate itself is the real deal and the area inside (old city) is being restored for the tourist trade. There also stands a sample of how parts of the Wall were constructed, a long 20 ft high mound (esker-like) of hardened earth. This was the practice at the western end of the wall (non-tourist). The eastern section was more like the Wall as we know it today, blocks bound together with (believe it or not) sticky rice. And the Wall was never constituted part of the border of China.

On the plaza in front of the gate crowds (mostly women) were doing their tai-chai at a few different locations to the accompaniment of appropriate music supplied by the leaders. They were just finishing as we arrived, too late to join in.

I did meet up with a buddy (bodyguard) there. We struck a deal. I have VHI MultiTrip and I have him. Anyone who messes with me out here, messes with him. 

As we proceeded out along the banks of the river, plots devoted to nursery and market gardening were strung along the roadside. Human and animal power were in evidence in many places. Glasshouse shells each with its own square pump house were ready to be planted. Hundreds of these along this section.

A little further on conventional polythene half-tunnels housed acres and acres of red and green pepper plants at the early stages.

A not so natural (fake) tree arched across the road while still in the valley marking the entry to an Area of Scenic Beauty. It reminded me of the entrance to the Great Ocean Road in Victoria (Aus). Then signs pointed the way ahead to the skiing area that will be the heart of the 2022 Winter Olympics events. But our route veered off to the left at this point (16 km) and we prepared mentally for a 23 km climb on rough road (as promised). It didn't turn out just like that. It was 15 km of a 2 or 3% gradient on broken pavement and then 8 km of hell. More about that later.

Along this easier stretch were quarries (limestone by the looks of it) and workshops busy at the production of slabs and tiling. Just after one such quarry, the village ahead had its market in full swing, vegetable, meat and clothing.

Behind one stall I spied a rather unique ’electric’ kettle on its perch receiving its heat from the focused rays of the sun. Could that catch on at home?

Temperatures were climbing into the high 20’s by now and ice cream sounded like a good idea. In the local shop the fridge was full of all types at 2 yuan (0.28c).Herself and friends enjoyed the strangers in town and posed formally and informally for the camera.

She insisted that I photograph her dog also. He sends his woof-woof regards to Ted.

 But all our hilarity with the ice-cream and photos did little to distract the men of the local Bridge Club.

Shortly after this stop, the condition of the road dropped a notch as it crossed over a bone dry river bed. Northern China has a chronic water shortage. Canals (South to North Diversion Project) are being dug to send water up from the south. The Yellow River (fourth longest in the world) ’flows’ through some the north but failed to reach the sea in 18 of the last 25 years due to over-exploitation for irrigation and industry. It's reported that the water table here is dropping at 7 feet per year.

Now the agony was about to begin and last for the next 8 m km to lunch stop at the crest. All signs of asphalt disappeared; trucks coming down from gravel pits further uphill caused a stir and a cloud of choking dust. Any attempt to rise out of the saddle resulted in rear wheel skidding. It was a matter of staying in the hollowed tracks of previous vehicles. Thank heavens that it was a dry surface. Should have included more of Ballyhoura in the training schedule. Quite a few of the gang are on mountain bikes. 

At the various turns as we went up and up great views of the fertile spread out below us. The top we could see contained many windmills reaching above the landscape. This was a tough test but the thought of a 23 km version had in some way prepared us.

Gladly the lunch stop appeared at the Top of Climb and the fare on offer was as welcome as the end of the ordeal.

Per and I propped our bikes together and I think both saddles tended to enjoy the occasion and became dangerously familiar!

After lunch (42 km) it was all flat or downhill till journey's end. Just 100 m after the lunch wagon the road morphed into a perfectly smooth concrete surface - didn't see as much as a pebble from then on. The road rose slightly and weaved its way through lots and lots of tillage. No crops visible but all the preparation done.

I took my time and fell behind to observe and capture a few shots. Harrowing was being done by animal and small tractor and I got a wave as I passed.

Plots seemed to be in 10m wide strips and the healthy soil had the appearance of very few stones. Land here is State owned and rented at long leases. Strangely enough, China is a predominantly rural population living in compact villages (no one-off houses), 900 million in rural areas and 400 million in the cities. Much the same situation in India. In all directions, tillage, no fences of any description and windmills by the thousands. This landscape lasted for a full 15 km and always dropping towards Zhangbei in the distance below.

Around Zhangbei all infrastructure was in place - a four lane highway with no traffic, a full kilometre of new buildings and new empty office blocks as I rode towards the hotel. Is this an example of aspirational development mentioned in reference to provincial cities in China - build and the crowds will come.

A junction dominated by a large horse sculpture marked my final turn-right. The horse will dominate the scenery more in Mongolia.

At 1pm I pulled into the impressive Haiyancheng Hotel and was glad of the refreshing shower.

Our last full day in Hebei Province; another new one tomorrow and a ’slightly’ longer day..... 160km.

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

 Q