Biking Taiwan: Waiao-外澳 > Keelung-基隆 > Linkou-林口 via 2, 5, 106
Monday morning started out much like the previous few days; early at 5 AM. Despite the early start, Michael T and I were feeling really good and we kept a strong riding pace of 19.3 kph from Waiao-外澳 until Keelung-基隆, 70 kilometers away. By doing so, this became Michael T’s fastest sustained ride ride ever.
Way to Michael! You D’man!
We stopped for breakfast around Daxi, 20 kilometers or so from Waiao, I think. Much to my wife’s angst, I ate a pork hamburger. I love sandwiches, so I’m very happy to eat them most any time of the day. After breakfast, we rode about another 20 kilometers into Fulong to stop for drinks, snacks and a clean restroom stop at the train station.
With our pace being on the quick side and time staying early, trucks didn’t really start showing up to cause troubles until we were heading up the 2 kilometer, not very steep hill climb south of Bitou-鼻頭.
Past Bitou, we had a very close call in a tunnel just before Bitou Harbor. Picture a tour bus coming in, a large truck coming from behind and I being squeezed into the tunnel wall at 30 kph. Some truck drivers don’t think that slowing down for 5 seconds wouldn’t hurt their paycheck.
After catching a little breather after the close call, Michael and I were even more motivated to get into Keelung. The kilometers proceeded to fly by, especially as the terrain along the coast is relatively flat.
In Keelung, we had to wonder around the train station a good bit to find the baggage services desk for Michael to ship his bike down to Taichung.
For future reference, when facing the train station, turn left and head towards the leftmost ticket booth entrance and demand entrance to visit the baggage services office. Otherwise, turn right, head down the sidewalk past the bus stops, turn left into a stinky alley and turn left to walk along platform 1 till you see baggage services on your left.
After dropping off the bike, Michael and I ate a calorie loaded lunch at Burger King and then parted company about 11:15 when he caught a train south and I began riding highway 5 towards Linkou via Taipei city.
Riding highway 5 south into Taipei was pretty fun. Wide roads and shoulders with not much traffic made for blasting along at speed easy. I very much enjoyed passing scooters to the left and right, even going up hill at times.
Once into Taipei though, I didn’t quite have anymore fun. I was passing 100 kilometers of riding for the day and was beginning to tire. Still, I did blast through downtown Taipei at 28 to 32 kph until I figured out that I needed to pay more attention to getting into Yonghe-永和 for 106 south into Linkou-林口.
Since, I didn’t pay close enough attention to where I was going, I probably rode a few extra kilometers and ended up being very lucky working through Yonghe till running along side 64 and into Xintian/Sanchong.
Once onto 106, I was really feeling out of gas. I still had 10 kilometers to go, of which the middle part was 200 meters of climbing up onto the Linkou plateau. Despite resting and drinking yet another bottle of fluids at Family Mart at the bottom of the hill, I rode up the hill very, very slowly; 4 to 12 kph. At a couple of points I really, really wanted to take a break or even ease the pain by walking. However, I persevered by keeping thoughts of more cold drinks and a hot bath in 15 minutes at home.
With completing Monday’s ride, it became my longest 1-day ride ever at 125 kilometers with 1,730 meters of climbing. Additionally, it marked completion of my longest multiple day ride of 309 kilometers with over 6,000 meters of climbing.
Needless to say, on Tuesday, I rested and ate.
Bike route Waiao-外澳 > Keelung-基隆 > Linkou-林口 via 2, 5, 106
July 1, 2009 - 11:01 PM
What an amazing 4 days it must have been – and this write up is overtop just like the ride – next time we go out, you gotta teach me how to pass those scooters going uphill! Thanks a million for posting all the pics and the great journalism.
July 2, 2009 - 11:42 AM
Great write-up, man and excellent pics. It was a privilege to ride with you back to Keelung, and a joy to exceed my own expectations about my capabilities.
Michael
July 2, 2009 - 8:12 PM
Thank you for the compliments. I’m looking forward to our next adventure.
July 2, 2009 - 6:53 AM
Thanks Nathan, I really enjoy riding to clear the head and do something other than be on the computer. The writing is good practice too.
On Saturday, I’ll be picking up new Diadora biking shoes and installing SPDs on the bike. I’m looking forward to that moment. After this past weekend, I’ll be glad to not have my toes get numb after 50 kms of hill climbing.
I’m going to do a fun 40 km ride shortly, http://www.bikemap.net/route/231109. Also, Saturday 3 PM is a ride to Guanyinshan with the local Giant group, a quick, but hilly 26 km. You’re welcome to join.
July 2, 2009 - 1:37 PM
I might be able to do the Saturday ride.
I will get in later this week.
July 2, 2009 - 8:15 PM
If Mr. Wang is leading, let’s not totally bust his confidence during the climb… He’s already talking about getting a road bike. I joked, oh you’re trying to speed past me?
Actually, during the local group rides, I’ve learned it’s bad form to pass the lead. As such, those days I tend to sweep or ride front and back practicing broken Chinese and even worse English.