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| 3:07-3:10 p.m. - Wanli 萬里 township on Taiwan's northeast coast, north of Yeliu 野柳, visible in the distance. I had ridden to Yeliu last month, so I didn't stop until I went past it, through a tunnel. I took a break here near Guoshengpu beach 26 miles and an hour and a half into the ride. The ride is Provincial Highway 2 from Keelung to Danshui. I had done this ride before at night going the opposite direction. |
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| 3:29-3:30 p.m. - Jinshan township. I diverted off Highway 2 to explore closer to the water. I was a bit familiar with Highway 2 up to Jinshan, having visited Dharma Drum Mountain monastery by bus, and also having done a ride up Yangmingshan and descending into Jinshan. It's a ratty bit of beach with Yehliu still in the distance, but it's probably nicer when it's sunny. |
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| 3:32 p.m. - Staring at the Sea. |
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| 3:47 p.m. - Back on Highway 2, the stone marker to turn off for Dharma Drum Mountain 法鼓山. |
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| 3:54 p.m. - A nice stretch of fast, flat and straight coastline to power along. |
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| 4:11 p.m. - Wind turbines in Shimen township 石門鄉, the next township after Jinshan and Taiwan's most northern township. It's sandwiched between Jinshan and Sanzhi townships, both of which I'd ridden before on out and back rides. Shimen isn't a place you ride out and back. If you ride to it from either direction, you're doing the whole coast, otherwise it's like swimming halfway across a river, getting too tired to continue and swimming back. |
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| 4:16 p.m. - Discharge water from Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant, Shimen township. I didn't know this power plant was here. I'd seen this kind of violent water expulsion from the nuclear power plant in Wanli during a ride, but didn't figure there would be another one so close. |
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| 4:23 p.m. - Flatbed roadside restaurant along a stretch of coastline perfect for wading into the water and swimming for Guam. |
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| 4:35 p.m. - Facing east from around Laomei kite park 老梅公園, further along Highway 2. The wind turbines visible in the distance, as well as the yellow-orange roof of a temple which was near that flatbed restaurant. |
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| 4:52-4:54 p.m. - Shimen Wedding Plaza 石門婚紗廣場. A scenic spot especially made for wedding photos. Wedding photos in Chinese culture is a BIG FRIGGIN' DEAL! They go all out and it's often a daylong outing with multiple costume and location changes, professional photography staff and siblings in tow as gofers and logistical support. I had stopped here for a break during a night ride, but since I couldn't see the signage, I didn't know what it was. |
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| 4:58 p.m. - Further along Highway 2, these buildings looked impressive upon approach, but I was disappointed to find them dilapidated. As ruins they were still impressive, but this is prime beachfront real estate. Literally, cross Highway 2 and you're on the shore. If oceans rise from climate change, this property would littorally be in the water. It seems a neat place to live, but I guess if there's no economy up here, this is inevitable. |
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| 5:01 p.m. - Baishawan 白沙灣 (White Sand Bay), facing west. |
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| 5:12 p.m. - Reverse shot, the previous shot was from just left of those buildings at the right. I explored just a bit on a cape next to Baishawan, but as it was getting late in the day I soon continued on Highway 2, and the only portion that could even remotely be considered a climb, to Sanzhi and familiar territory. It was the third leg of the ride and I was getting tired, but also a bit euphoric on endorphins. I should've felt worse but was on a second wind. Unfortunately, you pay for that on the fourth leg and I started tapping out in Danshui, but managed to suffer it to the bikeways and cruised the last 18 miles back to Taipei. Because of the wandering, the ride topped out at 73 miles. |
