Heart of the Winning Team

It has been two months since I read about a very inspiring news of humble bikers winning a mountain biking competition against all odds. I desperately searched for the news in a pile of old newspapers and couldn't find it in repeated attempts. By some luck, I accidentally got hold of the news when I was about to dispose of the old piles a few days ago. In the page was written in bold print " Lowly bike to victory " , of the SunStar daily publication on March 16, 2008.
To summarize, the team of Merlita Arias, Jappy Lumongsod and Ricky Gonzaga won first place in the Mt. Manunggal 2008 Adventure race against discouraging words from spectators and other contestants. They were said to have second-rate mountain bikes and reportedly practiced only a few times in similar tracks before the event. Worst, one of the team member, Arias, suffered a busted brake during the competition so that she had to drag her bike along the final downhill control point which also turned out to be her weakness. The team's determination, however, overcame the obstacles and disproved everybody's perception. They went on to win the race.
I found the news a very encouraging event for fellow bikers who may also be in the same position as the team - owning the cheap, lowly bike. It tries to emphasize the fact that it is in the heart of an individual that earns him a rightful name as a biker/cyclist and not what he has. In competition or not, what's important is to be able to do the things we love to do regardless of the class of equipment available. A good rated equipment is ,of course, the best thing a hobbyist can have but limited with resources, that comes only next to be able to do what you love doing, in this case the love to bike around. In a sense, it is what having the heart of a winner means.

There's a good news in rising oil price

According to CNN.com world crude oil price rose to a whopping $128.98 per barrel on Tuesday, May 13,2008. Wow! That sounds a lot of bad news coming in the next few days. I guess it drives some to drift in desperation while still others into panic. Whether its going to be another set of car fuel price increases or the chain reaction of price increases of other commodities, it is reason for many of us to feel sorry for the this world event. However, for the sake of consoling our waning morale in the world economy, there is still some good news to salvage out there in the streets.
Humans never lacked alternatives to useful inventions. We only need to harness what's in store to absorb the impact of economic slowdown. One such remarkable alternative is the bicycle which many people take for granted. It is usually helpful for a short- distance travel especially to people whose residence is located a few kilometers from the city, better still for those who are strategically residing in its perimeter. One can bike down going to and out of work, buy a few supplies at nearby stores, attend church services and in other petty transactions in the city. Instead of grabbing that car key for the purpose, one can get on that bike. If people resort to it, it will have created a tremendous amount of savings in a month that would have been spent on car fuels. The not-so-long-distance travels can be covered as endurance increases with frequent use. It means, that health is also considerably improved and weight maintained at optimum level. One can put those money spent on diet pills and other weight loss stuff in the piggy bank, plus, savings on sickness medications and doctor's fees. Lastly, the bike takes less maintenance and offers cheaper parts replacements compared to automobiles. So, save the cars for long-distance travels, instead clean and grease that old dusty, rusty bike at the corner of the garage.

My Bike

My cheap mountain bike serves me in many ways. It plays an important role in my health maintenance, allows me recreation and affords me an inexpensive means of transportation. Nothing else in my possession beats that usefulness. It deserves some tribute.

Through the years, I have maintained my fitness on rotation by other stuff like the weights, treadmill, punching bag and occasional ball sports aside from such health practices like eating right and getting enough sleep. My bike, however, often steals a bigger share of the time because it takes my fitness adventure to a different level. While I find it challenging to combine physical exertion and balancing, I feel it most exhilarating to ride with momentum.

I don't get bored with my bike because it is one of my favorite recreations, taking me to places I love to hang out with a friend or a cousin. We'd go down biking leisurely at a park, climb up a grassy hill, infiltrate the busy pier and explore a serene subdivision or even the crowded slum area. Under urgent need, I simply grab it to buy refreshments or supplies from nearby stores. I always have a small back pack on the go with a spare of dry shirt to keep me fresh from heavy perspiration under the scorching sun. A set of raincoat also protects me from chilling wet during a downpour. These weather changes though, don't bother me at all. In fact, it's a bit more amusing biking down impenetrably on such an occasion with the tires splashing water beneath me on wet roads as raindrops cool my face. My bike creates some of my life's finest moments.

Living just a few kilometers from the city's commercial area, one can get there within 10-15 minutes' ride on a regular commuter jeepney. Nonetheless, when traffic starts to build up especially on rush hours or for some other reasons traveling time considerably increases. With my bike, I can still get to the place within minutes regardless of the traffic condition. I can always zigzag my way out of the jam. Looking back at them, I pity those people stuck helplessly inside their cars waiting for their turn to advance in bottleneck traffic. As for me, with this wonderful human invention I am free to go as I wish. At the same time, I get to save a few bills that would have been spent on fares. Ultimately, with an environment-friendly travel I am devoid of the conscience against air and noise pollution. For these reasons, I treat my bike like a real best friend. Indeed, it is, because it shares my bedroom.