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`Riders of hope' complete bike trip round the nation

More than 50 "riders of hope" returned to Taipei yesterday after completing a 13-day cycling trip around the country with the goal of raising funds to purchase electric wheelchairs.

The bicycle trip was jointly organized by the Eden Social Welfare Foundation and the Nan Shan Charity Foundation in collaboration with the National Youth Commission.

"I'd call our team a champion team -- we have a nine-year-old boy, a 74-year-old man, we even have someone traveling in a wheelchair with us," Tsai Hsien-kuo, one of the cyclists, told an audience awaiting them at the end of the trip.

The cyclists departed from Taipei on Aug. 18, and toured around the country to raise funds to buy 500 electric wheelchairs for the disabled.

Although the goal was not reached, the cyclists were still proud that they had completed the trip and raised enough funds for 360 electric wheelchairs.

Hsieh Ching-kuei (謝清桂), physically challenged because of polio, traveled with the group in his own electric wheelchair.

"Although there were a lot of inconveniences that made the trip more difficult for the disabled, I still completed the trip -- it means that if the society can be friendlier for the disabled, we can surely contribute more," Hsieh said.

One example of the inconveniences encountered, Hsieh said, was that none of the 12 hotels they stayed at during the trip had adequate access for the disabled.

Cheng Min-shu (程敏淑), a 23-year-old university graduate, said that she understood better the needs of disadvantaged people since she visited various welfare facilities during the trip.

"Seeing people's needs is the first step to helping people ? now I've decided to commit myself to helping people in need," Cheng said.

Overseas cyclists, such as Tong Sin-tung (湯蒨彤) from Hong Kong, were among the "riders of hope."

"I've always liked cycling ? and I wanted to see how welfare organizations in Taiwan work," said Tong, who has been a volunteer for charitable organizations in Hong Kong.

Tong said the landscape along the coast of Taitung and Hualien was what she enjoyed most during the trip.

"I really like Taiwan," she said.

"I hope the trip will raise public awareness of the problems of the disabled, as well as lack of accessible infrastructure around the nation," Eden Social Welfare Foundation chairman Wang Kai-chiang (王剴鏘) said.
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