[quote=“Enigma”]Thanks MJB;
I get to the station with about 1/4 tank on my 125. I wasn’t aware of the emergency fills but always thought that I could probably find some fuel in Baling if I was desparate. I might also mention that the station on N/S 7 that you mention has been closed if I get there too early or too late. At least that was the case last year.[/quote]
No worries…How do you think I know that? Doh!
The motorcycle repair place in Baling has fuel, as well as both convenience stores and one of the hotels. They keep fuel for their service vehicles at the top of Beihen, and also at that little ranger station about 25kms east of Baling.
We found this out about 15 years ago when MAW, Wookie, an Australian friend and myself went up for a weekend camping trip and decided to take the old road back toward Neiwan from Baling. Back then the last filling stop was just before Tzuhu. The old road toward Neiwan from Baling is not only really far, but also usually in bad shape. On this trip, we had to walk our bikes over a really huge landslide, which, once crossed there was no return. About 20km later, we stopped in this tiny mountain village all running on fumes. Expecting to be pushing our bikes for the remainder of our journey, we inquired about fuel, never expecting this village of less than a hundred people to have any. “You want 92 or 95?” the old Aboriginal Granny asked, and we watched with great humor as this ancient toothless wonder began sucking the gas out of a barrel, through a hose and into our tanks spilling nary a drop.
[quote=“MJB”]No worries…How do you think I know that? Doh!
The motorcycle repair place in Baling has fuel, as well as both convenience stores and one of the hotels. They keep fuel for their service vehicles at the top of Beihen, and also at that little ranger station about 25kms east of Baling.
We found this out about 15 years ago when MAW, Wookie, an Australian friend and myself went up for a weekend camping trip and decided to take the old road back toward Neiwan from Baling. Back then the last filling stop was just before Tzuhu. The old road toward Neiwan from Baling is not only really far, but also usually in bad shape. On this trip, we had to walk our bikes over a really huge landslide, which, once crossed there was no return. About 20km later, we stopped in this tiny mountain village all running on fumes. Expecting to be pushing our bikes for the remainder of our journey, we inquired about fuel, never expecting this village of less than a hundred people to have any. “You want 92 or 95?” the old Aboriginal Granny asked, and we watched with great humor as this ancient toothless wonder began sucking the gas out of a barrel, through a hose and into our tanks spilling nary a drop.[/quote]
Remind me to join you on one of your next trips like this, I need to do something to forget about the resent things that happend.
The fuel thing is a worry sometimes though. I know I can probably do that road twice on my bike with a full tank of fuel, but one dark, rainy night I decided to go to Bailing on a little over half the tank - the reason being was that the last fuel stop I passed was closed.
About 20 clicks down the road there is a turn off - an alternative way to Bailing which goes through some aboriginal villages and then brings you in a loop back onto to the North cross.
I forgot about all the uphill dirt track surfaces this road consists of, and I could see that my fuel was being used up more than usual due to the nature of the surface.
Anyway, nearing the end of the loop there is a small tunnel before you get to Bailing. However, on this particular night it happened to be sealed air- tight by a rock slide. I’d used just over half of the fuel already.
Yup, that meant turning around and heading back to San Xia before I could take on more fuel on the same uphill/downhill rollercoaster dirt track…
I learnt 3 valuable lessons that night:
1). When the fuel guage needle hits empty, I still have another 20K to go before the fuel runs dry.
2). Fill up to allow for contigencies and emergencies at every opportunity.
3). Don’t go to silly places like Bailing using dirt track roads at 2 o’clock in the morning.
By the way, it’s a fun little road to ride on. It’s never even 50% close to being fully repaired.
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Nice one Mordeth, Never done the cross island roads. They look quite narrow in parts, or is that a reasult of the editing/fast forward?
HG[/quote]
At 2 minutes and 45 seconds into this video you will see how narrow and dangerous the mountain roads are: youtube.com/v/i8L3HkDL0sg
That’s part of the Techno Vid slowed to normal speed.
I will be leaving Tuesday am (15th) taking the E/W 7 from the dam over to N/S/ 7. If anybody has the time off and wants to join the ride, just pm me and we can put it together. I will be taking a tent. I plan on doing some sightseeing and stopping along the way as the mood strikes me.
What time are you heading up? I think when you say Tuesday am…the am means early morning?[/quote]
I can leave any time you want to leave. I have all week and have no deadlines for leaving, getting up, eating or drinking. BTW, I see myself referred to in a previous post as “she”. I might add that that is not accurate.
Anybody who wants to go, let’s put it together.
What time are you heading up? I think when you say Tuesday am…the am means early morning?[/quote]
I can leave any time you want to leave. I have all week and have no deadlines for leaving, getting up, eating or drinking. BTW, I see myself referred to in a previous post as “she”. I might add that that is not accurate.
Anybody who wants to go, let’s put it together.[/quote]
I have unset plans to go swimming on the 7symbol which connects the 3 to the 7 near san-xia. That’s on the way to the mountains and there’s a nice hiking trail near the swimming spot. We could hike the mountain and then head to the swimming spot to cool down.
I should be getting to the 7symbol (it’s a 7 with a chinese character as well) and the 3 intersection at about 10am. There are two convience stores at that intersection if someone wants to meet there.