Breaking my Timberland record

From my Antipolo ride last November 8, I passed by Timberland heights before going home and tried to beat my record. My time was 26 minutes and 30 seconds or 2 minutes and 30 seconds longer than my best time of 24 minutes. Perhaps, I was just tired to break or just match the record.

But, this morning, I went back to Timberland and broke my record. It's now 22 minutes and 30 seconds or 2 minutes and 30 seconds better.

My previous records:

• 26:30 - November 28
• 24:30 - November 6
• 24:00 - October 31

My ride to Antipolo City via Ortigas Avenue

I've climbed Antipolo City via Sumulong Highway several times and via Teresa once. Yesterday, I did it via Ortigas Avenue.

At the boundary of Cainta and Antipolo

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church







Tired feet (the tire and my feet)


My lunch of crispy fried catfish

Biking in Cebu

From Nov. 20 to 23, my family was in Bohol and Cebu for a 4-day vacation.

I was thinking of bringing my bike but decided against it.

Saturday afternoon, we arrived Panglao, Bohol. After eating our lunch, I walked around and tried to look for a bike to rent. I found one and the owner's willing to lend it but with a warning - the brakes weren't workings. He he . . . There's no bike to rent, I just walked for two hours.

The following day, we toured Bohol.

On our third day, we were in Cebu City. Luckily, the hotel, where we stayed in, has a bike that I used for free (a stationary bike):

I think it's more fun biking up around here:

My Blackberry Bold 9700

Last August 8, I got my new mobile phone – a Blackberry Bold 9700, which replaced my Nokia Communicator E90.

My GE digital camera has already retired; and, I’ve been using my Blackberry phone camera in capturing images during my rides. The phone camera has 3.2 megapixels.

Shotgun in 47 minutes; Timberland 24 minutes

Last Sunday, I climbed Timberland Heights via the Wall with my TweetyPot (Marin Alpine Trail - a 29er) and recorded my time at 24 minutes.

Yesterday morning, riding my AlitePot (KHS Alite 150 - a 26er), I went to San Mateo, Rizal to record the time of my no dismount climb to Shotgun.

From Novaliches, I pedaled all the way to the bike parking along C6 in front of the entrance to Shotgun Avenue.

After resting for a few minutes, I started my slow ascent to Shotgun. From the bike parking, it's about 4.2 up to the trailhead to Mt. Maarat. I reached the trailhead in 47 minutes and 30 seconds with no dismount.

After a few minutes of rest, I went back to my starting point.

Thereat, I contemplated whether to climb Timberland. I decided to. From the same starting point, the gate of Timberland Heights is about 2.2 kilometers. I slowly pedaled and reached the gate in 24 minutes and 30 seconds. It's 30 seconds longer than my climb last Sunday.

A few months back, I learned the art of climbing uphills from an older biker with no or minimal dismounts. When I first applied the trick at Shotgun, it's really effective. It's the first time I climbed Shotgun with no dismount. Thence, I've been climbing Shotgun and Timberland with no dismounts.

The trick is - pedal slowly or very slowly even to the point that your wheels would stop rolling upward. Thence, start building your power, strength, stamina to increase your climb speed.

Before, my best record for climbing Shotgun was with 2 dismounts / rests.

Now, I started recording my climb times to monitor my progress.

A no sweat ride

Last night, I pedaled within our village using TweetyPot.

I covered a distance of about 8 kilometers in about 30 minutes. Nonetheless, not a drop of sweat came out from my body because of the cold air.

When I went inside our home, wifey didn't believe that I'd gone out biking.

Wheel reflectors

After more than a year, my AlitePot’s wheel reflectors had already fallen apart. For quite a time, I hadn’t able to replace them.

Since I do ride at night and for safety reason, I bought a new set and installed them. A set costs P40.00 only.

My Timberland via The Wall climb record

I've been climbing Timberland Heights via The Wall non-stop. So, I thought of recording my best time. Last Saturday and Sunday, I climbed the Wall again using TweetyPot. And, my best time is 24 minutes, which I did last Sunday. I'd try to break this record on my next climb.

Starting point (A)is at the bike parking at C6 at the intersection of Shotgun Avenue and finishes at the Timberland gate (B). This is about 2.2 kilometers. Therefore, my speed was 5.5 km/h.

I'll also record my best time for my Shotgun climbs, which is about 4.2 kilometers from the same starting point up to the trailhead to Mt. Maarat.