Cycling in Taichung

On the second day of New Year, we trained from Tainan to Taichung. All the seat reservations had been sold out a long time ago. Much to our relief, the local train we took wasn't crowded.

We were not particularly impressed with Taichung from our previous visit, and could not muster enthusiasm for full speed sightseeing. However, we did enjoy two bike rides on rail trails while braving crowded trains, plus Chinese New Year + Taichung Flora Expo throngs.

The Houli-Fengyuan-Dongshi rail trail is particularly popular. Because of my limited bicycling skills, we only do easy rides. The amount of the riders on the trail surely was at the limit of my bicycling skills. What is more amazing is the number of bicycles (many electric) available for rent along the route was easily twice or three times the number of what is out rolling along the trail. When we had inquired at the tourist office, we were guaranteed that we would not have trouble getting a bike -- the trail used to be more popular. It's a good thing it is not a test I would have to worry about.

On our first full day we rode a very crowded train to Tanzi to bike the Tanya Shen Bike Way.




From Tanzi Station it's a 20 minute walk to the start of the bike way. The sole bike rental shop there had high prices and a surly owner so we walked a mile on the trail to a very friendly bike rental place and got going.


The bike way has some added S-curves to get your attention.


And flowers are planted on the side.


4-wheelers allowed.


One of our bikes.




There were several "bike only" over passes.




Caught a bus back to town from near this cycling overpass.


Had some veggie dumplings for dinner and checked out the new mall before heading home.




The next morning we got up early and were on a 7:30 train north to Houli which is not only the endpoint of one a Taiwan's most popular bike way's it's now hosting the Flora Expo which draws thousands of visitors. However at 7:30 am most folks are not of the house. The first kilometer of the Hou-Feng bike way leads to the Flora Expo, thus flowers.


Also there is a separate elevated pedestrian path to the Flora Expo which you can see behind Sun-Ling.


Soon we are riding through a very cool horseshoe-shaped tunnel....


....which empties right out onto the old RR Bridge. Very cool.


A beautiful morning for strolling or cycling on this bike way.


After 5kms we take a sharp turn onto the Dongfeng bike way.


We see a few more folks out enjoying the morning. Such a nice shady path.








The bike is a bit small for me.


We took a snack break on this bridg and enjoyed the view.




The bike way ends at the old DongShi Station. For us that's about 17kms of riding.


We turn around and head back to Houli. The bike way is now not just busy but crowded.






Good to see folks out and enjoying themselves.


A couple of videos to show the excitement of the Dongfeng Bike Way.




Link here and here.



Back to the RR bridge.


And through the tunnel.


One of the several entrances to the Flora Expo.


Return our bikes - the owner has brought out her eagle. Hmmmm.


Here's the GPS track of our ride.


We are done by 1:45 and in fact get seats on the train home.


Taichung's new elevated station opened in 2016. Very nice.


We stop by a nearby temple on the way home. Check out the twin smokestacks.


Ceremony at that temple.


Our hotel, SOF Hotel, shows its skeleto.




From the outside.


For dinner we go to a veg resto where they make savory vegetarian zongzi, a real treat. See the zongzi hanging by string.




Creekside park near the train station.


We check out the YiZhong Night Market.




The sublime Houxing Pavilion (built in 1908) in TaiChung park is the symbol of the city.