October 29, 2021
October 29th
trying out my new pedals
The NT$5,000 worth of stimulus vouchers are burning a hole in my pocket and my sandals can't be fixed, but the idea of just buying a new pair goes against the grain as it seems they're made to self-destruct. Thinking laterally, it appeals to go old-school and just ride in some of my various footwear if I buy a pair of flat pedals.
While some MKS ones look very nice and can have toe cages fitted, they're like hen's teeth and after visiting a couple of local bike shops earlier this week I opted to get some Shimano XT ones. The price seemed reasonable - half of my stimulus vouchers - and while there I also treated myself to a cotton cycling cap and a pair of Brooks leather straps that can be used on one of my saddlebags. These were old stock and had already been drastically reduced from NT$1,500, but the guy in the Giant shop let me have them for NT$500. Bargain.
So, I'm now all set to get back on the bike.
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Once my online class is over at gone noon, I dress in a short-sleeved top and shorts, but stuff a fleece jacket in the saddlebag as it's grey and cool outside. My destination is Longtan - not a million miles away - and a pair of Clarks hiking-style shoes that rarely get worn are retrieved from a storage box. It's sandals weather for most of the year in Taiwan.
The thing that got my attention was the width of these Shimano pedals - they're apparently the larger of two available size - and fully support the edge of my size 13 shoes and look like they'll easily cope with my even bulkier Crocs. Cruising away from home, the locked-in feeling experienced with SPDs is obviously not there, but it's something I'll probably get used to soon enough.
At the end of the road there's a guy sat with his back against the high wall of a military base with an assortment of shoes stacked up, but experience tells me there's no chance of him having anything in my size. I take American 13s and he'll be selling cheap, Chinese-made pairs.
Dark clouds cover half the sky, but thankfully it seems like they're slowly drifting away. It rained non-stop most of last week. It was depressing.
There's not a lot to get excited about on the ride to Longtan. For one thing, it's all too familiar. There are a few rice fields, but a lot of the time it's semi-urban with ribbon development and the odd, drab house or crude metal structure blotting the landscape.
About ten minutes ago I saw a wooden stool that I took a snap of (above) and on a small lane pretty close to Longtan, one that acts as a shortcut, I spot a wicker/bamboo chair that someone likely sits in occasionally to sun themselves and I stop as there will be few other photo opportunities. My bike gets in on the act...
My stomach is empty and it's been a long time since I had dumplings from a small place that dishes up nice, hand-made ones and the wife and husband team won't be very busy at this time - it's around 1:30 now.
It's surprising that the place still doesn't offer indoor dining as Covid restrictions have been eased, but it's takeaway only and my 10 dumplings get packed in a small card box and the man pours some soya sauce into a tiny poly' bag and I get some bamboo chopsticks and ride off with the box in a plastic bag hanging off my bars. Hopefully there's a spot to sit down not too far away.
I end up cycling practically into Longtan because there are no places that look inviting and I eventually sit on a low wall and devour the dumplings before making my way into the town center, but the traditional market has come to a close, so I just head to Louisa for a coffee and a piece of desert.
A tall stool by the window works for me as it gives a view of the town's main thoroughfare. It takes a while for my drink to get made and it turns out the young guy thought my order was for a cold one. I drink it anyway and enjoy a piece of chocolate cake, then set off towards home.
The plant shop is open and a couple of cheap ferns seem too good to pass on and I also buy a small clay pot and the three get put in a bag that swings from one end of my bars, with the bag containing the empty dumpling box dangling from the other. It's hard to find garbage cans on the street here. They don't really exist.
As I get close to home, the man selling cheap shoes looks to be asleep in the plastic chair. Business can't be very good.
Today's ride: 22 km (14 miles)
Total: 697 km (433 miles)
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