Category Motorbike
At the beginning of this year I decided I should ride my motorbike from east Taiwan, across the central mountains to the west. With lots of other things taking up our time it’s not until now the wife and I were able to go.
On Friday evening we took the train to Hualien city on the east coast.We have several days for our trip, so instead of setting off directly on Saturday morning, we stayed in Hualien for some relaxed sightseeing. Among the places we visited were Liyu lake, Lien Cheng lotus garden and Qiqi highlands.
Paddle boating on Liyu
There is lots to see around keelung, but I had set my sights on an island close to the harbor opening called Peace Island. It is densely populated and not much different from the city, but a park out by the sea is famous for it’s beautiful landscape. We went there the first thing we did in the morning, and although the landscape was indeed beautiful, it was a little too small and too touristic for my taste. There was a walkway leading off towards some more secluded cliffs but sadly it had been damaged and was closed. I think … Read the rest
Some years ago me and a few others went to an abandoned copper refinery in Jinguashi near Keelung. That time we were ill prepared so we didn’t see all of it, but I promised myself I would come back one day. This weekend Renegade Wife needed to work but I didn’t feel like staying inside all Saturday. Since she is not all that into urban exploration, I decided this would be the weekend I went back.
On Friday morning I took the motorbike to work instead of the train like normal, and as soon as I got off work Friday … Read the rest
My boss has sent me to the head office on the other side of town and I need to be there shortly after two which behooves me to set out right after lunch. I’ve only gone the short distance from the door to my parking space at the far end of the lot but I’m already sweating from thr midday heat, and despite being protected by my jeans, the seat of the scooter feels like sitting on a frying pan. Normally the slipstream would be enough to cool me down a bit but as I speed up, even the wind … Read the rest
Big drops are falling from a leaden sky, pitter patterning against the visor of my helmet. The low clouds have made the backstreets of my evening commute even more dull than normal, nothing but wet asphalt and grey buildings all the way. I mount the steep slope of the bridge across the highway, and just as I reach the crest, the world opens up in front of me. In the distance, visible only because the rain has cleared away the smog of the city, I can see the mountains; layers upon layers of ever darkening shades of green against the … Read the rest
Except for Pompeii, one of the most famous places in the area around Napoli is the Amalfi coast. It is basically a coastal road connecting a number of small towns and villages along the south side of the Sorrento peninsula. Since the road was bound to be small, Yini and I decided to rent a scooter – or more precisely a Vespa – and ride from Salerno out to Sorrent then all the way back to Napoli.
I set out in the morning to go collect the scooter from the rental shop, and after picking up Yini back at the … Read the rest
When the wife and I go up in the mountains we often pass through a place called Neiwan. It’s a kind of vacationers paradise with a lively food market, several go cart tracks and a number of hot spring resorts within a short distance. Basically city dwellers can go there to enjoy the mountains without having to forfeit modern amenities.
Every time we drive through the area I see roads that look very inviting but for some reason or other we’ve never really driven on them. Recently however, I’ve been determined to see where they lead and yesterday became the … Read the rest
It’s just pouring down, heavy drops patter incessantly on the visor of my helmet and although I’m dressed for battle with elements, rain jacket, rain pants, and big floppy shoe covers that are impossible to walk in, there is till considerable discomfort. The drops sting my lips every time I accelerate, my gloves are already wet through and through, and there is a coldness in my crotch which I sincerely hope isn’t water soaking through my pants. Sometimes, on a good road in good weather, riding a motorcycle can be thoroughly enjoyable; swooping smoothly from turn to turn as you carve your way through a … Read the rest
This weekend Yini and I were planing to take the motorbike out, stay over for one night, then ride back the next day. However, Yini had some kind of parents day at her school on Saturday and when she came home she was too tired to go out. So, we turned it into a one day trip instead.
We rode into the moutains outside Hsinchu, and after an hour or so, we came to an abandoned house that we had seen during a trip July but never went into. There was a rather poorly constructed gate across the driveway which … Read the rest
The light turns green and a bunch of scooters, me included, launch forward. Just as we’re picking up speed I see a lone scooter cutting across the path of the swarm at an angle. “that can’t be good” I think, just before a rider in front and to the right of me smacks into the side of it. It’s not a big crash, more like a bump, but the rider that was hit gets knocked down while the other remains upright. My heart leaps at the sight, like I’ve been kicked in the chest from the inside, and I instinctively … Read the rest