December 14, 2023
December 14th
Happy Happy Valley with Ralph
Apart from my regular commute into town, I've not cycled since the hard, few-day trip over the Central Mountains, mainly because other things have been occupying my time. Ralph asks me each Monday night over beer if I've been out, and it's been a negative answer each time, but as we have free time today, he suggests getting out while the balmy weather continues - it's been in the high 20s for a week or so here. We're just not sure where to go.
Once he's driven over to my place at nine and our bikes are loaded on the rack, we decide to head to a place called Happy Happy Valley. It's a drive of nearly an hour and he parks on a branch of Highway 7, just downstream from a bridge that spans a shallow river.
Happy Happy Valley is not too far away. It must be a year or more since I was last here, and that was with Ralph. We both put on some sun cream before riding off towards the bridge.
There's a few minutes' cycling along the 7 to get to the narrow, concrete bridge, one that most people wouldn't know existed, as it's hidden out of sight below the road and is accessed via a small lane that just feeds a couple of homes. There are often a few stray dogs loitering around, but we can't see any on the bridge when I stop, waiting for Ralph to appear below for a snap, but there are two on the far side. They don't bark like they usually do when I cruise past. Maybe it's the heat. It's 27°C today... pretty hot for mid December.
It's a constant uphill ride on the 114, but there's quite a fair amount of shade and the incline is OK.
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What's surprising is there's so much traffic. The road doesn't really lead anywhere. It's actually a dead end. There are a few hiking trails in these parts and Ralph has dome some of them, so we guess people are simply out enjoying the weather, like us.
The traffic thins out and after about 10km, there's a fork in the road wheere we go right. Nearby the junction is a nice cafe in a traditional Chinese-style house and I realise where we are - Ralph and I went there last time - and when we get to the very end of this branch I expect to see a small bridge, but there's a cafe and a parking area. Ralph explains the bridge is at the end of the other branch.
We need to sit down for a while, so go into the cafe and get some cold drinks. They sell ice cream, so we treat ourselves to a cone and sit in some shade at a table outside. We're surrounded by mountains. Hiking paths head up into the steep slopes, which are covered in trees, bamboo and whatnot. We hang around and admire the sky, which is clear blue, and look down at the clear water flowingh over roacks and wonder about taking a dip in one of the pools to cool off.
It's something like a 10-minute cruise back down the road to the fork and we then climb again for about 4km or so. It's a quiet route and fairly gentle, with shade provided by the larger trees, and we reach the small bridge where the road ends and a hiking path starts. There's also one following the bank of the river. Ralph says he went along it once, but turned back after slipping into the water and getting his shoes wet.
We freewheel back towards the fork and make a turn down a lane to get to the yard for the cafe in the old house. The brick place has been renovated quite nicely and the rear room has been made bigger than it originally was. Out back is a concrete terrace where we get a small table. I reckon we sat in the same place last time. There are a few customers here, all our age or older.
The only Engish word on the menu is 'pizza' but that's good enough. One of the staff speaks English and explains what the four options are and I order two of them plus a couple of coffees.
It feels like summer and the coffees taste good. There's just the sound of the small river flowing over boulders and rocks below. I should have ordered just one pizza - we can't finish the other so get it packed to take home.
It's basically all downhill back to the car. It is furtehr than I realised and no wonder we neeeded a break and an ice cream at the first cafe. It's around two o'clock when we load the bikes on the rack.
Today's ride: 30 km (19 miles)
Total: 3,510 km (2,180 miles)
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