Let's do some crimes...

Sometimes my blog is crafted; sometimes it is just an email I have sent.

Today’s entry is a version of a letter that I wrote to some of my cycling friends yesterday. I have added a few background details for clarification.

FYI: I am currently training for an almost-400-mile, 4-day bike ride. At the end of May, my Ohio friends will be riding from Cincinnati to Cleveland. They have been training together for months while I have been trying to train in Beijing. That’s not easy without my pack and in polluted air.

I got super lucky when my good friend, Julie, agreed to ride with me when the air is clear. I also got lucky and found a fellow road cyclist, Rachael, to ride with. Still the training has not gone as well as I had hoped.

Here’s an example:

Hi!

Today Julie and I went cycling and almost got arrested for trespassing.

Who knew climbing fences was illegal?

(I admit: the property did sort of look like an official government water control thingy…)

I wish I had caught a photo of Julie doing her acrobatic flip over the first fence.

It was on a “cliff” overlooking some polluted water with a dead animal decaying on the ground next to us.

Gross.

She miscalculated the flip and landed on her back in the dirt with her cycling skirt all around her waist and the dust flying up.

It was a riot!

Well, we didn’t just climb fences...we also scooted under one.

(Sending photo.)

And man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Her mountain bike was heavy to lift! And some of those fences were high!

High like I had to stand on some cement blocks that were lying around to get the bikes over.

(You may wonder why there are construction materials randomly scattered on gov’t property. Us, too! China.)

My pink bike is a total light weight!!

I got it over in no time.

But as I am handing her the 7000 pound mountain bike, she begins yelling, "Wee chinky is coming, wee chinky!"

(That's Scottish for Holy shit, here comes the guard!)

I quickly scooted under the fence (it was a tight fit) while throwing her the mt. bike and my iPhone.

She needed her bike for the getaway.

I needed a photo for the blog .

Anything for my writing career...

And my training!

We jumped on those bikes and hauled ass.

Our justification? It’s not like we could have understood the guy if we stayed around to chat.

And then, as we are zipping away, a Chinese mutt chases us, barking frantically. These decrepit little fisher women (yes, there were witnesses to the crime) start howling with laughter.

My life is weird.

Miss you!

See you in 3.5 weeks. Ready or not.

Not as the case may be. The air is HORRENDOUS.

love,

kimbeijingerly