The Real long ride can be divided into just 4 hill climbs

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 28, 2018

                                                        The riders at Famy crossing

Most of us are intimidated by the Real ride because it is a real ride.  It is long and heavily punctuated by long hard climbs.  However if you analyze it well there are only 4 major hard climbs:  Bugarin of course (the usual climb we practice) at Laguna. Then just 3 at  Laguna Quezon:    1 between Famy and Siniloan before the quarry.  Then from quarry to the DENR check point, and  the last one from Llavac to the crest going downhill to the Real town proper.

I would like to think that going home ride is more difficult and challenging.  The Llavac to the crest of the hill would be about 5 km only but from Real to the pasalubong center is about 15 km.  They are not very steep but long.  With 36 chain ring, I had to shift to 28 and 30.  (Which was noisy as noted by others)  The B screw was not screwed in sagad kaya the jockey wheel was scrubbing the 28 and 30 sprocket.  

                                                  Resting after hard ride at Larry's store

                                                            Nagchain rub ako kahapon

                                                      Naka 3 kami Sunday evening nito

Testing the Pinarello F10, and the Campagnolo Bora Two wheelset at the Real Long ride

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 28, 2018

The long ride last August 26 -27, 2018 to Real was the opportunity to test the efficacy and durability of my newest project Pinarello F10, Campagnolo Bora Wheelset and the  Campy Record 11 speed GS.  The bike passed with flying colors

The frame was light, the wheelset was slippery and very low in friction.  For some up and down hills, I could free wheel and climb another hill without pedalling. Climbing up in the right gears was effortless.  If I were younger, they would not be able to pass me.

Downhill, the cricket sounding free wheel was great.   The  Campy brakes were responsive and I could counter steer.  The 28 wide tires that expanded well beyond the 25 mm of the rim functioned like MTB tires contributing to stability when cornering and even buzz less riding of pebbled roads.

I could catch up with leaders,  even on hills and most especially on flats.  My back did not ache despite the slammed postureof the bike.

Over all I was happy and very satisfied with this bike set up.   Recommended to friends and acquaintances

(To the supplier I said that with payment, I am still doing the test drive and doing the marketing for him with this post)

                                               Team Sky bike

Bike ride ng 7 Recyclists sa Real Quezon kahapon at ngayon, August 26 -27 2018

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 27, 2018

                                      Aming homestay:   Barangay Apartalle libre (tubig tulog, CR)

Today is National Heroes Day.  We commemorate yesteryears and current heores. Are you one of the heroes.

Can our adventure considered heroism

Yesterday, 7 of the Recyclists (8 including son of Etoy,  Joshua) rode out to Real with the leaders arriving at 11:40 (Jeff and Allan) and the others short minutes later.  The 7 are:  Alan, Jeff, ,Gerry, Pres Luis, Etoy, Angel and I.  We met 7:00+ in Morong had lugaw, JUS had to have his flat fixed, 8:10 at Pisong Kape, 8:40 at Bugarin, 10:00 at Famy.  Those who were reported to have suggested this ride did not join.

Inihatid kami ni Master Ed hanggang Bugarin.  Si Meong, hanggang Morong

We had lunch at the store of Zaldy Sampaga at about 12:30 and most of our lunch were 2 or more orders of rice plus dinuguan.   (naubos na luto)   Then we took a dip at the Pacific Ocean at about 3 pm. after some shots of Empi sponsored by Alan.    At 5:00 pm the group rode to the Real Town proper and bought only 3 orders of KFC (Kanto Fried Chicken)  Two were for dinner and one order was for pulutan of 3 bottles or red horse.

We slept at the Barangay Hall, which is being administered by Kagawad Larry Sampaga, the owner of the store where we ate.  We also used the CR of the tanod at the  ground floor.  We slept on the desk (at least two of us and the rest on the floor, for fear of falling from the tables.  The Barangay hall is about 20 meters away from the Baywatch 2.

Today we had breakfast at 5:00 am of tuyo ang fried eggs and fried rice. cooked by wife of Larry.  And some coffee.  We paid P50.00 each for the sumptuous breakfast.  Last night we chipped in P100.00 for the fried chicken and the Red Horsse beer.

We left at 5:45 via the same route we took, (some were suggesting we take the  Marilaque route Jarriels Peak but Gerry had broken rear spoke and we would not be sure of getting assistance in case of further mechanical trouble (such as riding the bus going home)  If not having a back up is a weakness, doing the Marilaque route can be reckless.

We were at Famy at 7:45, 9:00 am at Pisong Kape, and home by 11:00.    We were a little bit faster going home.

What does this ride show?  We can see the determination and courage of few people who can ride far out without back up (mga 90 km one way:  50 km to Famy and about 40 km to Real) and we can do this cheap.  That was only about P350.00 for the two day journey.

                              Jamming kagabi after dinner sa tindahan ni Kagawad Larry Sampaga
                                          7 Real Men

I missed my ride to Real but not my ride mileage.

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
May 1, 2017

I did not join the tropa in their Real ride with overnight stay at Baywatch yesterday because of the fear of heat exhaustion.   However this did not prevent me from having long rides yesterday and today.  Yesterday I rode up to Biak na bato or Km 59 for  32 km ride one way or 64 out and back.  Today, I rode near to Jala jala km 72 for 45 km one way or 90 km. That is a total of 154 km solo ride.

Today I did not miss the hot midday sun and the temperature could be around 40s.  I am glad I survived that with plenty of water drinks and stops

Real Ride on April 9, 2016

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 7, 2016

There is a plan to ride to Real on Araw ng Kagitingan on April 9, 2016.  I will join provided I join the birthday celebration of my wife.  Are you joining?

To prepare for this I did again a 3 loop ride at Binangonan Cardona loop (9 km one way)  So that is 9 x6 = 54 km  + 6 km up Binanogonan Munisipyo x 2 = 12 66 km.  That is a tough loop by the way.   7 hills in all.: Mambog, the Looc Hill, Callahan Diversion (3 hills) and LLDA (going back to Mambog)
I tried to ride Callahan at 34 x 13, 15.  Kaya.

The books recommend sprinting before the hill crest. I could only manage 15 kph going uphill, and 3x hill climb to develop strength and endurance.  (Tito Fabay is doing this as a routine)

At the flats when sprinting I am able to do now 40 kph (up from 35 kph last week) The Island gas sprint is still at 34 kph

                                   You can reach 50 kmh downhill at this portion

                          Pinaka makunat na portion ng climb from Morong (3x na sinalunga)

                        You could imagine the kind of work and effort I put into this ride today

Another Llavac Real Location in Marcos Highway

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal  Philippines   | December 29, 2014

Little Baguio blog

Last December 26, 2014, my neighbor showed me his property in Sitio Malapad  Llavac Real, Quezon.  The place is called Little Baguio.

This is frequented by MC riders and MTBs.  

I was not  interested in his invitation to join him before.  But when I visited the place and experienced the cold winds, the fog, the vegetation, and the cool temperature.  And sure the overlooking view of the Pacific Ocean and the Laguna Lake....Such great views.

All ready the speculators are trooping to the area especially the Chinese.

Km 89 in Lllavac via the Famy Real road has wild weather and challenging uphill climb (about 2 km of uphill climb). I would say that that is the most challenging part of the climb.  However the challenging part of the Marcos Llavac is on the way back.  

So two destinations at Km 89 in Real.

This guy Ed Valdez (Idol) is a great guy

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines   | December 23, 2014

All I know about idol is that he and Jeff rode to Baguio last Holy Week and Jeff, one of our strongest rider, was no match for Idol.

I later learned that idol represents a software company, and has done a lot of research on radiant energy (the Tesla principles) as source of free energy.  We hear and see about these in the movies.   He says he has done 15 years of work on this.

But you should admire how he practice.  He says a training ride for him is 100 km stop.  After we came from Real, he returned to Cubao via Sampaloc.  Great

We are supposed to meet today for a presentation, but he did not come.

Bike ride to Real Up to Cell Site yesterday (December 21, 2014)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  | December 22, 2014

                             Happy birthday Gerry

This rider unexpectedly joined Idol (Ed Valdez) and Angel Balubar in a bike ride to Real Quezon (up to the cell site tower after about a mile long steep ascent after the quarry.

I started out with a plan to only ride to Morong and probably join the group up to Pisong Kape.   I joined Master after brief stop at Sacred Heart Parish in Tayuman.  He was on ride/spinning mode and was in no hurry.  We ended up in Morong at about 7+ am.  It was the birthday of Gerry Y and all the lugaw and mountain dew were on him.

Happy Birthday, Gerry (he said the age is a secret)

#Kneepain after hard ride to #Pililla last Wednesday due to the #rain?

Wheels of Happiness

I had a hard a la TT ride to Pililla Pisong Kape last Wednesday. Unfortunately it rained hard when I reached Morong and it rained more when I reached Baras.


When I arrived later in the pm, I had knee pain  The whole day Thursday, I had a bandage and many balms wiped over the knee.  It could have been caused by strain or cold rain.

Fortunately yesterday pm, my right knee was mobile and there was no pain.  So I could join the Real Ride.  Thanks be to the Lord.

November 30 ride to Real - only for #RealMen

Wheels of Happiness

I was informed by Gerry K that we will have a long ride to Real Quezon on November 30, 2014.  I met Luis at Antipolo City Cathedral today.  He confirmed and said he has not posted this at Facebook.  Will it be overnight or balikan.  He said probably balikan because it is not holiday the following day.  According to Ariel who was with this am at the ride on the way to Taytay, it takes 4 hours to be at Real.  He did this with Bubuy:    leave at 6 am and  be at Real by 10 am.  Take a  bath, eat and ride back by 5 or 6.  We were able to do this before.

Thus:  leave 6 am arrive 7a am Pisong Kape;   8 at Mabitac;  8:30 at Famy.  You will be a Llavac by 9:30.   Then it is easy pedalling to Real.

Will you join the Real ride?

Only for #realmen

The planned bike ride to Real is not real?! My bike ride today August 25, 2013

Real Cyclists

Angono, Rizal PHL    |  August 25, 2013

I woke up late today for bike ride;  and besides it was raining hard all night and was waiting for the street to dry a little bit to avoid splatter and crashing  ( On the way home from a meeting last night in Sampaloc, I had to negotiate several flood hit streets) I was home at past 10 after leaving Manila at about 6 pm)  I left before 8 am

I passed by Sacred Heart Parish until 8 and planned to bike until km 58 or 59 to for a 30 km continuous bike.

A strong biker passed me in Bilibiran;  I was not able to catch with the one I saw earlier at km 29.  Then a  Binangonan rider passed me in Cardona.  But I passed  several mountain bikers in Calaumpang  and a mountain biker after Callahan.  Some guys tried to pass me at km 55, about 5 and they said they are from Pasig and passed them at km 57 before I rested at Km 59.

  I was in Pililla km 59 by 9:00 am, rested there a little bit and biked back by 9:20.  I planned to bike back until km 49 for 20 minutes for a 30 kph pace.  Which I did.  Was at km 49 by 9: 40;  I was in Morong Maybancal by 10 am. 

I met Papa Rick and Gerry Yamsuan (the Ridley bike owner) at Km 53.  In Morong, Richard Ang and Choco2 passed by and they continued biking.  About 3 minutes later, Tito, VM, Alan, Joel, Master E arrived.  I learned that because of the rains, and the floods that inundated parts of Famy and Mabitac (at crossing of Sta Maria) we could not push through with the ride.  The group of Gerry who planned to ride to Cavinti, could not possibly have been possible because parts of Famy and Paete were under water.

We biked soon after 5 minutes of rest and had buko near boundary of Cardona and Morong.  We caught up with Richard and Choco2.

Now I can catch with the guys. They do about 30 even in crowded streets. We were in Angono by 11:00

It was a great ride for me.  Tired exhausted and stronger