With the autumn progressing, got around the coastline, mountain area and rural countryside in Yeongdeok 영덕 region in the east. Almost one year since the last visit. Got up early in the morning to avoid the traffic jam and arrived at the parking lot of Namjeong 남정 township office near the sea and got started. It was partly sunny then mostly cloudy skies, while the temperature was likely to dip below 20°C. The trail for cyclists and hikers along the seashore or highway is well managed and being maintained partly. The coastal views on the way to Ganggu 강구 was beautiful enough to attract a passer-by, so should often stop to take photos. The coastal road was less busy in the morning.
Many sea food restaurants along Ganggu fishing harbor are open in the morning. It used to be a plain and small fishing village but now is famous nationwide for snow crabs and sea food, and lots of visitors are crowded every weekend. By way of that harbor, headed up north along the coastal road, turned on the left at some fishing village en route, went uphill to cross a mountain pass to get Yeongdeok on the other side.
Cycled downtown Yeongdeok and kept going west, crossing rivers, rice fields and apple orchards. Finally, reached at the road to Okgye 옥계. The way to Maeti mountain pass 매티재, the last one to cross before returning to Namjeong, diverges to the left. It has steep uphill stretches as experienced in the last year, so Jaeho was supposed to challenge it once again. Fortunately at this time, pedaled not harder than before while pushing hard on the uphill. About half an hour later, Jaeho was rewarded with a long downhill section after struggling to cycle nonstop to the summit of the pass. Safety is the first, rode down excitedly but safely. The autumn rural scenery was very peaceful and beautiful.
