National Day Cycling Log – Day 2 of the Lame Lady Rider's Trip Through Northwest Fujian

The second day of the National Day cycling trip through northwest Fujian, October 3rd.

Last night after the ride, I didn't feel very tired. The road from Fuzhou to Huangqi was mostly excellent national highway with great conditions. The real fatigue hit on the second day – you want to know what it means to have an iron waist on a sportbike? Just take a ride on a desolate provincial road.

Day 2: Huangqi – Zhouning, 250 km

The night before, I agreed with Xiao Zhang to watch the sunrise. Woke up at 5 a.m., and we made it to the seaside just in time for the sunrise. (Xiao Zhang grumpily said there'd be no sunrise – a classic face-slapping moment.)

This time I decided not to describe the beauty with an exclamation like 'wow'. Instead, I borrowed a poetic line: 'In an instant, a fiery wheel rises with the waves; the wind tosses and crumbles a lapful of gold.'

That captured the mood perfectly.

The distant houses were bathed in gold – turns out my elementary school textbooks weren't lying.

After watching the sunrise, we went back to the hotel and slept until 11 a.m. Got up, packed, had lunch with a rider from Nanping, and then hit the road again.

Leaving Huangqi, our two bikes paused at an intersection for two minutes, looking at each other. Then we went left, he went right. I could tell Xiao Zhang was a bit reluctant.

All gatherings have an end...

We passed Guanwu, which I didn't get to photograph yesterday – a popular check-in spot for Fuzhou riders:

When the weather is good, there's a rainbow staircase, and riders come in waves.

Then it was a long ride to Zhouning: Xiao Zhang's cousin's wedding banquet was on the 4th at noon, so we needed to reach Zhouning on the 3rd evening to join the bridal party the next day.

On a rural road, Xiao Zhang slowed down and pointed to the left. I followed his finger – oh, a church! So that's how we had a safe journey.

I really needed a restroom – urgently. Finally found a community center with one. What a relief.

The name 'Mabi' (Horse Nose) had a nice ring to it. Took a photo as a souvenir.

Saw a grassland by the side – a place for serious paragliding.

Further on, we saw a big chimney, everything around it gray and hazy... We must protect nature.

Against the wind, we saw blue sky, and the chimney up close looked especially imposing.

Climbing uphill, we saw the entire coastal industrial zone. It felt strangely familiar.

A small waterfall. There's also a highlight at the bottom of the picture: 'Qingdao–Fuzhou, September 14, 2020; Ningde Run–Fuzhou, October 2, Chuanxing was here.'

Who would have thought? I got caught red-handed with 'so-and-so was here' graffiti.

Passed the Ningde boundary marker. Xiao Zhang was speeding, and I was annoyed – he didn't take a photo of such a memorable moment. So we stopped by the roadside so I could calm down. To the right was a cliff, to the left a rock face. Carefully I edged to the side for a photo: overlooking the mountains, looking far into the distance – everything in the world seems small.

Entering Ningde, we were first shocked by the expanse of MG dealerships on the national highway – cars everywhere, countless 'wows', densely packed, glittering in the sunlight.

Both of us were starving. Luckily, I had brought a mooncake. Xiao Zhang took a small bite, handed it back, saying he didn't like it. I ate half, then said, 'Don't pretend – you're licking your lips and swallowing saliva.' He grabbed it and swallowed it in one gulp. Confused face meme.

After a break, we moved on. Passed the 'Fish Scale Dam' – a popular Ningde check-in spot. The weather was perfect for stopping and playing in the shallow water. Even with a medicated patch on, I couldn't resist dashing into the water – my joy was barely concealed.

Xiao Zhang said, 'If you go into the water, I'll ride on ahead alone.'

Can you see my medicated patch? It's on my left ankle.

There were many small fish – visible up close. A little net would have been fun. My little brother likes to go fishing with me in the park – then we get chased by the security guard.

The water sparkled, bright and dazzling, with the cool of autumn and the warmth of the gentle sun.

The road conditions after that were terrible. Here's a navigation map: the circled start and end mark the 70–80 km stretch of Provincial Road 303 we took.

Below is an online image. On the actual road, there were no puddles, but the conditions were worse – no signs of human life, no guardrails on the roadside.

I barely dared to breathe, suppressing my anger. Xiao Zhang didn't slow down on the mountain roads. I was worried about a tire blowout or a cylinder burst – in such a desolate place, no one would hear our cries.

Because I was so tense, I didn't take any photos on that stretch.

After a long, bumpy ride, we finally reached Xiao Zhang's cousin's house in Zhouning around 5 p.m. The cousin lives in a village, about 20 km from the county town. Since we hadn't arranged accommodation in advance, we rode in the dark from the village to the county town.

We arrived in the county town at 6 p.m. and parked by the roadside, wondering where to stay. Contacted several hotels, all full. Finally, with some directions, we found the hotel below.

Again, full. Xiao Zhang and I exchanged awkward smiles – guess small-displacement bikes just don't deserve to stay in the same hotel as big imports.

Eventually, we found a hostel in a busy alley. At the intersection stood this distinctive stone tablet.

Dropped off our luggage and went out to eat!

Datou noodles (made from taro flour) and Wudan guo (made from potato flour) – incredibly fragrant and delicious!

The flat meat (biān ròu) Xiao Zhang ordered (I was too busy eating to take a photo) is also highly recommended – the filling has ginger, haha.

After eating half, I was full. Xiao Zhang also said he couldn't finish, but in the end, he licked the plate clean. Total cost: about 20 yuan.

Before going back to the hotel, we also had grilled oysters and pickled chicken feet – nothing special about those.

Key points to note for the next day's ride (pay attention!):

1. Always check your tires and tire pressure before heading out!

2. On sparsely populated mountain roads, slow down and drive cautiously.

3. Since it's a free trip, book your hotel in advance – having no place to stay is a real hassle.

Total expenses: 362 yuan – 67 for gas, 85 for food, 210 for accommodation.

Itinerary:

1. DAY2 October 3rd: From Huangqi to Zhouning

2. That's the end of the October 3rd journey.