Orphan Ride Day 3

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We got up at 6 this morning, and I probably could have slept later. Maybe my body was a little more used to this physical exhersion. Either way, we needed to hit the road. Gordon flew out of his bed, the efficient Engineer that he is, and I quickly followed suit. Once downstairs for breakfast however, Gordon's efficiency was delightfully stalled when we ran into the father of a family who had come in the night before. He was a pastor from Pensacola named Johnny. He was here adopting another def Chinese baby. He was as polite and easy going and on top of things as this orphanage was. His wife he said we a def educator, they were trying to help, to do some good. After breakfast at this place, I just felt like this trip was right.

Once we got on the road it seemed like the last two days of riding had never happened, except that I was in much better shape. The soreness left quickly, and I just felt like I could take on the world. The road that had taken us 8 hours coming to Langfang took us 5 1/2 today, this despite us going into the wind the whole way. Granted we didn't get lost in Beijing like we had on the way out, but regardless, I just felt so much better. There is surely something to be said for hard work.

There is also something to be said for planting trees on the side of a two lane highway. Sometimes the trees were spectacular. Like the taller ones with the little leaves that come a bunch at a time on many many branches. But also for the lovely willow trees, whose wind blown fingers smacked me in the face, as if to say, hey stupid, what are you leaving for? The highway was otherwise easy today, it was Beijing that was tough.

Granted, we got to Beijing at the end of our ride. True, that put our tempers a little on edge. Also the fact that we got there at midday didn't help either. But it was a combination of the wretched urban planning and the totally oblivious drivers that really got me going. It is surely a product of the relative newness of roads and driving that leads to this mentality. Even during the few times that Gordon and I couldn't hold it in, when we were so close to being hit that we yelled out in fear and frusteration, offending drivers only seemed to look at us with confusion. No recognition intheir eyes that we were geuninely fearful. Surely, there is fault to be blamed all around, ourselves included, but the ;ack of understanding the the faces we passed seem exceptionally excessive.

By the time we arrived back at our campus we were tired. Clearly ready to be done. After five and a half hours, us amature, totally inexperienced cyclists were ready to leave the bike for a soft bed and two weeks of study. And thats what I'll be doing. I'll surely pick up this biking thing again, but for now, its study and travel, and thats a wrap!

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