Day 7 - 108km to Chiayi

I started cycling today with the intention of reaching Yujing.  However I was there by 11:30 and decided to continue on eventually travelling the distance I'd planned for tomorrow. 

I used Google Maps as my navigation system and it might not have been the smartest decision as I opted for the fastest route.  Google certainly took me down some interesting alleyways!  Unfortunately it proved impossible to totally avoid the main roads

 

At one point Google took me down some very narrow lanes and then onto the top of a river stopbank

The valley was quite wide to begin with and then the sides started to close in.

It was at this point Google misled me taking we down a steep hill to a long pedestrian suspension bridge across a river.  The bridge was permanently closed and I had to reverse course to find an alternate route.

Road works flag men must be expensive in Taiwan.

hill

These dummies are everywhere!

Now I started to climb a long hill.  It wasn't a surprise as I'd done my research.  Halfway up I stopped for a photo.  Good excuse for a breather!

The road kept going up and I was starting to think I'd never reach the summit.   And then….

What goes up must come down.  A long coast to the bottom!

Google then decided to take me down some very narrow and rough lanes.  This next photo is a wide section.  At one point I was being hit by vegetation on both sides.

Then I was back on the plain with Google taking me down a maze of farm lanes.

I keep seeing billboards with photos like the one below.  Men showing clenched fists.  I assume it means something in Chinese culture?

I had used Google to locate a homestay for tonight's accommodate.  Unfortunately when I arrived I was advised they didn't have a vacancy.  Some backtracking took me to a motel where I was able to obtain a room.  I have no food with me and all there is in the room are two small packets of bamboo flavoured crackers and a bottle of water.  I might be doing some walking this evening!