After a delicious pizza, we hung out at Dawni's and chatted for a few hours while I grabbed 3 seasons of Big Bang Theory (w00t!) off her computer.
Then came yesterday...it was another rainy, gloomy day...got soaked on my way to school and wasn't too happy about having to go another day without riding my iron steed...but...then it dried up and I even saw a bit of blue sky...game on!!!
So, I saddled up, showed the old girl to Nicole and Ross and off I went in search of new horizons!
The first thing I found was this...on top of a gorgeous twisty mountain road, there was a beautiful lookout point (best of all, the road was dry and deserted, so I could enjoy it at my own pace):
As I've said before...this is the Korea I have been waiting to see!!!
The view from the top:
And the bike at the top...
After that, I went home, made a delicious dinner (mmmm scrambled eggs with a TON of veggies), decided the night was still too young and headed up north again. So far, it's my favourite stretch of highway, and I finally figured out why. It's a beautiful 4-lane divided stretch with near-perfect pavement and almost no traffic (yesterday I went 15-20km sections without seeing another car)...I finally found out why....there's a massive expressway running parallel to it (at time so close you think it's part of the same highway)...so, while everyone gets their speed kicks on the expressway (and pays the toll), I chill out and ride in peace and comfort on the "old" highway...it's perfect!!
View from one of the bridges over a massive river the hwy crosses:
I also found out a few things about the bike...I thought it was a late-1990s when I bought it (no papers), but upon looking at others on the Internet, I think it's at least a 2000, which makes it the newest vehicle I've ever owned!! :) Also...it's not a 5 speed, it's a 6 speed....ooooooh....fancy!!!
I'm starting to get a lot more confident (as in I'm not constantly scared of crashing) and a lot more comfortable on the bike without getting overconfident. I'm still aware of the vulnerability of this mode of transportation and pick my routes and moves carefully and having more and more fun with each ride!
I set course for Daegu (about 100 km away), but about 2/3 of the way up, the road was still wet from the rains earlier that day, so I decided to play it safe and head back down and enjoy the dry pavement.
I got off the main highway and decided to check out a little village near Changyeong...the whole place must have no more than a few hundred people living in it. It was awesome rolling through there at just before 11 p.m....everything was closed and dark, a big departure from the stuff I'm used to in Korea: convenience stores that are open 24 hrs a day, neons that flash all day and night, etc...I decided to go for a little walk and for a while I just chilled out on what I think was the town hall's front steps, listening to the wind, the bugs in the trees and enjoying a perfect night...
The bike in the town...taken with the little G9 :)
and
After that, I just headed home nice and slow (love this highway...the speed limit is 80, but if I feel like taking it easy and cruising at 60 or 70, it's no problem, I don't have anyone on my ass pushing me to go faster), and watched some BBT at home.
It's funny...I'm heading to the Philippines on Saturday on what should be one of the most amazing trips of my life and I'm actually going to miss riding this bike while I'm there!!
Okay...that's all out of me today...take care!
T
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