The Tagaytay ride took heavy toll on the Recyclist riders

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal  |  Philippines   |  January 21, 2014

                          Ven seated at the extreme right, resting while waitng for Ado to repair his flat

I came across Ven early morning at Wawa and he told me he ached all over. It was the same experience.  I slept the whole afternoon and evening last Sunday nursing fatigued body, painful thighs and legs.  Gerry told me his thighs swelled yesterday.  For riding too hard.

I guess everybody went too fast and did not want to be left behind.  If you are left behind, and because of the strong headwind, you suffered as I did on the way home.  I struggled alone at Daang Hari (from Gen Emilio Aguinaldo side up to Bacoor and at C6.

Ven told me that I was one of those who initiated the hard ride:  at C6, at the service road, and going home at Amadeo.  As we are of the same age, he and Vic had to catch up and did not want to be left behind by another senior

Read about your colleagues activities as an educator

                                    Ven back to the camera, Armin over there

Rendezvous again with Jethro Garcia

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal, Philippines |  January 20, 2014

                          Jethro with his Cannondale bike;  talking with VM in Amadeo gasoline station

Jethro Garcia, our host for the Lemery, and Kaybiang ride again met us for this Tagaytay ride. He joined us in Amadeo.  He joined VM Jun Vic for most of the time.  We stayed with him in Tagaytay for sometime, and then we parted ways along C de los Santos ave, going to Silang.

Thanks Mr. Jethro.

Tour de Calabarzon

Jethro is planning a Tour de Calabarzon

Read about Jorgeus bikers teaching chores

                               Eating at Tagaytay city;  Alan elbowing it out with Caloocan riders

                                  Food for the motor and bike riders - cheap

                                   Our new riders

                                The sign belies the cold wind blowing

Other activities as an educator

Pit stops on the way home yesterday

Wheels of Happiness

                                    Arrival at Tagaytay

Rizal Philippines  |January 20, 2014

We were at Tagaytay by 10:45 had lunch there and  descended via Amadeo by 11:45.  Nevetheless, we were home by a little over 4:00 pm.  The question was could we have come back earlier?

Did we have too many pit stops?

As far as I know there were only 3 stops we made:

1.  Jingle stop at Gen Trias near Lyceum and to treat the wounds of Edgar  (12:30)

                                        Jingle stop at Gen Trias  Read about Jorgeus biker as a professor

 x

 x

                                    The wind was blowing strong

2.  Petron food stop (ah this took long.   Maybe l:30 to 2:19)

                                    Eat and rest stop at Petron: Jess, Chito, Choco2, Joel and Armin

                                       Angel, Luis and Alan

                          Master and I were late comers because we assisted Ado with his flat

                                 We left Petron by 2: 19

3.  At Bicutan (about 3 pm)

                                     At Bicutan at 3:11

In general, the pace was fast and furious.   Some argued that we need to rest because of the distance and difference in fitness.

                              Waiting for me at Highway 2000 at 3:56;  maybe they arrived 3:45?

                                       In Angono by 4:20

Read about Jorgeusbiker as a Prof

Munching Corn at Gen Trias stop

Wheels of Happiness

                              Choco2, Ven, VM, Jeff and Jess eating white boiled corn on the cob

Rizal Philippines |  January 20 2014

We munched corn at Gen Trias, before climbing to Gov Drive at about 9:30.  We thought we could reach Tagaytay by 10:30  (We did l5 minutes later)  This was the first time we had corn for our snacks. Corn sold at 12 pesos each.

Corn has high Glycemic Index, high calorie content.  The corn was fresh and just cooked.  (not reboiled)

Enjoy.

                                       Fresh corn

                                     Ado, Gerry and Alan

                                         Other fruits for sale

                                   Cassava for sale, newly harvested

                                        Vic Jericho, and Edgar near the corn store

Ganun kami sa Makati, eh kayo?

Wheels of Happiness

                           Gerry and Ven posing with cyclists from Makati;  taken at Daang Hari

Rizal, Philippines   | Jauary 20, 2014

We met several young cyclists from Makati at Daang Hari, cor Bacoor.  And we thought they were sponsored by the city government.  No they were not.  So we posed and took their pictures.  Here they are:

                              Makati riders with Recyclists:  Ado, Jorgeusbiker, and Pres Luis

Newbies for Recyclists sponsored by Ernie

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal, Philippines |  January 20, 2014

                                   The new joiner, Ernie, the MTB guy, and Joseph

About 2 very young cyclists joined us today courtesy of Ernie.  And they look very strong.  I did not get their names.  They were always on top of the peloton.  None had any injury or was a quitter.

How did I do in the Ride to Tagaytay yesterday?

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal  |  Philippines  | January 20 2014

                                       Vic, Master and Edgar arriving in Gen Trias

I was totally exhausted yesterday from the ride.   My knees were weak, as if there was cotton inserted  in the joints and I had difficulty in walking when I arrived in Angono.  I had to sleep and take a rest as soon as I changed from the Recyclists jersey to the dry clothes. The strong head wind as I biked alone (without the group) got me.

I believe that I did well in this ride.

1. At C6, I managed to be near the head of the peloton;

2.  At the service road, I was in the top 10 of the peloton.   Cataps was at the lead.

3.  At Daang Hari from Alabang to Bacoor, and from Bacoor to Emilio Aguinaldo, I managed to stay ahead.

4.  Going up Crisanto de los Santos Highway to Amadeo, I was left behind when I took some pictures.  However, 5 km after, I caught up with some of the stragglers:  Gerry, Jericho, Ado, Ben.  I even overtook them

5.  Going down the same highway, I took over the peloton leadership from Alan from Amadeo town proper up to Gen Trias.  Maybe that sapped my energy too.   I was behind at Daang Hari;  they left me at Gen Trias early on when we were going down the irrigation road.   I caught up with Ado, Gerry, Ven, and Edgar when Ado got flat in Daang Hari.   I just went with Ado from thereon to Petron.

I would judge this ride for me as good, because I really strained to keep up.  However the group is really fast.  If you blink, and do not keep up fast, you will be left behind far far away

                                      L to R:  Vic, Master,  Edgar, and Gerry in his Ridley

                                   That is Edgar's back, right after we took off from Lyceum in Gen Trias

                               Those are Edgar and Jeff (with the grey back pack

                        The Recyclists going down hill from Lyceum going to Hormel Purefoods

                          Going uphill about 200 meters away from Hormel before turning left

Jerichos clones/fakes at Daang Hari

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  | January 19, 2014

As we rested in Bacoor corner Daan Hari, I noticed Jericho had several clones, or fake relatives.  All were named Jerico. They were all SGs guarding the property.   (Just like Erap who saw a number of Ejercitos when travelling to South America. )  Well Ejercito means army in Spanish and he thought that he had plenty of relatives there (another Eraption - joke)

Will the real Jericho stand up? 

                                   Jericho with fake Jerichos, replicas, clones

Several challenges during the ride to Tagaytay today, January 19 2014

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal Philippines   | January 19, 2014

                                   Edgar crashed while avoiding an MTB at Amadeo highway

Several challenges (difficulties were with us today) on a our ride to and from Tagaytay.  They were minor though:

1. a  Ados chain broke on the way up through the Amadeo highway.  Fortunately, he knows how to repair the link.  However, he and VM did not have the chain remover/tool.   I had.  So solved.  He connected the chain anew at the Petron station in  Tagaytay

b.  He had a flat tire in Daang Hari, and we had to supervise him and eat while he was repairing his flat.

2.  Edgar crashed while avoiding a HS MTB, he suddenly crossed his path on the way down Amadeo highway.  Fortunately it was minor scratch on his shoulder, legs and just bruised ego.

Ven says Jorgeusbiker makes sure its finish contract, he says he has breach of contract

Wheels of Happiness

Angono Rizal  Philippines | January 19, 2014

                                  Ven with Edgard, VM, and Vic as we say thanks and God Bless

We finished our ride to Tagaytay early today.  We were in Angono by 4 pm;  we were in Tagaytay early a little under 11 am and we were riding home by 11:45.  We were in Petron Daang Hari by 1 pm where we stayed long. (about  1 hour)

Ven had cramps twice:

First  was 50 meters before our Petron stop/destination  in Tagaytay (passing through the Crisanto de los Santos Highway from Gen Trias to Amadeo) and the second was in Sucat.  He rode from Sucat to highway 2000 and from there he rode home to Angono.  He said that the pain radiated from his abdomen to his toes.   (It has happened to me too)  So I am careful not to strain myself by using easy gears when the going gets rough/tough.  Some 5 km to the destination along the same highway, while trying to catch up with Edgard, the cramps started to creep in (I was at 50 x 23);  so I shifted to 30 x 17 and the cramps that was about to start got away.