Students Bike Around Taiwan

Taiwan Today reports on a group of 113 students from Hsin Dian who just completed a 12 day trip to circle the country by bicycle.

I think young people should be allowed to participate in more events like this to gain a greater understanding of their home and their environment. The bicycle allows people greater access to Taiwan and removes the natural beauty from the constant framing of a car window.

Here's the whole story:

A group of 113 students from the Kang Chiao Bilingual School in Xindian, Taipei County, recently circled Taiwan by bicycle in 12 days, covering some 1,000 kilometers and raising NT$170,000 (US$5,423) for charity.

They finished their trip May 1, being welcomed by their parents and classmates back in Xindian. Along the way, the students performed music and gave talent shows to raise money, which will be donated to the Taitung Bunun Cultural and Educational Development Foundation.

Principal Chang Chi-long said each student who participated in the tour did so in the spirit of overcoming difficulty and hardship, and every one of them completed the tour. Chang said he is very proud of them, and that the whole school is congratulating them on their achievement.

Chang said the tour was an arduous and lengthy trip, a real rite of passage for the students, who are all under 16 years of age. The school is going to publish a book to commemorate their efforts on the trip and chronicle the preparation and training they put in before departure.

Director of Academic Affairs Chuang Sheng-li accompanied the students for the whole trip. He said according to his close observation of the students, they matured a lot along the way. The trip was intended to build their endurance, interpersonal relationships and leadership—all things that are very difficult to teach from textbooks alone, Chuang added.

Chuang was most moved by the fact that although 12 students were injured or fell ill over the course of the trip, not one of them was left behind. With the support and encouragement of their classmates, the students managed to complete the entire course together with their friends.

Team leader Lu Cheng-hsiang said the trip tested more than simply physical stamina. The young people also had to work together to overcome difficulties, particularly in helping some of the less physically fit students. Doing so, and successfully avoiding leaving anyone behind, made a huge contribution to the cohesion of the group.

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.

Ranking The Blogs

Darryl from Loving The Bike is helping host a contest for readers to nominate their favorite bike blogs.

(Please do not nominate this one... for the love of all things good and right, just don't.) I DO hope you can stop by his site and nominate some of the more deserving blogs out there. My blog list below has a few good ones worthy of recognition. So please take a minute and cast a vote.

Best Bike Blog Nomination Form

A Lost Weekend: Biking Vicariously Through Others

Moments before eating deadly walnuts. They were hidden in the chocolate inside the pouch. They assured me there were no nuts in the desserts.

I spent my first weekend off the bike in a long while and... well... I didn't like it. I had anticipated rain all weekend and therefore I didn't feel a bit bad about planning a rest weekend. After all, rest is 1/3 of the recipe for progress. I have been having a bit of an issue with my left leg anyway, so I didn't feel too bad about sitting the weekend out... until about 8:00am of Saturday morning.

Joe Freil points out in a recent post how important rest is to improve performance. The Zatopek Effect:

"In a similar manner, I’ve known of athletes in a variety of sports to develop a slight injury or become sick a few days or weeks before a competition and yet have a personal-best performance. They were forced to rest. I call this the “Zatopek effect.” Sometimes the body must say “enough” in order to regain form.

Rest is a miraculous cure for doing too much in training. Left to their own devices, athletes will almost always opt to put in more volume, go faster, and train longer. They are the ultimate believers in the Puritan work ethic. Seldom do they consider the need to allow the body to “catch up” with all of the stresses."

Saturday I had lunch plans and ended up going into anaphylactic shock at the restaurant after eating walnuts that were hidden in chocolate sauce. I bolted from the restaurant for my EpiPen and all was good, but I had a sore throat from the swelling. The restaurant staff never finished serving the meal and implied we were just trying to get a free meal, so they generously gave the rest of the party a 10% discount on my meal... about NT45 for nearly killing a customer with unlabeled tree nuts. They said they wouldn't do any more unless I went to the emergency room to prove I had an allergy attack. So the remainder of my Saturday was wasted on the couch feeling like crap from huge doses of antihistamine.

Sunday was another gorgeous day, but I had work to do and could only daydream about riding.

So seeing as I could not bike this weekend I did what anyone else in my position would do--bike vicariously through others.

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Let's see who was riding this weekend:

Michael T. contrasts two different rides and two different bikes in Ilan and Dajia.

Michael and Peichi C. did a lovely ride around Taipei.

Nathan does a Taipei ride too.

Team Mosaic went out to Dong Shih on the Highway 3 and around Da Du Shan.

Anyone else go out on another fantastic Taiwanese weekend?

Aero for Old Men

Here is an interesting comparison between Lance Armstrong's Time Trial position last year vs. what we are seeing in this year's Gila.

In a TT the advantages of better aerodynamics outweighs the need for greater power and this is fundamental to the design on TT and Triathlon bikes. Not the most comfortable bikes and not your hill climbing bikes, but very fast on flat, smooth surfaces.

Cycling Movies for A Rainy Day--UPDATE--

With nothing but rain on the horizon and a good excuse to rest the legs, I thought I would bike vicariously through Hollywood.

Here are a few samples from some of the best... or shall we say... "classic" cycling movies.


Breaking Away is one of the first American cycling movies.


The Flying Scotsman is a sexed up story of Graeme Orbee's troubled attempt at the hour record.



Island Etude is Taiwan's ode to cycling. This movie really ignited a Taiwanese romance with the bike. Can anyone imagine carrying all that crap on your back?


Race Across The Sky is a beautifully shot documentary on the Leadville 100.


A Sunday In Hell= Classic!


The 9 Ball Diaries is a great documentary on cyclocross.


American Flyers sought to capitalize on Team 7-11's rise in the 80's as the USA really entered the sport.


The Greatest Show on Earth is great for the coming Giro


RAD is Totally Awesome!


Follow the riff raff in Detour de France


Quick Silver is a degree of Kevin Bacon

Les Triplettes de Belleville uses the Tour de France as a plot device. Great animated movie.

One of the Greats. Pee Wee's Big Adventure


Nicole Kidman's greatest film.

The Bicycle Thief

Morrissey at the Salford Lads Club. Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before

Weight Loss and Nutrition

As an old wrestler I know a thing or two about weight loss; both healthy and unhealthy. As I have been biking my weight has stagnated and then risen 5lbs from 2 years ago. The rise is mainly due to all the muscle I have added to my legs from hill climbing. More importantly is my vitals. I was a little concerned about my metabolism so I had it checked. The symptoms were mainly that I am chronically hypothermic. My body temperature runs between 93F and 95F (34C-35C).

Stats:

I am 35 years old and not getting younger.

My Blood Pressure is 130/56

My Resting Heart Rate is 47bpm

My Weight is 67-68kg (148-150lbs)

My Height is 170cm… about 5’6” tall.

I would like to lose the last little bit of fat I have clinging to my body and it is tough. I know… vanity. It is so much cheaper taking it off me than off may bike.

What can I do about it?

1. Rest, Sleep and Recovery: Sleeping is something you can do when hungry and not feel uncomfortable. The body can then start raiding the fat stores. Sleep can also curtail the cravings for complex carbohydrates/ simple sugars; sweets. Get a little more sleep than you normally do if you are finding it difficult to resist cravings for crap. Simple sugars represent energy that is ready to instantly enter the system without really making the body work for it. Pure Energy is the smallest of packages i.e. a recipe for disaster.

2. Know what you’re putting in your face. Count calories, evaluate fats, track simple sugars, understand your fuel supply. The fewer calories in the most space is a good rule of thumb. You can fill yourself up better without overfilling your fuel tank. ¼ cup of nuts could be the equivalent to three cups of berries. Nuts have some good fats and berries have some good sugars. Avoid sauces like mayonnaise, butter, mystery Mei Er Mei honey butter. Lots and lots of calories in the sauces.

To track intake and exercise you can use: www.fitday.com or www.trainingpeaks.com to see what you need to start doing. It takes a little discipline to not lie to yourself.

3. Eat plenty of healthy fats -- almonds, avocados, walnuts (if you can), fatty fish like salmon. These foods are filling, full of energy and the body won’t feel hungry 20 minutes later as with just veggies. The main idea is to eat a little bit (say a 2 oz of salmon or a quarter cup of nuts) and then understand that is the stopping point. Slow down and you will feel full.

4. I am a really boring eater because I learned a long time ago to eat for the content and not for the taste. That is not to say I don’t have chocolate lust periodically or need a burger on occasion, but to really lose weight, find some nutritionally balanced foods that work, and eat the same types of foods every day. That way you don't really have to think too hard about the diet. For example, I have some cereal and yogurt for breakfast with a banana if I feel really tired, fresh vegetables (steamed asparagus, cherry tomatoes, steamed broccoli), peanuts or seeds or for a snack, some people recommend nuts, but I am allergic. I then try to have some sort of lean protein and veggies for dinner. I may have some fruit if I'm getting some cravings for sweets. Taiwan is excellent to get fresh fruit. Last night was watermelon, which is in season. Just make sure to wash everything really well, especially the broccoli. I have found a little more protein than I bargained for on a few ears of broccoli. Think about eating like Phil Donahue’s Human Animal might; basic meats, raw fruits and veggies and few refined carbs. Cut the potatoes and corn. Sweet potatoes are ok and sweet potato leaves are even better. Have some good fat every day. Good fats come from eating fish, or from seeds. What is simplest though is to use a flaxseed oil or fish oil supplement. 500mg a day I think. Good fats actually help the body process calories. Be sure you are drinking lots of water too. The body needs water to metabolize food.

A big problem is that Taiwanese food is cheap and easy to get on the street. It is often drowned in oil or deep-fried. The traditional Taiwanese diet still reflects a diet of sustenance where fat is prized for its caloric content. Taiwanese food is often high in sodium as well. It takes a little disciplined selection to avoid the bad stuff. I rarely have food from the fried chicken stall for these reasons.

Another problem is the availability of the good stuff. It is hard to find unsalted nuts, seeds and unsweetened dried fruit. There are a few places that sell what I need and they are spread all over town, so I stock up when I can. Though a good, cheap sushi place is an excellent source of lean protein.

5. Let’s face it… we are not 25 forever and as the body starts to deteriorate (sorry folks!) we need to make more of an effort to eat right to maintain good health. You don't work hard to get in shape and then stay there by doing nothing; you have to keep working at it to stay fit. Maintaining a healthy weight is like cycling. You have to continue to work at it to make it work.

6. Reduce long sustained workouts and increase sprints and anaerobic work. Throw some intervals in your weekly schedule. Intense efforts stimulate hormone production. Now that I am done with a project, I intend to get back to my night rides, where I do sprints and intervals for 45min. in a loop around my district and on the hill behind my house.

7. Cut out the crap. Artificially sweetened juice, sport drinks, pop, energy bars, candy and excessively processed foods have to go. On a ride I will have the occasional sport drink, energy gel or Snickers bar, but sometimes these can be valuable DURING a ride.

8. Avoid Taiwanese bread. Taiwanese breads are full of sugar. Even wheat bread should be moderated. If you want sandwiches or something then use whole grains. Finga’s in Taichung makes some good breads and salads for training FYI.

9. Take your daily food intake and sprinkle in around the day. Eat six or more small meals spread out. Don't go more than 5 waking hours without eating. Don't eat any huge meals. Eat a small meal within an hour or two of bed, and eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, unless you do a mid or low intensity ride first thing in the morning.

10. Watch the rewards and recovery. After we finish a physical task we want to celebrate and often use exercise as an excuse to gorge on sweets. I like ice cream as much as the next guy and it is healthy to treat yourself. Treats should be in moderation. After a ride I drink chocolate milk to help my muscles recover and then I might have a good meal while my body is still running hot. At this point my glycogen stores are depleted and I am running in deficit. A little food couldn’t hurt. The celebrations should stop there and not continue into the next meal and the next day. Lots of people think, “Oh, I rode 80k two days ago. My muscles are sore so I can eat anything.” Wrong. The first hour after a work out is the most important for filling the body’s glycogen stores and setting the table for recovery. After that the effects of food intake drastically diminish. Sure, a beer after a good ride. An ice-cream. But then stop and get back on the wagon.

11. Cut the booze. Alcohol is like super concentrated calories and those calories are very easy to consume.

12. Get a partner to help you. As I stated before, I am a simple eater. I don’t need the big production, I need the vitamins, minerals, calories, sugars, starches and micronutrients that make up our food. It is hard to find other people who think like this.

Many of us have other people in our lives with whom we enjoy and use meals to embrace their company. This makes it hard to eat simply when they are not with the program. They may want to eat when you are not hungry. I know this and it sucks. I took a road trip with my Taiwanese in-laws from Seattle to L.A. They wanted to eat all the time and I didn’t. I also wanted then to try food, so as a good host and son-in-law, I ate with them and consumed far more than I was comfortable consuming. It took me over a year to recover… if I have fully recovered at all. I used to be able to pop back into fighting weight after a couple weeks. Not any more. A sympathetic partner can help a lot, but managing calories around shared eating schedules is another way to embrace the company without making the other person or people feel like you are cutting them out or criticizing their lifestyle. See if it can be a whole lifestyle thing. It couldn't hurt to ask.

BONUS: A little weight training can help burn the fat real fast. Creating new muscle taps into the fat stores real fast and can strengthen the core muscles for good riding posture.