I took a picture of the directions to the hotel where we were to meet up with the hikers group. An iPhone is a saving grace for a girlie that has zero command of the Mandarin language. The cabbie smiled and nodded, and I took that as a good sign that he was going to take me where I needed to go. I was really looking forward to the day, as I have not exercised to speak of in nearly six weeks. I am walking everywhere, and generally carrying a heavy backpack, laptop, purse, and groceries, but it just isn't the same. Our work out facilities at school are all presently closed and under renovation, and there has been grumbling among the teachers about it. Not that we really have anything to grumble about- I mean, really.
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| This was my hiking buddy, Hank. He is also a new teacher from BNDS. He's a German teacher, and lived in Indianapolis for fifty years. Small world, again. He met several Germans on the hike with us, and it was cool to hear him conversing in German with them. |
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| This was the Beijing Hikers guide, WeiJei. The girl set a fast pace, I mean to tell ya'. |
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| The beginning of our hike took us through a small village of about 100 people who all eek out a living by farming the land in the countryside. |
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| We picked up our local guide, and set out for a 15 km hike. WeiJei said it was foggy, not smoggy. Hmmm....She also said it was a 13km, four hour hike with breaks, but it was almost 16 km with wee little breaks- barely enough time to catch your breath. |
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| As we headed out of the village, it became more beautiful. This hike was called The Great Flood, as we followed and crossed a large river bed from a flood a long time ago- which for the Chinese, a 'long time ago' is measured in dynasties that can last for centuries. |
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| We passed a small reservoir that is part of a larger reservoir system that is an emergency water supply for Beijing. The water looked so clear and inviting...but no time to stop :/ |
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| The scenery was amazing. |
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| Each time I looked up, the view was more beautiful than the one before. |
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| And when I looked down, there were new wildflowers to behold. |
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| I told the group I was the happiest girl in China right then... to be out stretching my legs in such beautiful mountains. |
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| Once we picked our way through the rock filled valley and dried riverbed, we started the ascent, but stopped midway for our first water break. We had been hiking nearly two hours already! Our local guide was a 69 year old man, and this figured into my lament a bit later. He remarked about my pretty green eyes and such pretty white teeth. This, of course, was all translated by WeiJei, I didn't have a clue what he was saying to me, lol. True to Chinese form, though, we are now friends. |
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| This was the end of my picture taking on the ascent, and it's a blurry one at that. Must have been because I was panting. and shaking. and seeing stars. I needed my hands free because much of the time we were literally on all fours, rock climbing our way up to the ridge. The only positive thing I can think of to say is that at least we were in the forest and out of the blazing heat and sun. By the last 50 yards, I was ready to tap out. I stepped aside momentarily to catch my breath, and the 69 year old local guy went around me. Naturally he passed me, this is his backyard, after all. But then, a dozen other people went around me. It was like another scene from Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase was saying, "Kiss my a**, Kiss your a**, Kiss his a**, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah," as all of the a**hole suits at his office job filed past him. Like him, I was muttering bad words under my breath, too. Then I saw a couple coming up the trail, WALKING THEIR DOG, and I'll be damned if I was going to let them pass me, too. I jumped back in line, muttered some more OMG's and other colorful words, as I climbed my way to the FREAKIN' TOP! |
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| The only pic I snapped on top of the ridge was this tower from the Great Wall. Except that it is not connected to the Great Wall. In fact, there are three random towers that were built in the Ming Dynasty that do not connect to the Great Wall. It seems the men who built them did not have the correct GPS coordinates; so they built the towers in the wrong place. Understandable. Stupid Ming Dynasty. |
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| Speaking of GPS coordinates; this was on the trail as we began our descent (I mean slip, slide, and tumble). If you want, Google Earth our coordinates to see where in the world we were on this mountain :) |
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| As we fell off the mountain, and tumbled into a plains area, we could hear a shepherd calling his sheep, or goats, or something. I loved the stone fences. The scenery was breathtaking. Literally. and figuratively. |
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| We all grabbed a spot in the shade for our lunch break. I ate a red bean bun and Chinese pear (don't knock 'em until you try 'em) and they provided us with granola bars, bananas, and more bottled water. I sucked down four bottles of water on the five hour hike, and it still wasn't enough. I was gassed. |
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| We passed by some ramshackle farms walking through the plains. |
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| The few residents who lived there all came out of their homes to greet us as we walked by. I doubt they get too many visitors up there. |
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| This pig got a little too close for my comfort. Our guide thought it was funny to hear me squeal, and not the pig. I don't have the best history with pigs, if you remember that one time Donnie wrestled the pig out of our dinghy in Staniel Cay in the Bahamas. It's only funny in hindsight. See http://marquesa34.blogspot.com/2012/04/thursday-412-staniel-cay.html |
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| As we left the farm land plains, we returned to an active river bed. |
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| The trail had us crossing the river several times. |
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| Again, the water was crystal clear and looked so inviting...still, no time. Must. Keep. Moving. |
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| I loved the river as much as the mountains. I asked Weijei if there was any place to go floatin' in China. She didn't know of a place in this province, but she said there are many rivers all over China. It reminded me of floatin' in Arkansas. I will have to look in to it, for sure. |
We stopped to watch these kids play in the river
for all of about 10 seconds. We apparently had a bus
to catch. All along the river, families were celebrating
the Mid-Autumn Harvest by camping. It reminded me
of Labor Day Weekend- the last hurrah of the summer.
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| I kept seeing these HUGE centipedes on the trail, in the woods, and that one time I peed on one in the bushes! They were at least 4-5 inches long. Everything is bigger in Beijing. Its a wonder they weren't skewered and grilled over a campfire. |
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| Sometimes the signage in China gets lost in translation. Google Chinglish...some of them are downright hilarious! |
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| I don't even want to know where this sign is pointing to... |
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| This family had a gorgeous spot to soak in the river view and the mountains :) |
At the end of our two day long hike...they had cold beer (I didn't imbibe), ice cold Cokes (yes, please!) chips and salsa, nuts, cookies, and wedges of watermelon. Everybody collapsed on the parking lot, to take in the much needed and well deserved nourishment. Honestly, though, it was a blast. I just was not expecting a 14 hour day on only four and a half hours sleep! By the time we did the 45 minute subway ride, two exchanges, and another 15 minute walk home, it was all I could do to drag my sorry, sweaty carcass to the shower. I am sure a shower never felt so good. It was ah-mazing.
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| And at 9pm that night, I made the most incredible chicken burritos. Real chicken, real tortillas, peppers, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, real shredded cheddar cheese and an ice cold Coke Zero. I ate two of them as big as my head, and promptly passed out. While I savored my late night supper, though,I signed up for another hike for this coming Saturday, on a section of the Great Wall. Unlike the 15 km 4+ rated hike from today, this one is only 6km and rated a 3 out of 5. I may have been a wee bit overzealous today for this out of shape 51 year old woman! For once, the dishes can wait until tomorrow. G'nite, y'all :) |
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