The rain eventually stopped, but thick fog set in, blocking the natural wonders of Yushan National Park (玉山國家公園) from view.
Cycling downhill in low visibility induced repeated adrenalin rushes. Every pore screamed and the senses of hearing and touch were much more acute, like being in a trance, and being fully aware of it.
Night seemed to fall prematurely, hiding potholes and stones on the slippery road. Pouring rain resumed, threatening to wash us away with mudslides. Instead of going to our intended stop at Baolai (寶來), we took refuge in Meishan (梅山), some 30km past Yakou.
Our day ended with hospitable Paiwan and Bunun women treating us to rounds of beer and homemade rice wine at their restaurant.
MEISHAN TO TAINAN CITY
Spending the night in Meishan turned out to be a wise decision. The next day, I pushed myself to the limit, cursing all the way, riding the last 10km to Baolai up and down through the hills.
On the route to Tainan, the picturesque green hills and valleys continued along the Laonong River (荖農溪). Aboriginal villages dotted the Yushan Mountain Range (玉山), where life strolls along at a leisurely pace.
But the crisp mountain damp was replaced by tropical heat as we descended across Kaohsiung County (高雄縣). The two-day seclusion from modernity came to a crashing end as we approached Tainan and the sounds and smells of civilization. From there, we caught the High Speed Rail back to Taipei.
In hindsight, we agreed that we should have bagged our bikes and taken a bus from Liukui (六龜) or Jiasian (甲仙) into Tainan or Kaohsiung City to save us from the torrid, polluted and unpleasant last leg of the journey.
The barrage of noise and scents on the road clouded our cleared senses, reminding me of a myth about the god Hun Tun (渾沌). Two of the god's friends wanted to give him a present as a gesture of gratitude for his hospitality. They decided to carve the eyes and ears out of Hun Tun's body so that he could sense the world. But Hun Tun couldn't take the pandemonium of smells, sounds and sights flooding in - and died.
GETTING THERE
You can start the trek across the Southern Cross-Island Highway (南橫公路) from Tainan (台南) on the West Coast or Chihshang (池上) on the East Coast. From Taipei, one-way train tickets to Chihshang on the Chukuang Express (莒光號) cost around NT$500. The High Speed Rail from Taipei to Tainan costs NT$1,350. Cheaper, but more time-consuming options for getting to Tainan include the train for around NT$700 and the bus for around NT$500.
WHERE TO STAY
Once you venture into the mountains on the Southern Cross-Island Highway, there are three main posts offering overnight accommodation. In Lidao (利稻), several bed and breakfasts offer rooms for around NT$1,000. In Motian (摩天), the Motian Farm House (摩天農場) costs NT$1,500 per double room. In Yakou (埡口), the Yakou Guesthouse (埡口山莊) runs NT$2,200 for a double and NT$3,200 for a four-person room. In the lower altitudes, the most popular places to spend the night are Meishan (梅山) and Baolai (寶來), both of which offer a variety of accommodation choices.
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