The first we saw of the snow was the little snowmen on the bonnets (hoods) of some of the cars coming down the mountain.  Then, as we started to descend the other side, we came to a line of cars.  We made our way past them to find a solid strip of ice stretching right across the road.  Mum dismounted and walked.  Some other scooter riders helped Don & I get our bikes over, then we did the same for them.  The traffic coming the other direction was maybe about 100 metres further down the road. I discovered why - another strip of ice across the road. It didn't look too bad, and as some drivers were periodically throwing their cars and SUVs up the ice I thought I'd try it on my own and get out of the danger zone quickly. I was keeping my feet down and things were going OK until about half-way across, when I slowly, gracefully dropped the bike and myself onto the ice. The FZ seems a bit top-heavy anyway, and the tank bag, top box and panniers were all full.

Mum worried when she saw this happening, of course, but my excellent protective clothing meant I didn't feel a thing, and the bike was fine as well.
 

Shortly after this we saw an SUV go charging up to the ice. When all four wheels were on the ice, it started to slip backwards, then actually spun 180 degrees and went back down the mountain about 50 metres in a semi-controlled fashion. It was quite spectacular. People don't understand that four-wheel drive doesn't make any difference if none of the wheels has any traction!

The latest scooter accessory	Looking across to Chilaishan (Qilaishan)	Children playing in the snow Photo by Don Silver	Look at the ice on the road to the left.

The ride down into the gorge took longer than I'd remembered.  That was partly because I was going slower to make it more comfortable for Mum.  Still, the pillion saddle on my bike isn't great and after a while, Mum rode passenger on Don's bike for a change.  We were happy to get to a corner in the road and see the village of Tienhsiang (Tianxiang) far below.  This viewpoint did not seem very exposed, but looking back up at the road the next day, from the temple pagoda, I saw that it was a sheer drop hundreds of metres down.

 

We were hungry and opted for the dinner buffet at the Grand Formosa hotel.  The price had gone up a little since last time so Don & I were even more determined to get our money's worth.  I think we shocked my mum in our single-minded application to this goal.  Certainly, three full plates and dessert later, I wondered whether I had been too enthusiastic.  Still, I had a soft, warm Hello Kitty duvet to sink into back at the guesthouse.

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