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Halfway there…livin’ on a prayer: 460 miles on the road.

Sunday, September 28th, 2008


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This map shows our progress on this bike ride adventure through China.  We have covered 460 miles on our bikes..roughly 800 miles more to go.  The first couple of days we experienced some intense mountains, followed by some easier rolling hills.  Who knows what the road will bring us next? All I can say…is this bike ride has been amazing!  We have been staying off of the main roadways for the most part, taking the round about routes to our daily destinations.  We enjoyed a couple of days off..sending our bikes ahead to Yantai…allowing us to be able to experience a Chinese bus ride and a really cool ferry boat ride, crossing the Bohai Sea.  We have welcomed being back on the bikes!  No more doddling around on other modes of transportation….strictly bicycles all the way to Shanghai.

Let me know if you have any questions about the map.  I will put together a more detailed representation of our route when we get some better internet connection.  Click on the placemarks to see the names of the places where we have stayed. Chinese internet doesn’t seem to like Google maps?  And Jason can’t be away from his computer for that long…. 😉

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Man Zou is a common phrase in Mandarin. It is more of a philosophy than anything. Man Zou literally translates to "Walk Slow."

"Slow and steady wins the race," they say. This is at the heart of the meaning of Man Zou. Walk slowly and you won't fall. Act carefully and you won't go wrong. A slow walker is faster than someone who walks fast but always has to stop and rest. Persistence is important in learning or doing anything.

To explain a little more in depth, read this quote from The Challenge of Trekking in China by Kyle Acierno:

"I recently underwent the most thorny, intricate, and demanding trek of my life. China is no walk in the park. The county is extremely diverse, and with diversity comes complexity. There is no smooth road laid for backpackers and attempting to do anything or get anywhere can be incredibly arduous...I really needed a break and I didn't know where I would be next. I sat down to a plate of rice noodles and peanuts. A hardy meal for a hardy man. A giant of a woman served me, but with her giant body came a giant heart. With a quick phrase that I have become accustomed to, she filled me with self-assurance that I needed for the rest of my trip. ?Man Zou!? she shouted with a big smile on her face. This literally translates to ?Walk Slow?. To me this means more then just ?be careful.? To me this means take the time to see the wonders of life. The power it gave me changed the rest of my trip. From then on everything went smoothly...I learned a lot from this Trek. I learned the beauty that exists just off the beaten track. I learned that anything amazing takes time. I learned just how much you could learn from people without even using language...By taking the time to notice all the small things in life you can really appreciate who, where, and what you are. Patience, persistence, and practice makes perfect."