Day 1 report - Against the wind 環島第一天台南到彰化市152公里 -

Thanks to the northeast wind, today's ride has been the toughest I ever had. Riding against the wind is worse than riding in hot summer day or rainy day. On my one-day ride to Kenting at the end of August (same distance 155km), I was able to maintain an average speed of 25 or 26 km/h and when I got there I still had energy to play. Today my average speed for the first 120 km was probably only 13 km/h and in a break around noon, I was already so exhausted that 我整個人攤在地上. Anyway, I checked into a hotel at 7:50 pm. After getting things done (eat, washing clothese, shower, etc.), it's now already 11:00PM. So I have to make this report short for now. I will fill in more stories later, maybe after 10/18. By the way, I had a bit of problem with posting to my blog from my mobile phone. That's why nothing was posted today so far. Hopefully the problem will go away tomorrow.

Key messages for the day:

1. Don't ride against wind (東北季風), don't ever try. You will lose miserably. Today in 雲林, I decided to change course and headed west to an inland route: 省道 19. The wind on 省道 19 was about the same as that coastal road in the morning but got much milder after entering 彰化縣. To morrow I will connect to 省道1號 (縱貫公路)

2. The west coastal road 西濱 省道17 was the most boring road I ever rode on (or driven on) in Taiwan. 好荒涼! 省道19 was the same until getting near 彰化市. (The pictures below will tell you how boring it is.)

3. Today was my toughest ride ever.

4. Both my body and my bike and gears survived. My toe that was injured yesterday, surprsingly, did not hurt at all today :)

Now I will let the pictures tell the story. I will add more lines to these pictures after 10/18.

6:20AM, 出發地點

My high school buddy 吳醫師 from Hua-Lien. He got up early 來為我加油送行

The ride was launched at 6:32 AM. That's the starting line 中華西路府前路口

轉身回頭向吳醫師道別並致謝, "I am taking off now!"，突覺一股熱流往上半身衝，卻哽在喉嚨... 這時耳中的iPod也開始播放上路的第一首歌: 五月天的"憨人"

Eating lunch at a Seven

台西最有名的是什麼?

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Several more pictures in between here... I will post them later

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7:45 PM, finally found a motel

Denys in 彰化市

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歌名:憨人 填詞:阿信, 作曲:阿信, 編曲:五月天

試聽source 1
試聽source 2

我的心內感覺　人生的沈重　不敢來振動(行動)
我不是好子　嘛不是歹人　我只是愛眠夢

我不願隨浪隨風　飄浪西東　親像船無港
我不願做人　奸巧鑽縫　甘願來作憨人

我不是頭腦空空　我不是一隻米蟲
人啊人　一世人　要安怎歡喜　過春夏秋冬

我有我的路　有我的夢　夢中的那個世界　甘講伊是一場空
我走過的路　只有希望　希望你我講過的話　放在心肝內　總有一天

看到滿天全金條　要煞無半項　環境來戲弄
背景無夠強　天才無夠弄　逐項是攏輸人
只好看破這虛華　不怕路歹行　不怕大雨淋
心上一字敢　面對我的夢　甘願來作憨人

(Below is a translation attempted by Denys)

Deeply in me I feel the heaviness of life
So heavy I dare not stride wide
I am not a good kid, nor am I a bad boy
I just love dreaming

Don’t want to go with the wind, tossed by the wave, like a wandering boat without a harbor
Would rather be seen foolish than being crafty and opportunistic

I am not dump, nor am I a waste to the society
Year after year, how do I make it worth my life


My road planned, toward my dream
Would I find only emptiness when I get to my dreamland?
On the road I pedaled, I left nothing but hope
Hope what we promised each other, deeply in our hearts, will come true someday


Daydreaming is always easy, yet so hard to grasp
Eventually you learn from being fooled by reality
Without a silver spoon, nor a good talent, eventually getting used to being a loser
Glory and vanity are now history
Rugged road will not slow me down
Pouring rain will not stop me
Bearing only one word on mind
Toward my dream dare I
A fool you see get on the bike