(pics below)
I cycled part of the East Coast this past week. Left Taipei late Monday night on juguang train with my Giant Halfway RS (folding bicycle).
I started cycling at around 4:30am and from the Hualian train station and it was actually pretty simple getting to the coastal road (#11). From there it was ocean, a couple of hills and tunnels, and a beautiful sunrise until a long climb after about 20-something kms.
On the other side of the climb I came to the town and beach of Jici (jee-chee). I almost spent the night here it was so stunning (and I was nearly asleep from not sleeping much on the train), but I didn’t have enough cash on me, the Jici Beach Resort didn’t have a credit card machine and there wasn’t an ATM nearby.
I spent the first night at Shitiping (shr-tee-ping), 60+km, a small fishing village. I stayed at the guest house above the big seafood restaurant recommended by Ferrein, huge clean room and bathroom, Tv with cable, fridge, wardrobe, etc. Well worth 1000 per night.
The plan was to cycle to Dulan (just north of Taidong) and spend 2 nights there, but there was a typhoon on the way and they weren’t sure whether or not it would hit the south of the island (it didn’t). So I decided to go straight on to Taidong and catch the train back.
20-30km from Taidong I got a rear puncture. While I was busy folding my bike up to put in it’s bag and try to hike, some dude on his scooter stopped to help. We couldn’t fit the bike on the front so I was going sit on the back and hold it.
We were just leaving when some lady pulled up in a car. Her husband is also a cyclist and she thought it would be good Karma to help out. She took me all the way to Taidong after stopping to show me some of the sights (Jinzu beach looks amazing!).
After taking me to get the flat fixed, I had lunch with her and her husband (I tried to pay but they wouldn’t let me) and then they took me to catch the 1:20pm train back to Taipei.
I sent my bike back to Taipei from a Giant shop in Taidong (NT400$) and it arrived safely here on Friday. I would recommend this as it’s a mission taking a bike on a train and you’re actually not supposed to do it on any of them except the local trains. Apparently you can also hire a bike in Hualian, cycle to Taidong and then leave it there (or vice-versa).
Although the sights, beaches and relaxed atmosphere were a nice change from Taipei, the highlight for me was the people that I met along the way. It was my first time on the East Coast and I’ll most definitely be back.
More pics…
http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s198/JardiniBoy/2008%2008%2018%20East%20Coast%20Bike%20Trip/