#84 Day 3 – Haman to Changnyeong

[스티븐스 대사]

We passed the night in somewhat more Spartan environs, spending the night in a field next to the Gunbuk Reserve Forces Office, in large tents (provided generously by USFK), waking to a gentle rain greeting the new day and our new riders.  Even with that, yet once again the weather gods were with us.  The day brought us the full panoply of Korean summer weather – hot sun, drenching showers, and, miraculously, a rainbow.

Unforgettable experience sleeping in large tents in Haman

For the first time, the majority of our riders were young women, a pleasant surprise, but they met the day’s challenge with equal enthusiasm and tenacity.

Riding throughout the morning gave us an opportunity to enjoy more beautiful Korean scenery.  Even in just the three short days since we began this journey, we could see a discernible ripening in the rice fields.  One of our young riders, as we tackled one of the hills that we encountered, told me of a Korean proverb:  “as rice ripens, it leans.”  I believe the proverb means that as we age, as we mature, we should be modest in our ways, and mild in our carriage, as we all lean.  I certainly felt some measure of modesty, or at least humility, as we all pushed past the hills approaching the Nakdong!

Ripening and leaning rice fields

Lunch was a special treat.  We stopped at the house of General Gwak Jae-u’s birth, recently restored in 2005.  As we met local county officials and heard a briefing about the history of the house and about General Kwak and his illustrious victories in battle, we all enjoyed the privilege of having lunch together in this beautifully restored yang ban’s house.  The students appreciated it as much as I did. 

A group photo in front of General Kwak Jae-u’s birth house

I was taken aback as well by the enormous gingko tree in front of the house.  No one is quite sure, but it is at least 500 years old.  The tree itself is living history.

Look at the size of the enormous gingko tree!

In the afternoon, as we approached our principal destination, we crossed the Nakdong River for the first time.  We had been building up to this for a while, crossing the Nam River, and reading up on what it meant to defend the Nakdong Perimeter, but seeing this huge river up close, and the sheer cliffs on the other river bank brought home powerfully what happened there 60 years ago, and gave us a sense of just how difficult it must have been to defend in this terrain. 

Just as we crossed the river, the heavens opened up, and within minutes we were all soaking wet, so by the time we reached the Changnyeong Bakjin War Museum, we were not exactly a stirring sight, as we were dripping wet.  At the small but well-kept and informative museum, we met with the museum curator, local academics, and Korean War veterans, and had a chance to learn more about the struggle for the Nakdong Perimeter as we tried to wring ourselves dry, just a little.  As the rain let up, a bit, we walked slowly up a steep hill, and were greeted by dozens of students from Namji High School at the summit.  We laid a wreath at the monument, and, together with all the students, turned to look at the Nakdong just as the sun returned to shine on the river.  Looking out over this expanse, together with Koreans and Americans spanning the generations, I was moved when I thought of all that was risked, suffered, and sacrificed sixty years ago.  And I thought of the country the Korean people have built, and the relationship that has continued to grow between our two peoples in the ensuing years. 

Laying a wreath at the monument dedicated to the Bakjin Battle

The Namji High School students joined us to ride as we continued our bike route.  Their enthusiasm was infectious, even as the rains returned yet again.  Just as we parted ways, a rainbow appeared!  Sometimes, it is all a matter of being in the right place at the right time, and we were today. 

Can you see the rainbow in the photo?  It was beautiful!

By the end of the day, having climbed up yet another challenging hill, we arrived at our destination tired, extremely wet, hot, and sweaty.  Even so, we knew we had nice hotel rooms and a shower to look forward to.  We started the day in tents but ended in a comfortable hotel.  After what we saw today, especially over the Nakdong, I know just how fortunate we are to be here.

 

[제우스]

may be luck always like rainbow with ambassador!