{"id":4842,"date":"2013-10-13T04:59:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-13T02:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/?p=4842"},"modified":"2020-01-04T10:06:48","modified_gmt":"2020-01-04T15:06:48","slug":"bye-bye-bike-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2013\/10\/bye-bye-bike-path\/","title":{"rendered":"Bye-Bye Bike Path"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was time to venture off the bike paths.\u00a0 If we stuck to the official trails, we\u2019d exit the country believing all Koreans ride fancy bikes and look good in spandex.<\/p>\n

After several car-free weeks, we thought it best to ease ourselves into the reality of road riding.\u00a0 We cruised out of Seoul on the banks of the Han River along with hundreds of lycra-clad bicyclists.\u00a0 A warm autumn sun and big blue sky brought smiles and a deep sense of contentment.<\/p>\n

\"cycling
Alright, this is actually a shot from our return to Seoul, but the sky was just as big and beautiful when we left. And, yes, we’re back in Seoul. Fortunately, not due to a breakdown this time. We’re in the capital to pick up our Philippine visas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Past the airport near the port city of Incheon, the bike trail petered out.\u00a0 After being cooped up in Seoul for close to a week, naturally we were keen to push on.\u00a0 That\u2019s how we let ourselves get sucked into the bowels of an industrial metropolis.\u00a0 Factories spit out noxious fumes, massive trucks rumbled past and giant earth movers hallowed large pits into the planet for yet another large scale construction project.\u00a0 A less than pleasant spot for a cycle tourist.<\/p>\n

Eric valiantly navigated us through the sprawl with the help of our detailed Korean-only road atlas (thank you Steve Sessions!).\u00a0 Our English language maps were useless.\u00a0 Now, when you\u2019re not searching for a place to sleep, the possibilities are endless.\u00a0 You pass a pretty park or a nice looking church with a big lawn out back.\u00a0 Or maybe there\u2019s a grassy area down by the river or a peaceful temple with a spot to pitch the tent.<\/p>\n

But once night falls and you\u2019re stranded in a city of 2.5 MILLION, rest assured all possibilities dry up.\u00a0 I did not freak out.\u00a0 We were in Korea, after all, not Afghanistan.\u00a0 After several hours of winding our way through Incheon\u2019s grimiest quarters, we spotted a sign reading Wolmi Park, 4 Kilometers.<\/i><\/p>\n

We found Wolmi, set up camp next to a nice picnic table not far from the public toilets, wolfed down some ramen\u00a0noodles (it was too late to cook) and jumped in our sleeping bags for some shut eye.<\/p>\n

In the morning the park was abuzz with activity.\u00a0 Not only was there the usual cadre of pre-daybreak walkers and fitness freaks but also a group of nuns unpacking folding tables and food for some sort of event.\u00a0 Wolmi, it turns out, is no ordinary neighborhood park.\u00a0 In fact, it\u2019s an island that was heavily bombed by the US military back in the 1950\u2019s.\u00a0 \u00a0The 93 napalm bombs that were dropped took out not only the North Korean soldiers they were intended for, but also resulted in \u2018collateral damage\u2019 of several hundred civilians.<\/p>\n

Eventually a highway (the one we cycled in the dark) was built to connect Wolmi to the mainland and the former army base was turned into a memorial site, amusement park and formal gardens.<\/p>\n

We later found a Wolmi tourist brochure (in English) which stated:\u00a0 Be Cautious not to Do Cooking or Camping.<\/i>\u00a0 Well, at least we didn\u2019t bungle the cooking part.<\/p>\n

\"Bike
It’s true. Most of Korea really is fairly bike friendly. Sure, this is a country where obeying the speed limit and stopping at red lights appears to be just strongly advised, but drivers are generally courteous to folks on bikes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Korean
One of the many small temples we came across. The leaves are just starting to change and the countryside is bursting with color.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Quiet
A pretty country road in the western part of Korea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
The happiest street cleaners on the planet!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Time to consult the map for the road ahead! Eric is the chief navigator, but I lend a hand at times.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
He may look rather stern, but we find Koreans in the countryside to be warm and hospitable. Most break into wide smiles when we pass on our overloaded bikes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
We cycled through some beautiful marshlands one evening and became so entranced with the landscape we missed a turn and got off course. Well after dark on some lonely backroads we came across a convoy of vehicles returning from a day out exploring. Fortunately these fine folks led us back to civilization and invited us home for an outsized meal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Korea is anything but flat! Once we left the riverside bike trail, steep climbs and swooping descents were the norm. The autumn air is cool and crisp so the extra effort wasn’t quite as painful as what we experienced during our summertime cycle tour in Japan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If all goes to plan, we’ll be back on the road bright and early Monday morning, passports in hand with shiny new visas for the Philippines! \u00a0Up next is the wild, untamed area near the DMZ, way up north on the border.<\/p>\n

\n

As always, your comments and feedback are appreciated.<\/p>\n

Get in touch at worldbiking@gmail.com or connect with us on Facebook <\/a>and Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was time to venture off the bike paths.\u00a0 If we stuck to the official trails, we\u2019d exit the country believing all Koreans ride fancy bikes and look good in spandex. 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