The wind bellows --> north coast ride

About a week ago I took another trip up that windy, rainy mountain. Except this time around it was sunny and calm, and I had good company.

The climb was definitely more forgiving without the rain and wind, though it still poses a challenge. After sprinting up the whole thing (yeah, 39/26 means sprint!) and regrouping with the stragglers, we did the one thing we do best: eat!

On the menu: all-you-can-eat yam & ginger soup! (Not on the menu: all-you-can-drink Johnny Walker Green Label...we found the owner's private stash!)

And of course, since I couldn't take a picture LAST TIME I was up here (stupid weather, read post below), I had to make up for it this time around:

The iconic canopy at the top of 風櫃嘴, with the gang.

Instead of descending the same way we cam up, we decided this time to go down the other side of the mountain and tour the north coast...which involved first a rather nerve-wrecking 15km descent, complete with its repetoir of steep hairpin turns and freaked-out drivers =P

Upon our safe descent to the coast, we headed north along the scenic shoreline. Here's a sample look:
We only had time for 1 picture at the coastal way before I took off after some hotshot on a TT bike that passed us =P...raced him for about 10km before having to stop at a fork in the road and wait for everyone else lol

Of course, being able to sprint ahead had its advantages...did manage to sneak in a few more pictures at 富貴角, the northern-most point in taiwan:
At the iconic lamp house...

...and getting real excited! (6.5kg bike ftw!)

And a couple more shots of the (really) beautiful north coast:


After that, it was a coffee break and a sprint home...suffice it to say I raced some other hardcore roadies during the 1-hour-long ride and ended up beating some motorcycles too =P