It was my birthday Friday and I decided to get some quality “soul” time in and so I made my way at the stroke of mid-night onto a ferry bound for Jeju Island. The pearl of Korea, a tropical paradise that is truly unique.
Years ago, I ran around the island. It was magical but I also was competing and really didn’t take in things. This past winter, I climbed the sacred mountain of Jeju, Hallasan. I started from my hotel room near the sea and at the top got caught in a blinding snowstorm. So, last thing on my Jeju list was to bike the famous “Fantasy Bike Path” that goes around the island.
I did it in 10.5 hours. 238 k. Not easy, once I turned south and east - huge headwind. And the south coast is also quite up and down. Plus, still hot this time a year. It was a nice 30 degrees or more. But it was easy to navigate my way on the path - big blue line to follow and also, I just had to keep the ocean to my right hand side.
Big amateur mistake - left my water bottles and water “platypus” at home. An hour into my ride, reached down and there was nothing there on my bike! Fortunately, many convenience stores and almost all of them here stay open 24-7. Interesting aside, when I did stop or slow down to take water (had to open up the plastic bottles), when I slowed, I’d get a big chill, shiver. Then it would be gone. I asked my doctor friend and he told me yes, it is a sign of dehydration. You learn something new every day.
Jeju Island is a gem but I was surprised how urban it was. Only the western end, was quite rural. The rest quite urbanized, touristized. But the people still have the hard core, friendly rural nature in them. Smiles, warm. Loving.
Last 30 k was the worst, not because I was tired (but I was), it was because it was city traffic, modern nightmare, weaving between taxis and buses and idiots. But I made it. Then just fell asleep. Next day, met a friend and relaxed on the beach and had amazing tacos! Yes, tacos and really good. Terribly good. Then back on the evening ferry back home to Mokpo, Korea.
I was reminded of Anthony Bourdain as I zoomed along … Check out my post about him, if you haven’t yet.
I also had Dylan in my head and sang a zillion Dylanesque tunes while I pedaled. Most people would see my life as going downhill - but I’m blessed. Bob says so.
And I also want to be a free soul. All my life, I’ve searched out free souls, men, women who live on their own terms. Fiercely independent in their compartment and being. I’m chisling away still at my own prison and working on my own soul.
Get to Jeju if you can in your life. It’s Korea but it isn’t Korea. And if you can, move, get around the island. See things, challenge yourself … you can do a helluva lot more than you can even think you can!
P.S. This is all part of my venturing into long distance cycling. Bike touring. I’ll soon be venturing out into the great wide open, just me and my bike. Throwing myself into the world. One guy I recommend to watch on YouTube if you like this kind of stuff is Martijn Doolaard - 2 Years On A Bike. Get the book or watch his 4 episodes on YouTube. I don’t know how these guys film such stuff. I think it enough just to be biking distance each day. More in later posts about my bike plans. But basically it will be 1 Year, 1 World, On A Bike.
Yet there is ONE who holds all this falling in his head, gently and without end.
- Rilke
This Man
It’s the one
you’ve never met
that keeps you going.
Each trip to the mall
Each baseball game or dinner party
Each film you watch
You look for him or her
But they’re never there.
The one
that is truly alive
and
looking up at you,
flashes eyes
like those of a wolf
scanning the horizon
on a midwinter's day.
I’ve looked
in faraway cities
on faraway streets.
He’s not out there.
Each time I look
into the mirror,
I expect to see him
appear behind me
or even in me
but he never does.
Soon it will be
too late for me.
My life filled with
books, lies, puss
cars, buses, barber shops
aches, angst and ardor
but never this man
that kept me going.
Jeju Island Redux