Garmin Activity: No Garmin Activity
This week, a friend from Taipei came to see me. We met online at the Specialized forum where I sometimes post pictures and stories. He wanted to come to Taichung to see me. He cycled all the way from Taipei to Taichung. He arrived at night and I bought him dinner in the small restaurant right across the street. On Saturday he would join our Fengyuan team ride to Guguan and Saturday evening he would take a bus back to Taipei because he wanted to join a cycling club on their Sunday ride. Quite a busy schedule for him! Let's talk about our ride together.
He spent the night in a little hostel in Shalu and we met early in the morning at my place. We crossed Taiwan Boulevard and took one of those very steep small lanes up to Metropolitan Garden. He could handle the 14% in the early morning well. From there we continued our journey to Fengyuan. Mr. Cai had prepared breakfast for us both, which was nice. Then we all went to that 7-11 in Fengyuan city together. The group reunited and we started chatting. I took the courtesy of introducing Casper to my friends, bragging about how he came all the way from Taipei by bike. What a champ!
OK, no more talks, let's just hit the road. Casper said he had never visited Guguan before so I think it was a good selection for today. It would be a rather tranquil ride, nothing stressy. Just Hwy 3 to Dongshi, then Hwy 8 to Guguan, distance back and forth somewhere around 150km for us.
For this ride, I installed my Bike Cam. I wanted some nice footage so I had my camera take one picture every minute.
As you can see, we had perfect weather. Ideal conditions for a lovely group ride
The rider in this white jersey is A-yong, who was riding his Giant bike
Presenting to you: Casper, aka Chen Weizhe. He was riding an Aster bicyle with carbon wheels.
We made a small stop here because one of the guys needed to take a piss and wanted to buy a drink
These red lights are a joke, just make sure you look at your right for incoming traffic and continue pedaling
A-Yong back in the picture, literally!
It is a tradition on Guguan rides to take a small brake at the Heping bridge. This is the bridge that leads to Hwy 21. We wait for others to catch up and we have pictures here. I was standing here with A-Yong, Shu-wei and Liao Shi-jie.
Once past that bridge, we found the tranquility of Hwy 8> For most people, this section is one giant dead end ally. At Guguan you cannot pass.
Random pictures taken by my bike cam. Most of the ride was just conversation with Casper and taking it easy. I was riding my flatbar, not even my road bike here.
Early morning solitude along Hwy 8
A car just passed us by. There weren't many cars today and those that did come by, had all the space to go around us.
You see that descent up front? That is gonna be nice on the return. It will be a 12% ascent where we can shake off team mates.
Another descent, this one was a bit longer. The road to Guguan gradually ascends to 700 meters.
Guguan means going all the way east, into the hills and eventually mountains of Central Taiwan.
A beautiful day for cycling
Casper in front of me, enjoying his Guguan ride
One of the few tunnels here.
In the left corner here is Liao SHi-hie, with his red Mavic wheels.
We were not the only cyclists riding here today. Guguan is extremely popular among Taiwanese.
Liao Shi-jie and Casper in front of me, good opportunity to have their pictures taken.
This one was more successful. Next time I will put my camera the other way so I can also flash the folks behind me
Car that is closing in a tad too close. Taiwanese drivers do not understand the ethics of conducting a motorized vehicle. That, or they are just complete assholes who don't regard cyclists. Or both...
There is a big temple on the left here. I even think it is a Taoist temple
My camera was suffering from tunnel vision here...
That guy in the left corner is me, see that bike cam on my helmet? Preparing for the last tunnel. There were some construction works here at my right. Usually you can see the mountains and river bed here but not today.
Winter tea now available for purchase! Guguan, Lishan, Dayuling these areas are mainly about selling tea.
The 29km red bridge, Guguan in less than five kilometer.
Closing in on Guguan
Enjoying the view. I was riding at pole position over here
We had our break in Guguan as usual. My friends were interested in knowing more about Casper. Then we rode back to Taichung. We stopped at that Heping bridge again. This time, I wanted to show Casper some different roads. We cycled along Taichung-95-1 that leads into Xinshe. From Zhongxingling, we climbed up to Shuijing and took Wanli Changcheng, Taichung-88 back to Taichung. It was a nice climb according to Casper.
Casper with his very nice gear. He just enjoyed a lovely climb. Now it would be downhill. I warned him to be careful with his carbon wheels.
The best part of the ride was hanging out with a new friend. Later in the afternoon we first went to Guofa and then we cycled back. I explained him how to go to Chaoma in Taichung city. He would be taking a bus back to Taipei the same night.
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