Saturday Ride - 6Sep14 56.39 Km

Given only the chance to ride during weekends, I was already feeling excited the night before. I was sitting by myself and  contemplating on which route to take. Using the MapMyRide software, I executed my ride in my computer tracing the streets to take and turns to make. In the end my planned route looks more or less like this;

I tried to have an early evening sleep so as to have the necessary power for the ride, however, I just could not sleep,  probably the adrenaline of the thought of the bike ride (excitement). Furthermore, my scalp was really itchy as I just had my hair dyed earlier during the day.

Woke up at 4:15am and did my early morning medical routine checking my blood sugar (100 mg/dL) and blood pressure (124/80) were the registered readings and then after  took my preventive medicines all 8 tablets in one single gulp. Looking at my watch it was only 4:40 then and still too dark outside that I did not want to risk the ride under darkness but rather prefer to ride out just about daybreak for safety reasons. This gave me ample of time to check emails and even take a look at my FB account.

At exactly 5:18 still under darkness, I started pedalling heading to the general direction of Meralco Avenue then to Ortigas extension bound for Rosario Junction. Barely a 100 meters after starting, I noticed that my middle gear would not engage and that only the 1st and 3rd would engage on either high or low gears thus giving me only 4 speed on both ends without the middle gear. I contemplated if I would continue my ride or just return. However, the devil in me just keep no prodding to go go go. (I need to have my gears tuned and I do not know how to do it myself).

 By the time I reached Rosario Junction it was already daylight. I have used this route so many time times so there is nothing much to write about. I took the opportunity to try to shift to 2nd gear without releasing my thumb so that it would not snap to either 1st or 3rd which I noticed I can do so but need to exert pressure on the thumb levers which was painful but on emergency purpose could do so just to have the middle gear engaged. Then the rise from SM Marikina all the way to Katipunan, I have never managed this stretch without dismounting my ride but I was hoping to do it today. I started talking to myself and thinking of so many thing just so that my mind will be pre-occupied of other matters and forgot the lung bursting pedal.  One, two, three, etc., and finally I crossed Katipunan without dis-mounting. I could not belief it but was very jubilant inside me of the feat accomplished.

After just turning heading for Nagtahan Bridge I had to gather momentum to reach the summit of the bridge with ample gear speed. Managed to do so without any problem and just as I was about to relax a motorcycle crossed my heading and greeted me a good morning. Of course, I greeted as well with loudness the person a "Good Morning". He said "I am Jak Bausa". I have been exchanging chats and comments at the FB with Jak and readily know him by name. He complemented me of my ride "Black Beauty" and thank him graciously. All these conversion while both of us were in motion at Nagtahan Bridge. He invited me for a coffee, but, have to begged off as I promised my wife that I would be back home by 9am. With pleasantries we bade each other goodbye and I turned right after Nagtahan Bridge to headed to UN Avenue.

Its nice to meet and greet with you Jak Bausa. I hope to have that coffee in the very near future.

Did not took long and I was already approaching Jones Bridge. I crossed the lane and headed to the old Aduana Building (Customs House/Ruins) and it was here that I decided to stop, have a drink and do my photo ops;

 After the photo ops I have to double up pedalling as I might not reach home by 9am. Just after NAIA3 I could already feel fatigue and was afraid that I might have not paced myself properly. I knew I had only one obstacle to handle and that is the stretch going up the cover leaf at Guadalupe to EDSA and then on to Paragon Plaza which is stiff and long ride and with my middle gear mal-functioning I was not happy of the situation to come.

When the time came to actually pedal my apprehensions were but only of the mind as I was able to hurdle the ride without alighting the bike although it was really a lung buster.

I arrived Paragon Plaza at 9:05am (missed my target time by 5 minutes) having accomplished 56.39Km in 03h29m20s and burned 1736Kcal. Another great ride for myself and looking forward to my next ride. Meantime, I have to make time and visit a bike mechanic and have my gears tuned up.

Have a greet weekend guys!