Summer 2006: Jiufen (九份）and Taroko（太魯閣）

In the summer of 2006, my friend Patrick and I travelled to the north-east coast of Taiwan. This was the first time that we'd been to this part of the island. This was also the first trip that Patrick had taken on his new BMW F650 "Dakar". I was therefore left with the unenviable task of trying to keep up with him on my little 200cc motorbike! We stayed at Jinguashi (金瓜石) near Jiufen (九份), which became well known in Taiwan because of its gold mine. After spending a few days exploring the area around Jiufen (九份), we travelled down the east coast to Taroko (太魯閣), where we had one of the best days of riding we'd had in Taiwan when we explored national road number 14, which despite its name is nothing more than a tiny mountain road.

There are lots of fantastic roads to explore around Jiufen with very little traffic.

With midday temperatures around 37 degrees, we were delighted to find this river to cool off in.

Sunrise over Jinguashi (金瓜石). We got up early every morning to try and avoid some of the heat.

Overlooking Jinguashi (金瓜石). The hillside is full of hiking trails and pavilions.

A cemetery above Jinguashi (金瓜石).

Yehliu (野柳), on the northern coast of Taiwan, is known for its bizarre rock formations.

The queen's head.

National highway number two on the north-eastern coast of Taiwan.

Fulong Beach （福隆海水浴場）also on the northern coast.

Sunset near Jinguashi（金瓜石）.

A view looking towards Keelung (基隆） from Jiufen（九份）.

After leaving Jinguashi （金瓜石）we travelled down the east coast towards Taroko（太魯閣）. We decided to take a little detour along a dirt track into a valley. We went swimming in this river.

This is national road number 14 that goes west into the Central Mountain Range （中央山脈）from Liyutan（鯉魚潭） in Hualian County（花蓮縣）. To enter this area, you need a police pass, due to the often poor condition of this road. By motor vehicle, it's possible to travel as far as Qilai（奇萊), which is then often used as a starting point for hikes into the mountains. It's posible to hike from here to Lushan（盧山） on the western side of the mountain range.

This tunnel was almost two kilometres long., which I hadn't realised before entering. I had therefore neglected to take of my sunglasses and as a result I couldn't see a thing! Things were made worse by the depth of the surface water. At times it was so deep that it was over the footpegs on my bike. In broad daylight this wouldn't have been worrying, but in the darkness I began to wonder if I had plunged into an underground river!

Heading back down the mountain at the end of one of the best rides I'd ever had.