Mountain Song- Jane's Addiction

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3-13-07 Yangshou

Daytime and the place takes on a whole other vibe. Flute peddlers stroll the cobblestone lanes playing their wares, with the occasional Gallic harmony thrown in for the tourists upcoming holiday. Street vendors hawk tea from gigantic steaming teapots. Best of all everywhere you look hotels and restaurants with English signs and menus, and very cheap prices. It’s not called a backpacker haunt for nothing. All surrounded by the otherworldly pinnacles. After ordering and receiving a delicious dumpling order I stayed two extra nights just for the beautifully relaxed ease of it all.

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After a nice ham and over-easy eggs breakfast (You have no idea what a pleasure that is. It was my first real American breaky since I left NY) I rented a very new and capable mountain bike and headed off for Jili. The LP guide said it was historic and picturesque. After an hours ride all I saw was grit and rundown. Again I was wondering what the Lonely Planet guys were dropping. After some back alley searching I found the river and scenic part. Old stone streets and pagodas near the river launch. Nice but I probably should have headed for the more natural scenery, which I got a good taste of the next day.

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So what do you do if you’re surrounded by towering limestone peaks? Climb them, if you can. Or if you’re like me, grab a ride and rappel down them. At least that was the plan when I signed up for the afternoon with X-Climbers. Turns out we had to walk a while through the rice paddies and then up a hill, through a cave and then rappel down. To be honest, it was a huge thrill. The hike through the scenery was wonderful, much better than biking or boating by it. And the ‘hike’ up the hill? Well whenever you use your hands as much as your feet qualifies as climbing in my book, especially on mud and slippery rocks. One tumble and it’s a long roll down. We get to the top and enter a cave that was made into a fortress about a thousand years ago. Way cool. Then it’s time to go down. Little hint, if you’re going to do anything dangerous that you’re not an expert at make sure the guide speaks English. The girl who sold me on the trip stayed at the bottom, which I probably should have balked at right away. So I’m leaning over this 120 foot ledge and the guide is trying to tell me how to get started. I know how to use the abseiling tool and the rope but taking the first step is a bit tricky. He keeps saying left foot and pointing at my right arm. Then the tool that slows/stops you won’t slide the rope and has to be reconfigured. All this while I’m literally hanging over the ledge. Finally another Chinese English speaker client is called over and tells me what to do. Basically just lean back and step off, which is what I’d planned all along. The way down is easy. Just slowly release the rope and keep stepping backwards. Once you get used to the wedgie from the harness you start to have fun and jump from spot to spot. At one point there was no wall to reach so I was just dangling there. It really is fun but no, I didn’t go up for a second go round.