American Military Remembers A Cyclist In Taiwan.

I recently came across an old reprint from Stars & Stripes, the official newspaper of the United States military.

The article, which is a reprint from 1968 details the exploits of Conrad Dube, a Canadian who was stricken by polio at the age of two, and who dedicated himself to cycling around the world to raise awareness and funds for sufferers of polio.

TAIPEI — Conrad Dube, 39-year-old French-Canadian who was crippled by polio at the age of two, has worn out 12 bicycles, 37 sets of tires and pedaled 192,000 miles around the world in 17 years to prove his will is stronger than his physical handicap.

Taiwan is the 67th country he has visited in his travels to every continent. He was recently greeted by Mayor Henry Kao during a stopover in Taipei. The lanky Dube said he plans to wind up his current tour with a bicycle trip through the Philippines, sail from Singapore to Panama and then pedal through Mexico and the United States to Quebec where he plans to work on a book for which he has 1,000 sheets of notes. Mexico and the U.S. will be old hat for him as he already has been through the area.

I find this article interesting in many ways.

For one, Taiwan is still a destination for cyclists who are seeking to raise awareness for their cause, but beyond that this article really highlights how much the world has changed since Conrad passed through our beautiful Island. The most obvious change is the near eradication of polio. This article is full of little revealing details.

I find it interesting that even in 1968 in the darkest days of the Cold War Taiwan is referred to as a "country" without any of the ill fitting Chinese blanket terms various diplomats, statesmen military leaders and propagandists attempted to drape over the island to obscure the obvious.

Moreover this little piece reminds us how deeply the American and Taiwanese experience are intertwined through their respective historical trajectories.

In September of 1968, the United States involvement in Vietnam was at its zenith and Taiwan, under the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty of 1954, allowed large numbers of US military personnel to be stationed on the island as part of the US effort to "contain Communism". Taiwan also served as a destination where soldiers fighting in the jungles of Vietnam could enjoy a little R&R.

The areas around American military bases catered to the American needs by supplying labor, machine shops, recreation, bars and prostitution. In Taichung the American presence is still evident in several of the street names that run through the middle of the city. Even when I first arrived in 1998, the expat party scene was still focused around Hua-Mei Street/華美街 (Chinese-American Street), which is adjacent to Meitsun Rd./美村路 (American Village Rd,), and Zhong Mei Street/中美街 (another iteration of Chinese-American St.). These areas kept the Americans located in certain areas and made them easier for authorities to watch and also kept them from getting involved in local affairs, which by 1968 had started to become more pronounced with increasing incidents involving political activism and the high profile escape of the pro independence dissident Dr. Peng Min-ming.

The United States withdrew its forces from Taiwan by January 1, 1980 following an earlier pledge to recognize China... as China. Despite the withdrawal, the impact of over 25 years of American involvement in Taiwan left an indelible mark as the United States became the cultural center for Taiwan, having replaced Tokyo in 1945.

The last note I would like to make about this article is the mention of Mayor Henry Kao. Even in the dark days of authoritarian Taiwan, Henry Kao (Kao Yu-shu) was the first elected mayor of Taipei city and repeatedly defeated the Generalissimo's hand picked candidates. Kao, who was an ethnic Taiwanese was also not a KMT party member and later openly advocated Taiwanese independence. Kao's success in Taipei not only frustrated the KMT hardliners for his high levels of support, but his high popularity also highlighted the KMT's dictatorial leanings and emphasized the party's failings.

It was Kao's popularity in Taipei that led the KMT government to transform Taipei and Kaohsiung into "special municipalities" in which the mayor would be appointed by the central government; a process that ended in 1994 and was punctuated by the election of DPP member and former political activist, Chen Shui-bian.

It is interesting how a bike ride, even decades after its completion, can still find salience against the back drop of history and memory.

The Great Route 129 to Route 136 Loop

Pray For Me

The great thing about living in Taichung is that you don't have to go far to have a beautiful ride.

For my Sunday ride I decided to keep the distance down, but I thought I should add some hills to my rehab diet. Nothing fit the bill better than the Route 129 to Route 136 loop through the foothills of Taichung.

Colored Wolf?

I need to control my efforts to ensure a solid recovery and so I made an easy spin out to Dong Shan Rd. Even though it was only 8:00am the heat and humidity was already unbearable.

Sunday Ride

As I headed for the hills, the roads were full of cyclists of all kinds who were already returning from their day's rides. I really should get out earlier to beat the heat, but I think it would be better to just acclimate and get it over with.

Wishful Thinking

I pounded away toward my first hill climb up the Route 129 to Hsin She, but I stopped at a temple along the way to stretch my legs out as I wasn't sure how I would fare on a sustained climb. My big fear is damaging my knee again and having to start again at zero.

As I finished my stretches, I saw two groups of riders aggressively chase each other to the base of the hill. "Damn!" I thought to myself, "those guys are going to badass it up that hill. I'm glad I'll follow up behind so I don't have to get passed."

A few minutes later I was on my way up the hill and a few minutes after that I passed two groups of very tired riders who pissed themselves out on the approach. I felt solid, but fatigued. I have done minimal climbing on the new bike and I am still getting used to its behavior. My out of the saddle work was a complete joke.

I soon reached the summit and stopped to refill my single water bottle.

Folks sure look like they're going fast when you're standing still.

Wearing His Beliefs On His Sleeve (*see note below)

Military Prison

There's more than one way to get a bike to the top of the 129

At the 7-11 at the top of the hill I met a group of three riders. One of them had a very special and unique "Taiwan bike".

Lanyu Themed Rikulau

His bike was a beautifully made Rikulau road bike, made with Reynolds 853 steel and sporting the "flying fish" design and several design elements borrowed from the traditional boats used by the indigenous Dao'oo people on Orchid Island, also known as Lanyu or Pong-so no Dao'oo in the local language on the island.

The circular design represents the "eye" of the boat to see the flying fish. The human figure represents the "first man".

The bike was a very interesting sight. Unfortunately, the owner was not fully aware of the symbolism on his bike.

I got going again, but stopped for a coffee at the grand 7-11 along the Route 93, before making some good time into the Feng lin valley.

Taichung

Hsin She

The traffic was tolerable, but nothing is worse than building to a good speed and then catching up to traffic.

Route 93

Fenglin Valley

I started my descent into the valley and all too fast caught up to another car. I thought I would pull over and let the cars go on ahead so I could sit back and enjoy the descent.

Descent

Again and again I caught up with the touring traffic. It was really hard to get the full thrill from the narrow paved squiggle of a road.

Climber Struggles

Several cyclists were on their way up the opposite direction and several looked to be in various states of pain. I had already conquered a couple sections over 10%. Soon it was time for the killer climb to the plateau over the other side of the valley.

Mmmmm... Road

The road skates along the rim of the valley before plummeting down to the Route 136 below. The heat and my poor fitness really had me dogging it by the time I started rumbling toward Taichung.

Bike Riding

I finally made my way into town. I can feel the improvements are coming, but I have to be patient. Nothing promotes improvement like stressing the body. We shall see what next week brings.

This is a great local route for anyone and it should be high on anyone's list of thrilling rides close to the city.

Here's the map with my sad set of stats:

*Note: The man in the picture has a military tattoo on his arm calling for the deaths of Zhu de, the father of the Red Army, and Mao Ze-dong, the Chinese Communist leader. An additional slogan calls to "Retake Our Rivers and Mountains" with ROC and KMT (Chinese Nationalist Party) flags crossing below. The man is buying the United Daily, Taiwan's KMT newspaper. Old soldiers like these are becoming more and more rare. They represent a culture that owes its existence to Taiwan, while rejecting Taiwan in favor of a Chinese center. The United Daily had been a valuable tool in helping these old soldiers defend their collective Waisheng identity, which is bound directly to the fundamentalism of KMT ideology.

Will Asian Riders Ever Lead The Pros?

Tom Southam, the professional bicycle racer, writes an interesting article for the June issue of Pro Cycling Magazine, in which he takes a look at the current and future state of Asian cycling. Southam specifically takes into account his experiences racing in the 2010 edition of the Tour of Taiwan, a race which is rated 2.2 on the UCI rating scale.

There's no doubt that Europe is (and, let's face it, always will be) the centre of the cycling world. Every other racing culture is simply a diluted version of what happens here [Europe]. There is no other racing culture in the world that exists without the influence of Europe.

Racing in Asia holds a myriad of challenges that mostly stem from what you might call 'cultural differences'. It's different for many reasons, some that are worth celebrating and some that are problematic and exhausting. But whichever way you choose to look at these challenges, they simply have to be accepted as part of the globalizing of the sport.

In the article on page 46, Southam continues to discuss the importance of the Europeans and Americans in the Asian racing scene, and how important they are to the growing of the sport.

He makes many good points as there are relatively few Asian racers at the elite level; Radio Shack's Fumiyuki Beppu is one rider who comes to mind, but he is an exception. Though, this may not always be the case. Road cycling has become increasingly popular as it is an elitist sport that may require a high investment in gear and training, thus as many Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan and increasingly China have cultivated a standard of living that can better support the sport. In Taiwan where many of the top bicycles are finished, there are several tiers of enthusiast with a gradient of investment in the sport. There are numerous races held every year for riders of varying degrees of age and fitness. I don't believe it will be too long before more Asian riders start entering the pro ranks.

Another consideration of why cycling will continue to be focused on Europe is that the racing calendar puts the high season of racing, when riders come into form, between April and September. In Taiwan for instance, the best riding weather comes during the off season between December and March. Not exactly the best time to attract the big talent or highlight scenic mountain routes that may be icy despite mild temperatures below. The rest of the year is too unpredictable with rains and typhoons.

Regardless, I can't wait to root for the first Taiwanese to race a grand tour. It is only a matter of time. Asia has some passionate and talented cyclists and with enough support they will make their way through to the big show.

As far as culture goes... hmmmm.

New Bikes, New Rides and New Links

Around Taiwan:

• In Kaohsiung 300 elementary school students participated in a 120km ride to help ring in the end of the academic year. No injuries were reported.

• Taiwan's rascal of hip-hop and pop music, Chang Chen-yue a.k.a. A-yue, had realized his dream of biking around Taiwan. The musician navigated 1022km of scandal-free roadways to achieve his goal.

• Cycling Satin Cesena covers the Lu Chang challenge; a 50km scramble up some pretty steep terrain.

• T-mosaic is now ready to sell their own brand of steel bicycle. See the new header on their blog and stop by to meet the TYA.

• Oz Soapbox details the detailing on his Long Haul Trucker.

• Michael C. in Kaohsiung has taken receipt of his new Speedone RT30 steel road bike, which he purchased from Famous Bikes in Taichung. The full Reynolds 853 frame with clear coat comes with a SRAM Force build and Amante wheels. I took it around the block and the bike is stiff, crisp and agile. He should be very happy with his choice for a long time.

Other News:

• F.B.I. to investigate schoolyard shoving match between Armstrong and Hamilton.

• NYC can't figure out what to do about bicycles and the chaos they create. No riding while sexy. No riding on the road.

• Oregon Live wants women to think about Bikes. I wonder if they need to treat bicycles like a handbag accessory to do so?

• Drop bar Geometry.

Dear Leader: Chinese Cyclist Takes Home A Message For Beijing

In a recent article over the wire, Feng Lun, a Chinese real estate magnate, reflects on his 9 day round-island bicycle tour of Taiwan and describes the country as being a "graceful lady".

"Taiwan is like a well-educated lady who doesn't wear lipstick, " said chairman Feng Lun. "It (Taiwan) is modest, ladylike and elegant."

At first the comments had my hackles raised high above my head as gendering is a device which is frequently deployed in the discourse between the "civilized center" and the periphery or object of desire.

In Taiwan we have seen this gendered language used in the diminutive pejorative "阿" (a) which has been classically used as the signifier for Taiwan's indigenes and other peripheral peoples during the Qing dynasty. The diminutive term 番阿 (huan-a) or barbarian, is a classic example of conflating the civilizer's object into a perceived smaller, weaker, more docile and less intelligent form, desperately in need of a paternalistic hand from a more civilized center; a hand which may transform the object into something perceptibly "better".

Despite his need to gender Taiwan, I couldn't help but see his comments in another light.

It appears more independent Chinese tourists will be arriving to explore the country without propagandist minders and ideologically safe itineraries.

Some of Mr. Feng's other comments seem to reflect the inevitable discovery that Taiwan is not China and that Taiwanese culture is the result of a very different experience that Chinese can learn from.

Mr. Feng's comments come across as a subtile rebuke of Beijing and the CCP; a sentiment that seems to be growing among not just the Chinese in the rural areas that are feeling left out of the boom times, but also among the middle and privileged classes. It may be prudent to read comment's like Feng's less of praise for Taiwan, and more of criticism aimed at the Chinese government.

The article goes on to state:

He said that Taiwan is a law-abiding place where people have the freedom to mobilize and the sensibility to disband a demonstration, which he said may not be the case in every country.

Taiwanese people take to the streets, but they also obey the law, Feng said.

He also compared government and citizen powers in mainland China and Taiwan and described Taiwan as a place where government officials "have difficulty enjoying themselves" while citizens "are able to live happy lives."

Feng said that since the Taiwanese government has little power, and its people have more power, Taiwan's urban construction is less efficient and its streets are less beautiful than on the mainland.

Feng is not the first Chinese tourist to use Taiwan as a sound board for comments aimed at China's proprietary legal system, institutionalized corruption, the lack of civil liberties, and a general disregard for the welfare of others.

Feng's final comments may be more in line with the sentiments of more Chinese and Taiwanese alike, but a view that may not be shared by their respective governments.

"I took a good look at this lady, from head to toe, " he said, adding that he came to the conclusion that Taiwan is a "good neighbor to whom one can turn for help."

Biking Around Sun Moon Lake and Beyond

Shuili

What a ride! Sunday's ride was really something special for me. It marked my first significant ride without knee pain in almost four months. Things had been looking up for the better part of two weeks and I had been itching to get out of Taichung. Before, I would simply hop on the bike and ride 200km or more to put some distance between myself and my city. Lately, I have simply been stuck, sitting at home, while everyone else was out sketching Taiwan's rugged topography by bike.

After last weekend's success I concocted a plan to go further afield, while building back into shape. The last thing I want is another three weeks off the bike.

The plan was to loop from Shuili Township in Nantou County, up the Nantou Route 131 to Sun Moon Lake, and then exit the lake at Dehua Village on the southeastern shore along the adjective defying Route 63, and then back to Shuili on the Highway 16. The entire route was only around 50k, similar to last weekend's distance, but with the addition of a climb up to 800m.

Michael Turton was game for the adventure as he had never biked some of those roads, and we were joined by Andrew B. from Feng Yuan. (You can check out Michael's write-up HERE)

I was feeling pretty anxious about things as a day of climbing could potentially lead to another flare-up with the knee. I imagined the possibility of getting to the furthest point and having to bail or continue forward in pain, each turn of the crank helping to degrade the knee even more. Since early March I have ridden with the fear that any real effort might contribute to making things worse. Still, I have ridden on these roads before as part of much longer rides, and I couldn't wait to finally take my new bike further afield.

The ride was simply inspiring.

Shuili Bus Depot

Michael had the courtesy to drive us all down to Shuili in his van, otherwise I would have had to cancel, and we all unloaded our gear for a day of riding.

A Local Bus

Shuili is a pretty little town near the source of the Choushui River that was once a logging and agricultural hub, but it is now cashing in more from felling tourists than timber.

Michael and Andrew Embark Up The Route 131

We quickly headed up the Route 131, a route I have only taken downhill, and made pretty good time over the low rollers toward the lake. Andrew B. spun his way along on his mountain bike as we tested the terrain. I felt pretty good pushing a 39-27 gearing combination, but I was not about to over do it. The grades were between 2%-4%, so totally fine.

A Straggler

Several groups of cyclists came careening out of Sun Moon Lake as they had obviously had a much earlier start than our little "coffee and cake" ride.

Village Below Reservoir

The balmy heat was tempered by intermittent cloud cover and it made for some good cyclign weather... at least good for Taiwan in June. The temps were in the 30s (90s) and the humidity was otherworldly, but not bad at all.

Sun Moon Lake

The roads soon plopped us down on the welcoming banks of Sun Moon Lake, where we joined caravans of tourists jockeying for their own unique glimpse of the cloudy blue waters lapping upon placid shores.

Andrew Arrives

Views

Views II

Posing

Blessings

It was easy to keep pace with the traffic as we inhaled petrol fumes from tour busses that threatened to push us into the guardrails at every turn. Visitors in passing cars cheered us onward past the cable cars to Dehua Village.

Tourism

Locals?

We stopped for lunch amid tourist-lined streets and pushy vendors scrapping for their restaurant traffic.

Michael Climbs

As the grey skies closed in we decided to make the hill climb out of the lake before the rain could make the descent on the other side any trickier.

Over The Lake

I was really happy with my climb. I felt comfortable and steady with a good pedal stroke and it was here that I really realized that my knee would be ok.

Drizzle

As I waited at the top of the hill for Michael and Andrew, a light blanket of drizzle began to cover the entire basin below. Within minutes it was covering me as well. The descent would be far more technical than I had anticipated.

Careful!

Over The Valley

We turned the corner just over the peak of Route 63 to reveal the rippling ramparts of Taiwan's Central Mountain Range. My pictures just don't do justice to this scene. The interplay between the light, clouds, shadows and scenery, punctuated by a weaving plunge through hillside farms and betel nut groves was a treat for the senses.

Great Roads Below

Cloudy Skies

The rain tapered off as I reached the bottom of the descent, just in time for a high speed assault on a ribbon of smooth pavement leading to the base of the valley.

Rolling Along

With mountains on all sides, we rolled smoothly along the valley floor. My legs were getting a little tired after so much time off, but with the entire scene spread out before me and the thrill of that descent, I was stoked on enough adrenaline to keep moving rapidly with a smile on my face.

The Flood

Suddenly, without warning, the skies opened up into a torrent of pounding rain. The air was filled with the deafening sound of thick raindrops pummeling the valley.

Brave Soul

We took shelter under an aluminum garage/betel nut stand and waited for the rain to abate. Within minutes we were back on the road.

UFO Cult?

River Wild

We were soon exiting the valley and headed back into Shuili. My legs were in great shape, albeit tired. We had had a great ride through great country. With good spirits all around we drove back under the sun drenched skies of Taichung.

With this ride I was able to regain the confidence I had lost after so many disappointing false starts on my road to recovery. Now I feel I can start to really enjoy riding again.

What a great ride!

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