February 28, 2023
February 28th
Longtan
Morrissey's late-1980s song "Everyday Is Like Sunday" is playing in my head as that's how it feels. It's rare to have a few days off with Debbie due to our different work schedules, and when we get out for a spin it's usually a short one on Sunday mornings. We're heading out today, like we did Monday, feeling like it's Sunday.
The sun's shining just as predicted and we walk out the door just before nine and ride towards the riverside cycle path again and once there, head south instead of north.
I'm in shorts and a summer top while Debbie has a jacket on. It does feel a bit cool in shade, but it's still early in the day and besides, there's a pair of arm-warmers in my bar-bag and a light jacket is stuffed in my saddlebag. I just don't think they'll be needed.
The path winds along by the river and the plan is to ride to Longtan. That was my intention a week ago, but I missed a turn somewhere. Since then I've looked at Google Maps to see where I went wrong and reckon we'll be fine today.
Most of the adjacent fields have water standing in them and farmers are planting rice. We see a few of them driving special tractors that have a device on the back that's loaded with young, bright green shoots growing in small rectangles. It saves bending over in shin-high water all day getting your hands wet, like the previous generation did.
The cycle path ends near route 66, but resumes again a few minutes away and eventually we get to where I made a mistake. Debbie shows me a sign pointing to where we need to go. I was on auto-pilot last time and turned right instead of left.
After the turn it only takes a few minutes to get to the start of a hill where a lane rises up to reach a two-metre-wide canal with concrete sides that we will follow for a while. The climb is only 100 metres, but it's one which is really hard to pedal up. We manage it. That's because our gears are low.
Bad news. At the top the path is blocked off with a pair of tall metal gates. A sign says thieves stole some steel cables and contractors are in the process of replacing them. We think about climbing over the adjacent fence, but wonder if the other end of the path will be more difficult to negotiate, meaning we'd have to double back. Debbie gets Google Maps on her phone and I see there's a route that will loop around and hopefully allow us to get on the path on the other side of route 113.
After another short climb, the lane goes past factories that loom up behind high concrete walls and razor wire. Then we get to a turn and follow a wide service road that goes through a serious industrial park. Who knew all this was here.
The good news is we reach the busy 113 and drop down it for a few minutes to reach the canal and make a right to get on the cycle path. Only a few people are strolling around. They all wear masks still.
The path is slightly higher than the land on our left, which is again mostly rice fields filled with water. It's been a while since I was here. The canal flows with greenish water that likely comes from a nearby reservoir and it's not long before we get to the road heading directly to Longtan, but rather than going the usaual way, we cut straight across and make our way to a quite back lane that we haven't been on in years.
It is just wide enough for one car and bends across farmland and past a few homes. We come out near a nursery and decide to pop in to see if there's any plants that look nice. We end up with two dinky, used terracotta pots and a couple of pots of ornamental grass. They get packed away in my saddlebag and we head into Longtan for a bite to eat. I feel famished.
Debbie doesn't want to eat in the coffee shop like we often do, so we head past the the town's market area and find a noodle shop that we thought might have closed up since the last time we came - maybe three or more years ago. The old guy is still there, looking a bit dazed, and it seems the younger generation is now running the show. He wanders around and collects dishes and it must be his wife who brings ours - Debbie's shrimp fried rice and my bowl of spicy noodles.
After a coffee and a wedge of caramel apple pie in Louisa, we look around the nearby NET clothing shop and Debbie buys a few sale items, then we head towards home.
We wonder if an old bamboo sofa is still beside the lane and take that route to check. It is and Debbie asks a local woman on a scooter about it. She doesn't know who put it there, but says it was intended for older people to sit on while waiting for a bus at the adjacent stop. It seems a shame it's stuck outside, as the legs will rot before long.
We do about 40km by the time we arrive home, which is a lot for what is usually a 25km loop. We've been out nearly five hours and my face is frazzled.
Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 2,418 km (1,502 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 4 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |