Declining number of cyclisits lately

Wheels of Happiness

We see lesser and lesser cyclists on the road lately.  Due to the following:

1.  Very hot weather.  40 C is common at 10:00 up to 4:00 pm.  Such hot conditions are dangerous to health and can cause strokes which can be lethal;

2.  Unsafe riding practices by motorized counterpart -  overtaking from the right, over speeding even in busy streets, 

3.  No more safety provided by bike lanes, which are in reality sharrows;

4.  Expensive parts and repairs.   (However, we see softening of prices for inventories that have not been bought. 

6  And lately crimes vs bikers in isolated places.  There are still many brigands (NPA, thieves robbers) in isolated areas.  One news  took place at Sitio Labahan in Angono.   This happens despite huge salaries and huge number of PNP personnel.

To protect yourself, to minimize danger, then you minimize bike outings.  

Will there be a party list Congressman for bikers?

Wheels of Happiness

As we see video of Diwata filing his COC as nominee for vendors group makes one wonder if we have all ready a Party List Congressman for bikers.  Batting for bike lanes, safety, taxes, insurance, vs other motorists.      Pershaps the PRBI moderator ARF could be the one.  We should have one like Bositas to represent bikers.  We still have 5 days remaining.

We could have also a party list for car owners.  Robbie Consunji of AAP representing motorists,!!!

Leaving a bikers GC

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

4.06.2021

I left a GC of a biking group of which I have been a part of for the last 10 years.   That's the trouble in a media where every one else can post freely, comment freely and criticize freely.

I viewed that the newcomers left unchecked and unsupervised and unadministered were all ready involved in conversation that did not add to progress of biking nor uplifted the aspirations of the members.   Most posts were inanities; (well it looked funny to many)

The sudden rush of unscreened members gave rise to this and retiring from the  group will do wonders for my sanity and well being

Reactions to arrests of bikers in Manila, who were deemed to be non APOR entities.

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

April 5, 2021

100 bikers arrested in MM for being unauthorized APOR

Many bikers were aghast over arrests and display of about 100 bikers in Manila, and lectured at Plaza Miranda.   Many had the impression that we can exercise between 6 am to 9 am.   But that is qualified to be within the barangay.  That this is a curtailment of human rights and that the police officers are militaristic and many do not understand the science of covid19 transmission, biking being an outdoor activity and risk of transmission is minimal.

Similar arrests were made in Morong. 

However, we should understand the objective of the ECC and stringent measures to implement this.  The risk though minimal should be eliminated.   

We should cooperate with the public health officials.  Follow the laws and stay at home.  

Will bikers get depressed and commit suicide like Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
June 11, 2018


Parehong nagbigti!!! Masakit yata yon

                                     From Bloomberg - Details of Bourdain's death emerge

                                   Medical Examiner confirmed cause of death was suicide (hanging)




The world was shocked with the death of these two celebrities both coming from alleged suicide.Kate Spade founded a bag company which Liz Claiborne bought for $126 million.She was 55 Anthony Bourdain  61is a celebrity chef we often see on TV...He died from suicide too (also hanging using bath robe belt) at luxury hotel in Kayserberg France  while filming for CNN series "Parts Unknown " How could they do it at the height of their career,  apparently very successful famous and wealthy

The early TV show today was filled with news about the sad demise of these celebrities.  The DOH USec Tayag said that suicide comes from depression and depression is a prolonged sadness of two weeks or more.   He gave 8 pointers/checklist when one is depressed like 1.  lack of sleep or oversleeping.  2.  Inability to focus and concentrate 3.  Lack of interest in the job or hobby  4.  Fatigue  see link

8 signs you may have depression    One or two signs that  you see is normal.  4 or more is something that needs professional help.  In the US about 6% of the total population may have experienced depression in their lifetime.

How about cyclists?   Can they have depression or suicidal symptoms?

What do you think?  

I doubt...

Many addicts/cyclists, think nothing more except their ride, even if it rains.  Nothing could be more depressing than a gloomy dark, rainy day. But many cyclists enjoy savor that. Sarap yatang magbike pag malamig at umuulan

There is always something to motivate lift up the spirit of the biker:   a new place to ride two, drinking session after a ride;  good food, a new jersey ordered from Lazada, a new part ordered from Amazon or eBay.
Or a new upgrade

Bikers curse death, or accidents, as it buzzes by as he/she rides.   We hate and curse abusive drivers who put us on the brink of death.   Many of us would want to experience with us on top of  the bike, rather than at ICU or death bed.  We hear of bikers dying from accidents, but have you heard of anyone taking his own life?

As we ride, there is nothing to think about (otherwise we crash) and crashing is painful.   As we glide down a hill, we feel free and independent.  Like an eagle soaring.

There is nothing that will make us feel depressed.  Mababaw ang ligaya.  All we need is Lugaw, Lomi, pansit and mountain dew to be satisfied and happy.

Puwede rin ang bakal na bike at hand me downs. Some of course would get OEM or orig whose price runs into hundreds of thousands.   These are reasons that  make us feel motivated, high never thinking of ending our lives.

So why follow the footsteps of Anthony Bourdain or Katespeed.

Some suggestions on running a large biker group site

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
February 11, 2018

There could have a deep rift between groups of riders.  It is a good development since it means a lot of interest is going into biking and the groups are hiving off.   I hope everything is fine.

If there are new groups to be put, may I suggest some guidelines:  (as the  admin strictly screens members and asks them to conform to the rules (like email or soc media sites. By clicking this button, you agree  to our terms and conditions)

1. Separate forum about biking and selling of items

2. For the forum;   delineate what is allowed and not allowed

               Allowed:  bike problems, pictures of bikes, rides, tropa

              Not allowed:  religion,  politics, legalities etc.

3.  Laws on privacy and intellectual property must be stated

3.  For the for sale:

            1.   Bike store owners are not allowed to be members;

           2.  The template for posting:

                 1.  Item

                2.  Price

                3.  Brand new or not

               4.  Replica or orig

               5.  Location

               6.  Sellers name, address and phone number

               7. Disclosure of issues

          3. Hindi puwede magpost agad, may scrutiny by admin

         4.  Dapat may policy na return kung may issue, defective (within a certain time frame)

         5.  Hindi puwedeng magpost ng defective or for repair na items

         6.  May recourse ang members if 5, 4 and 2 are violations. like suspension and eventually blocking, or removal from membership from Admin.

        7.  Compliance with Consumer Protection  and Truth in Advertising  must be observed  and monitored by Admin.

       But then, the fun the  camraderie will be lost;   But if we want order and avoid future rift, the ground rules must be clear, otherwise, we cant complain or enforce rules that were non existent before

New emerging class of bikers.

Wheels of Happiness

It used to be just roadies and mountain bikers. (MTB)  But there is a new emerging class of riders:

1. The fixies   They are growing in numbers (despite the apparent dangers) and they come with fluorescent colored bikes and sometimes racing with traditional roadies

2.  The cyclocross.  I would be one of them.  They have road bike frames handle bars but have MTB gears changers.  They would have typically gears up to 11 to 36.   They would have doubles for cranks and even triplets (I have triplets in front)  They ride roads, but go to places only fitted to MTB.

So there are now four classes of bikers

Jalajala is such a paradise road for bikers

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines   |  February 16, 2015

                      A postcard picture perfect view of Jalajala bike destination

I love to ride to Pililla (Quisao) and Jalajala.  There is peace and quiet - not too many vehicles, roads are smooth like glass, and plenty of shade trees.  Years before, when I visit my sister abroad, all I do was watch cable TV, go to malls and bike.

Now that there are cable TVs, nice malls in the PHL and nice place to bike to, why still go line up and be humiliated at US embassy, harassed by US customs and Immigration officials,  You save a lot of money, anger and frustration

Agree?

                      My bike parked along Jalajala road

                      Jalajala Pililla boundary

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                    The lake is visible from the road

 x

 x

 x

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                        Dragon fruit farm in Jalaja

                    Dried flowers of a weed;  is a fire wick?

                   That is Mt. Banahaw

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                  I bought rice cakes from the lady in green

                   That is Talim island

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                    Smooth as silk road

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                      Paradise for biker

                      I took this picture while biking

                 Jesus Christ Redeemer at the Mountainside

Jorgeusbiker, other kapadyaks, and whole Philippine Christendom welcomes His Holiness Pope Francis

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  |  January 14, 2015

Welcome to the Philippines Pope Francis Jorge.  Bless the bikers, and Jorgeusbiker





Kapangalan. I hope he biked/is biking too

We meet great people in biking (not vikings)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

We meet celebs as we bike like Andrew Arellano, Jen Mercado, John Sapayton.

Yesterday, I had conversation with Ed Valdez, (idol) and surprisingly he had great ideas:   on proposed solar farm project of his uncle in Tarlac, software company offering various solutions to businesses, and radiant energy tech (from Nikolai Tesla) which he has been working on for 15 years. This promises to revolutionize the way we look at energy.

Then we had  Jam Santiano who posted on YBN chains.  He used to work with Mit Motors but now at a universal bank marketing of auto loans as a senior manager. His mother he said is an SVP at the said bank.    i asked his help to connect me to solar panel financing, and trust funds for a company we are about to acquire.

Who says you cant do business with fellow bikers?

There were a thousand bikers from Pasig City on a tree planting mission to Tanay

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal | Philippines  | June 22, 2014

The roads were filled yesterday with a thousand or more roadies from Pasig City who rode from Pasig to Tanay to do tree planting.  They had complete equipment and logistics:  ambulance, wrecker, motorcycle riding tanod, SWAT, regular policemen, Tanod, other MC escorts.  Their Mayor was with them.  They had two groups:  the lead pack whom we caught in Morong, and the the Mayors group (the tail which) stopped at Binangonan municipal hall.

I have comments about their hagad (motorcycle cops) which were dangerous to the riders.  They swerved, they bunched together and rode very close to the riders and sometimes cut them... Whewww.

They need to be trained.

Pictures of other cyclists today December 8, 2013 at Simples Lugawan and Pisong Kape

Wheels of Happiness

It is the feast of Immaculate Concepcion today December 8 2013

 There is a slight overcast, and the weather was cool and many biked today.  You just have to see the crowd at the Simple Lugawan in Morong and the multitude that crowded the street today.

                                    They passed me in Darangan

                                    Relaxing after a hard ride

                                   Mountain dew and lugaw

                                        Mike Francisco and the CME riders

                                     Vic and Bubuy

                               Archie enjoying the conversation

                                  Recyclists in front of Pisong Kape

It is a great day to bike today; many biked!

Real Cyclists

September l, 2013

So many bikers at the bikers mecca - at Bugarin

The weather was fine today and many many bikers rode today. It was slightly overcast early in the morning but gradually got warmer by 10 am.  Nevertheless, I would say that about 300 biked today. I think the biggest number of bikers came out today in full force

 The favorite stop  -  Pisong Cafe

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Mangga in Antipolo City - bikers haven

Real Cyclists

Antipolo City PHL   | June 8, 2013

 Expensive bikes parked, well to do bikers

Mangga is an interesting place.  It is where most bikers congregate on a Sunday.  At any given time, as many as a hundred bikers roost to show off bikes and uniform and talk at this point. Mangga is near Padis point, and right in front of Palos Verdes and Montana Subd.

You can have your snacks, buy parts and cheap jersey, shorts.  I bought a set for only P300.00 then (shorts and jersey)  It is the l68 of bikers.

                                       More bikes

                                   Bike gear  - clothing and accessories for sale - cheap

                                     More bikers at Palos Verdes