[quote=“sandman”]Some of those Dakine bags are giving me a bit of a stiffy. Where in Taiwan do you get them?
I hate my Camelbak – the weird strap configuration cuts into the back of my neck and the bladders suck hairy donkey balls in my experience. They leak around the filler cap and at the bit where the tube joins the bladder after no time at all.[/quote]
I have had mine (M.U.L.E.) now for several years, and it is working great, and I am not being very nice to it either. No leaks at all. I do have to screw on the cap tight, that’s the only thing I noticed. But I am looking at the stif webpage very interested.
I guess Sunday will be a wash out right? If it is not too wet, I might go for a trog in Guan in shan. I’ll have to look at the weather before making a final decision.
I’m looking forward to using my new CamelBak Trailblazer hydration backpack as well as the water filter pump I brought back from the US![/quote]
Well you can always go outside and collect a little puddle water to try out the filter.
Yeah, shitty weather but I have a ton of stuff to do around the apartment so good timing. I am super itching to do a few hikes I just discovered. In essence they follow the river from this mountain road to Daxi all the way back to Pinglin. According to the maps there are trails on either side of the river but we should also on a hot day be able to float, swim, river trace down like we do at Wulai (the river is about the same size and flow). It’s about 5 km down to the first road.
Actually there are two routes down as there are two rivers in the Daxi mountains that flow down and form the main river that flows through Pinglin. These are clean gorgeous rivers flowing through deep canyons. Should make for an absolutely fantastic outing.
This would be for a hot day and the intrepid only of course.
Next week thinking of finally doing the Sanxia to Wulai trail. This is the one that ends up at our favorite swimming hole. If it is a nice weekend we should do it. It’s about time to hit that place again.
I assume that you’re talking about the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) site that I refered to. It’s the Taiwanese government’s main weather site as far as I know:
[quote=“seeker4”][quote=“Limey”]
S4 Do you have a link for the SWB? If so could you post it please.
[/quote]
I assume that you’re talking about the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) site that I refered to. It’s the Taiwanese government’s main weather site as far as I know:
Sure. Still trying to figure out what to do. Biking is good (could meet near Guandu Wharf or on the Bali side of the bridge) or some hiking. However, I think hiking would could be pretty muddy. Thoughts?
Okay, here’s one I don’t recommend. Taking your new bike out to discover a back route to Wulai (ie, on the back roads not the 9).
It’s a steep island let me tell me. Holy crap. Out of a 5 hour trip I think I biked 30 minutes. The rest was pushing up freakishly steep hills.
I am in good shape, but not for biking. Wow! And I’ve got 24 gears, too.
Essentially I crossed the hills from the river in Muzha, down Hua Yuan Xin Chuang (where Omni used to live) and then up a side road. Road should have run parallel to number 9 to Wulai but the branches that show on the map were too steep and rough and narrow for my bike. So It was a big loop back to the 9. I must have gotten up around 600m. Never did get to see the Fetsui Dam though. Damn.
Very scenic road in many ways. Youtong trees were blooming everywhere and there were a number of fresh streams flowing down, down, down from the hills.
But a lot of garbage dumping, too. Sad to think a 10km stretch of road can be blighted by the 30 or so people who live there. Saw a gorgeous stream at one point with a small house beside it. A group of small children played in the open area by the stream and the old folks sat on the patio watching. None seemed even aware that the children were playing around a pile of garbage and that it was sliding from their front patio down into the river. I almost cried.
That experience is similar to most of mine here whether on-road or off-road. On-road, even a few miles north of the Kending area, which I had previously imagined must be flat, I was still climbing up hills on the main road. Off-road, I’ve experienced the same ratio – ride for 20% of the time, or less, and push or carry the rest of the time. Aside from the possibility of being dropped off by a car on the top of some mountain road, to descend in downhill-ski mode, I’ve had all of the biking up the mountains that I want here. While there are places in Taiwan to explore by bike, I think I’ll stick to hiking to experience the more scenic ones.
[quote=“Muzha Man”]
It’s a steep island let me tell me. Holy crap. Out of a 5 hour trip I think I biked 30 minutes. The rest was pushing up freakishly steep hills. [/quote]
I feel your pain. Went out on a bike trip myself yesterday. It was just my regular route from Linkou down to the coast which is maybe a 250m difference in altitude. I haven’t done that route in a while, hell, I have not biked for a while. And the way back up was rather challenging, but I made it without pushing. It is a 3.5km stretch which covers the 250m altitude, so at some points it is rather steep, but I never push. To your defense, I think the mountains in Muzha are a little higher.
Guys. Any chance of a hike this coming Sunday? Something that would be suitable for some fit people who have never been out with the hiking club? I’m thinking beautiful scenery, 4 hour hike, ups and downs, more track than steps…
