Ciro Santilli @cirosantilli 37

Great set of long distance routes.

They are very well chosen for their high safety and level interest, so you can just go into them without putting much thought into it.

Sometimes they go a bit too much on the side of safety, making certain transitions annoying, but in general the selection is spot on.

The routes do sometimes go on a bit of gravel, so they are most adequate for hybrid bikes rather than road bikes, although road bikes would be able to to much of them. A more road-bike dedicated possibility is the The National Byway.

Note however that there are many many other local routes which are not in the network, but arguably equally, or more worthwhile.

Their diginal map distribution mechanisms are a bit shitty and sometimes asks you to pay for certain formats, which is hard to understand given that the maintainer of those maps, the Ordnance Survey appears to be public... github.com/cirosantilli/cirosantilli.github.io/issues/61 "How to see the Sustrans National Cycle Network on Google maps?"

Googling "National Cycle Netowrk KML" leads to: data-sustrans-uk.opendata.arcgis.com/ from which we can download the KML. gis.stackexchange.com/questions/216770/how-to-open-kml-file-in-google-maps-for-android then shows how to make that viewable on Google Maps by going through www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/?hl=en on the browser. TODO 2021-11:"Ralph Hughes" www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-hughes-501474121 is listed as the creator/responsible of the exports, but can't find his email. Sent an email to gissupport@sustrans.org.uk and he did reply a few days later that they are aware of the issue, and are particularly trying to reach out to Google about it. Great news!
GPSPrune 20.2-1 can open the KML however, so that file can't be entirely wrong.

OpenStreetMaps has them on by default though if you just click "Cycle Map" layer. It is not as incredibly detailed as the Ordnance Survey one, e.g. does not show which side of the street to ride on, but still, is very good.

Although Ciro Santilli lived in São Paulo City nominally during his studies, it would be more precise to say that he lived in University of São Paulo-land, because Ciro was cheap, didn't have a car, and did nothing but study, stay at home, go back to Santos to see his parents and the beach.

But the little he saw of the city made a deep impression on him.

The unreasonable size.

The unbearable contrasts.

Caetano's Sampa is the ultimate description of the city!

Talks about rebellion of the oppressed (and bandits), and therefore has been controversial throughout the many Chinese dictatorships.

The book is based on real events surrounding 12th century rebel leader Song Jiang during the Song dynasty.

It is also interesting that Mao Zedong was apparently a fan of the novel, although he had to hide that to some extent due to the controversial nature of the material, which could be said to instigate rebellion.

The incredible popularity of the novel can also be seen by the large number of paintings of it found in the Summer Palace.

This is a good novel. It appeals to Ciro Santilli's sensibilities of rebelling against unfairness, and in particular about people who are at the margin of society (at the river margin) doing so. Tax the rich BTW.

It also has always made Ciro quite curious how such novels are not used as a way to inspire people to rebel against the Chinese Communist Party.

Full text uploads of Chinese versions:

Agriculture is not the official definition of the age. But it is good enough. Likely related to the official end of glaciations thing.

Literally: "capital of the East". Note that the Chinese term 东京 (dong1 jing1) is highly ambiguous in historical contexts, as many places throughout history have been known as "the capital of the East".Of of those other places is the Kaifeng, which is the Capital in Water Margin and in real life during the Song dynasty. The novel is also likely highly popular in Japan apparently as well BTW, e.g. it merited a well funded adaptation: The Water Margin.

Lit. "to kick (leather) ball".

Figures notbaly in Water Margin, where it is played by Gao Qiu. The novel also suggests that it was considered a lesser art, e.g. as opposed to the scholarly four arts and the "proper" martial arts.

This is a good initiative. Since the government is incapable of doing shit in this area, individuals have to do it themselves.

They even have a scholarship program...: www.bolsas.gobrasa.org/