Taipei - Zhangwei Day 1

After the first day and about 120km, I am full of impressions and completely exhausted in my bed. I will try to put together many random thoughts.

First of all, something about my health. By reducing my food intake (2 bananas for dinner, 2 bananas for breakfast), I may have done something good for my intestines. It seems to have helped so far.

Around 9:30 am, after leisurely packing, I set off on my bike towards Songshan Station. This is the official starting point for a round trip of Taiwan. Riding in the city was really uncomplicated. The only annoyance were the estimated 10 one-minute red phases that prevent a rhythm from forming.

Taipei bid me farewell without rain, but when I was in Qidu 2 hours after the start, the environment changed. It got higher and greener for the first time. The weather also changed, with the mountains covered in clouds and continuous rain. I think this area has about 250 rainy days per year. What awaited me was a 3km long dry and warm tunnel that I shared with car drivers.

The signage on the first day was simply fantastic. There are always markings on the ground and signs on the road. Together with the mobile phone, it is almost impossible to get lost.

I can also report mostly positive things about the roads. You share a lane with scooters, which is very pleasant and safe as long as no cars park on this lane and the two-wheelers move to the left lane.

There are still two or three situations that are very present in my mind. Firstly, it was the first time I was riding with thin tires, which are also very hard at 6.5 bar. This requires more sensitivity when braking on wet roads than I thought. I didn't have to brake often, but there were a few moments that gave me respect.

But let's get back to the route. The route to Fulong was mainly about ignoring the rain and pedaling. The scenery with the jungled green mountains strongly reminded me of Guilin in China. There were larger villages from time to time, but the settlement is very sparse outside the Taipei metropolitan area.

In Fulong, it was quite difficult to fulfill all my wishes for lunch. 1. Warm and dry, 2. Socket to charge my phone, 3. Wifi to book my hostel (my mobile data doesn't work as I wish). 4. Something warm to eat. What it came down to is almost embarrassing, but it was a 7/11 shop. A shop that exists throughout Asia and represents the modern-day corner store. So I had cup noodles with bananas and cookies. The main thing is to get full.

Food procurement outside the 7/11 world is quite difficult. You can't expect food options in every town. Sometimes there is nothing to eat for an hour.

After Fulong, there is a very touristy but beautiful part of Taiwan. I rode through the 2.3km long bike tunnel to the dry coast. The route here repeatedly offered breathtaking views of the Pacific and the islands in front of it. From this point on, I also had a feeling of tailwind and the rain didn't come back.

I reached my accommodation around 6pm. I had chosen something for lunch to feel comfortable. To get my things dry and to sleep peacefully. What I hadn't considered is that there is nothing to eat around. I have to take something with me for the upcoming days, because the abundance of food is over.

Lastly, I would like to mention the police stations along the route, which I can use uncomplicatedly as a fresh water source. The police officers are always up for a little small talk.

My route

https://www.bikemap.net/en/r/4717640/

I forgot to record the original data. From tomorrow onwards, there will be routes with detours and travel time.

That's it for my first day on the bike.