“Even during the summertime, we can still feel the breeze when biking under the shade of these trees,” says Penny Peng, a cyclist gazing down the leafy green tunnel on a section of bike path dubbed the Green Passage on the Dongfeng Green Bikeway running between Fengyuan City and Dongshi Township in Taichung County, central Taiwan. With the natural scenery, tea shops, restaurants and local attractions along its 12-kilometer length, cycling on the path has become popular. In 2009, for example, around 500,000 riders passed through Shigang Township, Taichung County, which lies about one-third of the distance from Fengyuan to Dongshi, according to Shigang Mayor Liu Hong-ji.
Dongfeng is one of the three dedicated biking paths in Taichung County, all of which, like the many “rails to trails” projects around the world, run along decommissioned railway lines. The Dongshi Line opened in 1958 to transport agricultural products from the surrounding area, as well as logs from the lower slopes of 3,530-meter Daxue Mountain, one of Taiwan’s highest peaks. The railway line also served as a primary means of transportation linking Dongshi, Shigang and Fengyuan until 1991, when the trains stopped running.
“When the train service ended, we thought it would be a pity to just close the old railway line to the public because it runs along the Dajia River, which has enchanting scenery,” says Chang Li-guo, director-general of the Department of Transportation and Tourism of the Taichung County Government. In September 1991, therefore, the Taichung County Government decided to take advantage of the decommissioned railroad’s right of way to build a bike path. Over the next several years, the bikeway’s amenities were improved, but the county did not begin a major effort to focus on its green aspects until 1999, when it began planting shade trees along both sides of the route. With the trees taking root and sheltering cyclists from central Taiwan’s strong, year-round sunshine, the county christened the Dongfeng Green Bikeway in 2000.
Smooth and Safe
Dongfeng can be pedaled in either direction, but as Fengyuan City and neighboring Taichung City are much more populous than Dongshi Township, most bikers begin on the Fengyuan side at the trailhead at the old Puzikou Station, which can be reached by public bus or car. Since the bikeway is mostly flat and completely separated from traffic on nearby roads, it is common to see younger children pedaling their own bikes, as well as parents and their children teaming up on tandems. Adding to the path’s safety is its smooth asphalt surface, which was chosen instead of bricks because slippery moss can grow in the seams between bricks in central Taiwan’s hot, humid environment, according to Taichung County’s Chang. Where the path descends through underpasses, recordings also remind bikers to “be careful with the downhill sections” and “please bike slowly.” For those who ride more slowly than planned and find themselves still on the bikeway as night falls, or for those who merely prefer to ride in the cooler evening hours, lights were placed along the route in 2003.
On the eastern outskirts of Fengyuan City, around 15 bicycle rental stores line the path at Puzikou Station, offering bikes ranging from NT$100 (US$3) to NT$500 (US$16) per day. To avoid a price-cutting competition among the shops, the Taichung County Bicycle Association was established in 2007, allowing the approximately 30 bike rental shops operating on the Dongfeng and nearby Houfeng bikeways to cooperate on establishing fixed rental prices.
The Meizih Iron Bridge spans the Dajia River and is known for its panoramic views of the river valley. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)
While the trail is mostly flat, bikers take on a slight uphill climb when departing from the trailhead at Puzikou Station, Fengyuan City. Bicycles with electric motors are available for those who need a bit of help on the hill, or who are unsure of their ability to pedal from Puzikou Station to Dongshi and back again. “During holidays, there are many family groups renting our electric bikes, since a round trip on the Dongfeng Green Bikeway totals 24 kilometers,” says Chang Liang-yu, the owner of the Mujiang Bike Rental Store on the Dongfeng bike path. “Not everyone can handle such a long distance on a regular bicycle.”
Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. was founded nearly 30 years ago in Dajia Township, Taichung County and is Taiwan’s best-known bicycle maker, so it is not surprising that the company established a large bike rental shop near the entrance of the Dongfeng bikeway in 2006. The area near the shop not only features easy access to the Dongfeng and Houfeng paths, but is also close to popular tourist attractions, according to He Qi-ren, the owner of Giant Dongfeng. “At this location, it’s easier to promote the idea of recreation,” he says. “With the food vendors and shops along the path and the removal of hazards from the trails, this is a great place for cycling.”
Cyclist Services
The Giant Dongfeng shop endeavors to provide a wide range of services for cyclists, offering bicycle repair and even shower facilities. Of course, along with hiring out bikes, the shop uses its rental fleet to promote the Giant brand, letting the bikes prove themselves to customers. “Tourists who rent our bikes can get a sense of the high-end performance of our bikes without facing the financial burden of purchasing one,” He says.
Giant’s influence on the Taichung biking scene also extends beyond manufacturing and rentals, as the company works with the Taichung County Government to co-host the annual Giant Cup, one of at least six cycling races held each year in the county, according to Chang Li-guo. The Giant Cup and associated recreational events have been held annually for 15 years, with 13 iterations in Taichung County and two in neighboring Nantou County. “Taichung County has promoted cycling activities to develop local tourism in the area,” says Su Guo-jyh, a senior executive officer of Taichung County Government. “The Giant Cup also helps bikers discover various characteristics of different routes.”
Heading east along the path from the trailhead at Puzikou Station, the first major sight to come into view is Shigang Dam. The reservoir, which was built in 1974, provides water for most households and businesses in the Taichung area. The 921 Earthquake, which hit Taiwan on September 21, 1999, thrust four of its water gates as much as one storey above their previous level, destroying a significant section of the dam. Although the dam has since been repaired, the broken gates have been partially preserved as a way for the public to remember the destruction wrought by the quake.
Sections of the bikeway in Dongshi Township are lined with orchards and fields, enabling cyclists to experience the peace and quiet of the countryside. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)
Next along the bike path is Shigang Station near the center of Shigang Township, which was one of the most important stops on the old Dongshi Line. Reminders of the 921 Earthquake are also evident here, as the temblor partially destroyed the station and twisted adjacent railroad tracks. In order to preserve the station’s remaining structure, the Taichung County Government built a pavilion around it and preserved some of the bent rails, allowing visitors to rest and reflect on one of the most devastating days of Taiwan’s recent past.
Just past the station, riders come to an optional side path that leads to a 348-meter-long bicycle and pedestrian bridge linking the Dongfeng Green Bikeway with the Shishuike River Recreational Park. Completed in 2004, the bridge was built for the purpose of boosting the township’s tourism industry. Across the bridge, cyclists can purchase meals from street vendors and restaurants that offer a variety of food, while at the recreational park, children can also feed cows and ride horses.
From the river park, cyclists can access Lover’s Bridge, which spans the Shishuike River not far from its confluence with the Dajia River. The bridge is constructed of wood and is 3.5 meters wide and 40 meters long. The bridge was completed in 2001 and is noted for its design, which forgoes supporting pillars but was built to withstand an earthquake measuring as high as 7 on the Richter scale.
After backtracking to the main bikeway, the next attraction is Meizih Reminiscence Park, the site of another station built along the old Dongshi Line. Like Shigang Station, Meizih Station partially collapsed during the 921 Earthquake, but was later painstakingly restored by the Plum Community Association (meizih means plum in Mandarin), allowing visitors to take a trip back in time. The integration of such cultural facilities on the Dongfeng Green Bikeway is no accident, says Chou Sheng-shin, chief executive of the Thousand-Mile Trail Planning Center at Yonghe Community University in Taipei County. Chou points out that the Meizih Community made a point of restoring the old station along with a narrow-gauge locomotive, which are displayed for the express purpose of giving cyclists a taste of local culture.
Down the path from Meizih Reminiscence Park, riders come across a temple and a small pavilion at the base of an oddly famous mango tree. Although fruit trees normally survive for just a few decades, the Centenarian Mango Tree in Plum Village is reportedly more than 200 years old and still bears fruit each year. Adding to the tree’s fame, local legend holds that an area villager was once shocked to see a child fall from high in the tree, only to be amazed when he found the tyke unharmed by the fall.
The old rails near Dongshi Station at Dongshi Hakka Culture Park remind tourists of the railroad history behind the Dongfeng Green Bikeway. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)
Continuing eastward, the next attraction along the path is the Meizih Iron Bridge, which spans the Dajia River and supplies an ideal vantage point for taking in the panoramic view of the river valley. The bridge was destroyed by torrential rains in June 2006, but reopened to the public in May 2008. “During those two years, cyclists had to halt their journey at the closed bridge and return to the starting point,” says Lin Yi-jun, a tour guide working for Lion Travel Service Co., Ltd. “But since its repair, we can continue on to Dongshi Township to enjoy the juicy pears that ripen there in June and July.”
Dongshi’s famous pears are the product of a grafting technique developed by area resident Chang Rong-sheng. Chang perfected the grafting process in 1976, with the result that this corner of Taichung County soon became famous for pears with a delicate floral taste and soft, juicy flesh. When the fruit is in season, cycling along the section of the path past Meizih Iron Bridge can seem like rolling through an orchard, as both sides are lined with pear and guava trees.
Dongshi Township is known as a Hakka cultural hub, so it is no surprise that the Dongfeng Green Bikeway ends at the Dongshi Hakka Culture Park, which lies adjacent to the former Dongshi Train Station. The red brick station building retains its old bench in the waiting room, reminding tourists of waiting for trains in days gone by, while the park hosts exhibits on traditional Hakka folk culture, holds musical events and displays historic Hakka clothing. The park also hosts the Dongshi Hakka Traditional Sindingban Festival, which features sindingban, a traditional Hakka treat similar to sticky rice cakes. The aim of the festival is to express appreciation for newborn baby boys. “Tourists are welcome to make the snack during the festival,” Taichung County Government’s Chang Li-guo says.
The Sindingban Festival is not the only one held along the Dongfeng Green Bikeway, as Taichung County has also put on the annual Bicycles and Horses Tourist Festival in July or August since 2003. In 2005, when the nearby Houfeng Bikeway was opened to the public, some 170,000 visitors attended the festival, according to the Taichung County Government’s Department of Transportation and Tourism. Meanwhile, the county also held the 10,000-Person Cycling Activity in July 2005, which saw hordes of cyclists swarming the combined 16.5 kilometers of the Dongfeng and Houfeng bikeways.
The Dongfeng Green Bikeway offers a pleasant, safe place to get some exercise, enjoy nature and learn about local culture, but it is just one of the more than 15 bike paths now open in the greater Taichung area. The Taichung City and Taichung County governments, which will be merged into a special municipality at the end of December this year, are already cooperating to integrate their respective bike paths. Two urban bikeways extending for a total of 19.2 kilometers are also currently under construction, a project expected to be completed by 2011. The new paths will connect to the existing Tanyashen Green Bikeway, which extends for 12 kilometers and links Tanzi, Daya and Shengang townships in Taichung County.
“At present, the construction of biking paths is extending beyond the border of Taichung City and into the county,” notes Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu. “Many city residents are now driving to Taichung County to go biking on the weekends. That’s why future construction of biking paths will focus on connecting the city and the county, so that the eventual network will become the most popular one in Taiwan.”
Write to Vicky Huang at powery18@mail.gio.gov.tw