Biking on a Saturday

I love to get into the countryside as often as possible. Ankang is interesting and not a bad place to live, but I do like to get out into the greenery and peace and quiet of the rural areas.

Ulla mentioned one Friday evening, at our weekly foreign teacher "it's-the-end-of-the-week!" and "how-was-your-week?" dinner, that she had biked out a bit of a distance on her school's street and it looked interesting. With that in mind, we decided to take a bike ride yesterday. The "we" included Ulla and Nick from Australia, Justin and I from America, and ZiChao, her boyfriend, Zoe and her boyfriend from Ankang Normal School.

The adventure started within three blocks of Peixin Primary School, the school where Nick and I teach. The tires on our bikes were just warming up when the chain on Justin's bike broke. Lucky for us, one of the guys was able to piece it back together and we were off again. But, no. Two blocks later the chain broke again. Three of us headed back to the school with bike in tow, found the bike repairman on the corner and we were in business again.

The road we took eventually followed the river. The traffic was not bad once we got out of the city. But in the city we saw, and heard, a woman on a scooter hit a man who was crossing the street. He picked himself up seemingly unhurt, but upset, and she kept on going! We were all stunned. And glad for less road activity in the countryside.

We were maybe a half hour out of the city when we spotted red along the upper side of the road. Of course we had to stop to see what it was. It was unscented incense sticks for temples. Two men covered in dust were adding wood dust to one end of bunches of sticks all at one time.(Sorry but the blog says the photo I have is one too many.) That end of the sticks had been painted and laid to dry outside. Two women were dipping the remaining end of the stick into paint and the sticks were left to dry a second time. Chickens strutted under the drying sticks.

Back on the road, we pedaled for another fifteen minutes and spotted a "sawmill" next to the road. Actually the mill was hard to miss as two of the logs waiting to be cut jutted out into our lane of traffic. The log being worked on lay on a "table" that rolled along metal runners while the saw cut off boards. Someone carried the cut board away and the log was repositioned for the next slice.

On our bikes once more we pedaled along enjoying the scenery, ribbing each other, and keeping an eye on what traffic there was. Knowing when traffic was approaching was not difficult as any vehicle nearing another body honks their horn in warning. This is a common practice in China and one reason why streets can be so noisy.

Before too long the need for food sent us off on a side road in search of a restaurant. The village where we found the reastaurant was very pleasant and to our liking. At the restaurant the women made the noodles, actually made not just cooked, for our lunch in no time at all. They prepared eight bowls of noodles with a few vegetables and a bit of beef for a total of 20Y ($2.50).

After lunch we explored the nursery which seemed to be the main industry in this village. ZiChao thought the nursery was probably government owned and the adjacent row crops privately owned. It was a beautifully peaceful spot.

Here the group posed around some pots growing at the nursery. The body of these pots were plant trunks trained and grown into the required shape.

ZiChao and I posed at the head of a trail we later explored.

From the edge of the farmland we could look back on the village and over the row crops. Women were harvesting carrots and radishes.

The path to and from the nursery led through this housing area where I assume the workers live.

I must admit I was sore that evening, but nothing a hot shower, some stretching and extra sleep didn't relieve.

It was a fun day. I do enjoy getting out into the countryside.