Biking Taiwan: Linkou-林口, Yingge-鶯歌, Taoyuan-桃園
It finally happened, I burnt myself out on riding. So for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been kicking back, lifting weights, spinning on the elliptical trainer and catching up on my reading. However, today, actually I tried to start on Saturday, then Sunday, I got back on the bike.
Today’s adventure took me down 105 from Linkou-林口 going into Gueishan-鎘山, then heading through a minor valley into Yingge-鶯歌. Yingge is pretty famous apparently for its ceramics and brick making abilities. Personally, I like the town because its got pretties. Actually, ceramic works, though glass works are my true favorite art medium.
Anyways, Yingge also has got a couple of places to eat that I think are fantastic. Of course, these are single purpose eating joints. The first is steam buns of many varieties and right next door are some of the tastiest clay baked buns I’ve ever eaten. I’ve been looking forward to hitting these places again after 3 months. The food is that good and today, I wasn’t disappointed.
Coming out of Yingge to head back to Taoyuan-桃園, found myself a bit side tracked. I accidentally got onto 北83 to Dasi-大肆. I didn’t realize the mistake till freeway 3 loomed overhead. Thankfully, I pulled out a recently boughten map to figure out that, yup, I was going the wrong way and the right way was a few roads over, without any cross streets.
With a bit of luck and an accidental hill climb, I found a freeway 3 interchange that lead onto 110. Once back on 110, it’s straight onto Taoyuan till you come to the train tracks. Then with a little detour underneath the tracks, your pedaling to the train station.
Just about all of my trips to Taoyuan include a bakery stop and today was no exception. The bakery is located at the northeast corner of Zhongshan Rd-中山路 and Zhongzheng Rd-中正路. The down part though was only getting some delicious garlic bread and a grape juice drink box. Since, I already picked up 4 steam buns, I really didn’t need more starch to consume.
After toodling through some of the dark, dank, depressing, yet interesting alleys that downtown Taoyuan has to offer, it was back home I go.
As I consider going up 105, one of the longest, most boring climbs I know of, I hit a valley climb through the rice paddies instead. Of course, 3 solid days of rain decided to say hello for a 4th and I ended up sitting out a rain storm chatting up another biker for a 20 minutes or so. Once the rain let up, it was back on the road and home.
Overall, a good ride of 52.9 kilometers and probably 220 meters of climbing at a 19.7 kph even with my walking through Yingge and poking down alleys in Taoyuan.
Bike route Linkou-林口, Yingge-鶯歌, Taoyuan-桃園 and back
Recent Comments