Readers of my blog know that I enjoy poking fun at Irrelevant Numerical Precision, like those economic predictions that claim that next year the economy will grow 4.37 percent (not 4.3 or even 4). Today I biked up to Miaoli and then up and over 130, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorite rides. Nathan Miller came down from Taipei, Drew came from across Taichung, and Patrick Myall, a former professional rider, hailing from San Francisco but staying in Taichung, went with. Nathan has a map of the ride
here. I took this pic of Patrick standing next to a sign marking the end of Route 51-1, which is precisely 3.537 kilometers long, because obviously drivers on the back roads of Miaoli need to know the distance to the nearest meter.
Here's Nathan, resplendent in bright pink, posing next to Liyu Lake in Miaoli. It was a stunning day, with fantastic views. It would have been an excellent shot, but Nathan's shirt screwed up the camera's meter and made everything look hazy.
PATRICK: "How long do we have to wait before Turton catches up to us?" DREW: "Did you bring a book?"
The OCR 2, the Mosso, the Salsa, and the anonymous bike with the patio glaze for paint stop for lunch at the Mile High Cafe. They had chopsticks there, but Patrick insisted on using his titanium fork. It's my blog and you'll just have to put up with the bad puns.
130 not only offers 10% average grades with spots over 13%, but rewards you with great views when you reach the top.
Patrick enjoys a cold coffee at 700 meters.
No trip to the area is complete with a visit to the Japanese-era railroad viaduct.
Stop by next time you're in the Chung and bring your bike!
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1 comment:
Fantastic! I love the sign. Presumably, though, the Miaoli County government is only guilty of the lesser of two evils, giving us too much information. I'm guessing the number they gave us is actually correct; it's just that it is easier to remember nice round numbers. With economic forecasts, public opinion surveys, and so on, the precise numbers are actually wrong. They try to make us feel that we know a lot more than we actually do. On the other hand, do they really know the length of the road to the exact meter? Regardless, keep up the crusade! (And the pics are stunning!)
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