Well it’s still hot but I can’t stay home all day in the aircon so I decide to head back to Dongshan for another wee adventure.  The bus takes about an hour or so and as soon as you arrive you run the gauntlet of drivers trying to get your business,  but I politely refuse.
First of all I buy some fuel which comprises of 3 large Baozi or meat filled large dumplings and 2 bottles of water. After last week’s fiasco I thought I would be a bit more prepared.

I get onto one of the green Eco Friendly Boris bikes that they have around Suzhou and head towards Taihu Lake. It’s still hot and humid although today, but it would only be about 35c compared to last week which would have been well over 40c. I wore a white shirt because white does not show the sweat as much and I also took my UV jacket that is very light and great to keep the sun off you,  however it does not take long before I’m soaked and my thin UV white jacket is see through.

 

I’ve got about 20kms or so to the next bike station and the run will take me along the edge of the lake.  I cycle towards the traffic as I find it a lot safer so I can see what’s coming towards and anyway the road is wide enough to do this. If you cycle with the traffic it becomes way too scary. As I head off there are two cyclists on proper bikes going my way but they are on the other side of the road. The give me a glance when they go passed and give me a second look as they see the crazy old man on a Boris bike out this far.

The road runs the length of the lake and of course it’s relatively flat but when you are on a Boris bike which has no gears then sometimes the slightest of gradients feels like a major challenge. At one point I’m going through clouds and clouds of Dragonfly’s which are everywhere at this time of year. I’m hoping I don’t accidentally swallow one.

It’s getting hotter and the heat off the road is not helping. I’m soaked in sweat but I’m still so so hot. I decide to take off my T shirt and just wear the UV jacket so I pull over to a piece of shade and strip. My shirt feels like it weighs around a couple of kg, it’s as wet as it would be if I had just pulled it out the lake. I wring it out and I am amazed at the amount of water ( sweat) that comes out of it. There’s a good glass and a half at least I think. I don’t think I have sweated this much in years. My shorts are soaked and have changed colour, my riding gloves are disgusting and I’m in need of a shower. I do however have two bottles of water which I may add is not enough, I think 3 or 4 would have been better but at least I am only going 20kms.

I put my T shirt over the front of the bike to dry so I can wear it later.

 

I pull over after about a half hour for a drink and a wee rest and who do I see but the two guys on the good bikes that passed me earlier. They are very surprised to see me and give me a wave from the other side of the park. It’s bit like the Hare and the Tortoise.

I only stop for about 5 mins and then get back on the bike. I check the GPS and I can’t get a fix on the bike station but I see that the road I need to take is only about 4kms up the road so that’s good. When I reach the road I check the GPS again to confirm the location of the bike station which should be near the bus stop but alas I get no fix. In the distance I hear the thunder and the skies are beginning to darken, which is good because the temperature is beginning to drop. The GPS tells me that the next port of call is a place called Mudu which is about another 5 kms or so up the road so I decide to head for there as I have been there a few times and I know I can easily get the metro from there back home.

10 mins later the rain hits and I’m soaked once more, my T shirt had been drying on the front of my bike as I cycled along and it was just about dry when the rain started so I did manage to get it into my bag before the rain got too heavy. When I get to Mudu I find the first bike station and get rid of the bike. It feels strange to be walking again but I’m glad I can finally leave the bike alone. I change back into my damp T shirt which thankfully is not too smelly and head for the dinner and then the metro.

The metro is so cold because I am still wet. I get strange looks as I’m riding the train, maybe they think I have pissed myself or something, or maybe I’m beginning to smell……..either way I don’t care……..I’m just thinking of that lovely cold shower when I get back home.