2024-06-23
Start: 11:45 / Arrival: 15:15
Distance: 50km / Gained height 100 hm
Started around noon from Yilan. Today it even seemed hotter than yesterday, so rode slowly. Redid some exploring of Yilan, I had done last year.
After just a couple of kilometers, I thought “wow, that car there needs some service, sounds awful with its screeching”…then…I noticed…no, it wasn’t that car. I had a black bird flying behind me. Thought it was a crow and was sort of delighted. But just a couple of seconds later I realized, it’s something different and – it’s attacking me! Constantly dive bombing and screeching.
Phew…managed to get away. Pulse high in the heat. Took a break and continued. It didn’t took long and I was attacked a second…and a third time, all by different birds. After one even flew against my backhead, I started wearing a helmet again…had taken it off because of the heat.
So took a break, researched a little bit – i had taken some sound samples and the app identified the bird as “black drongo”. Seems like they love to attack bicyclists when they are having a nest with youngsters to protect their area. And that they like sitting on electricity poles.
So tried to avoid these, but was attacked again and again after the break. Started throwing stones. Nothing. And as soon as you stop. They stop. Finally I found out, I “just” have to push my bike half a kilometer. In the heat. Thank you, freaking black drongos.
Otherwise the ride through the rice fields was nice, a little bit like Mr Browns avenue in light. If only those birds 😉
Finally reached the sea and went along afterwards along Dongshan River on the nice bicycle path. Even there (without poles) I was attacked. Finally reached Dongshan, took a train and went to Taipei.
The train had the AC turned super low, so I expected running into a heat wall when getting out. Seemed, it had rained super heavy during the day in Taipei and it just stopped on arrival. With the temperature being super nice. So finally rode along Tamsui River path home….
