Seoul Bike Party: Rainbow ride – An unforgettable cycling adventure

What have I been doing with my time in Seoul?

Applying to renew my contract, researching what I might do when I go home, looking at applications and starting to apply (practice for the future), realising how many of my friends will only be here for a few more months, planning what I might do for the summer holidays, and playing candy crush. A mixture of productive and non-productive activities.

Exploring Seoul on a bike

I wanted to attend Bike party in Seoul for a couple of months now, which hadn’t happened for a couple of reasons. My friends were too hungover, or the weather had been dreadful. Today, a lot of people planned to go and see the new Star Trek movie. So, I thought I would miss another Bike party Seoul. But Dave messaged me to tell me that he was going, and invited me along. As I went to get the subway towards Gangnam (the starting point), I realised that I would probably be late. I studied the invitation to determine where the party stops would be en-route. 

Seoul Bike Party Invitation Information

“We are going to start in style near busy Gang-nam station (~6pm) this month working our way up to Sinsa’s fashionable Ga-ru-suk-gil and on to Han-Gang Park for the first party stop under Han-nam bridge (~7pm). The second party stop is near Han-gang bridge (~8pm) and the final party stop with have the spectacular back drop of the new Nam-dae-mun gate (숭례문 ~9pm) See you all there for BPS #8 it should be a good one!”

Bike Hire at Oksu Station

I noticed a couple of the party stops were along the Han river. This was when I had the bright idea that I could hire a bike near the river and cycle with them for part of the route. I had previously seen a Seoul Bike hire place by Oksu station, which was near the first party stop at Han-nam Bridge. So, I headed to Oksu to hire a bike. The gentleman who served me didn’t speak any English. With mime and my limited Korean, he managed to show me how to lower/raise my seat, lock my bike, and I understood that I had to return it in two hours time. Success! The theme for this month’s Bike Party was Rainbow ride. I was quite pleased with my bike, because I felt it suited this rather well.

Note: When I returned the pink panther, I discovered I’d managed to use one of the free rental locations. Bonus! This was why I’d had to leave my ARC card with them as a deposit.

Meet you at the Party Stop?

I cycled towards the first party stop to join the Bike Party. Then, I messaged Dave for an update, he confirmed they should be there soon. I waited. There were lots of people cycling, but none of them looked in party mode. I waited, and I waited. Dave messaged to tell me he was at the Han-nam bridge, and he even sent me a picture of his location. Confused, I replied to thell him I was there as well, but I couldn’t see anyone. Somehow, I must have been in the wrong place….

I cycled along the river having my own bike party with the pink panther before it had to be returned. Only then it dawned on me, they started in Gangnam so they were probably cycling along the South side of the river. I hired my bike from Oksu which is on the North side of the river. So, we both must have been at the Han-nam bridge, just on opposite sides!

Dave, had a good time! In a way, so did I. I think I might buy a bike after my trip to Jeju. Now, what kind of bike should I get?