Saturday morning ride

Apologies for the late notice, but a group of us are heading out
Saturday at 6 am from the TAS main gate. The plan is to return to
Tien Mu by around 11 am- the riding should be fast and hard. Planned
route:

Out through TamSui, then up the road to the beginning of 101, carry
on down to SanJr, then along the coast and up Chin Shan but only to
the bridge, then turn round go back along the
coast, back up the road to 101, and then either carry on up 101 or go
back down and through Tam Sui.

Anyone up for a push is welcome!

Bill

China's B-Day Ride

For those interested in an experienced-level mountain bike ride, four of us will be riding the Wu Jr Shan trail starting at 7:00am Sunday morning (Oct. 1st). We will meet at the 7-11 opposite the National Palace Museum at 7:00am. Total ride time expected to be 5 hours and includes 600 meters of vertical ascent. The Wu Jr Shan trail has excellent single-track riding with moderate hike-a-bike. Total trail descending time exceeds two hours.

Hope to see you there. Mark (0935-519-259 before 9:30pm)

PS - Don't forget the cake!

Saturday, Sept. 24th at TAS

Couple of us headed out at 5am from TAS – not sure where we’re headed.

dave

Sattelites ride - Tuesday morning

Departure from National Palace Museum 6:15 tomorrow (Tuesday) morning for a short but fairly quick climb towards the satellites and onwards to Starbucks. We should be able to leave Starbuck at around 7:30-7:45.

 

Jesper

 

 

 

Mtn. Bike Ride Sunday Sept. 18 - Experienced Level

For those interested in an experienced-level mountain bike ride, five
or six of us will be riding the Wu Jr Shan trail starting at 7:00am
Sunday morning (Sept. 18). We will meet at the 7-11 opposite the
National Palace Museum at 7:00am. Total ride time expected to be 5
hours and includes 600 meters of vertical ascent. The Wu Jr Shan
trail has excellent single-track riding with moderate hike-a-bike.
Total trail descending time exceeds two hours.

Hope to see you there. Mark (0935-519-259 before 9:30pm)

YCC Riding Notes: Post rides to the blog!

Hello cyclists!

What gorgeous cycling weather! I can't believe how perfect the riding has been recently. My rides have been snuck in here and there; apologies for not posting any group rides. I did see that there is a regular 6:30 am Saturday ride heading out with Brenda Huff. I hear that Steve and Leon and the boys are planning some pushes this weekend.

I'm away to the States tomorrow morning for ten days, so I won't be posting any riding notes for a little while. Please continue to make use of the website. To post a ride, just send an email to yangmingshan.taipeiycc@blogger.com with the post title in the message subject and the posting in the message body. To check if there is a ride heading out, visit  http://taipeiycc.blogspot.com. 

Have fun out there!

Bill

Weekend Riding

Due to the typhoon, I am thinking of doing the Triple Crown ride
Saturday morning, departing at 6 am from TAS (over Helen's, along the
coast and up 101- about three hours or so at a quickish pace...). Let
me know if you'd be interested in coming- I'm still undecided.

Bill O'B

P.S. Apologies for not getting out this week. Things have been very
busy, although I've snuck a couple afternoon rides in...

Saturday 9/10/05

Regular Saturday morning 6:30 am ride. Route/s and pace to be
determined, depending on weather conditions and riders. One route may
be to Four Corners via Peitou. Other route/s may be along bike paths.
Y'all are welcome to join us. Brenda Huff

YCC News: Interested in a duathlon? Sign up today.

Hello cyclists-

Message from Craig Johns:

Jinshan Duathlon.

 

Distances are 5km run / 40km cycle/ 5km run

24th September 8am start (7am check-in)

Howard Resort Green Bay

 

5 people have already entered with me. I will send the entry form away on Monday 5th September. If you wish to enter please email me the following details:

 

Name

Date of Birth

ARC #

Cell Phone Number

Email Address

 

And bring NT$700 to the TAS aquatics office please.

 

Craig Johns

TAS Aquatics

johnsc@tas.edu.tw

Saturday update and Sunday ride

It was another beautiful Saturday morning ride. Steve S., Steve R., Claus, Jesper, Leon and I headed out to Damshui and up 101 where we met Peter for a spin down to Starbucks and a couple lattes. Steve S. blasted up 101 in 28:18, just off his record and Steve R. set a PB with 29:05 (must have been due to that stretching...). Others set marks to beat for the future!

I'm meeting Craig at 1 pm in front of TAS Sunday for a very leisurely ride out past the Palace Museum towards Helen's. I expect we'll turn around at the ridge past Psycho Squirrel Bridge. Please feel free to join us.

Keep spinning!

Bill O'B

Sunday bike (9/02/05)

Hi,

Does anybody biking to Yang-Ming Mountain or any places every Sunday morning
at 6:00am?

I'll love to meet you in front of TAS, thanks!

See you soon!

Best,
Susan

Sat. 6:30 ride

A mixed group of 4-5 people have been setting out from TAS most Saturday mornings at 7:00.  We are now going to start meeting at 6:30 am for various rides.  The pace is fairly gentle (9-10 mph) and we usually average around 25-30 miles each time.  You are more than welcome to join us.  Brenda Huff

Post-Typhoon Road Conditions

Hi Everyone:

 

FYI, for all riders - I did the 101 (Bailaka) ride this morning, and I came back to Tien Mou from Starbucks and down Cherry Hill.  While road conditions in Tien Mou, Peitou and Tam Shui were all OK (apart from a blown-down construction fence in Tam Shui which was hanging out into the road), road conditions on the mountain were pretty variable and, at times, treacherous.

 

In particular, as you are climbing up from 101 you should be wary of a number of mudslides and rockslides on the way up.  Some of the rocks are pretty big (no boulders, though), and there are fields of them in some places.  The mud slide is particularly treacherous, as it consists of red clay mud, and occurs on a curve on which you would ordinarily be inclined to accelerate (and which does not allow motorists to see you coming wide around the turn).  The downhill from the Ta Tuan Mountain parking lot also had a few slick areas from rain runoff and rocks of varying size that had come down from the mountain.

 

The road to Starbucks suffered its usual landslides during the typhoon and there is a downed street lamp near the bus area.  Most of the debris had already been cleaned up when I got there this morning, but there is also a partially downed tree which is suspended over the road like a bridge.  It looked fairly stable for now, but you may want to exercise some caution when approaching it.

 

I am sure that most of the slides and vegetation blow-downs will be cleared in the next couple of days.  Those of you who plan to ride this weekend, though, may want to exercise some additional caution, particularly on your downhills.

 

Also - anyone who may have been thinking about a ride on the Kwantu-Tam Shui bike path should reconsider, as sections of the path generall remain flooded for up to a week after any typhoon.

 

Ride safe,

 

 

Bill Bryson

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YCC Riding Notes: Wet weekend or calm between storms? Watch the blog...

Hello cyclists (86 of you)!

I hear the Steves and Leon battled their way up past downed branches
for a ride to the Saddle the afternoon- hardcore cycling. Another 12
or so cyclists gathered Tuesday morning at 5 am in front of TAS-
again, it was great to see so many non-TASers out. The group split
into three different rides; I joined Alec, Dave and Craig for a flat
spin out past the incinerator along the coast. I can't say I'd want to
do that ride very often due to road conditions, smell and congestion,
but I appreciated learning a new route. I look forward to heading back
into the mountains next Tuesday morning!

I'm not sure what the weekend will hold weather-wise, but I'm planning
on meeting the speedy guys at TAS at 6:30 Saturday for a time trial of
some sorts (organized by Steve S.). I was also thinking of doing a
mellow ride out past the National Palace Museum Sunday at 1 pm with
some friends who hadn't ridden out that way before- anyone's welcome
to join me on that ride. I'll post the definite time
on http://taipeiycc.blogspot.com.

If you're riding and you'd like company, please consider posting to
the blog. To do it,  just send an email
to yangmingshan.taipeiycc@blogger.com with the post title in the message subject and the posting in the
message body.

The photo below is of a group of cyclists who headed out to Damshui
this past Saturday. Ginny Ford leads the group that meets each
Saturday morning at 6 am at TAS. Anyone is welcome to join their rides.

Hope to see you out in the hills!

Bill

Ride Tuesday, Aug. 30th 5 am

I will be out Tuesday morning at 5 am from TAS Main Gate. No
particular ride in mind. Satellites? Somewhere flat? I'm flexible...

-Bill O'B

YCC Riding Notes: Blog, early rides, the weekend and more

Hello cyclists!

Another wonderful week of riding. For me, it all started with a visit Sunday to the Dutch Territories over the back side of Helen's with tour guide Lucas. What amazing roads! Lucas led us up and down through bamboo forests, along creeks, past psycho dogs- with nary a house in sight. Leon, Steve and I agreed that the only thing that could have made the ride better would have been having Tom Hart there to appreciate the vistas. It was great to have Craig, Corey, Vicki and Jeff out there as well.

The early morning rides have been joined by masses of riders. At 5 am this morning, I counted around 11 or 12 women along with 7 or 8 men! Four rides headed out on different routes and at different paces- the ideal situation! There were a number of riders out Tuesday as well for the Satellites- nice to see so many non-TASers, too.

The Blog: taipeiycc.blogspot.com

Don't forget to bookmark http://taipeiycc.blogspot.com. Highlights from the past week include weekend and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday ride posts and a first-hand description of the Taipei bike paths.

If you'd like to post a ride or a message to the Taipei cycling community, just send an email to yangmingshan.taipeiycc@blogger.com with the post title in the message subject and the posting in the message body. 

Weekend Rides:

Bill Bryson is taking two beautiful and long rides this weekend, departing TAS at around 5 am each morning. He writes:

I am contemplating a 90-100k, 4-5 hour ride on Saturday.  Two possible

routes, but both end with a climb from Wan Li to the Helen's saddle (with

coffee at Helen's, if time permits - I have to be home before 1115), and

then the ride down to Tien Mou.  Route 1 (around 100k) is to ride through

Tam Shui and then take the coast road to Wan Li.  Route 2 (93-94k) is to

take the 101 (Bailaka) ride to the Saddle, then down to Chin Shan and over

to Wan Li.  Route 1 takes less time, but has only one downhill and much of

the coast road riding is likely to be into a moderate headwind.  Will

decide the route that morning.

On Sunday, I will be riding the Linkou Loop, which is a ride out to the

Linkou Power Plant on the coast road, and then a left turn onto 106, climb

up to Linkou and then come back down to the Coast Road on 120.  This ride

is 84k, with a moderate climb up 106. 

 

He welcomes company, but points out:

I don't mind company, though these are not novice rides.  Pace will be

moderate, and rest/rally stops will mainly be dedicated to re-filling water

bottles and (on Saturday's ride) munching energy bars.  Since Saturday and

Sunday are expected to be sunny and hot, that probably means up to three

stops on Saturday (depending upon the route taken) and one or two stops on

Sunday.  Sunglasses are a must, as a substantial amount of time will be

spent riding into the rising sun (particularly Sunday).

I'll be heading up to Helen's from TAS at 6 am Sunday. I plan on meeting Lucas there and riding out to the coast for a nice long 4 to 5 hour ride. I welcome company, even if only up Helen's, but as Bill says, it won't be a novice ride.

Look for other weekend rides posted to the blog.

Other Notes:

Aaron Gray writes:

PowerBar products are now available.

The PowerBar Beverage System, Energy gels and Protein replacement bars are in stock at the pool office.

Below is the price list per box.

Please check out information on the PowerBar range and suggested use here

Performance Bars        Vanilla, Cookies & Cream, Choc Peanut & Cream, Banana, Raspberry Cream       $920/Box of 12 (to be ordered approx 2 wks)

PowerGel                    Vanilla, Lemon-Lime, Tropical Fruit, Raspberry Cream                                                $1425/Box of 24

ProteinPlus                   Fudge Brownie, Peanut Butter                                                                                     $1120/Box of 12

Endurance                   Limon Lime (Pouch & Canister)                                                                                   $770 12xPouches, $1240/ Can

Recovery                     Orange (Pouch & Canister)                                                                                         $770 12xPouches, $1240/ Can

Kathy Cutler writes:

I have a TCR 1 for sale if you hear of anyone interested.  It is yellow, hardly ridden. Also have riding shoes and clips.

Brenda Huff writes:

If you’re interested in an online place to record your miles, etc. check out bikejournal.com.  Not only can you keep track of every little thing, but you can join in an active forum and “meet” cyclists from around the world.  

If you'd like to get in touch with any of the riders above, just email me and I can put you in contact...

See you out in the hills!

Bill

P.S. If the pattern of rain stops on Friday, I'll be doing a short TGIF spin from the TAS gate at 4:10 followed by a cool down in Wendell's Beer Garden.

5 am Ride Thursday, Aug. 25th

Great to see so many riders this morning at 5 am- 14 by my count and
two separate rides.

I'll be heading out from the TAS main gates at 5 am Thursday morning
for a ride up towards the Saddle. I expect to get back down the hill
by around 6:30 or so. Moderate pace on a road bike. Please come along.

-Bill O'B

Ride on Wednesday

I will be riding out to the Pali Incinerator (the first smokestack on the coast road heading out towards the airport) and back on Wednesday.  I will start riding from the TAS main gate at 0500.  Average speed for the ride will be around 30kph for 42.5k, so I expect to be back in Tien Mou before 0630.  No big hills on this one.  Anyone who wants to join is more than welcome.

 

Bill Bryson

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5:00 a.m. Thursday Ride for Women

It was great to see so many bikers Thursday morning.  Our next ride will be this Thursday at 5:00 a.m. in front of TAS.  We will have two riding options:

 

Beginners:  ride out to Tamshui

Intermediate:  ride up to Horse Stables

 

If you know of anyone else that may be interested in riding, please encourage them to join us.  See you Thursday!

 

Laura

 

 

5 am Ride Tuesday, Aug. 23rd

I'll be heading out from the TAS main gates at 5 am Tuesday morning
for a ride up to the Satellites. I expect to get back down the hill
by around 6:30- nothing too hard. Please come along...

-Bill O'B