March 14, 2023
March 14th
Zhubei
This past week has been a bit of a downer. My elder brother, Keith, passed away in his sleep. He was only in his early 70s and seemed fine when I saw him last year in the UK.
Debbie contacted Covid. She's had to isolate for seven days - the rules ease next week - and while she had insurance that would have paid out over US$1,500, that policy expired last month. Thankfully the symptoms are not too bad and she's now over the worst of it.
What with all that, today seems like a good idea to escape for a bit and riding south to Zhubei appeals. There's a climb or two involved, which should test my legs, and it's almost 10 o'clock when I wheel my bike outside. The plan is to get a train back home and I tell Debbie to expect me back some time after three.
It's a bit cooler than last week, but I'm still in shorts and a summer top.
The route is the same as the other day, heading south to Longtan, but I skim the outskirts of town and get on the wide 3. This road climbs a bit and there's a small lane over on the left that I look out for. There's one turn-off that gets me wondering, but it doesn't look familiar, so I keep riding and soon realise it must have been it. Not to worry, I reach the junction with the main route 3, which heads down a really long slope and it means I've missed a stiff climb that would have taken a bit of time and energy.
My speed is 50km/hr on the hill. I've cycled up this thing a few times and hated it, as there's a fair amount of traffic and it seems to go on forever. I reckon this is my first time to freewheel down, or at least the first time in over 10 years or so. It's a blast.
After a few kilometres I have to turn right at a set of lights and this time I manage to follow my own instructions and ride along a narrow lane and soon spot a Hunters (boots) sticker on the back of a van that's clearly been abandoned and decide to take a snap. Soon after I pause at an empy house that I've photographed a couple of times. On the first occassion, the doors were ajar and I could walk around inside, then the next time it had been reroofed and the doors made secure. Although the grass in the front area has been cut short, it hasn't changed since then - and that must be well over a year ago.
A couple of minutes later I'm on the edge of a small town called Guanxi, cycling on one of the paths running along each side of a shallow river, following the flow. There are just a few people out walking and I cruise below the stone bridge that dates back to the late 1920s. The last time I was here it was being renovated and the paths were closed. I was with Ralph, cycling the other way, towards home from Zhubei.
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At the end of the riverside path I make my way past houses without seeing any vehicles and end up on route 25. It's all very rural and tranquil.
The winding 25 climbs and from memory it's at least 3km to the crest. It could be more than four. I can't remember.
My energy is low as breakfast was a few hours ago. It's gone noon and it occurs to me that I should have veered into Guanxi and got a bite to eat. It's too late now and my cotton cap comes off as even though clouds have rolled in, the roughly 23°C temperature and high humidity have me feeling hot, so eventually I pause and drink some of the water in my s/s bottle.
I pass the 3km and decide to take a self-timed snap of myself reflected in one of those big round mirrors that get placed at bends in the road. I have two attempts and as I'm messing around a women on a scooter comes along. It's the first vehicle I've seen and she wonders if she'll photobomb me and stops, but I wave her on. The photos don't quite work out.
Some birds are making a cuckoo-like sound and I manage to spot one hidden in the branches. being quite smal, it's hard to photograph and after a few tries I give up and soon pass the 4km marker, then get to the 5km one and know I'm just about at the top. Some bushes have been cut back to give a view of the landscape and my tripod gets placed on the edge of the route for another attempt at a snap and it takes a few goes to get one I'm happy with.
The sky is gloomy and it feels like it might rain.
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1 year ago
The descent is great. I know there's a Family Mart convenience store at the junction at the bottom and once there I buy a baked sweet potato and a hot latte and some chocy and sit at a table inside and recover. It's 1:15 already.
The river is just a few minutes away and the lane that runs beside it isn't very exciting as there's a high concrete flood wall blocking the view of it. There are paddies and small farms on my right.
It's possible to ride along the top of the flood wall, but I've tried that before and it's littered with various obstacles, making it annoying. My speed is OK as it's gently down and there's not much to stop for. I brake when I notice a farm building with a blue door and soem paint on a wall and as I take a quick snap, a women comes over and asks what I'm looking at. I tell her teh squat building has a beauty to it and she likely thinks I've lost it, then tells me she's 80. She looks well.
Eventually I cross over the flood wall and ride towards the old area of Zhubei, past tall new apartment blocks, then veer north at the large hospital. The city road takes me straight to the station.
The clerk at the train station hands me my ticket and I see it's just five minutes before my train arrives, so my timing is perfect. It leaves at 2:45, so I'm a bit behind my anticipated return time, as it'll be getting on for four o'clock when I actually get home. Three was always a bit optimistic.
Today's ride: 45 km (28 miles)
Total: 2,514 km (1,561 miles)
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"Get well fast" to Debbie!
1 year ago
Debbie seems fine now and will be allowed outside on Friday.
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago