3 days on a bike...why not? Day 1

We work a lot in this country. The life of a private school kindergarten teacher may bring great pay and good experience but it also brings little time off. We are given 10 days off all year; 5 days for summer break and 5 days for Christmas. Very rarely do we get to enjoy 3 day weekends. This year though, we have been blessed. We had a 5 day weekend in May, which I enjoyed with my parents during their visit. And we were lucky to have another long weekend in June. It was the celebration of Korea’s independence, which meant we got a Monday off of work. Jared and I took full advantage of that day and decided to go on a 3-day bike trip around the mountains of Korea. We had a general idea of where we wanted to go and the ground we wanted to cover, but one of the glories of cycle touring is not having an exact plan and just going where the road takes you.

We had decided to not use the luxury of hotels this trip and wild camp along the way. I was so excited because I hadn’t camped since my last boundary waters trip in 2001 and I had forgotten the feel of the wilderness.

We headed out of Bundang early Saturday morning and headed for Inje, our launching point. It looked as though the weather Gods were smiling down on us and we were greeted with sunny, clear blue skies. We parked the car in a big parking lot where we knew it would be safe for the next few days. We have become pretty efficient when it comes to packing and unpacking the car on bike trips. It doesn’t take us too long to get everything off and out of the car and our bikes loaded up and ready to go. We had planned to set off around 9:15-9:30 and we were just about on schedule until we got on our bikes and started riding. See, this was the first time I was riding with both my back side bags and when I pedaled, my heel was hitting my bag. We had to stop before we even got out of the parking lot and readjust my bags. About 20 minutes later and after several test runs, my bags were right where they needed to be and we were all set.

The day was a relatively easy day for us. We knew we had one big climb at the end of the day but the road until then was pretty forgiving. We were only on the busy highway for about 8km’s until we turned off onto a very quiet scenic road. We were both pretty surprised at how quiet the road was. The road was relatively new and it seemed odd that there were no cars on it, but we weren’t complaining. We rode on the road unassuming for a big portion of the morning/afternoon. It was great to be able to stop along the way, take pictures, eat lunch, take quick breaks and enjoy the journey, which is the whole point of cycle touring.

One of the joys of wild camping is knowing we don’t have to get to a hotel at any certain time. All of our trips before this one we had a hotel booked and we would feel as if we needed to arrive by a certain time as to not worry the hotel owners (in Korea, if you aren’t at your hotel by around 5-6, the owners will text you or call you to see if you are coming.) We would also want to get to our hotel by 5 or 6 so we would have enough time to unpack, shower, and get some place to eat. Wild camping is much different. Although we have a tent to set up, we don’t have to worry about showering or finding a restaurant to eat at.

Since the day had brought great weather and even better roads to ride on, we made it to our “dinner stop” Hwacheon, earlier than expected. Originally our idea was to stop in Hwacheon, eat dinner, and ride the last 30k’s to our camping spot at the Peace Damn. Instead of eating dinner in Hwacheon, we stopped in a street market and picked up things to make for dinner. Me being the health freak that I am, picked up veggies, ssamjeong dipping sauce, tofu, and a few rolls of kimbap (rice and seaweed wraps.) Jared also picked up some kimbap and other snacks for dinner. We also picked up what we would need for breakfast the next morning. Since we weren’t sure when we would see our first town in the morning, we made sure we had enough water for the night and the morning.

The last part of the day also brought the big climb of the day. We had about a 400 meter climb to get to the Peace Damn and our camping spot for the night. Jared and I had done this climb about a month earlier and so we knew what was in front of us, and I was less than excited to take on this mountain at the end of the day. As we attacked the climb we both put in our headphones and took off at our own pace. I knew the climb would take about an hour and all I was thinking about was being done and eating dinner. It amazes me how much music helps when climbing mountains and before I knew it, we were half way up the mountain and taking a quick break before conquering the rest of it. After the break, we set off on our own again. Even though I had a fully loaded bike, this climb seemed easier than when we did it a month earlier on an empty bike. Maybe all the riding, mountain climbing, and weekend trips we had put under our belts since that ride gave me the biking legs I needed to power up that climb. Just when I thought I had about 15 more minutes of climbing, I heard Jared shouting. At first I thought he was just yelling for no reason but then I saw what he saw, the top. It came sooner than I thought it was and it was just as happy as he was.

Both of us were impressed with ourselves once we hit the top. We were both expecting a harder climb than it ended up being. We happily made our way down the mountain and to the Peace Dam. The sun was starting to set so we wanted to get some place soon so we could set up the tent and eat dinner. We weren’t sure if it was legal to camp on the Peace Dam so as were making our way to the Peace Dam; we kept our eyes open for back-up camping spots. Once we arrived at the dam our worries were put to rest. Others were already there, tents sent up and ready to camp. This brought a bit of relief, knowing we wouldn’t have to go out looking for a different place to sleep.

The Peace Dam was built to defend South Korea from North Korea. See, North Korea has built a dam holding back a river that could flood South Korea. If North Korea would ever decide to attach, they were going to blow up the damn and thus send the river flowing into and flooding South Korea. Knowing this, South Korea built a huge dam to defend against this. It is quite odd to see a huge dam not damming any water but I guess it is better to be prepared. Our camping spot was right next to the dam and next to a bunch of old war tanks and one fighter jet. What better way to demonstrate peace than to have a bunch of tanks from the Korean War. Of course we had to go and take a look and get some pictures. It was pretty cool to see them. They were open and you could look down inside them and see how they drove them and what they saw as they sat in them.

Once we checked out the tanks and took our token pictures, we set up camp. It didn’t take much to set up the tent and get our things ready for the night and next morning. After the tent was set up we had our dinner. We went back to the tanks and ate dinner on the tanks. By this time, the sun was well set and it was getting dark. Even though it was only about 8:30, we were both tired and ready to call it a night. Once we were back to the tent it didn’t take long to get everything packed up for the night and out of harm’s way. We made sure to pack any food in our packs and off the ground so no ants or other insects would be crawling on it all night.

We had covered about 107km that day with a total ride time of about 6 and half hours. Even though it was pretty easy riding (until the last part) we were pretty exhausted. The sun and heat also take a toll on you as you ride and it didn’t take long for both of us to pass out that night. It was a great day and we knew we had even bigger challenges in front of us for the next two days.

What I have been up to all these weekends!

I have been very lazy in my blog posts lately and I have good reason for that: I am so dang busy!! With summer here, there is rarely a weekend when Jared and I stay in town or just hanging out at home. We take advantage of the wonderful landscape Korea has to offer, the wonderful weather, and the luxury of having a car. The past 2 months we have taken every chance we have had to get away and go biking. Since I met Jared, I have started biking much more than I ever thought I would. I am still running, but my running shoes are getting a much needed break (well, mini-break.)

He has introduced me to the world of cycle touring. For those of you who don’t know, Jared and three of his friends cycled from China to London in a six month tour. The trip ended with only him and one of the original starters but it was an epic adventure and something he has brought into my life. Cycle touring is something done by those who want to see and experience the places they are traveling through. It is not done to get from one place to another in the fastest amount of time, which is actually the exact opposite purpose of cycle touring. I never knew how beautiful Korea was until I saw it on a bike.

We have taken many weekend trips through the mountains, farm villages, back roads, gravel road, and small towns Korea has to offer. I have struggled up mountains just to enjoy the views from the top, and the fantastic ride downhill!! I have ridden through small farm villages and seen farmers tilling their fields with a cow, workers planting rice paddies by hand in the pouring rain, and I have experienced how kind and generous people can be. Numerous times on our adventures, random people have stopped and given us snacks, or candy, or to simply offer us words of encouragement.

Cycle touring is something completely new to me but it has become quite addicting. We went on one weekend trip last Halloween, but after that it got too cold to be out biking. I had such a great time doing that; I couldn’t wait to get more rides under my belt. As soon as the weather was warm enough this year, we were off.

Since April, I have endured riding in the mountains, a 281km 17 hour ride, numerous weekends up mountains, around lakes, through villages, and on gravel roads. I have probably seen more of the country than most Korean. In my short time cycling Korea, I have already seen so many wonderful sites and have had many wonderful experiences; it’s hard to pick just one that is my favorite. The gravel roads we traveled on for 30kms, which went up and down and up and down was a great test of concentration and patience. But it was also well worth the trip around the lakes to see the view of the lake from the highest point.

There was also the small farm/country road we went on/up to see how the farmers of the country live and work. It was so great to see that side of the country; especially since I live in a very wealthy area near Seoul. It is always humbling to see how some people live day in and day out. How hard they work to earn a living while we are living in luxury apartments with everything we need at our fingertips.

Then there was the weekend Jared and I invited two of our friends along so they could have firsthand experience as to what it is Jared and I do every weekend. They were very new to the sport of cycle touring (much like myself) but they had the motivation and spirit to throw all hands to the wind and just go with what we threw at them. The first day consisted of constant rain, up huge mountains, and a “Jared detour” thrown in for fun. Through it all, both of them were extremely good sports and ready for anything else we could throw at them. We ended up cutting our day a bit shorter than expected but it was not due to our two newbies. More to the fact that it was raining, we were wet, getting hungry, and just ready to call it a day. We spent that night how we spend most nights after a day of cycling, at a restaurant eating so much wonderful food and enjoying some much deserved soju. Unfortunately that day’s ride had taken its toll on Suzie and was unable to ride all the way back to the car the next day. She caught a bus back and the rest of us powered our way over some mountains back to the car.

It was a fun weekend, even though it hadn’t gone as planned. And the two “newbies” were no longer newbies. They earned their big kid wheels that weekend. They have since been cycling with Jared and I a couple times and have plans to do join the crazy world that is cycle touring.

In the few short months I have been cycling, I have learned a lot about myself, about what the world has to offer, and how easy it is to just get on your bike and see that world. We currently have a few plans in the works but until then, we will continue to truly enjoy the life we get to live in Korea and all their mountains and roads, some not so paved roads, have to offer.

Mom and Dad-The Last Chapter

Monday brought rainy and cloudy skies but it didn’t matter because mom and dad were coming to school! My kids were so excited to see them! I had a countdown going in my classrooms for about a month before they arrived and we talked about it every day! Also, I had told the kids that mom and dad would bring them presents so I think they were more excited for that. Since my days at work are long ones, I didn’t want mom and dad to be at school the entire day so Jared brought them about an hour after classes had started. They arrived in the classroom right around snack time and the kids were so excited. Of course, when someone new comes in the class, they get quiet and shy, which is the complete opposite of what they really are. It didn’t take them too long to warm up to them though. Once they ate snack and were able to ask them questions, they felt more comfortable.

Since I had to actually do some teaching that day, mom and dad got to sit in on my classes and help the kids. It was really wonderful to see how the kids interacted with my parents. Once they were comfortable with them, they had no problem asking them for help or looking to them for guidance. The morning and afternoon went by pretty fast and before we knew it, the day was over. My kindy kids said good-bye and we headed on to the after-school kids. My after-school kids are my kindy kids from last year so it was really great that mom and dad got to see them. I had talked about them all last year and mom and dad had skyped with them, so it was fun for mom and dad to be able to meet them.

Once mom and dad met them, they set off for home. It was a long day and they didn’t need to stay for the entire after-school program. That night was pretty low key. I was tired and knew we had another packed day in front of us. Tuesday was a unusual day off. It was Buddha day, which is a public holiday here, so we didn’t have school.

Tuesday brought lots of rain as well but we didn’t let that stop us. We spent the morning/early afternoon at the Korean Folk Village. I have taken all of my guests to the Village and it is a favorite among guests. The village shows what life looked like years and years ago in Korea. It shows what houses looked like in the different parts of the peninsula and the type of work they did back then. There are also souvenir shops and good food to try. We walked around the village for a few hours, ate some food, bought some gifts, and took in all we could. Once we had our fill, we headed back home to change for the baseball game that night. Dad had been so excited for the baseball game all week and I was a bit worried it was going to get rained out but fortunately the rain let up in time for the game.

Korean baseball games are an experience like nothing else. It is not like an American baseball game. First of all, there are cheerleaders for each team, there are cheers sung for every player, and the fans are relentless. The experience is really hard to put into words, but just imagine college football on steroids, through in loud banger sticks, and thousands of Koreans cheering at the top of their lungs and that is Korean baseball! It was a great game and the LG Twins walked away the victors. Mom and dad both really enjoyed it and I was so glad the weather played nice that night.

Wednesday brought mom and dad’s last day in Korea and unfortunately I had to work. During the day, they got packed up and ready to go home, they took a few walks through Migeum and along the river. That night we went out for their last Korean meal and spent the rest of the night just being with each other and talking in the apartment. They had to leave early Thursday morning to get to the airport. Jared and I took them to the bus stop and waited with them for the airport bus. Much like it was when I said good-bye to Luke and Dana when they left after their visit, the good-byes to mom and dad were hard. I think it is harder saying good-bye the second time. Even thought I knew I would see them in a month and a half, I was still very sad and had a few tears as they left.

It was so great to have them in Korea for a week and have them see where I live and what I do all the time. I miss my family more than words can say but having them here for a week make the homesickness a little easier.

Mom and Dad Part II

Sunday morning we were up and ready to go into Seoul around 11am. We were lucking out with weather and Sunday brought another bright and sunny day. We boarded the bus and set off for our afternoon in Seoul.

Our first stop was Insadong Road. This is a quite a popular road/area in Seoul. It is filled with loads of shops, tons of food, and occasionally traditional Korean dancers going up and down the road. I have spent plenty of time and a great deal of money in Insadong since I have been here and I knew my parents would enjoy it. We took our time walking down the street and in and out of stores. They bought a few souvenirs along the way, tried some of the roadside treats, and just took in all there is to see. It can be quite over whelming but they really enjoyed it and found some goodies to remember Korea by.

After Insadong we headed to the Jogyesa Temple, which is right around the corner from Insadong road. Fortunately mom and dad were here during the Lantern Festival or Buddha’s Birthday celebration. During the Lantern Festival thousands of paper lanterns decorate all the temples around Korea. We had already seen the temple in Gyeongju decorated for the festival and now we got to see the Jogyesa Temple decorated. I had been to this temple many times before but I had never seen it how we saw it that day! It was incredible!! The lanterns made a canopy over the open area outside the temple and there were hundreds of people enjoying the sights and sounds of the festival. It was definitely something that we don’t see every day in Seoul and I was happy mom and dad could experience something so different and unique to Korea.

Even though the sights were amazing at the temple, the crowds were becoming a bit intense so we decided to head out of the temple and on to see the rest of Seoul. I wanted to show them where the Seoul Marathon started since I have run it the past two years. The starting line is in the center of Seoul and surrounded by statues and a great view of Bugaksan Mountain, which is right behind Gyeongbokgung Palace (I promise those are real words). One of those statues is of King Sejong. King Sejong is the one who invented the Korean language or Hangul. Under the statue, there is a huge museum dedicated to the King, which I had never seen before. Jared had ran across the museum some time ago and suggested we take a look. We ventured down and I’m glad we did, it was a very cool place and it showed all the things King Sejong had done for Korea. It was also a welcome break from the warm spring sun.

Once we learned all we could learn about the King we set off to see a bit more of the city before heading back home. As we walked through the city, there were several other festivals and celebrations going on. We went through a Friendship Festival, which was a festival that honored the many countries of the world. Mom and dad stopped in the Iran booth to see what the country they had called home for two years had to offer. They enjoyed looking at the art and handmade pieces they had to offer. After the Friendship Festival, they saw where I sat and watched the World Cup Soccer games last summer. It was so much fun to show them the places that had been a part of my life for the past year.

As we headed away from all the action that Seoul had to offer that day, it was getting a little late and we were getting tired. We had one last stop to make before we headed back home. We were heading to Namdaemun Market, which is an open market in the center of Seoul. Namdaemun Market is one of the oldest continually running markets in South Korea, and one of the largest retail markets in Seoul. This is a true market street, much unlike Insadong which is targeted to tourists. Namdaemun has very few foreigners and is still frequented by Koreans. It was fun to show mom and dad some very true Korean places.

After a stroll through the market, we were pretty tired and we decided to head back to Bundang for some dinner. We got back around 5, got cleaned up, had a pre-dinner drink and headed off to dinner. Dinner Sunday night was another new Korean dish to try. This one is called Duk Galbi (닭갈비). It is essentially chicken and cabbage in a huge stir fry pan. But it is much different than what Americans would think of when they think of stir fry. The sauce is amazing and makes the dish what it is. It is also quite spicy but by this point in the trip, mom and dad were getting more used to spicy food. Even though Duk Galbi is quite delicious as it is, we tried something a bit different, pizza duk galbi. It is still traditional duk galbi but they add peppers, olives, onions, and cheese to the top to make it look and taste like pizza. It was a new dish for me as well and I truly enjoyed it. And Korean food is just not the same without a little soju to cheers to the day and the fact my parents were there. We enjoyed the dinner, drinks, and company and after we were all stuffed, we headed home for a good night sleep. The next day mom and dad were coming to school with me to meet my kids and see me in action. I was very excited for them to see the kids and where I work. Stay tuned for their day at school...

Mom and Dad's Visit...Part I

When I decided to move to Korea I knew it would be hard to say good-bye to my family and that I would not get to see them for a long time. So when my parents decided to come and visit I was more than thrilled! They booked their tickets in February and the countdown began. May 4^th couldn’t have come soon enough. I had a countdown in my classrooms counting the days until they would be in Korea and I talked about them every day in class.

Finally, May 4^th arrived! They were arriving while I was at school so I sent them directions on how to get to my place by bus. I was excepting them to arrive in Migeum around 6:30, which would give me time to go home quick, drop off my bag, and go wait by the bus stop. I was more than thrilled when I rounded the corner and saw my dad’s head towering over all the other Koreans. I ran as fast as I could and practically jumped into my dad’s arms! My arms weren’t big enough; I wanted to wrap myself around both of them! Surprisingly I didn’t cry as much as I thought I was going to, I think I was just too excited to see them! We gathered their things and headed off to their home for the next week. They stayed in my apartment while they were here and I stayed with Jared for the week. It was great for them to have a place they could go to and relax that wasn’t a hotel.

After they dropped off their stuff, we headed over to Jared’s so I could drop off all the things that they brought for me! I think one of their suitcases was entirely for me and was pretty much a Target store in a suitcase!

After I unpacked my goodies, we headed out for their first Korean meal. Now, I could have been kind and took them to something mild and not so Korean, I decided to have them dive right in. We went to one of my favorite restaurants for one of my favorite Korean meals, Kimchi Jeon Gol. It is quite spicy but they were both troopers and tried it. I think it was a bit too spicy for them, especially as the first meal, but they enjoyed it. Since Jared and I frequent this restaurant, they know us pretty well and were excited to see my mom and dad there. While we were eating one of the men that work there came over and gave us some drinks to try. They were all some sort of soju (the equivalent of vodka) mixed with different juices. This was of course free because in Korea, service is something that happens regularly. The drinks were good, the food was good, and when we were done we headed up to Jared’s so they could relax while they waited for Jared to get home from work.

It was great to be able to sit and talk to my parents face to face and not on a computer screen. We could actually have a normal conversation and not one that gets interrupted every 10 minutes because the connection goes bad. It was also great for them to get to met Jared. He got home from work we chatted for a little while longer, until mom was falling asleep on the couch, and I walked them back to their home for the next week.

The next morning couldn’t come soon enough. I was so excited that they were there; it was hard to fall asleep. The morning came sooner than I thought and before I knew it, I was over at their place getting ready for the days to come. The plan for the day was to walk around Miegum in the morning, then head off to Suwon to walk the fortress wall, and then leave for Gyeongju from Suwon. It was great to show them where I hang out and where I run every morning. The weather was perfect and as we walked along the path we stopped for more than a few pictures. We made it back to my place around mid-day, loaded the car, and set off for Suwon.

We spent about 2-3 hours walking the fortress wall in Suwon. It was a perfect day to climb the wall, the sky was clear and the views were great. They got a wonderful view of the city and what most cities in Korea look like. I was trying not to wear them out too much, Suwon fortress wall can be quite exhausting and I knew the next few days were going to bring much more walking. But they were troopers and made it most of the way around the wall. We ended up cutting a bit off the wall walk and walked through the city. It was really cool to see the homes the wall is surrounding and to see the old buildings next to the new ones.

We made it back to the car around 4:45 and decided to hit the road for Gyeongju. It is quite a drive down there and we wanted to be driving in day light so mom and dad could see the scenery and so we didn’t get there too late. The drive was nice with minimal traffic and the mountains were great. We stopped for dinner around 7 o’clock and mom and dad got to have Korean BBQ. This is a great meal of BBQ’d meat cut into small pieces and wrapped in lettuce leafs. Mix in some samjang sauce and plenty of veggies and that is Korean BBQ. They really enjoyed it, probably because it wasn’t as spicy as some other meals, and they got to use their hands and not their chopsticks!

After dinner we got back on the road and finished the drive to Gyeongju. We arrived around 9:30 and had no trouble finding our hotel. Once in our rooms, we had a few night caps and called it a night. Friday we got up early and headed out to see the sights of Gyeongju. Since Gyeongju has so much history, there is a lot to see. We started the day up in the mountains to see the giant granite Buddha statue carved into the mountain. After that, we shot down to the Bulguksa Temple. This temple was originally built in 528 but it has been rebuilt and renovated many times since then. It is also home to two of the most significant pagodas in Korea. It was a lot of fun walking around, taking pictures, and acting like dorks (as Eichtens do when we are together). After the temple, we were a bit hungry so we headed for lunch. Gyeongju is famous for their Ssam Bap. This is a meal that consists of many sides, lettuce wraps, rice, and sauces. You pretty much take a bit of the sides, some rice, put it on a lettuce leaf, dip it in some sauce and eat. It is really good and not too spicy.

After lunch we set off for the grass tombs. These tombs are where they used to bury royalty and those who were important during the dynasties. Now the tombs aren’t just normal tombs, they are huge hills! And they are scattered all around the city. The important people were all grouped together and apparently the more important you were, the bigger your hill was. Once we were done there, we continued our walk on to Anapji Pond. This was a pond created for the Silla Dynasty so they could enjoy all its beauty. It is a gorgeous place with the traditional Korean palace and temple houses, along with the foundation of the original buildings. It is even better at night because everything is lit up. We didn’t spend too much time there during the day because it was a bit chilly and we knew we were going back after dinner.

Also, mom and dad had to rest before dinner, and of course we needed to have a few cocktails before dinner. After a quick rest and the cocktails, we headed out to find some dinner. Jared and I had been in Gyeongju the previous November and we had found a really good Dak Doritang restaurant. We were hell bent on finding the restaurant again but it meant a bit of aimless wandering around the back streets, trying to remember where we ate. Mom and dad were losing faith quickly and I was starting to think the restaurant had closed. Jared, on the other hand, was set on finding the restaurant. He set off by himself and in less than 5 minutes had found it. I was very happy he had found it and that mom and dad got to have a delicious meal. They really enjoyed it, although it was spicy, and we had a great dinner.

After dinner we headed to Anapji Pond so we could see it in all its night time glory. It was well worth going back for and mom and dad understood why it is so much better at night. We had a great night walking the city, talking, and just enjoying each other’s company. We made it back to the hotel around 10:30, had a quick nightcap, and called it a night.

The next morning we were in no rush to get out of town. We had seen pretty much everything we went to see in Gyeongju so we spent the morning relaxing, having coffee, and just chatting about life. It was fun to hear Jared and my parents compare “war stories” about their travels and the many different, sometimes scary, experiences they had. Jared recalling 12 hour train trips across the Middle East and mom and dad remembering packed bus trips to Pakistan, every story a bit more dodgy than the last but extremely interesting.

Around 11:30 we decided to get a move on. Jared was taking the train back because he had a wedding to get to, but mom and dad and I were headed to Danyang to see the caves. We dropped Jared off at the train station and were on our way around 1 o’clock. It was about a 2 and a half hour drive but it was a gorgeous day and we got a great view of the Korean country side. Around 3:30 we arrived in Danyang and found the caves. I had been to Danyang a few times before on a bike but never to just visit. It was nice to be able to do some sightseeing for a change.

The caves were really cool and something completely different for mom and dad to see. The caves were about 450 million years old and it was really interesting being inside them and trying to figure out how they built stairs in them so we could walk around. After the cave tour, we decided to head home. I took the scenic route home so they could see where I bike when I bike to Danyang. It was fun to be able to share so much of my life with them when they were here. The drive home was nice and relatively painless. We ran into a bit of traffic in Seoul but that is expected.

We got back to Bundang and mom and dad were hungry for some non-Korean food so I took them to Travelers, a bar I hang out at. It was opened by a Canadian and it’s a great place for foreigners to hangout. And they have western food! We went and had salads and a few drinks and met back up with Jared there. We were all pretty tired so we didn’t last long, and around 11 we headed home to call it a night. We had a big day of walking around Seoul in front of us so we had to get our sleep.