Snapped a couple pics that are worth sharing (full album is on my Facebook page);
Tim
Showing posts with label Taichung. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taichung. Show all posts
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Quick check-in from Taichung
On the road today driving with my girlfriend from Taichung to Taipei. Stopped at her office for a short bit before completing the drive north to Taipei.
Snapped a couple pics that are worth sharing (full album is on my Facebook page);
Tim
Snapped a couple pics that are worth sharing (full album is on my Facebook page);
Tim
Lazy Sunday- Taichung
Sitting in a cool, hip independent coffee shop here in Taichung. Sipping my second coffee and contemplating my third soon after. It's the one slow and easy day I will have during this trip- since the show begins for me on Monday with the annual Velo party. Then on Tuesday the mayhem hits full swing in earnest. I'm booked with meetings and appointments for much of my time during the show, so walking lazily around looking at the shiny bits and doodads is going to be very minimal- sadly. After the show ends on Friday, it is back down here in Taichung for a few days at the factory- working on organizing samples for our upcoming catalog (which I still need to write and work on the final pagination... ugh...).
Today has been all about the lazy. Slept in late and then went with my girlfriend to the gym- I watched her swim laps while I sat in the sun. I should've been in the weight room- I know- but I was enjoying the sun and the fact that I did not have to be anywhere today. It's rare for me to have a "day off" when I am here in Taiwan, so I've been enjoying this little luxury. Afterward, we went to lunch and had noodles and soup and vegetables and other great traditional foods. Now, sitting in the coffee shop getting my caffeine, I'm beginning to reawaken and feel less off kilter. My hope is that this extra day will give me a little more time to be adjusted to the time difference by Tuesday when the actual show begins. I really hate being in my meetings falling asleep because I'm totally wiped out from the jetlag. This day of relaxation will hopefully help to curb that some. Plus, it's great to just be able to relax and enjoy a day with my girlfriend.
The trip began as a total stress-fest. I got up in the morning with time to pack and relax, hoping to keep the stress to a minimum. I got to the airport and had to weigh my bags prior to going to check in and one of the two was over the allowed fifty pounds... and United now charges $200 for any bag over the limit! CRAP! So, I pulled seven pounds of stuff out of my big bag and put it in the already-full small bag. Thank Gawd the zipper held! So, after that little stress, I checked in and they put me on a flight that was going to leave almost an hour earlier for San Francisco because there were lots of weather delays in SF, thanks to heavy fog. Well, that "earlier" flight ended up leaving an hour after my originally scheduled flight! But the original flight left San Diego after my flight out of SF, so it was the right move. But after running to get to the gate for the early flight and then sitting, and sitting, and sitting... I was very worried about making my flight out of SF and/ or the possibility the flight would leave SF late and then I would miss my connecting flight in Tokyo to Taipei! In the end, my flight to SF landed with enough time for me to grab a little lunch- since I hadn't eaten dinner the night before or breakfast that morning- and then had to wait at my gate for only 10 minutes before boarding for an on-time departure to Tokyo. We got to Tokyo with enough time for me to have sushi at the excellent sushi bar there in Narita airport- the tuna was UNREAL. The flight from Tokyo to Taipei was a little delayed in arrival due to strong winds, but we landed fine and my bags both arrived with me... so it was all good! I must say though, the turbulence on the flights was the worst I have experienced in a very long time. Their were a few moments when you could tell some of the passengers were getting a bit tense. I'm not usually effected by it, but it was enough to make even me a little green a couple times.
Once I landed in Taipei and got my bags, I was met by my lovely girlfriend and we took the bus to Taichung- where she lives- and then it was time to sleep since it was 2:00AM local time. Sleeping in until nearly 10:00 felt like such a luxury. Lazily enjoying the day like this is something I rarely get to do- here or at home- so it's been very enjoyable. It's a very beautiful day in Taichung today. The only thing missing is a bike ride... but I'm going to work on keeping a bike here permanently so I can ride when I want to. I'll just keep a small supply of clothes, a helmet and shoes here and then I'll be able to ride when I come here without the hassle of dragging all those things with me each time.
Alright, time to get back to my coffee and my girlfriend. The jazz is kicking in and it's time to do a little reading and writing.
More posts to come during the show- promise.
Tim (in Taichung)
Today has been all about the lazy. Slept in late and then went with my girlfriend to the gym- I watched her swim laps while I sat in the sun. I should've been in the weight room- I know- but I was enjoying the sun and the fact that I did not have to be anywhere today. It's rare for me to have a "day off" when I am here in Taiwan, so I've been enjoying this little luxury. Afterward, we went to lunch and had noodles and soup and vegetables and other great traditional foods. Now, sitting in the coffee shop getting my caffeine, I'm beginning to reawaken and feel less off kilter. My hope is that this extra day will give me a little more time to be adjusted to the time difference by Tuesday when the actual show begins. I really hate being in my meetings falling asleep because I'm totally wiped out from the jetlag. This day of relaxation will hopefully help to curb that some. Plus, it's great to just be able to relax and enjoy a day with my girlfriend.
The trip began as a total stress-fest. I got up in the morning with time to pack and relax, hoping to keep the stress to a minimum. I got to the airport and had to weigh my bags prior to going to check in and one of the two was over the allowed fifty pounds... and United now charges $200 for any bag over the limit! CRAP! So, I pulled seven pounds of stuff out of my big bag and put it in the already-full small bag. Thank Gawd the zipper held! So, after that little stress, I checked in and they put me on a flight that was going to leave almost an hour earlier for San Francisco because there were lots of weather delays in SF, thanks to heavy fog. Well, that "earlier" flight ended up leaving an hour after my originally scheduled flight! But the original flight left San Diego after my flight out of SF, so it was the right move. But after running to get to the gate for the early flight and then sitting, and sitting, and sitting... I was very worried about making my flight out of SF and/ or the possibility the flight would leave SF late and then I would miss my connecting flight in Tokyo to Taipei! In the end, my flight to SF landed with enough time for me to grab a little lunch- since I hadn't eaten dinner the night before or breakfast that morning- and then had to wait at my gate for only 10 minutes before boarding for an on-time departure to Tokyo. We got to Tokyo with enough time for me to have sushi at the excellent sushi bar there in Narita airport- the tuna was UNREAL. The flight from Tokyo to Taipei was a little delayed in arrival due to strong winds, but we landed fine and my bags both arrived with me... so it was all good! I must say though, the turbulence on the flights was the worst I have experienced in a very long time. Their were a few moments when you could tell some of the passengers were getting a bit tense. I'm not usually effected by it, but it was enough to make even me a little green a couple times.
Once I landed in Taipei and got my bags, I was met by my lovely girlfriend and we took the bus to Taichung- where she lives- and then it was time to sleep since it was 2:00AM local time. Sleeping in until nearly 10:00 felt like such a luxury. Lazily enjoying the day like this is something I rarely get to do- here or at home- so it's been very enjoyable. It's a very beautiful day in Taichung today. The only thing missing is a bike ride... but I'm going to work on keeping a bike here permanently so I can ride when I want to. I'll just keep a small supply of clothes, a helmet and shoes here and then I'll be able to ride when I come here without the hassle of dragging all those things with me each time.
Alright, time to get back to my coffee and my girlfriend. The jazz is kicking in and it's time to do a little reading and writing.
More posts to come during the show- promise.
Tim (in Taichung)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
ATTENTION BIKE INDUSTRY
Here's a little something I wrote as I am fighting off the jetlag and trying to get myself to fall asleep. It's aimed at the bike industry itself and I hope that all of my brothers and sisters will respond and offer their thoughts as well as get involved.
Thank you... and good night!
Tim
Thank you... and good night!
Tim
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Home again, home again...
Got back into San Diego this afternoon after a series of flights from Taipei to Tokyo to Los Angeles to San Diego. There were no problems with any of the flights, even the last leg from LA to SD where I had to nearly run from the Customs and Immigration security to my gate. I boarded the plane just 5 minutes before taking off, but I made it!
The three of us- Wayne Doran (my Product Manager), Pat Crosby (Haro MTB/ Adult Product Manager) and myself- managed to all make it back home safe and sound. After being away for 15 days, it will be nice to sleep in my own bed and see my daughter- though I do already miss my girlfriend.
As always, my camera was with me all the time and I have tons of great pictures to share. The first week of my two week stay in Taiwan was for a bit of a vacation with my girlfriend and going to a wedding for her best friend. Getting a chance to see more of Taiwan than just bike factories in Taichung and Taipei was long overdue and much enjoyed. I'll share some of those pictures as well as all of the usual bike-related ones too.
Yes I know- she's much better looking than me.
The second week of my stay was devoted to working with Wayne to see key vendors before finalizing the spec of the bikes you will get to see (and fall in love with) in 2010. We're working on some really incredible bikes and I am so proud of how the Masi line is growing and shaping up. We visited with many different vendor partners- either at their factories/ offices, or in ours- and are much closer to having all of our homework done to deliver some incredible products to you.
Part of that second week was spent at RideOn/ Taichung Bike Week. It's a mini-"tradeshow" for the OEM market only. It's a valuable chance for us manufacturers to meet with our various suppliers and vendors to finalize our spec and see anything that might get a last second add to one of our bikes. It has grown very organically over the past 4 years or so and is now something that is actually quite important to the industry. It has become important to the city and county of Taichung as well. On Monday, many of us who attended the RideOn/ Taichung Bike Week had a private meeting with the Mayor of Taichung and some of his representatives. Several of us sat in a "round table" discussion panel to talk about the pros and cons of the current event and listen to the city explain how they want to help facilitate what we are already doing. Honestly, it was very exciting for me personally to sit in a room of my peers and industry kin and talk about how we can all work together to make the little un-tradeshow work for us all. It was also very exciting to see how much the city of Taichung wants to help us do our jobs. After all, much of the Taiwan bike industry is centered in the city and county of Taichung and is a major economic force in the Taiwan economy. But, sincerely, the best part was the feeling of being a part of something that was about the greater good of the industry itself. Those who cared to attend clearly represent those brands and people who actually care about the health of the cycling industry and not just the bottom line of their respective brands. To me, that's the best part of the industry I care so much about- the people in it who also care.
The Mayor of Taichung and his liaison to the bike industry, Anna Wang.
Last Sunday I also took part in a 75km "race" in the mountains surrounding the city of Taipei. I say "race" because it wasn't an officially sanctioned event, per se, and was more like many of the "fun rides" we have here in the US. The riders ranged from the elite to the novice... and everywhere in between and on every conceivable type of bike you can imagine. Of the 75km, 50km were uphill... some parts of the climbs were steep enough that scooters were being pushed up the hills! Needless to say, with the total lack of fitness I have, it was beyond painful. I am not too proud to admit that in the last 5km, I had to walk my bike up the climbs 3 or 4 times. I was blown to pieces by the end, but considering that I have ridden 3-4 times over the past 2.5 months... I'm happy to have even finished at all. I am also happy to report that the bike I shipped over for the event rode flawlessly- aside from not making me not have to pedal uphill. The new Scandium frame I have been testing rode perfectly- it accelerates like a dream and corners flawlessly. The road feel is everything Scandium is supposed to be and has very stiff power transfer to the pedals. The updated SRAM Rival group worked perfectly but I was totally over-geared and needed a compact crank for the amount of steep climbing we did, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Also, the new Shimano RS80 wheelset rode awesome! These new carbon/ alloy clincher wheels are sweet and I can't wait to get the bike back from Taiwan so I can start putting more miles on it.
It's time for me to try and get some sleep, even though my internal clock is all out of whack. I'll have more to report soon and will have plenty more cool pictures now that I have reliable internet able to handle the images.
Tim
The three of us- Wayne Doran (my Product Manager), Pat Crosby (Haro MTB/ Adult Product Manager) and myself- managed to all make it back home safe and sound. After being away for 15 days, it will be nice to sleep in my own bed and see my daughter- though I do already miss my girlfriend.
As always, my camera was with me all the time and I have tons of great pictures to share. The first week of my two week stay in Taiwan was for a bit of a vacation with my girlfriend and going to a wedding for her best friend. Getting a chance to see more of Taiwan than just bike factories in Taichung and Taipei was long overdue and much enjoyed. I'll share some of those pictures as well as all of the usual bike-related ones too.
Yes I know- she's much better looking than me. Part of that second week was spent at RideOn/ Taichung Bike Week. It's a mini-"tradeshow" for the OEM market only. It's a valuable chance for us manufacturers to meet with our various suppliers and vendors to finalize our spec and see anything that might get a last second add to one of our bikes. It has grown very organically over the past 4 years or so and is now something that is actually quite important to the industry. It has become important to the city and county of Taichung as well. On Monday, many of us who attended the RideOn/ Taichung Bike Week had a private meeting with the Mayor of Taichung and some of his representatives. Several of us sat in a "round table" discussion panel to talk about the pros and cons of the current event and listen to the city explain how they want to help facilitate what we are already doing. Honestly, it was very exciting for me personally to sit in a room of my peers and industry kin and talk about how we can all work together to make the little un-tradeshow work for us all. It was also very exciting to see how much the city of Taichung wants to help us do our jobs. After all, much of the Taiwan bike industry is centered in the city and county of Taichung and is a major economic force in the Taiwan economy. But, sincerely, the best part was the feeling of being a part of something that was about the greater good of the industry itself. Those who cared to attend clearly represent those brands and people who actually care about the health of the cycling industry and not just the bottom line of their respective brands. To me, that's the best part of the industry I care so much about- the people in it who also care.
The Mayor of Taichung and his liaison to the bike industry, Anna Wang. Last Sunday I also took part in a 75km "race" in the mountains surrounding the city of Taipei. I say "race" because it wasn't an officially sanctioned event, per se, and was more like many of the "fun rides" we have here in the US. The riders ranged from the elite to the novice... and everywhere in between and on every conceivable type of bike you can imagine. Of the 75km, 50km were uphill... some parts of the climbs were steep enough that scooters were being pushed up the hills! Needless to say, with the total lack of fitness I have, it was beyond painful. I am not too proud to admit that in the last 5km, I had to walk my bike up the climbs 3 or 4 times. I was blown to pieces by the end, but considering that I have ridden 3-4 times over the past 2.5 months... I'm happy to have even finished at all. I am also happy to report that the bike I shipped over for the event rode flawlessly- aside from not making me not have to pedal uphill. The new Scandium frame I have been testing rode perfectly- it accelerates like a dream and corners flawlessly. The road feel is everything Scandium is supposed to be and has very stiff power transfer to the pedals. The updated SRAM Rival group worked perfectly but I was totally over-geared and needed a compact crank for the amount of steep climbing we did, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Also, the new Shimano RS80 wheelset rode awesome! These new carbon/ alloy clincher wheels are sweet and I can't wait to get the bike back from Taiwan so I can start putting more miles on it.
It's time for me to try and get some sleep, even though my internal clock is all out of whack. I'll have more to report soon and will have plenty more cool pictures now that I have reliable internet able to handle the images.
Tim
Thursday, December 04, 2008
I'm not dead yet...
I know I have been missing in action for the past few days, but I'm back in the real world and no longer on vacation. Things have been very busy since arriving here in Taichung. We've had numerous visits with vendors and have had plenty of factory trips as well. It's been very busy indeed. But I'm not dead yet and many photos have been taken that I will post soon. Until then, thanks for your patience... see you soon!
Tim
Tim
Monday, January 14, 2008
Jetlag, schmetlag...
If it wasn't for caffeine, I think I would cease to exist this week. Thank God for Juan Valdez and his legion of coffee bean carrying mules. If it weren't for the brown brewed gold, I'd be a dead man this week. But I digress...
So I owe you all some more Taiwan follow-up and pictures. I'm also going to try and create a Flickr gallery of images as well. That may take me a little longer though because I want to get a few more podcasts done also and put up more video stuff. There's lots to talk about, so let's get going...
I have a soft spot for the machines that create bikes. Sure it may not be as romantic an idea as some sweaty person toiling away over each and every detail, but in some cases it's even better- thanks to the precision of the work. However, my fascination has always been with the machines that do some of the more mundane things. I always spend a little time around the wheelbuilding machines. They just fascinate me. There are many types and they range from very precise machines to less precise machines. This one is somewhere in the middle- it's truing up a hand laced BMX wheel that will go on to be hand checked;
It's pretty cool to me at least... but I'm kinda simple like that.
We took the high speed train back and forth between the airport in Taipei and the hotel in Taichung;
It was cool.
Here we have a very happy Brand Manager standing by a container filled with SoulVille bikes headed off to the Ohio warehouse (so go start placing your orders now if you're on the East coast).
I really was happier than I look... I promise. FYI- The SoulVille is currently the best selling bike in the entire Masi line for this season. I had faith in the bike, but never would have guessed sales would be this good. So, thank you for your support of the bike.
A beautiful sunrise...
A beautiful park in Taichung on the night of a beautiful dinner...
The long awaited and much anticipated SoulVille Mixte step-through frame...
Mood lighting in an incredibly beautiful restaurant on an incredible night...
Two very happy Product Managers soaking up the reward of their efforts...
Incredible beauty...
All mine! (And eventually yours...)
You'll have to wait for more... so keep on coming back.
Tim
So I owe you all some more Taiwan follow-up and pictures. I'm also going to try and create a Flickr gallery of images as well. That may take me a little longer though because I want to get a few more podcasts done also and put up more video stuff. There's lots to talk about, so let's get going...
I have a soft spot for the machines that create bikes. Sure it may not be as romantic an idea as some sweaty person toiling away over each and every detail, but in some cases it's even better- thanks to the precision of the work. However, my fascination has always been with the machines that do some of the more mundane things. I always spend a little time around the wheelbuilding machines. They just fascinate me. There are many types and they range from very precise machines to less precise machines. This one is somewhere in the middle- it's truing up a hand laced BMX wheel that will go on to be hand checked;
It's pretty cool to me at least... but I'm kinda simple like that.
We took the high speed train back and forth between the airport in Taipei and the hotel in Taichung;
It was cool.
Here we have a very happy Brand Manager standing by a container filled with SoulVille bikes headed off to the Ohio warehouse (so go start placing your orders now if you're on the East coast).
I really was happier than I look... I promise. FYI- The SoulVille is currently the best selling bike in the entire Masi line for this season. I had faith in the bike, but never would have guessed sales would be this good. So, thank you for your support of the bike.A beautiful sunrise...
A beautiful park in Taichung on the night of a beautiful dinner...
The long awaited and much anticipated SoulVille Mixte step-through frame...
Mood lighting in an incredibly beautiful restaurant on an incredible night...
Two very happy Product Managers soaking up the reward of their efforts...
Incredible beauty...
All mine! (And eventually yours...)
You'll have to wait for more... so keep on coming back.
Tim
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The waiting game...
In the US now, but waiting a few more hours for my flight home from LA. Ugh... I just wish I could sleep in the airport. It's nearly 10:00PM back in Taiwan, so my body is trying to tell me it is time for bed. By Friday, I was finally feeling totally normal in Taiwan... which does me SO much good now.
Our flight from Taipei to Tokyo, for all 4 of us, was awesome because we got upgraded to Business class! Sweet! Leg room to spare and much better food and wines... now I'm spoiled for sure. However, on the flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles, only Wayne and I got the luck of the draw and received a random upgrade to Business again. I felt bad for Pat and Jill... but not bad enough to sacrifice my free upgrade! For the first time in years, I actually slept on my flight home. It helps when the seat reclines nearly totally flat. Oh man, it was great and I am totally spoiled. Totally.
Thanks again for following along and reading the blog and listening to the podcast. Wish it all coulda been "stronger", but the trip was busy enough that it was hard to do what little I was able to do.
I'll follow up over the next few days with more detailed posts about all kinds of things... I promise.
Tim
Our flight from Taipei to Tokyo, for all 4 of us, was awesome because we got upgraded to Business class! Sweet! Leg room to spare and much better food and wines... now I'm spoiled for sure. However, on the flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles, only Wayne and I got the luck of the draw and received a random upgrade to Business again. I felt bad for Pat and Jill... but not bad enough to sacrifice my free upgrade! For the first time in years, I actually slept on my flight home. It helps when the seat reclines nearly totally flat. Oh man, it was great and I am totally spoiled. Totally.
Thanks again for following along and reading the blog and listening to the podcast. Wish it all coulda been "stronger", but the trip was busy enough that it was hard to do what little I was able to do.
I'll follow up over the next few days with more detailed posts about all kinds of things... I promise.
Tim
Time to go...
Just finished showering and packing my luggage. Got a few more minutes before it's time to head downstairs and check out. It's been a great trip and I certainly have the usual melancholy about leaving. I miss my kids though, so I have plenty to look forward to when I get home... but I do truly enjoy my time in Taiwan.
Had a great time at the Year End party last night. It was, for a Westerner, very entertaining. The food was a great mix of "can't do it" and "wow, that's good". My companions were even better than the food though- Ann and Lisa from my frame supplier, Caribou. They make our "dreams" (the frame ideas) into reality and into the great bikes we sell.
Well kids, it's time for me to shut down the Taichung office and get ready for the grueling trip home. Hope you all have a great weekend (it's Saturday morning here and Friday afternoon/ evening in the US).
Bye for now,
Had a great time at the Year End party last night. It was, for a Westerner, very entertaining. The food was a great mix of "can't do it" and "wow, that's good". My companions were even better than the food though- Ann and Lisa from my frame supplier, Caribou. They make our "dreams" (the frame ideas) into reality and into the great bikes we sell.
Well kids, it's time for me to shut down the Taichung office and get ready for the grueling trip home. Hope you all have a great weekend (it's Saturday morning here and Friday afternoon/ evening in the US).
Bye for now,
沒有發現關於Tim
Friday, January 11, 2008
Masiguy Podcast #4- Live from Taichung
Ok people, podcast #4 is now posted. It's less than 15 minutes. I'll have a longer and more detailed podcast when I return to the states. Leaving tomorrow morning, so I'll be back in the US late Saturday afternoon. LONG day tomorrow...
Tim
Tim
Almost done...
Meetings are almost done. Have two meetings left and then I'm done for this trip. Hard to believe the week is almost over already. What a fast week.
Will be back in March for the Taipei show. Then I won't likely need to come back until late summer or later... I think.
This has been another great trip and I am very thankful for my time over here. Will have more pictures and more stories soon, but now it is time for more meetings.
Still going to try to do a podcast this evening, but we'll see if I can pull it off. No promises, other than a promise to try.
Tim
Will be back in March for the Taipei show. Then I won't likely need to come back until late summer or later... I think.
This has been another great trip and I am very thankful for my time over here. Will have more pictures and more stories soon, but now it is time for more meetings.
Still going to try to do a podcast this evening, but we'll see if I can pull it off. No promises, other than a promise to try.
Tim
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Spy shots...
My new personal brakes... amazing light and very, very smooth action.
7005 series aluminum track cog (16t for those who need to know). Super, super light. I am curious to see how well it holds up before the teeth get really worn or sheer off. The tooth profile is really stout and the cog is reinforced around the area where the chain contacts it. It just might work... so I will let you know. I promised the vendor I would give him real world feedback.
The brakes and the cog are made by the same person. He is very passionate about his work and his products. I can relate to that. We hit it off pretty well and I am very happy to have met him and seen his various products. One of the highlights of the trip so far.
Ok, gotta run downstairs to the taxi.
Tim
7005 series aluminum track cog (16t for those who need to know). Super, super light. I am curious to see how well it holds up before the teeth get really worn or sheer off. The tooth profile is really stout and the cog is reinforced around the area where the chain contacts it. It just might work... so I will let you know. I promised the vendor I would give him real world feedback.
The brakes and the cog are made by the same person. He is very passionate about his work and his products. I can relate to that. We hit it off pretty well and I am very happy to have met him and seen his various products. One of the highlights of the trip so far.Ok, gotta run downstairs to the taxi.
Tim
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Another whirlwind...
It has been another whirlwind adventure here. We spent the day running from one factory to the next all day. Only saw four vendors, but they were on opposite sides of Taichung, so we had to drive all over the place. First visit was with a component maker, the next visit was brake maker, the next visit was a steel frame/ fork vendor and the last visit was with a crank and small parts vendor. It was a busy day again. Didn't get the chance to take too many pictures today though. Sorry.
Truly feeling the jetlag today too, but in that weird dopey-feeling way. It's almost like taking a sleeping pill and waking up too soon, before it is totally worn off. Just feeling like I'm a little bit of a haze... and not because of the beer this time.
Leaving for dinner in a little bit with a friend of mine from one of my frame vendors. Supposed to be a good meal too, so I'm excited. Kinda hungry tonight, so I'm looking forward to this meal! Last year, they took us to a great "hot pot" restaurant, so I have high hopes for dinner tonight.
Ok kids, gotta run. I swear I'm still gonna try to do a podcast while I am here as well as post a video or two. Got a good video of a wheel building machine that's kinda cool. Ok... talk at ya' later.
Tim
Truly feeling the jetlag today too, but in that weird dopey-feeling way. It's almost like taking a sleeping pill and waking up too soon, before it is totally worn off. Just feeling like I'm a little bit of a haze... and not because of the beer this time.
Leaving for dinner in a little bit with a friend of mine from one of my frame vendors. Supposed to be a good meal too, so I'm excited. Kinda hungry tonight, so I'm looking forward to this meal! Last year, they took us to a great "hot pot" restaurant, so I have high hopes for dinner tonight.
Ok kids, gotta run. I swear I'm still gonna try to do a podcast while I am here as well as post a video or two. Got a good video of a wheel building machine that's kinda cool. Ok... talk at ya' later.
Tim
Monday, January 07, 2008
Taichung- 7:00AM
Here's the view from my hotel window this time; facing... I think East... I think...
It's foggy this morning. Very warm- in the 70's- and humid. Should be a beautiful day.
Will have more pictures later and will try to post a few videos (if the connection at the hotel can handle it) and will also try to record a podcast... but I have dinner tonight with Stella of Velo. Velo is THE saddle maker in Taiwan and makes the best OEM saddles around, in my opinion. I have several Velo saddles on my bikes and many of them rival my more expensive fi'zi:k saddles... I have to confess. They even have a high-end brand called Prologo that makes awesome saddles as well. I have a couple of those too and love them. Thing is, Stella is internationally famous for her ability drink nearly any person alive under the table- all of this while being less than 5' tall herself. Dinners can be very painful- the next day. BUT... Stella is also, hands down, one of my very favorite people in the cycling world. So I'm really looking forward to dinner tonight, if we still have one planned.
Gotta run for now. I'll have the details of our epic journey here- it was anything but easy, believe me.
Off to see some factories.
Tim
It's foggy this morning. Very warm- in the 70's- and humid. Should be a beautiful day.Will have more pictures later and will try to post a few videos (if the connection at the hotel can handle it) and will also try to record a podcast... but I have dinner tonight with Stella of Velo. Velo is THE saddle maker in Taiwan and makes the best OEM saddles around, in my opinion. I have several Velo saddles on my bikes and many of them rival my more expensive fi'zi:k saddles... I have to confess. They even have a high-end brand called Prologo that makes awesome saddles as well. I have a couple of those too and love them. Thing is, Stella is internationally famous for her ability drink nearly any person alive under the table- all of this while being less than 5' tall herself. Dinners can be very painful- the next day. BUT... Stella is also, hands down, one of my very favorite people in the cycling world. So I'm really looking forward to dinner tonight, if we still have one planned.
Gotta run for now. I'll have the details of our epic journey here- it was anything but easy, believe me.
Off to see some factories.
Tim
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Made it!
What a nightmare! We made it, by the skin of our teeth... but we made it.
I overslept through my alarms... and then rushed to pick up my product manager (Wayne Doran)... and then rushed to the airport... then we were delayed in LAX... then we were delayed in San Fransisco (just barely making the flight from LAX)... and then we just barely made the last train from Taipei to Taichung... it was just a total mess. But we're here!
I will try to get pictures, video and a podcast done tomorrow or the following day. But now... it's time for sleep!
Hello/goodnight/ good morning from Taichung!
Tim
I overslept through my alarms... and then rushed to pick up my product manager (Wayne Doran)... and then rushed to the airport... then we were delayed in LAX... then we were delayed in San Fransisco (just barely making the flight from LAX)... and then we just barely made the last train from Taipei to Taichung... it was just a total mess. But we're here!
I will try to get pictures, video and a podcast done tomorrow or the following day. But now... it's time for sleep!
Hello/goodnight/ good morning from Taichung!
Tim
Friday, January 04, 2008
Taiwan time...
I'm debating whether or not to even go to bed tonight, since I have to get up for my flight around 3:00- 3:30 tomorrow morning. If I just stay up, then by the time I board the flight from San Francisco to Taipei, I'll be so exhausted I'll have to be able to sleep on the plane (I can barely ever get any sleep on a plane). It might help me to reset my internal clock as well so that the jetlag is not as bad. BUT... if it doesn't work and I still don't sleep, I'm going to be one whacked-out nutjob by the time I get to Taiwan. Plus... my eyes are already crossing because my insomnia was raging last night and I got almost no sleep. As I'm already in a sleep deficit, I don't want to send myself into a coma or some kind of walking narcoleptic episode.
Had a great day with my daughter today. Her school was still closed this week for holiday break. I took the day off to spend some more time with her before I head off for a week. We didn't do much, but we just hung out. Played some cards (she loves Go Fish), went to the YMCA (one last workout for the week), did a little shopping, had some lunch and then wrapped it up with dinner for two at a local Chinese restaurant... how ironic. It was a great day and I'm glad I wasn't able to find her a sitter for the day after all... it was the perfect way to get ready for a week away from home.
Probably won't hear from me again until I get to Taiwan- unless I can get a decent wireless signal in the airport for a change. I promise I'll do my best to get good pictures, a bit of video and do some podcasting and whatnot. Promise.
Tim
Had a great day with my daughter today. Her school was still closed this week for holiday break. I took the day off to spend some more time with her before I head off for a week. We didn't do much, but we just hung out. Played some cards (she loves Go Fish), went to the YMCA (one last workout for the week), did a little shopping, had some lunch and then wrapped it up with dinner for two at a local Chinese restaurant... how ironic. It was a great day and I'm glad I wasn't able to find her a sitter for the day after all... it was the perfect way to get ready for a week away from home.
Probably won't hear from me again until I get to Taiwan- unless I can get a decent wireless signal in the airport for a change. I promise I'll do my best to get good pictures, a bit of video and do some podcasting and whatnot. Promise.
Tim
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Leaving again soon...
Saturday morning, before the sun comes up, I'll be driving to the airport for my 4th trip to Taiwan in the past 12 months. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at all because I enjoy Taiwan. It's just amazing to think about the amount of traveling that I have been doing lately. I'll be back in Taiwan again in March too and probably again after that during this calendar year. Honestly, I could easily see being over there for a week every other month. Scary.
I'm going to try and get some good video while I am over in Taichung and try to do a few podcasts as well. The internet service at the hotel is sometimes a bit sketchy, so I may or may not be able to get the podcasts or videos to upload- it can sometimes take several minutes to just upload a single photo to the blog. Still, I'm going to give it a try and see what happens. Float your requests to me now and I will try to cover them. I'll try to get some video of some of the factory stuff, if they'll let me- not everybody wants you filming their factory operations. That said, I'll still try... anything for you, my faithful readers/ listeners/ viewers.
We're flying in to Taipei, as always, but we are skipping the usual 2 hour drive to Taichung in favor of taking the recently completed high speed train. The drive is normally 2 hours, but the train ride is less than an hour! I'm very excited, as I've never ridden a high speed train before. Should be cool- I'll try to get video and maybe even record some audio for the podcast. We'll have to see...
On an unrelated topic, my legs felt much better today than I thought they would. After the climbing I did yesterday, I assumed my legs would feel like wood today. However, they did not! I did my customary ride at lunch today and my legs felt far better than I expected. They didn't feel great, but they didn't feel like I had ridden as hard as I did yesterday either. That hopefully means good things for this new race season. I want to win some races this year!
That's all I've got for today... but I'll have more tomorrow and maybe even another episode of the podcast too. So stay tuned...
Tim
I'm going to try and get some good video while I am over in Taichung and try to do a few podcasts as well. The internet service at the hotel is sometimes a bit sketchy, so I may or may not be able to get the podcasts or videos to upload- it can sometimes take several minutes to just upload a single photo to the blog. Still, I'm going to give it a try and see what happens. Float your requests to me now and I will try to cover them. I'll try to get some video of some of the factory stuff, if they'll let me- not everybody wants you filming their factory operations. That said, I'll still try... anything for you, my faithful readers/ listeners/ viewers.
We're flying in to Taipei, as always, but we are skipping the usual 2 hour drive to Taichung in favor of taking the recently completed high speed train. The drive is normally 2 hours, but the train ride is less than an hour! I'm very excited, as I've never ridden a high speed train before. Should be cool- I'll try to get video and maybe even record some audio for the podcast. We'll have to see...
On an unrelated topic, my legs felt much better today than I thought they would. After the climbing I did yesterday, I assumed my legs would feel like wood today. However, they did not! I did my customary ride at lunch today and my legs felt far better than I expected. They didn't feel great, but they didn't feel like I had ridden as hard as I did yesterday either. That hopefully means good things for this new race season. I want to win some races this year!
That's all I've got for today... but I'll have more tomorrow and maybe even another episode of the podcast too. So stay tuned...
Tim
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
One step down...
So this week I finished my color selections for the Fall 2008 range of bikes (including some new bikes you're gonna love). Now I am in the midst of writing new copy for the Spring 2008 catalog- mostly a revamp of the existing Fall 2007/Winter 08 catalog. The new Fall '07 website is almost ready to unveil as well. Soon you'll be able to see all the lovely images of the Fall '07 bikes and then we'll be getting ready to plug in the new Spring '08 bikes in just a few more months. Oy... I'm getting dizzy now.
Lots of good development has been going on and I am really excited about the bikes that are coming in Spring and those coming on their heels in Fall. It's a pretty exciting time to be a bike nerd... I promise. If you are one of the many folks who like the steel bikes we're doing at the moment, then you'll be pretty happy with what is coming.
Christmas is just a few days away and I'm looking forward to some quality time with my kids. I'll get a chance to ride a little as well, which is good because I hop back on a plane and head back over to Taiwan in the first week of January... so building a little base fitness before losing another week of training will be good. But this time, I swear, I'm gonna try to fight my jetlag and actually go to the "fitness center" at the hotel. No really... I mean it this time.
So much going on and so many things to update you on and post about. I'll get caught up soon and will get back on schedule... I hope. Thanks for your patience- in advance.
Tim
Lots of good development has been going on and I am really excited about the bikes that are coming in Spring and those coming on their heels in Fall. It's a pretty exciting time to be a bike nerd... I promise. If you are one of the many folks who like the steel bikes we're doing at the moment, then you'll be pretty happy with what is coming.
Christmas is just a few days away and I'm looking forward to some quality time with my kids. I'll get a chance to ride a little as well, which is good because I hop back on a plane and head back over to Taiwan in the first week of January... so building a little base fitness before losing another week of training will be good. But this time, I swear, I'm gonna try to fight my jetlag and actually go to the "fitness center" at the hotel. No really... I mean it this time.
So much going on and so many things to update you on and post about. I'll get caught up soon and will get back on schedule... I hope. Thanks for your patience- in advance.
Tim
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tokyo or bust!
Tomorrow morning I hop on the flying germ cylinder and head off to Tokyo for stop number two of this Asian whirlwind tour. The time here in Taiwan has been wonderful and curious as always. The city of Taichung is such an amazing place- so crowded and noisy, a little odd smelling at times, super industrial and yet still somehow elegant and graceful with a touch of ancient culture and civility. I am always amazed by the overwhelming hospitality of many of the people here. I am not fool enough to not recognize that some folks who are nice to me are hoping that it increases the business I do with them, or might do, but there is still such an amazing warmth that comes from the people of Taiwan. Each time I prepare to leave Taiwan, I am filled with mixed emotions- glad to be leaving, but still a little melancholy too. It's strange... I know.
Tomorrow I hope to be able to report on happenings in Japan and add more pictures from there and additional ones from here in Taiwan. I've taken tons of pictures as usual- I really do need to create a flickr gallery... but I'm lazy.
Little side story to Taiwan; right now, Taiwan is hosting the Baseball World Cup. The US team is staying here in the same hotel as me- along with the Japanese team (ironic, I know). For days I have been watching these young men and the team staff come and go from the hotel and have been eating breakfast with them at the buffet each day. In fact, the day I got in, they had just arrived back from a game and I ended up riding the elevator with a few of them. They looked like kids to me, though they are probably only about 10-15 years younger than me (shut up). That first night, after I got into my room and changed, I headed out the front door to go get a bite to eat. As I walked out, I was mobbed by a group of either Taiwanese or Japanese baseball fans (I wasn't sure from the accents), asking if I was "famous coach of American-style baseball team". Markers and magazines/ game programs/ autograph books were jammed under my nose to be signed... but I just couldn't take the credit for the team and politely explained that I was not associated with the team. I don't think they believed me, since I was wearing a ball cap (though it said "Dura Ace" on it). Tonight, I sat in the hotel lounge/ bar to have my dinner and a beer. On the wall sized projector TV screen, team USA and team Taiwan were locked in a great battle- both are favored to finish the series very well. It was pretty funny to see the young faces of the players in uniform and on TV, rather than on the elevator or eating. I have to admit that I was rooting for them a little harder than I might've under normal circumstances.
It's only a little after 9:00PM here now, but I'm falling asleep as I type and I have a long day of travel ahead. I talk to you from Tokyo...
Tim
Tomorrow I hope to be able to report on happenings in Japan and add more pictures from there and additional ones from here in Taiwan. I've taken tons of pictures as usual- I really do need to create a flickr gallery... but I'm lazy.
Little side story to Taiwan; right now, Taiwan is hosting the Baseball World Cup. The US team is staying here in the same hotel as me- along with the Japanese team (ironic, I know). For days I have been watching these young men and the team staff come and go from the hotel and have been eating breakfast with them at the buffet each day. In fact, the day I got in, they had just arrived back from a game and I ended up riding the elevator with a few of them. They looked like kids to me, though they are probably only about 10-15 years younger than me (shut up). That first night, after I got into my room and changed, I headed out the front door to go get a bite to eat. As I walked out, I was mobbed by a group of either Taiwanese or Japanese baseball fans (I wasn't sure from the accents), asking if I was "famous coach of American-style baseball team". Markers and magazines/ game programs/ autograph books were jammed under my nose to be signed... but I just couldn't take the credit for the team and politely explained that I was not associated with the team. I don't think they believed me, since I was wearing a ball cap (though it said "Dura Ace" on it). Tonight, I sat in the hotel lounge/ bar to have my dinner and a beer. On the wall sized projector TV screen, team USA and team Taiwan were locked in a great battle- both are favored to finish the series very well. It was pretty funny to see the young faces of the players in uniform and on TV, rather than on the elevator or eating. I have to admit that I was rooting for them a little harder than I might've under normal circumstances.
It's only a little after 9:00PM here now, but I'm falling asleep as I type and I have a long day of travel ahead. I talk to you from Tokyo...
Tim
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Taichung- I'm still here...
Sorry for the gap in posting. The jet lag hit me pretty hard yesterday, along with a substantial hangover- Sunday night we "celebrated" the birthday of Pete Demos... so I was a lot slower moving on Monday.
The birthday boy.
The Hangover Maker.
It was a great time, even with the dramatic slow down the next day.
The past two days have been full of time in the factory, as well as more visits to vendors. Some new and some that I met back in January.
Special CX bikes moving down the line! Looks like about a 56 or 58cm... so get your order in!
I have spent time in three different decal factories the past tow days. Two of the vendors I already work with and one is a potential new vendor. The companies range from giant sized companies with operating room, ultra-modern facilities to a more "humble" one. But, the amazing work coming from each of the three is breathtaking... literally at times- the smell of the chemicals will make you a little lightheaded... which was painful yesterday. In one maker, I saw the decals being made for Trek, Specialized and Pinarello- among many, many others. In another I saw a lot of Giant decals being made along with another super high-end Italian brand (no need to mention the name and cause more "real" versus "fake" debates here). And a few hours ago I saw more Trek and Specialized decals, along with some really cool Euro brands I saw in Germany a few months ago. Let's just say, I'm in good company with the brands I share decal vendors with.
I've also met with a really great frame vendor with tons of potential for the brand and a few parts vendors. Great visits all around. It's fun to see the people who you work with and give them a catalog so they can see what you do with their parts. And, I can tell you, the SoulVille and the other steel bikes in the line are as popular in Taiwan as they are in the US.
For all you old school retro grouches, like me, you might be interested to know that I have a meeting with SunTour tomorrow... which is cool. Great brand with great history- kinda feels familiar.
Ok, time to run for now so I can go get some dinner before the jetlag kicks in again and I fall over.
Tim
The birthday boy.
The Hangover Maker.It was a great time, even with the dramatic slow down the next day.
The past two days have been full of time in the factory, as well as more visits to vendors. Some new and some that I met back in January.
Special CX bikes moving down the line! Looks like about a 56 or 58cm... so get your order in!I have spent time in three different decal factories the past tow days. Two of the vendors I already work with and one is a potential new vendor. The companies range from giant sized companies with operating room, ultra-modern facilities to a more "humble" one. But, the amazing work coming from each of the three is breathtaking... literally at times- the smell of the chemicals will make you a little lightheaded... which was painful yesterday. In one maker, I saw the decals being made for Trek, Specialized and Pinarello- among many, many others. In another I saw a lot of Giant decals being made along with another super high-end Italian brand (no need to mention the name and cause more "real" versus "fake" debates here). And a few hours ago I saw more Trek and Specialized decals, along with some really cool Euro brands I saw in Germany a few months ago. Let's just say, I'm in good company with the brands I share decal vendors with.
I've also met with a really great frame vendor with tons of potential for the brand and a few parts vendors. Great visits all around. It's fun to see the people who you work with and give them a catalog so they can see what you do with their parts. And, I can tell you, the SoulVille and the other steel bikes in the line are as popular in Taiwan as they are in the US.
For all you old school retro grouches, like me, you might be interested to know that I have a meeting with SunTour tomorrow... which is cool. Great brand with great history- kinda feels familiar.
Ok, time to run for now so I can go get some dinner before the jetlag kicks in again and I fall over.
Tim
More Taichung photos.
3VC Ultegra frames getting ready for decals after being painted.
Alare forks getting ready to get painted and then heading to decal.
A sea of Speciale Fixed frames... in both colors! (YEAH!) How about some steel forks to go with those frames?
Beautiful Vincere frames waiting for building- that Ruby Red paint is something you have to see in person. And a stack of the forks as well.
Makes a Brand Manager's heart get all fluttery...
Ok, time to run off to the factory and off to see some more vendors.
My last full day here, today. Tomorrow is a travel day to Tokyo. More from there... I promise.
Tim
Alare forks getting ready to get painted and then heading to decal.
A sea of Speciale Fixed frames... in both colors! (YEAH!) How about some steel forks to go with those frames?
Beautiful Vincere frames waiting for building- that Ruby Red paint is something you have to see in person. And a stack of the forks as well.
Makes a Brand Manager's heart get all fluttery...Ok, time to run off to the factory and off to see some more vendors.
My last full day here, today. Tomorrow is a travel day to Tokyo. More from there... I promise.
Tim
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