Formosa on two wheels 雙輪環遊福爾摩沙: January 23, 2015: Hanging out in my recent playground with my bikecam

In January, I have done several rides to the Taiping area. There are a few interesting roads here that connect to Taiping. I have discovered a few of them already. Today, I took my bike cam and made some pictures and clips of a few of these roads.

Early in the morning, I cycled from Shalu via Taichung city to Taiping. Then I went to Taichung-100 and from there I connected to Ziqiang road. That is how I got to Xinshe. I went to Zhonghe and on to Zhongxingling. Then I went to Fengyuan. I was planning to ride Taichung-100 to the end but I did something wrong, which led to a nice discovery. Let me share some nice pictures of this wonderful ride under a clear blue sky and a summer sun

I started my recordings at the Hi-Life, located at the intersection of 129 and 136. Then I commenced my journey along 136.

The first few km are flat and run through a tiny village

A few small stingers as a warm up

Chenggong road is it is also called

Today I was just riding my newly bought flatbar. I did not take my GPS because I knew the roads by heart.

Approaching Qiedongjiao

Approaching the entrance to Taichung-100

I left route 136 here and entered this smaller path.

wide open areas with little movement

What a perfect day for a ride

There are even buses touring here occasionally

I arrived at this road split, didn't know where to go

But luckily I could ask a bystander. He told me I had to go right.

A short but steep stinger followed.

An elementary school was here.

Another split section. I went left here

Picture of myself in the mirror, but the distance is too far

Right after that turn left, it goes downhill shortly

And then there is a mighty steep uphill

I did not know where to go here, so I did the most logical thing: continuing the road I was currently on

It was the beginning of a long and steep climb

I met some people here, they were shouting jiayou. After that, I did not see a living soul

Thirteen procent out here

I saw the elevation rising rapidly on my bike computer

This road kept on climbing. It was making me sweat

There was another road split here and again I did not know what to do. Luckily there was a cyclist coming from the other direction. I asked him how to go to Xinshe. It was the path at the right of this photo.

That's where another steep section followed.

Being out here in the middle of nowhere, between these betel nut trees is quite cool.

See that little sign that indicates Xinshe to the left? All the information I need!

This section also had 13% and it was carrying on for that through a few turns. I needed my 32T cog for it.

Once again, what a perfect weather! I felt so lucky to be out here

I wanted a nice picture of this view. I was going right on this picture. Guguan was even indicated, so I must be close to the end.

Just some person's private property, not going in there. But man, so steep!

I like this picture, it expresses the tranquility and solitude of this beautiful spot

Another sign indicating Xinshe's Zhonghe village and Guguan

Then there was a descent

On poor road conditions that is

Climbing again

I was literally reaching new altitudes. I felt in the middle of nowhere.

I mean, nothing was going on here

Some cracks in this concrete

Then I came to another road split. The choice was easy: left to Xinshe. I do not know what the place name to the right was all about. That would have to be the object of a future ride.

I made a video recording on the downhill part. It was pretty steep

I saw more signs indicating Xinshe

I crossed that bridge to the right

It was another steep climb of 14%

This was at the top. From here you had a splendid view over the Dajia river. You could see the other side of the bank, where highway 8 runs.

This downhill was mighty steep. Glad to have disc brakes on my bike.

It was only then that I realized where I was: This was Taichung-95. I had been here before with my Fengyuan friends. I had just discovered a super tiny little road that cuts through Taiping and Xinshe and runs all the way to here. This was awesome stuff for future rides. Made me feel like a local!