Sunday, January 15, 2006

The Toroko Gorge Run

This trip to Korea and Taiwan, I found myself with four blank days in the region. Tried to get into a Budhist Monastery to learn meditation - could not find something - settled on a nice hotel in Toroko Gorge in Taiwan.

Ran 17 miles, today. It was hilly all the way. From the hotel at Tiansiang, up the winding road to Huitouwan, and then the lovely trail to Bamboo Garden. Exhilerating views of the river, way below. The weather is just fine, this time of year, in Taiwan.

It took me a good hour and 45 minutes to do the run to Bamboo Garden, over a couple of dramatic suspension bridges, an eerie tunnel - no lights in it, and it has a couple of twists, so it is ever so dark. I had a flash light, but it still was scary. Noises echoing in the dark. The drip of water. Some parts way too steep to run.

Rich vegetation. It rains in Taiwan all year round. Friendly people, waving, shouting a cheery 'ni ha'. Riding scooters up this hill!!! There were even some hill folk riding small motor cycles on the trail.

The old bag of bones in bad shape after that very hilly run. Tired. Thrilled I could do it, though.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great stuff! Did you carry your camera along?

Sun Jan 15, 10:08:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey,
Old bag of bones, huh? Wish I was that old. Could do with some running, what?
Maami

Sun Jan 15, 11:49:00 PM PST  
Blogger Tarun Theogaraj said...

Wow, 17 miles?? I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

Fri Jun 30, 01:16:00 PM PDT  

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