2nd Cross Country Mountainbike Adventure Challenge

Someone nice sent me this via email.  Thanks a bunch for the heads-up!

:)

2nd Cross Country Mountainbike Adventure Challenge
April 24, 2010 (Saturday)

Registration Starts: March 15 to April 15, 2010
Registration Venues: Tagaytay Highlands Sports Club & Gran Trail Cycle Shops (Alabang / Makati / Cavite)

Race Start: 8:00am (Check-in opens at 6:30am)

Highland Mountain Bike Adventure Challenge – a 15km track loop circuit through uphill and downhill recreational countryside roads with a full view of scenic Tagaytay Landscape. Experience adventure the HIGHLANDS WAY.

Distance: 15km road and trail track

For More details please call (046) 483-0848

More Reasons To Enjoy MTBiking More

With the help of my best friend, my bike had its semi-but-precious-makeover! Simply put, i have three good reasons to look forward to enjoy riding my mtbike more….

my mtbike, do you think i better give it a name?

1. From a manual disc brake set, my mtbike now sports the new TEKTRO Auriga Pro Disc Brake. Tektro has been known to produce good performance gears for a reasonable price. With this new Auriga Pro, they are said to have been setting their sights higher still. Hmm, pretty exciting huh!
2. A TOPEAK Panoram V12 wireless cyclocomp - its kinda different from the standard cyclocomps in the market because it comes in widescreen version. Meaning I can see my riding information in a single glance. Sweet! I have been wanting to put a cyclo computer on my bike for long and i guess, my long wait was well worth it.
3. A TOPEAK headlight – one that’s small, easy to attach and detach and cheap. Umm… Friendly to someone like me who doesn’t enjoy complicated “contraptions”. hehe… I guess I have to be ready to join night rides soon.

The Tektro Auriga Pro Disc Brake

Topeak's Wireless Wide Screen Cyclocomp

My Topeak headlight - cute!

I have only been able to test the cyclocomp fully in one ride but the brakes and the headlight are still waiting for their ride debut. I have tried checking the brakes by riding along the streets here at home and can feel the improved performance and feel – braking now is softer, lighter. The headlight on the other hand will eventually serve its purpose.  *GRIN*

Thanks to P as usual. Oh, I still have other SECRET bike gear upgrade wishes in mind but I’d better keep it a secret still. What I have for now will suffice. Meanwhile, I really hope to be back on the trail SOON.

Ride safe bikers!

The McKinley Trail

I was off the saddle for most of the latter part of the year not because I want to but because of some circumstances that were way beyond my control.  Luckily, I had running to keep me busy during these times but still I have that certain longing to ride the bike again sometime soon – the question of “when” still a tough one to answer. Or so I thought.

Alas on the night of Christmas day, as if he is my Santa just late for Christmas eve, my biker friend Pol (PMTB handle : LOOP) gave me an invitation that is too good to resist. – a bike ride the following day where I was to ride from our home in Pandacan, meet up with them (Team Paco Bikers) at Paco then ride all the way to the Fort then into the McKinley Trail inside the Philippine Army Camp.  Well, if that isn’t a chance too good to pass up on – a comeback ride with the promise of a taste of my first trail experience and what’s best, one surefire way to burn the previous day’s caloric excesses. I did not think twice and replied with a YES.

The ride on the way to the Philippine Army Camp at the Fort was not without the jitters naturally – do i still know how to shift gears, how would i react to the fast vehicles passing by me, will i be super intimidated by jeepneys and hey, do i still look good on a bike? That and the grumbling on my hungry stomach kept up with me during the first half. But then as I got my groove back, I realized that I am doing fine. I still have it, I still know how to ride. I just need practice…

the trail as viewed from the top

I have been hearing and reading about the trail inside the Philippine Army Camp which have just been recently opened to the public. Bikers at the PinoyMtBiker.Org forum named it as the “McKinley Trail”, the trail being in close proximity to McKinley Hill and overlooking the McKinley area at the Fort. For now, entrance and use of the trail is free for the public, one just have to bring one valid ID to be able to enter the camp’s premises and go to the trail.

We arrived at the camp a little past 9 am, registered and had our IDs surrendered at the gate and upon issuance of a biker’s ID/pass we proceeded to the trail. As promised, it was one good trail with two different routes – the red and blue routes. Arrows/markers point to the blue route as the one for leisure/beginner bikers and the red route for expert/technical bikers. I naturally chose to follow the blue route.

litoy, kuya toto, pol and me

pitstop

pol and litoy fixing my rear tire

The trail for beginners is one difficult trail not to mention slippery because of the previous night’s rain. Or perhaps, difficult for a first timer like me. I still have shadows of fear following my hard downhill crash during our Makiling, Laguna bike ride which left me with bike-related scars on my left elbow and knee, that I haven’t summoned enough courage to tackle all the steep and slippery uphills, downhills and switchbacks.  The trail were mostly of single tracks which will keep both your hands busy navigating, twisting and turning. I kept telling myself that I should avoid the risk of injury and that I can just dismount whenever I feel like I can’t do it anymore. And after a flat rear tire, I decided not to complete the route all the way to the top. I just remained riding on the lower part surroundng the lagoon, took pictures and even tried to do one lap of running. Plus making a mental note of scheduling a good number of bike rides in the future for me to be able to practice and thus equip me in making a braver comeback to this beautiful trail.

roland and pol preparing to ride the whole circuit one last time

me on the trail

By noon, we were back on the road all the way back home. I was able to complete some 33kms of bike ride for the day and that is enough to make me smile for now. Many thanks Pol, Roland, Kuya Toto and Litoy for letting me join your ride. Next time, Inday (that’s me in MTBiking, hehe) hopes to be able to ride with the whole gang again.

View all photos here.

Missing MTBiking

I haven’t had any honest-to-goodness, decent mtbike ride for almost 3 months now. Though I had more than enough of running activities – from training, practice runs and races I realized just now that I miss going out on a bike ride. My bike’s been in storage for quite a while now. I need to ride it or else my mom might sell it or worse donate it to the binatog vendor! lol!

missing bike rides...

As i review my calendar I saw that I only have Nov. 22 to squeeze in even a short urban ride, to MOA perhaps. If not, bike rides will have to wait until December. Hay! For now, will prolly just wear my bike gears to sleep in the hopes of riding the bike in my dreams. Yikes! Ang tigas pa naman ng helmet! Of course i was just kidding.

my mt bike