September 15-30

A lot of riding on my new bike, but little mention of the rides. As a result the only narrative or context for these photos are the photos themselves. Maybe that's enough, but they feel like pinpoint records without any surrounding description or whether there was anything else. There's also the amount of photos and selecting just what I thought were the most representative to keep the numbers down. But that's what I always do, so maybe that's enough, too!

To sum up first because of the span this is covering, I rode north to Bali at the mouth of the Danshui River where I'd gone before by MRT and ferry; visited Kaohsiung; rode east to Pingxi and Shifen waterfall (but didn't actually see the waterfall); rode south to Wulai where I'd been to before by bus; and explored the Erchong ecological reclaimed-wetlands, west of Taipei across the Danshui River, which I discovered riding home from Bali. I also went up Taipei 101 twice. The first time it was rainy, dark and late in the afternoon, so probably someone was in town visiting and that was the only time available for them (no context from just the photos). But that likely inspired a second time on a sunny afternoon and I took dozens of photos, only one of which I'm including because aside from showing photos, I also know how to show restraint.

I mentioned riding up Yangmingshan earlier, but I wasn't happy with any of those photos and I don't believing in showing photos I'm not happy with.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 7:54 a.m. - Banqiao, Taipei County. World Car-Free Day event.

Bali township (八里), Taipei County:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 8:10 a.m. - Lover's Bridge at Danshui's Fisherman's Wharf across the river. 

8:17 a.m. - My bike is propped up by the left pedal resting on a divot in the ground.

8:20 a.m. - The Danshui is a tidal river.

8:27 a.m. - Fishing boats on the Danshui. Datun peak shrouded by clouds.

8:37 a.m. - The sparkle of morning sunlight on water.

8:52 a.m. - Power lines along the Danshui River, Luzhou township.

8:56 a.m. - Along Huanti Blvd., Luzhou township.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 5:48 p.m. - Taipei 101 observation deck. Xinyi Rd. heading off to the right, Keelung Rd. to the left.

Kaohsiung:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 5:07 p.m. - Audrey's children. Pie learning to hold a newly-hatched Eddie.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2:11 p.m. - Industry to art. That actually describes how my uncle's surrounding neighborhood is changing.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 12:11 p.m. - Cutie Gracie (Audrey's second daughter) at the mall. Aunt in the background.

6:03 p.m. - Mongolian orchestra with at least my aunt. I think my aunt knew about it and asked if I was interested (and not the other way around), and of course I was interested.

Shifen (十分), Pingxi township, Taipei County:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 7:53 a.m. - Actually, I don't know if Shifen is its own town or if it's a village in Pingxi. It's further east of Pingxi town and has its own train station and old street. This is facing west with a suspension footbridge visible to the right.

8:14 a.m. - Guanpu suspension footbridge in the Shifen waterfall area with a rail line to the left. 

8:26-8:27 a.m. - Both shot from the footbridge. As I mentioned, I didn't actually see the famed Shifen waterfall, which required entry to an area and I didn't know what to do with my bike (encumbered). I think it's that-a-way in the bottom pic.

8:30 a.m.

8:56 a.m. - It's simple to get to Pingxi from where I live in Xindian. Rte. 106 runs right outside my window and goes east all the way there. Simple, not easy as it's ride-worthy far. To make it even more of a ride, instead of going out and back, I kept going on Rte. 106 which by Shifen is headed north into mountains. That's probably a weather station up there.

9:06 a.m. - The view of what I had just climbed. I like climbing. I think it's fun.

9:30 a.m. - Rte 106 comes down the mountain and ends in Ruifang township on the east coast of Taiwan. All I knew from there based on my paper map was to turn left and hope getting back to Taipei would be well-marked and simple. Not easy, as after getting back to Taipei still required riding all the way through Taipei to home in Xindian. Like the Pinglin ride, it was long with a major climb. Oh, and I mentioned Rte. 106 in the Pinglin ride, but that's actually Rte. 106乙, a spur of 106 that after coming down the mountain from Pinglin ends at Rte. 106 about halfway between Pingxi and my building.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 3:23 p.m. - Taipei 101 observation deck shooting north. The significance of this photo is the construction going on. Taipei City Hall is at the lower left for reference with the double-10 (十十) architecture I've mentioned before. All of those construction sites will yield towers and some future projects are mere lots at this point. The Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A8 building is a parking lot in this pic. On the left edge of the pic just below center is a patch of green that will yield a building that when seen from afar will make me remark that Taipei is developing a distinct skyline (beyond just Taipei 101)!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 5:07 p.m. - Shots from my apartment window, Xindian. Because everyone loves a rainbow.

Wulai (烏來), Taipei County:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 8:23 a.m. - Glad that I now have a bike that can make it to Wulai and I don't have to take the bus.

8:40 a.m.

9:13 a.m.

9:29 a.m. - Wulai cable car over the waterfall, but with a bike I can't even consider exploring to see where it goes.

Erchong ecological reclaimed-wetlands riverside park, Sanchong, Taipei County:

SEPTEMBER 30, 7:44 a.m. - As I mentioned, I rode past this (along the north end) riding home from Bali and as it's very prominent on any map, it piqued my curiosity. It also serves as an alluvial plain. You know, the area around rivers that serves to alluviate flood waters during a big rain storm or hurricane. But the point of this photo was the dog.

8:13 a.m. - Lotus flower amongst dying and decaying lotus leaves.

8:47 a.m. - Finding some higher ground, and by the looks of the foreground appears to be a cemetery. Also noting the construction of the elevated freeway around the ecological park.

8:52 a.m. - Enhanced detail of the previous pic.

8:51 a.m. - Not as dramatic enhanced detail of either Luzhou or Sanchong in the foreground with Taipei 101. The Danshui River would also be in between unseen.

10:52 a.m. - Taipei Grand Hotel on the way home, but "on the way home" included riding all the way up to Danshui as I have a sole picture taken in Danshui of the Dunkin' Donuts by the MRT station.