2/8/09

Wow, what a short ride! I had planned on three hill repeats to Psycho Squirrel, but could only muster one climb halfway! Does the gearing on my Giant OCR 3 make that much difference compared to the gearing on my Fuji hybrid? Or maybe it was the 40 miles plus two hour walk I did yesterday that left me gasless today. Perhaps it was the Alley Cat calzone and Hagaan-Daz mango/passion fruit ice cream/Sprite float I made for dinner last night. Whatever it was, I did what I felt like, and then came on home. Still good to be out on the bike. The bus that nearly turned into me today missed me by more than the one two weeks ago. At least three inches!

What is it about Bicyclists?

Today I had a Chinese road biker pass me as I came off the bike path onto the road at the Guandu Temple. I was moseying along, he was cruising! I stepped on it, it took awhile, but I caught up to him and passed him as we were nearing the next bike path approach. He tucked in behind me and I led him up to where they had closed the path for a few feet to put in new plants. I didn't know what he was going to do, so I slowed up and pulled to the right. He slingshotted past me toward where I was headed in the first place.

Of course I sped up and caught him again. Right behind him up a small ramp. He stopped at the road he was going to cross, and as I went by on the road I was not going to cross, waves, smiles, and thank-yous sang out from both of us. That was FUN to "semi-race" a dude on a tricked out road bike...me on my Fuji hybrid.

2/1/09

Had me a good funk on, so I shook myself off, grabbed the bike and headed up. Up past the National Palace to Psycho Squirrel. Rested two minutes, then back down. (Max speed going down was 32.1 mph before I started hitting the brakes) And then back up one more time. I should have gone for three, but the bus and bike traffic had increased exponentially and I thought it prudent to take myself home. The one bus that semi-turned into me wasn't really THAT close. It missed me by at least two inches.

Fireworks

After listening to fireworks for what seemed like hours, I decided to look outside. Since they were sort of pretty, I used my digital camera to take a short video.

Busy Day at the Zoo

Ahhh, so this is why there were so many people at the zoo when I rode by yesterday:











Story from chinapost.com.tw
Giant panda enclosure opens to full house
Taipei, Taiwan -- The daily quota of visitors at the new giant pandas' enclosure was reached yesterday; three days after the endangered animals from China completed their quarantine, a Taipei Zoo official said yesterday.

All 22,000 tickets allotted for the day were snapped up within four hours after the zoo opened at 9:00 a.m., said Taipei Zoo manager Jason Yeh, who attributed the soaring number of visitors to yesterday's mild weather.

In the first two days after the Chinese New Year, fewer than 19,000 of the 22,000 slots were issued because of the rainy and chilly weather, he pointed out.

The male Tuan Tuan and female Yuan Yuan, both four years old, were seen wrestling and having fun playing with each other after breakfast.

Their enthusiastic interaction thrilled viewers, with some wondering if the endangered animals' frequent smelling of each other meant Yuan Yuan was in heat.

Yeh stressed that the animals were only playing with each other as giant female pandas are not usually in heat until March, and their typical mating period is between March and May.

According to the zoo, the two giant pandas sleep about 10 hours a day while eating for much of the rest of the day because of the low calorie content of bamboo. Bamboo is the staple of the animal that DNA tests suggest belongs to its own sub-family within the Ursidae, or bear, family.

Although the two giant pandas, named Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, arrived in Taiwan from Sichuan province in southwestern China on Dec. 23, they were not shown in public until Jan. 26, because they had to remain in quarantine for at least one month.

The arrival of the giant pandas triggered a media frenzy befitting the arrival of a major world leader or rock star, with many in Taiwan overcome with anticipation to see the chubby bamboo-eating animals.

To control an expected crush of visitors to the Taipei Zoo's giant panda pavilion, the zoo set a daily visitor quota to ensure that as many people as possible catch a glimpse of the animals.

The two giant pandas were a gift from Beijing that many critics said was part of its strategy to unify China and Taiwan. The combined name of the two pandas — Tuan Yuan — means reunion in Chinese.

Metric #2

Second metric for the year already! Headed back out toward the zoo, found a bike path that is newly finished, wasn't on the right part of it, so it dead-ended for me.

No worries, I got off onto the street, went toward the zoo, and chatted with three Chinese bikers who were headed to Maokong. I went that way for a bit, but then turned around and got onto a different bike path. It dead-ended, too, and once I got on the streets, I wasn't sure where I was, so I rode for about half an hour or so trying to find my way. I knew it was the wrong way when I saw the sign for Wulai and Ilan, so I turned around and found the Taipei sign. Kept on going the right way and eventually found my way back to exactly where I wanted to be.

It was a gorgeous day...blue sky, sun, warm enough to ditch both my jacket and arm warmers. Unfortunately the weather and Chinese New Year holiday brought many many bikers of all ages out to the bike paths. I decided to get off the path at the Grand Hotel and put up with street traffic the rest of the way home. This was a FUN metric!

This photo is of the Keelung River...pretty sparkly today with the sun out.



Here's the view I have of the Grand Hotel when I get off the bike path.

First Metric Century of 2009

It was a long time coming, but I finally got another 100 km today. It wasn't an easy day for a metric century...pretty chilly (for Taiwan) and darn blustery. I had winds coming at me from every direction, and at one point I could only muster 14.6 km an hour. That's slow even for a turtle like me.

Still, it was fantastic to get out on the bike and ignore all the weather forecasts that called for rain. I figured this was as good a day as any to stay out for hours. I should have eaten more, though. I started out with no breakfast, but stopped for some of Taiwan's famous healthy nuts and seeds that I had in my seat bag about 12 miles into my ride. After that, I stopped a few times for more nuts and portions of the Snickers Bar I had along with me.

The bike took me to the end of the Jingfu Bike path, a ride I haven't done in far too long. There have been a couple of new improvements to the path, which made it an even better ride than before. Since I knew my first goal of the day was to reach 80 km, I turned around at the end, rode back to one of the rivers, and turned left to head over to Guandu. Decided to stop at a convenience mart for more sustenance, then sat at the biker's rest area not too far from the temple.

As this is Chinese New Year's Eve, the temples can be pretty busy with people visiting. I was wondering why all the policemen were at the temple, and up and down the road, when I noticed a prison bus pulling in to the parking lot. When I left, two more buses had joined that one. I guess even prisoners are allowed a visit to a temple on this auspicious day.

Once I left the temple, I knew just heading back on the bike path wouldn't garner me my 100 km, so I traveled up and down the roads in Tienmu a bit until I made my goal. Now I just need to hit 5 more metric centuries for my 2009 goal.

Album from Photobucket

Year of the Ox

Well, Happy Chinese New Year! The year of the ox is blowing in heartily here in Taipei with very high winds that will keep me off the bike today. I really was hoping for a nice long 50 miler today to get my first half-century in. Maybe tomorrow.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2009 is the Year of the Ox. The Ox, or the Buffalo sign symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. Those born under the influence of the Ox or Buffalo are fortunate to be stable and persevering. The typical Ox is a tolerant person with strong character. Not many people could equal the resolution and fearlessness that the Ox exhibits when deciding to accomplish a task. Ox people work hard without complaints at work or at home. They know that they will succeed through hard work and sustained efforts, and do not believe in get-rich-quick schemes. (information freely lifted from some internet site, so it must be true)

I am not an ox, but I do have a few of the characteristics...since I've tried a few get rich quick schemes...I know they never work. Wish I didn't complain as much as I do, that's something I continually need to work on.

Huh...our newly elected president, BO, is an Ox. Hooray for us. (insert sarcasm icon here) Here is a complete description of the Ox characteristics:

The Sign of the Ox

Invariably solid and dependable, Ox people are excellent organizers. Oxen are systematic in their approach to every task they undertake. They are not easily influenced by other's ideas. Loyalty is a part of their make-up, but if deceived they will not forget. Oxen do not appear to be imaginative though they are capable of good ideas. Although not demonstrative or the most exciting people romantically, they are entirely dependable, and make devoted parents. Oxen are renowned for their patience, but it has its limits - once roused, their temper is a sight to behold.

People born under the sign of the Ox or Buffalo usually have strong codes and work ethics. This can lead to a tendency to be a workaholic, and they should make an effort to relax more. Ox people are usually strong and robust, and according to ancient wisdom, they should be blessed with long lives.

The Ox home is his castle where he finds relaxation and peace from the everyday hustle and bustle of his career or responsibilities. He also enjoys spending much time in planting gardens and trees. He generally prefers to decorate his home comfortably with nature colors.

Able, ethical and aware, co-workers of the Ox can depend on their eyes for details. Because they are so well-organized, they are better-suited for specialized positions and prefer to work in large companies. They work best when they work alone since they can be unhappy when participating in a large group.

Last Ride of 2008

I love the fact that I was able to ride outside yesterday and today in Nebraska, in December. Really lucked out with the weather, considering how frigid it was a short week ago. It was 46 degrees today...very nice! Today I went out with Robert, my former high school shop teacher. Over 65, he rides me into the dust. I went from my house to Hwy 47, met him, then we turned left just past Thirty Mile Canal, or what we call the south route. Rode to Jim and Dee's (Jim is my former high school English teacher), chatted with them for a bit, then headed back home. We had some wind out of the East, which slowed me down, but it wasn't nearly as bad as what I rode against yesterday.

I had my camera, but didn't take any pictures. Nebraska isn't all that pretty in the winter, although the blue sky would have turned out nice. The friendly folks here more than make up for the lack of scenery. I had one jerk honk at me as I approached the interstate bridge, but he was from out of state. All the other (maybe fewer than 20) drivers were their normal friendly selves, waving and giving us plenty of room. I love riding here. I love being here. Summer is only five months away and I'll get to enjoy the riding again. This time, with both Bob and Jim, as Jim and Dee are moving back permanently after they retire from teaching in California this year.

Time to add some pictures

Here's a great sign alongside the bike path...which is once again full of construction:



I'm thinking this may be my next bike style:



Ah yes, some of the better scenery in Taipei. Wonder what property rates are in this neighborhood?



Now some real beauty...

Home For Christmas!

Although travel during the holidays borders on nightmarish, it is still wonderful to be back in my own house for Christmas. Even with temperatures ridiculously low! I'm a wuss now when it comes to driving in the winter, so I haven't even ventured out to the grocery store. I think I'll head that way sometime today, though, so I can look at all the new goodies I don't get in Taiwan.

I was hoping to get in one outdoor bike ride, but the weather looks like it's going to keep me inside. Guess I'd better dust off the rollers, trudge out to the garage for my bike, and set everything up somewhere. Maybe the basement...that way it'll be out of the way if I decide to actually get some sewing done. No tv downstairs, but my iPod Shuffle should do the job of keeping me entertained while I try to stay upright. I think I'll take the resistance band off the rollers so I can just spin. Miles no longer matter that much to me, and I'd like to be able to stay on the bike long enough to get a good sweat. We'll see how lazy I'll be today and the next week and a half.

12/14/08

This was a solo Sunday am, congratulations I am done with report cards ride. Should have stayed out longer, but it was nice to go out to the wharf and back and be able to enjoy the rest of my day. I do still need to proofread my comments one more time and probably will need to make some minor corrections. And I need to prepare information for the K-12 math task force meeting tomorrow as well, so I don't get to sit around on my keister all day long. Anyway, the ride was uneventful, the bike path wasn't even crowded with people. This looks to be my last Taipei ride for 2008, since I head to the states on Friday, and most likely won't get out before or after school before I leave.

Have I said recently how much I like my new Fuji????

It's Official

The golden handcuffs are tightly locked on my wrists and ankles. TAS gets me for one more well-paid year.

Surprising Sight

So, a few weeks ago I was biking along a road beside the bike path, when I was dumbstruck by the sight of this little piggy. There is a family of these critters who live in Tanshui, but I was miles away from there. I wonder if this little piggy lives at the horse stables and just got away?

New Fuji

Finally got out for a bike ride today on the new bike. So far I like it a lot.

New Bike November 8, 2009

Just walked my new 2009 Fuji Absolute 1.0 home in the rain. Pictures to follow another day. It feels strange to have a bike brand other than Giant, but this looks to be a very excellent bike. And James, co-owner of the bike shop with his brother, was most helpful and had much better customer service than my local Giant shop. Had I purchased this bike in the states, I'd have definitely spent much more money. Now I hope the rain goes away so I can go get it dirty with a bunch of road grime tomorrow.

November 2, 2008

Note to self...until it cools off, don't go out riding in the blazing sun at 10:30 in the morning. Had to make it a short ride because I felt every degree today. The temperature was 90 degrees, humidity 55%, so the real feel temperature was 96 freaking degrees. Dang, dang, and dang...last year at this time it was high 60's-low 70's. I did still "enjoy" being out on the bike, especially because the air was crystal clear, which made for a very pretty ride. I decided to take a few odd photos, though...mostly the undersides of a few bridges and freeways that are above the bike path.

November 1, 2008

Solo Saturday since Karen is due to take off on her Starship trip sometime this morning. The road bike decided to take me up to Four Corners via Peitou. Man, I have not done hills for a long, long time. And with God as my training partner again, it was a tough little climb for me. Going up via Peitou is about 5 miles, all a gradual to not-so-gradual uphill. I didn't stop and rest going up, although I thought about it a few times when the wind blasted me as I rounded some of the corners. It was a nice accomplishment once I arrived at Four Corners. It was also sweet, because I passed four bikers also heading up the hill. Usually I am the one getting passed.

Had a bit of a break, then went down, this time via Cherry Hill. This way has much more of an incline, plus it is a shorter distance to the bottom. I actually stopped going down to give my braking hands a break. Once I got to the bottom of the hill, I just rode around on the streets for awhile. Short ride, but a pretty good workout. Doesn't get much better than this.

October 26, 2008

Oh, what a fun morning solo ride. Wasn't sure where I wanted to go, so the newly tubed road bike led me to the bike path, over the bridge, then right toward Daijia Wharf. I just missed the end of a fun run, which was good, because there were tons of people, but not like there would have been in the middle of the run.

Got onto the smooth part of the path and over at the wharf they were setting up rental bikes and very colorful canoes. Got off to watch for awhile, realized nothing was going to happen for an hour, so I rode on. When I came back, there was just 20 minutes to wait, so I hung around. Took some pictures, chatted with a young family whose kids had not been afraid to say hello to a foreigner. Finally, the loudspeaker announced it was time for the festivities to begin. Well, I guess that's what it said.

Probably 20 people were instructed in how to use the paddles, outfitted with life vests, and proceeded to get into their canoes and paddle off down the river. Fun to watch. (especially the Fire Department guys)