The day after our kitsch night out, we planned to escape the city and head for the hills. Joining friends from Facebook and Google, we drove over the Golden Gate and into Marin County. It was all very odd with Abe and Armando; we are 30-ish year guys and we have never been in a car with one of the others driving … the same thing with almost all of my Asia-based friends, in fact. Unthinkable in Europe or the USA.
AtmosphericsArachnid
Making a beeline for Alamere Falls in Marin county, we hit Taipei-levels of traffic as people headed out to make the most of the holiday weekend. Our late start then bled into massive delays, and we arrived at the trail head at about 4pm. Since the sun was likely to set at about 8pm, we decided to strap on our shoes and go for it.
We wound our way through majestic redwoods, light pouring through and the sound of the sea filtering through the birdsong: oh how I wish Taiwan had a more temperate climate, otherwise I would be doing this every weekend!
Breaking through the trees, we began the final descent towards the cliffs, a substantial stream picking its way down through the rocks on its way to the ocean. Gathering to take triumphant photos at the base of the waterfall, it was fantastic to be in such a beautiful place with so many good friends.
Stepping out … a little later than we first planned!Big trees demand a big lensPeeking over the horizon and thinking of Taiwan on the other side!The first of the falls heading down towards the beach.Gorgeous!JAZZ HANDS!‘I was young and I needed the money’Yay!Abe art directs the photo of a perfect Californian view. Armando has other plans.As a direct result of our tardy start, we enjoyed some pretty amazing light and views across the trees.Sunshine account in the red.Seeing this photo, I couldn’t help but think of Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, who did the last U2 album coverTeam Jazz Hands!
And a note to myself and the people that were there … ‘deaf hands!’
Explaining why three male, unmarried room mates from Taipei were in San Francisco for ‘entirely independent’ reasons, raised some eyebrows amongst the people that we met. But honest, Abe was visiting family, Armando was jetting through en-route to Austin, and I was leaving Texas on the way back to Asia. These things don’t happen an awful lot, so I was bursting to see what it would be like to meet them in a country where we all speak the same language as the locals.
Through some minor level of planning, we found ourselves on a night out in a relic of 1970s kitcsh, The Tonga Room, complete with Filipino funk band that floats out into the middle of a small lake in the middle of the bar, and retreats again when the rain starts pouring down (yes).
I guess I am as transfixed by the double-decker trains as foreigners are by double-decker buses in the UK.View from my room across the roof topsCalifornia metal
Badly made cocktails, silly dancing and some sore heads set us up for a great morning of brunching and procrastinating on starting a hike off in Marin county…
A wonderful 1992 steel Bianchi … definitely a different feel to the Cervelo.
So I have the bike, the glasses, the funny shorts and the lingo down, but true graduation to road-biker status would not be permitted by Tony without first joining him for some rides in Austin, and participating in the local Driveway criterium series. Tell a lie; I also need to shave my legs.
Instead of renting a bike, Tony had expedited assembly of his 1992 vintage Bianchi. A proper professional-grade thoroughbred from the early 90s, it is a marvel of lugs, lucious Ferrari-red paint and chroming. It showcases the cabinetmaker-standard construction techniques that were employed in Italy, and is in stark contrast to the carbon jelly-moulds around today. It also offers partial explanation for the rebound in custom steel frames that are flooding out of Portland, Berlin, and East London, recreating their ideal of an industry that has long since shifted to Asia.
Turning up at the race track, I quickly donned Lycra and went about warming up. Visions of the Cat 5 ‘beginner’ race had me finishing in the top ten and applying my fitness and handling skills to turn the screws on some of the locals. These thoughts vanished when I saw the waves of carbon, shaved legs, and steely gazes singeing the grass. Yup, this was my first race, I had never seen the back 70% of the track before, and it was my first time riding this (20 year-old) bike. I was absolutely bricking it. Shit!
Criteriums differ from the ‘stage’ racing format, given they are typically hosted on a tight, twisting track and offer fantastic opportunities for spectators to take in the racing, enjoy some drinks and scream their support at the riders. The atmosphere was alive with kids trundling around, music pumping out and the warm sun setting in the distance. America takes its recreation very seriously, and the results are communities like this, with families and friends getting together.
Meanwhile, in Hell, the pack of fifty-odd riders is slowly picking up locomotive pace, and my senses are a mess of static electricity, trying to process sounds, feelings and a spectacle that is completely different from anything I have experienced before. Looking at a pack of riders go by, and it seems so serene, like a rolling flock of birds. Inside that flock of riders, surrounded by a thousand fluttering wings of gear trains, aero wheels and bearings, it is a cacophony of white noise, expressionless Oakleys staring back at you. It is intimidating.
I keep pace pretty well for the first few laps; it’s surprising how little effort you need to apply when air resistance is removed from the equation. But a dull thud, shouting voices and a spray of arms, sunglasses and feet in the air up ahead, and it is quite clear there is a crash at the tightest corner – probably a clipped pedal. The pack splits up, and while we try our best to catch up, the air has suddenly become viscous, and I seem to be plummeting back through the field as my legs turn to plastic. I pick a couple of riders that seem to be attempting to bridge a gap back to the field, but it’s hopeless; they disappear from view.
There is no need to give up though. It’s a lovely evening with the sun splintering through the trees, and myself and a few others keep a reasonable pace. The finish line shouts out numbers: “6 to go!” but I don’t know if they mean minutes, laps or kilometers. I make a mental note through my panting to check with Tony. They scream “1 to go!” and I pick up the pace with the remaining stragglers to give a shot at sprinting for the final lap. Weary, we spear for the line and I see him peeling off, and all of a sudden I am surrounded by riders: were we lapped? Is this the next race starting? Do I stop now? Please?
Yes, so I was a bit confused at the end (I was lapped, and I think there were still a couple of laps to go), but it was a rush, and the memory of being surrounded by riders with ‘that sound’ was intoxicating. I shall be back!
The 'peleton' rolls by; it's a different feeling from the inside!Holding on – it's me somewhere in the back I think.Grin and bear it!
A pretty awesome ride out to Wufen Mountain (五分山: 757m) in the first of the really deeply hot days here in Taiwan. Still, a pretty early start, some strong legs, and some good team mates, meant that I was back in time for lunch. I am, however, completely toasted!
98.7km … I should have gone out to buy some milk to bring it up to a square 100km!
Stopping for a quick rest at the saddle of the first climb coming out of the Taipei basin.PeletonLooking up at Mordor – a pretty beastly climb – and finally approaching the top. I was fairly satisfied with the kick I was able to give around the corners though (the mountain biking doesn't hurt for those explosive bursts!).The guys laying down some rubber on the main climb! This was less a 五分 mountain (5 pieces mountain), and more like a 500!It was a little frustrating to get to the top and not even find any shade.The weather station – I guess for checking Chinese weather.At least some people could find some shade!Looking back down at the technical and devilishly fun descent!This descent is going to be fun.Rollercoaster5 Pieces Mountain … or 500?Stopping to pose after some well-deserved icey treats in Pingxi.It's amazing that the views into this cycling playground are a mere 20 minutes from my house… like a crazy idiot, I added an extra climb into the end of my ride. I was ready for another Zoca pizza!
Hopefully some more photos and GPS information, as the rest of the guys send me their information. More rides to come this summer, for sure!
In the time between your first day at art school, global finances have collapsed, century-old car companies and even entire countries have defaulted on their debt, and with the rise of China and India political power has shifted eastwards. Indeed, the very status of hardware design is shrinking in the face of interfaces and software. You might be feeling a little uneasy about your prospects, and I don’t blame you.
Responding to these changes will require flexibility, and people that can identify problems, form synergies with other disciplines, creatively generate solutions, and communicate with enthusiasm and energy. Strip away the sketching, software, model-making and engineering exams, and PDE gives you a nucleus of skills that will arm you for a career of uncertainty and change. The learning process has not ended; it’s only just beginning.
Change is Thrilling
Nine years ago, I graduated from a Glasgow also in the midst of a recession. My instinct told me to pick an industry area where things were changing, so I began looking for jobs in sustainable design, the medical industry (since people were unlikely to stop getting ill) and in Asia. Based on little more than gut-feel, and the desire to have a fully-paid backpacking trip to the other side of the world, I accepted a job offer working on Asus’ design team in Taipei.
The night before I left, nerves gave me a knot in my stomach so tight I was in physical pain, but before I knew it I was on the ground, right on the cutting edge of the globe’s manufacturing industry. Fast forward to today, and while I am working with some of the best designers, most capable suppliers, in one the largest industries in the world, I am still anxious about change, what it means for our customers, to Dell, and my career.
My lessons; anxiety and excitement are two sides of the same coin, be prepared to jump in feet-first, don’t be afraid to follow your gut, and whatever you do, do something that you love. What do you want your story to be?
Change is Opportunity
For me, PDE instilled a can-do-attitude and appetite for tackling sticky problems with zeal. Global problems and their potential solutions will only get broader, and call on people capable of bridging between disparate skills and previously unrelated disciplines.
Companies need people like you to make products like the iPhone, combining industrial design, software, services and manufacturing expertise, and dozens more skills. The growing elderly population needs people like you to propose sensitive solutions that allow them to continue living fulfilling lives. And the world needs people like you to stand a hope of motivating people to use fewer products, consume less energy, and dispose of less waste.
There has never been a better time to be designer.
I have been pretty quiet on here recently, but I have some good excuses; a new road bike, an iPad 2 and a PS3 has meant virtually no time writing or sorting photos. Hopefully, things will return to some semblance of balance (though probably not).
First and foremost, is a heart-breakingly beautiful new road bike that is so far beyond my abilities to exploit it is silly. It’s a Cervélo Soloist carbon frame finished in a custom Cantabrian hue, littered with filthy bits of SRAM Red and Zipp wheels so gloriously spendy I feel guilty just thinking about them. It neatly eliminates both performance excuses and likely upgrade paths for the coming years, and I absolutely love it.
A carbon virgin, I was expecting an unforgiving, jarring ride, but instead it provides a pleasantly beech cricket bat snap and crack, and while not exactly sofa-like in ride cosseting waftiness, I do not come back from rides pummelled and abused. I am, though, still getting used to the strange plasticky sounds that emanate when you miss a gear or hit something in the road: imagine watching a toddler abuse some cheap electronic product and you get the picture; you know it isn’t going to break but you can’t help but grimace.
What it does do, however, is bloody shift. I ride a pretty swift fixed-gear bike here in Taipei, and riding the same roads at full tilt on this is like night and day; rise up out of the saddle and you demolish traffic light count-downs with a satisfying ‘whooosh!’ as the air molecules try their best to react to a set of Zipps on spin cycle. The higher gearing than a mountain bike leaves you fewer places to retreat to when you are sweating and puffing on a climb, but the stiffness and Fedex efficiency when you start dancing in the saddle is extremely entertaining.
Plans are afoot for several summer trips, but for now, let me show you some photos of the wee beastie, and some Garmin data from a couple of our rides; my next toy for sure.
First ride out to the fruit stand on route 106 (photo taken with my iPhone and filtered to death in Instagram)Pausing for a rest and grabbing some vitamins.I notice I am hardly taking any photos on these rides; trying my best to keep up, combined with few opportunities for rest stops.At the top of the Pinglin climb and looking a little harassed! The bike is pretty though, eh!DomestiqueTony, in one of his regular attempts to violate me. I guess it is the lycra.A bromance flourishes! Abe and I made it out to Shihding today, but will leave the climb for next time!
Cycling computer has come on a long way in the last ten years. Garmin is leading the charge to map, geo-tag and socialise riding, and their services look like just the ticket to explore some of the more obscure routes around Taipei. The first one is the ride up to the Pinglin budda (where I look like I am going to fall over above). The second one is our ride to the coast – before lunch!
Since last weekend was Yuyin’s birthday, she was already in Hong Kong on business, and I had 12,500 air miles from Cathay Pacific gifted to me (a trip to HK needs 15,000), the stars aligned and I jumped at the chance to have a weekend away from Taipei.
We have both been to HK multiple times in the past, so it was a nice opportunity to meet some good friends (Michael, Tanja, Edgar, Sam), do some birthday present shopping for each other, and explore some little corners of HK that we had not been to before. HK is good like that; you can just strap on a camera, pack a credit card, and go; and everything works itself out.
Yuyin looks over at the island from the Ocean CentreTaking the Star Ferry never gets old.Yuyin steals my camera as I sniff out a new passport cover in Lane Crawford. Luckily, I managed to avoid the overpriced stuff, and found a simple leather Tumi one.… and now the view from the IFC, looking over at the ICC Tower in Kowloon.Dinner in the evening was courtesy of Nha Trang; one of the freshest, tastiest meals I have had in a while. Here we are, waiting in the queue, looking up at the surrounding buildings.I think this photo rather sums up Hong Kong; steep hills, Ducatis, Mercedes, and people plying their trade in between.Shopping for rainbows.Couples having their wedding photos taken in front of Louis Vuitton; classy.Desert was provided by Sevva; overpriced, less than exceptional drinks and deserts, but a view to die for. Yuyin, I hope having a nice evening!Sevva; recommended for the view.Without really realising it, we decided to walk from Central (with some help from the ferry), via Kowloon, back to the hotel in Harbour city.Taking in the scenes at night time.Strange angles from the Kowloon Cultural centre.Weaving our way over roads and between buildings (and sometimes through them), we slowly made our way back.The walkways linking together Hong Kong are really an amazing thing. They stretch for miles, and offer a sort of pedestrian freeway network. In a city that seems so cyclist-hostile, pedestrians (or at least those not on wheels) are amazingly served.Getting close to our destination, and back into normal streets.
The next day, we opted to hang out by the rooftop pool for a while, and cruise over to an exhibition documenting the life of the ‘King of Kowloon’; Tsang Tsou Choi.
The King claimed to rule the whole peninsula of Kowloon, regardless of whatever treaties bound the sovereignty of Hong Kong to the British and the late Qing governments. Tsang issued his royal patents and decrees with his black ink and brushes on lampposts and walls. Some called it graffiti and the King kept toddling across the streets in Hong Kong to make sure his messages were known to the public.
It was a fascinating look at Hong Kong’s previous British rulers through the eyes of rather an eccentric local person. It would be interesting to know if his decrees and demands reflected a wider resentment about the British rule; my impression is that people look back at that time with fond memories, since the handover to China. Something to read more about. Information on the exhibition can be found here, and a review is here.
Looking down the strait between Hong Kong and Kowloon.Walls of residential apartments line the waterside. Land is at a premium here!Waiting for the ferry to the island. In contrast to the main Star Ferry, the side spur seems full of Indonesian workers and poorer locals; maybe it is different mid-week.I wonder if people in these apartments stare out at the fabulous views, or if people avoid views in the same way as Taipei.Said exhibition from above; even his passport was annotated with protests.Riding the trams in Hong Kong.Squeezing on… I heard rumours that they were phasing them out?… and here is a nice detail; we stumbled across one of Tsang's protest murals at the Star Ferry pier!
A great weekend … next time I head back, I bring my mountain bike!
Escaping Shanghai is always a challenge, but as I have highlighted in previous posts, the HSR service heading out to Nanjing is opening up the entire Yangtze corridor.
This time with my manager, Paul, in tow, we headed out on Sunday to Suzhou station, and a cab to take us out to Tongli, a so-called ‘water town‘. While I supposed it would be similar to Zhouzhuang, which I visited last year, I enjoyed that trip enough to warrant another try.
Claiming 1000 years of history, the town is criss-crossed with canals and viaducts. It does not claim to be the largest or most famous of the water towns, and as a result the level of tourism does not quite meet the levels of Zhouzhuang, at least when I visited. And while there are no doubt touristic areas, it’s striking how many people still live and work in the town; it naturally gives the place a different vibe. Unlike many places in China, there seemed to be an uncanny amount of cleaning going on; after a few minutes of shooting photographs, I realised that almost all my photos featured mops or brooms somewhere in the background. Sipping a beer by the banks of the river, we also amused ourselves as we watched old ladies sweep fallen leaves into the river, and then the men fishing them out again to be disposed of.
First of a series of photos I call the 'Mop Project'As I have said before, I am a sucker for all graffiti in China and Asia.At first, I thought the piles of wood outside the shops might be for sale, but then I realised these were the shop shutters; rather more charming than electric roller shutters that will no doubt replace them some day.I call this 'Mops & Shutters'Afforementioned shutters, before a store opens.A very fancy blue bike.Waiting for the end of the day.OrganisationMops were hung, cantilevered, and propped up in all manner of ways.I really did take a lot of photos of shutters. I like that there are both Chinese and Roman numerals on these boards.Several times, groups of giggling local girls asked for our photos (convinced we were brothers); we naturally obliged, but not without taking some 'meta photos' first.Running back to Mamma.Roofs, augmentation, nice building materials.I couldn't resist this one. How kind to choose a completely non-matching piece of fabric to patch the hole.More mops; modern this time.Waiting for … something.Shoes stored neatly away.I rather liked this non-recycle sign.Restaurants lined the canals. Perhaps as a result of the cool, sunny weather, I was rather taken with this place.Back passage.Umbrellas provide shade in the summer.If I had been a bit quicker, I would have caught this policeman handling a plastic gun. Next time.The town was definitely a bit sleepy, but all the more pleasant for it. I wonder if their children, no doubt working in Shanghai now, will return here any day.Grumpy.This guy was terribly proud of his bird collection, and was delighted that I might take a photo of them.One more for the road.One of the local boats, plying their trade on the river.
So that was it – a great escape from Shanghai!
Getting To Tongli
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Basically, take the HSR out to Suzhou (about 40 RMB, 24 minutes), run past the hawkers trying to sell trips to the sights in Suzhou, wait in the line for a taxi, take the 30 ish minute trip out to Tongli (about 90 – 100 RMB) and enjoy. We also did not have any problems getting back.
Fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean and Yilan Plain from the summit. On other days.
It has long been a goal to ride from Wulai, in the mountains near Taipei, to Yilan on the coast. There have been rumours of such a trail, reporting varying levels of condition. The internet is making searching for this kind of thing much easier these days, and Mark contacted us last week to book the Tomb Sweeping holiday for a ride.
Predictably perhaps, Taipei dished up a crappy morning of weather, and we ascended into the hills looking up at clouds, mist and light rain. Nothing we haven’t seen before.
Despite another crash on the treacherously slippery road section (giving me pleasingly symmetrical wounds), cold weather, a broken water bladder and dodgy shifting performance it was pretty awesome to break through the summit and see the Yilan plain laid out in front of us. Almost as awesome as the pack of Jelly Belly Sports Beans (seriously, so delicious it is the reason I even do sport) and the descent down to the stream crossing where I almost tipped a photographer into the water as I clattered by.
Conditions also made life pretty difficult; every single thing was covered in slippery moss; even my bike became a handful at times. In the summer, you would no doubt trade more confident trail conditions with high temperatures and humidity.
Singletrack was great while it lasted …… sadly, everything was wet root, rock or mud. Treacherous.The bikes take a breather at the halfway point.Mark waits for the slow motion waterfall photography class to finish with their picture, before we ruin their serenity!Ready, aim … (the guy had to put up his umbrella to protect his camera when I went tumbling through)Me, just about in one pieceLegs, sporting wounds from two days riding this weekendThe bike – after a stream splash did most of the cleaning for me!
Directions:
Driving into Wulai, you need to drive into the town, and at the start of the old street, take a left up past the school. You then follow the road for a few kilometres, register at the police station, and drive another few kilometres to the next check point. If you want to go further, you need to register online, so we stopped there. It’s then about 12.5km of gentle climbing to the trail head.
From the trailhead, it is about 6 or 7 km to the summit, of which the first 3 or 4 are rideable, and with the final section turning into more taxing hike-a-bike. We then kept heading downhill towards Jiaoxi, and stopped when we hit tarmac. The climb back up is a solid 20 minute slog. After negotiating the steps and climbing sections, the final few kilometres are lots of fun, with sweeping turns and frequent close proximity to pools and small waterfalls – great in the summer. We set out from Taipei at 7:00am, left the trailhead at 8:30, and we back at the car at about 2:30 pm.
I think it would be possible to take the train to Jiaoxi or Yilan, do the complete climb, and ride all the way back to Taipei from there. A solid day in the saddle, but eminently doable!
The route up to the trailhead is featured on this blog-post here.
Our friend Dave, who is an engineer at Microsoft in Seattle, paid us a visit last week. Reports had been circulating that he had assembled his own Sous Vide; a device that enables highly-accurate temperature control for cooking, in the manner of Heston Blumenthal.
By first vacuuming the food into sealed bags, then immersing it a water bath, it is possible to cook meats and other food stuffs in a way that prevents over-cooking, and because you can cook over more sustained periods of time, it can extract better results from cheaper cuts of meat.
Buying ready-made, commercial Sous-Vides is still very expensive, so Dave lead the way in bringing a temperature controller and the major components over from the USA. All that was left was to fashion an enclosure, and assemble it all together. After heading to the tool district, we found a cornucopia of electronics component shops, and had immense fun selecting the most clicky, over-the-top switches and widgets for the control box.
Results? Melt-in-mouth good, but without disintegrating. I wonder, in fact, if some of the more famous steak houses cook their steaks in this way; we had a relatively good value cut, but it would be interesting to see the results with even better meat.
Next project are eggs; apparently it’s possible to cook poached eggs in the shell that, once opened, are more like custard.
The control box.Bringing the water up to temperature.Dropping the vacuum-packed meat into the water.Bubbling away …PlonkCutting open the packs of meat, and suddenly filling the kitchen with rather a nice smell!You still need to finish it off in a pan to attain the colour, and to add a touch of caramelised burnt flavour to the meat. The Lodge cast-iron pan that I idiotically hand-carried back from the USA (6kg!) does the job perfectly; better than non-stick.Served with pureed cauliflower and jus of bell pepper. Yum!
