Dakeng Scenic Area: Afternoon Riding

Not all of my rides need to be of epic length to be fun and fulfilling. Today I took my wife on a great little training ride that was short, but no less fun. We rode out to the back roads of the Dakeng Scenic Area for a little climbing practice and a little bike time.

From the edge of Taichung city we took Tai Yuan Rd. out toward the mountains. The local elections are a week away and the roads were filled with posters and those slow moving campaign cars that yell at you as you pass and then bombard you with "nostalgic" tunes of yore. Several candidates have been featured astride their bikes pitching green initiatives and bicycle culture.

Although Tai Yuan Rd. is labeled a "bike path", and is a favorite for local cyclists with its wide shoulders and shady trees, the path leaves much to be desired. The bike path actually navigates some very dangerous areas, and at one point suddenly jumps the curb onto the sidewalk. These design problems plague Taiwan's bicycle routes.

As we approached the local golf course, we hung a left to start our ascent into the Dakeng Scenic Area.

The whole area is a labyrinth of narrow farm roads, which are ideal for cycling. We saw dozens of riders out to enjoy the sunshine.

The climb is a moderate grade and we just enjoyed the greater degree of difficulty. Joyce handled it with aplomb. I have never seen her "enjoy" hills. This is where cycling love really takes off... on the hills. You hate them until you love them to the point where you can't live without them.

The whole area is just one quiet corner after another.

We continued toward the Chiang-kai Sheck campground as we neared out 1300ft. ceiling.

The area is especially important to me and evokes a whole range of feelings. When I first arrived in 1998, the Dakeng area was my first major "discovery" as I took my motorcycle out of town to get lost. I was so surprised to find "nature" in a country I had written off as being an industrial wasteland, even before I set foot on Formosa.

Several months later I toured the area in shock as I inspected the damage from the great 921 earthquake. This is where I saw real damage, naked cliffs and my first real human body. It was frightening and has continued to resonate with me. It is always nice to return to see the area recovered and naturally tranquil.

From the top we could look out over the rippled hills in the glowing haze of late afternoon.

The whole area has grown into a haven for cyclists, and thus it is only expected that cycling infrastructure should follow. A rest stop (club house) and adjacent cycling swag stand were located right at the peak to be of service as riders arrived and departed.

As we were about to leave, we were spotted by one of my readers. She is a 58 year-old rider who bought herself a Colnago C-50 for her 50th birthday as a treat and commitment to her health. She is a fantastic climber and adventurous rider. One of my cycling heroes.

I highly recommend this route for beginners or riders who want to get a quick ride in without having to go too far outside the city.

Furthermore, I was very pleased with my wife's progress. You know you're with the right person when, despite being together for many years, they continue to grow, change and surprise you... and all you can do is hope to reciprocate. I am simply thrilled to hear my wife talk about her cycling. It is just one more dimension that adds depth and nuance to this wonderful woman.

What a great afternoon ride!

Also:

Ernesto Colnago, the father of the brand that bears his name, was in Taiwan for two days and paid the folks at T-Mosaic (my LBS) a little visit.

New Research May Lead To Better Cycling Routes in Taiwan

A recent paper published by two researchers from Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University seeks to improve infrastructure planning around popular cycling routes in Taiwan. The researchers analyzed survey data that divided riders by frequency (ability) and evaluated their calculous in choosing routes.

One major problem with the cycling routes the government has plotted around Taiwan has been the manner in which the routes are designed and allocated. Taiwan's cycling routes are often designed without consulting the community the routes are supposed to serve, and often lack many of the features that cyclists look for when choosing routes. Routes are designed in a top-down manner in which the central and local government mandates a route and it is built (often with political considerations in mind).

Another problem is the complete disorganization of cycling advocacy in Taiwan. There are few, if any, organized cycling advocacy groups the government can turn to for advice. It is not surprising in light of Taiwan's recent political history that Taiwan's cyclists avoid joining cycling advocacy groups that could act as a political force or may cross existing lines of political affiliation.

Click on the title for the full paper or simply read the conclusion at the bottom:

Estimating recreational cyclists’

preference on bicycle route facility

-Evidence from Taiwan

Ching-Fu Chen ,National Cheng Kung University

Pei-Chun Chen ,National Cheng Kung University

"CONCLUSION

This paper analyses recreational cyclists’ preference for attributes of bicycle route

facility in Taiwan. The SP method was conducted in which recreational cyclists were

asked to state their choice from three unlabelled bicycle routes’ alternatives on the

basis of their attributes. Choice modeling was applied to the collected data and

recreational cyclists’ preferences for each attribute are estimated. This study used

MNL model which include facility attributes and ASC interaction with recreational

specialization dimensions; the model captures the systematic heterogeneity in

recreational cyclists’ preference. Subsequently, LCM is used to account for

heterogeneity in the preference of bicycle route and facility attributes.

Empirical MNL results indicate that recreational cyclists prefer bicycle routes with

attraction along the route, basic facilities including toilet and simple maintain

equipment, tourist information center, and bike path. In addition, recreational cyclists

who have frequent participation in cycling are more likely to prefer bike route. For the

frequent recreational cyclist, bike route can provide diverse experience. Recreational

cyclists who take long time in cycling are likely to prefer restaurant service, and low

cognitive level in recreational specialization cyclists are more likely to choice leisure

route.

Using LCM with segment membership functions for predicting segment

membership of recreational cyclists, it allows for explicit identification of recreational

specialization concept. Moreover, LCM also improves the model fit to the data, and

allows for testing the impact of recreational specialization variable on segment

membership. As a result, high recreational specialization cyclists are more likely than

low recreational specialization cyclists to choice challenge and endurance grading

route.

From a managerial perspective, bicycle route should be classified according to

different group of recreational cyclist, for instance, riding experience, distance, slope,

etc. In addition, base on safety conscious, roadway type is very important attribute to

consider bicycle route. Bicycle path is separate from general roadway that cyclists can

use exclusively route. It can improve safety considerations for barriers to bicycle use.

From a long term perspective, increasing the number of recreational cyclists would

contribute to efforts to increase the number of commuting cyclists."

Also:

• Check out Bevco's impressions of her Taiwan Bike Festival trip.
• Wallstreet's laws for hit and run. Fund manager gets off on hitting cyclist.
• Mark Blacknell writes on Taiwan's cycling infrastructure.

The Politics of Cycling in Taiwan

I predicted a while back that it wouldn't take long for the bicycle to enter the political arena in stump speeches, campaign ads and policy propositions.

The Taiwan News reports that the DPP candidate for Xinbei City, Su Tseng-chang, ( chong, chong, chong!!!)

has dragged out a proposal for improving bicycle lanes in Taipei, taking a pot shot at his KMT rivals and their disaster of a Dun Hua Rd. bike lane. The article states:

Su, a former Taipei County magistrate, also reiterated a series of policy on the promotion of bicycle industry as a local governor, including a long-distance trail linking the Yingge Ceramics Museum and the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology in Bali Township, both of which are popular attractions.

I am all for promoting cycling, but I strongly feel that most politicians are having a difficult time wrapping their minds around the bicycle as something other than casual entertainment. The local governments need to start concentrating on safe, bicycle viaducts and bicycle corridors through urban areas to encourage people to leave their cars at home.

Unfortunately, all we ever hear about are projects to drive tourism. It really feels like Taiwan is seeking to become another Okinawa or Hainan Island; a tourism Mecca for visitors from a wealthy metropole.

Schemes For Cycling's Eastern "Green Highway"

The Ministry of Transportation has unveiled its new scheme to build a recreational highway for bicycles on Taiwan's East Coast. According to the MOTC:

The project will be conducted by Tourist Bureau, Taiwan Railway Administration, Institute of Transportation, and Directorate General of Highways. The project uses Provincial Highway#2, #9, and #11 to string up the eastern area’s local bicycle paths network. In the mean time, it is expected to combine popular bicycle paths with the nearby train stations or tourist service centers, providing the eastern area a complete bicycle paths network.

A budget of NT791million has been allocated for the project under the Economic Revitalization Policy, which seems to be heavily reliant on tourism related infrastructure projects that seek to realign local industries from traditional modes of production to more service and entertainment related industries.

Michael Turton touches upon the government's eagerness to drive construction and fuel tourism in an excellent post on water. here

One of the main benefits of such a program may be to make recreational cycling safer and protect cyclists from the caravans of tourist busses that have been clogging the highways. The real trick is to see if the government agencies involved will actually consult cyclists for input and if this system will expand beyond recreational cycling to encompass cycling as a means of transportation and not just recreation.

Sugar to Attract The Ants: The Government Seeks Foreign Cycling Tourists

Lief Garrett and The Sychophants

The Focus Taiwan News Channel has just published a CNA article detailing the Ministry of Transportation and Communication's optimistic plans to woo "foreigners" to Taiwan for the purpose of bicycle tourism.

"Taipei, May 10 (CNA) Cycling holidays are a new approach through which Taiwan is promoting itself to foreign travelers, government sources said Monday.

Taiwan is known for its high quality bicycle manufacturing, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC) is using this image in its efforts to attract visitors to explore the country using cyclist-friendly routes and integrated infrastructure, the sources said.

The Tourism Bureau under the MOTC has been working with world renowned Taiwanese bicycle maker Giant to target cyclists abroad, with Tourism Board brochures available in Giant's 2,000 stores in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Germany, along with videos showing Taiwan's scenery.

One area of particular focus is eastern Taiwan, where the mountains meet the Pacific Ocean and where a four-year project from 2009 to 2012 is under way to create a cycling network along the eastern coast, according to a Tourism Bureau press release.

Highways in the region have been improved to make them more cyclist-friendly since the project began, while five cycle routes have already been established and will be further expanded.

The Taiwan Railway Administration is also playing an important role in the government's plan, according to the press release, as cyclists are permitted to take their bikes on board certain trains, allowing them even more travel options." (By Kay Liu) ENDITEM/J

First, I would like to say I am happy there is some dialogue (...Wait! After some thought I retract this statement as I feel it is more of a monologue...) going on to expand the current cycling infrastructure beyond the current scope. Any inclusion of cycling into the discussion is a positive step. Furthermore, I obviously love cycling in Taiwan and I feel Taiwan has a lot to offer the cycling world beyond being simply a manufacturing hub. Taiwan should be regarded as a testing ground for the world's greatest bicycles. I get tired of so many cyclists fixated on touring Napa Valley or Tuscany; beautiful places and cliche. Taiwan is for some and could be to many more, a cycling paradise-- if we can get it right. This means putting together a comprehensive and integrated network of cycling routes that appeals to a variety of cyclists. It also needs to refrain from falling into the Taiwanese concept of the "Tourist Trap", where all roads lead to a sausage stand and T-Shirt counter (which might pay the local "official" an unofficial operations tax). This idea could be very, very good.

I also find the target to be very interesting. Here, "foreigner" means "caucasian" as all Asians are regarded by Chinese Nationalist ideologues as part of the "Yellow Race"... or in the words of Dr. Sun Yat-sen:

"These alien races do not number more than 10 million, so that, for the most part, the Chinese people are of the Han or Chinese race with common blood, common religion, and common customs-a single, pure race." --Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

I think Japan has a very well developed cycling culture that is in close proximity to Taiwan. The Japanese already have a generally positive sentiment toward Taiwan. The Japanese are also the big spenders when it comes to spending tourist dollars. Europeans may represent a type of validity in the cycling world. Europe has a type of classic charm that ignites the imagination. It is the land of Eddie Merckx, Fausto Coppi, Colnago, Pinarello... the Spring Classics and the Grand Tours. Europeans taking cycling vacations to Taiwan may appear to validate our worth as a great cycling nation... possibly. If it is done right. If potential cycling tourists are consulted. If there is cooperation and coordination. If a plan is taken seriously. If bikes can be safely transported at a reasonable price. If there is a little space left for a feeling of freedom and adventure. It is so crazy... that it just might work.

Still, I have my reservations and I have blogged about them here. Based on the current difficulty in coordinating and executing a cohesive network of bike routes, I think this press release may be a little premature and more political posturing than action.

Taiwan's cycling infrastructure is NOT integrated by any means, though I am aware that the R.O.C. government has a history of taking its interpretive liberties with an unsigned press release or two. From the Taiwan Review article I blogged about on April 10, and the handling of the Dunhua Rd. debacle, it is clear that Taiwan still has a long way to go to make Taiwan appealing internationally as a cycling Mecca.

According to the article above, Taiwan's East Coast is now the prime target of the government's cycling investment. According to a number of friends who have recently returned from tours down the East Coast the ride is becoming a disaster. I was actually encouraged by a few people to ride Hualien to Taidong A.S.A.P. before it becomes unrideable. The growing number of large tour busses and tourism activity directed at Chinese tourists is, I am told, making a once beautiful and serene coastal ride, a stressful disaster. The few pleasant routes along the East Coast are now limited, and the stretch from Iilan to Hualien has become even more dangerous. It is hard for me to suggest these routes to Taiwan neophytes who do not understand Taiwan's unique traffic culture.

The Conductor Who Kicked Me Off

As far as trains go...(ouch! Bad pun) I have had mixed results taking my bike on trains around Taiwan. The number of express trains with room for bicycles is limited and I have found myself waiting for a few hours for a suitable train. If a cyclist can not read Chinese, the information is simply not available to inform them when the next available train with a bicycle car will arrive. For my last trip to Hualien I left Taichung at 5:00pm and arrived in Hualien at 11:00pm for an early morning ride across the island. I spent a lot of time waiting for my "bike train". In Taipei the local trains are great with bikes, but in other places I have been met with confusion and contradiction on bike rules. In Yuan Lin I was told there were no bike trains, then I was told that there were, and then I was told that I couldn't get on, then I was told I could proceed... only to be stopped and told I couldn't take a bike on a train. I finally got on a train. It was insane and by no means convenient.

Now one thing in this article did catch my eye. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has one resource available to it that could be invaluable to promoting tourism. Railways!

I am not talking about the existing railroads that are in current use, but rather the abandoned agricultural lines of narrow gauge track that the Japanese installed during Taiwan's 50 years as a Japanese colony.

A Sugar Railroad Line (In Use Seasonally)

During Japan's colonization of Taiwan, the Japanese government initially poured an obscene amount of money into Taiwan to build up an infrastructure to help exploit Taiwan's resources for agricultural and forestry production. By 1908, the Japanese administration already had 395km of passenger rail from Keelung to Kaohsiung. Along with the passenger lines the Meiji Sugar Company, alone, laid over 3000km of narrow gauge track to transport sugar from the farmers to local refineries and then out to the major transport hubs. By 1965 Taiwan transferred from an agrarian to an industrial economy and the old agricultural lines were abandoned and many simply lie in disrepair. Many of these old lines and others like them still exist and are now owned by the central government. They create a ready-made network separate from other vehicular traffic. Many of these railways reach out to some of the distant, rural communities tourists hope to see, rather than another shopping mall-food court or T-shirt stand. This could at least be part of a solution. The drawback is that the railway infrastructure is already in place and may not require the type of meaty government contract that makes the [owners of construction companies-gravel-pits-entertainment venues-alcohol distribution and other services] a lot of money when rigging negotiating a bid. I hate to be so cynical, but experience and research overrules. There was a valiant attempt at transforming a train tunnel from Fulong to Jiao Xi, near Iilan. I have ridden this route before and it is a fantastic short cut, but incredibly dangerous. It is dark and many riders simply stop in the middle of the narrow path. There are often children weaving and stopping without warning. I was terribly afraid I would hurt a small child in there.

The Fulong Bike Tunnel

The potential is here, but I fear the execution will be flawed, premature and the funds better spent elsewhere to promote cycling. I hate having such little confidence in the central government's ability, but thus far, under the current administration I have not seen much in the way of leadership and accountability... nor have I seen much in the way of transparent government disclosure of economic projects that are touted to benefit Taiwan. For many years the Taiwan government has explored... "creative" ways to attract foreign press to the island in the hope of securing favorable stories to boost foreign tourism. Many of these efforts are thought to have ended badly. Maybe I worry too much?

Full Article

The U.S.B.R.S. and Taiwan's Potential

In the past I have blogged a little bit about Taiwan's need and potential for an integrated bicycle-only transportation grid. Taiwan has several independent bicycle paths and some routes that are designated for bicycles, but these are often barely functional election-day pork that mix cycles and cement trucks, or leisure paths for weekenders. Lawmakers insist bicycles should be classified as slow moving vehicles, yet the reality remains that bicycles are regarded as toys for recreation by the government reps with the funding.

In the United States a group of cyclists and citizens has come up with the U.S.B.R.S. or United States Bicycle Route System; an interstate system designated for bicycles. The system includes a National Corridor Plan that links major metropoles through bicycle routes to take the particular needs of bicycles into consideration as they do with the needs of drivers. The system links the entire country by bicycle route. This could be an expensive system to maintain and police in a country the size of the U.S.A.

Taiwan is smaller and densely populated enough to give an integrated cycling network an infrastructure to build from. It will take administrative sincerity to get something like this done... and we know the powers behind the curtain of Taiwanese politics never saw an infrastructure project they didn't like. The right people just need to figure out how to make money out of an integrated system. It is possible. My recent trip to Kaohsiung reminded me how far a person can go on a bike, and how much of the infrastructure is built around the automobile. Still, Taiwanese love the idea and romance behind the mythic "Round Island" bike trip. If only it could be done safer and better supported, more people would be willing to give it a try.

They key is interagency cooperation and coordination to quit wasting tax dollars on bike paths to nowhere and put the power of the pedal to work with a direction toward connectivity.

Anyway, something for Taiwanese cyclists to think about.

Cyclists As Equals?

A Change Is Gonna Come...

According to an article by Jason Kambitsis in Wired Magazine, The U.S. Department of Transportation is finally catching up with some other parts of the world in shifting from an automobile-centric approach to city planning, to a policy which puts cars, cyclists and pedestrians on equal footing... or at least if governments would like to receive a federal funding for transportation related projects. This is good news for those who are sick of seeing federal funding largely wasted the unsustainable dream of communities centered around the personal automobile. This dream was the dream of my grandfather who was known as one of the fathers of the Interstate 5 and former head of the Washington State Highway Dept. before the creation of the DOT. His generation believed the answer to congestion was to simply build more roads. This type of thinking has formed the core of DOT policy since its inception in 1966. During the campaign Barack Obama promised to seek significant changes in transportation policy and we are just beginning to see the results.

The policy statement reads, in part:

"Walking and bicycling foster safer, more livable, family-friendly communities; promote physical activity and health; and reduce vehicle emissions and fuel use,”

The Republican response can be read here:

"To laughter, Republican House members suggested LaHood was taking drugs, dismissed the very idea of bike lanes and derided any change to a car-dependent society."

Some American cities have already gotten on board. Portland Oregon is often rated the most bike friendly city in the United States, while other municipalities have crafted long term development plans focusing on bicycle transportation. The Seattle Bicycle Master Plan serves as an excellent blue print for other cities aiming to integrate cycling into their transportation infrastructure.

This is a fantastic development, but most parts of the United States have a long way to go to becoming more environmentally and cycling friendly. Whenever I go to the United States to visit, I am always amazed at how far everything is from home. When Americans want pet food or ice cream, they get in the car for five minutes to get to the strip mall. From an environmental standpoint, this is far from ideal.

If humans are going to make the most of their natural environment and leave a livable world for many more generations of people and creatures we need to learn to accept alternative models for living. Period!

This is where Taiwan comes in. As shocking and ridiculous as it may sound, Taiwan has the potential to become a leader in creating and promoting a more environmentally sound model of living. Crazy, I know.

Unlike the United States, Taiwanese life is concentrated in the urban centers. Everything a family needs can be found within walking distance from home. Rather than one mega-supermarket supplying huge blocks of the population, the corner 7-11 supplies many of our daily needs. There are really no suburbs. You are either in town or in the country. This is a huge advantage to building an infrastructure that is not centered around the automobile. If people can live and work within a walk or bike ride from home it greatly reduces our reliance on fossil fuels and becomes a highly efficient model for living. Ahhhh... the idealized future.

Unfortunately, Taiwanese localities remain aloof to the needs of cyclists. The infrastructure just does not exist in any reliable, interconnected form, to integrate cycling into the urban transportation system. There have been some efforts to make space on some trains and the High Speed Rail for mostly folding bikes and there are a few designated bike trails, but most of these are for weekend recreational riders and do not reliably connect to areas where people work. They often don't reliably connect to anything. The city streets are a scrum against scooters and dangerous drivers without bike lanes or reliable law enforcement and busses are not equipped to carry bicycles. These drawbacks keep many potential riders from choosing the bicycle for commuting. Simply, the plan is... there is no plan.

Taiwan's government really needs to take a coordinated and centralized approach to making cycling a positive alternative to motorized vehicles. I don't think this can be achieved on just the local level as political rivalries and special interests often influence the outcome of urban planning projects. Projects like bike paths and lanes are, more often than not, the victims of election year promises and not very well thought through but look nice on the campaign trail and in a stump speech. A long term, integrated transportation plan that realistically incorporates cycling into the project would be a major improvement for a more sustainable future and I hope the new U.S. policy can spark Taiwan's politicians to make the same paradigm shift.

Taiwan has the potential, but is there a will?

We're on an island after all.