Day 11 Fri 23/10 - Dayuling Farmer's Hut Viewing Sunset

Total Distance : 49.9 km
Today's Temp : 18 - 25 c
Average Speed : 9.3 kph  max: 49.0
Time On Bike : 5 hr 21 min
Average Climb :  4%  max: 22%
Total Altitude :  1078m  max: 2238m
Today's Spending : NTD 290
Total Distance Todate : 299.1 km
Total Spending Todate : NTD 1011

Woke up to a beautiful sunshine morning with clear blue sky. The feeling is real GREAT!!!! The watch is still showing 6.30am and thru experience it normally took me one and a half to 2 hr to prepare breakfast to actual start off. Yesterday before I went to bed, I used some wooden planks to block the doorless hut entrance and it was still intact,that means no "visitors" paid a visit to my tent last night. I wheeled my bike over the bushes which was about 50m from the road. The road is still little wet result from thick mist last night but the sky is clear. The road surface is smooth and with the colourful red and yellow road railings, it makes photos look beautiful,unlike our Malaysian road railings plain dull with no colour.It begins with a welcome 8km gradual decent and then gradual up another 22km to the entrance of Wuling Recreational Farm on a side road 124. Did not venture into this touristic spot where everything will be expensive. Those living in this mountainous region are the hardworking farmers, you can see them as you passed thru' numerous farmlands just by the roadside.Among the fruits are pesimon / apples / pears / green oranges, taste very juicy and sweet. Lishan,another popular tourist spot surrounded with beautiful mountain scenery. On the top,has a tourist centre and a San Yet Sun statue. The farmers also set up many road store to sell their fruits. Time for energy refill , so I had lunch of deep fried pork rib rice and white carrot soup with fish balls for NTD 100. The climb continues to an elevation of 2000m, not many houses as this high altitude, happen to see one homestay but asking for NTD 600 ( about Rm 65), just for one person without b/f and down to earth basic facsilities.Why should I since I can camp anywhere for free and I had all the stuffs with me? Unless I am really in desperate situations like exhausion, running out of daylight, not feeling well or injury etc..Otherwise I am still love to camp.True enough on the next hour after that,I spotted a beautiful farmer's hut with a big water tank by the roadside and there is a motor to pump the water for the vegetable farm below. There were 2 rooms but both doors were locked. It seems nobody stay here for quite sometime judging from the layer of dust empty corridor.I purposely set my tent with the opening facing the valley where the sun set.

   The road is still wet from last night heavy mist but the sky is clear and air is refreshing in the early morning

           And the colourful red and yellow road railing. Something for our Malaysian courterpart to learn

                                          Farmers harvesting vegetables in bamboo basket

                                          Fruits mini market at the junction to Wuling Farm

                    My destination is go straight to Lishan and Dayuling. Too expensive to turn right!

                                       Farmers houses are scattered around in the mountain

                          Landslide is common in the mountain area during the rainy season

                Pesimons fruits wrapped in a quality white wraper to prevent from insects and direct sunlight

                                                       Mt Hehuan , my direction

                                               Farmers set up stalls at the top of Lishan

                                                               Mt Hehuan at the far end

Visitor center

                                          Statue of Nationalist of China San Yet Sun

                                                             Take your order

                  Deep fried prok rib with rice and white carrot soup with fish balls NTD 100

                                   Harvesting apples with a rail track operated by motor

                              I spotted the hut at the right and went down to check out

                                                   A scenic valley view from my tent

Day 10 Thu 22/10 - A Haunted's Hut in Sihyuan ,Stay if you DARE!!

Total Distance : 41.6 km
Today's Temp : 14 - 25c
Average Speed : 6.6 kph  max: 50.0
Time On Bike : 6 hr  15 min
Average Climb :  5%   max: 20%
Total Altitude : max: 1894 m
Today's Spending : NTD 165
Total Distance Todate : 249.2 km
Total Spending Todate : NTD 721

As promised I had to leave early today to avoid embrassments and unnecessary questions, my mobil alarm sounded at 6 am . Have a quick breakfast of instant noodle and coffee in the kichen,I was ready to say goodbye by 7.20am but to nobody.The school is all quite ,no one was around as I slowly wheeled my bike across the school field.The main gate is still lock but luckily , there is a side walkway wide enough to push my bike over. Last night I called up John to let him know my current location and also to find out the road condition ahead. Not surprising at the reply as it tally with the map,it will be uphill climb all the way to Lishan.
The morning air is very refreshing as I took a deep breathe,still following the big Lanyang River, easily measured up to 200-250m wide, One can imagine the amount of water or to be exact earth+rock+water+= mud flow, rushing down from the mountains,can caused vast destructions,houses and bridges can collapes like 88 typhoon recently.Now as you can see, the water only flowing a small portion of the wide river bed, and the farmers start growing vegetables at both sides of the river.As I moved up further into the mountains,the river becomes small stream, thin bamboo and pine trees were common. Thick mountain mist started as I reached elevation of 1500m, it was also time to put on the windbreaker. Nanshan is a big town that I got to buy some food stuffs and refill my MSR with petrol fuel Ron 95 expecting for another wildcamping. At 4pm, I spotted an abandoned brick house , the surrounding compound were full of overgrown bushes but inside the house was very spacious with some burned firewood,indication people had camped here earlier.but I had to look for water somewhere, Saw 3 grasscutters were resting and somking beside their van. 2 questions : "Where can I find water here?" showing to them my empty 1.5L bottle " You can try further down the road" , and it was a well water about 100m . " Is it ok for me to stay one night in that house?" pointing my finger to that hut. " It was formerly a worker hut  left empty when the company shifted long time ago" throwing the challenge " You can stay if you DARE!!" At this moment,nothing else cross my mind, nothing more important than a place to rest and whatsmore,a roof with 4 walls to keep myself warm....

                    The school is still empty and quite as I squeeze out from the side walklane at 7.30am

                                Air is very refreshing in such early hour as I started the day

                                             With the company of Lanyang River on my right

                                         Vegetables farm grown at the banks of the river

                              Gradually up the mountain as the Lanyang river becomes narrower

                                                                 Following the Route 7A

Kindergarden kids pestering for a group photo while waiting for the bus.Too young for them to where is  Malaysia and recognise the flag

             Bought a few of  pessimon / apple  NTD 50 per kilo, very much cheaper than in the town

Taiwanese middle aged above men and women like to chew pinang to prevent sleepy. A women shopkeeper is preparing them with the wrapper pinang leaf and the white paste

                           Packed in a plastic beg of 50 or 70 and then put them in a sexy lady cover box

                                                    Political billboard to draw the voters

                          Met with another local cyclist in opposite direct coming down from the top

                                                         Encouthered thick mountain mist

                                                   With my breathable winkbreaker on

          Rest area with reminder to visitor " Drink water Think water" and this place also named SihYuan

                                                                   Stay if you DARE!!!!

                  Nothing is more important than a rest,with a cup of hot coffee and a roof from the cold