Day 2️⃣ REPORT
Mitch's "Making a Christmas Memory"
2022 Bicycle Tour - 🚴♂️
▶️Talavera, Nueva Ecija to Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya
117KMS
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MINUS 20°
Rollout this morning at 0400. The first thing I noticed was the 20° drop in temperature. We are in the high 50's now. This meant for a 7/11 French Vanilla coffee! Much better!
DALTON'S PASS
I started up Dalton's Pass today. It is 76KMS of false flat, mostly up following "kind of" the river route - up stream. It was not super terrible. I did well. It is only long. Traffic increasing. Shoulder hazards often.
ICE CREAM ROCKS
I had some ice cream at one of my breaks going up Dalton Pass. I cannot express how wonderful it was! It was Korean brand, blueberry something.
ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?
I often get people following me on motorcycle checking out my website and YouTube address on the back. I had one guy insist I pull over to get selfie with me. I gave him some stickers.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE?
After climbing over 50KMS, I reached the border of N.E and N.V. It reminded me of the USA's Continental Divide, since you go "up and over" and the river direction changes. I was really surprised to have a "kinda" downhill for 21KMS all the way to Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
JOLLIBEE SIGN BETTER
I took my photo at the Nueva Vizcaya border sign provided by Jollibee restaurant rather than the old one provided by the Gov't. Why does not the Governor of the Province make a nicer sign? He knows tourists love a nice sign.
I SPEAK NO ENGLISH
At one stop, I had a cup of noodles and some brown coffee and the lady that prepared it for me was very apologetic that she did not know any English. She said she never finished school and now that she's married she's only stay at home. She told me that just last year was the first year that she got a cell phone and learned how to use it. That was when I was reminded of the illiteracy rate that exists so often in these mountain areas where work is often a priority over going to school.
UNLIMITED GINGER
I can't believe how much ginger, onions, and garlic is being produced here by the farmers. As I passed by the street vendors, they are not selling only a few pieces or by the Kilo, but by the SACK FULL!
DOWNHILL LOSS
Today, I appreciated, after climbing over 50KM to the border, The surprise of the 21KM going down from Santa Fe to Aritao. But since My goal over the next two days is to visit the Highest Point and the Second Highest Point on the National Highway, anytime I go down means I'm going to have to climb up extra later, so I consider it a loss. It's like any amount of going up is considered credit towards reaching the Highest Point, but every time you go down you're actually losing credit that you'll have to pay back later.
LOSING A DAY
I was hoping that tomorrow on December 27th would be my day of reaching the Highest Point on the National Highway located in Tinoc, Ifugao, but It appears that it might take two more days to get there based on elevation challenges and my personal pace. This is fine for my calendar, but it might mean I will miss seeing the outreach team which is currently in Baguio City by one day. I will be able to answer this more accurately come the end of the day tomorrow the 27th.
End Go to Day 3 of 7
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