LCSG @ Trifactor 2013

In case u are looking for more photos on Trifactor 2013 , here it is.. 

LCSG family @ Trifactor 2013

We were honored to be given 2 slots for the inter cycling club race at Tri-factor 2013. Ro and Tiger Tang were selected and today we saw them in action.

Missy Sunshine Ro spinning away with mega watt smile

Tiger Tang with his Red Single gear Schwinn... powering to finishing line

Ok, I lied. So we hid at Changi village for a while and after the big downpour we went and cheered for our 2 friends.  It was a 80km ride and all the rest of the riders were in roadies and carbon what nots. Except our 2. Ro was in a Pacific reach SL while Tiger Tang in a Schwinn Single speed. Red for 5km/hr advantage haha.

LCSG cheering team

I was impressed with their performance as they kept on going under pretty scary conditions. I saw tenacity from Tiger. How he skidded and fell in front of us. Got up immediately and jump on, cranking furiously. Thats awesome. Steven, you have taught him well!

skidded... you could hear Steven heart miss a beat!

no fuss, no whimming... just saddle up and carry on. That's tenacity! 

uncle K.C at the prime spot to see the action

We were at the turnoff and witness several crashes. Many due to the slippery road conditions, some due to the un-even handling skill of the riders. And some are just tired and confused. One was particularly memorable as he crashed head on to the barrier, taking down a marshaller with him. 

Spectacular crash, taking out the marshaller 

Eugene was the first to run up and render assistance. While George acted to divert traffic

Also cool was to see many riders taking up the challenge. From Kids, normal folks and even hand bikes.  

Kids ready to roll 

one of my fav... "santa" 

Hand cycling champ!

Handcyclist with their front lead and safety. 

was talking to Diane... hmmm maybe it is time for Momo to do this!

Overall I really think it was awesome to see so many folks out and having a ball. We had great fun cheering for LCSG riders and also for others. If I may add just one suggestion to make it safer. It is to have a wider turns. Perhaps this would make it less hazardous to the riders.
I can't wait for Tri-factor 2014!  Thanks again to Trifactor for the sponsor!

16th April 2013 Day 4 - Downhill from Tai Pin Shan

16^th April 2013 Tues, Day 4

TaiPingShan, CuiFeng Lake and downhill to foot of TPS

Full Set of Photos here 

The view on top of Tai Ping Shan... and I overslept......

Family photo to remember the moment

I overslept. Haha..  By the time we woke up, it was already 0615. I quickly got out to see the sunrise. Or what was left of it. The air was crisp and the fog disappeared. There was only George and Desmond out on the viewing deck to watch the changing morning sun colors. I guess yesterday uphill must have KO-ed all of us.  Should be better today... I hope..

Beautiful colors

Crisp air!

Are you ready? Let's roll!

Ready as I can ever be!  Pierre the energizer bunny

Breakfast followed and we prepared to roll. George gave another safety briefing. Stay on a safe speed – less then 30km/hr and space out. Don't follow too closely with each other. And of course, this is Taiwan, keep Right!

We cycled to Cui Feng Lake which is along the plateau (less slopely) and the nice weather meant a sweat free and cooling ride.

Tiger and Desmond warming up... hayyy shou hayyy shouu

Gary lent me his Gopro to capture the downhill part... I hope it turns out good

Marcus with his Raleigh Tourer

For today I took my DSLR and took many of the folks carving down the mountain…. Whheeeeeee…  left and right, repeat 50 times… or more… brake brake and left and right… this is scary but fun!

Desmond share the chocolate leh...

Uncle Julian on a upslope! 

Whhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee -Lisa

Ai Lim on her Pink TSR Moulton

Desmond carving with his Dahon TR!

Full concentration!

Slowly does it.. 

Elisha with this BF NWT  at one of the numerous hairpin turns...  

doping..

My trusty BF that got me up and down TPS!

In no time, we reached the Visitor centre (3/4 down the moutain) and as I lifted my camera, the metal buckle attached to my DSLR snapped! Oh gosh, it is my lucky day. 30 second earlier..  my camera would have fell off….  Lesson learned. Check and recheck your equipment. And recheck your equipment. 

Someone was definitely watching out for me... 

all the animals come out to play! 

We reached the base of the mountain in one piece, no accidents! Encik George was visibly relieved as he sat on the floor and rested for a while. 

Heng ah.. no need to medical evac... Thank you Encik for ur constant advice!

yummy Bento!

We had our lunch, packed the bikes into the van.

Then it was a long 2 hour drive along the coastal line (Su-Au highway to Hua Lien) to 南埔庭園民宿. Flatter terrain awaits.. haha!

14th April 2013 Sun, Day 2 of Taiwan Trip

Start of our Taiwan ride!!  Photo Credit Uncle KC 

14^th April 21, 2013.  Sun, Day 2

Distance: 75km. Flat but windy. Uber Steep section at the lighthouse

Fulong to Ciao Ling Tunnel. 

Front of the Ciao Ling Tunnel

Fulong- Ciao Ling Tunnel Coastal line – 三貂角燈塔 Lighthouse and Jiao Si 

Route is here in case u like to do the ride  http://tour.ntpc.gov.tw/page.aspx?wtp=3&wnd=314
Full set of Photos here

The route 

Woke up and cannot believe that we are actually at Taiwan! 

We assembled after breakfast at the lobby for Encik pre-ride briefing. It was raining lightly but still we were all eager to go.

ready to roll!

First spot was the Ciao Ling Tunnel. This was a disused Train Tunnel converted to a cycling path. I like the fact that they did not totally erase the former train tracks but sensitively added a new function – a 2 km long sheltered cycling path!  It was fun and abit surreal to be riding with drafty cold wind inside the tunnel. As u reached the end, the sea, wind and sunshine greets you. Like they always say, there is light at the end of the tunnel! 

fun and full of energy!

Mummy and Momo also did their first Taiwan ride with the rest of the riders. I was so proud of Momo on her first “overseas cycle ride!”  Kim mentioned to me that Momo later slept like a log in the van. KO-ed from the effort... haha 

Momo with Teacher Esther.. zipping along the tunnel

Family shot at the sea side at the other end of the Ciao Ling Tunnel

Kim did very well too!

Planking V3

We then followed Taiwan northeastern coastline via the Longmen-YanLiao Bike path to the San Diao Jiao Lighthouse. The rain came down and we had strong front/side winds. 

Ai Lim, Lisa on the back... rambling along the nice costal PCN

wet and moody weather. Good for reflection

happy just to be riding

Esther on her Dahon

Nice and quiet. Just the place to be riding

My flag flapped around like crazy and flew off several times. I had to collapse and keep it in my pannier bag. It was quite an exhausting experience battling the strong cross/head winds.  

Not glam but makes u visible

One crank at a time...

Pierre welcoming us to the start of the slope to lighthouse

Chionnnnng ahhh

Another challenge appeared before us soon, the short but super steep slope of the San Diao Jiao Lighthouse.  This was about 20 percent gradient constant all the way up. I was on my compact crank and last rear 28 teethn gear. It was still painfully hard to crank up the slope. My meter read at times 4km/hr and I knew it was better to just push up the slope(some section).  Esther joined me at the rear and tried as much as possible to crank up.. but it was impossible.

So tiring that I stop to take photos.. 

So we walked up, laughing at ourselves and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

At the lighthouse, the winds were even stronger. We trembled as most of us were wet with sweat with the howling winds. To make it even more interesting, we chose the spot to have our break and lunch. Some hid in the support vehicle to escape the winds and have a meal.

Fang Jie was on the hilltop with our lunch and hot Soup!

Momo and me... getting blown by the sea breeze at the Lighthouse

Marcus and myself wandered around and hid in the lighthouse personale office.  I chatted with Marcus :”wonder how Tai Ping Shan would be like?” That will be tomorrow and today was supposedly an easy/flattish day. Need to conserve and pace my knees. (Self reminder)

Elisha speeding along the coast line

Beautiful sea view

Sea produce

Shrimps!

We decended the steep incline and rolled along the coastline. The view was fantastic. The fishing harbour/shelter which Uncle KC shared was design/built to keep the boats safe during typhoon season. 

A school by the sea

They gave boats eye so they can "see"

The wet roads meant lots of splashes and if you don't have fenders, your jersey will have a nice road “rooster pattern”. I was really glad I prepared my Bike Friday Pocket rocket with the full fenders. It wasn’t the most beautiful thing to have on a nice bike but the fenders really made the ride so much more comfortable. Also the bike performed beautifully at flat coastal stretches, it was really enjoyable to put the bike thru the paces and have a nice pace without  over exerting myself. 

All this time, I reminded my self, “pace yourself. Only day one and supposed to be easy ride. Tomorrow will be the siong one… “

George, Ride leader... capturing the moment

In about 1.5hours we made it to Jiao Si. This is a place which is famous for Onsen. We were glad to reach the end and celebrated but having a foot spa at the town communal hotspring. 

Free and communal hot spring. Just the thing to end the ride!

Tiger and Pierre demonstrating diving... 

Desmond saw a long Q forming and sure enough he Q-ed too. It was Spring onion pancake and was the best I ever tasted. Maybe we were all hungry but the 8 pancakes was gone in minutes.

Yumilicous

Almost reaching the hotel... 

We then went to the hotel which was located nearby. To cater for our bicycles, they gave us a conference room so that we can have a more secure parking for our precious steeds. Encik used the meeting white board to show us Tai Ping Shan gradient. All the way up. About 2200 metres. Will be cold, prepare cold weather gear. Gulp… ... ready or not. TPS, here we come! Photo credits to Uncle KC, Ying Chan and Desmond Chia

the hotel guy was shocked to see so many bikes forming up at the lobby...  so he gave us a mtg room.. 

Lecture by Encik George of Tai Ping Shan... "it is 2200 and all the way up.... very easy one. Just pedal.."