Day 9 Wed 21/10 - Sanggung to Ilan Junior High School

Total Distance : 57.0 km
Today's Temp : 23 - 30c
Average Speed : 12.1 kph   max: 40.9
Time On Bike : 5 hr 10 min
Average Climb : max: 4%
Total Altitude : max: 1316 m
Today's Spending : NTD 150
Total Distance Todate : 207.6 km
Total Spending Todate : NTD 556

After 2 nights of camping in the moutain wilderness,a free stay in the worker's room of  Ilan Junior High School is a welcome sign. At first I was only aiming for the school compound to camp, the school hour already over as it was already 3.30pm and did not see any students around. I approached a lady in her 50s who was lawn moving the grass in the field.She was very friendly when I introduced myself, she lead me to the school office to see the person in charge Mr Lee and without any hesitation, I was given the empty worker's room to stay only for one night,I had to leave latest by 7.30 in the morning before the school starts at 8. Important thing is I get to charge up my camera and handphone batteries .Being fluent in Mandarin has certainly added advantage for me here in Taiwan. Many Taiwanese especially in the rural areas are surprised that Malaysian can speak equally Mandarin like them. And what I noticed so far, Malaysian and Taiwanese spoken mandarin in term of sound and way,are more or less the same.Back to the ride today, started early at 7.45am,a breeze downhill to Sanggung and then up again to Baling joining the main road of Beibu Kong Lu route 7  and then down again to a beautiful Baling bridge, in fact 2 of them,one old and one new. A few workers weres busy painting the old bridge and I was stopped as the other end was closed. So back to cross at the new bridge. Mingchih National Forest Recreational Area,another tourist park with accomodation facilities was quite quiet in week days. Tomorrow's route continues to be down slope and will join up with Route 7A with the Lanyang River.

                                                 Weather is good ,so the rocks stay still

                           Bird eye view of the old and new Baling bridges which I will cross later

                                                    U-turn is my way to Baling,no mistake about it

      New Baling bridge look older than the old Baling bridge.All because the workers paint the old one fisrt

Old Baling bridge with a new coat of bright red paint

                        Stopped by the workers - work in progress but it is ok to have a group photo

                                           Dull paint of the New Baling bridge

                                                              Bicycle r n r with special offer

                                Lalashan Scenic Area but I did not climb to the top - off way!

                                     Thank you Mr Lee for a good night stay in your school

                                            Worker's room in Ilan Junior High School