June 30, 2015: Birzman, a nice opportunity in times of need

Garmin Activity: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/819367655

118km, 4h45, elevation 840m

A bit of background information for this ride: a few days ago somebody sent the labor inspection to bust my ass in the Taichung school. It caused me to instantly loose my job. I met a student at the school who works at a bicycle components company and they were looking for a foreign national for their team. She invited me for a conversation at their Changhua office. Considering my current situation, I would be dumb not to check it out. 

I googled their address and checked it in my maps as well. It was located in the Changhua county, Dacun area. I had to cycle to Changhua city and keep on cycling Hwy 1 further south, until I saw Route 146. It was not far from there.

I had to search a little but I did manage to find it. This is route 146, I followed this one for some two km and then I arrived in the center of Dacun. There I had some trouble finding the right street. I asked some people and eventually I found it. I did arrive too late, but they did not care haha. In Europe it would be over already.

The job interview was ok. We had a nice talk and it seemed interesting. I liked the fact that my focus would not be on sales volume. It would be more all round.

After the conversation, I wanted to go to Fengyuan, to report to my friends about the conversation. Looking at the map, I saw that I could take Hwy 74 to Taichung. It would be a new route.

Dacun is known as the grapes town. In fact, I saw a lot of shops selling grapes.

This bridge was built in the year 2000

Dacun was a small area with a few little companies, I was impressed how Birzman was located out in the fields and not in a busy city center.  I liked that a lot.

For those in needs of grapes

One of the many places selling grapes.

OK, enough acting like a tourist. It was time to get back to Fengyuan. From here I took a left, going to Huatan and further north.

Always be careful at these intersections. There could always be trucks crushing through red lights at high speed. Only proceed when you see no vehicles are moving.

I saw a sign indicated Taichung without going over Changhua. I wanted to check that out. This was Hwy 74. It was only ten km and it had two ascents, running over Bagua mountain. I recognized route 137 and 139.

A stone pillar that indicates Changhua's Baguashan area.

It was hot enough for sure.

A view on top of one of the ascents. This is Changhua

Going downhill to Taichung. Here I had to go through some intersections and eventually I arrived in Taichung. I cycled along the Huanhe road that led to Wufeng. In Wufeng I could access Hwy 3 which would lead me to Fengyuan. I still spent about two hours going from Dacun to Fengyuan. It was around 50 km.