It's been a while to drive to Geoncheon 건천 near Gyeongju to cycle around the idle rural areas. Parked SUV in the parking space of Geoncheon stadium and headed cycling westwards towards Ahwa 아화. The route passes through the peaceful paddy fields surrounding the rural countryside and two mountain saddles named Sukjae 숙재 and Ohjae 오재 each across two administrative areas. The cool breeze was blowing under the shade of trees, though it was still hot and humid in the strong sunlight.
Not long after leaving Geoncheon, reached at Ahwa and faced the mountain range to the south. Sukjae 숙재 is at the lowest point along the ridgeline and a road runs through it. The road starting Ahwa follows a straight stretch with relatively gentle slope. At the end of the stretch, the road zigzags uphill steadily and at times up the steep slope.
A raw vegan community village nestled below the mountain ridge is near the top of Sukjae. In Korean lifestyle, the dominant meat-eating culture is still prevailing, so a lot of people outside the village are curious about how the villagers could survive eating only raw and uncooked, plant-based foods. Vegans and vegetarians as members of a unique minority group can sometimes be ignored and misunderstood in Korea. On the way back, crossed the mountain saddle, Ohjae, the lowest point along the ridge behind.
