With Dom and Drew in the Vale of the Stimulants

A wonderful ride through the tea districts, featuring outstanding weather, plenty of climbing, and winding roads through tea and betel nut fields. We had done the 166 back in December, and were looking forward to a return...

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RIDE NOTES: We took the local train from Taichung at 7:09 to Minxiong at 8:51 and were on the road soon after. We followed the 107 out to the 166, and then the 166 up and up as it climbed into the hills. The 166 features moderate grades but there are not flat spots, so it is a long climb. There are places to rest, but not much water is available. The road peaks where it crosses the Alishan railway, and there is food right there at the Starlight Forest Cafe. From there we turned left (north) onto the Chaiyi 154, a road we had long looked forward too, a lovely ride through the teafields with good views into the gorges to the east and across to the central mountain range.

We slept at the Taixing Shanzhuang (google maps link). 900 NT per person with breakfast, another 200 for dinner. The views were excellent and the little town is a minor tourist attraction. Unfortunately the tour buses roll in after 4 and the place turns into a madhouse, with constant announcements over the PA system, and in the evening, the inevitable karaoke and mah jhong. Fortunately that dies at 9:30. Not really recommended, but endurable if you need a place to stay (and there aren't many in that area).

On day 2 we continued out the 154, still lovely, and then followed the 162A briefly before getting on the 151-1, which becomes the 212 when you enter Yunlin. The road is spectacular with excellent views over the central mountain range, and Yushan visible behind the foremost peaks for most of the ride, wreathed in clouds. Then we descended the 149 to Meishan and bounced over to Dalin and the train back to Taichung.

We grabbed the 7:09 out of Taichung and reached Minxiong Station at 8:51...

...put out bikes together, and headed out.

Clearly the bike gods had smiled on us, and the day was sunny and hot.

We followed the 107 out of Minxiong until we reached the 166, grabbing snacks and drinks at the OK store there since the 166 has little of either.

This candidate is all in green, but strangely, has no party affiliation. Hmmm....

The 166 rises gently, except for one short brutal hill, until it reaches the base of the mountains.

Dom and Drew race ahead.

Closer and closer to our goal.

Pausing by a local shrine for a drink. Big trees are often sacred and shrines and temples are located near them.

As we drove through the small towns, the heat was on.

Hanging sausage by the roadway for that extra exhaust and particulate flavoring.

Once you reach this bridge, buildings and people become sparse. There's a visitor center nearby where you can get water.

As you climb, the views become ever more stirring.

The heat was brutal. I was having real trouble making it up, and almost turned back. Had to rest for nearly an hour at one point, from overheating.

Fortunately it started to cool off as we got higher, and clouds rolled in.

Excellent views. The 166 is lovely the whole way up.

This is about as flat as it gets.

Eventually you enter the tea-and-betel nut farms.

Just before crossing the ridge to the tea farms on the other side...

Dom grabs a snack as we rest by the Alishan Rail line.

A bit hazy, but a glimpse of the excellent 154.

Looking down on the tea district around the 154.

The turn to the 154.

Drew studies a farm.

Dom takes a break...

We followed the side road to the train station on the Alishan Railway.

Riding the back way through the tea farms.

Resting my bike by the station

After a hard day of picture taking and extensive resting, we reached the hostel about 3:30 and settled in for beer...

...and enjoyable views.

The place was huge, with three floors of rooms and a major dining room area, with activities rooms on either side where the mah jhong dramas played out.

Our hostel from the 154. The front of the building actually faces another road.

We checked out the little tea tourism town with its million tea shops selling local teas. There are a couple of shops to get drinks and snacks, but no cheap eateries.

Local signs will guide you to the next place where you can be relieved of your tourist dollars.

A totally authentic temple was the focus of tourist buses.

Veggies on sale at the local shop.

The local shop at night.

What stories these beer cans could tell.

We walked down to mingle with the tourists and take in the atmosphere. On the right there is a pricey cafe with a limited menu.

We walked over to the little viewing platform below our hostel.

It offered superb views.

Looking back towards the 166.

Looking north.

Plenty of tourists, along with birdwatchers there to photo migrating egrets.

The front of our hostel, across the street.

Looking down on the crowd.

Back at our hostel, the tour buses rolled in at 4ish and the noise became instantly intolerable. Fortunately the karaoke and gambling died at 9:30 and the place become livable again. The managers are very nice, and lots of fun, but you'll need a tolerance for noise and crowds to overnight here. On the plus side, they were all very polite and nobody bothered us.

At night they also offered full on beauty treatment

There's instant noodles and some snacks at the reception, and of course, cheap beer.

Dawn over the central mountain range.

Dawn filled the town. It promised to be a spectacularly clear day.

A guide to the local sights in Taixing township.

Dom studies the town as a tea picker waits patiently for a ride to work.

Tea oil for sale.

The day was looking more and more magnificent.

With the sun so bright it was hard to take pictures.

Breakfast. The eggs were terribly greasy and stayed with me the whole day. One of the most pressing problems of riding in the mountains is the lousy breakfasts.

Good-bye selfie with the manager. Very nice woman, but constantly selling her hostel's products out of a megaphone at the top of her lungs, hugely annoying.

As we took off, they were trimming the tea plants by the hostel.

Rolling out.

The hills of tea and betel.

The 154 is shaded and cool at this point, and the weather was crisp and clear. Perfect.

An old Japanese style house.

Dunno what these are... but they looked old.

The haze wasn't too bad, but that sun....

Betel nut tree slopes.

Yushan is visible next to the swirl of clouds over the shoulder of the mountain in front from the 154 near the 162A. I have been on these roads several times, but always in the afternoon, when the mountains have clouded over and the peaks are no longer visible. Stunning views this clear morning.

We stopped in Taiping town for some water.

Then hit the 151-1 (the lower road, not the higher one) for some excellent morning riding.

Shady world of tea and betel nut.

Tea.

Stone terraces full of tea.

Photoing Yushan through a break in the vegetation.

Passing a bed and breakfast in the tea marketing area.

The views were magnificent.

Dom grabs a shot.

The haze was amazing, sadly.

In addition to us and another pair of cyclists, these joggers ran by.

A tea rail, a miniature monorail for moving stuff around the steep slopes of tea farms.

It's hard to convey the 3-D feeling...

Dom sets up a shot.

Drew breaks for a photo.

One of the many family-run tea retailers and farms.

Finally, after a lovely hour on the 151-1/212, we reached the 149, turned west, and descended into Meishan. I stopped taking pictures so I could enjoy the descent.

 It had been a wonderful ride. Hope to see you on the next one!
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