Mount Datun ride: Getting a taste of Taiwan's climbs

Taipei summer
Statistics for today
Distance 35.00 kms 21.75 miles
Statistics for trip to date
Distance 99.00 kms 61.52 miles
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Saturday, August 20th, 2016

I had to go see what those sharply-rising mountains to the north of Taipei were like on the bicycle. Verdict: the road grades are vicious, the pavement is impeccable, hardly any traffic, and with the heat and humidity it makes for a very satisfying workout only a 45-minute ride from home. The flora is jungle: banana trees, bamboo, and vines. I didn't run into any animals.

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Temple gate.
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Temple.
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Heading up there.
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Banana tree.
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Mountain pond.
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From the top of Mount Datun looking north, the opposite direction of Taipei.
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One of the 168 species of butterfly they say can be found in Yangmingshan National Park.
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There's a hiking path up the mountain as well.
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Taipei from above.
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Another Taipei bridge.
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Lamborghini. There's some money in this town.
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Tunnel.
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Someone turned a trash bin into a little shrine.
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Baishihu suspension bridge.
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Wouldn't want to find this thing creeping around my tent. About 4 inches toe to toe.
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Lone fisherman.
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Nice light with tonight's sunset.
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Chongde Road, massive cemetary built into this and the surrounding hillsides. It goes on for kilometers.
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Artwork on one of the mausoleums.
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Stream following Chongde Road.