November full moon event!
11./12. November 2000

We left Napoli on the party bus as planned, cramming in the bikes under the bus.

As is the way with party buses noone got much sleep, and as we pulled into Fong Gang some of those who had come for the ride downed their last beer. On the last call there were a few who opted for more sleep, but the final headcount numbered 13.

After a bit of last minute mechanics we finally split into 4 groups and started on the climb. Susan Mary, Marie and Emily led the way and were not caught until the top. Frank, Scott and Zhang left in the second group, with A Yuan, Carl, Long Fei and Roland in the next group. James Cola and myself held the rear. The track climbs straight up and it wasn’t long before pushers outnumbered riders.

Hard though it may be, this is a spectacularly beautiful spot, crossing mountain streams the track cuts it’s way through unspoilt jungle. Banyan trees with the roots hanging down in a canopy, enormous green leafed plants and towering trees. Huge brightly colored spiders sit waiting for prey with their webs spun across the track. The singing of the jungle insects takes over from the constant roar of traffic in other parts of Taiwan.

Although the track was steep up and down there were no serious injuries although Cola did fall over 30 feet when he couldn’t get his feet out of his clipless pedals in time, he was lucky to come out of the fall with nothing worse than a few cuts.

The jeep track ends at an electricity pylon that it was cut to serve at an altitude of about 600metres. Here we gathered for snacks, smokes and a well earned rest. The heavy drinkers and smokers took the easy option decending a kilometre of steep and muddy single track to another jeep track that decends to the coast and the party.

Those with enough energy headed up along this muddy track. It was possible to ride up the flat sections but at times we had to carry the bike up the steep sections which was tough with feet sliding in the mud, but after over an hour of struggle Susan Mary, Carl, Cola, Long Fei, Zhang, Sott and I made it to the end of the track which stops just short of the mounatin peak at 1000meters altitude.

Still cutting the track is big brother Sen taking mud samples from the top for experiments, but unconciously creating a supreme section of technical single track riding.

Speed on the downhill section is not the challenge the challenge is to stay on your bike. The trail winds steeply down the hill, tight bends at the bottom of steep muddy decents. The only thing to do is to lock out the back wheel and slide around the corner. Occasional flat sections with little jumps and jinks around trees build the adrenaline. All of us had falls but nothing serious.

Once back onto the jeep track you can let go of the brakes and decend at speed. It’s seriously rocky and bumpy but apart from a couple of fords over rivers that saw tumbles just hanging your butt off the back of the saddle is technique enough.

Back onto the road the final 20 km to the beach for the party we saw the group disintergrate. The well prepared Taiwanese contingent of Cola, Long Fei and Zhang not interested in dancing headed straight to Bao li leaving Susan Mary, Roland and me to fend for ourselves. We got to the coast for sunset but with another 15km to go we found ourselves riding in darkness. Hungry we stopped at a Taiwanese barbeque road side stand for some Tianbula. Along the road came Emily and Scott with lights fitted. They escorted us the final ten km in pitch black before the moon rose to White sands beach.

The party with musicians and DJ’s in this fantastic location on a still little developed white sanded cove was a stunning end to the ride. As the sun rose there were still dozens on the dancefloor but not many from the ride. Frank and Susan Mary with Roland still taking video were the only ones left. As for the traithlon and onto surf boards there wasn’t much surf and no takers.