They say Netflix original series are written with their endings in mind from the start, crafted to either continue or be cancelled depending on how they are received.
About a year ago, when "Gemenshi" (The Land Sellers) was a hot topic, Lily Franky was talking about something similar on his radio show, "Snack Radio."
As for this blog
I’m not entirely sure how many readers I have,
but I’m going to take advantage of that, not worry about the reception,
and write just as I please.
So, following my Vol.1 post, here is Vol.2!
Day 1, when I was literally shown to an attic room and slept like a log.
Scary, isn't it~
Day 2
A day spent solely climbing toward the mountain peak.
Riding through the streets of Taiwan with a refreshed body felt incredibly fresh and wonderful.
I have long memories of rain once I entered the northern mountains.
But it wasn't unpleasant at all;
the rhythmic, crisp rustling of my raincoat was strangely soothing, and it still rings in my ears today.
OUTERSHELL bags aren't fully waterproof by design to prevent moisture buildup and fabric degradation, but they held up just fine in a standard rain. The dry bag my best friend Louis (Losti) kindly lent me did its job perfectly the entire trip. Merci!!!
After a long, long climb,
just as I was rejoicing at having found a perfect bass fishing spot, I realized I’d climbed up to a path—if you can even call it that—where my bike could go no further.
Thinking ahead, I decided to abandon my planned route...
Descending the steep slope I’d been pedaling up with blood, sweat, and tears... it was a tear-jerker, believe me.
At this point, I changed my plan from crossing the Central Mountain Range to riding around the island.
My first camping experience was set for a vacant lot in the mountains.
Pitching my tent for the first time.
It took about 30 minutes to set up!
It started getting a bit dark, so I headed into the tent.
I turned on one of the lights I brought that had the lowest priority (I wanted to save the good ones for an emergency),
and managed to hang the light and my exhausted socks from the tent frame.
As the flickering light came to a still, the space completely transformed into my own. Even though it was just a fabric shelter, I remember feeling a sense of pride—an emotion akin to superiority—that it felt like such a waste to close my eyes, much like when you're looking at a beautiful starry sky.
Since smartphone battery is precious, I hardly used it. That was one of the few facts I knew before the trip, so I packed a curated selection of books.
Everything's soaking wet...
For traveling, you really can't beat a paperback that fits in your pocket, so I brought my personal bible, "Yuran Nikki" (Excursion Diary) by Yuriko Takeda, which I've lost count of how many times I've read.
By the time I reached the second chapter, I’d unconsciously turned off the light and drifted off to sleep.
Oh, and by the way, the MILESTONE MS-G4 was fantastic for reading and working in the dark. You can hang it up, adjust the brightness, charge it while it's in use, and wear it on your head—too good!
Lights are essential.
Day 3
Good morning.
Since it was nicely indented, I unconsciously thought it was a comfortable spot. It was underwater by midnight. 🐏
The four rules of bike packing taught to me by Louis, my mentor in bicycle adventures:
① Eat before you get hungry.
② If walking is faster, then walk.
③ Check for thorns before setting up your tent.
④ Type B fun
To this, I have added: ⑤ Avoid the indentations.
Day 3 is also in the mountains. Sunny.
No matter how far I pushed through, it felt like more mountains would just keep appearing, so I kept pedaling, dreaming of the east coast.
As a result of changing my route, there was a lot more paved road.
This is where the tires I’d swapped out for this trip, the GRANDBOIS Hetre / 650×42B, really hit the mark. I seriously recommend them to death. It’s almost thanks to these tires that I was able to finish this trip. They feel just too good.
They aren't SimWorks, and they aren't RAL,
but I really love them too much, so let me introduce them.
Rather than a person who can do anything or a shop that stocks everything, I’m drawn to things that have a specific slant. To explain these tires gently: "Original touring tires by Grand Bois, a shop in Kyoto specializing in randonneur bikes." They have a gentle, green sort of vibe, right? But they aren't gentle at all!
They don't use that puncture-resistant layer everyone is so afraid to be without!
But you know,
that makes the ride so supple, and it really lifts my spirits.
On this trip, I spent long, long hours pedaling, constantly feeling how the tires rolled. I love the SCHWALBE Marathon, which specializes in durability, but as a choice born from my love of spending time pedaling without being conservative, I let go of the puncture-resistant layer.
Don't try to have it all. Ask yourself what you want to do, and choose your tools accordingly. I’ll help you with that if you come by the shop. 🤝
Actually,
even flat repairs are something you should just enjoy while you're on a trip.
That's Type B fun for you.
As I was pedaling along a logging road, loud dance music was blaring from somewhere deep in the mountains. I found a delicious-looking sausage vendor there. I was hungry, so I approached. The sub-leader, a girl in a rainbow T-shirt, scrambled to switch to some gentler pop music. Personally, I didn't mind the previous music, but I assumed it was their way of providing service, so I said nothing (couldn't say anything) and bought a sausage (300 yen). It had this mountain pepper-like flavor that was a bit distracting, but given the place and timing, it was delicious.
By the time the sun was directly overhead, I reached a village.
I sat down low, sinking into a chair. The shop, run by a lady who looked like a stone statue that had been there for years and a guy who seemed to be her unenthusiastic son, was the single most delicious place I ate in Taiwan. Pork chop rice. They gave me the soup on the house. In the sweltering heat, the salty soup was exactly what my salt-depleted body needed. When I honestly told them with a translator that it was the best thing I’d eaten on the trip, they smiled. That was where our mutual guard finally came down.😊
Not only did they comp my lunch, but they even gave me dinner and fruit to take with me. Plus plenty of water. I'm grateful. Your work clothes look so cool, by the way.
I left the village and pushed forward. I hadn't known it then, but it was tough from here on out, too. I kept wondering if the lady from lunch knew that, and that's why she gave me that extra salty soup.
And just like that, I crossed the mountain pass!
Construction at the community center was suspended due to the rain forecast, and they let me stay there.
The cord hanging right by the entrance was surprisingly live, so I was able to charge my gear. That was a pretty huge win. I could have turned on the construction lights, but I followed the instructions not to since there was a risk of being reported.
The lu rou fan had so much rice packed into it that I couldn't even poke through it with the flimsy spoon provided. I think I was asleep by 9 o'clock that night, too.
My shelter for the next day.
Finding a spot while it's still light that isn't indented, preferably with a roof, and away from people, setting up the tent in about 5 minutes, going to sleep as soon as it gets dark, and then waking up super early to pedal. It was around this time that I started finding a rhythm to this life.
I think I’ll stop here for now. If I keep writing at this pace, I’ll never finish and won’t be able to write about anything else, so I’ll pick up the pace next time. Lol
See you later!
