Railbikes-A little exercise and loads of fun!

Railbikes..A great way to spend an afternoon

Fresh air.. spectacular scenery..a little exercise...loads of fun. A railbike excursion is a great way to spend an afternoon outside of the busy city life. Railbikes are pedal powered railway vehicles built to run on railroad tracks that are no longer in commercial use.
We decided to check out the railbikes that we had heard so much about. We booked a 1:00 trip and drove early in the morning. We departed at 8:30 a.m. but there was a lot of traffic, so we just made it in time for the trip.
The trip departs from the Gujeolli Station which is located in the picturesque Jeongseon area of the Gangwon-do province. The drive to the station was very enjoyable as we wound out way through the small towns down country roads. It is beautiful scenery and we made the trip as a day trip, but there is a delightful option, you can stay in the Railcar Pension which is a series converted railcars located right at the station. There are Western and Korean style rooms available. (For infornation on this check out the website at the end of this post)

This excursion is very popular, especially with families. There were many excited faces as the children awaited their turn to ride the rails. Reservations are a must, especially in the Fall as the trips fill up. As we departed for the 90 minute, 7.2 kilometre trip,the smiles on our faces were just as broad as the younger participants. It is just plain fun-skipping along the railroad tracks surrounded by spectacular scenery and feeling the cool breezes in your face as you travel along.
The trip is all downhill so is not the least bit strenuous and you are transported back to the station in a train. On the route you travel along the Crystal clear Soncheon river as it winds its way through a beautiful mountain backdrop. Adding to the beauty of the trip are the waterfalls that you encounter along the way.
Along the way you encounter tunnels which were a big hit with
railbikers young and old. I should point out that the railbikes don't have horns, so if you are given to the pursuit of blowing
your horn loudly in tunnels, you will be disappointed.
A wonderful part of the day was dining in a converted railcar which was fashioned to resemble giant grasshoppers. The food was good and there were Western cuisine options as well as Korean.
Jeonseon was once a large coal-producing region, producing 6.5 million tons a year but due to the decline of the coal industry, mines started closing in 1989 impacting Jeongseon. The train that once transported coal and people between Gujeolli and Auraji stopped operating as a result of this decline. So to preserve this rail road legacy lacals and the Korea Rail Corporationdevised the railcar excursions.
We are so glad they did!
For more information on the railbike excursions contact the following:

the Website of Jeongseon County at http://www.jeongseon.go.kr or call 033-560-2361. You can also contact the KTX Tour and Leisure Corporation at http://www.railbike.co.kr or 033-563-8787.
or go to Korea.net and type in "railbikes" and click on the link. Actually this website has a lot of good information about Korea.
You may need help with booking so I would suggest contacting 1330 or enlisting the help of a Korean friend.
Happy Rails!

Gosu Cave A Natural Wonder

Gosu Cave is host to spectacular limestone formations. It was very striking to us that we were able to go to the cave's inner places. So often you view them from a distance. We were fascinated by nature's handiwork. It is definitely not a place for the claustrophobic. There are many tight places on the tour as you wind your way through, climbing on steel staircases.

Designated as a natural monument No. 256, Gosu Cave is a limestone cave formed over 450 million years ago, is located in Danyang-gun. This extensive cave system is 1,300 meters/4265 feet deep, and is well known for its beauty.

The name Gosu comes from the fact that in the past, the area was filled with thickets of tall grass. Crude stone impliments were excavated at the cave entrance, revealing that this area was home to prehistoric humans.

Inside Gosu Cave, the temperature remains around 15℃/59F throughout the year. A 1.7km/5577ft length of twisting, turning limestone caverns have been outfitted with metal walkways and subdued lighting. The vertical height of the walkways is 50m/164ft.

There are reportedly about 25 different kinds of animal life inhabiting the cave. Some of the rocks resemble animals or human figures, like Lion Rock, Octopus Rock, Eagle Rock, and even the Virgin Mary Rock. About 120 various shapes of stalactites and stalagmites are found within the cave are valuable resources for researchers and scholars.

http://wikimapia.org/321808/Gosu-Cave-%EA%B3%A0%EC%88%98%EB%8F%99%EA%B5%B4

A trip to Danyang

One of the things we really loved to do in Korea was venture out into the countryside.
When we had only been in Seoul for a month we took a trip to Danyang which is about two hours outside of Seoul. We wanted to to take the 32 mile waterway between Chungju and Danyang. It was a very beautiful trip.
I should point out that it would be a great idea to take this trip with a Korean friend since
we only encountered only a few people that spoke English. But with the help of our limited Korean, and very helpful Koreans we got along fine. At the time we didn't know about calling 02-1330 for assistance. It would have been helpful. We used that help line many times during our time in Korea.

We felt very adventurous as we secured passage on the ferry in Chungju and contracted with a driver to take our car to Danyang! We were very to happy to see the driver and our car waiting for us as we got off the boat. The tour is not in English but the boat captain spoke English and
explained what we were seeing.
He described the various limestone formations. They
were very interesting. The ride was relaxing. It was a beautiful
day.
There is a lot of historical
significance to the sights in this area so I am including some of the background.

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/danyang/3998010029.html

The following are the background on the Scenic Wonders that are located around Danyang.
It is provided by the above website.

1. Dodam Sambong -- This island in the NamHan River has three peaks, called Changgunbong, Cheopbong, and Cheobong. They are said to represent three people involved in a love triangle: the husband, the concubine, and the wife, respectively. The story is that a man couldn't have a son with his wife, so he took on a concubine. The wife was so upset that she refused to speak to him and turned away. Locals say that the orientation of the rocks symbolizes this relationship.

2. Seokmun -- Going up river from the three peaks about 200m (656 ft.), you will find a stone gate shaped like the arc of a rainbow. Locals say that heavenly spirits must have sang a song when they passed by.

3. Sainam Rock -- This large rock cliff, surrounded by old pine trees, hangs over a clear stream. On it is inscribed a poem by Confucian scholar Utak (pen name, Yeoktong). The poem reads: "Something far superior to other things/indeed matchless, cannot be cast aside./There is nothing to be afraid of, even standing all alone./There is nothing to worry about, in this secluded life."

4. Haseonam -- Along the range of Doraksan are three peaks that people liken to brothers. Haseonam is the first. A large boulder on it is said to look like a reclining Buddha (so it's called "Bulam," Buddha Rock). During the Joseon Dynasty, it was given the name "Sonam," which means "a rock where the mountain wizards strolled." And local legend has it that the gods once descended from heaven and had a banquet there.

5. Jungseonam -- About 5km (3 miles) from Haseonam is the middle brother peak. On its slopes is the Ssang-yong Falls, where it is said that twin dragons ascended to heaven through a crevice. During the Joseon Dynasty, many yangban (those from the gentlemen class) would come here to make music, write poetry, and commune with nature.

6. Sangseonam -- Sangseonam was named by Gwon Sang-ha, who was said to have built a thatched pavilion and lived here writing poetry. There are three hermitages in the nine valleys surrounded by the rocky peaks.

7. Gudambong -- This peak gets its name, which means turtle, from the shape of its reflection in the lake below, which is said to look like a turtle swimming just below the surface of the water. Gudambong and nearby Oksunbong are both popular in the fall season when their trees change color.

8. Oksunbong -- This peak was originally a part of Cheongpung-gun, but the story is that the female entertainer Duhyang coaxed Yi Hwang into including it in Danyang-gun. The magistrate of Cheongpung didn't agree but Yi Hwang carved the characters "Dangu Dongmun" on the rock wall, stating that it was "the gateway to Danyang." The unusually shaped boulders are surrounded by various trees.

Next: The spectacular rock formations in Gosu Cave another interesting attraction in Danyang