Day 5: Hualien 花蓮 > Yuli 玉里
Stay: Yuli Hostel
My hardest day thus far. What started out as a sunny day in the city ended up being rain in the countryside for most of the second half of the ride. I'm soaked through, as are my pannier bags hung to the side of my bike. As I get close into Yuli, I'm starving and dirty, and there's a streak of dirt across my entire backside from the turn-up as a result of my back wheel. The fender did not really seem to work too well. Once I'd ridden for about one hour, I get used to it. I like biking in the rain. It brings a whole new perspective to the land.
I hear about some renowned Yuli noodles, so I stop by shop as I'm approaching for a bite. It's about 15:00, and there's still a queue for these noodles. By then the rain had subsided a bit. Luckily for one person, the seating is quick. I feel horrible walking into this shop like a wet dog, but they seat me like an outcast in the entrance. I'm not sure if they were the best noodles of my life because I was so hungry or because they were objectively tasty. Still, I'm just glad I got something to eat.
When I reach my hostel, I'm relieved. They don't have a washing machine, but they do have a sink and some clotheslines on the roof, so I spend about an hour just washing through my equipment and clothes, admiring the township from the rooftop. There's a feeling about being on the rooftop of a small township that is comforting. You can see the township limits and how it is nested in within the valley; mountains on both sides. It's quiet since there are no main roads running through. The sun sets, and I go for a small bike ride around the city. Some people suggest I go to a nearby hot spring built by the Japanese, which sounds nice, but is 10 kilometers away. That's 20 back and forth. I calculate in my head if it's worth the distance. What would appear marginal in a car is a serious point of deliberation on a bike. I decide instead to sleep early.