Articles in South Cross-Island Highway Trip
South Cross-Island Highway 001 – Train to Tainan
Saturday September 19, 2009 9:00 a.m.
Train 1011 from Taipei to Tainan, Car 12 Seat 01
In typical fashion, I took what was supposed to be a relaxing few days lounging in hotels and taking pictures of historic sites and turned it into a six-day bike ride on one of Taiwan’s steepest and most dangerous roads.
It all started when I met some of my co-workers for lunch. …
South Cross-Island Highway 002 – Tainan & Chihkan Tower
September 20, 2009
Well, I made it to Tainan without incident. The train just raced through the countryside stopping here and there. It was pretty effortless and painless. I can’t say that the scenery was anything to write home about. The east coast of Taiwan is quite scenic. There are mountains and steep cliffs and that sort of thing. But the west part of the island …
South Cross-Island Highway 003 – Anping District, Tainan
Sunday September 20, 2009 8:30 a.m.
Dining Room of the Ta Lee Hotel – Tainan, Taiwan
When I checked in yesterday, they said something about breakfast, but I didn’t really understand it. When I came down this morning, I was very surprised to find a very nice buffet breakfast laid out in a dining room. Had I known that all of this was down here, I would …
SCIH 004 – Into the Mountains
Monday September 21 4:30 p.m.
7-11 in Chiahsien, Taiwan
It was a good day of cycling. It had many of the elements that make for a good day of cycling – including the feeling that the day was much longer than it actually was. It feels like Tainan was a long time ago. It feels like I’ve been traveling for a long time and over a very …
SCIH 005 – Typhoon Damage
Wednesday September 23, 2009 11:00a.m.
At the 7-11 back in Chiahsien
This may be a bit confusing, but I am back in Chiahsien and back at the 7-11. And it is only 11 in the morning and I’m done cycling for the day. So what the heck happened?
Well, quite a bit happened. For one thing, I got a forceful reminder of another thing that one should always …
SCIH 007 – Back To Tainan
Thursday September 24, 2009 1:30 p.m.
Moogo Drinks – Tainan
I just ordered a milk tea and I’m waiting with great anticipation for it to arrive. I had planned to get an iced coffee or something at this place called George’s Fine Coffees. I went by the place half a dozen times my first day in Tainan. I thought it would be a great place to sit …
SCIH 006 – Road Ends at a Ghost Town
The real fun began a few kilometers later. I was “zooming” along on my bike when I passed a big earth mover. As I passed it, I heard a voice shout something at me, and a second later, I was at the base of a huge pile of rubble blocking the road. It seemed that I’d found the end of the road. And it really …
SCIH 008 – Ramblings from 7-11 and a Train
Friday September 25 11:00 a.m.
7-11 in downtown Tainan
You’ll probably laugh to see that I am back in a 7-11. Do I ever leave these places? I actually tried very hard to go somewhere else this morning for a cup of coffee. I wanted to go to a local type of place, but all of the ones in this neighborhood only have outdoor seating. It’s extremely …