Layover in Taipei

November 30, 2014

Loop ride to Shizaitoushan

For our last day here we took another ride up into the hills. We began by largely backtracking the end of yesterday's ride, southeast along the Xindian River. We followed the bikeway along the river for about 8 miles to the Bitan suspension bridge and then broke south for about a 20 mile loop up Shizaitoushan, a small peak that tops out around 2200'. We rode the loop counterclockwise, which seemed like probably the steeper direction. It's a pretty awful climb, very similar to the climb up Yangmingshan - a narrow, winding, stair-stepped affair with 15-20% sections interspersed with more manageable ones. It is an almost empty road though, and once again passes through dense hardwood/bamboo/tree fern forests. After three weeks in this country it still comes as a surprise to us to get only a mile or so out of town and up into the hills and quickly find ourselves alone in the middle of these dramatic green landscapes.

Taipei has some great riverside bikeways, but it's sometimes a challenge getting to them.

Climbing away from the Xindian riverside bikeway, at Bitan

The maze of bridges crossing the Xindian River

An opera rehearsal to celebrate a successful election. These people were so welcoming - they invited us in, offered to let us stay for lunch, and introduced us to the new mayor.

On the way back we stopped for a picnic lunch on the riverside below the Bitan bridge. It's a very festive and scenic area - we loved hanging out for awhile, watching the crowds walk across the river high over our heads; cyclists wobbling or buzzing by on the cycle path at our feet; and flocks of swan-shaped paddle boats erratically wobbling about in the river below.

The Bitan suspension bridge crosses the Xindian River

We decided to celebrate both the ending of another successful tour and another successful year (my birthday is tomorrow) with a splurge dinner at Merlot Cafe and Bistro. It is just shy of three miles from our hotel in Ximending - close enough that we decided to walk it rather than mess with the MRT. We were really glad we did - walking through more of the city's core gave us a different perspective and appreciation of it than we've gotten from the bike saddle; and, the dinner was delicious. Great way to close out the trip.

Celebrating a birthday and another successful tour

Slow race to the top, near Zhongshan Station

Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 1,072 miles (1,725 km)

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