Got up early this morning to take the dogs out, then took the 6.50am HSR train up to Taichung. Hopped on the little black bike and drove east, avoiding Fengyuan, and then through Dongshih and eventually all the way out here to the Shih Lin weir (士林攔河堰引水) on the Da'an river (大安溪). Points to remember: I arrived at Taichung HSR station at 7.34am, but didn't arrive at the Shih Lin weir until just before 10am, and it was extremely hot all morning. In spite of the help provided by having studied google maps and streetview the night before, I still managed to get briefly lost in Taichung city before finding my way again by just going eastward.
Below is the entry point to the trans-basin diversion channel, which was the raison d'etre of the Shih Lin weir, and which diverts water from the Da'an river through to one of two tributaries to Liyutan reservoir via a hydroelectric power station.
Although there are three filtered pen intakes, there is only a single hydraulic doorway into the underground channel. Here is the weir looking south-east toward the sun...
There were other things I could have done whilst I was there, but I was time conscious and so left at 10.30am without even buying any fruit from one of the vendors...
Despite taking a slight wrong-turning on my way to the next destination, I managed to find my way onto Penglin road even though my phone's GPS was awry for some reason and was telling me I was way to the south of where I actually was.
I had been stumped by streetview the night before in trying to get a preview image of the trans-basin diversion channel's exit point since it was occluded from view by vegetation. Here are two drowning machines just west and downstream of that exit point...
I was eventually able to find two spots from which the exit point became visisble - one somewhat downstream...
And one right across from the first weir after the tunnel exit hole...
After that, I drove off to find the Zhuolan hydroelectric power plant further back eastward...
The wide-angle lens is coming in handy for a bunch of different types of shot...
Although it had been hot all morning, it began to cloud over and cool down from about 1pm onwards. By the time I made it here to the power station and the surge tank in the hills above, it was threatening rain which would only have bothered me because my camera bag hasn't yet been tested for it's waterproofing. I'd rather not risk that. In any case, my day was finished as I had done everything I set out to do.
On my return drive south-westward to Taichung city, the clouds cleared up and the sun came out again. After leaving Dongshih I took the 129 through Xinshe rather than the 3 in order to avoid both Fengyuan and the main north-south roads through Taichung city. The 129 itself is a bit crowded up in the hills, but once I got back to Taichung city proper on the 136, things got a lot easier and I was able to hit the road that goes directly to the HSR station. I filled the tank with gas before I left, but next time I go I am due an oil change, must remember that.
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