Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹) , Part 10

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

2018/02/17-18, Part 10

   
   Still conquering a mountain on the Provincial Highway No. 4 I've discovered a mother and son cycling team looking at a map beside the road. I stopped in front of it and tried to figure out how to ride an alternative way. At that moment a middle-aged fellow Taiwanese biker asked me if I need some help. After some conversation he offered me to follow his lead to the Sanxia District (三峽區), his hometown and my final destination before a mountain road back home. 

   We rode on a beautiful bike path lined with high trees which are not very often in the lower lands of Taiwan. The island's climate ranges from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south; the average annual relative humidity is a staggering 81.6%. Under these conditions Taiwan is blessed with many different fruit and plants, everything seems to grow easily and abundantly, the island is also the kingdom of fruit. But there are very few 'real' big tree specimens, the larger ones are called 'giant trees' and are holy in the Buddhist religion. 

   The trees gave the both of us a pleasant shadow from sun which was shining unusually bright during this noon. Beside the road there were cherry blossoms to see with colors ranging from white to dark pink, almost red.

 Taiwan cherry blossoms

   The road went downhill so we had an easy ride with a lot to exchange while pedaling. My friend encouraged me to change my gear because of the cracking sound from my bottom bracket. After I've explained him that my bike had a problem he understood.

  After a while we followed a bike path right beside the Dahan River (大漢溪). Flat roads are to enjoy, to stretch the legs and to recover from the previous mountains. So we just took it easy...The government invested in the are and built a new dam which resulted in a new smaller lake. In the area before Yingge (鶯歌) there are some small rice paddies beside the road which let you feel that you are riding in the countryside. My mate suggested to take a rest and have some shaved ice, a specialty in Taiwan. So we stopped at the Vanilla Garden (香草野園).

Taiwanese shaved ice

   To a foreigner many Taiwanese are very open and after some chatting with the boss holding his nephew the son talked to us. He told us that he was living in Tasmania/Australia for a while and later worked in Indonesia but his father asked him to return and help him on the farm. They are transferring their land into an organic farm and the son offered us to show us his organically grown strawberries. Their free range chicken are not kept for their meat but their organic eggs. 

Vanilla Garden (香草野園)

   Still with the taste of strawberries in my mouth we followed the bike path to a big artificial lake which is controlled by the Yuanshan Weir (鳶山堰) which blocks and directs the flow of the Dahan River (大漢溪). 

Yuanshan Weir (鳶山堰) 

Beside this lake there is a path with some grass land which has been dotted with families enjoying the afternoon sun during these Chinese Holidays. From here it is not far to Yingge (鶯歌), the center of high quality ceramics in Taiwan.

Yingge (鶯歌) Ceramic Street

   On the northern side of Yingge lies a rock formation that went by the names of 鸚哥石(Parrot Brother Stone), 鶯歌石  (Eagle Brother Stone), and 鶯歌石(Golden Oriole or Warbler Brother Stone). The last stone is where the current name of the district derives from; the modern name, Yingge literally means "Warbler Song" in Chinese. 
   According to legend Hakka, a group within the Han Chinese, entered the area of Yingge (鶯歌) and planted tea in 1684. According to the locals, the history of ceramics in Yingge began 200 years ago when Wu An (吳鞍), an immigrated from Guangzhou (Mainland China), came to Yingge and was the first potter in the area. Later, Chen Kun (陳昆), a brick maker, moved into the area and both transformed Yingge into the centre of Taiwan's ceramics industry which we know today. 
   In 1920, Yingge Stone Village (鶯歌石庄) was renamed to Yingge Village (鶯歌庄). In 1940, the village was promoted to Yingge Street (鶯歌街), and in 1945 was changed to Yingge Small Town (鶯歌鎮). Today, Yingge boosts 800 ceramic-related businesses.

(to be continued...)

Bike Trip from Xindian (新店) to Hsinchu (新竹) , Part 9

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

2018/02/17-18, Part 9

Before I arrived at the McDonalds I’ve already seen a street sign showing the direction to ‘La La Mountain’ (拉拉山), a popular natural destination with giant trees half way between Taoyuan County (桃園縣) on the west coast and I-Lan County (宜蘭縣) on the east coast of Taiwan. La La Mountain has nothing to do with the Hollywood movie La La Land which won 5 Oscars in 2017.

With this sign I left Hsinchu County (新竹縣) and arrived in Taoyuan County (桃園縣), important for its international airport. The country road continued to be hilly but not too difficult to ride.

Taiwan road signs have different colors for different meanings. The brown ones give the direction to tourist destinations. In my case I just followed these brown road signs to the ‘Window on China’ (小人國) and the 'Leofoo Village (六福村)’ not far away from my home turf.

Brown road signs showing the direction to
‘Window on China’ (小人國) and ’Leofoo Village (六福村)’.

Beside the road I’ve discovered the Longtan Sun-Shui Community (龍潭三水社區) which has rolling hills, vast horizons and fresh air which makes it a great nature destination. This country side community has even a nice bike path, a sign of the positive developments in Taiwan.

Longtan Sun-Shui Community Bike Path Sign (龍潭三水社區)

   I continued until I arrived at the Longtan District (龍潭區), home to the headquarters of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Army. This district is actually named after its famous 龍潭 (Longtan Lake or Longtan Tourist Pond) which has a large Buddhist temple in the center. This time I did not ride into the city center but crossed on a bridge the busy but not crowded Highway No. 3.

   From there I still followed the brown signs to the tourist destination ‘Window on China’ which is one of Taiwan’s earliest theme parks (established in 1984) and includes the miniature Mini World (divided into Mini Taiwan, Mini China, Mini Asia, Mini Europe and Mini America), the Water Park and the Amusement Park.

   A very clear road sign directly in front of the park showed me the way to the Shihmen Dam or Shihmen Water Reservoir (石門水庫), still in Taoyuan Couny. This remarkable engineering marvel was finished in 1964 and still supplies hydroelectricity and water to 3 million people. From an upper lake the water rushes through two Francis turbines to the lower lake, on its way produces electricity on its way.

Road in the Shihmen Water Reservoir (石門水庫) between upper and lower lake

Shihmen Water Reservoir (石門水庫) from a distance

The Shihmen Water Reservoir served as a start and finish of my 78 km Maple Leaf Bike Challenge in December 2017 (2017石門楓葉祭單車爭鋒挑戰賽).

Finish of the rainy 78 km Maple Leaf Bike Challenge December 2017

From here the Provincial Highway No. 4 direction Daxi Township (大溪區), famous for its old street and the large Daxi bridge built over the Dahan River (大漢溪). This river is also know as the Shihmen River (石門溪) because it comes from the Shihmen Water Reservoir (石門水庫).  Daxi Township (大溪區) is a popular destination for lacals and tourists alike. The town is sometimes a destination for a fun ride on Sunday afternoons. 

Daxi bridge

 (to be continued) 

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)