'm sorry that for a long time I have not updated Mix Hostel's Blog as I was so busy with taking care of my son, the little devil. It was a nightmare for us when the nanny went back home for her 5 days holiday... Fortunately she came back the day before yesterday. We feel liberated!

Anyway, in the past 2 months, Hostel was doing alright specially when the world economy went bad. Winter season in fact was delayed, we got quite warm autumn and surprisely sunny days for almost a week! But since yesterday, the cold air come from Siberia finally arrived, we had a quite windy day yesterday, and people put on heavy jacket eventually.

Two weeks ago was a perfect sunny weekend, so i decided to do some exercise, with my newly bought DAHON folding bike, I cycled with a group of folding bike guys to Huanglongxi old town, according to my meter, the round trip was precisely 102 km.

It was great, besides of the very nice weather, a special route was recommended by an university teacher who has tremendous enthusiasm in biking sports, as well as his son, a little guy only 12-year old, has been trained very toughly, the best cyclers in that trip to Huanglongxi.

The first 1.5 hour trip was not that interesting, we, 8 cyclers, cycled all the way down south direction, crossing the urban jungles, fly-overs and high-tech zone, it then gradually became interesting as the countryside finally appears. I never know this route, in the past, I always drave through another way, a new high way, to Huanglongxi, but this biking route is aboslutely much better and much more to see.

Huanglongxi is ancient town some 50 km south of Chengdu, It has been listed in Lonely Planet and highly recommended by Rough Guide for many years, but due to the blindly tourism development, the town has been polished, which means, it lost some of its authentic characters. However, it's still a great place for chill-out an afternoon sitting near the river band, for cyclers, a perfect stop after 50 km cycling.

Many restaurants near the chain bridge, and the food was delicious. You wouldn't become picky as you will be very hungry after 3-4 hours riding. After eating, having a cup of tea under the trees is so relaxing.

We cycled back through the new high way, it was boring and effort-taken, because the road is always up and down, I hurted my knee on the road.

It was a nice cycling day anyway, and I really recommend this route if you want to see a little bit of Chengdu's countryside.