← PreviousTwo last days in SeoulThursday 22 May
The night was difficult, probably because of the imminent departure. We both tossed and turned without really knowing why and struggled to get to sleep. The alarm goes off at 8 and we get up grudgingly, but we really need to get everything ready and packed. We carry the bikes down to the street, then the trailer and finally the bags. Clémence surfaces at the same time, and after a quick breakfast we can finally set off. It's almost 10 and the adventure is about to begin!
Well, almost… Because in the very first metres we realise something's wrong. The steering on both bikes is unstable and moves strangely, while the brake discs are rubbing on their callipers. They were as good as new before the flight, as we'd had a full service at our bike shop in Avignon, so we don't really understand what could have happened. We spot a bike shop on the route a few kilometres away, so we head straight there.
The shop is run by a Texan, and he's barely touched the steering when he sees the problem. Yesterday's mechanic made a mess of our stems, and a Korean mechanic spends a good twenty minutes on both bikes putting everything right. He even has to fix things that should never have been touched! We think the guy from yesterday, though very nice and helpful, is a bit of a muppet and has cost us time and money on this one: 50,000 won, about thirty euros later, the bikes are truly ready for the trip.
The super-friendly Korean who fixed our bikes doesn't speak a word of English, but he kindly gives us drinks and energy bars for the road and wishes us a good trip. He doesn't seem to see touring cyclists with panniers and a trailer very often!
So it's noon when we really start riding. Two hours lost on a day that already promised to be long, as we had 64 kilometres to do. The bikes now ride perfectly and we can enjoy the beauty of the cycle path. It's superbly laid out along the Han River, with activities and green spaces all the way. In other countries or cities, the riverbanks would have been concreted over for housing, hotels, bars, restaurants and roads. Seoul chose greenery and soft mobility. We're surprised by how many cyclists we pass on a working day. Koreans love cycling and kit themselves out with very expensive, high-quality gear. We see road and time-trial bikes that would make our compatriots back in France jealous.
The cycle route follows both sides of the river, so you can switch from one bank to the other. That's what we do after about twenty kilometres to reach a big playground and stock up on supplies. Stéphane takes the opportunity to put Clémence's little handlebar back on and refit her little seat properly. We set off again after an hour of play, heading away from the city. We'd read about it, but the effect is striking: the metropolis gradually disappears, giving way to a more wooded, mountainous landscape.
Further on, we stop for a snack at one of the many cafés along the cycle path. Even as we get further from Seoul, there are still just as many bikes. Riders often greet us, give us thumbs-up and are surprised to see Clémence waving at them from her little seat. After a long day full of twists and turns, we finally reach the hotel in a tiny, very quiet village called Asin. We're now about sixty kilometres from the capital, and you can feel it, as there are far fewer houses and people. In Korea it's quite easy to find cheap hotels, and tonight's is a rare gem: our room is huge, with a lovely picture window giving a beautiful view of the river and mountains, and two double beds. We'll be able to sleep peacefully and make the most of it, as we know we'll have to share a bed between the three of us quite often.
Just when we think the surprises are over, we go to a restaurant near the station. We quickly strike up a conversation with Koreans sitting on the little terrace in front. Clémence wins everyone over as usual. The exchange doesn't last long given our very limited Korean, so we go in and sit inside. While we're eating, one of the men we'd talked to on the terrace comes over to speak to us. We look at him, probably looking a bit daft, as we don't understand a thing. The owner comes to our rescue and mimes that he has just paid for our meal. Just like that. We don't even have time to thank him before he's gone. The interaction is so improbable that we burst out laughing. Maybe it's our reward to make up for the bad start to the day.
Friday 23 May
Today's stage is only 44 kilometres, so we have time to dawdle this morning. We surface very slowly and set off a little before 10. Coffee is free at the hotel café, but as everywhere in Korea it opens very late, around 11 on average. We don't have time to wait, so we ride to the neighbouring town of Yangpyeong, where we find somewhere for breakfast.
Handy, as it's right next to a playground, our unmissable morning stop. That takes us to noon; we get takeaway salads from a small restaurant and set off again. But barely a kilometre later we land at a gigantic new playground, the perfect spot for a picnic and hide-and-seek. Time stretches out a bit, and we realise we've barely done 10 kilometres in three hours.
We need to pick up the pace a little. At a good speed we tackle a one-kilometre climb at 10%, then the rest of the way to Ipo weir. It's very strange, with six big eggs sitting on top. We park our bikes just before and go up for a short, very steep walk to a viewpoint (160 m of climbing over 1,000 metres). A few litres of sweat later, we reach a plateau with a 360-degree panorama.
We can indeed see the weir below, but also all the surrounding hills. On the way down, Stéphane has a little fall with Clémence in the backpack, and she hits her chin on one of the bars. Not a huge boo-boo, but serious enough for us to go and console ourselves at the café next door with a generous snack.
Once everyone's calmed down, we get back in the saddle for the last section of the day. Clémence falls asleep and misses crossing the Yeoju bridge. There isn't far to go now, and we reach the hotel around 6 pm. As often in Korea, it looks old from outside but is very clean and modern inside. The room is small, but it'll do. We go out quickly to eat pizza at a nearby restaurant before going back to put Clémence to bed.
On the road