I had a slow start today, as the owners of last nights hotel were happy to hang and and talk to me this morning. They were really nice people, and the skies looked cloudy and cold and so I was happy to delay my departure. I should have known better and should have started earlier.
I wanted to pick up route 193 again, instead of heady south on the busy route 9. I checked it out last night on googlemaps and wrote down the road i needed, in English and also in taiwanese. Was happy to pick it up just by the the helpful police station in town. Once again route 193 was a pleasure to ride on. Very little traffic as well. I had one set of mountains to my right and another mountain range to the left, seeing a lot of folks out working in the fields around me.
I passed by a school of young kids and they waved as I approached. I thusly stopped to take a photo, they all yelled hello, hello and as I snapped the photo they all gave me the peace sign. The teacher yelled bye bye have a nice trip as I hopped on my bike.
I stopped at a 7 11 a few miles before i hit the mountain road. As usual a tour bus stopped there, they all piled out of the bus and started taking photos of the blonde with a bike and of course one by one said where you from….you alone. At that point I had my patagonia rainjacket on (which i found at a thrift store for $6.00.) I woman from the tour bus had on a patagonia down jacket and got all excited they we both had the same logo. Photos were taken for her and also for my camera, there was an immediate bonding that went on.
For a while there seemed to be a bike path off to my right, I believe it was from an old railroad bed. It didnt look highly maintained and I didnt opt to ride it not knowing if I would thusly miss my turn off for route 30.
After I made the turn onto route 30 (which would bring me over the mountain and down to the ocean) I said to myself, this is a piece of cake, easy enough, I will just carry on with my low gear and take my time. I was feeling pretty hot shi….. at that time and confident that I would be up and over the pass in no time.
I came up to Analong hot springs which looked like a big deal fancy hotel. Just across the road was an open air hot spring, which might have been free or perhaps at a small fee. I was tempted to stop for a plunge but knew it would put me at way too much relaxation to get my butt over the hill. I did end up stopping at a very fair priced fruit stand operated by a lovely teenage girl. I purchased a few oranges and something perhaps a cross between an orange and a grapefruit. She threw in a few banannas free of charge.
My confidence level slowly deteriorated with each stroke of the pedal. I tried to look just a few feet in front of me instead of at the switchback or two that lay ahead. I stopped two times and sat on the side of the road to have the orangegrapefruit and then to have an orange, a bannanna and some dried guava. I kept drinking as much fluids as I could. I felt near defeated and thought for sure I would be walking the bike pretty soon.
Overhead I saw a sign for a town 5km in the distance. By then I was being a wuss and feeling sorry for myself. After giving myself a bit of a pep talk I decided that the village in 5km would hopefully be the top of the mountain and heck, at this speed I would be there in just under an hour. I hopped back on the bike sad, slow but moving steady. I looked around and just couldnt figure out where the road would go, at that moment I looked up and there was the tunnel.
Well if you read my blog a few days ago in Taroko Gorge I was cursing the narrow tunnels and my fear of the busses ramming be into the side wall. Today the Tunnel is my best friend. It would hopefully end the uphill and bring me to a downhill all the way to the Pacific. I put on my flashing rear light and my front light and had a sudden burst of energy. There were two wide lanes in the tunnel and enough room on the side for a cyclist.
It was a fairly long tunnel, maybe a mile or two or three…..at the other end I started a 20 minute desent to the Pacific Ocean. Route 30 intersected with 11, just had to turn right and follow that south. Easy as that. I picked up a bike trail just before Sanhsien and figured as long as I hug the ocean I will be fine. I saw several tour busses drop down to a tourist site listed on my map as platform of three immortals. From a distance it looked interesting with a few tiny islands linked with a bridge.
Having given up on my Lonely Planet guide book, I have relied mostly upon just stumbling upon interesting things and wonderful people along the way. I figured it would be worth the stop when so many busses took the road down. A beautiful pebble beach as well as local song and dance was much appreciated. I also came across another bike path that looked like it was heading in the right direction. For just a few brief kilometers my bike and I hugged the ocean watching several boats in the distance. The path ended all too soon. I was able to pick up route 17 which was even more of a treat…it was flat and completely oceanside with no vehicles. I had the view all to myself.
Around Chengkung (also written as Hsinkang) I got back on 11 thinking it was my only option. The town seemed clean and tidy and would have been a great stop for a meal had it not been so late in the day. I thought the ride to Dulan (or Tulan) would be a pice of cake but it challenged me with some hills (or at least they did appear to be challanging but maybe I was just plain tired by then)
Once again I was racing with the clock hoping to arrive before dark. As I saw the sign for Dulan I also spotted a sign saying Pizza and then further beyond Vietnam food. This was a joy to see since I havent been able to read most signs. I usually have to poke my head in the door to see if something looks like a resturant. Probably one day I will walk into someones home thinking its a place to eat.
I was a little frustrated, once again, with the Lonely Planet guidebook (which may end up being left at the hotel). There was one option for lodging and it appeared to be uphill, in the woods and out of town. I stopped in the 711 as they (and the Police) are always my go to places for info. Although I asked about a hostel she directed me to a pretty cool hotel. Its over the budget again, but I am thrilled to have my own room.
I wanderred around for a bit hoping for a bite to eat and stopped in the first interesting place (which I had no idea, was also a hostel). Taiwan beer and Casadella (sorry about the spelling) definitely hit the spot.
A bit embarrased to share my feeling of defeat heading up the mountain, but the contrast and feeling of then flying down to the ocean is some of what makes bike touring so unique and wonderful. Hey have I told you I am having a great time. Yes, it is amazing.
Expenses Free breakfast at the hotel Mid morning coffee $1.25 Fruit $1.25 Two bottles of green iced tea $1 Hotel $30 Dinner and a beer $10 Evening snacks fro 711 $3 Total $46.50
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