Hello, this is Kosei.
I recently went on a 14-day bikepacking trip in Taiwan, and this is my report blog!📢
Why go on a journey?
Let me think again about why I planned to pedal a bicycle for 14 days and sleep outdoors.
When I say "again," it would be simple enough to just answer, "Because I think it’s fun."
But if I really try to understand myself, for me, it probably comes down to this.
『That day, two years ago, when I happened to visit a bike shop for repairs. I was captivated by the owner's philosophy and lifestyle, and as I left the shop with a jolt of excitement, I walked home through a shopping street playing upbeat, hollow background music.
From there, things flowed: I learned a bit about repairs in Osaka, moved to Nagoya to join CULTURE CLUB, and now I’m at Circles.
At the final CULTURE CLUB event, Tanaka-san (Mr. Kyutai) casually talked about why people are drawn to "independent shops," and it felt so spot-on that I couldn't ignore it. Just how incredible was that shop to make me want to steer my life so abruptly toward bicycles? I’m still thinking about that.』
Anyway, I have a tendency to think that most, or rather all, of what people are interested in is just a misunderstanding.
"Just how much of a misunderstanding is my own bicycle obsession!?"
"Isn't it amazing to choose that as a career!?"
"Is it okay to just keep going with this misunderstanding for the rest of my life!!?"
To resolve these questions, I went and played to my heart's content on my beloved bike🐑
Day 0 (Preparation)
Where should I go?
I had considered the West Coast of the American continent or the trails of Montreal where my beloved Hog’s Back was born, but I decided to go to Taiwan immediately after seeing this intense title and article content.
Circumnavigating Taiwan is common, but I decided to cross the island vertically, following the mountain ranges at the heart of the "Sweet Potato" (as Taiwan is often called), where I could enjoy intense climbs and stunning views every day.
And I planned to finish in Kaohsiung to feast on delicious food.
Once that was decided, it was time for prep.
When I was panicking two days before departure, friends and mentors lent me gear😭
There's only so much one can enjoy alone, and using the gear they lent me, I realized every day how glad I was to rely on those around me.
Day 1
I left the house on the first day, bathing in the excitement and the chilly breeze of early spring.
I arrived at Kanayama Station, packed my bike into the transport bag without issue, and arrived at the airport.
Then, an emergency occurred.
My bike bag was judged to have fabric too thin for transit, so I ran around the airport buying up exorbitant amounts of cardboard and tape to fashion a makeshift case.
I was about 10 minutes late for check-in, but thank you to the airport staff who, though exasperated, waited for me kindly.
It turns out bike bags need to be the type with thick cushioning!
Stuffed with bubble wrap until it was bursting. Done.✅
Looking good.
I arrived after about three hours, unable to sleep as I fretted over whether the rear derailleur would snap.
Reassembled the bike, exchanged money, installed a SIM card in my phone, and set off!
While wandering around looking for the exit, an energetic police officer informed me, "You can only leave this airport by car or bus."
I got a little scolded and was escorted.
My escort changed at every floor, and they communicated perfectly over walkie-talkies. Truly like an emergency mission. I was then shown to the bus and departed! (There are buses where you can bring your bike on as-is, depending on the time.)
The bus was a loop shuttle circling the premises, and there was only one stop where I could get off with my bike. I only managed to exit the airport on the third loop after finding that out.
By this time, it was already past 4 PM.
That was Taoyuan on the first day.
I had used up so much energy getting out of the airport, and I didn't even know how to pitch the borrowed tent yet, so I booked a dormitory on the fly for the first night.
I remember being quite exhausted during the 30km ride to the dorm, as I was still fuzzy on how to use my GARMIN (GPS), made plenty of wrong turns (though there’s no such thing as a wrong turn!), and was barked at by a tough-looking, tired black dog.
The mental toll that day was like the first night in Minecraft.
Taoyuan left an impression of cars, car dealerships, and motorcycles.
There were no bicycles in Taoyuan.
I suppose the men of Taoyuan like to show off with their cars.
The motorcycles passing by looked at me with expressions that asked why anyone would ever ride a bicycle.
I guess they think cycling just consumes time and physical energy.
It does take energy, and it does take time—but that’s exactly where I find the joy. I felt taught from the very first day just how lucky I am.
If you get chased by the grind and use only efficiency as your criteria, you lose the ability to enjoy the blank spaces. Riding a "inefficient" bicycle for my daily commute instead of a car or train is a small act of rebellion, a declaration of intent not to hand over the reins of my own pace to anyone else.
Once you graduate and become an adult, and start earning money to live, people easily change, blaming their environment. I don't know if that's progress or degeneration, though.
I’ve gotten off track. Let me get back to it.
At this dorm, I learned how to properly charge my phone and use the GARMIN, got a good night's sleep, and built a solid route for the next day. Staying there was truly the right call. Because day two is quite tough!
That's where the memories of day one end.
My BIKE：BASSI BIKES / Hog’s Back
Why did I choose this bike?
There is definitely that unique, plush ride quality that only comes with a heavily loaded bicycle, and it’s not about comfort—it’s the conviction that just because of that, things are going to be fun from here on out.
I chose the BASSI Hog’s Back (hereafter, Hog’s) because I wanted to go on a tour like this.
It is absolutely not fast. ...!!?🐏
But it’s cool, isn't it?
Only in elementary school does speed alone make you popular.
School lunch, marathons, footraces...
If speed were the only virtue, there wouldn't be this many types of bicycles.
Unlike me,
If a racing bike dedicates every ounce of pedaling force to moving forward,
I, by contrast, want to turn the pedaling force into a travel experience, enjoying the journey to the destination.
I don't want to choose my paths.
I want to load up a lot of gear.
It doesn't have to be pretty—in fact, I want to get it dirty.
It's because those who came before me felt the same that there is such a wide variety of bicycles today!
With that, I’ll share what happened from day two onward in the next post.
See you later!👋
