Voted early did an antenna ride and met brother in law of real estate tycoon in the town

Wheels of Happiness

This post took advantage of the early voting for Seniors and after coffee, went up Antenna.  The last time I was there was on Maundy Thursday when there was ruckus for a fee for entering the vicinity.  There was none.  A portion of the road going up was under repair and had sand overlay which made pedalling up slippery.   Was I glad that going up was not that difficult.   There was a momentary tukod at the portion 20 per cent incline where I avoided another bike going downhilll at my lane.  Could not get on the bike again so I walked the final 20 meters of the incline.

At the summit, I was given free noodles by two bikers one of whom turned out to be companion for a property tripping at Calaca.  Mr. Ferdie Baracoro.  He is also the brother in law of top real estate tycoon in Angono.  Owner of the Jollibee commercial complex, an ice plant in their 40 hectare property near Laguna Lake.  

Have been climbing hills lately; practicing on strength

Wheels of Happiness

My climbs last week and this week are focussing on hills to practice  strength building:

1.  Sikatan Pitallo

2.   Antenna Hills

3.   DOMSA

4.   Cabrera.

Even at 73, still can do.  

Climbed two hills yesterday - testing for health and endurance

Wheels of Happiness

Yesterday, climbed two hills:    Sikatan in Mahabang Parang and Antenna Hills.   What was surprising was despite that it was hot, the efforts seemed light.   

For Sikatan, going up to Pitallo at 34 -36t was continuous and there was no stopping.   This was on a road bike.  This post invites other riders to visit Sikatan and patronize this establishment  There were no customers when I biked there

For Antenna Hills, the plan was to go up only up to intersection of Aristorenas, then at the Church, then at the water tank and eventually ended up at the Antenna.   Many think that the road bike is inappropiate for hill climbs but this post did this well on a road bike.

This post feels very much accomplished for this climb

Fighting sarcopenia in later years

Wheels of Happiness

With 3 years + 7 decades behind me, I am aware that I am all ready undergoing sarcopenia  -  ie - loss of muscle mass and bone density.  That why I can not risk going off road, or going faster on descent.  

Thus: this post has to supplement biking with some free body weight exercises like lunges, and knee bends with weights.  And has to follow the recommendation that riding be done on big chain rings for added torque and resistance training to counter sarcopenia.   

Thus I try to do DOMSA ride, diversion, Bombongan, Teresa Antenna ride on big chain rings.  These rides leave me exhausuted and drained that is why this post spends a lot of time sleeeping, taking a nap in the afternoon.  

This post expects that he could live better, if not longer with these exercise routines.

Coffee shops abound

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

5.31.2021

The success and high consumption of expensive coffee in the likes of Coffee Bean, Coffee Project, Starbucks and the pandemic has encouraged (together with Milk Tea) the growth and proliferation of coffee shops at biking sites:

1.  Cafe in the Sky at Botong Francisco

2..  Coffee shop at Unamonte going to East Ridge

3.   Coffee shop at Antenna (midway)

4.  Coffee shop at Quarry Road

5.  Coffee shop at Mahabang Parang

6.  Coffee  shop in Tagpos

Many entrepreneurs.  Many agile individuals - matching the huge number of cyclists these days

Interesting notes on bike ride this morning to San Carlos Hts. Antenna

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
June 11, 2018

                                  Boasting aside, the two lots where the antennas are used
                                  to be owned by the author.  Sayang

Happy Rizal Province day today.  It is non working holiday today in Rizal....

The skies cleared up today. the rains stopped.And I decided to ride albeit using an MTB in view of the wet and still slipper road.  I rode up to San Carlos Antenna

Leonard Cequena, a young and strong rider overtook me some 30 meters from the summit.  The rains fell again and we had time to converse:

1.  That he was transferred at the  RPH system to Bosoboso;

2.  That there are very few MTB mechanics and he was going to his house to a good MTB mechanic formerly working at 4 Cantos.  His bike was creaking as he pedaled.  It could have resulted from him biking at the rains last Saturday and Sunday.  Grit and water could have seeped into the axles, BB, or even seat post.   He just wants the mechanics to figure it out.

3.  Some riders who said they were formerly from Medalva (an OFW from Singapore) was interviewed about his MTB groupset, and Eagle 12 speed with wireless controls.  The adjustment could be made from a smart phone wow.  And his bike cost about P300k .. Wow.  MTB jackable. Ingat sa long rides

2x Climb to San Carlos (Antenna) Heights last Wednesday

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
October 8, 2017

I was training officers last week and part of the schedule was physical fitness.  HR brought them to Marian hills on a hike.  I brought my MTB and rode up via Tolentino. I used relatively hard gears going up.   32 x 17 to 19. I had long lay over and could not manage I think climb up by Gate 2.  I was ahead of every body else.  I met them:   a lady and another senior near Sitio Mangga all ready.

Then I went up again riding the bike.   And then when we went down, I rode down to Mangga and  then climbed again meeting them near the last switchback before Mangga.   I rode down again and met them near the first cross.

They walked down  Gate 2,  and rode up and down again as they descended.   As usual, in the afternoon, I was dead tired and had to sleep for two hours

Hill climbs with Sava Ti

Wheels of Happiness


Rizal Philippines
July 30, 2017

I had 3 hill climbs this week SAVA ti:  2x  Eastridge;   and once for Antenna San Carlos Heights last Tuesday.   And they looked easy for me, because I merely used the low gears.   I was able to climb the sites using only 32 chain rings and max of 36 for the sprocket

I have two other MTB:   a SAVA 580 carbon fiber and Mosso Falcon 4. But this one is the best so far.  It was a good buy

I learned from the video at You Tube that you do not have to over exert nor race going up because you can blow out and not finish the climb.  At East ridge yesterday, a young MTB rider had to stop often and said it was his first time.   Going down was perilous:  the roads which were moss filled were difficult to negotiate going down hill:  the tires skid and the bike despite the knobby was difficult to control - you could ditch anytime. But thanks God,these were uneventful climb and descent

Frequent riders Jimmy and Supremo

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
June 3, 2017

                                                       Supremo Armin Zapanta


I try to ride at least 3x a week.   That will keep my Basal Metabolic Rate at little bit higher and let me burn fat while resting (but it gives me BO when the perspiration invites germs to grow.  Thus I biked Tuesday, Wednesday and today.  I will bike again tomorrow
.
On those occasions, I saw Jimmy twice and Supremo Armin once.  But he climbed SCH twice  He descended and climbed again and met him again as I was descending.

For the last two rides, I made two hill climbs (and they were not easy)   SCH antenna and SCH.  I went up SCH via gate two on a 32 x 36 gear.  I did poorly at Eastridge.  I had to dismount 2 x doing granny gears.  The bikers from Taguig admired that I was able to ascend the final 100 meters up to the guard house without stopping.  They stopped and rest and had to do cross stitch while climbing

Nagbike up to Antenna at San Carlos - asphalted na! No more thrill for MTBs

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 18, 2017

I biked up to Marian Hills entrance this morning with my Sava MTB.  I had a little difficulty managing the climb because I have not climbed SCH for a couple of months and I stayed using hard gears.   32 x 32 (not going down to the granny)   Lo and behold, the posts made earlier that the road leadding to the site has been asphalted was confirmed today.   After the switchback at the concrete portion that ends after the fork at Sitio Manga, all the way up, a distance of about 500 meters, it is all asphalted.  Thanks to some great LGU officials.  I can climb the same on a road bike using compact gears without much difficulty.