A Soggy Day in the Saddle!
Taiwan Stage 12 – Chishang to Guangfu 77 Km (Thu 22 Nov 2018)
Weather: 20⁰C min – 23⁰C max, overcast, showery
“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.”
It would have been a miracle to complete a bicycle tour without getting wet. After eleven dry stages I have a lot to be thankful for. Anyway, it started off as just light drizzle today and not too unpleasant. My only disappointment was not being able to take many photographs.
So I just put my head down and enjoyed the sensation of riding a bike, rolling along silently and smoothly without a care in the world. Small villages came and went and the east coast scenery was nearly as attractive as yesterday.
Tranquility was disturbed temporarily when a convoy of about thirty electioneering vehicles passed me, a reminder that Taiwan’s elections are in two days time. You can certainly hear them coming … loud speakers blaring with messages and music, firecrackers exploding, flags fluttering, encouraging words to me when they see my bike carrying panniers.
Seeking some shelter from the rain (and to get my caffeine fix) I stopped at a 7-Eleven, where I met a friendly local rider who is also riding around the island. A lot younger and fitter than me, he is doing it in seven stages cf my sixteen stages! We enjoyed a chat before I moved on and, predictably, he passed me not much further along the road.
Bridge closures are the bane of my life. Just when I was cruising along nicely I came to a sudden halt at the 36 Km mark when faced with a barrier across my route. The Taipingxi Bridge is currently closed, causing me to detour via the Taiping Bridge, adding a couple of Km to a ride that was already long enough for an old bloke like me. It turned out to be the best couple of Km all day, because I found a winding country road (#65) that took me through lovely paddy fields of rice and some interesting houses.
What started off as light mist got heavier and heavier the further I went. But I had better get used to it because the forecast is for rain every day for the remainder of the trip. Oh well, one just has to take the rough with the smooth.
What an adventure what with getting soaking wet launguage problem can’t find your hotel dripping wet well!!you like adventure you got it! No doubt after a long hot shower you thought “I enjoyed it”. Let’s hope there will be no more☔️ for the rest of your?? but if riding is the fruit of life for you a little☔️ getting wet is worth the ride. Just be safe and happy??ing Thanks for sharing!!