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While visiting the in-laws this Chuseok holiday, I decided I’d bring my bike. Highway 31, which runs parallel to the coast provides some excellent scenery, both to the left and right of the road. On one side, is the ocean – the East Sea the Korean’s call it – the Sea of Japan on everyone else’s map. On the other side of the road, the mountains and forests.

Before I’d been gone too long, I was getting into fairly hilly country. Sometimes the road would wind around a fishing village and up into the foothills of the mountains and I rode through cool pine forests laced with homes sporting rooms for rent At others, it would drift right up to the beach and give me spectacular views of crashing waves. Sometimes, I’d end up on an overlook where the vista of rocky shores seemed endless.

I rode almost 55km that day. Far longer than my usual daily rides, but far more interesting, too. I rode 27km from my mother-in-law’s house near Gampo to Goryongpo, a fishing and crabbing town on the Pohang Peninsula. In Goryongpo, scads of restaurants offered “hwey” (Korean-style sushi) or crab.

In some places, fishermen brought in their catch and passed it over to waiting salt-water trucks. I watched as the fish, a mess of flounder, went from boat to truck to restaurants within minutes – it doesn’t get much fresher than that. Along the way, several batches of fish were drying in the warm October sun. Fish jerky is popular here. I’m a fan myself.

As I started my ride home around 5:30pm, the hostesses came to the door of the crab restaurants to await the evening dinner rush. They bowed to anyone who caught their eye – me included – as they passed. The evening sun was just right for photos of the women smiling and bowing.

I still had a long way to go, and the sun was setting fast. Fortunately, I have both rear and front lights on the bike so darkness wasn’t really a worry. But as the sun set and the moon rose, I got several more pictures. My camera is only fair and I’m sure a pro could have gotten better shots. If these had come out even close to what I saw with my eyes they’d be wondrous.

This one is my favorite

The ride around grandma’s place is nice. I wish it were closer. Riding in town is great, but has little of the scenery available on the coast. I can’t wait to get out there again and explore some more.