A massive 6k climb started our day leaving Zhaoxing. The weather is perfect for me! Warm enough that when you stop cycling for a break and are completely wet, you don’t get chilled at all. I love the warm weather!!

We stopped at another Dong village, this one was small and very interesting. Their main Central Square area had a performance stage, but just beside that was the main water source for the town, using water to its greatest potential. Let me explain…

Above the square about 10 steps, was where the water actually spilled out of a pipe from a river up above, and this would be the place for you to get your drinking water. About three or four steps below that, there was a small pool where water was collected that came down from the drinking source, and this was used for washing vegetables and food. Another three steps down from that, another pool that was used for cleaning yourself. The final pool that is much larger, a collection pond for fish. The stream out of the fish pond led down to the terraces and it was then used for growing rice. Essentially five layers of use for the same water source, pretty smart and efficient!

As we rode on from that village, we were on a concrete one-lane road that was a very nice running up through the valley paralleling a river for many kilometers. It was more jungle like then most of the riding so far, and I saw many spiders, praying mantis, grasshoppers, several dead snacks, and almost ran over the tail of the snake as it slithered across the road in front of me. No monkeys, though!

The end of today’s ride was 8k of very rough downhill. I’ve talked to people who say that they prefer off-road to on-road, but I don’t think most of them right 60 or 70 km a day… I certainly prefer a smooth surface! Kind of like preferring a road with a clean shave vs stubble… 😄

Today we also left Guizho province and entered Guanxhi province. We are in Goading, a dusty little town. By far the least pleasant hotel, my room is acceptable and always thankful for hot water. However the bathroom, sink, and squat toilet are all combined in a very small space. If you take a shower, and you get shampoo on your head and you can’t open your eyes, you must not move your feet lest you land a foot in the squat toilet!!

We are somewhat excited about tomorrow, well anxious I guess because it’s the longest day of the entire trip at about 108 km, but at the end of the day we will be in Chu the guide’s home village, and he has invited us to his house for a snack or dinner, I’m not sure which but we will see his house and meet his family. Very kind of him to do that!

Six more days of cycling, it’s been a great trip so far, yet I have moments when I wish it was over and I was back in the modern convenience of the Western world… There are certainly more (than fewer) people in the world less fortunate than I… But in knowing that; I think that’s one of the reasons I tend to appreciate my incredibly fortunate life perhaps more than other westerners might…

One last general thought about this ride… The corridor that we are traveling on is dominated by a massive four-lane highway project but I’ve mentioned before. I saw it being built when I was here five years ago, it is scheduled to open sometime next year. Once this opens, this region will change dramatically. You can already see it happening, massive housing projects being built along the highway, primarily for people now living in the country who wish to move into town and achieve the middle class ideal that is quickly developing here. China is an incredibly prosperous place by any measure you can see, and 10 years from now this region will be likely unrecognizable from its current state. I’m glad to see it now…

Last note… Nobody else has a mosquito bite. I have about 20. What’s up with that??? Grrr…

I am unable to upload photos today because I don’t have Wi-Fi, but will upload tomorrow night with today’s photos.