Great Rides

Last Saturday, I rode 42Kms. on my mountain bike. I estimate it was 85% single track at the trails of Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Silang, Cavite.

I started out too fast playing a racing game with a Thai rider who out raced me in the first climb. We ended up laughing about it after exchanging high fives, a gatorade and a buko juice.

The rest of the ride was uneventful except for a flat tire, a broken chain, and an injured forearm of an American rider who fell on a barbed wire fence and probably needed stitches.

My climax of the ride was when I was thrown off my bike when I picked a wrong line at the coffee trail. The result was scratches on my left knee and dust all over my left arm and shoulder. Nothing to worry about except being left behind by the fast pack.

This is what I always look forward to. My big day, Saturday. The day when I have to hit the trails and enjoy a great ride. I have been doing this for 3 years now. I have stopped counting the rides because I can no longer remember where I stopped counting. What I can remember though is that all of them are great rides.

This what I love doing, and I will keep doing this until I can. This is why I hate parties, wakes, overnight affairs, and out of town trips. Call me anti-social, I don't care...I just want to ride my bike on Saturday, run -hit the bag-lift-do ab work on Monday and Wednesday, bike again on Thursday, back to the trails on Saturday.

Next month, I look forward to the long holiday. This means more time with the family and more time to ride...ride...ride

The “Rudy Project” Vespa

Almost 5 years ago, I was a victim to my own frugality in having my Vespa painted. After 3 years of daily use, and 6 months of racing at BRC, I decided to have the paint job done by a friend for only PHP 6,500.

Being very busy at that time, and running on a very low budget, I had him do the honors. To my dismay, we did not get the paint color right for everything, and the outcome was horrific to say the least.

It was a combination of pale yellow ( as opposed to the old Italian yellow), with charcoal grey cowls, front fender, and horn cast. A far cry from what I had in mind.

Having no choice, I rode it to Banawe with Kawasaki eliminator mirrors. Coming back from the ride, I decided to have the left cowl air brush painted with my favorite band – Steely Dan. The air brush artist did a good job but painted it with enamel. To cut a long story short, in my next ride to Vigan, gasoline dripped on the artwork drawing tears from the eyes of the two Steely Dan members.

Saving factor – I said to myself, better paint the cowls in matte black, then I’ll put a front carrier in black and match it with a rear carrier with the same color. Voila! It looked better, a more utilitarian look this time but it resembled a PLDT service vehicle.

This is how my ride looked till August of 2006. After years of commuting, racing, and joining several long rides, all its battle scars were telling me it needed a paint job real soon.

Looking back, my Vespa was a looker when I just bought it. It was Italian yellow, with a black Vespa script sign on the left leg shield, and a mod target sticker on the right. All its rubber was white and it sported original continental white wall tires ( front, rear, and spare). The seat was covered in Tan, it had a Vigano rear carrier in chrome, and a rear mudflap in black and white with a Vespa script.

Moving forward, I wanted to try a sportier look having tried retro, mod, and utility, racing was my choice this time.

With a wife and 4 kids to support, a mountain bike hobby, and many bills to pay, the time was not right. One day, I had a meeting with the country manager of Rudy Project Philippines who asked me to do their online store. That was when the idea of having a Rudy Project Vespa came into my mind.

It was a good brand association, both brands being Italian. Good exposure for Rudy Project, great look for a sporty Vespa.

With that objective in mind, I rushed to my computer and did my research work taking a look at several items from their online catalog.

What caught my attention was an offroad/ downhill helmet that had spider web like stripes all over it. It had a Rudy Project logo, and the peak had “Rudy Project Racing” on it.

It did not take long for me to make a decision and I said to myself, this is the look that I want.

Having said that and having no second thoughts whatsoever, I called my good friend Nani “Dr. Scoot” Juarez to do the design concept. He finished it in a day or two then sent me an email with a drawing of how the bike would look. We both then went to Sabak sports where a drinking session of close friends was in progress, we gathered several opinions, and we came up with the final consensus of having the bike done according to Nani’s design.

To cut a long story short, I delivered the scooter to 2211 Works early August, upon receipt of the approval from Gabriele Boschi of Rudy Project Philippines.

It was a painstaking process of disassembly, preparation, cleaning and painting. Then the decals were installed and my final approval was sought.

I gave the go for the top coat to be done and lo and behold, my Rudy Project theme Vespa was finally finished.

It still had my old shaved stock Piaggio seat, Vitto side mirrors, and my old worn out signal lenses. Having studied what was needed to complete the final look, I decided to sell some of my accessories to raise cash for the stuff I needed to buy : a racing seat, a tune pipe, and round side mirrors in black.

The outcome gave a big smile to my face and as my coup de grace, I had a Rudy Project emblem sticker installed at the center of the back of my racing seat.

Future plans include upgrading to bitubo shocks, and more goodies for my engine. Meantime, I am very happy with my “Katy”, the name I gave my Vespa in 1999, and we both look forward to many more adventures.

Many thanks to : Gabriele of Rudy Project Philippines for funding the project, Nani “Dr. Scoot” Juarez for the design and implementation, the “Sabak” boys for their input, and my loving wife for giving it a thumbs up.

Pinoy Rock Icon

I was supposed to post this tomorrow but had some free time after finishing my usual late lunch of 6 bananas and pineapples.

Haven't had the time to go and watch Wally Gonzalez at Chaquico's. My commitment to myself and my 3 sons to watch him play at least once a month has not been followed since January this year because of "priorities" hehe, the best excuse in the world.

It is always a blast seeing him play. The music, the ambience, brings back memories of how as a young boy, I learned to appreciate Pinoy rock music.

It was the reason why my grandfather promised me a set of drums if he won at the casino 30 or more years ago...and win he did.

He saw me beating a makeshift drum set that consisted of ice cream containers, a chinese checker board for a snare drum, and fita biscuit can covers for cymbals, playing to Juan Dela Cruz music : Super Sessions Album.

After collecting his winnings, Lolo took me to Raon in Sta. Cruz to shop for my dream drum set. To cut a long story short, our house was then filled with long haired guitar playing people. And the rest is history.

I have not played for more than 10 years except when we celebrated our company's 2nd year anniversary at the old San Mig Pub at El Pueblo in Ortigas. Tropical depression was our entertainer then, and the singer was a college schoolmate from DLSU Taft. Fortunately, he allowed me to jam 3 songs to the crowds delight. We didn't play reggae, it was the stones and a song from the clash.

Not having the time and energy to play again, Wally Gonzalez in the closest thing to playing. The best way to hear good old Pinoy Rock the way it used to be.

I love it when the notes start getting together with the groove and I start losing myself in the process. Closing my eyes, it leaves a smile on my face that makes me feel I am 13 years old again, beating ice cream containers, fita biscuit can covers, and a Chinese checker board snare drum while a vinly LP plays the Great Pinoy Antiquities.

Wally has played all the favorite tunes I can think of but he has never played the Great Pinoy Antiquities.

I will find time to go and watch with my 3 sons within the month of April, afer I finish racing my Vespa at the Carmona Race Track and afer I finish the Duathlon organized by the Sabak boys.

Maybe I should send him a text message as a request and hope that he gives in to it not realizing that it is one of my dreams to see him play this song live on stage.

I can't wait to see them play again.

Seasons

It's audit season this month, followed by lent, then the dreaded rainy season.

Not sure what the reason was for putting me last in line in a long line up of companies that will be subjected to a final audit today.

Anyway, I do hope everything goes well as I always say to myself that "this will be over soon". I always say that to myself nowadays that my faith has faltered and I have found myself all "prayed out" so to speak.

So lent will be a different story this year simply because it will not be observed...speaking for myself that is.

During the days when I still believed in all the mumbo jumbo the priests have put in my mind about the catholic faith, lent was observed the way it should be : church visits, confessions, stations of the cross, and all that.

Now it will be quiet time with the family and biking up in the trails. Non of the skip the meat, walk around the village at 3:00am thing which I find silly and a waste of time and energy.

Besides, I have not eaten meat regulary for almost a year and a half so what else is new.

I have learned to believe that God is not up in the heavens. That if you sin against God you will be punished. If you do not repent, even your children and your children's children will all suffer. You will get hit by lightning and worms will come out of your eyes.

This is all cow dung to me now because I believe that God is not up there, God lives in the hearts of men. He lives there because he is the God of love.

Lenten season should be the time to reflect on the ultimate act of love a man can ever do. If we could only share this love in our homes, and everywhere we go then this world will definitely be a better place to live in.

Dreaming of Owning One

A year ago, my wife and I had one of our regular lunch dates. While at the mall, she pointed out a book to me that she wanted to buy for one of our kids. To her surprise, I could not read the text from where we were standing.

She pulled me to a nearby optical shop and had the optometrist ( is that the correct title?) check my eyes. This time I was surprised when the lady told me that I needed to wear glasses.

My choice was a pair of cheap but stylish frame in brown tortoise color. I had the lenses fitted in an hour then I went back to my office wearing my first pair.

I did not stop looking for another pair after that. So I ended up buying another one at ebay via e-2-door.com at a landed price of PHP 1,500. It was a blue reebok sports frame that my wife really liked, again because of its stylish look. A pretty good deal for a good brand and unique style.

The 3rd pair was not such a great deal at all but I loved the way it fit me. Simple and comfortable in a wire frame with black color.

Ideally, I should have a pair a day. Five pairs in total for each working day. All my glasses were square and rectangular so I thought I should have something round for a change.

After searching the internet, I found my dream pair : Rye handmade british eyeglasses frames in amber havana color.

The price is quite steep selling at USD 165.00 shipping not included.

I make it a habit to visit eyeglass.com to take a peek at least every week. Who knows, in a month or so, I might post a new blog with my picture wearing a pair of my dream spectacles.

Tell you about it later...

Public Masturbation

This is my first post and in all honesty, I find it hyprocritical to be doing this...posting at my own blog.

A very close friend of mine once said that blogging is like "masturbating in public". I agreed to this definition so here I am...masturbating in public.

If that's what he considers it to be then so be it. There are so many thoughts I have in my mind especially at night and I'd love to tell friends and family about them but I normally forget or simply can't find the time to do so.

So I guess that is the best reason for doing this. Share my thoughts and hope you enjoy them.

For starters, since we are in the topic of masturbation, I read in a book that God will punish you if you masturbate. It says that your hands will be turned into little wings so you can just fan it a little.

A magazine article on the other hand says that guys who are at least 40 years old should do it 5 times a week to prevent prostate problems or I hope they meant you should be able to "release" at least 5 times a week whatever the method may be because this is good for your health.

Well I suggest you show this to your wives for assistance or if you are denied, then you will have to visit the massage parlor section of manilatonight.com for "outsourcing" possibilities. The last alternative is the do it yourself method that I find hard to imagine for a man over 40.

Tell me about it so we can laugh together