Parade in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

My wife and I coincidentally ran into a parade held in Ottawa, Ontario, dated Sep 21, 1997.

I scanned the photos almost ten years later. Luckily the color is still pretty nice to me.

Very cute drummer standing there letting me take the shot.

Young cadets in parade.

An old lady remained solemn in the parade.

840-km scooter ride in 3 days - Day 3

Returning home safe and sound is the simple objective in day 3. No rush at all and I even started missing the good days.

Day 3: Returning home from Hualien to Taipei.

It took me a detour to complete the ride on County Route 193. I had a brief stop-by at Qi-Xing-Tan (Seven Star Lake), a famous scenic spot that faces the Pacific, is very close to the north end of Route 193. As the weather is not getting better and Su-Hua highway is highly risked to collapse; I get on the road soon.

North end of County Route 193 with 0-th km mark.

A short brake in Taroko, the east-side entrance of Central Cross-Island Highway.

After leaving tourist-crowded Taroko, the ride on Su-Hua Highway started. Luckily the weather is getting sunny which relieved me.

Su-Hua Highway. The Pacific is on the right side.

As I moved forward for about another 10 kilometers, an emergency road-repairing construction was under way and traffic had been blocked for hours. Getting hot and my drinking water is almost gone... All two-wheel vehicles riders split lanes approaching the foremost of the waiting line.

A biker in front of road-repairing construction site.

Looking back to the shoreline that stretches to Hualian and Taitung.

A HD rider was waiting for green light side by side, playing oldies-but-goodies Taiwanese pop songs.

Luckily I waited for less than 30 minutes and was allowed to go as the construction was completed. It is my best experience in Suhua Highway that there is almost zero traffic on the same direction of mine. Almost no northbound bikes, cars, buses, and trucks for next 50 kilometers, I did enjoy a very smooth and less stressful ride on the notorious road.

Arriving at Su-Ao Township in a hour. Indeed a great ride on Su-Hua Highway.

It's rare to me to wait for train crossing nowadays. A diesel locomotive is even rarer.

Not too many photos taken in Day 3. Someone asked me for videos and too bad I did not have it this time. I will put some video recorders on my scooters for riding and sharing for more.
Hasta la vista!

840-km scooter ride in 3 days - Day 2

Woke up in a brisk sunny morning. The blue sky capriciously left no clouds at all. Got myself and my scooter refilled then I hit on the road for my Day 2 ride.

The route I selected is County Route 197 & 193, small back roads along with west side of seaboard mountain range. This is the first time I visit these roads in my life and I am still very excited about it.

The route for Day 2. Not too long but very very very beautiful.

The rice field outsides B&B. Super sunny morning.

Dropped by Solo Studio trying to visit my former colleague who runs this small space with coffee and customized English lessons. She was not there for my sudden visit and I will be back again for sure.

Solo Studio in Blogspot.

Solo Studio in Facebook.

Dropped by Solo Studio, Taitung

About 15 minutes after leaving downtown Taitung city and heading north, County Route 197 sign showed up.

The sign of County Route 159 and its 59-th km.

A mellow blend of Pacific and Sky.

Central mountain range on farthest side.
Seashore mountain range in the front.

Roadside sign says where I am: "Liji Badland and Little"...
It misses "Yellow Mountain" in the end.

Almost zero traffic on County Route 197 in the sunny, hot, almost windless Sunday morning. A small village  named Luanshan sits along the road quietly in a 50-minute riding distance from downtown Taitung. I rarely saw anyone out there, maybe it's church time for them then.

An abandoned community patrol vehicle, Luanshan village, Taitung County.

Sign says "Welcome to Luanshan Village".

Tracks and baseball ground of Luye Elementary School, Luye Township, Taitung County.
The sign says "school"...

Vast rice fields along the county route.

Took a short break in Ruihe Railway Station, a station sitting amid fields without staffs. A short stroll into the station and platform to enjoy quietness and breeze. No trains passed by for 20 minutes. My engine-running scooter seems the loudest noise source around.

Ruihe Railway Station.

So quite out there. Totally relieved and I could move on under strong winter sunshine.

Platform with no waiting passengers.

Straight and quiet tracks.
Central Mountain Range stands still with some clouds. 

After leaving Ruihe station, I moved on back to County Route 197 and went across Beinan stream thru Baohua bridge. The painting on both sides of bridge is so original. I got 15 kilometers more to complete the journey on Route 197.

Painting on the side of Baohua bridge.

A welcoming bench with great view.

There is a uniquely nice cafe in the 4.5-th km mark of Route 197; simply named "4.5-km Cafe", Located in one of Taiwan's finest rice farming areas, Chishang Township, Taitung County, that also becomes a popular touring spot.

"4,5-km Cafe". 

The roadside 4.5-th km mark.
A canola field backed by Central Mountain Range.

I ordered a cup of "Aborigine Coffee", an unique mixture containing 50% of home-made coffee and distilled millet wine is the other half. Roughly a size of two shots, the coffee held me there for another 1.5 hours letting alcohol gone.

"Aborigine coffee"

Banner says "come to drink coffee".

Cafe owner is a batik artistic, color printing on cloth using wax. He started the cafe at his ancestor's hometown more than a decade ago.  After the coffee, a kettle of firewood-brewed Pu-Erh tea and a brief talk with owner are served.

Pu-Erh tea poured from firewood-brewed kettle.

Downtown Chishang is ahead of me, journey on Route 197 is close to end.

0-km mark of Route 197. Chishang Township, Taitung County.

I got onto Route 193 at Yili Township, Hualian County, after about 30 kilometers northbound on Provincial Highway 9 from Chishang. Straightforward sunshine in noon time offered me great views and frequent stops for drinking water.

Route 193, Yuli township

A break on Ruisui bridge across Xiuguluan river.

A lovely curve near downtown Hualian city.

Checked into hotel on 4pm. Got some beers to replenish my body after the long ride under strong sunshine.

Lookout from my hotel room. Got some beers simply across the street.

An antique steam locomotive displayed in Hualian Railroad Culture Park, located in a walking distance from the hotel I stayed.

 Put 208 kilometers on my scooter this day. I will be back to visit both county routes for sure.

840-km scooter ride in 3 days - Day 1

I took a 3-day trip with my scooter in early November 2015, after concluding intensive work for months. Hualien (花蓮) and Taitung (台東) are my best choice for their unparalleled nature view and quietness.

Both counties are located in east side of Taiwan that occupy almost 1/4 of Taiwan land area. But the population is less than 2.5% of total 23-million people on the island.

Hualien is where I took my 2-year compulsory service in Army. Days go by fast and I visited there 1-2 times per year, mostly by driving. This is my first time in my life getting there on a scooter so I named the trip "Iron Butt".

My 3-day route is shown here.

The route in my 1st day. Pretty exhausted one.

Pin-Lin arch bridge, Pin-Lin District, New Taipei City

Bei-Yi Highway, a 70-km winding road in mountains that connects New Taipei City and Yilan County, slow and peaceful riding is absolutely needed with my 220-kg scooter and a 80-kg rider on it. :-)

Bei-Yi Highway

As I approached the most notorious section of the road, nicknamed "9 curves & 18 turns", for its numerous turns on the way, Yilan Plain, the Pacific Ocean and Guishan (Turtle Mountain) Island were welcoming my arrival to Yilan County.

Yi-Lan Plain, Pacific Ocean, and Guishan Island

Su-Hua Highway, built along with shoreline and cliffs, connects Yilan and Hualian counties. Super scenic in every turn.

Su-Hua Highway

After a brief lunch at Yexiang wonton (液香扁食) in downtown Hualian city, I keep on heading south to Taitung. That's another 180-km ride.

Yexiang wonton shop

This is the lunch I had for Day 1 ride. Simple but bold taste.

There are two main routes between Hualien and Taitung: Provincial Highway 9 and 11. I took Highway 9 to enjoy the straight road and broad view of rice fields.

Provincial Highway 9, south of downtown Hualien.

Very straight road in a very hot November.

Ruisui Tropic of Cancer Marker Park. Entering tropic after across the mark.

Rice field near Chishang township, Taitung county

Finally checked-in B&B on 6pm. 391 km achieved in Day1.

Stay tuned for Day 2 :-)