悠閒 慢活 怡然居

My biking experience at Errantry Lodge, Hualien

Five o’clock in the morning, when most of the people
still stay in beds, is the best time for biking here in Hualien.

When the owner of Errantry Lodge, Arthur suggested
us to bike at 5:30am, honestly I was a bit scared because I don’t usually get
up early. However, after my friend told me about her unforgettable cycling
experience here, I decided to go for a trial. Let’s get up early and go cycling
at 5:30am!

I
tried very hard to get myself ready before 5:30 am and showed up in the garden
of Errantry Lodge on time. There came the first surprise—I witnessed the grassy
green peak of Central Mountain Range, with the morning mist surrounding the
middle-slope of the mounts. These started to wake me up. To most of the people
who face the busy life in the city, it is really a pleasure to get up this way.
The second surprise to me was seeing Arthur coming towards us with a multi-functional
bicycle. Although I don’t usually cycle, I can see that only those who love
biking would prepare such kind of gear. I really felt grateful and touched
because of Arthur’s kindness since it meant that the following biking journey
would be a lot easier.

It’s time to hit the road! After I followed Arthur
to the Chu Yin Cycling Route, the wide gardens and great Central Mountain Range
were all under my eyes. With the comfortable wind, I felt myself totally awake.
The Central Mountain Range is so elegant in the morning during summer. It lies
there quietly, the sun shines on it softly and the haze shifts on it with joy.
I felt that the range was watching the land it owns and me kindly, like a
mother, it opened its arms and welcomed me to hug it. It is also like a little
girl, it couldn’t move its eyes off me. There was silky mist surrounding the
mounts and it covered parts of its area. On the cycling route, I suddenly had a
complicated feeling, the route was so fresh that I feel like drinking pure cool
water, it was also relaxing as if I was drinking wine.

Since
the bicycle is with outstanding quality, I didn’t feel tired during the whole
ride even I don’t usually bike a lot. I even wanted to bike non-stop in the
morning of Hualien. I’m sure many people feel the same as me because I saw many
cyclists biking on the way. When they passed by, they said “good morning” to me
with a warm smile. It really seems that people in Hualien have a kind humanity
and the distance between people is so narrow that they all care about each
other. This may all attribute to the peaceful environment of the Central
Mountain Range.

Time flies, and it’s time for me to leave. On my way
back to Errantry Lodge, I started to miss the biking trip and my mind
struggled. I wanted to continue this trip under the refreshing environment of
the Central Mountain Range and shared with my friends, however, at the same
time, I also wanted to keep this amazing biking route secretly as my own
memory. Would you like to have this greatest experience like me? Keep it down,
don’t tell too many people!

By April (customer of Errantry Lodge) 

花蓮 怡然 單車行

清晨五點半, 通常不是一般人會想起床的時間, 但這卻是在花蓮騎單車最美的時刻!

當Arthur建議早上五點半騎車時, 老實說, 我忍不住吞了一下口水, 畢竟我不是早起的鳥兒. 不過聽朋友訴說她在怡然居難忘的自行車經驗時, 我決定跟自己的瞌睡蟲挑戰, 那就早上五點半去騎車吧.

五點半到了, 我非常努力的準時出現在怡然居院子時, 第一個驚喜是, 中央山脈青翠巍巍的山峰馬上映入眼簾, 半山腰上還飄著些許山嵐, 這時的我已經開始甦醒. 對一個天天面對都市叢林的人來說, 這樣的”起床號”, 真是非常的享受. 第二個驚喜是, 看到Arthur推著有二十多段變速的單車走出來. 雖然我不是常常騎車, 但我也看得出來, 這樣的裝備只有愛好單車人士才會為自己準備, 心裏對Arthur的貼心湧起一股感動和竊喜, 因為這代表接下來的單車之行將會輕鬆許多.

上路囉! 跟在Arthur後面, 轉進初英自行車步道, 眼前廣闊的田園和綿延不絕的中央山脈, 加上拂面的徐徐涼風, 此時的我已經完全清醒. 夏日早晨的中央山脈, 沒有一絲絲的浮燥, 反而有種說不出的氣質, 她靜靜地斜卧在那裏, 讓陽光在她身上輕輕的撫過, 讓雲煙在她身上玩著躱貓貓. 她看著她孕育的這塊土地和渺小的我, 不但沒有高高在上的優越感, 反而像是母親一樣, 張開雙臂溫柔地把我抱在懷中, 歡迎我的歸來; 她又像是害羞的少女似的, 對於我移不開的視線, 用那絲絹般的山嵐, 來半掩她的臉龐. 騎在自行車步道上, 我突然有種複雜的感覺, 這種感覺就像是飲用清新甘泉般的沁人心脾, 又像是喝了一杯香醇紅酒般的令人微醺放鬆和自在.

優異的單車性能, 讓不常騎自行車的我完全感覺不到累, 相反的, 沐浴在花蓮的清晨裏, 讓我欲罷不能地想要一直騎下去. 不少人和我有同樣想法, 一路上遇到許多愛好花蓮清晨的自行車同好, 和他們擦身而過時, 熱情的微笑和一句”早安”迎面而來, 似乎花蓮的中央山脈會融化彼此分隔的心, 讓人把溫暖的一面不自覺地顯現出來.

時間差不多了, 該回去了. 在騎回怡然居的路上, 心中有許多矛盾和捨不得, 因為我想繼續沉浸中央山脈的清新懷抱裏, 並且和許多好友分享; 但是另一方面, 我又想把偷偷把這會令人上癮的清晨單車之行占為己有. 你也想來感受這最美的體驗嗎? 噓! 別告訴太多人喔!

 By 怡然居房客April

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For guests arriving before the end of 2011,
Arthur will offer you a free photo shoots of 10 sets
in Errantry Lodge’s professional studio,lounge, garden or guestrooms.

Errantry Lodge will provide photo CD
Please fill in your email and mailing address during registration,
We will mail the CD to you upon completion.

 

感恩小瓦提供的照片，讓Arthur、Theresa和果醬再次想起那美好的回憶~