November 3, 2012: My first ever cycling weekend with a Beiyi return to Taipei

After a good night rest, I woke up in Yilan. 

Tars made me a good breakfast: eggs and bacon. 

I chatted a little with them, wrote something in the guestbook and then I hit the road. I wanted to be in time for my class in Taipei at 14.00.

Wai'ao in Yilan, a surfer's Haven.

I started cycling a little after eight. Good part was that I remembered the road from yesterday. This is a view over Yilan from Beiyi.

Downside was that it began raining not long after I left. I was worried it would be a very difficult ride like this.

I stopped to wear my blue jacket to have some protection.

I spent some 50 minutes covering this long climb, the one I descended in the dark yesterday. It looked very differently now.

I was surprised with the ease I could take this climb. I was keeping my speed around 16kmph. 

A wet Beiyi road, also a nice experience

Great bike!

At the top of the climb it stopped raining. So I took of my vest which was now wet. Otherwise I would feel even colder during the descent. 

There was another @) min climb after a longer descent.  In my mind I linked the song "Neverland" from F.I.R. to this road, as this was my big discovery.

Fantastic cycling on Saturday morning. I saw many other cyclists.

I arrived again in Pinglin, which was the halfway point. 

I reinvigorated myself in this little town before facing part two of the climb

Feeling good!

I remember taking a phone call from Ke Menghan here.

Taipei and Xindian already seemed close, but there was more climbing to do. Anyway, I was well on schedule to be back by noon.

Some more pictures

The mountains still fascinated me on day 2

This is the exact same spot where I met the four cyclists the day before.

When I came back to Bitan, it was around noon. I still had two hours before my class. I had all the time to go to Guting, which was fairly close.

I got a phone call from Xiao Hong here.

Bitan area...

I cycled to Guting via the Fuhe riverside park.

The weather was great

After my class, I cycled back to Tamsui. On the way, I paused at the tea house for a while. It was a very nice two days cycling. And it did not stop there. I was meeting Jon and Al the next day, for more great cycling! I was loving every bit of it!