Ghost Shift

So I was on my way home when I passed by a Manong who was riding his bicycle. He must have been more than 50. He was riding slow so I overtook him. I was on my granny and the third cog from the bottom so I was not really going fast. But that crazy old bitch must have been riled up by that so he overtook me and cut me off right away, shouting “lumba!” almost simultaneously. He was like really beside me when he took my line. I got angry at first but writing this I am only puzzled by the reaction. I don’t know how to begin this with but we were really going too slow to be in a race. Besides, he was too old and I’m not really the fastest cyclist around but......oh well...People can really be confusing sometimes. Anyway, this post is really about some trail I sort of discovered but I wanna talk about ghost shifting first.

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Ghost shifting happens when your rear derailleur changes cogs without you touching the shifter. It’s not really that technical. Just Google “derailleur,” “cogs,” “shifter,” and you’re good to go. It’s not that serious really but if you happen to be pedaling hard and your bike ghost shifts, your ankle could end up bending in the opposite direction. It has only been two rides since I’ve conditioned my bike but the weather is quite nasty to I have check my drive train more regularly. Ghost shifting scares me from pedalling hard. One time my left knee whacked the handlebar when my bike ghost shifted while I was pedalling off the saddle. I really just have to work on my bike after dinner. I’m not Pacman, I don’t have to live with ghosts.

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Two (completely unrelated) people have called me a fairy. Maybe I got some wings that only others could see. Anyway, I guess that’s the reason why I like to go into places that would sell well in the fairy real estate market. Here’s another one I found this afternoon. Location, location, location indeed. The trail head was off-camber so I had to walk a few paces until I got where it was rideable. There were other parts I could not ride but the rest was pretty rideable. Yes, it was pretty and it was rideable. Yay me! PS: There were dawgs though near the trail end. These are the kind of dawgs that don't respond to "what up" and they can bite pretty nastily.

Went down here. Nearing the trail end.

Mountain Bike Trails

Even mudfishes would not have survived the mud in Sibugay last Saturday. It took me a while to blog about our trail ride because I needed 6 days to recover emotionally from all that mud. It was so thick that our wheels kept getting stuck. At one point, my front wheel locked while on a steep descent and it was time once again for a Superman. (A Superman is a pseudo-bikestunt that happens when you go over the handlebar. I call it such because you just fly over the front of your bike with one or both arms stretched.) Still, Sibugay is one of the best bike trails (for me the best, actually) in Cebu that I will keep going back there.

The toughest part of the Sibugay trail last Saturday were the last two river crossings before Bonbon. The rapids were very, as the name suggests, “rapid,” that twice my bike nearly got carried downstream. With my 50-kg weight, shoes and backpack included, I could have been one for the news as well. There were about five river crossings and the last one was so strong we decided to help each other cross our bikes one by one. There were only two of us. We had some difficulty connecting the trail because of the new chicken farm that now stands in what was one of our favorite stretches in the trail. Aside from the mud, which ate up all the knobs in our tire and making it one fat and heavy slick, we also struggled with the very deep ruts caused by days of raining. (It's one of the beauty of the Sibugay trails. They keep transforming, riding a constant to-and-fro motion between beautiful and ugly.)

We did not have a lot of choice that time. If we pedaled, our gears would not work properly because of the mud stuck between their teeth and the chains. We could not push well either because our mountain bike shoes do not really grip that well (naturally, because they are not trekking shoes.) We could not carry our bikes either because the mud seemed to make them twice as heavy. In fact, hoisting them over our shoulders was already impossible. Even our rotors did not escape the anger of mud.

Arriving at the trail end in Bonbon was such a great relief. It meant lunch, paved road, water, and shade—everything in the world we could have asked for that time. Sweet, sweet Bonbon. We are even happier that some generous locals gave us some fresh water to wash our filthy selves with.

The second trail is in Taptap. It is short, but very scenic and technical—worth the looong travel from Bonbon. It passes through a sitio called Kamandagan and ends in a tiny river that feeds from very tiny cascade falls. There’s a rock garden at the trail end and it is a place where you would not want to ride without looking at what’s in front of you. I swear, there is not a sweet spot you can land on.

We had our conclusion in Kan-irag. There is a mandatory stop at this place (it’s so beautiful you just NEED to stop). Being the final trail and the easiest, this is where we would stop for half or one hour to recall the torments of the day and the previous rides.

That was one ride of a lifetime (because we will not do it again, ever!). Never try Sibugay if it’s been raining for the past days. It’s a sure kill. The rest were great. Looking forward to riding again with KidPanuhot.

 

My gaybro, as if nothing happened. He just got up after falling.

It's real. It's not scripted. I wish it was.

Avoiding a fall.

My cable tie broke. The mud was enough to prop my bike on its own.

We did this so many.....times.

Bike on top of the rider. We all know what that means.

Admiring the view from below the track.

Saved by the banana.

We kept going because it's the only way to go.

Not even the rotors and spokes were spared.

Beautiful and treacherous.

No more knobs formula.

We sped when we could, fell when we had to.

At the river, we felt like Cinderella--late for the ball but no prince charming to save us.

Frustration turns to speed.

Only looks harmless in the photo.

Taptap, the second trail. The trail was dry and the smiles were big.

This is why we rock.

We were both emotionally damaged by all that dirt. At the third trail here, Kan-irag.

We were just glad that our wheels were rolling.

From Sibugay, photo by Itchy.

Bang bang bagity bang: Year Ender on New Year’s Eve

I am ending the year thinking that I’m a lolcat (which drew outrage from everybody, animal rights activists included). This year is a special year for me. I launched this blog on April and weeks later, the Boss…well, I don’t know how to put it but the previous posts should tell you what happened.

It’s also a bit of a sad year for me. Two of my boyz left to work abroad, presumably as engineers. Who knows, they could be working as whores there.

 The fourth quarter of last year has been really tough. I suffered one crash after another. I don’t know what went wrong that time. I just kept falling off my bike. I nearly broke my knee cap once and another time, I almost lost my left eye. “Almost” is really a lucky word. I rode more this year, rode harder. Discovered several trails and I am happy that I suffered no serious crash this year. Even the not serious ones are not even newsworthy. If I ever run out of luck next year, you are cordially invited to my funeral.

For the first time, I went beyond Metro Manila. The Manila-Baguio-Sagada-Vigan-Bangui trip will certainly be an exception to amnesia—for the destination as well as the length of the bus rides.

Siquijor is a paradise but not the attitude of the people towards tourists. Nonetheless, I will still say you ought to stay two days in the island before you die. The place is not creepy at all, PS. Camotes is where I jumped on and off the dive board. Except for the bike ride, I was all touristy in the place. The Boss and I really had a comfy accommodation at Mangodlong and we spent all the money we can on food. “Call me irresponsible.”

 Most of the travels we had (and by myself alone) are poorly researched. We relied on hunches, maps, and the kindness of other people. In Osmena Peak, I remember pointing to one direction then finding out later that Kawasan is on the other side. Lol me. It was great having Jonas and “James” with us.

I am writing from memory because I love the feel of these keyboards and I am too lazy to hit “alt + tab.” I met really great people this year. The bike friends have been around as always. I don’t want to make a wish list. Things have been happening to me and they are more than I could wish for. My last travel destination this year is that road trip to Aloguinsan with the Boss. In that town I met some of the nicest people I've met in my life.

I don’t write about the bad stuff in my blog. I think we have enough number of news channels to take care of that. But I’d like to send out my heart to people in Iligan and Cagayan who have been hit by the huge flood; and especially to people in a remote barangay in Bukidnon. The two bridges that serve as the lifeline of the barangay have been washed off. I watched that on ABC 5 News. My heart goes out to the flood victims of my hometown Bukidnon. May we make the best we can out of this new year.

***
I raced yesterday in Liloan. It was really frustrating. Two idiots kept blocking my way. At first I thought they were just idiots who did not know what they were doing. But later on I noticed that they were intentionally blocking my way. Those two morons. Nonetheless, I finished sixth. I was hoping for number 5. I was counting the guys that I could not beat and there were only four of them. 5th would have sounded better.

Photos courtesy of the Boss.

Chatting at the starting line. When you can't walk, you do the talk. nyahaha

Hell breaking loose. Too bad I was at the end.

With Kulas. He had a tough time with the bald tire but he still finished one lap ahead of me. Yes, LAP.

Lolcat in da haus.

I was 11th at the first lap. Had my break when the screeners died down.

I don't even want to think about this week's laundry.

Ang but-an na Kuya. nyahaha. He is here on Christmas vacation. He'll be back in Bukidnon soon.

Yes, 6th is a loser. I'm a happy loser, at least.

Had a lot work with my hair that day.

Bojo River Tour: I'm a LOL Cat

LOL cats are very cute and I'd like to think I'm one of them. LOL. That's why I was all about making myself look cute when we went to Aloguinsan. Spare me this time. I rarely do self-praise. I think about myself so rarely that I am on the verge of forgetting my name. Anyway, this is part II of the Aloguinsan road trip the Boss and I had. Someone advised me nobody cares what I think and people only want directions. There's no need to give a lot of directions here. I uploaded a very huge map of Aloguinsan. That should get you to Bojo River. I did not read the full terms of use for Google Maps. I just hope I don't get a lawsuit one of these days. LOL Cats don't like fines. Bojo River, Aloguinsan, Cebu: Photos courtesy of the Boss. I sometimes call her "chicken." She eats chicken everyday. For her, coffee and chicken are synonymous with breathing.