Photos by MJ Klein
UPDATE: I added a link at the end, where you can download my GPS track log and import it into Google Earth and view our route.
Yesterday I went riding with Michael Turton and his son, Zeb. They took me on some awesome bicycle trails and bike-friendly roads. It was a gorgeous day for riding!
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We met where National highway #1 meets local route #3 at the head of the Houfong and Dongfong bicycle trails. After getting the trike ready to ride we took off down the trail, which is a converted railway bed. There was a slight upgrade that wasn’t too unpleasant. In this photo you see us taking a short water break at a scenic photo op site along the route.
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I love Taiwan’s mountains and they were clearly visible during our ride.
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This is the trike, pulled over to the side of the trail while I snap photos with Hui-chen’s Canon P&S camera.
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The road behind us. We had just crossed that picturesque bridge.
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After I shot this photo we continued on the trail.
I didn’t keep the camera out for photos. We stopped at various places and I took the camera out of the cargo bag on the trike.
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This is a broken dam, but I forgot the name of the place. It’s another 921 memorial park [7] where the authorities left much of the broken infrastructure as-is so people can appreciate the damage that was done in the earthquake.
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This sign shows what happened in the earthquake. The land rose almost exactly 2 meters.
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Tiles in the park.
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The water level is very low.
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The view on the other side of the dam.
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This is a fish ladder to allow migrating fish to make it up the river past the dam.
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The top of the dam.
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Eventually we took off again and climbed up this mountain. Here you can see the dam we just left, in the far distance.
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Michael patiently waits for me to finish taking photos and get going again. I had to rest a few times as I’m not used to the hills like Michael and Zeb are. Where I ride there are no hills to speak of.
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We came to another bike trail and got on it. This is another railroad bed and is complete with a tunnel over 1 KM in length, and a very nice bridge. Here I’m doing a typical Taiwanese pose in front of the tunnel.
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This is the entrance to the tunnel. It’s well enough lit inside that I didn’t need the headlight on my trike.
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This is the lovely bridge after the tunnel. This was one of the most fun bicycle trails I’ve ever had the privilege to ride.
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This is the back side of the tunnel.
Thanks to Michael and Zeb for a wonderful ride and an excellent workout! After 27 KM, we stopped at a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch and then I headed back home. This won’t be the last ride that I take in this area!
Thanks for reading. We look forward to your comments and ratings below.
Here is the GPX file if you want to upload our route to Google Earth [25] and see where we rode.
Comments Disabled To "Today’s Ride 090922"
#1 Comment By Kaminoge On September 23, 2009 @ 12:11
That looks like the Shigang Dam.
.-= Kaminoge´s last blog .. [26] =-.
#2 Comment By thenhbushman On September 23, 2009 @ 13:00
Kaminoge, thanks. i added a link to the end of the article where one can download my GPS track file and take a look at it in Google Earth to view our route.
#3 Comment By malcolm On September 23, 2009 @ 12:15
MJ, Wow !!!!!! what a great ride and wonderful scenery and the p/s camera took great pics. Thanks for taking the time to take all the great pictures and posting them for us fellow bloogers to see and tell our friends and family to take a look see also. I am not much into bike riding (the peddleing kind) but that is one bike trip I think I would have enjoyed . Malcolm
.-= malcolm´s last blog .. [27] =-.
#4 Comment By thenhbushman On September 23, 2009 @ 13:01
Malcolm, thanks. the parts that were on the railroad grade were particularly enjoying for me. i wish more localities would use those old beds for recreational paths like that community did. very smart. i know you would have enjoyed it. Taiwan has such wonderful scenery. take care.
#5 Comment By Rod Seib On September 23, 2009 @ 14:43
You live my dream, man. Thanks for posting!
.-= Rod Seib´s last blog .. [28] =-.
#6 Comment By thenhbushman On September 24, 2009 @ 10:21
Rob, come along with us next time and you can live it too! thanks and take care.
#7 Comment By Mitesh Damania On September 23, 2009 @ 14:48
That looked like a fun bike trail!! It was very safe away from traffic plus the trail looked even, clean, and well maintained.
.-= Mitesh Damania´s last blog .. [29] =-.
#8 Comment By thenhbushman On September 24, 2009 @ 10:21
Mitesh, well spoken, that was it in a nutshell. even on the regular roads we felt safe. thanks.
#9 Comment By Brunty On September 24, 2009 @ 00:10
Mj, I wish the Thais could provide bike trails like this. Thailand is a terrible place for cycling, when I go out early in the morning I have to be on the ball all the time because of drunk drivers, stupid drivers, stray dogs just to name a few. It is so good to see councils and governments investing in such things.
Thanks for sharing MJ.
.-= Brunty´s last blog .. [30] =-.
#10 Comment By thenhbushman On September 24, 2009 @ 10:25
Brunty, i think what it would take is an upsurge in riding and for the Thais to recognize that cycling in an industry where lots of money can be made. i still remember being chased by strays almost on every turn in Khonkaen. the roads there are not bicycle safe, really, and i’ve never seen a bike trail in all my travels there. Taiwan is committed to making more bike trails, and as it’s now election time, we see TV ads with politicians promising new bicycle routes in their area of jurisdiction. thanks Brunty.
#11 Comment By Craig Ferguson (@cfimages) On September 24, 2009 @ 09:17
Great scenery. Well, great except for MTs shorts.
Let’s arrange a Sunday ride soon up here. Plenty of good riding near me.
.-= Craig Ferguson (@cfimages)´s last blog .. [31] =-.
#12 Comment By thenhbushman On September 24, 2009 @ 10:26
Craig, MT’s shorts were the highlight of the ride! i’d love to take the trike up there for a ride some Sunday. just let me know when and where! thanks Craig.
#13 Comment By Stefan On September 30, 2009 @ 00:27
Great stuff – I’d really like to try that tunnel ride, too. Not sure if I’ll be able to do it next year – but it’s in my list. I’d love to take my daughter along, but here in Germany she rides in my bicycle trailer, I don’t think I’ll put that one on the plane… 🙂
#14 Comment By thenhbushman On October 1, 2009 @ 20:18
we might be able to hook you up with a trike you can use for a ride while you’re here. make sure you let us know!
#15 Comment By The Daily Reviewer On October 1, 2009 @ 16:56
Hi!
Congratulations! Your readers have submitted and voted for your blog at The Daily Reviewer. We compiled an exclusive list of the Top 100 Taiwan Blogs, and we are glad to let you know that your blog was included! You can see it at [32]
You can claim your Top 100 Blogs Award here : [33]
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P.P.S. If for some reason you want your blog removed from our list, just send an email to [34] with the subject line “REMOVE” and the link to your blog in the body of the message.
Cheers!
Angelina Mizaki
Selection Committee President
The Daily Reviewer
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#16 Comment By thenhbushman On October 1, 2009 @ 20:19
thanks Angela. i’ll be adding a badge to our site soon!
#17 Pingback By TheNHBushman.com | Today’s Ride, 091027 On October 27, 2009 @ 18:50
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