Story 03: Training weekend I

When you are about to take one of the most difficult physical challenges in your life you need to really do some training. And because I promised that I will train, then my first on-the-mountain training was done ‘already’ last weekend (12.5.2013)

It was not any mountain as high as I’m planning to climb, but I did my best and tried to find for some high mountain range around the place where I live.

After more than an hour of looking and searching on google-maps and after trying to figure out from aerial views where is some good mountain range for hiking, I have finally decided to go east to the close, but  not very big (in Chinese terms) and beautiful lake called poetically Yangzong Sea.

If going on the peak is a physical exercise then finding a way to the foot of a mountain is definitely an orientation challenge (especially if you don’t speak Chinese and can’t read Chinese characters…). And so, after 1.5 hour driving behind dusty and big lorries, on my Chinese local brand motorbike, I came into a small village. There I drove through labyrinth of tiny streets that from the beginning look only like driveways into shelters-look-like houses. Fortunately, only after 30 minutes of way loosing and finding the way again, I was suddenly driving on a full of rocks covered dirt road leading to my destination. As I was still hoping to get a bit higher to the mountain, I was very soon stopped by extremely steep path-way with big ditches crossing the road.

There was a place where I parked and masked my motorbike with lots of leaves and grass. There was a big rock next to my parked motorbike and because I felt sorry for him to be alone I put him into my rucksack and with a big enthusiasm I left to climb the mountains.

My enthusiasm was dropping with every time when I lost my way in the forest, until I had made a radical decision to climb the mountain following an imaginary line leading straight to the top. And so, very soon I was falling over branches, trees and making my way through 1.5m high grass…not exactly what I thought I will do this trip, especially when I was carrying 50 tons heavy rock and the hot sun made me sweaty straight away. 

After 1.5 hour of crossing through this ‘jungle’ I suddenly found myself between graves (Chinese people bury their relatives in remote places anywhere in the surrounding mountains) which meant that there must be at least a small path leading here. Of course there was and not only a path...so my all effort could had be much smaller if I followed just dirt road all the way up here…

Nevertheless, very soon I was fallowing a small path which led me straight to the top and now I could see that I am definitely not where I planned to be or thought I would be...

However, the views around were very scenic and I could see quite far on both sides as this mountain ridge was just rocky and grassy without any high trees. Nice views to big Yangzong lake on one side and to picturesque rice terraces under me on the other side, boosted me with more energy and I was able to go few kilometres further straight on the ridge (some short sit-downs and drinking pauses enhanced the beauty of this place).

Finally, I got to the point where the ridge was going down and the forest was starting again. I thought for a moment that I will try to go through this bush again but coming clouds with a mist in a distance persuaded me that hiking back in the rain would be not the best finish of such a lovely day. 

Therefore, I had turn back and with my lovely stone in rucksack I started a race with quickly coming clouds. Even that the winner was me (despite few drops that caught me for a few minutes) I ended up completely sweaty but with a thought that I did good workout for my soon coming life-time challenge…

I was descending through steep forest again (this time on the path) when my knees started to protest together with my feet as could be a result of my ‘trekking shoes’ called trainers?

The back pain followed shortly because it was not used to, to attack a stone in my backpack (and believe me the stone is much harder than my bonny back). After all these ‘small’ pains I managed it all the way back to the place where I still found my this time not-stolen motorbike (China is not the safest place to live bikes or motorbikes without a live guard watching).

You might imagine how big relief it was to take the stone out of my rucksack and how happy my back was afterwards.  

Finding the way back home is always much easier as finding way to never-been places and therefore in a nearly no time I was having shower and thinking how beautiful can be training for Muztagh Ata.

I hope this enthusiasm will last me for a bit longer…;-)

My China Remark I: 

Did you know that giving birth in China is taken very seriously...and I mean very seriously!?

After a birth, the woman is not allowed to leave her room for 30 days and every day she has to eat one whole chicken. During the whole month she is even not recommended to take a shower and stay in bed, not watching TV or even working on a computer. Her husband or her mum takes full care of her.