Training Log Archive: inuksuk

Warm up to the top gate.

Wèidào xuè hill climb time trial. This is a Tane special -- appx. 2265 to 2640m. Track starts out fairly reasonable but quickly deteriorates to a scramble and hands-on-knees climb. Eventually the small track meets a larger braided horse track where you can regain an upright position for some sections and almost 'run' the last 100m. Lungs burning from the start, until I settled into scrambling up the steep section. Legs heavy last 5 minutes; starved of oxygen throughout.

C • Sounds like fun! 4

Dropped down horse track through pine forest and graves to upper campus wall. Ended through uni nursery/tea garden and campus to home.

Spur south of uni. Road across stream and up single track to near the upper grave limit on a fairly unused track. Beautiful downhill through the pine forest, past the tea plantation, over the river terraces, along a rice terrace, and finishing down the cobbled track to Nán wǔ lǐ qiáo. Missed a turn and ended up crossing a terrace that led straight to the most savage dog I think we have ever seen -- I swear it is part hyena. This animal is so savage it doesn't even bark -- it just looks askance, subtly but oh so clearly raises its upper lip to show its formidable dentition, and aspirates a low, nearly inaudible growl. We've met before. Pleased to see the owner invested in large chain. Climbed back up through the quarries to Hongsheng and home.

Run to market. Seems to be a glut of fennel in the market. I guess it might be a bad month for young lads. I heard in some rural areas, locals serve a fennel soup to a male suitor if they want to deny him permission to marry their daughter. Interesting to note then that fennel is a laxative and contraceptive phytoestrogen...

Checked out spur south of university again. Found another nice single track for riding/hike-a-bike -- will have to get back later this week to give it a go. Plenty of terrain on this spur to work with.

Cāng shān with La. Out the back of university and south along Yùdài lù to Cāng shān xiágǔ. Dropped down spur south of campus on horse tracks to the scrappy fields and quarries below uni.

Through hill villages, up Cāng shān access road to about 2500m, back down steep horse tracks and along some great single track through the rock quarries near three pagodas (Sān tǎ). I think we've now nearly perfected the tow strap for the road sections -- still need to work out a better quick release.