Day 9 - Sun Moon Lake

I was supposed to be here on Day 13.  Obviously I'm well ahead of schedule.

It's decision time.  The next major challenge is crossing Wuling Pass.  At 3275 metres I have a climb on my hands.  However there is also a weather consideration.  I want a window of good weather.  Wuling has a reputation for strong winds, driving rain and; sometimes snow!  Tomorrow will be overcast but the following day will be fine.  Then the forecast is for three days of rain.  I had planned on taking four days to reach the summit.  Could I do it in two days, starting tomorrow?  More on that at the end of this post.

I spent last night in Zhushan and rather than eat sandwiches from the 7Eleven for dinner I went exploring.

I was passing a building when I realised it was a primary school.  What caught my eye was 'No fence'.

This is how the schools were when I was a boy.  Today's Australian primary schools all have a high security fence with locked gates.  Not to stop the children from wandering off.  Rather to stop some of them burning down the school!  Taiwanese children obviously have a different set of values when it comes to education.

It got dark very quickly.

And then I came upon a restaurant where I was certain I'd know the quality of the food.

Breakfast at the motel was interesting..  Shredded chicken and sweet corn soup.  Spaghetti and tofu.  Club sandwich.  All washed down with orange cordial.

The map showed the road to Sun Moon Lake has a 500m high hill somewhere after passing through Shueili.  The distance today would be about 50km with the first 34km relatively flat.  I'd be riding up a valley and then over a series of ridges.    

After seeing the lengths of the bridges over the rivers I wasn't surprised to cycle across a hydro-electric dam.

Cycling to Shueili wasn't particularly hard

But my eyes were drawn to those mountain peaks in the distance.

Then the climb commenced.  Eventually I found my legs dead and the bike in 1st gear with the motor on full power.  I don't like doing that as I'm always worried I might overheat and burn out the motor.  After many false crests I reached a tunnel at the top.

Except it wasn't the top!  More climbing and then a steep descent before yet more hills.   Eventually I reach Sun Moon Lake.  So named because one part has the shape of the sun and another the shape of the moon.  I'd read people cycle around the lake but I couldn't see a cycle path.

Yet more switchbacks and climbing as I made my way around the lake stopping to take photos.

I think that is the town of Ita Thao, on the opposite side of the lake.  My destination for the day

Not my hotel.  Looks too expensive!

One last climb for the day and at the top was a Temple

An interesting building at the base of the hill.

I rode to the hotel in Ita Thao arriving at 12:30.  It was closed!  Using Booking.com I found another B&B.  Cheaper!  Unfortunately it didn't open until 3PM so I rode down to the waterfront.

I believe I now have an understanding of how these budget B&B's and homestays work.  Generally they are unoccupied; except for guests!  Guests have to arrive at a pre-agreed time.  I had to wait until 3PM.

This is obviously a very tourist orientated location.  The cable car up the hill appeared to be popular along with boat rides on the lake

The room was acceptable and the price $1300.  About A$65.

My B&B for the night.  Bike and trailer in the dining room and bedroom on the 1st floor.  I think I'm the only guest!

After a shower I went for a walk through the night market searching for food.  Plenty of options available.

My meal.  It doesn't look quite like the photo on the menu and I think the bulk of it was boiled bamboo stalks.

 

I have decided I will attempt to reach Ren'ai tomorrow and cross Wuling Pass the following day.