On a cool drizzly January 21 we plan to ride along the not-yet-open National Highway 5 from Taipei 台北 to Yilan 宜蘭. We start from the operating Shiding 石碇 interchange east of ShenKeng 深坑, riding through two tunnels to PingLin 坪林, including the 3806 meter-long PengShan Tunnel 彭山. The tunnels are unlit but a welcome break from the rain -- smoothly paved and flat. Arriving in PingLin, there is too much activity on the worlds' fifth longest 12.9km tunnel, the HsuehShan tunnel 雪山隧道 to pass through to Yilan 宜蘭.

Dan's first digitals

hiking sign firmly attached with masonary nails

On the morning of Thursday, January 27th, we drive out to ShenKeng 深坑 again. We ride the short distance to the ShuangShi 雙溪 intersection and turn east on the 106 riding on the north bank of YongDing stream 永定溪 towards PingHsi 平溪 to the 33 North along 十八重溪 towards 松柏崎 and eventually HsiZhi 汐止. We ride up and near the ridge a short distance and drop back into the ShiDing valley coming back out onto the 106 near 姑娘廟.