Me and Miltownkid were talking about resuming our weekend rides. Sunday mornings is best for us. Anyone want to join us this Sunday 10AM at Hong Shulin MRT for a ride to Xindian MRT? Should take about 3 hours at a fairly easy pace with a few stops.
Brian
Yes, I might be interested in riding along. Depends on weather for me. Cool is ok, overcast ok, rain is right out (as the Monty Python guy says).
If I were to join, I’d probably pick a meeting point somewhere near Beitou along the bike path vs. going up to Hongshulin.
Are you all planning to ride straight through or will you stop for lunch and socializing somewhere along the way?
It’d be good to see you. I’ll probably go even if there’s a bit of drizzle. I’ve discovered that drizzle is fine for riding.
We usually more or less ride straight through, but stop and chat, buy water/snacks etc. As for socialising, we chat as we ride too.
Brian
I’ll be joining seeker4, unless it rains. I’m not going if it’s raining.
Looks like we’ve got overcast mostly. Maybe a bit of drizzle later. Cooler and some wind today. Should be ok for biking if it holds. Sun might even come out later if we’re lucky.
See you along the path near the Beitou tower at 10:30.
Hope you guys didn’t go out today. There’s a sandstorm. Shouldn’t be out doing any exercise in it.
We did go out, and had a great time, with only one mishap - the pedal fell off one of the bikes (an older bike). We didn’t have any problems with the weather.
We did go out, and had a great time, with only one mishap - the pedal fell off one of the bikes (an older bike). We didn’t have any problems with the weather.[/quote]
Chris, you aren’t going to have problems with a sandstorm in Taipei in the sense it will prevent you from riding a bike. But the suspended particle matter levels go skyrocketting during these periods (it’s now 130, which is in the unhealthy range - good days it’s 20-30) and it puts a lot of strain on your lungs. Not to mention the fact that dust has a lot of lead and suplhur in it. Furthermore, the very young and the very old should not be out, which means you should have locked seeker4 at home. 
Hey, I’m not THAT young. I’m riding without training wheels! 
Other riders: Nice ride today, despite the deadly particles. Next time, we need to figure out in advance which way the wind will be blowing and bring sails.
Hey, I’m not THAT young. I’m riding without training wheels!
Other riders: Nice ride today, despite the deadly particles. Next time, we need to figure out in advance which way the wind will be blowing and bring sails.[/quote]
Hmm, I was the killer mist guy, now I’m deadly particle man.
Man of many talents, and monikers.
Oh yeah, we rode about 25 kilometers today. Longer for Bu Lai En … about 30km or more.
Hmm, that is suprising, I would have guessed that the suspended particle matter level would be in the deadly range within the great Taipei area all year round. At least my lungs experience always a lot of strain when I do a trip to Taipei. Oh, on the side, I doubt that those surgery masks would do any good to prevent those particles from getting into your lungs.
Oh, btw. Mucha_Man, do you have a link to a webpage that shows those particle levels?
Here’s the weather and air quality link:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?t=18244
No, it is a misconception that most days in taipei are unhealthy. In fact the majority of days are just fine or are bad for a few hours a day when traffic is bad or if you are right on a busy street. When you visit Taipei you are going to busy areas hence your impression. Come out here to Muzha and smell the difference. 
[quote=“Muzha Man”]Here’s the weather and air quality link:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?t=18244
No, it is a misconception that most days in Taipei are unhealthy. In fact the majority of days are just fine or are bad for a few hours a day when traffic is bad or if you are right on a busy street. When you visit Taipei you are going to busy areas hence your impression. Come out here to Muzha and smell the difference. [/quote]
Or Bitan. 
I look down on you guys from my morning exercise spot, MM, and sorry to have to be the bearer of unpalatable news, but you guys are very often part of the brown miasma that covers Taipei. Unless you’re up in the hills a bit. Then I suppose you’d be more out of it.
[quote=“sandman”][quote=“Muzha Man”]Here’s the weather and air quality link:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?t=18244
No, it is a misconception that most days in Taipei are unhealthy. In fact the majority of days are just fine or are bad for a few hours a day when traffic is bad or if you are right on a busy street. When you visit Taipei you are going to busy areas hence your impression. Come out here to Muzha and smell the difference. [/quote]
Or Bitan.
I look down on you guys from my morning exercise spot, MM, and sorry to have to be the bearer of unpalatable news, but you guys are very often part of the brown miasma that covers Taipei. Unless you’re up in the hills a bit. Then I suppose you’d be more out of it.[/quote]
Hmm, is that why we got the brown MRT line?
Not often miasmic. I am up in Maokong or the uni all the time and can see over Muzha (at least my area right by the river) clearly. Yeah, of course we have bad days, but it rains so often here it clears everything up.
Seriously, though I wonder if it depends on your perspective. When I look west toward Xindian and Bitan it looks smoggy too.
Well we’re less smoggy than you lot over there. We also have prettier children. And are quite simply just a better class of people altogether. You know it and I know it, so it seems pointless to argue, really.
But Mucha has better bikes!
(Sorry, just putting this back on topic)
You’ve got sand in your eyes…man.
You’re right, those pachinko guys and balloon popping touts are way more sophisticated than our tea growers. 
[quote=“Muzha Man”]Here’s the weather and air quality link:
forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?t=18244
No, it is a misconception that most days in Taipei are unhealthy. In fact the majority of days are just fine or are bad for a few hours a day when traffic is bad or if you are right on a busy street. When you visit Taipei you are going to busy areas hence your impression. Come out here to Muzha and smell the difference. [/quote]
Thanks for the link, very interesting webpage. I start liking the EPA, do they actually do anything besides reporting on water and air conditions?
I guess, if you consider Muzha as part of Taipei. I was more thinking of the downtown area south of Freeway #1 and north of Shin Hai Rd & Shui Yuan Rd. But I will observe the webpage more often, and then I know when to go to Taipei and when to stay home.
Or I just come to Muzha instead. Is there anything else going on besides of Happy Penguins in a giant fridge? I was always wondering are the penguins the top attraction of the zoo, or is it the big airconditioned penguin house they live in?