Cycling is my passion. It allows me to connect with others, trains my stamina, and is a way to relax and blow off steam. I always look forward to visiting new places on my bike, and one of my most exciting trips was biking around my beautiful homeland: Taiwan.
When I was in tenth grade, my former school, Kang Chiao International School, was supposed to take us on a cycling trip around Taiwan. However, because of COVID-19, my school canceled the trip. Despite this disappointment, I made the trip this year (2022) with a GIANT group. During the ride, I cultivated a strong sense of belonging to my home and learned to be persistent, encouraging, and reflective.
Here is a brief timeline of my nine day trip:
Day 1: Taipei→Hsinchu, first climb, rainy afternoon
Day 2: Hsinchu→Taichung, smooth morning ride, tough afternoon uphill ride, visited GIANT Cycling Culture Museum
Day 3: Taichung→Chiayi, smooth ride, Wagui and Migao lunch
Day 4: Chiayi→Kaohsiung, calm ride, lunch with delicious black tea and crispy shrimp rolls
Day 5: Kaohsiung→Hengchun, powerful headwinds, roasted chicken for lunch, rainy afternoon
Day 6: Hengchun→Zhiben, toughest climb and three short hills
Day 7: Zhiben→Ruisui, enjoyed abundant nature atmosphere along bike path
Day 8: Ruisui→Jiaoxi (Train: Hualien – Yilan), rode under cloudy weather, boarded train and played card games
Day 9: Jiaoxi→Taipei, final 2km climb, left hold a sky lantern
Here are the best parts of the journey:
The grand adventure commences
Everyone was delighted when our team embarked on the trip. After a smooth ride along the Dahan riverside, we encountered our first uphill climb, and my teammates and I were breathing as hard as we could. After lunch, we were soaked through by both a mighty thunderstorm and our own sweat, which was even more disgusting than just sweat would have been.
The challenging middle
On the morning of day six, the rain poured mercilessly down onto us, and we pedaled up a long, steep path. Despite the conditions, we were determined to conquer the climb. When the peak came into view after three hours of riding, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment. Our team then enjoyed the comfortable breeze as we coasted downhill. After that, every uphill seemed easy to us.
Much of the journey was a pleasant ride
On day eight, our team enjoyed the magnificent scenery of golden farmland, the cloudy sky, and colossal mountains on both sides of the road as we approached Hualien. We also traveled along a path covered with trees and shadows from the hills. Then, we arrived in Hualien and boarded the train to Yilan because the path between the two cities is too narrow and dangerous. Some friends and I played some card games on the train, which was a fun change of pace from being on our bikes all the time.
A final challenge waited for us
On day nine, we rode along the coast and saw Turtle Island on the far horizon. Then, we confronted an unexpected two-kilometer uphill climb to enter the mountains. This climb was when we all spent the last of our energy. Fortunately, we got lunch right after we made it to the top. After lunch, my teammates and I wrote our life ambitions on a sky lantern. We watched it drift away in the cloudy sky from our bikes and then we smoothly coasted back into Taipei on our bikes.
In addition to the trip highlights, the trip also taught me some valuable lessons:
Persevere
Biking is like life, with highs and lows. During the trip, our team faced the stifling sun, powerful headwinds, heavy thunderstorms, and steep uphills, but we tackled them all. Some of those obstacles popped unexpectedly during our trip, just like we have to deal with unexpected challenges in life. However, we didn’t overthink the challenges. Instead, we just smiled and pushed through.
Encouragement is powerful
During the trip, my teammates and I encouraged each other when we struggled, and we celebrated with each other when we succeeded. Some teammates occasionally fell behind, especially when we went uphill. However, through encouraging each other, our team cultivated a strong desire to go further together. As a result, all of us managed to finish the trip, regardless of our speed. Every push on the pedal meant getting closer to our destination.
On day four, nine teammates and I talked about how doing sports has shaped our attitudes. For us, exercising is not just to build stamina but also for building mental strength. The discussion gave me more motivation to work hard both in sports and in life.
Be reflective and thankful
Unlike other trips I have taken, I kept a journal along the way. This was beneficial because I could reflect on the journey. For example, I was initially intimidated by riding in the rain, but I made my peace with it and trained myself to think of the rain as another source of relief after riding in the hot sun. Through writing about my feelings during the trip, my self-awareness improved.
I am also thankful for the support from the people around me while biking around Taiwan. When I struggled, I recalled my family and friends’ encouraging words and was motivated to finish the bike trip. Moreover, I am grateful for a teammate who made excellent videos to commemorate the trip. I also made a poster for my teammates to celebrate finishing our ride.
Final thoughts
Thanks GIANT and my teammates who kept me company throughout the 911 km journey. We became close friends along the way. There will be more adventures and challenges waiting for us. However, if we persist, we can achieve our goals and create new things we are passionate about.
Victor,
Thank you for your wonderful sharing. I jointed the same tour from Giant in Jan 2020. For sure it was once in a life time positive experience. After done it once, I will focus more the journey with other team members. Friend that met from the tour and I were hoping to do it again in the future.
Victor