Charles Garrett

Cycling in Taiwan

Outside work, Taiwan has witnessed over the last few years a social development that has amazed and delighted me in a equal measure.

I'm talking about the massive increase in the popularity of bicycles. When I first came here in 2005 it seemed that cycling was a minority interest. Taipei City Government was building cycle paths along the capital's rivers more in hope, it seemed, than in expectation that people would actually use them.

Charles Garrett(third from left), Deputy Director of BTCO

But today those same pathways, still being extened and improved, are now busy with cyclists of all ages and at all times. And on the back-roads of Yangmingshan - which must be one of the world's very best networks of cycling routes for the super-fit bikes now outnumber cars and scooters many times over. Pay a visit to Road 101 from Danshui to Erziping or the road which leads from the National Palace Museum over the hills to Wanli, and you'll see what I meam.

On Sunday 14 June I was in Nantou County cycling 58km from Puli to Hehuanshan. The race starts at about 400 metres above sea-level and ends at over 3200 metres. I cannot think of anywhere in the world which has a race like it - this must be unique. What surprises me is that so few people outside Taiwan know about this. There is a big global market for extreme physical challenges - this sort of event could bring participants from around the world.

Posted at 12:04 02 July 2009 by Charles Garrett  |  Comments[2]