Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je has set off on a day-long bike journey covering nearly 380 kilometers. He set off Saturday morning from Taipei in the north, aiming to arrive at Kaohsiung in the south within the day.
Ko is an enthusiastic cyclist, with two long distance rides under his belt. This time, Ko’s goal is to complete his journey in 18 hours. The trip is preparation for a longer journey from the northernmost point of Taiwan to the island’s southern tip that the mayor hopes to complete in the future.
Ko will bike through eight cities and counties on Saturday’s ride. Local legislative candidates have set up rest stations to cheer Ko on, and will ride along with him to gain support and media exposure.
Ko is scheduled to stop at 15 rest stations for 10-minute breaks along his route. After staying in Kaohsiung for a night, Ko will move on to other cities to join street campaigning in the final week before Taiwan’s general elections.