I’ve been there three times now, and I’ve loved it every time. So now the valley South of Janghowon gets the name, “Magic Valley.” It’s just too beautiful.
The weather is much cooler now, of course — low-50s to start the day. We all agree that this is the time of year where it gets a little hard to judge what you should be wearing. Start out with too much, and you’re lugging around extra clothing not far into the ride. Too little, and you’re miserable (but usually only for a while). Of course you can never put on clothes you don’t have with you, so starting out with more doesn’t hurt, but it’s better just to get it right in the first place. Today, it started out cold (worse for Joon than for me or Roy, apparently), but ended up just right in the end. The sun was out for a bit, then it went under clouds later in the morning, so it never got too hot, but it warmed up to bearable.
I am a bit sore though. the joints aren’t taking this very well. I haven’t gotten a lot of work in over the past few weeks though — in the states three weeks ago, medical issues two weeks ago, only 40-some miles last week. But I suppose it can also be expected with a 78-mile ride at my age anyway. Still…that valley. Felt a bit like heaven on earth to me, passing through it after the cold of the early morning and before the pain of the late ride. The air, fresh and clear. Golden fields of rice and green, rolling hills under Korea’s typical autumn sky. It’s just my favorite time of year here, and seeing a beauty that was above and beyond what I see here most every fall day was just bonus. As usual, the pictures won’t come close, but you can only imagine…
