(CNN) -- The southern Chinese city of Suzhou has been eulogized by artists since the Tang Dynasty. The poet Bai Juyi wrote: "In front of storied buildings everywhere waft the melodies of flutes, And by the door of every house are moored ships and boats." Today, Suzhou's classical gardens are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and its canal network, bisected by gorgeous stone bridges, has earned the nickname, "The Venice of the East." Yet when our small convoy of cyclists approached the city that so impressed Venetian traveler Marco Polo in the 12th century, there was little to wax lyrical about.
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The author pedaled more than 2,000 kilometers, much of it through epic smog
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Charity bike ride started in Shenzhen, finished in Shanghai
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Some area of ride were gorgeous and smog-free
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Most of the riders in author's group found the air quality disturbing
Our journey began with much media fanfare in downtown @placeholder in mid-November.