Shanghai Steve

This was all done at the end of last school year, in June 2010. Been meaning to put this on here for a long time coming! All told, it took 2.5 days to do this motorcycle trip Day 1: Wuhan to Ezhou (Hubei province) with colleagues from the former Maple Leaf school I taught at in Wuhan (80 km) Day 2: Ezhou to Wuhu in Anui province (450 km) Day 3: Wuhu to Shanghai (400 km) The trip went very well, and it was just awesome. The year prior, I had ridden a scooter in the other direction, that is from Shanghai to Wuhan in June 2009. So the question is, where will I be riding in June 2011? Actually no epic rides for that one, as I've decided to stay put in Shanghai for another ... read more

Keep in mind this only applies to motorcycle riders within China, which may not be so many of us. For that reason, I've also cross-posted this to 'My China Moto' MyChinaMoto This particular information would have been of extreme use to me two years ago, as I was doing this commute nearly every day, and going through at least one of the checkpoints on an unregistered motorcycle. Don't even get me started on the legalities of trying to ride a motorcycle in China, or doing things by the book. The unfortunate reality is that the best you can do is be semi-legal. For that matter, knowing how to avoid the police checkpoints is rather helpful information. The school I used to work at (called Sino Canada) is in a very remote location. To reach it from ... read more

What follows is a rather sad trend for those who enjoy driving scooters and motorbikes to get around the city. After having finished an extended bicycle trip, I'm now back to using a motorcycle to get around Shanghai as my primary mode of transport. Basically I ride around a Yamaha 125cc motorcycle and have been doing this kind of 'career' for the past 2.5 years. The benefits of using a motorbike in Shanghai are enormous: 1. Freedom to go at your own schedule 2. Punctuality in a city where late arrivals and delays are commonplace 3. Save money 4. No need to put up with crowded buses, subways, or scarce taxis in rush hour 5. Good mental stimulation to focus during traffic. 6. Speeds are low, so it is safe. On the surface, the traffic in ... read more

After a very successful and restful bicycle travel adventure, it's now back to work in Shanghai. The last two days were a long-haul combination of flights and bus travel in order to save money. Sometimes I seriously wonder why I do it this way, when a direct flight (at a premium price) is available from Denpasar to Shanghai. Saving money is one thing, but at the expense of that, there is the cost of time: long hours. For example, it took a full 24 hours of travel time to get back, including an overnight stopover, using a series of 4 flights in a row. Flight #1: Denpasar to Surabaya. This was actually the most exciting, it used the ATR-5000 planes, basically twin props, and a small airplane always adds to the fun. It was convenient to ... read more

Today's distance: 20km Total distance: 1270 km As they say, all good vacations must come to an end. This was one of the best bicycle trips I've done in a long awhile, and now it's back on a series of flights to Shanghai where work awaits once more. Missing pictures and videos uploaded in a few days. Meanwhile, I'm going to compile all the bicycle trips I've done over the last 6 years on a website. More details on that as it comes. This project could take awhile -- there have been dozens of trips done. After a heavy workout of bicycle travel, and all the weight lost, the most important thing to do is keep off the weight. Not doing so is a mistake made countless times in the past that will be done differently ... read more

Today's distance: 120km Total distance: 1115 km Time on bike: 7 hrs Quite the long ride today, and a serious workout -- just what the body needs to keep getting back in shape. After two weeks straight of biking like a madman, today is a well-deserved rest day today at a nice beach resort. The transition from Java to Bali Islands couldn't have been more pronounced. From the chaotic traffic and bustling populations of Java to the tropical ambience of Bali, it is only a short ferry ride away. There are likely more than 100 million people living on Java Island nowadays, which is roughly the size of New York State. So yeah, it's crowded. And the population density is even thicker along the coasts, because much of the middle of Java is volcano territory. When ... read more

Today's distance: 100km Total distance: 925km Time on bike: 6 hrs The eventual goal of this bike trip is to hit Bali Island, climb another volcano (Mt Batur) and settle for 3-4 days of relaxing on various beaches. I'm on track to cross into Bali tomorrow actually, once passing through the final Java town of Banyuwangi. Probolingo served as a sort of base town for the last 3 days, and it was quite excellent. I most highly recommend the Tampiarto Hotel. It's easy to find, just look for the KFC at the main intersetion downtown and go north about 200m. The signs will direct you, and the hotel is set back from the street so it's nice and quiet. The staff are friendly and kind, and the prices very reasonable. You get free breakfast, swimming pool, ... read more