Layover in Kenting

November 18, 2014

A windy loop of the south end

Don't say we weren't warned. When we left the hotel this morning the attendant cautioned us to be careful and watch out for the wind. We thought she meant strong breeze, and blew it off.

Today's day ride was meant to be longer. We had a few options outlined for a loop of the south end, but in the end we took the shortest one, cutting back from the east coast on route 200. If conditions had been more favorable I'd have liked to go further north and take a very minor road back across - I'm not even sure it's paved - or a long loop, following 200 to its NE end and doubling back on 199 again. Even the short loop was enough of a challenge though, and we were glad to get back to the hotel and off the bike for the day.

It began breezily enough, as we made our way the short distance south to the tip of the island. One we rounded the horn though we found ourselves with gale force winds blowing in off the channel. Fortunately they were crosswinds so it was possible to move forward, but it was barely bikeable. Had there been any traffic to speak of it would have been downright dangerous because we were weaving all over both lanes of the road, wrestling our bikes to keep them more or less under control. At times when we came to gaps in roadside shrubbery, we were reduced to dismounting and pushing.

It is a wonderfully scenic stretch of coastline though. The road lies about 150 feet above the coast, with cliffs dropping steeply to the shore. In places there is a large verdant apron at the base of the cliffs, apparently formed by coral beds that have uplifted out of the sea over the ages. At one dramatic spot, the cliff face is covered with wind blown sand (fongchueisha) that reached to the road itself. This is a famous seasonal phenomenon here - in the winter sand blows up the cliff under the fierce offshore winds, and then washes down again in the summer rainy season. We were lucky to get to see it on a day like this when it was easy to understand. A small dune was advancing over the roadway, and we felt sand blasted trying to stand in the face of the wind.

We are at the halfway point of the trip. Looks like we have a week of long, sunny, flattish days with headwinds in store for us.

The view from the top, Sheding National Park

Fongchueisha (wind-blown sand), 200 feet above the ocean. The sand blows up the cliffs in the winter and washes back down in the summer.

Fongchueisha (wind-blown sand), working its way up the cliff.

Gankou suspension bridge crosses the mouth of the Gankou, on the east side of the cape

Caught in the act, borrowing Rachael's bike for a photo prop

Today's ride: 43 miles (69 km)
Total: 492 miles (792 km)

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