Long after taking part in the LaLa Shan Experiment, I still find myself thinking about it frequently. The forest, the snake, the never ending trail, the scenery, the lodge, the Mr. Chens ... there was so much more to that weekend than the three or four hours of incredible downhill riding that the trip finished with. LaLa Bits is my attempt at showing some of the things, aside from the riding, that made the experience so memorable.
The Cabin
Finally a chance to rest and replenish after more than eight hours of hiking and climbing. Hot water, warm blankets and even a TV.
The Lodge
Mr. Chen runs a mean mountainside operation. So mean in fact that he's got guns and other assorted weapons on the walls to prove it, as if the dead animal's head wasn't enough.
The Breakfast
How do you make an Aussie and a Kiwi happy when fueling up for a long ride? Give them hot coffee, toast and Vegemite on a cold morning.
The Blue Truck
Instead of riding up 11km of steep mountain road first thing in the morning, we found a quicker way. A blue truck. While I sat in the front, the other riders took the chilly ride up in the back with the bikes.
The Mr. Chens
We survived our blue truck experience thanks to the sure hand of Mr. Chen ... not to be confused with the Mr. Chen who ran the lodge.
The Bu Xing Crew
The trail should have been named "Bu Xing" as hiker after hiker told us "Bu Xing" ... in other words, there is no way that you guys can ride up or down the trail! Determined, we carried on, much to their amusement.
The View
High mountains, early morning, great scenery. The ample supply of trees on the trail hid most of the view, but the view from the road was simply spectacular.