Tour Solo de Taiwan en Scooter, 2018 (Part 1)

My first around-island ride surprised some people around me, till now. My guess goes to a typical connection on age and should-do. That means I am not supposed to have such an tour at my age, my guess.

After concluding this ride, like enjoying the same cuisine for four days, I hesitated in riding my scooter again for days. But it leaves very soon and I took another shorter trip along northern coast.

Unlike driving or riding on a bus or a train, riding is a consistent dialog with the journey itself. Every arm twisting, body leaning, stomach emptiness, and calls of nature talk to direction, speed and destination.

A short break at Fangshan, Pintung county, 37-km north of famous Kenting National Part, at the south-end of Taiwan.

These talk to me in my journey: view, sunshine, moonshine, clouds, stars, ocean, breeze, gusty wind, rain, smell, road curve, bumps, potholes, dogs, cats, people and vehicles on the same / opposite / side ways, the dishes and bowl filled with expected (or unexpected) cuisines in front of me, a short chat with gas station staff, a hot shower, a cozy bed. So many talks perceived, but no need to answer all of them.


Any tour is unique because of un-duplicate-able combination of talks, interactions, dialogue, and most of time, monologue to oneself.

Breakfast I had in 2018/12/20 at Gushan District, Kaohsiung, fried noodle and won-ton soup.
The lady in far end serves nice & genuine Taiwanese cuisines at the stand. She comes from Vietnam.

A highly excited puppy met in Shuangliu, Pintung County. On the way to Taitung.

South-end of paved Route 26, Daren Township, Taitung County.

No pavement after this point, Route 26.
Further heading south, it leads to Alanyi historic trail (阿塱壹古道), the last undeveloped & preserved coastline in Taiwan.

Every twist of throttle leads to a fulfillment, a surprise, a mystery, a place new to me or I wanna revisit, an exhalation, a part of memory recalled or created, or just simply being wild for a while. Every brake squeezed, no matter light or strong, leads to next throttle twisting.

Guzhuang station. No passenger service after Oct 1, 2017.
Dawu Township, Taitung County.

26.9-km to Fangshan station located west. The longest between-station distance in Taiwan Railway.

Coastal highways are must in route selection. Some spots unusual to me are selected within my stay in Taitung county. Being mid-of-almost-nowhere is what I look for in this tiny island.

1. Alanyi historic trial entry at south end of Route 26.
2. No passenger-service Guzhuang station.

Leaving mid-of-nowhere and back on coast line to Taitung.
Highway 9, the longest highway in Taiwan, stretching along east side. 

I put 600 km on my scooter for first two days, covering 5-km/h slow moving in urban rush hour, 120-km cruising on Highway 61, and 60~90-km/h on many other routes. Variant speed brings variant fun.