DAY28 Shoufeng-Hualien, Suaoxin-Yujie(Yilan) 18.6km

Left the guesthouse at 8:30 AM. 

It was drizzling with occasional cloudy skies. 

I replaced a worn tire at a bicycle shop in Hualien City. 

It was 11.8 km to Hualien Station. 

It seemed like a train was coming soon, so I got on with the buggy. 

It was my first time ever taking a train with a buggy. 

The distance was about 100 km, and the ride took an hour and a half. 

I got off at Suaoxin Station just before 3 PM. 

I wanted to get out on the east side of the station, but the elevator to ground level was out for maintenance. 

I had no choice but to leave on the west side, take a 1.5 km detour, and get onto the road on the east side. 

I arrived at the free space in Wujie, Yilan I'd been told about a little after 4:30 PM. 

I'll be staying there tonight. I had dinner with the Okusa couple, who were introduced to me by a friend. 

It'd been a hectic day, but everything went smoothly. Thankfully.

*Today's Distance: 18.6km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 746kmkm

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY27 Fengbin-Shoufeng 40.6km

Started at 6:00 AM. Cloudy skies, 22 degrees. 

There were plenty of ups and downs. 

I entered the mountains and passed two mountain passes, but I easily cleared them. 

There were six tunnels, but after the third one, there were four in a row. 

I returned to the coast and it started raining in the afternoon. 

On rainy days, there's no place to shelter, and no place to rest. 

I was delighted to find a 7-Eleven, hidden from Google Maps, just 5 kilometers from the finish. 

Later, my friend, Hasshi-na (Ohashi-kun), who was on a whirlwind Taiwan tour from Shiga Prefecture, came to the hotel by bus and taxi. What a big surprise!!

We had a pasta at the restaurant next to the hotel. 

Meeting the people you want to meet requires passion, the desire to do what you want, the way you want. 

That day, I realized that finding something that moves you is more important than impressing others.

*Today's Distance: 40.6km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 727.4kmkm

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY26 Changbin-Fengbin 33.4km

Started just after 6am, when the heavy rain had subsided. 

I headed north on Provincial Highway 11 again today. 

The only convenience store was 34km away. 

A bicycle race was being held in the rain. 

The cyclists were also having a hard time in the rain. 

As soon as I entered Hualien County from Taitung County, I crossed the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees north latitude. 

From here onwards, I'm in the temperate zone. 

The rain came and went intermittently. 

I hadn't worn my rain suit since morning. 

Fortunately, it wasn't too hot. The wind blew hard at times, but I didn't mind it. 

Checked into a hostel in Fengbin at 3:30pm. 

I was so grateful and moved to have been able to complete another day safely!

*Today's Distance: 33.4km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 686.8kmkm

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY25 Chenggong-Changbin 22.2km

I left the inn at 8:30am, had breakfast at a nearby Family Mart, and started again just after 9am. 

The distance was short, so I took it easy. 

There were several rest areas with gazebos along the coast where I could sit, which was nice. 

The wind was still strong, with a maximum instantaneous wind speed of around 11 meters per second today. 

It was mostly cloudy, with a maximum temperature of 27 degrees. 

In the afternoon, the drizzle turned into light rain, but thanks to that, I hardly felt hot at all. 

I took two breaks at convenience stores. 

I checked into the hostel in Changbin at 3pm. 

I stayed in a dormitory again today, but there might not be any other guests there.

*Today's Distance: 22.2km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 653.4kmkm

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY24 Dulan-Chenggong

Started from Dulan just before 6am. 

I took three breaks at convenience stores and one at what looked like an activity center. 

The wind was calm in the morning, but gusty in the afternoon. 

The weather was generally good. 

I enjoyed the sea and mountain views again today. 

I arrived at Chenggong Hostel at 3:30pm. 

I checked in just before 4am. Today I covered 38.1km.

*Today's Distance: 38.1km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 631.2kmkm

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY23 Taimali-Donghe 35.4km

Left Taimali just before 6am. 

It was cloudy and the temperature was a very comfortable 24 degrees. 

Today I continued along the Hualien Highway, mostly along the east coast. 

From noon it started to drizzle, then rain, but at this time of year it feels better to get wet than to wear a rain suit. 

I arrived in Donghe Dulan early at 1pm, but killed time at a 7-Eleven until check-in time at 3pm. 

The hostel owner was a very friendly person who loved traveling, and apparently a big Pokemon fan.

*Today's Distance: 35.4km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 593.1km

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist

DAY22 Dawu-Taimali 40.7km

Started just before 6am. 

The wind was a headwind, as expected. 

At times it was so strong that I couldn't move forward. 

The temperature was 24 degrees, but the wind made it feel even cooler. 

I stopped at convenience stores three times. 

I was overtaken once by a group of three Germans, and met up again at a Family Mart along the way. 

Today they were heading to Taitung City. 

I continued running in silence, concentrating despite the headwind. 

At 3:30pm, I had completed 40.7km. I'm ashamed to say that this was the first time I had covered over 40km in Taiwan. 

The fatigue from crossing the mountain pass yesterday seemed to have vanished. 

I was able to relax in a quiet, laid-back guesthouse.

*Today's Distance: 40.7km

 Total Distance from Taoyuan: 557.7kmkm

*Today's Photo Album

*YouTube Playlist