Craig Dodge Taiwan

Well, I didn't "wimp out" (Meaning: Not be brave enough to do something) this week like I did last week. I joined the unofficial ChuLin bike club Sunday on a ride from Xindian to PingLin. This week, the riders were Lou, Helen, Johnny, Ken, and of course my best biking buddies Gary and Shane.

This was my 3rd ride to PingLin, but for some reason it felt like the most difficult. Maybe it's because the summer heat has finally set in. Last summer, we usually started our rides quite early, like 5am, to beat the heat. This time, we met at 6am but didn't hit the road until 6:30 because people were filling their tires with air or having a bite to eat. We are definitely going to have to go back to the early starts.

Between Xindian and Pinglin on Route 9, there is just one very big hill, not like between Xindian and Wulai where there are several shorter ones. It's not a steep incline, just a long one. A couple of our bikers had a tough time getting up the hill, one even choosing to take the bus back rather than try to conquer it again.

At the top of the hill, as if to reward bikers for making it, are a couple of nice outdoor cafes and restaurants. We stopped at one called Helen's, which seemed fitting as one of our group was named Helen. They make a great peach smoothie, the view from the balcony/patio was spectacular and the breeze helped to cool us down a few degrees.

The only problem with this route is that it is popular with the motorcyclists who like to race through it at about double the posted speed limit, taking the corners as fast and as tightly as possible. I don't mind sharing the road with them, but the way they drive is very dangerous for themselves and bikers. If the police were to post a few speed traps along the route, they could collect a lot of money and make the road safer for everyone.

All in all, it was a great morning, though. I'm glad I didn't wimp out!

You can see more pictures from the trip at: Biking Pictures