Hubei Wind-Chasing Journey Day 2 (Part 1): Enjoying Danjiangkou in the Rain, There's Actually a Fighter Jet Here!

On February 23, 2021, which was yesterday, at 3 PM, I made a spontaneous decision with a friend to head to Hubei to chase the spring breeze.

After two hours of preparation, I set off from Zhengzhou at 5 PM to pick up my friend Zhang Shaoruan in Dengfeng. At exactly 7 PM, we officially headed southwest. Passing through Nanzhao County in Nanyang City, we stopped at a small local eatery to refuel with a bowl of 'carbs' before getting back on the expressway. We spent the first night of this trip at the Nanyang North Service Area.

(ps: If you're interested in this part of the trip, feel free to check out the written travelogue 'Hubei Wind-Chasing Journey (Day 1): A Spontaneous Trip, Sleeping at a Service Area on the First Night?' on the homepage.)

So our route for the first day was like this:

Because we left in a hurry, we only brought a quilt and a thin blanket, so that night we essentially slept on a bare mattress. Plus, the wind picked up in the middle of the night and the temperature dropped sharply, so the quality of sleep that night can only be described as 'indescribable'.

Our goal today was to explore the Danjiangkou Reservoir and make it to Wudang Mountain for the night, so our planned route was like this:

What stories would happen along the way? Let's continue.

Last night we slept at the service area, and it was truly indescribable. When we set out yesterday, it was sunny and warm, like spring in full bloom. But after one night, it instantly felt like winter was coming. So when we got up in the morning, we didn't even bother to wash our faces or brush our teeth, and we 'escaped' from the service area in a very disheveled state.

After a brief discussion, we decided to get off the highway at the next exit and continue our journey along provincial and national roads. The terrible sleep last night made us realize that we hadn't prepared well enough beforehand, so we planned to stock up on supplies along the way. And most importantly, have breakfast...

So we got off the Erguang Expressway at Zheshan, Nanyang, and began heading west along National Highway 312. Within an hour, we arrived at Zheshan Town in Nanyang City.

Although the sleep quality last night was poor and we planned to avoid sleeping in the car for the rest of the trip, following the principle of being prepared just in case, we still bought a mattress pad, a pair of pillows, and two washbasins from a labor protection supply store. The shop owner was very warm, and the prices were reasonable; altogether it cost less than 70 yuan.

After buying things, we drove less than a kilometer forward, and we couldn't go any further because we saw this:

In the territory of my great Henan, the influence of 'Hulatang' (Spicy Hot Soup) is no joke; you can see it everywhere. And when you want to drink Hulatang, you must look for 'Xiaoyao Town' brand!

We hastily parked, didn't have time to take photos for check-in, and quickly went into the shop to refuel.

Although I personally think the perfect match for Hulatang is youtiao (fried dough sticks), my buddy ordered pan-fried buns and pancakes and started eating on his own.

Objectively speaking, the Hulatang tasted okay; as long as you're still in Henan, the flavor is pretty consistent. The pan-fried buns and pancakes were a bit lacking. Maybe because of the cold weather, they were a bit cool. And... well, let's just say we came from far away, so we'll hold back and avoid complaining.

When we came out of the small restaurant, the 'Fei Ke' (our car) was still waiting there, waiting for us to take it to farther places.

Continuing on the road, the scenery along National Highway 312 started to become more varied. The stretch from Zhengzhou to Nanyang goes through many hills, but after Nanyang, it becomes a small plain. So the straight road of Highway 312 was lined with lush green wheat fields, but unfortunately, due to the bad weather, it looked a bit hazy.

From National Highway 312, we turned onto Provincial Highway 240. Soon we passed Dengzhou and turned onto Qushou Avenue. As we got closer to Danjiangkou, we became excited. Shortly after passing Dengzhou, we spotted an ancient building by the roadside and pulled over to check it out.

Upon closer inspection, we found that this building was newly built, called 'Dengzhou City Immigration Culture Development Research Center.' We went in and wandered around. There were several Buddhist halls, where I devoutly paid respects and prayed for our journey. Then we got back on the road.

Since we were already on Qushou Avenue, our first destination was very close. Danjiangkou Reservoir was just around the corner. In less than 20 minutes, we found an exit and turned off to the reservoir's edge.

But unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate. As soon as we reached the reservoir, a light rain began to fall, and the temperature dropped. Around noon, the two of us had to sit in the car fiddling with our phones waiting for the rain to stop.

The rain outside would stop and start. After being trapped for over an hour, we couldn't resist and dashed out of the car. Looking up, we saw the water and sky merge into one line. Because of the rain and fog, the boundary between water and sky became even more blurred. Egrets were flying freely. The great thing was that, since it was the off-season, we were the only ones there – no other cars. All the beautiful scenery was ours alone.

The place where we parked was a port. Since the New Year had just passed, fishing boats and sightseeing boats were all quietly docked here.

Bad weather has both pros and cons. The good thing is no crowds; the bad thing is... it's too cold.

There's actually a fighter jet here! And it's a real one, donated by the Air Force. Of course, the engine and weapons have been removed. What model is this? Anyone know the story behind it? Feel free to discuss in the comments!

Playing by the water felt monotonous in the cold, and with the constant rain, we just quickly walked around and then left for the next spot – Nangang Ancient Tomb.

Oh, I forgot to show the aerial footage! Check it out!

(ps: If you want to see more beauty of Danjiangkou, remember to follow my video travelogue~)

Suddenly I realized I've typed a lot of words here, and there's still more below...

So let's stop here for now, and continue updating tomorrow. That's the beauty of a road trip – stop wherever you go. See you tomorrow!

Travelogue Directory 1. Travelogue main text: 2. Summary: Travel Information Hotel Index Guide Index Flight Index Site Navigation Travel Index Cruise Index Corporate Travel Index Franchise Cooperation Distribution Alliance Friendly Links Corporate Gift Card Procurement Insurance Agency Agency Cooperation Hotel Franchise Destination and Scenic Spot Cooperation More Franchise Cooperation About Ctrip About Ctrip Ctrip Hot Topics Contact Us Careers User Agreement Privacy Policy Business License Security Center Ctrip Content Center Intellectual Property Trip.com Group Algorithm Disclosure