Winter leisure cycling tour in LanYang: Join the 25km ride along the northeast coast, registration now open

Text / Li Xinyi, compiled and reported by MOOK Travel & Lifestyle Network

The “Ride the Northeast Coast” event has been held for three consecutive years. In addition to the well-planned and well-maintained cycling paths along Yilan’s coastal areas and river embankments, participants can also enjoy bird-watching along the Lanyang River, which boasts a rich variety of birdlife, and gaze at Guishan Island along the Pacific coastline. To celebrate the “2012 Taiwan Cycling Festival,” the Tourism Bureau is organizing two sessions of the “Ride the Northeast Coast – Yilan Cycling Leisure Tour” this year, offering a total of 600 spots on November 17 and 18. Online registration opened at 10:00 AM today (November 17).

The cycling route will start from Hou Railway Station in Yilan City (LinSen Road), passing through Donggang Road, Yanping Road (Yi 191), Gonglao Road (Yi 10), Zhuangbin Road (Taiwan Route 2), Yongzhen Coastal Bicycle Path (Kai Zhang Sheng Wang Temple), Donggang Banyan Tree Park (Lanyang River estuary), and the Yilan River Bicycle Path (Yilan River), before returning to Hou Railway Station. The total cycling distance is about 25 kilometers, with no significant uphill or downhill sections. Aside from a short stretch of urban road where extra caution is advised, most of the route is on dedicated bicycle paths. Upon entering the coastal bicycle path at Yongzhen Coastal Park along the Pacific, riders can enjoy views of Guishan Island. Continuing southward along the path to Bao’an Temple, participants can take a short break and enjoy snacks provided by the temple before proceeding to Donggang Banyan Tree Park, which is also the mouth of the Lanyang River—a great spot for bird-watching. Organizers will also provide water and light snacks here.

The event is free to register. All successful registrants will receive personal travel insurance and a commemorative gift. Those who wish to rent a bicycle must pay an additional NT$200 per bike. On-site participants are welcome to join the ride but will not receive souvenirs or completion certificates. To register online, please visit the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Eastern Taiwan Cycling Portal: taiwanbike.tw/bike/BikeList_People.aspx. For more details or to request a brochure, please call the Chinese Taipei Cycling Association at 02-8919-3595.

● Read more: Mountain races, family rides, and disabled tours—Taiwan Cycling Festival events across the island

http://goo.gl/6YE6X