Luyeh to Kenting: Got the virus


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Statistics for today
Distance 149.00 kms 92.58 miles
Ride time (hours) 6.50 -
Avg speed 22.9 kph -
Statistics for trip to date
Distance 447.40 kms 277.75 miles
Ride time (hours) 20.80 -
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Friday, November 4th, 2016

Today's goal was a modest 85 kilometers but that cyclotouring can't-stop-gotta-keep-on-riding virus kicks in; we blow past the modest goal and into the mountains, down the other side onto the west coast of Taiwan, pushing south well past dark until we get to Kanting a full day ahead of schedule.

Breakfast of homemade bread and yoghurt, fruit, coffee at the house then we push off back down the hills to Taitung City. The first 85k fly by as we follow the relatively straight coastal road with a good tailwind. Some modest climbs and a bit of construction are the only speedbumps.

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Riding out of Luyeh.
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On a retaining wall leaving Luyeh.
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Baseball is big in Taiwan.
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This type of steep mountain geography that dump rivers/washes into the ocean over a very short distance reminds me of Chile.
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An apron of grey silt, a layer of bright turqoise, then deep ocean blue.
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Temple fixture.

We arrive at Daren around 2pm. This is where we planned to stop but it's way too early, and it doesn't look like there is much of anything in this town. There is no road down the coast from here so the only option is up into the mountains and over to the west coast.

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Up into the mountains.
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Down the other side.

Where the road comes out on the west coast there isn't much to look at. We head south hoping it will get better. It takes a while before it does, so in the end we just say the hell with and ride all the way to Kenting. We are treated to a beautiful sunset along the way but have to ride for a good hour in the dark. It turns out to be a big day, 149 kilometers plus a long climb.

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Postcard moment.
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Bridge somewhere before Kenting.
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Creative hotel-room bicycle storage solutions.

Kenting is so much like Puerto Vallarta it's creepy. If you take away the signs in Chinese you would hardly know the difference.

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A ridiculous among of eating going on here.
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It's like I went to bed in Taiwan and woke up in Puerto Vallarta.