Tranquility in the Foothills of Miaoli: Exploring the Miaoli Route 54

Last weekend was a dreary one, with chills and fog blanketing much of central Taiwan. Therefore, I was happy to have another chance to cover some pavement in Miaoli County under slightly different circumstances.

One of the greatest things about cycling in central Taiwan, is the proximity to the foothills and the dozens of fantastic roads that snake through the fruit farms and along jungle streams in an innumerable combination of routes that offer exactly what the doctor ordered.

I had passed by an area that obviously had several small roads feeding into the North/South Highway 3. For some reason or another I had never tried to venture onto this blank spot on my cycling map.

This was an excellent opportunity for a look.



I joined up with Michael Turton, who supplies a nice commentary of the ride (here), and we rolled the familiar strips of asphalt to Jhuolan Township, where this ride was to officially begin. 

Sometimes it is not the distances or the places visited in a ride that make it special, but rather the style points of how you choose to traverse the terrain that really elevates a ride to one that is among the best. 

This is one of those routes.



We pushed off along the familiar and majestic Pinglin Rd. out of Jhuolan and loped along through tranquil citrus farms. The Pinglin Rd. is an excellent choice and I was a little reticent to tamper with a proven formula, but that is where the draw of the adventure comes from. 




Google was not very helpful as it had the road mislabeled and we initially took the wrong turn into an area that provided nothing but pleasant views and a pack of semi-domesticated dogs that wished for nothing more than to rip the flesh from my bones. Unfortunately,  over the past few months of inactivity,I have become a far more tempting morsel. 


After escaping Cerberus and his minions, we consumed every significant climb on the Pinglin Rd. At the top of the final climb, there is the junction with the Miaoli Rte. 54. This is not marked clearly on Google, so be aware. 



With just a few punchy climbs, the Route 54 delivers the rider into a well paved slithering track along the dips and ridges of the Miaoli foothills. Without any real traffic to speak of, the area was the picture of tranquility in central Taiwan. 



The scenery gave the false sense of topographic vastness that made the route such a great little gem. 


The Miaoli Rte 54 drops off the hill and back onto the Highway 3. From there we headed south to the 140km post and embarked on the Miaoli Route 52-3. 



The Route 52-3 is in excellent shape for most of the way as it hugs the northern contours of the Liyu Reservoir. The views have been better, but there was virtually no traffic to contend with making it a great continuation of the Route 54. 


As the smooth pavement runs out, the road makes an abrupt leap into the heavens at about a 30% grade. I can't believe there was a time I would eat this road in one sitting. It isn't simply the incline, but also the length of each ramp. 


Looking down at the road and the reservoir can be mesmerizing.



After cresting the hill, it is a zippy descent through bamboo tunnels along hidden marshes and tributaries far below. The roads can be dirty and slick after a rain, so ride with care. 

We popped out below the reservoir and made it back via the Highway 13 through Houli. 

I highly recommend this route for anyone looking for something new, beautiful and challenging that is less that 100km round trip. 

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Around Liyu Reservoir (Route 52-3): Back To The Drawing Board

The View From The Top


A few months ago I could see the riding forecast and it looked poor. Our daughter was born in December and I took about a month to let my legs recover. Then my mother arrived for two weeks to see the baby. Just as I started to come back from about three weeks off I got sick, and then the weather went bad... and then I had a ride or two.... and then the weather went bad... and then my dad arrived for two weeks... and then the weather went bad... and then I got sick... and then the weather went bad... and then I did the Northern Cross Island Highway... and then the the weather went bad... and then a typhoon swept through Taiwan...  and before I knew it, I was a couple months out of shape. 



Crossing Into Dongshih


The weather this past weekend looked excellent for riding and I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to throw a leg over the top tube and start clawing my way back into shape. 


I worked out an plan with Dom A. with the understanding that I would be using the ride as an easy warm-up to begin my training to get back to my former level of fitness; a level of fitness that once allowed me to chew up climbs and distance with relative ease.   



Fight


Dom seemed to have other plans. He delighted in showing off his superior fitness and form as I struggled to find any form... of my previous...form. 


I was sapped from the get-go. Dom was riding circles around me. Ouch!


Aside from the obvious lack of exercise, I hadn't really had much for dinner and my last serious ride occurred before the heat and humidity of summer had fully taken hold. Those conditions combined with a hilly route and a return headwind all converged on the day in a perfect storm of ego popping cycling madness. 


Dom seemed to relish the opportunity to launch up ahead at will and completely disappear into the horizon. I quit trying to play catch-up and just tried to play "turn the pedals". 





Typhoon Damage


Dom was feeling so much better, that he overshot the turn to the Route 52-3 (Xinli Agricultural Rd.)


The road was in rough shape after the typhoon, and was littered with all sorts of mud and debris for some technical riding. I didn't mind the fact that it kept the pace to something I could manage.  





The road dips and curves along the northern edge of the Liyu Reservoir in a pleasant mix of short climbs, easy flats and a couple good dives through some picturesque orchards. 







Aside from the typhoon slurry that was spread all over the tarmac, the road is pretty smooth... until is reaches a steep gradient that starts to look like someone's insanely steep private driveway. The road is rough and in desperate need of local construction funds. At times my rear wheel spun out on some type of road hazard or another. 







Then things got really nasty. 


The entire climb pitches up at over 20% and on a couple of occasions my front wheel lost contact with the ground.



Steepness


I dug in with a full tank of Everything I Had Left and chugged to the top.


The drop down the other side took concentration and careful attention to a good line. It seemed that each corner had become a slippery mud bog, more for the likes of a 4x4 or a swamp buggy. To take one of those corners with anything less than a straight line would have spelled a crash in an instant.


Despite the technical challenges, much of the road is a thrilling ride of undulating blacktop along forested ridge lines, above deep gullies, through low tunnels of uncut yellow bamboo. 


Being forced to slow down forces you to take in the stunning spectacle that otherwise would be missed. 








The road ends at the foot of the Liyu dam. As we rolled out onto the flats, I could feel my inner quads beginning to cramp. Each pedal stroke aroused the synapses into prompting another round of acute cramping. 


Dom just rolled away out of sight into the headwind and there was little I could do to catch up. I finally waved him home and plodded along in agony as I fought cramps and a very stiff headwind all the way back into Taichung. 








Not Only Is Dom's Patience Wearing Thin


By the time I threw my mud caked bike into the elevator of my apartment, I was still horribly cramping and just completely destroyed. I had nothing left except the notion that this was just the beginning of my campaign to get back into top form.... The first day of my comeback. Now I just need to remember to keep it purposeful and methodical to avoid any stupid injuries. 



Maybe I'd Be Faster On This?




Also:

Check out Michael Turton's great ride over Yangming Shan.

Tourng The Liyu Reservoir: Route 52 and Route 52-3

New Citizen Talking To A Cop

After waking up late for another scheduled ride, I slept in and then debated the weather before reaching the conclusion that anything could happen and pushed my luck on the saddle.

My legs were feeling... better... but the plan was for a more leisurely, exploratory ride into the hills over the Liyu Reservoir. I have ridden the gorgeous Miaoli Route 52 dozens of times as it starts high above Juolan where the Highway 3 bends toward the Liyu Reservoir and makes for an easy and accessible weekend route.

I had never tried the Route 52-3 at the northern end of the reservoir... mainly because it was not far enough away to make it worth the adventure. Now I was more than curious to try that road.

"Morning Ride and Smoke With My Best Gal"

I steadily rolled on up onto the Hou-Feng Bike Trail, which was filled with riders squeezed together cheek by jowl into the narrow path. The experience is really stressful as riders brake, swerve, smoke (see picture) and veer into the oncoming lanes. It feels just like morning traffic.

View?

Visibility was horrible all day. It seemed like the clouds were just sitting on my back the whole day driving the humidity through the roof. A coffee and couple punchy climbs later, I was perched over the Liyu Reservoir.

Haze Over Reservoir

Not long after I committed to the northern route a light drizzle had begun to fall. It was actually quite refreshing.

Bridge To Route 52-3

I approached the bridge where the Route 52-3 starts and stopped for a few minutes to watch a couple of fishermen balance along the edge of the bridge as they tried to reel in some type of fish.

Signs

Something To See

Looking Down On Reservoir

Soon I was speeding over short climbs and dipping into dark valleys. The road was an absolute gem until about 3/4 of the way to the top when it suddenly becomes a narrow scribble of amateur paving. The punchy climbs became sustained grinds on 12% grades through bamboo groves.

Road?

Farmhouse

Suddenly the bottom drops out of the climb and the road skates along ridges past lonely farmhouses and deep, foliage covered valleys.

Dam!

The descent is such a wonderful thrill ride on what is essentially paved singletrack, I felt a little disappointed when it was all over at the bottom of the Liyu dam.

I sat there for a few minutes to decide which way to go. Would it be to Houli on the busy Highway 13, or would it be another climb over the Route 52 along the southern ridge of the reservoir?

I chose the climb. My legs actually started feeling great the more I climbed. I then upped the pace back to Taichung as the spray and grit from the wet roads covered my face at speed.

It was rainy, humid and I had a late start, but it was a fantastic ride.

Score:

Distance: 110km

Elevation Gain: 3192ft

Max Speed: 66kph

Manly Day On The 52-3