The 2nd Annual Rotten Dead Donghae Burn & Turn run got underway with Big D, Jessie and Nate leaving Busan on the morning of August 30th.  The trio spent the day heading north along Korea’s scenic eastern coast on Road 7.

In an omen of things to come, the 4th gear of Jessie’s bike decided to take an early retirement halfway into the journey, but that didn’t stop the group from arriving at Mangsang Beach by afternoon, where they spent the rest of the day enjoying plenty of food, drink and sea air.

Rotten Dead’s Seoul contingent got off to a much later start, with Heretic and Pony unable to leave the city until late in the evening.  Meeting up at the traditional jumping-off point at Itaewon McDonald’s, the pair headed eastward into the night.  The ride was easy, fast-going until they encountered Korea’s eastern coastal range mountains, where frigid night air, steep climbs and hairpin corners in the black, unlit void of Gangwondo forced them to relax the pace.

After further delays in the wake of navigational SNAFU’s related to a desperate search for an open gas station, Heretic and Pony finally met up with Big Daddy in the wee hours of the morning.  The three rode the final stretch back to Mangsang to partake of snacks, alcohol and bullshitting on the pre-dawn beach.

The next day was spent with the full group riding up and down Donghae’s coast taking in the views, coffee and fresh air.

However, morning came earlier for some than for others.

 After exploring Samcheok’s caverns and having a late lunch, it was time to part ways and head back to our respective homes.

Heretic and Pony rode back to Seoul on route 6, beating the ever-threatening rain by a good hour.  The Pusan group headed south on 7, where they were less fortunate…

Some distance north of Pohang, ominously close to the spot of last year’s Donghae run breakdown, Big D’s bike inexplicably…stopped.  With the hour getting late, and the skies threatening, Jessie and Nate continued onward while Big D tried all he could to work out the problem, but to no avail.  Finally, he had no choice but to call the mechanics and their truck, and to wait and wait…  In the dark and rain…  Alone…

Epilogue:

Donghae’s a great place to go, and 7’s a fantastic rode to ride, but with two successive RDMC runs ending in major mechanical failure, and a previous ride there being not without serious incident, our well-educated, rational Western minds have decided to err on the side of caution and submit to superstition.  Donghae is deemed a cursed destination.  A Bermuda triangle for bikes.  Thus ends the second and final Rotten Dead Donghae Burn & Turn.

For more pictures of the Donghae Run click here.

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