# Ride report - Dragon Gate Hot Springs



## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

We always like to stay away from the polluted air of city or industrial area, nice country cycling routes are increasingly hard to find in Guangdong. It took us some time to plan the route this time, the result is well worth the effort. We have not been in these places before, it turned out to be as beautiful as we have expected. We took bus to travel from Dongguan to Huizhou to avoid the city road. Start cycling from Huizhou along the river bank of East River, went north west to Dragon Gate for the famous hot springs and then returned to Dongguan through some country roads going south west. It is quite hard to explain in English since I couldn’t find the official English name of most places, a map is therefore posted to show the route. The journey took us 4 days, time included exploring the country and photography. Total cycling distance is 350 km, not bad for 63 year old Chi-ming.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Bikes bagged waiting to be loaded to the bus to Huizhou.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

From Huizhou to East River.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

35km cross country biking. With our city slick tires, loose sand and strong wind made the progress real slow.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Cross the river on a local ferry.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Arrived the town for the night as planned, we were delighted to find some ice cream after the hard work.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

We had heard that Guangdong was having insufficient rainfall this year. Crop on the right (yellow) in the first picture might be harvested in the next few days, while those on the left (still in green) were failures.
The last picture – these country folks were happy to receive a little gift from us, a ball pen for each of them.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Those vehicles were good for drafting for a few km, the speed was not too fast that I could handle. Real care would be required for the one shown in the last picture.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

A lotus pond between the house and the planting field in the first picture.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

I found this house quite unique.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

House with picture of Chairman Mao.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Dragon Gate hot spring resort. Hot spring bath plus a good night sleep really made me felt my legs and body relaxed.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Started early that day, we had 120km to ride.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Breakfast at a food store.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

120 km ride


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Chi-ming was happy to have a break.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Still had 10km to ride back home after this lunch, steam rice/cold beer/chicken/steam fish and a plate of vegetable (not shown) were my favorites.


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## 3rensho (Aug 26, 2003)

*What a great travelogue!*

Man, those are some terrific photos! Your shots were putting me right there with you. thanks!!


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*I want to ride there so bad!.*

Every time I open one of your posts it is a treat. I would sure love to go on one of your rides someday.


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## orange_julius (Jan 24, 2003)

*Mmmm..... chicken porridge*

Kai-ming, I suddenly have a craving for good chicken porridge with green onions and aged eggs thingies. And maybe a few strips of Char-kwee (forgot the Mandarin name). Damn you .

Anyways, great ride report as always, someday I'd like to travel around that part of the world on a bicycle! Thanks for posting!


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## rodetoruin (Feb 8, 2004)

*All ride reports are great...*

...but yours are the greatest. Mother w/2 kids on bike, drafting truck w/bamboo shafts, dirt roads, ferry boat...all fantastic.


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## oldschool (Dec 22, 2003)

Thank you so much!

That was a most excellent photo journal. I look forward to your next one....
Tim


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## gogogomoveit (Nov 20, 2003)

*very nice*

While I keep thinking about going on a European bike trip after I graduate, your ride report in Southern China definitely give me an inspiration. I think I ought to ride there and re-discover my lineages...

I thought you are from Hong Kong?


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## colker1 (Jan 2, 2003)

thanks. wonderfull. the landscape si so different! houses.. people... everything. your ride reports make rbr an even better place...


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

*Thank you so much!*

Your ride report makes me appreciate my computer a lot more. What a wonderful treat to be able to follow along with you on your ride. Thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

gogogomoveit said:


> While I keep thinking about going on a European bike trip after I graduate, your ride report in Southern China definitely give me an inspiration. I think I ought to ride there and re-discover my lineages...
> 
> I thought you are from Hong Kong?


Yes, I live in Hong Kong. Chi-ming lives in Dongguan, I kept my bike in his place, we always start/end our bike journey from Dongguan.


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## GeoCyclist (Oct 31, 2002)

*Another great report!*

Kai–ming,

As usual, you have out done yourself; excellent photos and travel log. I always look forward to reading your reports and seeing the interesting photos. Thanks for posting!

Ride On!


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

*Thanks everybody for the encouragement*

nmnmnm


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## pr0230 (Jun 4, 2004)

*Where is that .... Georgia!*

When I look at the emails here , I never think that EVERYONE in the world is on here....
What a great place RBR is.... 
I wish all the world leaders were here, and rode their bikes in each country.... 
No war, everyone getting along... 

Sorry, Im babbling ....

Great pictures.... takes me right INTO your country..... What a wonderful place!

Thank you very much!!

Joe Reganato
Philadelphia Pa.


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## SteveCnj (Oct 6, 2003)

*Just Excellent!!*

your reports are an inspiration, incredible!


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

*Great pics. What is that your eating?*

Was this breakfast? It almost looks like Cream of wheat with scallions.




kai-ming said:


> Breakfast at a food store.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

*The breakfast*



High Gear said:


> Was this breakfast? It almost looks like Cream of wheat with scallions.


That was rice congee with meat and spring onion served in clay, the clay pot kept the heat of the food which is good in cold weather. The other one on a plate was steam rice roll (mix rice flour with water, steam in thin layer ,add meat and roll) with meat and served with soya sauce. Those are some typical breakfast in Southern China.


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

*Sounds ok.*

The rice will supply plenty of energy fou your ride. Do you ever have a sweet morning meal like sugar coated cereal or pancakes with maple syrup on top? That would be what most Americans would eat in the morning before a ride. 



kai-ming said:


> That was rice congee with meat and spring onion served in clay, the clay pot kept the heat of the food which is good in cold weather. The other one on a plate was steam rice roll (mix rice flour with water, steam in thin layer ,add meat and roll) with meat and served with soya sauce. Those are some typical breakfast in Southern China.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

High Gear said:


> The rice will supply plenty of energy fou your ride. Do you ever have a sweet morning meal like sugar coated cereal or pancakes with maple syrup on top? That would be what most Americans would eat in the morning before a ride.


Yes, sugar coated cornfake with milk is one of my favourites. Don't they sell pancakes with syrup in MacDonald, McDonald are all over cities of China now. Food of McDonald in Hong Kong cost lowest in the world, however, these amercian food is relatively more expensive in mainland China.


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

*We are not so different.*

You have a beautiful country to ride in with all the picturesque sights. Thanks for entightening us to whats out there beyond our borders. What a beautiful world we live in.




High Gear said:


> The rice will supply plenty of energy fou your ride. Do you ever have a sweet morning meal like sugar coated cereal or pancakes with maple syrup on top? That would be what most Americans would eat in the morning before a ride.


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## wayneanneli (Jul 8, 2004)

*Roots...*

My grandmother immigrated to Canada in the early 21st century, probably around 1910. I really regret not learning Chinese when I had the chance. Your photos make we want to learn more about my family and where they came from. Thanks for the inspiration and the terrific travelogue. BTW, I just love the woman riding with two kids on the back - reminds me of when I ride my son to daycare!
Cheers, Wayne


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## Alter Ego (Sep 10, 2005)

Nice indeed, watching these farmland pics brings back lots of memories from my country of origen.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

*Glad to know you like my pictures*

How nice to know people are still reading my old post.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

kai-ming said:


> 35km cross country biking. With our city slick tires, loose sand and strong wind made the progress real slow.


This stuff is just so neat.......:thumbsup:


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## Kolossal (Feb 12, 2007)

Awesome!


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## jperello (Apr 6, 2007)

Hello,
We visited China in December to adopt a baby girl from Nanning. I am enjoying your photos very much and look forward to visiting China again someday. Thank you so much for the beautiful photographs.


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