tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-155686602024-03-14T05:15:58.402+08:00Yangmingshan Cycling ClubCycling group of expatriates living in Taipei, Taiwan. Focus on road biking, but all riders are welcome. Local cyclists are also welcome.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-18021778832565540062008-03-22T17:42:00.002+08:002008-03-22T17:46:27.045+08:00North Coast Race Results & Tour of East Taiwan Sign-upCraig Johns recently sent out some links from the North Coast Race and some details on the Tour of East Taiwan:<br /><br />Here is the bikeman brief article with Barry Sullivan Headlining <a href="http://www.bikeman.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=692">http://www.bikeman.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=692</a><br /><br />Here is the Bikeman photo link <a href="http://bikeman.blogdns.org/Qmultimedia/cgi-bin/thumb_index.cgi?folder=/Qmultimedia/2008/%e5%8c%97%e6%b5%b7%e5%b2%b82008/Small">http://bikeman.blogdns.org/Qmultimedia/cgi-bin/thumb_index.cgi?folder=/Qmultimedia/2008/%e5%8c%97%e6%b5%b7%e5%b2%b82008/Small</a><br /><br />Here is Peter B photo link <a href="http://peterbaiamonte.com/northcoast/">http://peterbaiamonte.com/northcoast/</a><br /><br />Entry details for the 2007 Tour of East Taiwan are still not available, but if you havent done so already and are keen to go to the April 26-27th event please drop me a line so we can get an estimate on numbers for accommodation and other logistics. Already informed me:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Challenge</span><br />Bill Bryson<br />Marcus Woo<br />Bill Farrell<br />Carl Wegner<br />Dave Pacey<br />Steve Young<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Main Race</span><br />Adam Glendenning<br />Greg Svarc<br />Jim Hadden<br />Kaight Forgie<br />Leon Maggio<br />Amanda Shuman ?<br />Anthony Sinyard<br />Leon Maggio<br /><br />Get out and ride while the sun is shining<br /><br />Craig<br /><br /><br />More information from Craig can be found at <a href="http://www.taiwanracing.com/">http://www.taiwanracing.com/</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com148tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-46795226692788702612008-03-16T05:59:00.001+08:002008-03-16T05:59:55.202+08:00Future of the Yangmingshan Cycling Club BlogHello cycling friends-<br /><br />Congratulations on the racing this weekend- sounds like a great time was had by all. Does anyone have a full race report? I wish I could have been there...<br /><br />In the past two years, we have tracked the spring racing scene and more on the blog http://taipeiycc.blogspot.com. Past North Coast race reports can be accessed by going back to March 2006 and March 2007 posts. When I departed Taiwan this past summer, Dave took over the maintenance of the blog. With Dave's passing, I am the only one with administrative access. Anyone can post to the blog by sending an email to yangmingshan.post @ blogger.com, but it is probably a good idea to have an administrator overseeing the site in case spammers start posting. It is an easy task to change the email address that allows posting.<br /><br />If you are interested in taking over this blog, please let me know, and I will give you the administrative login information. I am happy to be the distance administrator if no one wants to step forward- I can post race reports and the like that are emailed to me and watch out for spammers- but if no one steps forward, perhaps this blog should end. Craig Johns is doing an excellent job maintaining the blog/site http://taiwanracing.com/. This may be sufficient for the needs of the expat cycling community.<br /><br />I am open to suggestions.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Bill<br /><br />(in Maine, USA)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-4694301837132070442008-02-13T23:22:00.004+08:002008-12-09T09:54:31.931+08:00Goodbye to a good friend.<div>Dave, thanks for everything you've done for all of us- you were a great friend and you will be missed terribly. Your posts on this site stand as testament to your generosity and support.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bill</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R7MLRivFdfI/AAAAAAAAAF0/gCmATrdJ3qU/s1600-h/dave.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R7MLRivFdfI/AAAAAAAAAF0/gCmATrdJ3qU/s400/dave.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166485593534068210" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-25565893553289324632008-01-19T19:12:00.000+08:002008-01-19T19:30:22.657+08:00RIDES - and how to join usSince someone just asked, it's probably a good time to let folks know how to get with one of the many rides each week. Here is a rough idea of what goes on, whom to contact, etc.<br />There is a very regular group that rides Tues, Thurs, and Sat. The Tues/Thurs rides are religiously at 5am - we're back at TAS by 6:30am - and we leave from TAS (just about every ride meets at TAS). Sat. am has been at 5am - but there is a group of us now starting the 6am rides as well. Bill Bryson will add you to his sms emails - he texts us his intentions(rain-out, out of town, etc. - but most of the time he just says, "see you there, I'm riding"). This is nice because we all then know at least one other person will be there. If you'd like him to add you to his sms list, email him at <a href="mailto:webryson@jonesday.com">webryson@jonesday.com</a>.<br />There are other rides as well - and things change. The best thing to do is send me an email and I'll add you to my "regular riders" list - whenever a small group of us is thinking of riding, I try to send that out to everyone - along with other misc emails about race dates and such. Most of the rides are arranged with a few emails. My name is Dave and my email is <a href="mailto:wittry@hotmail.com">wittry@hotmail.com</a>.<br />There are other groups that ride - the rides I've been talking about so far are roadies with racing/road bikes. If you're more interested in riding the paths here in N. Taiwan, I would talk with Brenda at <a href="mailto:huffb@tas.edu.tw">mailto:huffb@tas.edu.tw</a>- she rides with folks both on the paths and up into the mtns. There is another group of "ladies only" - they don't require you're female - but if you want to ride with them, let me know and I'll connect you to them - they often ride some flats and then finish with some climbing about half way up YangMingShan mtn - where there happens to be a Starbucks!<br /><br />In short, there is a lot of riding that goes on. I haven't listed everything here. Start by contacting me - join for a ride or two - ask a few folks and before you know it you'll find what suits you. You'll also find that some of us are triathletes - if that's your thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-54675826022643909032008-01-16T15:22:00.000+08:002008-12-09T09:54:32.051+08:00Sat. 6am - TAS to WanLi (60km one way)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R42zXC6nImI/AAAAAAAAAFo/HTvQm-1STNE/s1600-h/ScreenShot.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155974356910154338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R42zXC6nImI/AAAAAAAAAFo/HTvQm-1STNE/s400/ScreenShot.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The long, flat rides began last weekend - everyone enjoyed. We're doing it again! Join in if you can for 120km. It might be in WanLi that we first stop - be prepared.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com358tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-52006021578466841542008-01-09T10:58:00.000+08:002008-01-09T11:03:57.767+08:00Sat. 6:30am Ride - TASSimon and Dave headed out the coast 6:30am from TAS - now you have 2 choices since I'm assuming the regular "Bryson" ride is headed out at 5am<br />happy riding whenever/wherever you can squeeze one in...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-50125672259447955732008-01-08T21:40:00.000+08:002008-12-09T09:54:32.121+08:00Gadget Heads - Garmin releases new Forerunner 405<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R4N-wC6nIlI/AAAAAAAAAFg/ocH9O8XGugA/s1600-h/garmin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153101762523505234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R4N-wC6nIlI/AAAAAAAAAFg/ocH9O8XGugA/s400/garmin.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Well, thanks to Victor, I became aware of the Forerunner 405 being demoed at the big <a href="http://www.cesweb.org/default.asp">CES </a>in Las Vegas this week. Articles are hitting the web - you can search and see or just start with <a href="http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/2008/01/03/forerunner-405/">this one</a>.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>For those who might have known that I tried to order the 305 just before x-mas and have a friend bring it back to Taiwan - well, that fell through and my attempt to order online never worked(computer glitch? who knows). Things happen for a reason, however. Now I can go after the 405 instead! Do you think my wife will be happy with the approximately $300 price tag? Why do you think I bought her the '08 T-Mobile Alliance (for 10,000NT, right guys - sorry if you're not in on that reference) just before X-Mas. Ah, yes - my evil master plan - keep her happy, so I can keep buying a big boy-toy every now and again...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com199tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-11025222051647480562008-01-01T19:35:00.000+08:002008-01-01T19:44:18.252+08:001/1/2008 - The New Year Has BegunThe new year started off right. Six riders wearing from 3 to 5 layers of clothing started off the '08 riding season the right way at 6am this morning with an 80km ride out to JinShan and up to the saddle. We hit the saddle at about 10am where the temperature was a cool 8 degrees celcius. Since Victor the photographer wasn't with us, no pics. Carl, Bill B, Curt, Markus, Ron, and Dave stopped at the usual Starbucks before heading home.<br /><br />Start up those journals - it can be fun to look back on the year and see that you've ridden a few thousand km. Bikejournal.com is one such free service.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-71706314860439862952007-12-31T12:27:00.000+08:002008-12-09T09:54:32.654+08:00Moore Family's Tri Party - Huge Hit<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hzCy6nIkI/AAAAAAAAAFY/GjQ1eVuoU44/s1600-h/tri+party+07+car+kaight+joe+julie.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149992665762701890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hzCy6nIkI/AAAAAAAAAFY/GjQ1eVuoU44/s400/tri+party+07+car+kaight+joe+julie.JPG" border="0" /></a> Car, Kaight, Joe, Julie<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hy-y6nIjI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/g1G-aHIWgpI/s1600-h/triparty+07+bill+chris.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149992597043225138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hy-y6nIjI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/g1G-aHIWgpI/s400/triparty+07+bill+chris.JPG" border="0" /></a> Chris, Bill<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hy6y6nIiI/AAAAAAAAAFI/qDVBuwuzCk4/s1600-h/triparty+07+bill+jody+curt+victor.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149992528323748386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hy6y6nIiI/AAAAAAAAAFI/qDVBuwuzCk4/s400/triparty+07+bill+jody+curt+victor.JPG" border="0" /></a> Victor, Curt, Jody, Dave<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hy1i6nIhI/AAAAAAAAAFA/B9xiqRSei5o/s1600-h/triparty+07+leon+lucas.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149992438129435154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R3hy1i6nIhI/AAAAAAAAAFA/B9xiqRSei5o/s400/triparty+07+leon+lucas.JPG" border="0" /></a> Lucas, Leon<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Well, if you missed Simon and Ingrid's Tri party, then I'm here to make sure you don't next year. This annual event brings together everyone in our cycling, swimming, and/or running group. Without counting there were 50 there or so. Everyone brought a dish to pass. That was the most incredible display of dishes I've seen in a long while. Everyone out-did the next guy. The desserts were professional looking and fat/sugar free(yeah, right) - absolutely to die for(my favorite was the cheese cake - USA-style cheese cake - I controlled myself and had only 3 pieces). I hadn't had lasagna in a long while - and it was a good one. Simon's stick-a-name-tag-of-a-famous-athlete-on-your-back-yes/no-guessing game was a hit. It only took me several hours to guess mine - Eddy Merckx. The joke of the night was Lucas trying to guess "Bill O'Brien" on his back - he, of course, got it after putting together clues like "top amatuer rider", "club leader", "always behind Lucas on climbs" - ok, maybe some of these were made up by this writer but you get the idea of what was going around. So, a HUGE thanks goes to Simon and Ingrid for the hospitality in their spectacular home. Happy Holidays.</div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-19442258040299450492007-12-09T17:40:00.001+08:002008-12-09T09:54:32.799+08:00YMS Challenge - Beautiful Weather<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R1u4GqZAbJI/AAAAAAAAAEo/WlRwyb9coDg/s1600-h/group.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141905824171453586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R1u4GqZAbJI/AAAAAAAAAEo/WlRwyb9coDg/s400/group.jpg" border="0" /></a> David P, Bill B, Chris, Kaight(aka Leon), Bill F, Markus(aka Carl), Dave, and the real Carl were all at the last rest stop together before heading off to ascend Satellites and Buffalo Meadows. Carl met us on the way down Helen's with his son Carl (is that 3 Carls now?). They took some awesome photos(<a href="http://www.apcomputerscience.com/family/2007/2007YMSChallenge/index.htm">all photos</a>). We had an awesome day. Curt and Nate missed the part about this being a challenge ride and their testosterone kicked into high gear on climb one - so, we let them go bye-bye. The day started a bit cool - but absolutely no complaints - especially from what I hear about last year's yucky weather. No rain. The weather just kept getting a bit better the whole day. By the time we hit the top of Helen's from the back, it was perfectly clear and warm. Riding time it took us somewhere between 4 and 4.5 hours - add about another 1hr for eating, talking, drinking at the rest stops - it made for a good 5-6hrs out and about. The ride itself is about 74km - by the time you ride down from the finish and home, you probably rode about 85km like me. Oh, and climbed maybe 23000m (maybe Bryson can get a more exact figure). The timing chip in our sticker enabled the organizers to print out and laminate a nice certificate with stats right there at the finish line - nice touch.<br />See you next year.<br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-6924520395244862982007-12-09T17:38:00.000+08:002008-12-09T09:54:32.936+08:00Jody Climbs Helen's on First Try<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R1u3vqZAbII/AAAAAAAAAEg/wd3UuwD5uiM/s1600-h/JodyHelensMtn2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141905429034462338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/R1u3vqZAbII/AAAAAAAAAEg/wd3UuwD5uiM/s400/JodyHelensMtn2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>First, a little athletic historical context before I tell you my wife just climbed Helen's(FongGuiZui) without stopping - oops, I gave away the punch line. Back when she was in grade school in Taiwan she once pulled up and intentionally lost a running race - reason: if you win, you go on to represent your school at a bigger city competition. She hated athletics. Well, some 30+ years and 2 kids later she couldn't get the few extra lbs off just by eating well - she's always eaten well. So, 10-12 months of training, she learned to swim(deathly afraid her whole life), runs 5ks like they're nothing, stairmaster, free weights, and floor/core exercises. It was finally the right time to bring up getting her on a bike - she needed the next challenge since she pretty much dominated the club - even some of the guys were afraid just watching her do flys. Well, 2 weeks ago we went up the back of "Donut Hill" (annual opening of school easy social ride we go on), but from the NeiHu side where we live. Her first time up that she stopped twice(happens when you've never climbed in your life) - second time up, no stopps. On Sat. we finally had mom-in-law over to watch kids and that gave us enough time to attempt to conquere Helen's(600m over 6km - average 10% grade - highest grade about 15%). She did it! Holy smoke - how many of you reading this climbed Helen's on the first shot, no stops? - after only riding a bike up hill 3 times in your whole life? Oh, and she did it on a comfort bike that weighs no less than twice what our fancy bikes weigh - tennis shoes, no clips, no standing possible. It goes without saying, if anyone dares give me any trouble, I'm telling my wife on you! Ouch for you. Dave - Jody's Husband!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-55503561219289569502007-11-26T21:03:00.000+08:002007-12-03T21:29:33.216+08:00Yang Ming Shan ChallengeThis challenge ride is on Dec. 9th. Luk/Sean can help you register (500NT). You ride up YangDeDaDao to the saddle, down to Jinshan, over and up the NorthShore race finish, down a bit and then up the back of Helen's, down to Palace road and then up Satellites to about Buffalo Meadows. This isn't for the faint of heart. It comes the day after <a href="http://www.apcomputerscience.com/biking/Simon_triParty2007.doc">Simon's TriFit/Sport party </a>- load up on carbs if you plan on attempting this one!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-73971549388004082832007-09-26T18:25:00.000+08:002007-09-26T18:28:52.079+08:00"Howard's" Ride and Bike ShopHoward's Bikes, is between Ba De Road and Civic Boulevard on an east-west lane which runs near Yan Chi Street.<br /><br />1F, No. 27, Lane 22, Gunagfu South Road<br />Tel 2579-3357 FAX 2579-2126<br /><br />Howard Chen - 0922833525<br /><br />They ride Saturdays. Meet at the shop in the 6:30 range and depart about 7.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-47337096735773616672007-09-25T20:07:00.000+08:002007-09-25T20:14:17.136+08:00Customized Maps - for Taiwan CYCLISTS only!As a service to my riding buddies, if you're looking to get from point A to point B anywhere in Taiwan(maybe to join our group ride and you're new to the area) and want a customized map with detailed directions, send me Point A and Point B - detailed addresses. I'll use my Garmin GPS pc software and you'll be all set. Alternatively, if you only know the name of a major landmark (e.g., Palace Museum - in English is fine if you don't know the Mandarin name), send me that - I can search in that manner as well. Please don't send me "7-11 in Taipei" however, the search will give me all 7,425 of them! :-p<br />dave - wittry@apcomputerscience.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-70379865288265152592007-09-25T20:00:00.000+08:002007-09-25T20:02:16.949+08:00Rides In/Around Taipei and TienMuWith respect to maps, good maps of Taipei can be obtained at Page One, the bookstore on the 4th floor of the Taipei 101 Mall.<br /><br />Not sure where you live, but there are lots of riding opportunities in Taipei, and here are some suggestions:<br /><br />1). Downtown - there are at least two bike shops which run weekend rides. One is Boutique de Velo, which is in the Hsin Yi District on the lane which runs behind Agora Garden. They have a list of their Saturday rides available and will ride as scheduled unless it is raining.<br /><br />The other is Howard's Bikes, which is harder to find. It is between Ba Teh Road and Civic Boulevard on an east-west lane which runs near Yan Chi Street (I can provide more detailed directions if you need them). Howard's group rides on Saturdays at about 0730. They sometimes have Sunday rides, too. This is also a hydrophobic group.<br /><br />Both these shops ride all over the Taipei area. Sometimes they head north, sometimes they head south. Pretty mixed groups in terms of speed and experience. The ride leaders make sure nobody gets left behind. Both groups are co-ed.<br /><br />You can also hook up with Andrew Collins, who has already responded to your message and who also lives downtown. Peter Baiamonte also lives downtown.<br /><br />2). Between downtown and Tien Mou: if you want to ride level, there are bike paths that run along the three major rivers in Taipei Indeed, it is possible to ride all the way from the Mucha Zoo to Tam Shui (which is where the Tam Shui River meets the Taiwan Strait), a distance of about 75k, and never leave a bike path. The most popular paths are the ones that run through the Kwantu Bird Preserve, and the ones that run on either side of the Keelung River near the Grand Hotel. Not recommended for an afternoon ride on weekends, however, as they can be quite crowded at that time.<br /><br />There are bike rental kiosks along the paths and you can get a bike path map at any of those kiosks. <br /><br />3). Tien Mou/northern Taipei: lots of options here, and almost all start from the Taipei American School. The group I ride with rides at 0500 on T/Th/Sa. 32k on weekdays, 90-100k on Saturdays. Speed and intensity varies with who shows up and whether or not there is a race coming up. There are sufficient numbers of rally stops, however, to make sure newbies do not get lost. We also collect cell phone numbers so we can check on people who do not appear at the rally stops.<br /><br />There is another group that favors an 0600 start time, and there are groups that ride on other days of the week. People who are on the above list and are familiar with the rides can give you details about those rides.<br /><br />There is also a Boutique de Velo in Tien Mou (on Cheung Chen Road, just east of the BMW dealership), and they also ride on weekends. Have not ridden with them for a while and it helps if you speak Chinese, but they ride all over northern Taipei. The last time I rode with them, they rode to Taichung.<br /><br />All of the above groups are co-ed. There is, however, a group of women riders who ride at 0500 on Tuesday and Thursday. They start from the Welcome store on Tien Mou West Road. This is just slightly north of the American School.<br /><br />Another group of women ride at 0815 on Wednesdays. They start at the American School.<br /><br />Well, that is pretty much what I know. Hope to see you out there sometime.<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />Bill BrysonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-64531034513916543852007-09-25T19:45:00.000+08:002007-09-25T19:56:37.873+08:00Bryson on "What YCC is all about"The following email was posted by one of our fearless leaders. It was sent out to help us all at a time when yours truly lost what few marbles he has for a few minutes. If you're new to the group or will be soon and curious what we're about, no one could put it better(thanks Bryson):<br /><br />The group of riders on this e-mail is one of the friendliest and most supportive groups I have ever had the pleasure to ride with. We ride for a variety of reasons - some race (road races, triathlons), some want to stay fit, some want to lose weight, some like the camaraderie and fellowship of the group ride or paceline, and some just enjoy the taste of a Venti iced latte at the end of a long ride. For most of us, it's a combination. For all of us, it's an opportunity to get out of the house and onto our favorite carbon/aluminum/steel/titanium steeds for a few enjoyable hours before we have to return to the reality of our day jobs.<br /><br />As with any group of riders, there is friendly competition among the regular riders, but in the three years that I have been riding with this group I have never seen weaker riders derided in any way, nor have I seen or heard anything which could be called browbeating.<br /><br />What I have seen is strong riders who will hang back with someone who is struggling, or a large group of riders who will wait for a comrade to repair his punctured tube, or give him the spare tube and CO2 cartridge he or she needs to get going again. What I have heard (when we are riding below our lactate thresholds) is advice freely given by experienced riders, debates about the best bikes and components for different riding scenarios, general friendly chatter within the group and lots of very engaging and funny observations about life, Taiwan and life in Taiwan.<br /><br />No rider is ever discouraged by other riders, and those who feel discouraged by their performance on a particular ride are likely to receive an almost embarassing volume of advice and encouragement from other riders in the group. I have learned a lot from my YCC friends and teammates and we have had some really great rides together.<br /><br />In any event, I hope that, notwithstanding the northern latitude and ungodly hour at which we ride, you will be able to join us for a ride sometime.<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />Bill BrysonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-37468078621118438692007-09-18T11:49:00.001+08:002008-12-09T09:54:33.091+08:00A Li Shan Race - 71km UP!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/Ru9MICagikI/AAAAAAAAAEI/Qd_VOYTCZ8o/s1600-h/ALiShan_6ofUS.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/Ru9MICagikI/AAAAAAAAAEI/Qd_VOYTCZ8o/s320/ALiShan_6ofUS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111387803059522114" /></a><br />From the start we rode 17km flat - then 54km up. It's quite a ride. Awesome views and the weather was perfect for riding. Our trip down on the high-speed rail was nice - about 285km/hr, just slightly faster than we averaged on our bikes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-57250063316639005722007-09-08T08:05:00.001+08:002007-09-17T18:10:24.121+08:00Taiwan Mountain Biking - September 21-23 - Taiwan East Coast<span class="q">Dear all,<br><br>Great seeing all the photos and reading about all the news and events posted<br>on the website. Fantastic to see so many people enjoying the rocking summer<br>we have been having!<br><br>I run an outdoor adventure company call <span style="font-weight: bold;">IN MOTION ASIA</span> which organizes a number of adventure tours throughout the year here in Taiwan and overseas.<br><br>I have a fantastic MTB tour coming up from <span style="font-weight: bold;"> Friday September 21 - Sunday September 23</span>. </span>A superb 3 day / 2 night tour based on the East Coast of Taiwan that takes in the mighty Taroko Gorge and the rugged Feitsuei Valley. An exhilarating tour through one of the most beautiful regions in Taiwan! This riding is a mixture of old off-road Aboriginal and Japanese era trails, orchards and farm land, deserted mountain roads, and the Central Cross Island Highway.<span class="q"> This is fully supported trip with all transport, accommodation and food provided. All you need is a good mountain bike and a sense of adventure!<br> <br>There is around 4-5 hours riding each day which I would grade as moderate to challenging.<br><br>If you would like more details, drop me an email and I can send you the complete itinerary and everything else you need to know. <strong>Hurry - Only 2 spots left</strong><br><br>Looking forward to a fantastic trip!<br><br>Many thanks<br>Cam McLean<br><a href="mailto:inmotionasia@gmail.com">inmotionasia@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://www.inmotionasia.com">www.inmotionasia.com</a><br><br clear="all"> </span><br>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-34409551876712502912007-09-06T19:49:00.000+08:002007-09-06T19:52:24.091+08:00New Taipei Cycling RegulationsAs of Sept. 1, there are new regulations for cyclists in effect. In short, wear a helmet, have running red lights, ride with traffic. If you get pulled over and have no ID, you may be in trouble. We should each probably have some sort of ID in our seat bags.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.woj.com.au/2007/09/03/taiwan-police-start-enforcing-new-cycling-regulations/ ">article</a> <br /><br />Thanks for the article, Brenda H.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-91742791674380422032007-09-02T21:07:00.000+08:002007-09-02T21:11:17.316+08:00Riding for Mon 3rd - Sat 8th5am from TAS on Tues and Thurs - heading up XingYi Rd. to the saddle.<br />6am from TAS on Sat. - heading out for a long ride, a few climbs - where? tbd by those attending<br /><br />see you there - daveUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-90359368591972708492007-08-28T19:01:00.000+08:002007-09-04T08:19:29.108+08:00Wu Ling - 3275m climbIf interested, this race is 55km with 3275m of climbing. Register by 8/30 for the 9/9 race at Sean's bike shop in TienMu - ask for Luk as always. You'll need your arc and 500NT.<br /><br />http://www.cool-cycling.com/2007tpp/n2007tpp.doc<br /><br />Harry Wilson and Andrew Collins are entering - see them for transportation/accomodation ideas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-84691420404059337742007-08-27T18:28:00.000+08:002007-09-09T08:57:13.232+08:00A Li Shan Race - Sept. 15As I have it so far, here are the 10 "foreigners" riding in the ALiShan race.<br /><br />Harry Wilson<br />Barry Sullivan<br />Dave Wittry<br />Bill Bryson<br />Bill Farrell<br />Pacey David<br />Curt Farnham<br />Maggio Leon<br />Kaight Forgie<br />Andrew Collins<br /><br />This will be a 60+Km climb. You have until 9/1 to register.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-72242643563762974022007-08-27T18:26:00.001+08:002007-08-27T18:28:24.891+08:00Annual First Ride - A Nice MorningIt was a great day. There were just over 40 of us. Lots of pics can be found here:<br /><a href="http://www.apcomputerscience.com/biking/AnnualFirstRide/">http://www.apcomputerscience.com/biking/AnnualFirstRide/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-87889037757582282732007-08-06T20:01:00.000+08:002008-12-09T09:54:33.353+08:00Annual First Ride<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/RrcOM-a7ULI/AAAAAAAAAEA/SfK6WEHtIH0/s1600-h/treebike.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ybUk3s_ajas/RrcOM-a7ULI/AAAAAAAAAEA/SfK6WEHtIH0/s400/treebike.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095557119470162098" /></a> Come catch up with everyone after the summer. Meet folks from N. Taiwan who like to ride. Great way to find your riding group for the year. Get motivated and off to a good healthy start to the new school year. Read details at <a href="http://www.apcomputerscience.com/biking/firstride.htm"><span style="font-weight:bold;">first ride</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15568660.post-66891067667062991862007-08-05T18:19:00.000+08:002007-08-05T18:20:02.104+08:00Weekend RidingDavy and Steven go out every Sat or Sun at about 7am<br />for a spin up to Helen's. It has finally started to<br />get a little easy (yeay!), so we have begun to wander<br />further afield (satellites yesterday). We stop for a<br />coffee and a chat somewhere (a nice place called Momos<br />or something yesterday) and get back around lunchtime.<br />We'd love some company! Beginners very welcome. Old<br />hands that can show us the rides- we'll buy the<br />coffee!<br /><br />Cheers!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1