For my cycling partners and I, the bicycle trek we took last month marked the high point of a six-month biking regimen and an indelible journey into the less densely inhabited and traveled Taiwan. Challenging and awe-inspiring routes, including the New Northern (北部橫貫公路), Central (新中橫公路) and Southern (南橫公路) Cross-Island Highways, span the Central Mountain Range (中央山脈).
Our own adventure began with a last-minute change of plans. Because of an approaching typhoon, we decided to switch from the New Northern to the Southern Cross-Island Highway, which chisels its way from Tainan through Kaohsiung to Taitung.
The new plan got off to a rocky start, as we presumed a 10:55pm weeknight train from Taipei to Chihshang (池上), the eastern entry to the southern route, would be empty. It turned out to be fully booked. Luckily, four seats opened half an hour before our desired departure time. After wedging our dismantled, bagged bikes into a cranny at the end of the aisle, we dozed until we rolled into Chihshang at 5am.
CHIHSHANG TO LIDAO
Bikes assembled and bags laden with food and water, we hit Highway 20 (台20線) around 8am. One hour of pedaling later, we were overwhelmed by an imposing view across the gorges along the Hsinwulu River (新武呂溪). Layers of mountains and rolling mists rose into the sky, making us feel we were in a just-finished Chinese landscape painting.
Dim tunnels through the area's mountains breathe an air of mystique; they seem to be passages to a time when villagers lived in Shangri-La, enclosed in clouds and surrounded by bizarrely shaped monoliths on the bed of a turquoise river.
The cool morning drizzle became dripping rain around noon. Falling rocks and landslide-prone terrain surrounded us, casting a shadow of danger that didn't lift until the end of the journey.
Four kilometers and six hours after leaving Chihshang, we reached Lidao (利稻), an Aboriginal village wrapped in mountain fogs at about 1,000m above sea level. From there, some cyclists push straight on to the Daguanshan Yakou pass (大關山埡口), which at an altitude of 2,731m is the highest point of the highway.
We opted for a hearty dinner and bottle of home-brewed millet wine prepared by the hostess of Hsile Minsu (喜樂民宿), an unpretentious bed-and-breakfast.
LIDAO TO MEISHAN
After a good night's sleep, we felt fresh and ready for the demanding ride ahead. The 29km, 1,700m climb to Daguanshan Yakou was flanked with lush flora that has inspired hundreds of words delineating the varied shades, curves and scents of trees. The sun broke through clouds at times, giving spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Just as often, wispy fog rolled in, blinding us, forcing us to notice the quietude of the mountain and the sounds of insects and birds. For most of that leg of the trip, though, my breathing was the loudest sound I could hear, and the rhythm of it put me into an extended "Zen moment."
As the locals predicted, the rain started around noon. Riding up the steep incline that was the last 10km in pouring rain demanded all the willpower we had left after hours of gradual climbing. Around 3pm, we reached the summit, wet and cold, but ecstatic.
After a brief rest, we took on the dark and drippy Daguanshan Tunnel (大關山隧道), which barrels downhill for its entire 615m length.
In the Cypress Valley (檜谷), we stopped briefly to take in the giant red cypresses that make the mountain air sweet.
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