December 23rd

December 23, 2022

Bade

It's early when I wake. It's still dark and far too early for my liking. After thinking about it for 20-odd minutes, I get up and see the clock saying it's only 5:30 and wrap up in a few layers then walk to the corner store in the pre-dawn chill and buy a bottle of sugar-free yogurt so that I can have it with some cereal and blueberries. Maybe once something is inside I'll be able to sleep again and thankfully that's what happens.

It's well gone nine when I hear Debbie answer the intercom and know it'll be the postman. He's brought a dish my friend Dave posted a while ago, something I won on UK eBay, and it's nice that it's arrived just in time for Christmas, as has a friend's card and a spy novel that I ordered online.

Once Debbie has gone to work at close to noon, I've just put on a pair of cycling shorts when the phone rings and she tells me to wear long bottoms as it's freezing. I change and wheel my bike out the door and find it's pretty cold, just like it was at 5:30.

A small 1960s dish arrived in this morning's post, just in time for Christmas

Last night I had dinner with five students who I teach at Taiwan's national telecoms company and I noticed during the meal that the silver ring on my right hand's little finger was missing. At the time it occured to me that it'd be at home somewhere, but if it is it must be hiding, so maybe it came off when I removed my wooly gloves before locking up my bike outside the restuarant. It seems best to ride back there and take a look around.

The restuarant is just a few minutes' ride away. I scan the ground, but the ring is nowhere to be seen, so it's a case of cycling back and veering down some alleys to get on to route 114.

My plan is to go to the town of Bade. I looked on Google Maps earlier and saw there's NET clothing store there and maybe it'll have some items on sale. I do know there's a Louisa Coffee in Bade. My itinerary is set.

Debbie was right - it's cold, and the sun isn't too sure about revealing itself. I've my red, waterproof jacket on, but the long bottoms are just thin Lycra and don't really keep my legs warm. Instead of a cotton cycling hat, my head is covered in a tweed flat cap that's better at keeping out the chill, while my hands are in the same wooly gloves as last night.

In cap, gloves and leggings, riding along a few alleys to get to route 114

It's that time of year - mural beside route 114

Route 114 is a commercial road lined with an assortment of shops and businesses, with the odd industrial place sandwiched in here and there. It's not quality cycling, but it's reasonably safe and leads right into Bade. I stop at a couple of side streets that look like they may harbour older, more interesting properties and I find some things that are worth getting my camera out for. They are just oddments like garage doors, murals and windows.

The NET store is just off the 114 and I get to an intersection that I saw on Google Streetview, turn left onto route 4 and find it easily enough. Its front isn't anything special, but once inside it's one of the biggest I've been in. All the sale stuff is upstairs, as usual. It turns out there's not much on sale, but I buy a checked shirt that will fit my daughter and a second top so that I get a further 50 percent off the sale prices..

I reach a McDonald's and it's gone 2:00 and I'm hungry so I pop in.

Bike locked to a window grill on a side street

The wide road takes me north towards what I think of as the centre of Bade, which is where the traditional market is, and Louisa Coffee. The road is one that's new to me and I amaze myself that I take a left turn after a couple of kilometres and find it's the correct one. The charity shop is just 100 metres along the street, past where Louisa is, and I spend a few minutes in the place and walk out with two cheap shirts.

A chapter and more of a spy novel gets read while sat in Louisa, my seat being a stool by the window, with my bike parked across the alley.

My route home is a familiar one and after a section of busy, urban road, it gets pleasant when I veer off to cruise through farmland, where stubble from harvested rice and polytunnels border the tarmac and a shallow river flows on my left. Sunshine has a weak attempt to make an appearance.

There's a slight detour to a supermarket close to home because I know Debbie needs bread for breakfast tomorrow. There's some IPA on sale, plus a bottle of porter from Iceland, so they come home with me, too.

Today's ride: 25 km (16 miles)
Total: 2,050 km (1,273 miles)

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