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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

LCSG Southern Taiwan day 3 10th Dec 2012

The day we met Feng Cui Sar (wind blow sand) 
Encik Briefing on route and the famed Fei chu Sar...
What a glorious day @ Kenting
LCSG at Southern Tip
Marcus rolling down to Southern Tip
Day 3 - Words by Marcus Yeo
The real action starts. We rode south from Kenting to the Southernmost tip of Taiwan, than up north along the Eastern cost of Feng Chui Sha (风吹沙). After that, we turned inland and climbed the hills of Manzhou (满洲).  It was a gentle downslope all the way back the east coast and ended in 旭港渔港. Total distance around 54km. 
54km doesn't sound much in the context of Singapore terrains, but add in the headwinds and slopes, it felt like 150km.
Doesn't look windy but I assure u it is..  near Feng Chui Shar 
Steve was nursing a cold and the gusty winds was a big big challenge.  But he gamely took it on!
This is the best way for Brompton on windy condition... we learn after all the bikes keep tipping over 
The red flag is where we are ... it is very very windy. Even more Wind than Great Ocean Road
2 highlights for me in this ride: At FengchuiSha, the headwind was equivalent to 4-5 category of HK typhoon(4-5号风球). Even when going downslope, if you don't pedal hard, the bike won't move. I don't even want to talk about upslope. Good thing is, cycling along the Pacific and her huge waves makes every effort worthwhile. 
Manchou area
We pushed...  dun know how many slopes.. 
Then the Manchou hills. Up down up up up, a morale breaker. Some of us got cramps. I had to come down and pushed the bike for last leg. It was brutal, slope and more slopes. In our minds all have this thought bubbles..." I thought we all having a flattish relaxed ride"?  Encik George was technically correct. According to the maps, the elevation reading is under 1000m, that's "flattish" - haha all kana "bluff".  Well all took it in good stride and pedaled on. 

The 5km steep downslope experience was superb. We didn't prepare enough energy snacks for this ride, so for the last 10km, we were all famished. The scenery was magnificent, all I think of was the bento waiting for me at the end point.
Caption- Are we there yet... 
Waves crashing on the rocks.. we cycled and stomaches rumbling
Pungchek (super flat)
Mr Driver see us so tired and hungry..gave us army hard tack biscuits.. what a life saver
We arrived eventually, had our well deserved lunch (at 3pm) and moved to the hot spring town of Zhiben (知本)。 The whole gang had a dinner up on the hill overlooking Taitung (台东), and ended the night with a good soak in the hot spring.
Map link by George 

Full Set of day 3 here 

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