Tour Taiwan Day 3: Zhunan to Wuqi (Taichung) - 87 kms

I left my hotel at about 10 am and I could tell it was going to be quite warm today. 

Zhunan in the morning

The cycling gods did exact some mild revenge today.  After about 15 or so kms I was feeling pretty miserable as the road I was on had no shade and the sun was beating down.  I passed one guy on a bike and a few other riders went past me just as I had stopped at the bottom of a dirty big hill. I stopped because I was feeling lousy and wanted to get some fluids into me before what looked like a long climb in the sun.  I was seriously thinking that I might struggle to get to Taichung tonight.  

But then fotune smiled upon me.  I saw the guy I had passed turn off to the right at the intersection I was stopped at.  Maybe he's just a local going home I thought. Then a group of half a dozen did the same thing.  Now I knew something was going on so I followed. Wow!! I was rewarded with 45 kms of bicycle paths and quiet back roads. It's called the Maoli Bikeway and in all my research I had not come across it. There was shade, coastal views and most importantly it was much cooler than that oven known as Highway 61.  It certainly lifted my spirits when I needed it. Here are some photos.  Would you believe that the first photo is a bike only path.

Bike path

Beach and wind turbines

Coastal vista

My bike having a rest

I stopped at a small town called Tongxiao for lunch.  A sandwich, banana and iced tea from the 7-11. Then I rejoined the bikeway.  I was soft pedalling along the paths at a pretty relaxed pace. I also got my first puncture today.  A large bindi.  I changed the tube beside a rice paddy.

About 25 kms out of Taichung the bikeway ended at the Giant factory. If you own a Giant your bike may have been made here.  Bow in reverence!!

The Giant Factory

Then I rejoined the road.  I got disoriented and went the wrong way for about 3 kms before I realised I had to turn around. I stopped at another 7-11 for a drink. These shops are amazing - you can buy anything. Apparently you can even ship a bicycle to any other 7-11 in Taiwan. Incredible.

A few more kilometres down the road some members of the Taipei cycling club caught up to me.  I rode with them for about 15 kms until the turn off to my hotel.  They were riding a 'little' faster than me.  But I managed to hold their wheels and had a great ride into Wuqi: a suburb of Taichung.  I checked into the Taichung Harbor hotel.  This is luxury I could get used to. 

All in all a day of challenges.  But a day that was also rewarding.  I can start to feel the cycling legs starting to work again. Another warm day awaits for the 75-80 km trip to Mailiao.

Total for the day 87 kms at an average of 21.8 km per hour on the bike. There were a few long hills today and while not much more than 4-5% they sure made the legs ache. 

Sent from my iPad

Sent from my iPad