Contrary to plan I have done relatively little riding this vacation. If you happen to see me on the road, don't remind me.
I started my vacation with the pleasure of riding with Wing, a visitor from Aussie/Hong Kong, who had chosen a pretty challenging route to circumvent the island.
I was able to meet Wing in Jhuolan and pilot him through Taichung to Bagua Shan, where I sent him on his way to Nantou.
Wing rides an exquisite custom steel Jim Bundy frame from the Bundy frame building family; one of the oldest frame makers in Australia. The three triangle design really sets it apart.
We swung by Caffe Terry on our way through Taichung.
Unfortunately, Wing came down with the flu and was unable to continue his ride. A few days later I too was leveled by a fever and congestion in my lungs.
Wing was a very capable rider and I hope he can return to Taiwan and make good on his plans. I would love to see someone do the round-island trip with a bit of flare, style and panache-- the hard way.
News:
- The 2013 NAHBS (North American Handmade Bicycle Show) will be on from Feb. 22-24. NAHBS is a great way to see what the imaginations of non-corporate designers can come up with. Sometimes the small builders can shake the industry.
- The legendary Dario Pegoretti teams up with some art students from Stuttgart in the name of charity.
- Tom's Bike Trip details one guest's experience on a government sponsored junket to ride Taiwan. Not a bad article, though I wish writers would quit using the false construct of parity between China and Taiwan. The idea that Taiwan is what China "could have looked like" is wishful ignorance at best, that ignores Taiwan's unique historical trajectory that traverses numerous state projects and the popular reaction to those projects. *sigh*
