10 Riders out on Bryson Ride

5 am, but the numbers keep growing. Curt met us at the Guang Du bridge this morning.

The Bryson Ride goes out Wednesday and Friday mornings at 5 am from TAS and returns by 6:30. Doesn't go if it's raining...

The Saturday Bryson Ride also departs at 5 am and returns after 100 km of riding along the coast.

All riders welcome!

Bill

Sign up for March 25th North Coast Race Now

The Taiwan Cyclist Federation has posted the application for the March 25th North Coast Race. The application and race information (in Chinese) is available here.

I will be signing up with Sean at his shop. The deadline is March 1st, but I believe Sean will be sending in entries before that. Cost is 500NT. You will need your ARC number to sign up. Categories are by age, and there is a separate mountain bike category. Here is a description of last year's race.

It should be a great race- a forgiving course and lots of enthusiastic riders. Hope to see you out there.

Bill

Weekend

Harry's rides (see previous post) sound great. Unfortunately, due to family commitments (as well as quite sore legs), my Saturday riding will be a bit less intense. I'm meeting Chris at 7 am for a leisurely hour or so ride out to Reed Point. We should be back to Tien Mu by 8:15. I will swing by TAS to see if anyone else is interested.

I'm not available until 1 pm Sunday, but I think I've convinced Rock, Chris and Leon to make Sunday our harder ride. We will be meeting at TAS then and deciding on the route from there.

Hope to see you out!

Bill

Weekend Rides

OK, it is time to explore a little away from the usual YMS haunts.

If there is anybody interested in a moderate ride about 80km or so, max altitude about
600m, in the hills near PingXi, I will be riding that way from 7 or 7:30 on Saturday.
Ample opportunity to paceline on rolling ground with not many cars. If you like, we can
meet at LiuZhangLi station, corner of Keelung and HePing streets at 7:00, or at Taipei
Zoo at 7:30, where there is lots of car parking. Anybody still keen can try the Tea
Ride, a short steep loop around MuZha hills, when we get back! (see Google Earth rides
list: PingXi-Mystery Road-Provincial 9 and Tea Ride)

Another option is the climb over GuanYinShan, meet at TAS or GuanDu Temple on Sunday at
noon or so. Any takers?

Harry

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9 Riders out on Bryson Ride

It may have been 5 am and cold, but Tracee, Joshua, Dave, Mike, Rock, Chris, Kate, Bill, and I enjoyed the spin out to Guangdu and up to the Starbucks/7-11. Dave drove in from Neihu to make it in time!

I believe Bill will be out again Friday at 5 am.

Come join us next week!

Bill

2007 Schedule: Revised!

Great rides this weekend: on Saturday Simon, Mike, Rock, Curt and I did the Sanjr-101 loop followed by coffee, and on Sunday Mike, Curt, Harry and I did the Temple Switchbacks followed by coffee. I'll be out Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday mornings, Saturday morning, and Sunday afternoon this week. Details on the weekend rides to come.

I saw on the Taiwan Cyclist Federation website this morning that the calendar of races has been updated. The schedule is here.

Roughly translated:

March 25th North Coast 60km (this year's race description here)
April 21st Tour of East Taiwan Day 1 120km (this year's race description here)
April 22nd Tour of East Taiwan Day 2 160km
May 26th Northeast Coast Gongliao Shuangsi 58km (this year's race description here)
June 23rd Ilan Time Trial Day 1
June 24th Taiping Shan Climb Day 2 23km (this year's race description here)
July 29th Giant Tour Race (seems to be a new race- can anyone give me a better translation?)
August 25th Ali Shan Climb 62km (this year's race description here)

So... the big news for now is that we have an extra three weeks of training before the first race.

Bill

Saturday and Sunday Rides

Great rides this week, although a little wet Wednesday and Thursday mornings. I don't know if I would have made it out if I wasn't meeting riding partners...

My weekend plans:

Saturday 7 am from TAS. I think I'll do the same ride as last Saturday: out to the coast to Sanjr and up the 101. We were back in three hours last week with a 7-11 stop. I'd love to do coffee at Starbucks in Yangmingshan if I can be home in time to get to my daughter's tumbling class at 11! Signed on so far: Rock, Simon and Mike.

Sunday 8 am from TAS. I'll do anything as long as I'm back by 10:30 or so.

Other rides that I know of:

Saturday 5 am from TAS on the Bryson Ride. 100 km out along the coast. This ride only goes if it's not raining, though.

Hope to see you out!

Bill

Ride Report

Great ride Saturday- Harry, Curt, Rock, Chris, Leon and I braved the wet and wind for a three hour jaunt around the coast road to Sanjr and up the 101. I used up all the hot water in my shower when I got home and I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the ride much on my own, but suffering, like misery, enjoys company. Glad I did it.

From what I hear, the Saturday Bryson ride was well attended, and I know Simon and Claus had a good spin in the morning. I heard that Karen and Brenda explored the bike paths lower down.

Sunday's ride was a bit more mellow. Leon and I showed Simon, Curt and Mike the Spider Hill loop. We were back for coffee at Starbucks in under two hours, but Mike and Simon continued back up the Satellites afterwards, as they had not yet used up their leave passes.

I'm out in the morning tomorrow with Chris, Rock and Mike. We're thinking of doing the Saddle. Dave says he'll join up for the Bryson ride Wednesday (5 am from TAS), and I'll think I can convince the guys to get out again Thursday morning.

My tentative plan for Saturday is 7 am from TAS. Simon said he could make it out, and I'm counting on Rock and Mike since Leon and Chris are traveling. I'm happy to go a bit later on Sunday. 8 or 9? I'll post a more definitive time closer to the weekend.

Let me know if you'd like to meet up for a morning or weekend road ride or post your own ride to the blog. It's a great time to be out in the hills!

Bill

Riding the Rollers- No Hands and One Leg

Brenda sent this video in:

http://teamchainreaction.com/video/hungerford/no_hands_1_leg.wmv

Off season balance practice!

Sat Jan 13 Ride

Claus and Simon will meet at 7:15 at TAS on Jan 13 - plan to ride along the coast and either go up 101 or Jinshan or back along coast depending on weather.

Weekend, Training, & Posting to the Blog

Weekend

It's great to be back. With long sleaves and leg warmers, the dry roads and chilly January mornings have made for some wonderful rides this week.

I'll be at TAS at 1 pm for a coast blast on Saturday. I think Chris, Rock, Curt and Leon will be there. We'll be back to Tien Mu by 4 pm. If it's nice, we may climb up to Yangmingshan, but if not, we'll stay low.

Bill Bryson is going on his coast ride departing TAS at 5 am on Saturday. I know some others are departing a bit later.

The plan for Sunday is a more mellow ride departing at 9 am from TAS. Perhaps Helen's?

Training

I've been out each morning this week. For the next while, I think I'll be doing the Wednesday Bryson Ride (5 am TAS) and Tuesday and Thursday 5:15 am from my house (with Chris, Rock, and/or Mike). Let me know if you'd like to join along. I'm aiming for the March 3rd North Coast Race.

I've run into other cyclists out in the morning- some on road bikes and others taking it a bit more mellow on mountain bikes.

Posting to the Blog

If you're looking for a training partner or just want to make a cycling related post, feel free to use this blog. To post, put the blog title in an email subject line, your post in the email body, and send to:

yangmingshan.taipei @ blogger.com

Most of my posts relate to road riding and local races, but the blog can be used for anything related to riding around Taipei.


Hope to see you out in the hills!

Large Jersey for Sale

When I was back in Maine this summer, I was impressed with the new kit being worn by the local Belfast Cycling Club. I ordered a jersey and a pair of socks, but unfortunately, I forgot that U.S. cycling gear tends to run a bit on the large size.




If anyone is interested in purchasing this size L jersey (never worn), you can have it for cost (1800 NT). I'll be ordering a M jersey for myself. If anyone else would like to add a jersey or a pair of socks (150 NT) to my order, just let me know.

Email me at obrien @ alumni . williams . edu.

Bill

2006 Club Championship Overall Results

The Taiwan Cyclist Federation recently announced their overall results from their Club Championship competition.

Leon with his 5th place overall trophy.

Local expats earned a few top ten age group placings. Despite missing one of the races due to summer holidays, Leon placed 2nd in M40 and a very impressive 5th overall (out of 1425 racers). Steve S. placed 3rd in M35 and 21st overall, although he only competed in three of the seven races. Bill also competed in three races and finished 10th in M35. Steve (Maximus) Reed raced in four races and finished 6th in M40.

Overall Results
Age Group Results

Races in Taiwan are well organized and the large fields contain riders of all ability levels. The 2007 racing season should be an exciting one with new riders Simon, Chris, Rock, Mike, and others expected to join the competitions.

See you out there!