[ Super Wind Battle! ] GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride Part 1 台中高美濕地強風騎之一

GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride Summary

• Self Ride
• Starting/ending Location: HouLi Industrial Park Parking Lot #1 中科后里園區七星基地停車場一
• Bike Length: ~ 105 km. Elevation gain: ~ 350 m.
• Hill profile: Flat.
• Good for: Wind balance training.
• CAUTION:
  • May have strong winds near shore.
  • Dogs.
• Route Highlights:
  • ShiGang Dam 石岡水壩
  • Rice fields 外埔忘憂谷
  • Gaomei Wetlands 高美濕地
  • WuQi Fishing Harbor (梧棲漁港)
  • DaJia Temple & Old Street 大甲鎮瀾宮

Background

The GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride was the 2nd effort after West Miaoli Shore Ride, to develop near 100 km Taiwan shore riding route.

It took me much more route iterations to plan this GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride, as TaiChung was a densely populated area, and careful road selections were needed to avoid as much traffic as possible.

Start: HouFeng Bike Path

To warm up in a cold, cloudy day, I decided to take the HouFeng Bike Path first and do a bit climbing. There was a running event going up in early morning.

Runner up!

Instead of doing the entire HouFeng Bike Path, in my GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride I left the bike path at here and crossed the river. There was no clear path onto the road, so you had to do some cyclocrossing.

The hills were at the other side of the river.

After crossing the river, we went onto a small climbing route. In the middle there was a path to see the northern part of ShiGang Dam (石岡水壩)

When you saw this, the path to the dam was on the right.

The northern part of ShiGang Dam preserved a damaged section from the 921 earthquake.

The damaged section caused by fault moving during the big earthquake.

At far middle was the ShiGang Dam.

HouLi Horse Ranch under renovation.

West Towards the Shore

After finishing our climbing section, in our GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride we began our long way going west toward the shore.

Still runners!

To avoid heavy traffic, our route went through many country side roads. The curvy country side roads not only limited the amount of traffic but forced them to slow down. Both were good for cyclists.

Country road went through many rice fields.

Our route passed through Huatien Green Park, a landfill converted park. Nothing special here though.

Park entrance.

The far end building was HouLi Garbage Incinerator.

Leopard cat (石虎) wall art.

Incinerator & taro field.

Crossing National Highway #1.

Going  under HSR track.

Soon we passed through a great riverside rice fields. During this season the rice fields were like grass fields. With strong winds it created a beautiful sensation.

Super green rice fields!

There was a lookout built on top of an old school bus.

School bus lookout.

VIDEO: Riding Through Green Rice Fields

Crossing National Highway #3 below.

Crossing Provincial Highway #1

To reach GaoMei Wetland, we had to cross through Provincial Highway #1. Not my favorite due to the heavier traffic, but this part had a wide shoulder next to scooter lane, so we were double protected.

Turned left here onto Provincial Highway #1.

Crossing DaJia River.

Want some betel nuts?

After crossing, in this GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride we again choose a country road towards the shore.

The country road that went straight to shore!

After passing a weird lighthouse/kindergarten complex, we were at GeoMei Wetland!

Lighthouse/kindergarten complex.

GaoMei Wetland

The GaoMei Wetland was originally a beach. After sandbanks were built it became a wetland.

You should have put bike path map online. Lol.

Supposedly you could walk onto the wetland path. Guess it was because the wind was too strong today.

The GaoMei wetland was connected to northern part of TaiChung Harbor (台中港). Here you could start feeling the especially strong wind.

GaoMei Bridge only for unfit people pedestrians.

The battle with the strong wind started here. More to come!

Here the strong wind became sideways. Very hard to balance!

VIDEO Riding GaoMei Wetland Turbine Section

Hope this was not another “mosquito building”: buildings that were useless but caused a lot of taxpayers’ money.

WuQi Fishing Harbor

Our GaoMei TaiChung Wetland Ride’s southern part ended at WuQi Fishing Harbor (梧棲漁港), a popular place to get fresh from the boat seafood!

Harbor entrance.

ShaoJiu stewed rock snails (燒酒螺)

Continue to Part 2!

Also Recommended:

Taiwan Bike Routes Map