Prologue
The Vegetable Highway is an asphalted road that connects the three towns of Carcar, Barili, and Sibonga. I starts at KM 46.5 and ends in Sibonga to the east and Dumanjug to the west. There is also a road the links it to Cebu's "Vegetable Basket," my favorite place in Cebu, Mantalongon, Dalaguete. (My next-to-my-room favorite place in Cebu, just to be precise.)
I
I jejevolved today (vb., to transform into a jejemon from a previous non-jejemon state). I was riding my bike listening to wRock when I started losing signal of the station. I changed the dial to the next station with a clear signal and 97.1 came up. As I would rather listen to anything that have a fatal boredom attack, I stuck with the station. First I was just listening to this song about drinking Margarita. It seemed that the tune and the instruments were more intoxicating than the margarita itself. It’s the my-heard-is-whirling-twirling kind of intoxicating, not the kind that gently puts you to sleep. A few more songs followed and soon enough I was singing to the tune of Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift remixes. I sang my larynx out even if the remixed tune got me offbeat every now and then (not that I’m ever “on beat”). A different person is slowly creeping into my being. Expect me to use a different set of alphabets soon and wear an obviously fake Monster Energy cap even if I am not into motocross and energy drinks.
II
Being a jejemon is not my only concern during that trip. Actually, I am at peace with the direction my being is taking. jejeje. I was really worried by the buses. If you have not been to the south, you have not seen reckless driving yet. I do not know how people who have utter disregard for safety are allowed to drive 12-tons of steel that can go way over 100kph. When these homicidal vehicles pass by, they create a slipstream that seems to pull you right underneath the bumper. Not to mention that they drive pretty close (by that I mean less than one meter) to cyclists. I always concede and create the necessary distance else I’ll be turned into random chunks of human anatomy.
III
Vegetable highway starts 6.5km from Carcar City. It’s right after the junction to Mainit Hot Spring. There’s a huge “Vegetable Highway” sign to your left so you will never have to worry about missing it. Just tilt your head in the most gymnastic way possible. The sign is way up in the sky. It must have been sponsored by the extra-terrestrial embassy.
From that junction is a two and a half hour bike ride to Samboan (photo shooting and self-timer moments included). You will never get lost as long you don’t take any of those turns you pass by. You will get to a “Y”-shaped junction when you already have to take your pick between Dumanjug and Samboan. It’s either left or right from there so no worries about getting lost. You don’t even have to ask the locals for direction.
I have always wanted to do this route and two weeks ago I got the chance to talk to a friend who’s been there already. He finished the longer and more punishing Dumanjug route in two hours, on a road bike. He’s a leg killer so I’m fine with my pace. I first planned to ride a bus to Carcar and start pedaling there. But I realized yesterday that I prefer to get run over than be on the bus when the accident happens. So it’s all-pedal mode today. I’m sleepy.
Everything turned out well except for two scary moments. Once I was enjoy the sweet tarmac-smooth downhill when my front tire ran over a stone. I going down too fast that I did not notice it (no pedestrians, no intersection, sheer downhill, you understand why). My front tire drew number 8s all over the road. I was lucky I regained control before any blog-entry-changing event happened.
Then another time was thing huge bump on the road. From the “Y” Junction at the Vegetable Highway you’ll be taking an unpaved barangay road. I was riding slow because my head was starting to hurt (refer to two entries before this) but I’ve lost my patience so I’ve let the brake levers go. Just when I was starting to accelerate I’ve hit a bump that nearly ripped my wrist off. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
Here’s a post-script to disaster. On my way home, I “sort-of” ran into a taxi’s rear bumper. It happened near the flyover at Wireless, Mandaue. The driver suddenly stopped to make a u-turn and I was too close to avoid contact. Luckily, my brakes functioned according to purpose. My rear tire got off the ground for a couple of feet, the front tire smacked the bumper, and nothing else happened. My fault, I did not keep my distance. I started to get my second wind at Mabolo and I was pedaling at a pace inappropriate for busy traffic.
IV
No matter how ridiculous jejemons may be to some of us, we must not fail to see that they are imitating a certain fashion/social behavior/hyrieglyphic code because they want a sense of uniqueness and belongingness. They want to feel that they belong to a unique group that accepts them for what they want to be. So as long as jejemons don’t bite you, let them be. Don’t call them the J word either.
I jejevolved today (vb., to transform into a jejemon from a previous non-jejemon state). I was riding my bike listening to wRock when I started losing signal of the station. I changed the dial to the next station with a clear signal and 97.1 came up. As I would rather listen to anything that have a fatal boredom attack, I stuck with the station. First I was just listening to this song about drinking Margarita. It seemed that the tune and the instruments were more intoxicating than the margarita itself. It’s the my-heard-is-whirling-twirling kind of intoxicating, not the kind that gently puts you to sleep. A few more songs followed and soon enough I was singing to the tune of Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift remixes. I sang my larynx out even if the remixed tune got me offbeat every now and then (not that I’m ever “on beat”). A different person is slowly creeping into my being. Expect me to use a different set of alphabets soon and wear an obviously fake Monster Energy cap even if I am not into motocross and energy drinks.
II
Being a jejemon is not my only concern during that trip. Actually, I am at peace with the direction my being is taking. jejeje. I was really worried by the buses. If you have not been to the south, you have not seen reckless driving yet. I do not know how people who have utter disregard for safety are allowed to drive 12-tons of steel that can go way over 100kph. When these homicidal vehicles pass by, they create a slipstream that seems to pull you right underneath the bumper. Not to mention that they drive pretty close (by that I mean less than one meter) to cyclists. I always concede and create the necessary distance else I’ll be turned into random chunks of human anatomy.
III
Vegetable highway starts 6.5km from Carcar City. It’s right after the junction to Mainit Hot Spring. There’s a huge “Vegetable Highway” sign to your left so you will never have to worry about missing it. Just tilt your head in the most gymnastic way possible. The sign is way up in the sky. It must have been sponsored by the extra-terrestrial embassy.
From that junction is a two and a half hour bike ride to Samboan (photo shooting and self-timer moments included). You will never get lost as long you don’t take any of those turns you pass by. You will get to a “Y”-shaped junction when you already have to take your pick between Dumanjug and Samboan. It’s either left or right from there so no worries about getting lost. You don’t even have to ask the locals for direction.
I have always wanted to do this route and two weeks ago I got the chance to talk to a friend who’s been there already. He finished the longer and more punishing Dumanjug route in two hours, on a road bike. He’s a leg killer so I’m fine with my pace. I first planned to ride a bus to Carcar and start pedaling there. But I realized yesterday that I prefer to get run over than be on the bus when the accident happens. So it’s all-pedal mode today. I’m sleepy.
Everything turned out well except for two scary moments. Once I was enjoy the sweet tarmac-smooth downhill when my front tire ran over a stone. I going down too fast that I did not notice it (no pedestrians, no intersection, sheer downhill, you understand why). My front tire drew number 8s all over the road. I was lucky I regained control before any blog-entry-changing event happened.
Then another time was thing huge bump on the road. From the “Y” Junction at the Vegetable Highway you’ll be taking an unpaved barangay road. I was riding slow because my head was starting to hurt (refer to two entries before this) but I’ve lost my patience so I’ve let the brake levers go. Just when I was starting to accelerate I’ve hit a bump that nearly ripped my wrist off. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
Here’s a post-script to disaster. On my way home, I “sort-of” ran into a taxi’s rear bumper. It happened near the flyover at Wireless, Mandaue. The driver suddenly stopped to make a u-turn and I was too close to avoid contact. Luckily, my brakes functioned according to purpose. My rear tire got off the ground for a couple of feet, the front tire smacked the bumper, and nothing else happened. My fault, I did not keep my distance. I started to get my second wind at Mabolo and I was pedaling at a pace inappropriate for busy traffic.
IV
No matter how ridiculous jejemons may be to some of us, we must not fail to see that they are imitating a certain fashion/social behavior/hyrieglyphic code because they want a sense of uniqueness and belongingness. They want to feel that they belong to a unique group that accepts them for what they want to be. So as long as jejemons don’t bite you, let them be. Don’t call them the J word either.
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| As I went up, it felt that the hills were rising with me. (It's a natural phenomenon actually, nothing poetic there.) |
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| Mr. Lion Head. |
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I drank unfiltered spring water from a different source way beyond this. Manang said "buyag" when
I admired the taste and coolness of the water. It's an expression when they don't want something to be cursed.
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| A giant pushed these twin mountains apart to look for his missing marble. |
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| "Major sponsor." jejeje. I did not notice that until the uploading of this photo. |
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| It's a goose-bump-stimulating descent from here to there. |
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| Marker. My marker, I mean. |
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| Alternating between ground and hanging plants allow the soil to "breathe" so it remains fertile. |
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| An abandoned hut. "Shack" as them GI say in Vietnam War movies. |
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| Water was flowing all over the place so it's natural for people to make the most out of it by planting rice. Rice requires A LOT of water. Being from Bukidnon and knowing how difficult it is to grow rice, I never leave a morsel on my plate. Actually, morsels are the only things I hold sacred. I also do not step on them and ask for forgiveness whenever I am too full to finish a helping (this happens in fastfood only). |
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| I left before sunrise so that explains the headlamp. I got this two years ago. I'm a keeper. |
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| The most beautiful chapel I have ever been to. I failed to capture the serenity and beauty of it. I was too absorbed. |
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| Whoever owns this has a lot of time and imagination. I did not stop while taking this. Actually, this whole portion looks like a "nature park" like that in Mountain View in Busay. There are nice concrete-and-stone benches around trees. Only that these stuff are along the road and for free. No photos of them. Drool to death you lazy reader. |
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| The Dumanjug-Sibonga Junction. Just a marker. |
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| I had to think over if the bike exceeds the weight limit. |
4 comments:
"turned into random chunks of human anatomy" itchy butt likes this
ride on gaybro...and i know which part of the human anatomy specifically of the male gender u prefer d most(adams apple) (^_~)
hahahaha miss u mwaaahhh
i hate it when you say you miss me bec it makes me miss you too T.T
ride on gay bro. be careful with giant reigna. she makes you ride so smooth you don't know you're going too fast na
yes mom...i will keep my speed on check...
coz ur not here to see me go endo
nobody here clap and cheer when i go over d handle bars...
u too gaybro ride safe...keep away from single truck when in d road
wow, hitting a rock going fast downhill and recovering from it? i would have been a superman if it was me.
hmmm... i like the road. gonna try that sometime.
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