26th November 2017
TAIPEI TO HSINCHU – 86.9KM
After 3 days tour in Okinawa, Japan, and 7 days in Taiwan with my queen, finally she left for Malaysia yesterday. So, today is my 1st day of expedition to Taiwan with my little grey pony.
Rolled out in a cold Sunday morning, traffic was eased, easy for me to ride in a busy city cause of the wide shoulder. Spent 2 hours lingered in the city trying to find a way out of Taipei. Got confused because, to get out of the city, I have to ride on a highway bridge to cross a river. Bu there is no sign that bicycles are allowed on highway. Could not find other small roads to cross over the river. Was asking around but not even the locals could confirm with me. Got a little frustrated, I just rode on to the highway fly over, hopefully I could cross it before any authority stops me. After about 200 metres or so, I saw a white line and a bicycle sign painted on the road, realising that bicycle is allowed. Don’t understand why the indication was painted at the middle of highway some 200 metres away and not before. Gosh…
Came out of Taipei, followed route 1A, passed Xinzhuang District, heading south. The road will joints to Cycling Route 1 and straight to Taoyuan. Traffic was busy once reached Taoyuan, and the traffic lights like never ending. After Taoyuan, at Wanshou Road, there my 1st long slope, 3.6km ascend. Got annoyed with it, I searched Google Maps and turn in to a small road that lead to rural area. I guessed I got a wrong pick, this small, quiet road has many small steep slopes, but scenery is beautiful. Passed by a village, Hukou, beautiful wild flowers along the way, and passed by many ponds. Though I don’t like the tough terrain, but the beautiful scenery was some kind of motivation. So I rode slow to enjoy the view and stopped many times to admire the beauty of nature. By the time I reached Hsinchu, it was about 5:00pm, the night was falling. I rest at Haitian Coastline, it’s a beautiful place with great ocean view. I took out my tent and find a spot to settle down. The wind was too strong, I took more than an hour to get my tent pitched. I thought I will have a good night sleep with the sound of waves but, I was wrong. I woke up several times in the middle of the night worried that my tent will blown of by the wind. Gosh, It was obviously wrong to ride in this season. My… should have done my homework next time.
趁太后微服出巡十天日本冲绳与宝岛期间，发起政变，罢黜太后并将之逐出宝岛放逐半岛，我水鬼升诚隍，宰相变皇帝，轮到我牵出我的小灰骏巡视宝岛去。从台北市出发，在市中俳佪整两小时，就是找不到出城的路，只有一个高速天桥可过河，不知道自行车可否允许上桥。其他小路到河边就得回转，问当地人也没有谁能指点迷津，感觉不爽， 不管了，上了桥再说。上了桥骑了大约200米，见到路上有一白线，还画有自行车的标识，什么狗头！原来自行车是允许上桥的！ 为何标识不在桥前，而是在桥后两百米？摆明就是在坑人呐！
出了台北市，循着一甲线，向南骑到新莊区，一路平坦。过新莊区进入环岛一号路线，进桃园。桃园市交通繁忙，红绿灯多。出了桃园来到第一个3.6公里的爬坡，万寿路。好心情掉了一半。和我的谷歌地图秘书商量之后，决定走郊外路， 一个错误的决定。其实这是个坡路，很多个虽然短，但很陡的坡，不过风景优美。有漂亮的花海，湖，还是靠山骑。尤其是经过壶口，那裏的野花比家花还美，连季候鸟都不舍得飞走。真是：江山如此多娇，直教英雄折腰。台湾风景有两种美，一种是内陆的美， 是静谧的美， 如少女的矜恃，点点白的；粉红的；艳红的不知名的花跟你细说花语，含蓄点头招手， 就如这遍花海。另一种是任性狂野少女的美， 如太平洋那咆哮的海浪，纵情的擊打海滩而粉碎成美丽泡沫的浪花， 热情又无理取闹的寒风， 是东海岸的美。慢慢的骑着欣赏美丽的景色，来到新竹的海天一线观海区已近五点，天开始黑了，决定在此搭营。风实在太大，天又黑得早，不一会又来阵雨，用了超过一小时才将帐营立起。开炉煮了包快熟面，以为今晚伴着海浪声，会是个好眠，又是一个错误， 一夜醒来几次，怕半夜时帐篷给强风吹走。。。唉！来错季节，又没考虑到风速和气候。。。下次骑遊前，一定要先做好功课。。。
My faithful grey pony 忠心的小灰骏
Taipei Railway Station 台北车站
17km bicycle lane in Taipei 台北市17公里执行车道
Wanshou road, 3.6km ascent. 第一个爬坡段，3.6公里的万寿路。
Ponds and wild flower fields along the road 沿途的湖泊和野花田
Haitian Coastline, Hsinchu 海天一线观海区，新竹
Crazy Old Horse 