At the end of this month, a Taiwanese couple is scheduled to embark on the challenge of cycling from New York to Los Angeles, a months-long journey that will take them the length of the iconic Route 66 highway.
The upcoming trip is part of a round-the-world tour by Lin Hsiao-kai (林孝鍇), who calls himself Kai, and his girlfriend Yen Yi-hui (顏怡慧), who have ridden together through 20 countries since their trip began in Taipei on April 7, 2010.
The duo, who arrived in New York this week on their custom-made bicycles, said they want to introduce Taiwan’s “beauty and goodness” to people they meet on the road toward the West Coast.
The journey is not only about carrying out the dream of cycling around the world — like Hu Jung-hua (胡榮華), the first Taiwanese to cycle around the globe in the 1980s — but is also an effort to showcase Taiwan, its people and products to the world, Kai said.
“Our gear, bicycles and equipment are all made in Taiwan, and are recyclable,” said Kai, who is in his 30s.
With Republic of China flags hoisted on poles at the rear of their bikes, Kai said they often hand out travel brochures and tell people about Taiwan, with topics ranging from cross-strait relations and gourmet food to different cultural issues and sports activities.
“We tell everyone we meet on the road that we are from Taiwan,” he said, adding that they were occasionally invited to stay overnight by kind individuals.
Yen said that she is happy to introduce Taiwan to people, because it makes her remember the home she left two years ago.
“Whenever I talk about Taiwan with foreign friends, I feel as if I have returned home,” she said.
According to Kai, they have covered a total of more than 50,000km so far and have passed through Australia, New Zealand, China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, among other countries.
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