The Rabbit on Two Wheels

Coming soon: folding bikes on the LRT

I read this over @ PMTB: http://www.pinoymtbiker.org/forum/showthread.php?p=226280#post226280

And as always triggered me to share and post. Couldn't help but be very happy, so happy that I could eat a box of Lucky Me Sweet & Spicy Pancit Canton.

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from Jojo Gutierrez (Jojo is a member of the UP Mountaineers and among the founders of the UP Padyak Bike-sharing project)

UPMountaineers and members of the UP community,

Great day for the environment today!

We just had a meeting with Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Mel Robles about the possibility of having folding bikes on board LRT line 1 and 2! addendum: fullsized bikes might be allowed on weekends

Pio Fortuno and I met Mr. Robles at the Pasay Depot. Immediately he said the folding bikes can ride as early as November if we want. Inter-modal commuting will happen in this country peeps and the UPM had a hand in influencing this to happen!

Mr. Robles saw a biking community in UP and thinks that he can easily link this up with Line 2 / Aurora. Other biking communities that can follow will be in Ortigas Center and Makati. Ateneo din sana....

(Fyi, the LRT 1 / Taft / Caloocan loop will connect with EDSA Line 3 / Trinoma by December and start operations by Feb 2010)

First things first though. We need to help him formulate policy and ideas how this should be done. A focused group discussion is planned for October 24 at the Santolan Station Depot. Those who wish to participate please email / sms me directly. It would be great though to have a good size of UPM bikers there specially Encom heads, past and present. Planners and engineers or business people should attend also. We need to help them organize the reasons why this should be done. Ganyan talaga ang public transport, we need some sort of consultation para maayos ang pag administer. We will be meeting with Mr. Robles and his team of Operations Managers. Pagkakataon na ito!

Yan muna. More details to follow. Pio, paki kwento rin yung ibang items that I missed out.

Salamat at mabuhay ang UPM!

Jojo Gutierrez
UPM88

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Just imagine the blessing and opportunity for our fellow Filipino bike commuters.

Raincheckin'

Wow how many weeks have I been gone. I haven't posted a single thing since the 15th of September.

Well anyhow its true, from the company I was employed since March... all us employees got terminated and finally closed.

Anyhow enough of those things, since there's no way its going to change what's already happened.

So how am I? How's cycling? How's the trails? How's Dia, Ishi and Conchita doing?

Well there are a lot of stories, tragedies, and even a better, badder reel on the works and a race just around the corner... but... I don't know where to start.

But for starters, I'm currently working on my demo reel... yes the one that's supposed to be done last year for my First Academy certification. I decided to continue and complete it by the end of November. Another one of course is the other reel, which is a collaboration of the remnants of Lucid... a collaboration reel with the primary purpose is to act as a portfolio for some of the artists of our previous company.

Aside from those involving 3D, and more on my current life... which is I'm jobless and is on a jobhunt, and gaming and animation companies is on my list. Aside from that my cycling life hasn't changed a single bit. Trails here and there. Cardiacs here and there... but sadly...

Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana), created a catastrophe, a scar that can't be easily removed to the people of the Philippines. Crops destroyed, houses sunked by floods all over the metro as well as neighboring towns, villages and provinces. And to add, "The Wall", "Maarat", Sierra Madre and neighboring trails around San Mateo and Montalban weren't spared by Ondoy's wrath.

Saturdays and Sundays, which were a haven for most weekend warriors was turned into days at home as well as days spent surviving on the rooftops and fighting for their lives, against hunger, sickness and the ravaging flood that drowned almost a thousand and killed more or less 300 Filipinos.

For those safe and able, Filipinos willingly volunteered in relief operations to help our brothers and sisters; victims of Tropical Typhoon Ondoy... as well as Super Typhoon Pepeng (international name: Parma).

I myself joined in the relief operations, spending my week donating food as well as volunteering in sending out goods and scouting for passable routes for cars on bike. Helping out made my days whole.

Typhoon Pepeng has already left the country and chances are high that it caught up with Typhoon Quedan (international name: Melor) already... I just hope that the people of Japan are ready, and if so wouldn't suffer the same fate we experienced with Ketsana and Parma.

Currently there's sunshine and not a single typhoon on sight... the Filipino people are rebuilding their lives. But still a lot aren't able to do so since their homes, villages, barangays are underwater. We can still help them recover, as relief operations are still on the go until now.

---

Oh~ since this is my cycling blog... Nuvali Dirt Weekend is just around the bend... XC and 4X race on Sunday (October 11,2009). This'll be my first race after 5 years of absence from cycling.

An Unlikely reality...

Reality is harsh.... which is true.

Sadly, I can't wait to write reality... but of course everything should be disclosed to the fullest.

Regarding the earlier post... don't worry as it seems its a false alarm.

---

In other news, I've been focusing to much on 3D, that eventually this blog shouldn't be focused on that. This is a cycling blog... a mountain rider's haven. A stress reliever. How could I be stupid to forget all that.

I neglected my health to be true to everyone... I've been weak... physically and sometimes emotionally.

But enough of those, I've decided to take on swimming as well as running. As told by a friend, I should try joining the triathlon... if not a duathlon's fine.

As also said by Ceej, that I should take advantage of the times I'll be free, with the reel on the works, its not everytime I'll be in front of the pc... there will be times I'm brainstorming... but since I'm good at multi-tasking... there's no other best thing but to brainstorm while running, swimming, body-building, martial arts and cycling.

That's right... martial arts... I'm going back to taekwondo... but not practice the art... but improve my stamina through extensive training.

That's reality... it may be a little harsh, but that's where we all end. So lets not discuss work... let's discuss what's in store for us tomorrow.

Some readers are asking... How's Dia? or Ishi?

For Dia... she received minor face lifts,
such as...

a shorter aluminum handlebar with 25.4 clamping
Specialized Lock-On grips
ABR XC Race Bare Ends
and a Schwinn Comfort Saddle.

and now this is how she looks like:

I'm actually envious that she weighs lighter than 14.11kgs.
She's still and will always be a XC Marathon Bike.

As for ISHI...
she's currently under repair...

I'm planning to change her from a folding commuter
to a photographer/carrier folder

she's the one behind Dia on the photo above.

I'm also planning to equip her with:

drop down bars with 25.4mm clamping
red grip tapes
aero brake levers
20x1.5 road tires
Active MTB Comfort Saddle
Amoeba Seatpost Rack
Front Cargo Rack
8 speed shifter and Alivio RD

Conchita

After knowing from my father, that I had to give DIA to my younger bro, Miguel last week. I immediately requested removal of some parts such as the Turbolites and Ergon grips I installed weeks ago.

Well anyhow, this new ride was born from the money my father gave me in exchange for DIA, combined with the cash I saved for the month of August (that was to go for the fork conversion from 1-1/8" to 1" for DIA). I was given a week to decide to build a new one and give my ride to my younger bro or regret buying one and stick to DIA for the rest of the time.

I originally intended to keep DIA's frame at first if I'm going to change parts. But my father didn't allow me and told me to give the whole thing to my bro. He only allowed my request to change parts such as the turbolites, ergons as well as the toe-clips.

So after my check-up during the morning I was accompanied in the afternoon to Cartimar to build a new ride.

My budget was 18k + 4k = 22,000 pesos... minus the turbolite handlebar and stem, ergons grips and toe-clips.

Before arriving at DS Bike Lander @ Cartimar, I already requested the owner for a 2009 Vision Pursuit size 19 frame in dark green colour. Sadly they didn't have one, she suggested me to get a white frame instead to match my personality, thats what she said.

With 22k, it would be impossible for me to create a ride that isn't entry-level. Anyhow here was the list of components that totaled to 21,400 pesos

- 2009 Vision Pursuit size 19 frame in White Colour
(the frame comes with a Seat Collar and Headset)
- 2009 Shimano Alivio Mechanical Disc-brake Gruppo (I originally wanted Deore)
- 2009 SR Suntour XCR 100mm travel fork with Manual Lockout
- a pair of Mavic X223 rims
- a pair of Continental Mountain King 2.0 wire bead
- a pair of Toxic-brand Tubes
- 72 stainless nipples and black spokes
- Kalloy Ice 27.2x350mm Seatpost
- Active White S'Trace Titanium Rail Saddle (got in darn cheap)
- 3 kristel aluminum spacers

Took around 2 hours 30 minutes to build her after lunch... then after those hours of waiting... there she stood in her white dress.

It was when I uttered the words, "Mi Conchita"

It was like I was watching a noon time soap opera, with Thalia starring as the lead role.

But actually, the name came from a passerby who shouting Pacita! Pacita! I misheard Pacita for Conchita. Ehehehe... silly me.

Conchita
A Filipina of filipino and latin heritage; young, slim and dressed in white. A She-Devil disguised in Purity.
Born: September 4, 2009

Re-wind Blogging: September 6, 2009 - Reconditioning Ride

This was just Last Sunday, I still remember how it rained angrily, that when I reached the UP Oval there wasn't a single runner. Bikers were scarce... my thought would be not just because of the very awful weather, but also maybe because of the wake of Erano Manalo, the minister of Iglesia ni Cristo (correct me if I'm wrong, thank you)... being held at the HQ of INC... just across Commonwealth Avenue.

Anyhow anyhow, here's the map of my reconditioning ride. Take note I was pedaling my bike with an injured sole.

Bunny's Reconditioning Ride 09-06-09 18.09 km 02:168.0km/h pace

Road - Reconditioning

My main purpose to go pedaling that day was to visit UP Inifrmary, was unsure if I should be getting another anti-tetanus shot because of the clumsy fall I had during the Tomagotchi Falls hike (a side-trip from our Licao Ride the day before).

Good thing I received a text from my mom with a message from my uncle (whose a doctor), that I should buy cefalexin and take it every 4 hours as well as applying hydrogen peroxide on the stripped-skin on my sole.

But before going to the local botika, I had some time riding around UP and at the same time had a ride and dine experience with some roadies as well as a scrumptious brunch with Mike Donadilla, Eloi Hernandez and Grace Gregorio.

Oh by the way, I took my new ride (Conchita, my white vision pursuit) ) for a spin on this day too, its her 2nd official ride, with the Licao ride as her first.

Probably next week I'll get her blessed.

4 days ago

Re-wind Blogging: September 5, 2009 - A Return to Licao-Licao

This was Last Saturday, a very rainy day indeed. It was the virgin ride of my white bike, "Conchita". Was also the day I got into an accident off the saddle. Seriously...

Thanks again to Dailymile for making it an almost daily habit to track my miles.

Neopolitan - Pangarap - Licao-Licao - Tomagotchi Falls - Licao-Licao - Brick Town - Jackhammer - Grotto - Neopolitan 52 km 08:156.3km/h pace

MTB - Trail

Not sure if its really 52km... but from Neopolitan to Tomagotchi Falls nokia sport tracker clocked at arund 25.53km. Noticing that from Tomagotchi to Brick Town down to Grotto and back to Neopolitan was even longer than what it was from Neo to Pangarap to Licao.