Bike now pain later (part 3)

[part 1] and [part 2]

As I was leaving for my third and last day, I noticed two other rented bikes parked next to mine in the guesthouse. Probably tourists riding Highway 9 just as I was, likely in the opposite direction. I didn’t see these guests coming in during my short stay, so I assumed they got here after I went to sleep yesterday.

Instead of heading back to Highway 9 directly, I decided to ride a small section of the local bike trail : a small loop free from traffic that is said to be the locals’ favorite place for relaxing. The city’s official website describes it as a place where “[…] people temporarily switch their attention from cellphones or tablet devices, heading up to breathe in the fresh air while riding bicycles. It feels like returning to the simple moment […]”, and I can only agree with this statement. I haven’t seen a place this peaceful in a while.

I mostly saw seniors on their morning walk, and almost felt sorry for the noise my bike was making, so I stopped by the water for a bit, to drink the canned coffee I bought for breakfast.

I also went south to ride Mr. Brown Avenue before returning to my route. This is a perfectly straight lane with nothing but rice fields on both sides, and a mountain as a background. It really looked like it was made for made for instagram, and I’m glad I woke up early enough to enjoy this incredible road all by myself.

The last section of Highway 9 was not as pleasant as the first part of the trip, because of a lot of ongoing road renovations and construction worksites all along the route. The landscape was still the same lovely green hills on both sides, but many sections were made much narrower because of the construction work happening on the side of the road. Trucks and cars were therefore passing by much closer than during my first two days.

On the flip side, it looked like these roadworks included a proper separate cycling lane all along the route, and this should make the journey safer and more enjoyable for cyclists riding Highway 9 in the future.

The city of Luye would be my final coffee break before I get to my final destination. Here I met a couple of seniors who also stopped at the same 7-eleven for a break, and we both did our best to share a few bits about our own adventures, despite not speaking each other’s language.

As with many interactions along this journey, it started with a very simple “👌?”, and in the end, all I could understand is that it was their first day on the bike, that they were riding south to north, and stopping at campsites instead of guesthouses (but I could guess that by looking at their equipment). I don’t think they believed me when I said I started from Hualien just two days ago. I really can’t tell how accurate this all was, or how well they understood me, but it was nice to contribute to this invisible bond that exists between strangers on a similar journey.

After a fairly steep climb outside of Luye, it was all downhill, with a very long and straight lane gently carrying you to the city center of Taitung. As someone usually riding on a fixed gear, I could definitely appreciate the benefits of the freewheel on this section. Once you actually reach the city, keep your eyes open for the single left turn to find the train station.

It was now time to return the bike that carried me along this trip. The friendly staff asked how it was, and we keep chatting for a while about the bike, the trip, and each other’s experiences as cyclists.

And then, out of nowhere, they handed me this:

I’ve been on a few bikes rides, but this one will definitely stand out as a very special one. I highly recommend going on this journey to anyone who’s physically able and up for a small challenge. The entire road is mostly safe, mostly flat, and there are plenty of places where you can take breaks and rest. And on top of that, the landscape along the journey is very pleasant and enjoyable.

You can get on a train from Hualien to Taitung, or even fly all the way there (both have airports despite being fairly small cities), but I don’t think you should.

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