Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹) , Part 8

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹)

2018/02/17-18, Part 8

After a good night sleep I woke up at 7:00 in the morning. I’ve heard in Japan you are allowed to camp in every park but have to leave before the same time.

I took some photos and started to pack. I think it’s a kind of manner to clean up but also as a gesture of respect to the place which let me rest…
 

my place of the night

Yesterday I have seen a Giant dealer not far away. Each pedal stroke produced some cracking noise; I was not sure if it came from my bottom bracket or my chain. To make sure I thought I should visit a bike shop.  But like yesterday it was closed. As I could not find a sign for opening hours I just lived with the sound while pedaling for the rest of the day.

Not far from my camp is the Hsinchu Fish Harbor (新竹漁港) or Nanliao Harbor (南寮漁港) as it is known to locals. As with most fish harbors the fish and seafood is sold to consumers but it serves also as a wholesaler to businesses. In the early morning there were no humans but stray dogs to be seen.

I don’t know why but a harbor full of ships with the ocean in the background gives me a sense of freedom; unlimited thoughts fly to the horizons far away. In German there is the phrase ‘Leinen los’ which I would translate into ‘unloose the rope’ which refers to the rope which fixes the ship onto the dock. 
 

Peace I (Jesus) leave with you; My peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it fear. (John 14:27)

Hsinchu Fish Harbor (新竹漁港)

After some photos for my smart-phone and my mind I hit the road again.

Yesterday I had a great wind pushing me to the south. Unless the wind changes it would be unwise to ride the same road back home. Furthermore I had to take the road on the side of the mountains and could sparsely see the Taiwan Strait. Therefore I’ve decide to take another cross-country route back home.

I cycled back to the main street which led me to the ‘Ordinary Provincial Highway No. 15’. But I turned right to look for a breakfast. Unfortunately it was too early and so I turned back. I crossed yesterday’s Hsinchu Port Big Bridge (竹港大橋) but after the Fengshan Creek Bridge (鳳山溪橋) left for Zhubei City or 竹北市. From here the flat roads were gone, the road become a big up and down as expected in a hilly environment.
 

The agricultural aspect of Zhubei has shifted from mainly rice paddy farming to more floral and fruit cultivation that attracts tourists; however the majority of the local economy is now fueled by the semiconductor industry, real estate speculation and the service sector. Parts of Zhubei City have retained their traditional infrastructure following the demolition of the old city. There are also industrial parks in the city, which are the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park and the Tai Yuen Hi-Tech Industrial Park (Wikipedia).

Even with the beautiful and traditional views of the countryside I would not overhear my stomach calling for breakfast. I found a McDonald’s which offers Western breakfast in a clean environment. I parked my bike unlocked before the big window where I could see my bike. First I was interested to secure a place with an electric outlet to charge my phone. After claiming the seat by placing my helmet on the table I ordered. Back to the seat I charged my phone while enjoying a great breakfast.

There were only a few customers in the restaurant, few locals but many mostly female Philippine workers. As strange it may seem but even Taiwanese companies or families take advantage of the cheaper workforce from Southeast Asia. Many factory and service workers but also housekeepers and caretakers come from the Philippines to earn the harder Taiwan currency which they send back to support their families back home.

The toilets in this McDonalds were very clean; I washed my face, brushed my teeth and made my business there. 
After finishing I’ve discovered a hardware supermarket and went inside. As mentioned I could not locate if the cracking sound came from the bottom bracket or the chain so I bought a spray lubricant for my chain (NT$130=USD4.45) and a replacement of my frame pump (NT$199=USD6.79) which I forgot after my inner tube replacement yesterday. Both I took home and still use…

After spaying the lube the condition of the ride quality did not change. At least I’ve figured out that the reason must be the bottom bracket itself. I could not repair it on the road so I continued and lived with the sound for the rest of the day. 

emptied fruit stall beside the road

(to be continued)

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹) , Part 7

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹)

2018/02/17-18, Part 7

Riding closer to Hsinchu (新竹), my final destination, I had to cross the Fengshan Creek Bridge (鳳山溪橋) which is obviously built over the Fengshan Creek (鳳山溪) and the Hsinchu Port Big Bridge (竹港大橋) which crosses the Touqian Creek (頭前溪). Both bridges are located right where the creeks flow into the Taiwan Strait but unfortunately in the night there was not a lot to see.

It was very helpful that not many cars and trucks were on the road. I can only imagine how difficult it will be to ride on these multi-lane bridges during rush hour with the strong wind from the sea.

Talking about the wind I have to note that the west coast of Taiwan has several windmills to produce environmentally friendly energy. The most famous products of Hsinchu are the rice noodles which are mostly produced by the Hakka, a group within the Han Chinese who are not united by a location but by their Hakka language. They have also a distinguished culture from other Han Chinese groups. Rice noodles need to be dried after production and before packing; therefore the wind plays an important part producing them...

windmill on the west coast of Taiwan

After passing the Hsinchu City limits I was looking for a place to camp for the night. Stealth camping would be an overrated word as most Taiwanese are friendly to Tourist. On the contrary, when you try to hide this only creates suspicion by the locals.

That evening I was very happy that I found a totally empty park, with residents, in case of emergency, just across the street. I did neither bring my tent nor a sleeping pad; I just took out my sleeping bag and put it on the soft uncut grass. When I work with my equipment or clothes I try to stay on top of everything by being tidy. I pack my things before sleeping, I even put my cycling shoes in the waterproof bag to avoid moisture which could blow over with the wind from he nearby Taiwan Strait.

 

my camp for the night

In windy areas there are no mosquitoes, a common Taiwan enemy during summer time. Once I called them in a joke the ‘national birds’ of Taiwan…

The night supposed to be quiet. But it seemed that I camped between two temples which made a war on ‘bad spirits’ and between each other by using a lot of firecrackers and fireworks for a long time during this night.

The earliest documentation of fireworks dates back to 7th century medieval Chinese Tang Dynasty, where they were invented. The fireworks were used to accompany many festivities. It is thus a part of the culture of China and had its origin there; eventually it spread to other cultures and societies. The art and science of firework making has developed into an independent profession. Chinese people originally believed that the fireworks could expel evil spirits and bring about luck and happiness (wikipedia).  

adventure right in front of your door

It is strange how simple it is to be happy and satisfied at the same time. Most people have a bike at home and when you add a rough plan, a map, some basic equipment and a good mood the adventure can right start in front of your door. On this evening I also had a sense of achievement even if 85 km does not seem a long journey.

With my wife and daughter in my mind I fell asleep…

 

(to be continued)

 

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹) , Part 6

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹)
2018/02/17-18, Part 6

To be closer to the sunset I took the next exit and rode a small path through a small forest. The shore was right in front of me and I took out the camera. There were still many families riding four wheeled bikes on a road beside the shore, some bike riders. I’ve seen some food stalls serving the hungry visitors. While preparing for the photos I noticed other smart-phones beside of me. The weather was still kind of warm from the sun during the day, some people walked into the sunset on the beach.

Sunset in Taiwan

As I wanted to continue I’ve notice my front tire was flat. Something was in the way on the road through the woods I suppose…I have experiences in changing flats and the obvious reasons are my 700 x 25c Continental Ultra Race folding tires ‘made in Thailand’. Here in Taiwan they are priced reasonably but they wear down too fast and seemingly have no protection at all. In 9 months I’ve ridden through two rear tires and one front tire. I change them only after the threat was seen… During this time I've stocked on my cold patch supplies because I had at least 10 punctures, my record was 2 punctures a day!  I will post a review of these tires later…It would be no secret that these will be my last 'cheap' Continental road tires; I've already prepared a Japanese brand tire 'made in Japan' to replace them... 

my 2nd worn down Continental Ultra Race folding rear road tire

I carry all the time two inner tubes as a spare, the tire levers and tools for removing the rear tire are also in my front bag. I’ve change the tube within a few minutes, the dirty hands I washed with my water bottle.

While busy with the bike the sun did not wait for me. Continuing my trip I stopped for the last pictures of this nice sunset after many days of rain.

As I packed my camera after the last shot I had to turn on my lights because it was already getting dark. There are road lights even on this coastal road which led me to the main road. In the night there is obviously not much to be seen so I took my time to have a dinner at a 7-11 I found on the left side of the road. The convenient chain store is found everywhere in Taiwan, contrary to my experience in the USA the employees in Taiwan are friendly and competent; the service does not stop at food & drinks. Many are equipped with public toilets, you can send and receive goods thru their own express service and from a terminal you can copy, buy tickets and even check on your parking tickets etc. 7-11s are a great and convenient place for tourists in Taiwan.

I’ve parked my bike unlocked in front of a window and ordered some pasta like the professionals have for breakfast. I also filled up my empty water bottles, one with water and one with a sports drink. 

The road went downhill under a tunnel-like construction and I could ride make up some time. While the road become flat I already searched for a nice place to stay overnight...

my 'flying' touring bike from the top

(to be continued)

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹) , Part 1

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹)

2018/02/17-18, Part 1
 

During the holidays of the Chinese New Year I made a two day tour by bike from my home in Xindian (新店), in the Taipei suburbs, to Hsinchu (新竹) and back. 

Contrary to popular believe the Chinese New Year is a good time to spend in Taipei or ride bike because there are actually a few people on the road. Taipei is very deserted as most Taiwanese visit their families out of Taipei. The roads to Hsinchu (新竹) were very empty as even the notorious violent truck drivers enjoyed their holidays…

I did the bike tour by myself for several reasons:

a. My wife and daughter both are not into sports and do not ride bikes.

b. The tradition in Taiwan and China is that the children visit their parents. After my father-in-law passed away the family union was gone. Basically in my wife’s family I sense a kind of aversion from each member against this one foreigner from Germany so after many senseless arguments I have decided rather to keep my dignity than facing outright hostilities against my existence. It’s sad but I have to face the truth…
 
Preparation
 
For this trip I prepared two bags which I’ve fixed on my bike: a front bag and a rear bag.
- Front bag: wallet, smartphone & charger, basic bike tools (multi-tool, tire levers), two inner tubes, toothbrush and snacks
- Rear bag: sleeping bag, bike shorts, socks, tripod.
On the bike I have two water bottles:
- 1 plastic bottle because of the convenience and the lighter weight
- 1 thermos stainless bottle because it keeps hot/cold contents longer at its temperature but, more important, it keeps the contents fresher for a longer time.
I always carry a pocket pump in case of a flat which is mounted on the frame under the front bottle cage.

My bike in full travel gear in front of a roadside Graffiti 我的自行車在塗鴉前面

My bike in full travel gear in front of a roadside Graffiti

我的自行車在塗鴉前面

Road to Hsinchu

I started after a hearty breakfast at 9:00 in the morning. Much rain the weeks before the Chinese New Year holidays lead to a surprisingly sunny start of the day.

I rode to the Sunshine Sports Park (陽光運動公園) in Xindian (新店) and crossed the Sunshine Bridge (陽光橋) from which you have a wonderful view to the mountains in the direction of Wulai (烏來), a popular hot spring and aboriginal culture getaway from Taipei.

Right after the bridge starts the popular Bitan (碧潭)→Danshuei (淡水) bike path which is separated from the cars and motorcycles. It is a mainly flat and easy to path but might be overcrowded on weekends or holidays. As most people left Taipei for the holidays I was very lucky to among the few chosen.

On a nice spot I asked elderly gentlemen if he could take a picture of me and my bike. Talking to him he revealed that he plays saxophone for one year, up to 5 hours every day! During my time in Taiwan I met several saxophone players with similar stories…

Let’s go! (出發吧!)

I followed the bike path beside the Danshuei River (淡水河) up to the Guandu Nature Park from which the orange painted Guandu Big Bridge (關渡大橋) can be seen from far away. Here I’ve crossed the Danshuei River (淡水河) to follow the bike path on the other side of the shore to the town of Bali (八里) right across Danshuei (淡水).

Danshuei River (淡水河)

Coffee Shop beside the Danshuei River 

(咖啡店在淡水河旁)

 

Guandu Bridge (關渡大橋)

There is a boat from Bali (八里) to Danshuei (淡水) or vice versa but currently the sand or mud filled up of the waterbed let some boats stuck in the soil. This led to cancellation of most deep water boats and therefore had a great impact on the water traffic between these two tourist destinations.

In Bali (八里) were many people so I had to walk my bike through the crowds. But it was not before long that I headed to the Shihsanhang Museum (十三行博物館). It serves as an museum of northern Taiwan which does not only display original artifacts of an archaeological site but also serves as an educational center for prehistoric culture and the history of the Aborigines of Taiwan.

The 2nd part will follow soon...

Comments are welcome, have a great day!

Gerhard