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Name of trail: The La La Shan Experiment
Length: 18 km offroad each way plus additional road
riding at either end of the trail
Terrain: Some technical sections, steady downhill,
unrelenting singletrack, roots, rocks, cliffs, pristine forests
Location: From La La Shan to Fu Shan, in the Backcountry
of Southern Taipei County
We knew that there was a trail from La La Shan
to Fu Shan for a while. We knew that the top of the trail
started with some fine looking singletrack. We even went so
far as to get a bunch of totally unnecessary mountain permits
for the place a few months back, though never used them. It
all came together after chance meeting in a juice shop; a
guy who knows Wulai pretty well offered an explanation as
to where the trail started in Fu Shan. Patrick had enough
spare time to check out this lead, and while doing so delivered
a series of panting phone calls to all who would be involved.
The basic contents of the calls were the same. They promised
great riding. That was more than enough to call off a Kenting
trip.
On the drive to Fu Shan, we were all psyched
in anticipation of what would be up there. Then, Patrick managed
to kill the mood with a casual "Oh, by the way I take
no responsibility for what the trail is like," about
2 minutes from our destination. Suddenly everyone started
to worry about the reported 6 to 7-hour walk that was in front
of us, and whether it would be for nothing.
With unsettling thoughts still in mind, we started
out across the suspension bridge at the trailhead and were
immediately alarmed by the narrowness of the trail. It started
narrow and, we thought somewhat unrideable and then got narrower
still. By the time we had walked about an hour, team pessimist
Oman McHale was getting worried. We had barely ridden and
seemed to be carrying our bikes across some fairly narrow
cliff-side trail, which he had pointed out, were basically
ledges with nothing underneath. It wasn't looking good, and
some of us were questioning the idea of spending a weekend
walking our bikes up a hill for nothing. Still we pushed and
plodded on and started to enjoy the place. It isn't that hard
when you're in pristine forest with none of the normal Taipei
noise pollution to disturb you. Soon enough the trail began
to resemble something that was quite rideable and was giving
hints of what the anxious phone calls had promised. The more
we walked the better it seemed to get and only one surprise
encounter with a snake "with friggin' lasers", as
Patrick described the Russell's Pit Viper, seemed to slow
us down. There were even chances to ride on what is basically
a long uphill walk.
Still, after many hours of walking and hauling
bikes over bridges and fallen trees, even perfect weather
and incredible views couldn't keep everyone happy and all
of us seemed to be re-questioning the idea. Why the hell didn't
we just catch a bus to La La Shan and ride down?
The change in the trail from dirt to moss-covered
rock and rooty single track had us all looking for rideable
lines for the trip down. The long walk started to feel like
it would never end and the sun disappeared behind the mountains
at times making it definitely cooler. I, for one was wondering
whether we had the right trail. On the good side we were definitely
riding more often and that sped things up considerably.
Seven and a-half-hours after starting we were
within 2 kilometers of the end and standing at yet another
amazing mountain vista; that, combined with a nice looking,
downward sloping trail, made everyone perk up. The last 2
kilometers were fun to ride, and we all followed Patrick's
lead as he sped off towards a well deserved beer and rest.
This part of the trail like a lot of the rest is on the edge
of a rather large drop and luckily the only fall along here
turned out to be a minor one for Oman.
'The
La La Shan Experiment' Part Two
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