I1-1: 西郏河

September 16, 2024

Being as I have an assembled bicycle and have very nearly got all my stuff packed in the correct locations, I guess it's safe to say that the Tour has started. However, I still need to take a subway to the far other side of Beijing to pick up the things I bought online, drop off the clothing I'd like to leave in Beijing on the likelihood that I'll be coming back for Yom Kippur, and give my luggage-drop a bottle of wine.

Given that yesterday was spent working and today was spent half on bike assembly and half on bike maintenance type things that should have been done before I left Hainan¹, and I've also got to rejigger luggage in order to fit all the things I bought², it's reasonable to assume that I won't be leaving until the day after tomorrow.

In addition to the random shop³ Nube⁴ found that was open and willing to disassemble my bike for me having misplaced two bolts, my bike also was desperately in need of cleaning, oiling, and pre Tour maintenance

While near the airport you are not allowed to release balloons, fly kites, set off fireworks, use drones, or race carrier pigeons

And, as that's the day my editor gets back to work after mid-Autumn Festival, so, if I do leave on Wednesday, it will be after I stop by their offices to pick up my two most recent books⁵. However, I've seen what the roads around here look like in terms of street lights and I'm pretty sure I'm going to spend Wednesday night in Hebei.

¹ But weren't on account of my thinking I was leaving later

² Mostly bike shorts. Prior to the power going out, I found one single pair of wearable bike shorts.

Though this sign did convince me to pull out my phone and look at Maps, I'm not lost, I'm merely taking the scenic route

Achievement Unlocked: First Flat Tire of the Tour⁷

³ Two of the four shops owned by Feng Quan (who I'd rather be using) were absolutely trashed by typhoon Yagi.

⁴ My new assistant

⁵ The National Food Reserves Strategic Administration 2023 Annual Report and a Blue Book on Sino-Gallic Cooperation in Nuclear Power for a Low-Carbon Future†

† Which, by the way, is the book that interrupted February's Round the Island Tour.

⁷ I was 5km from the bike shop and 6km from my hotel. My spare tubes and pump were at the hotel, I wasn't sure the bike shop would still be open if I walked back that way, and I forgot that I was someplace I easily could have called a taxi large enough to carry my bike.

Thank you AMap for the suggestion that I use this road labeled "Military No Admittance"

Today's ride: 15 km (9 miles)
Total: 50 km (31 miles)

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