A Sunny Start & A Hearty Breakfast
The sun rose on Day 2 of my Jeju circumnavigation. The morning was crisp and clear, with warm sunlight hitting the road. My goal was to meet up with the rest of the crew at the Jungmun Tourist Complex, so I had to push through the first leg of the day to reach our rendezvous point.
I found a local spot called ‘Gamdong Snack’ for an early meal.
I fueled up with a massive bowl of octopus ramen and kimbap. After cinching down my gear one last time, I was back in the saddle.
The Warm-up: Rolling Hills
The distance to the meeting point wasn’t long, but the route took me over mountain ridges with constant “camel-back” (rolling) hills. At the time, I laughed it off as a good warm-up. Little did I know what the Jeju wind had in store for me later!
Finally, the four of us are united!
After a quick caffeine fix at the Jungmun Starbucks, we hit the road immediately. As we pedaled, the sky grew heavy with clouds, and the headwind began to bite.
Still, the cycling infrastructure here is top-notch. We wove through local villages and coastal paths—nothing compares to the feeling of having the open sea constantly on your right shoulder.
A Quick Pitstop
We couldn’t resist stopping at ‘Jestory,’ a famous souvenir shop packed with charming Jeju trinkets. I actually liked the vibe so much that my current profile picture—featuring a “cute concept”—was taken right there.
Battling the Wall of Wind
The headwind eventually became so brutal that no matter how much power I put into the pedals, I could barely maintain a speed of 10 km/h. It was a grind. By the time we reached Soesokkak Beach, the wind finally caught its breath, and we celebrated with some Hallabong ice cream.
Note: Hallabong is a premium Jeju citrus. It’s significantly sweeter than a standard tangerine and has a distinct, incredible aroma.
Pushing Through the “Triple Abundance”
The tailwind from Day 1 was a distant memory; it was a pure headwind from here on out. Jeju is famous for Samda (the three abundances): Rocks, Women, and Wind. Today, the island decided to prove that last one to us in full force. Whenever our legs started to scream, we’d stop for a moment to soak in the ocean view—it’s the best recovery there is.
Cruising between the 5 o’clock and 4 o’clock positions of the island, I encountered the strongest winds I’ve ever experienced on a bike. As dusk turned to total darkness, we switched on our lights and kept pushing. When we finally rolled up to the hotel, my face was beet-red and I was gasping for air.
The Finish Line (for Today)
We had planned to visit a famous restaurant to celebrate the full group joining, but we were all completely spent. We opted for a K-BBQ pork place right in front of the hotel, ate our fill, and crashed.
TIP: When planning a ride in a new region, don’t just look at the forecast—check the wind rose (wind direction). It makes the difference between a joyride and a battle.
하루만에 마르는 져지/빕 굿 ㅎㅎ