I will now start to post to bikingintaiwan.com. The site is up and running, but the design is non-existent. I've changed to WordPress and need to learn how to use that software. Right now, it's just the barebone Hybrid 1.0 theme that will eventually be tweaked to look something like this site, or maybe I'll change it. Who knows.
I'll leave this site here but will not add any more posts to the blog on this address.
A friend bought a new bike, so together with Tim at Tima Bikes, who sold him the bike, we took a shorter ride down the Xindian River Park to Bitan (碧潭) and then across the river along Xintan Road (新潭路) halfway down to Wulai (烏來) so he could try out the bike and Tim could help him with any adjustments. None were needed, but he was impressed that Tim would come along.
Great weather, so we decided to ride up to the foot of Shizaitou Shan (獅仔頭山) and then come back down and return to the river park via Xinwu Rd (新烏路). Once home again, we had clocked up almost 70km instead of the expected 45. That extra trip to the foot of the mountain and cruising around town, I guess.
Next week, we're joining up with our friend and a few others coming from Kending (墾丁) up the east coast. We're meeting them at Chishang (池上) and then going via Ruisui (瑞穗) and Hualian (花蓮) up Taroko (太魯閣), before rolling down to Xincheng (新城) and taking the train back to Taipei. Three days of fairly leaisurely riding. That'll be cool, haven't had a proper holiday in a year and a half.
By the way, it seems rules for bringing bikes on trains have changed again. We checked with two different people at the TRA information desk, just to make sure, and they both said that one can now bring bikes in bags on all trains, not only those with designated bicycle cars.
Getting back on the bike after a couple of months of spinning classes at the gym is making a huge difference. Today, we did Xiao Getou (小格頭) again, taking the longer route, 47-1 at 9km, rather than the 47 at 7km. To my surprise, I made it all the way to the top without once getting off the bike. Those spinning classes were useful.
Once at the top, we found the new coffee shop that we'd been told about, a couple houses down from Helen's, which is basically open only at the weekends. Nice, spatious, all wooden furniture, and a refill at half price. Cool.
Facts Here is the map on my Garmin page.