Route North 31

It’s Monday, the last day of minor Covid-19 Level 3 Alert in Taiwan, how could I not venture out to document the historic moment! Today I explored the Route North 31 (N31) connecting Xizhi and Pingxi（平溪）for the first time.

It’s a hot and sunny Monday. I got on Bus 951 at MRT Dapingling Station at 10:05, got off Bus 951 at Xioufeng（秀峰）High School at 10:55, walked through the Magpie Alley（喜鵲巷） to the Xizhi（汐止）Train Station.  

At 11:10, I got on Free New Taipei Bus F920 running between Xizhi and Pingxi back and forth every two hours. I got off F920 at Jiangziliao Vista Point at 11:20 at 9K of N31. While strolling around the resting area, I saw two kittens lying beneath a stone chair. North 31 is a friendly and pleasant country road with many resting areas along the road.

I didn't know clearly how long N31 was. Originally I thought N31 was only 12 kilometers long. As I was already at 9K of N31, I didn't hesitate to attempt the Jiangzitou（姜子頭）Mountain (507M) at 9.5K, when I saw a trail sign hanging from the tree. It was a short and easy trail of 350 meters. When I arrived at the top of the mountain at 11:50, I saw the mapping control point. I took out the recorder, played a few children songs accompanied by Muller's Barbet（五色鳥）singing sweetly in the trees. 

At 12:30, at 11.5K of N31, I saw another trail sign to Five Four Vertical Hiking Trail（五四緃走）, but I dared not to take the challenge by myself.

At 12:40, I arrived at Monolith Ridge（磐石嶺）at 12K, the highest point of N31, also the boardline between Xizhi and Pingxi. At the highest Pavilion overlooking the surrounding lofty mountain grandeur and feel the gentle breeze, I enjoyed my lunch break. 

After lunch, as I walked further along N31, I saw the Monolith Ridge Trail Direction Broad, I decided to try the trail without much hesitation, as the short cut trail in the forest might save me some time in stead of walking on the main road in the sun. It took me one hour to complete the one kilometer mountain trail. It was a chalenging trail, I needed to climb up and down the mountains with the help of wire rope, and I took off my shoes twice to walk across the streams.

Back to N31 at 15.3K, it started raining. How lucky I was, the climate was in favor of me, not having to climb the mountains holding the umbrella. On my way to Pingwi at 16.5K of N31, I saw Bus F920. The sooner I raised my hand, the bus stopped and took me all the way to Lingjiao（嶺腳）Train Station, and I rode the same bus back to Xizhi at 3:40. 

It was a day of achievement to explore the Route North 31. I love free New Taipei City Buses that take me to all the remote country sides in New Taipei City.