Never Say Never: Never Stop Wuling Hill Climb 2014

It was two thirty in the morning and I was wide awake stuffing my face with a peanut butter-honey-raisin-banana sandwich. How's that for the beginning of a blog post? 

Once again, I was signed up to do the Never Stop Wuling Hill Climb; a quad-snapping ascent to 3275m. over the highest mountain pass in East Asia. I have done this ride before, but never as disastrously epic as this one.  

 

I joined with Team Mosaic and met at the T-Mosaic store on Taichung's Liming Rd. It had been a while since I last rode with Mosaic and I was missing several of the familiar faces I had grown accustomed to racing with. 

By half-past three we were on a mini-bus headed down the freeway toward Puli, where the race was set to begin.



The last time I rode this race, I finished in pretty good time despite not taking things too seriously and taking lots of pictures along the way. That race was also going to be my last Wuling race as the organisers had flooded the course with over 6000 riders and another thousand unregistered riders who had come to join the circus. 

That day ended with dangerous traffic jams near the finish and awful delays on the return trip. This time was much better. The race was pared down to only about 1200 riders with delayed starts by age group. This was also my first race in the 40-45 age bracket. 

The riders all milled around trying to be all Cool Hand Luke while preening with the latest, lightest and newest gear. 

I was especially impressed with Team Poo. I can only imagine how their day went (Insert string of obvious puns here). 



The starting pistol sounded over some awful roadside hip hop and I was underway. The first time in a long time. 

I spun easily all along the flatter introduction to Taiwan's Central Mountain Range. y legs felt fine, despite being insane enough to make another attempt on this mountain with a 53/39 crank. Well...it worked before....

One of the highlights came when a group of about twenty ancient baddasses in the "Over 45" bracket came roaring by in a blazing train of fury and spite. It was obvious that being pushed to the back to make way for the young guns had rubbed a few in this group the wrong way and they were going to put the hurt on some young hotshot further up the mountain. Don't mess with experience. 



I made ground on the first real ascent up to Wushe, but lost it just as fast when I couldn't shake the cramp in my left calf. I surrendered and pulled into the Wushe 7-11 to stock up on liquids. You see, I had been sipping on water that had been sitting in my bottles for almost a week. I had erroneously assumed we would be stopping at a 7-11 before the race...just like before. Nope! We simply went to the middle of nowhere and waited. 

With water bottles filled with something better than brackish water and a good stretch, I was back on the road. With a 39-tooth crank, I couldn't help but make time, despite being overmatched for my level of fitness and training. I did briefly consider ditching the race at Wushe and heading off for a lovely ride down the Route 88 to Wujie, but pride kept me in the saddle on a course set for the top. 



It was all pretty ho-hum up the lower ramps, which is where suddenly, in the middle of the pack, the ride turns into a grunting crawl. The action is so slow that a heavy cloud of B.O. lingers over the roadway making for an unpleasant climb if you are anywhere within 10 meters of another rider. All that stank just hangs there and you are unable to move away fast enough. 

I skipped over the lower water and feed stations feeling pretty good on my morning while making time calculations based on elevation and memory. 



Left and right riders were stopping to stretch, rest, pee or smoke. The 7-11 proved to be a popular hang out for many riders who were lacking the energy to continue. 



I felt some fatigue, but I was still climbing at a pretty good pace-- good enough for a respectable time. The views were staggering. I had been preparing for a day of clouds and sprinkles, but the sky was crystal clear. 



The open view of the ridge line is a heart breaker. 



The torture was enough to elicit an unfriendly gesture (in the UK) from some participants as I snapped photos on my way up. 



I had passed 2000 meters and it was almost as if someone had instantly pulled out my batteries. 



I needed to stop and stretch my back...then my hamstrings...then my calves.



I was grinding up the hill on old muscles; muscles that had been built up years before, but nothing new. I had no endurance and kept wondering how much longer it was going to take. 



I thought about calling it a day and letting the team know I would be waiting for them in Ching-jing or Puli or Taichung. Still I kept grinding upward. "It is the altitude fucking with you", I kept telling myself over and over again. Hell, it probably was. 



I knew the team bus was waiting in Kun-yang. If I could only get to Kun-yang I could accept my defeat and declare a DNF. 



I knew my time was well beyond disappointing for a competitor like myself. I watched larger and then smaller waves of riders slip on past up the mountain and I was a touch jealous at the ease in which they were able to climb. 



Te first riders started dropping from Wuling with their time certificates in hand, while I was still well below the death ramps of Kun-yang.



The roadside carnage was mounting as the shoulder began to fill with hobbling and disabled riders. 



I stopped to rest and snap a few pictures. I figured a few more minutes wouldn't make that much of a difference at that point, so I might as well record it. 



Just under Kun-yang the road lifts up like the rungs of a ladder-- one lane stacked upon the next. 



On the last ramp to the Kun-yang parking lot, I was forced to hike. Yes, I was walking my bike up the penultimate ramp on the mountain. 

For my teammates this was the ultimate vision of absurdity. After I had finished at the front of just about every other clime we had done together, I was suddenly the picture of futility and defeat... almost. 

They delighted, this one time, in my moment of painful despair and I played along with it because I knew better. It is a sight I hope they can chew on and enjoy for a little while. 

I almost put my bike down and for the day... but that is not what I am about. I could see the finish line within a kilometer up ahead, so clenched my jaw and slung my leg back over the seat with the deep tightness in my muscles pulling my body apart. 



It was a slow grind up the final ramps before the road levelled off at the finish line. 



The clouds that had been threatening the ride all morning had finally pulled a foggy hood over the pass and the temperatures dropped. 



Riders were milling around, taking pictures with the famous sign, smoking, and some were even tang in some extra oxygen. My final score was a lowly 5hr and 50min.



I was lucky. I had made it. There was one fatality on the day as one 33yo. rider succumbed to cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead later in the afternoon.



While my team and other riders who know me or have followed my riding when I have been healthy, might make light of my less than impressive time, I sorely rode away with the victory I had been looking for. 

Almost one year ago I was unable to climb out of bed. I could barely walk let alone stand for any more than five minutes. I was in a state of excruciating pain for over three solid weeks and constant pain for the better part of a year. I was forced to give p all forms of exercise for eight months and even wondered if I would ever be able to ride a bike again with or without pain. 

I have been slowly training my body back into shape. This all happened at the worst possible time in my life to get back into shape, but now that I have put this mountain beneath me, I don't see any reason why I can't continue to train and bring myself back to where I was at my peak. 

My team is already on notice: Next Year!

TYA 650c: A New Taiwanese Bicycle Brand That Wears Taiwan On Its Sleeve

For the past decade there has been plenty of ink spilled and pixels pushed documenting and praising Taiwan's emergence as the world's center for bicycle production. International and domestic publications are quick to mention some of the larger manufacturers that produce high-end bicycles from factory complexes in both Taiwan and China. The focus has been mainly on composite "state of the art" racing bicycles that put a marketing premium on the concepts of "stiffness"and "aggressive" geometries. 

With Taipei Cycle scheduled for March 20-23, we will undoubtedly be inundated with a barrage of  pseudoscientific sales jargon hand crafted by marketing teams with the purpose of selling a technology that is over 100 years old. 

On the fringe of the exposition at the Nangang Exhibition Hall are several of the smaller players hoping to catch the eye of the discerning brand developer, consumer or enthusiast. 

At the 2013 Taipei Cycle I would like to direct a little attention toward one little company that is looking to grow and thrive in the gaps of sunshine between the shadows of industry titans through a fine focus on some of the basic elements of what makes a memorable cycling experience. 

At this year's expo the TYA Bicycle Company will be introducing three new models of their steel framed bicycles that use the 650c sized wheels. 



TYA Bicycles and its sister company TYALU were founded by Rocky Huang, the owner and operator of T-Mosaic Cycles where I usually have my bikes built, tuned and occasionally repaired. 

For the past three years or more I have watched TYA move from drawings and basic ideas to a stream of prototype after unpainted prototype. As a regular rider and competitor, Rocky brings his experience on the bike and behind the wrench to TYA design. I have spoken to Rocky on countless occasions on the topics of fit, materials, geometry and design aesthetic. 

Rocky is not only an experienced rider, but he has studied biomechanics and design, coming to bicycles from the world of advertising. As a cycling enthusiast, Rocky gives a nod to the classic steel bikes from the era of Maertens, De Vlaeminck, and Merckx in the lugged styling and steel tubing of the TYA. 

These TYA bikes are certainly coming at a great time as Taiwanese riders are becoming more discerning in their choice of bicycle rather than simply choosing the cheapest model from the Giant sales floor or the one with the virtue of being the most expensive. Taiwanese riders are becoming more versed in international cycling culture and are looking for a greater variety of bicycles to fit their needs. It is an interesting phenomenon to watch the cycling culture in Taiwan evolve and mature. 

The TYA can also hold the distinction and pride of being a bike that wears its Taiwanese roots with pride rather than obscuring its origin through tricky labeling loopholes. 

The badge is crafted in the shape of two Taiwans in mirror image. 



The TYA is not an all-out race bike and therefore makes no pretense of being a menace on the crit circuit. Instead the TYA is designed as a balanced road bike, offering lively and comfortable ride characteristics by maximizing the timeless benefits of ChroMo steel. Not every bike needs to win races. Some bikes just have to ride worth a damn. 

The choice of 650c wheels was aimed at smaller Asian riders who often have trouble finding appropriately sized bikes with 700c wheels. There are other benefits with an increased low range and less rotating weight for climbers. 

In Taiwan it is often difficult to find a decent steel framed bike in the first place. Very few offerings in the bike shops cater to riders who don't want to race, so this is a refreshing addition to the other available frames. 



Here at Taiwan in Cycles I have received numerous emails from riders looking for a steel framed tourer or light tourer with the purpose of exploring Taiwan's amazing landscape. There are some models by Surly and Salsa sold through a few select QBP dealers, but it can often take as long as 6 months to receive a bike. 

TYA is now offering both a Cyclocross/Light Touring frame, and a dedicated touring model complete with rack and fender mounts and cantilever brake bosses. 

Both of these bikes would be excellent for the rider who would like to cruise the highways or hillsides where the pavement is less regularly repaired if it exists at all. There are still some sections of gravel road in the foothills. These would also make excellent regular commuters. Both bikes bring the durability of steel as well as the ability to mount wider touring tires to better support a bike under load. The cyclocross frame could also be fitted with off-road tires to mix it up off-road.

For true classics lovers, the TYA is built with the versatility to support downtube shifters (remember those?). 



The new line of TYA bikes is a welcome change in a market that is increasingly saturated with composites, and there may be more on offer shortly. According to Rocky Huang at TYA, he is experimenting with both lugged and Tig welded frames. He has options for butted and straight gauge tubing and there may even be a 700c model on the horizon. It is still too early to tell how these ventures will evolve. 



TYA is offering a build package around each frame set. Details of builds and geometries can be found at the TYA website. 



TYA also has a sister brand that is trying to fill the gap left in the market for an alloy TT/Tri bike with aero tubing in a similar vein as the popular Cervelo S1. Alloy frames are still excellent for racing but have lost out in the market to the composite frames that allow companies to take advantage of the higher profit margins of composites. 



TYA and TYALU will have test bikes available at the Nangang Exhibition Hall for riders to try. I highly recommend stopping by the booth at O0035 to pay Rocky and his crew a visit. He has some very interesting things going on and it might be worthwhile to pull yourself away from the plastic toys to remember why steel is still such an amazing material for the modern bicycle.

These are bikes developed and created by Taiwanese cycling enthusiasts for riders who share their passion.  

Hot and Cold: The Last Ride of 2012

With a four day weekend in observation of the "American New Year" holiday (If you don't like that, then replace the term Chinese New Year with Lunar New Year... grrrr!), I had a little time to join the folks at T-Mosaic for their annual Taichung to Kenting ride. 

Each year I have had to give it a miss due to work or other obligations. This time I was all ready to go. 

Usually, I ride with smaller groups or by myself. It gives you a little more flexibility to plan and change plans as the situation dictates. On the other side of the coin, traveling with a larger, organized group allows for someone else to make all the necessary arrangements with lodging, food and support services. I wasn't burdened under the weight of a pack full of "what-ifs". Aside from the logistics planning, Mosaic provided a support van and support scooter linked by radio to help us smoothly negotiate our route and provide traffic control where we needed it. It was a welcome change from my usual battle against the elements; both natural and manmade. 

The latest weather reports had a storm-front moving in with a strong wind advisory and a chance of cold, rainy weather.

We all gathered at T-Mosaic dressed for a cutting wind and a biting chill. Riders were practically mummified in weather protection.



As the white sunlight baked us like buttered croissants, the team quickly stripped off any unnecessary clothing and threw it in the back of the support van to enjoy the rest of the morning in relative comfort.



The ride was to be a two-day event covering the approximately 320km (200mi) between Taichung and  the Ouluanpi Lighthouse in Kenting. A couple years ago this would have been a training ride without any mountains to climb or times to beat. This year, I have seen my training time drop from three or four rides per week, to three or four rides per month. I was a little worried how I might fare on back to back centuries. My last century was back in early November and I had hardly done much riding since. There were a couple of weeks where I missed riding completely. Not exactly a recipe for success. I feel as though I still have the muscle, but not the gas to do the really big rides.

As I pedaled at an even pace with Dom, an excellent rider and friend, I kept wondering in the back of my mind how long I could keep it up.

With the wind against our backs I was enjoying a bit of speed through the flats of Changhua.



As we neared the town of Hsiluo, I had been excited to cross the Great Hsiluo Bridge. It is always a thrill, and as a route advisor for this trip, I hoped to take the team across the bridge for a fuel stop in Hsiluo before picking up the gloriously expedient Route 145.



One thing about riding with T-Mosaic is that they ride some really nice bikes, some on the highest edge of the price scale (Mr. Wang, I am talking about you). There is always lots of interesting cycling opinions represented in molded carbon, lugged steel, titanium and aluminum. For this group, Campy still holds sway.



We topped off the tank and then spun a brisk pace toward the former agricultural hub of Huwei.



The whole area has a rural flavor. This former stronghold of Hoanya indigenes has become, in effect, Taiwan's heartland, where farming and folk traditions still resonate with the locals.



This is the Iowa of Taiwan. Kilometer after flat kilometer pass by fields and farms. The whole area reeks of pig shit, but there is little traffic and even fewer traffic lights compared with more popular roads. It is easy to simply put the legs into cruise control and eat up the kilometers between jokes, stories and opinions that flow as freely as a bike on an empty stretch of asphalt.



Around Tuku we left the wider Route 145, in favor of the spaghetti-like strand of the 145甲.



The 145甲 is a lot of fun, if you have the time and patience to follow its curves through the hidden lanes and fields of Taiwan's farm country. Often, I am simply trying to get from one place to another and I don't go out of my way to enjoy these little gems. I have to admit, it really made the ride a bit more interesting. When you lave the luxury of time and the legs to risk a wrong turn or two, this is a nice little route.



Our group stretched out into the sunlight as we all settled into our comfortable speeds, while trying to do our best to pull or draft one another. With so little distance in my legs this year, I was happy to avoid much pulling.



The 145甲 becomes the Route 157 and leads to the town of Hsingang; a town most famous for its Mazu temple and the site of the destination for the famous pilgrimage from the sister temple in Dajia, near Taichung.



It was also time to eat again, so we loaded up on duck noodle soup.



Not too much further down the road, Cash, our scooter support driver, pulled us off the road to wait for some of the other team members who had become delayed and strung out over the route.



You'd have thought the circus had arrived in town. The family of the small grocery all came out to see a group of aliens who had arrived on some type of whirligig that moves when you turn your feet. Before long the children withdrew to make hushed commentary on the foreign devils with our large noses, round eyes and overall barbarian ugliness. Then they tried to bring the neighbors out for a look. It was uncomfortable to say the least. Though, to Taiwan's credit, you have to work your way a lot further out of the city limits to encounter this type of direct objectification. In town the sleights are a lot more subtle. 



Our rest lasted about 15 minutes too long and I was happy to keep my legs warm on the Route 157 to the Route 161.



After a little more meandering about the countryside, we arrived at the coast and the Highway 17. Although coastal highways are supposed to be beautiful, most of Highway 17 is a blight. Luckily we bypassed most of the coastal wasteland that sits to the south of Mailiao and could enjoy the nicer stretch around Budai. 






One real nice thing about riding in Taiwan is the instant community of cyclists. As we curved through an overpass, we met a lone rider who was surveying the scenery. Catherine was from Taipei and she was astride a gorgeous titanium Rikulau. We asked her to join, and she plodded along with us until Beimen. I chatted with Catherine briefly and she was an avid cyclist with a love for titanium bikes. You never know who you'll meet on the roads. 




The afternoon sun beat down on us like hammer blows. I couldn't believe it was the end of December. So much for forecasts. I was happy to have a blazingly hot day in the bag than to have to think about water sloshing between my heel and toe in a steady, chilling drizzle. 



We crossed into Tainan and the day seemed to shift into slow motion. 



We were all pretty beat from the day's ride and it was getting damned near close to dinner time. We hugged the Tainan Route 15 through the golden marshlands near Luer Men; the former sand spit that at one time held the seat of the Dutch colony on Taiwan.

The area is calm and relaxing. We were all eager to take it down a notch and slide into town for some carbs to restock the reserves. 





Our first day had been a magnificent ride through Taiwan's bread basket and I had survived. All evening I sat with an uneasy feeling thinking about having to do it all over again the next day. A one-off century was survivable, but two in a row could be a disaster for me and my out of shape legs. 








After a night of loading up on beer carbs, I was a bit dehydrated for the day ahead. Moreover, like a bad house guest, the foul weather we had been promised had arrived after we had all gone to bed, and was promising to stay several days too long. 



We left Tainan City and were negotiating Kaohsiung City traffic within the hour. It seemed Kaohsiung would never end. The overcast skies made the day seem perpetually morning. As we edged nearer to the outskirts of town,occasional droplets of precipitation would lick across my face and sun glasses. 

The temperatures were also much chillier. It was one of those days when every twenty minutes the body calls out for a pee break in the cold. 



As we stopped at one 7-11 in Fangliao, I noticed the unmistakable concrete torii of a Sinto shrine dating from the 1930's when Taiwan was a Japanese colony. 



The concrete lanterns had been removed; probably sold. But the modernist torii and arced bridge lay intact .



At the end of the road sat one of the most remarkable shrines I have seen in Taiwan. It has just been sitting for all these years, neglected, but largely undisturbed. These shrines and other examples of Japanese colonial legacy can be found scattered all over Taiwan. They are often hidden by the insecurities of more recent colonial projects, but many have failed to be erased completely.




For me, it was the highlight of a day that would get more complicated and less comfortable. 




Just as we left Fangliao a steady rain began to fall. During the entire trip I was at the front of the group with two or three other riders. The faster pace was taking its toll, and the weather was now insulting my family for a thousand generations. 




The usually glistening seascape was a muted swirl of grey and fog. I could barely see through my fogged up lenses. We marched up each rolling hill with a little more ferocity and a little less energy from calories and more coming from pure grit, anger or dread. 



Our plans had changed on account of the weather. Besides, we were tired. Instead of cycling around the Kenting National Park to avoid the throngs of tourists, we decided to just go straight through. 

By Che Cheng, my legs were burning a bit too hot after eating a few rollers, I didn't have much more left in me. 



By the home stretch Dom and I elected to pull back a little bit. After being followed by a car in the bike/scooter lane for a kilometer, I finally pulled off for one last 7-11 pee break and to collect myself for one final attack. 



We threw ourselves against the miserable hills that stair step up to Kenting Street. The rain has soaked me all the way down to my I Just Don't Give A Damn. 

We evaded Kenting Street along a sneaky back road, and with a kilometer to go, were hit by the most savage crosswind. I pulled up without the energy to fight through with my shoulders down. 



With a handful of seconds between us, Dom and I reached Ouluanbi Lighthouse at the perfect moment to get off the bikes. 

Before too long the rest of the riders arrived out of the drizzle and haze. 

We were driven to some nearby showers before being dropped off for eats. We were all tired, soaked and hungry, but we were also happy to have completed our trip. It made getting out of the elements that much sweeter.

 A very memorable end to 2012, indeed. 

Thanks to Rocky, Cash, Hsiao Lan, and the rest of T-Mosaic for making this ride happen. 

Happy New Year!!!!

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