I-lan city in eastern Taiwan seen looking down the Lanyang River
One of the best rides in Taiwan is the lovely Northern Cross Island Highway, which runs from southern Taipei across the mountains into the coastal enclave of I-lan, a triangular plain bounded by high mountains on two sides and the sea on the third. This weekend I did this enjoyable ride for the third time this year...
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The Northern Cross-Island Highway, No. 7, rises out of the southwest side of the island's capital, Taipei, then goes south through the mountains and lands in I-lan on the east side of the island. There are many versions of this ride, and the route I usually go is not difficult -- an experienced cyclist can do the whole thing in a day. We prefer to divide it into two more leisurely days of 70 kms and 80 kms, which can be done in a weekend, leaving plenty of time for photos, coffee sipping, mango slushies, and dips in local rivers if the weather permits. If Monday is free, I like heading up the northwest coast back to the city of Keelung, enjoying the topography of mountains against the ocean.
The first day involves a climb to 400 meters, then a drop of 200 m, then another long steady climb to 640 meters, and down again to the tiny hamlet of Baling at 600 meters. The next day involves a climb from roughly 600 meters to 1280 meters, and then sustained riding along the ridges with stunning views, wildlife, work crews (the road is perpetually being reconstructed due to landslides and other issues) and tourist buses for company.
(A Google Map of the route)
Photo by my friend Michael Cannon
The last two times we had splendid weather, but this time around the weather gods decided we heretics needed a reminder of their caprice and power, and we started out in a light rain. That's me in the spiffy blue coat.
Usually this is what we see after we leave the crowded, noisy streets of the Taipei suburbs and head up into the hills
Due to the rain on the first hill climb, we missed lovely views like this one, from my first trip up this year.
Nearing our lunch stop, we pass by the area known as Little Wulai.
Above Little Wulai the road begins a long, steady climb to 640 meters after lunch, through farms and villages.
Taking a break on an earlier ride.
Logged out areas on a ridge across the gorge.
Massive rock walls cut by streams line the road.
A dam destroyed by flooding, shortly before the first day's destination of Baling.
On the way to Baling we stopped for sausages here.
Checking the weather in the morning at Baling.
One morning out of Baling we met this: landslides. Taiwan's mountains, generally regarded as the steepest in the world, continuously inundate Taiwan's roads with landslides. This slide was still live as we crossed it, the result of the previous night's rain, and we sunk up to our ankles in the muck.
A couple of months later the slide area had been cleaned up and repaired.
On a clear Sunday morning, like the one in the picture here, the mountains ring with the faraway hymns of the Christian Churches in the aboriginal communities, the barking of dogs, and the hissing of teakettles boiling up the morning tea.
Of course, you can meet plenty of animals, such as this viper that crossed our path as we climbed up to 1280 meters...
...or this spider snacking in the morning sun.
Highway 7 eventually runs along the ridges for a few kilometers, offering awesome views, before descending to the Lanyang River after roughly ten kilometers of switchbacks.
Alas, this time around we were fogged in and the chasms went unviewed.
In the summer, they grow watermelons in the flood plain of the Lanyang.
We usually overnight near the town of I-lan, a tough choice between the beach at Wai-ao, filled with cheap hotels and surf bums, or the spa town of Jiaoxi, with Japanese-style spas and lots of restaurant choices. On the third day we bike up the coast back to the port city of Keelung.
We usually get out early, but it's tough to be out earlier than the fishermen in Taiwan.
Last time around the fog lingered on the coast.....
...creating lovely views, here of the old gold and copper mining area, with the large abandoned copper processing facility (brown building, left) that once supplied a fifth of Japan's copper and where POWs worked during WWII.
But this time the weather gods refused to cut us a break, so after fighting the rain for 30 kms, we gave up and hopped a local train back to the capital, Taipei, and ended another awesome Taiwan ride.
Hope to see you on one soon!
Vorkosigan
Previous Northern Cross trips here and here.