Day 11 - Zhaoxing 72 kms - Chinese Enduro !

Wow rarely is there a cycling day that can embrace nearly every single known road and weather condition but this one was pretty damned close !

We departed the city of Liping population 40,000 going on1 million based on the number of high rises being built !

We'd barely left the city when Aidan's (our guide) prediction of a few morning showers quickly went pear shaped when the heavens opened !

The rain was torrential and caused rivers across the roads as well as hidden potholes concealing litres of lurking mud !

After a tough 4 km descent we pulled up for a coffee and a chance to remove our saturated gear to allow it to semi dry !

The next section of riding of some 20 odd kms took us through villages and rural countryside on surfaces bearing little resemblance to roads but more to the bomb pitted battlefields of Fromelle in WW1 with its quagmire state comprising rocks, boulders and washaways !

The day had a few minor mishaps. Mel added another 3 failed decleats to her tally with one to the applause of a watching Chinese road crew when she rounded a corner !
Our guide followed up looking for a sympathy vote (got none) when he slid out on a treacherous downhill descent grazing his elbow !

Kev feeling left out also put in an "entry" with his spectacular slow motion dismount when cycling 3.2 kms an hour uphill through a section of muddy and rocky road debris - Kev's 2 band aids clearly trumped our UK guides paltry looking gauze for the most serious / life threatening injury on tour so far !

While Jacquie, Andrew and Marysia rode themselves into a pain filled nirvana Harro took Hero of the day status by strongly sumitting the days 2 steep climbs even though his chain was 2 chain links shorter from 2 previous chain breaks ! One more missing chain link and Harro will be riding a fixed gear !




Lunch saw a drying mud splattered lot pull into town right beside a freshly cut up family pig that did little for some appetites (read mine)

Our final section of days riding included a great decent and a chance to hose down our mud filled bikes before some sedate riding into the wonderful UNESCO village of Xaoping our destination for 2 nights to allow our sore and sorry bodies to recover.

A quick night time meander around the village revealed brightly lit temples and a lively night life including chinese line dancing and restaurants and bars advertising pizzas and waffles - may not be Lygon St but it looks pretty damned good compared to fronting up to another meal of $&#$@# noodles !