Korean cyclists, recognising our luggage-laden bikes, geared up for the fabled Four Rivers route, would stick up their thumbs and shout encouragement.<\/p>

Full of energy, we pedalled on, gradually leaving Seoul\u2019s dense cityscape behind us.<\/p>

As the day unfolded, vibrant autumnal colours enhanced the beauty of the landscape. We had picked the perfect week for this ride; every day was bright, warm and sunny.<\/p>

It was the final week of October and I\u2019d recommend doing it in spring or autumn to avoid summer\u2019s soup-like weather, with temperatures reaching over 30\u00b0C. In winter, it can dip to -18\u00b0C.<\/p>

We continued happily along, mainly on the flat, for the rest of the day until we were greeted by a short but very steep hill that offered us a taste of the more challenging climbs ahead.<\/p>

Our motel offered us a safe place to lock up our bikes for the night. Security was never an issue, with places always ready to provide secure lock-ups or even allow us to keep the bikes in our rooms.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

Mist opportunity<\/h2>
$\"Lone$
Despite thick morning mist, autumn is the time to ride to avoid extremes in temperature. Steve Roe<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The following day, a different landscape began to unfurl. We started crossing from one side of the river to the other, which would be a recurring theme of the trip.<\/p>
We also took in the amazing mountainous views, which we\u2019d see plenty more of along the way.<\/p>
South Korea has exceptionally mountainous terrain, with a staggering 70 per cent coverage, some of which we had the fun of cycling up.<\/p>
But day two was very flat and a deliberate pacing before tackling a hefty climb on day three.<\/p>
We would now average 60 miles a day, with today\u2019s leg coming to a close in the small town of Suanbo-Myeon.<\/p>
We bumped into inspirational fellow Brit Sean, who we\u2019d occasionally meet throughout the ride and enjoy chatting to.<\/p>
He\u2019d cycled all the way from Italy through various countries, such as Turkey and Mongolia, and would continue to Japan after reaching Busan.<\/p>
$\"Cyclist$
Discover sleepy towns and villages along the way, such as Suanbo-Myeon. Steve Roe<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
When researching this trip, many accounts highlighted day three\u2019s steep climb followed by an even longer, more gruelling ascent.<\/p>
The most infamous of the hills was 5km long, winding up the mountain with gradients as high as 12 per cent.<\/p>
Yet, contrary to the picture the blogs had painted, I found the climb more manageable than anticipated (although the real test, scarcely mentioned, was yet to come).<\/p>
The day started with dramatic dense fog. The initial steep climb rewarded us with a magnificent view of a small farming village at the base of several mountains, the gold autumn colour shining through the mist.<\/p>
Reaching the summit of the second climb also delivered a brilliant view and an unexpected delight: a restaurant complete with a tuck shop stocked with snacks and drinks.<\/p>
With big appetites, we devoured large helpings of noodles and fried potato pancakes, and we couldn\u2019t resist stuffing our pockets full of chocolate bars and sweets.<\/p>
$\"Red$
Keep an eye out for the red phone boxes, where you can fill in your bike passport. Steve Roe<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Surprisingly, the restaurant even sold bike equipment: a cyclist\u2019s haven.<\/p>
Laden with our new-found provisions, we relished the exhilarating descent, which felt as though it stretched on endlessly, allowing us to digest our lunch comfortably.<\/p>
This leg of the route was on quiet roads; very few cars passed us on the ascent, giving us ample space, and we saw none on the way down.<\/p>
That night, we arrived in the quaint village of Mullyang-ri and stayed in a \u2018bike-tel\u2019, an accommodation tailored to cyclists.<\/p>
Our host provided a delicious dinner of vegetable soup, spicy pork and rice, then a breakfast of fried eggs, rice and more soup. We gratefully cleaned our plates.<\/p>