Small Mercies

Blustering winds, atmospheric pollution, piles of coal and Chinese noodles were the highlights of the ride today! Who cared whether it was flat or hilly. The visibility was only about 20m in any direction and the wind could not make up its mind; should be head, tail or crosswind? Some riders worked it out fairly quickly and bunched up, sheltering and pulling each other along the road to lunch and then the campsite. Others just put their heads down and battled it out, struggling with the swirling breeze and sucking up the polluted air. Sounds fabulous doesn’t it? The shining lights in the day…hot drinks at lunch, noodle stops at small cafes along the way, rum and whiskey and camp, a delicious meal of chicken and vegetables for dinner and the knowledge that a hotel beckoned the next day. It is apparently a four star hotel but we are not sure what four star means in China at the moment! As the camp retired for the night, the wind blew down from the nearby mountains, making everyone re-check their peg placement, hope that no poles were going to break and they wouldn’t find themselves flying off into the darkness!