When I’ve almost blundered into webs like that, it’s been an instant lesson in optics and how our eyes (don’t) work. I’m looking at the ground a few meters ahead - and somehow that hand-sized spider at 10 o’clock, 20cm away from my head, is invisible. Then there’s a dramatic whip zoom and I’m suddenly in my own little horror movie.
One time walking a couple of meters off the much-missed South Cross-Island Highway (scootering - alas, I never rode a bicycle across that)… I don’t know HOW I avoided walking through a web or getting a spider on me. Once my eyes were focusing at the right distance, I realized I was surrounded by spiders at all heights and angles, except the gap I’d just walked through. Of course, this realization was, er, mid-stream, leaving me with limited options for getting the heck out of there.
The other day I felt bad about some generic brown-green snake, 40-50cm long, slithering across a busy road. If I knew it were safe I’d have tried to gently boot it into the grass, because that snake must have been splatted soon after.
I’ve seen a few live snakes while cycling, plenty of dead ones. I don’t know which are dangerous.
I did an experiment this morning. I had on a mask, and then I pulled the buff over the mask so it looked like I just had a buff over my mouth and nose. I figured if I got pulled over, I would pull down the buff and reveal the mask underneath. So I rode around for a bit and sure enough, there was a cop. I rode right in front of him. He didn’t even bat an eye. So I guess the buff counts as a mask, at least in Taipei city.
Yes. I rode a long stretch on them last night, from Danshui to Guting. Most of the washrooms are open, but not all of them; all the vending machines seem to be working, but as far as I can tell none of them sell water! I didn’t notice any access routes that were taped off, although a few places like basketball courts were taped off.
I noticed there are some jobsworths zipping up and down the cycle paths on scooters. They’re in high-vis jackets, not uniforms, but it’s possible they have powers to hand out fines or to report people to police. Stay “safe”.
As @ranlee already said, yes - and unlike many vehicles laws in Taiwan, the mask regulation is very much being followed. I saw a couple hundred people yesterday, and everyone had at least some kind of mask on. Two people were chin-diapering. A handful, like me, had the buff / scarf style face covering.
I will still be grinding away on my trainer until they lift the restrictions for exercising with a mask. Just know that if you go out to keep your mask on and is ok to take it off to eat/drink!
The outdoor event limit has changed too - wasn’t it ten before? (Now 100.) I certainly haven’t seen any big cycling groups in the hills over the past couple of months - maybe that’ll change now.
And has been discussed upthread, I’m still wearing a buff when cycling, and that seems totally fine for the restrictions. I do have a mask in my jersey pocket to wear when leaving and entering my apartment building, or for any convenience stores en route.
I haven’t been cycling in July, been working out at home and recently the gym.
It is just too damn hot. At least now I won’t feel guilty when drinking water when I do cycle again.
