Cycle Taiwan: Wuling Pass and the Southern half

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to my Blog on Taiwan June 2013 cycle with my friends Sherman Kwok and Shun Yeung (Dave) Yip.  The Blog is not finished but here are at least the maps of where we went.

The main goal…to reach the top of the Wuling Pass, Asia highest road at 3275m (Left to Right: Dave, Nick, Sherman) 

 Over 6 days we covered 688 kilometres.  From Puli at Km 275 on the maps below, we climbed for 65Kms to the top of the Wuling Pass, stopping the night at 2000m.  Once at the summit, it was downhill for around 80 kilometres to the East Coast

The Route covered the southern and central part of the Island of Taiwan  

Starting in Kaohsiung Airport in the South West, we took the Taiwan middle highway over the centre of the Island to the East Coast, then south to the most southern tip, finishing in Kenting.

First 400k of the ride, climbing to 3275 m at the top of the Wuling Pass.

Spectacular scenery as we climbed from Puli to the top

Climbing to the top

Lots of tunnels on the 70Km descent to the East Coast...

Just cut through the rock

Going through the Taroko Gorge…large overhangings 

Certainly a spectacular route

Day 1: Kaohsiung to Sinying 100Kms

15 June 2013

We flew into Kaohsiung from Hong Kong and assembled our bikes in the arrivals area.  We left our bike boxes at the left luggage, and we on the move by 1pm. The route was quite built up on busy route 1, although there was always a bike lane.  We arrived at our hotel in Singying well after dark.

Day 2: Sinying to Jiji Township 118 Kms

16 June 2013 

Day 2 was getting away from the more populated west coast and into the countryside.  At around Km 25 we started climbing over a small forested mountain area.  

 Leaving our first night's hotel

Day 3: Jiji Township to Tsing Gin (2000m) 76 Kms

17 June 2013

Day 3 was the start of the climb up the Wuling Pass.  The first task was to reach Puli, at Km 35. Then it was almost continuous climbing getting gradually steeper. We realised we would not reach the top that day and we found a hotel at 2000m.  It also rained heavily which slowed our progress.