view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
In Taichung, I cycled with Andrew. He works for the world-famous bicycle accessory manufacturer TOPEAK. TOPEAK has a headquarters in Taichung. We gathered in the morning in front of the main office and pedaled with our associate's family.   I wandered around Taichung city in the afternoon. Taichung Station was massive. It has a lot of history.  48.13Km |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
I cycled from Taichung to Changhua and Lugang today. I met Terry and Iris when I confirmed my present location at a over-crossing after passing through the center of the city. They were the intellectual couple who could speak English and Japanese.  They led me to the railway roundhouse of Changhua Station. The roundhouse was built for changing the direction of locomotives. It was conserved as a heritage of modernization.    |
Lugang was crowded with tourists.  Old streets and narrow alleys were left.  83.49Km |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
| It was 50 kilometers to Taichung. I had leeway today, so I cycled "Tong Fon Bikeway, the Green Corridor" and "Hou-Tong Bikeway". They are the bikeways that were converted from disused railroads.  Because it was a holiday with good weather, many people were cycling there. The length of the tunnel was 1500m on the "Hou-Tong Bikeway".  In the evening, I arrived at Taichung.56.44Km |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
| I wanted to make long distance today, to enter Taichung City tomorrow. I thought the prefectural road 118 looked good but there is no mention in "自行車環島旅圖", that I referred to.  It was not readable in fact because it was written in Chinese (LOL).When I asked the proprietress of the inn, she said "That's a good way, there are cherry trees along the route". It was a refreshing way for bicycling  I met a lot of cyclists today.  Sometimes I saw the temples. Were they Taoist temples?  I went heading south earnestly after joinimg Route 3. It was a highway with much traffic, but was easy to pedal because there was a motorcycle lane.  Today's distance was 120 kilometers, the longest in this tour.121.25Km |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
| The North Crossing Road became a real uphill slope apart from the river. However, the road surface was good, and the maximum grade was 9%. I cycled the slope doggedly. From here, for 20km there are no houses.   The river was rough and I saw the dam which had collapsed below.  I saw a big arch-type dam, but there was almost overflowing with sedimentat. It shows the strength of erosion in the river.  I stayed at the "北横之星", the proprietress of inn can speak English.  71.28Km |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
| I cycled from Dali heading south on Route 9 to Yulan via Yilan. Because there were many full-size vehicles on Route 9, I turned off into prefectural road No.191. There was the comfortable safely way cuts through the rice fields after the rice-transplanting.  I gathered informations in the tourist information center at the Yilan station square. I got the bicycle road maps and the B&B informations.  Yulan is an excellent production center of a green tea. I ate the delicious dish which used tea leaves.  I'll cycle in the core part of The North Crossing Road tomorrow. 68.28Km |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
I cycled heading east on Route 5 from Taipei to Jiufen. Taipei city at rush hour in the morning flowed with motorbikes.  Motorbikes are fewer here than in Hanoi, but it's good to be careful because they are faster than Vietnam. However, I was not afraid, but rather filled with a feeling of safety, as if we were all united when I joined them on the road.Jiufen was an old gold mine, it became a big sightseeing spot, after "A City of Sadness"(a successful film).   |
Afterwards, I went to the East Coast, through the mountains.  The mountain pass had very little traffic, and the temperature was 15 degrees. I had a comfortable cycling trip. From the mountain pass, I saw the East China Sea. |
68.57Km |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
| I cycled in Taiwan in 2009 and this is the second time. I brought a F20-T2 made by KHS which I bought in Taipei last time and will cycle in northern part of the island. Because this flight was from Haneda Airport which was near my home, I went by cycling to the airport.  In front of the international air-terminal, I took off the steering bar and pedals, and protected the gearbox with corrugated cardboard for loading onto the airplane.I must not forget to outgas the air from the tires. |
The weather was clear. Mt. Fuji looked daring in the air.  In Taipei, I arrived at Song-Shan Airport in the city. It is five kilometers to the hotel. It is near, but I must be careful because I will need to keep right rather than left.  By the way, actual cycling will start tomorrow. 30.66Km (Japan:25.50Km/Taiwan:5.16Km) |
view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph
| In the days of the Edo era, Japan closed the country, but the U.S. and Russia came to demand the opening of the country from the latter half of the 19th century. The shogun commanded the daimyo throughout the country to build batteries on the shore. A battery was built in Kanagawa facing Yokohama port. Kaishu Katsu designed it. It's called Kanagawa Daiba. |
  As for the battery, which had been an artificial island, the surrounding area was filled-in and it has been changed to a station  and private houses now.The anchorage became a small park, and there was a detailed sign which commemorated the old days. 50.57Km / 5hours |
| I went to Mt.Asama, this is the first mountain climbing for this year. We departed in the morning at 4:00. From Joshinetsu Expressway, I saw a clear mountaintop, and our expectation rose for a superb lookout.  Mt.Asama is an active volcano, it had a small eruption in 2009. A radius of 2km from the mountaintop is a no-go area. |
Halfway up the mountain, there is a shelter that can be used for protection in case the mountain erupts. But I think that the rescue team would not come even if we escaped into there.  |
I saw the mountaintop when we passed the ridgeline of the outer rim of a volcanic crater. Unfortunately the mountaintop was in a cloud, but the figure of the mountain had an attraction. |
In the evening, we warmed our cool bodies in a hot spring. From an outdoor bath, I saw the mountain that we climbed a while ago. |
Posts
All Comments
view the broad map
