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Maokong

X in Shenkeng

X in front of a huge tree and a group of old people out for a walk around 8am. As we went into the hills, we met lots of other old people who had already been up to the temple on top and had some tea and now were coming down again. They must have been there really early.

We had planned to do the Balaka Highway on Yangming Mountain yesterday, but the winter typhoon Mitag and all the rain that was promised made us decide to go for a shorter ride instead, so we climbed the hills up to Maokong from the back, so to speak, from Shenkeng, and then came down in Muzha.

Down below, the weather was good, but up in the hills, there was a constant drizzle. It's a fairly short climb up to Tiannan Temple (天南宮), but parts of it are quite steep, so it can be a bit tiring. After Tiannan Temple, there's a few hundred meters of concrete-paved road downhill at a steep angle that is really slippery when it rains.

Funny thing: the switch from asphalt to concrete is abrupt, and sits right on the border between Taipei city and county. In the county, it's asphalt, in the city, its concrete.

The morning ended with a pleasant brunch on the sunbathed patio at Carnegie's.

Facts Follow the standard biking road from Taipei toward Shenkeng, ie, Heping E Rd to the end, where it changes names to Jungong Rd (軍功路) until it hits Rd 106, which begins as Muzha Rd (木柵路) and then changes names to Beishen Rd (北深路). Take a left and follow that road for about 4-5 km until you hit the entrance to Shenkeng Old Street (深坑老街) on your right hand side, where you take a 90-degree right at the big tree, cross a bridge, and then cross Wenshan Rd (文山路) to enter Arouyang Industrial Rd (阿柔洋產業道路). That road brings you over the mountains and down to Muzha, where you return to Taipei. A short ride, 35km from door to door.

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The biking viking 14:01, 25 November, 2007 |

Others said:

Great initiative ! You are really selling biking in Taiwan. Maybe one day I'll be able to summon the courage needed to negotiate the Taiwan drivers !

metallorm | 21:06, 28 November, 2007

Don't worry, we'll get you started when you get here in January. February? It's far eaiser than you think out on the roads.

And thanks. Since we're doing all this biking all over the place, I thought I might just as well share it if someone else is interested. And it makes it easier to remember all teh trips you can do. Still have a couple more that aren't posted yet.

TBV | 23:27, 28 November, 2007

Ah, vad läckert att få ta del av den vackra naturen och cykelmöjligheterna! Det ger en helt annan bild av Taiwan än den politiska som du också förmedlar! Härligt brorsan, du är fortfarande min favvo!! kram

Git | 15:22, 5 December, 2007

I have a different 'standard biking route'. Instead of going all the way out to Jungong Rd. on Heping, take Chongde St. (崇德街) up through the public cemeteries on Fudekeng. Then turn right at an old weighing station about 4 km in and ride down to Muzha. Cross Muzha Rd., and Wanfu Bridge. Turn left and continue toward Shenkeng on the opposite side of the river from Route 106. You will eventually run into Wenshan Rd. , from which you can turn right onto the Arouyang Access Rd.

This version cuts out a lot of the nasty city riding on this loop.

Feiren | 14:19, 7 December, 2007

Thanks, we'll try that next time, it sounds like a nicer route. The reason for Jungong Rd. is that we always pick up a couple friends at the Liuzhangli or Linguang stop on the Muzha MRT line.

tbv | 14:57, 7 December, 2007

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