Rest Day Over Drive - For The Love Of Cycling

Foreword.

Welcome to Rest Day Over Drive and probably the longest post that will be for this blog as I will be blogging how this blog came about. : )

What is Rest Day Over Drive (RDOD)? It is a blog that will document my biking adventures and everything bicycle. Expect to read about my weekly ride (hopefully -__-) and features, updates or even shout outs that is everything bike related and my advocacy to promote biking in Manila if not the Philippines. 

Why name it Rest Day Over Drive? Well, given the workload and schedule that I currently have plus my family and my social life, rest days (at least one) are the only option that I have to go on long rides hence the over drive during my rest days. hehehe 

I am almost done building my second bike and I just thought it would be cool to document everything from the build up to the last kilometer of my ride. 

Why bike when we have all of this electric and gas powered means of travel? Well everyone who loves to bike has their own story of when, how and why they fell in love with bicycling. Some where just so stoked when they first learned to pedal without any training wheels that they kept pedaling till they have grown old. For some, it could be because of the many tricks and maneuvers that they can do with a bike. Others are avid collectors who just love how a bicycle looks, works and how they are made. Many may say that it is because of the health benefits and the environmental benefits that cycling can give. I do agree with all of those reasons, but what really drove me into biking is the freedom, satisfaction and the stillness (yep that's the closest word that can describe what I felt) that I experienced during one of the Mass Ride in which I have joined and finished with my cousin who was new at biking then. 

Every year the Fire Fly Brigade hosts a critical mass ride to promote the benefits of cycling and during this mass ride, I realized that I would love to bike every day.

But before I go into the story of how I fell in love with biking, please allow me to introduce the Fire Fly Brigade, because I believe in what they are fighting for. Let me quote them to best describe who or what the Fire Fly Brigade is.

"The Firefly Brigade is a group composed of dedicated and fun-loving members and volunteers that embody the Firefly Spirit:

· An infectious love for cycling

· A spirit of volunteerism

· A strong sense of community

· Positive action for the environment

· Gender-sensitivity and non-discrimination

· Responsible Cycling Behavior" 

So what's my story? 

I learned about bicycles when I was around four years old, I was given a bike as a gift, not sure though if it's for my birthday. Soon I was off the trainers and zooming in and out of the garage. I really don't remember what happened but I stopped. I guess it has something to do with my older brother getting into an accident with his bike. I remember him with blood gushing out of his skin. Family then moved to a different house, my older cousin got himself a mountain bike, my uncle got himself a bike as well, we all lived in a small compound, soon enough I was with them cruising around the subdivision using my father’s errand bike (a bike that was built with parts in hand and used mostly for getting to and from the market). I Became very active with biking mostly because I can go wherever I want to go without mom and dad noticing. My playmates within the neighborhood started to join my solo rides. 

December 24, 2000, Christmas Eve, I was with my friends, joined them with their Christmas carols, with our bikes. We were on our way home when I decide to overtake my friends, reached my max speed, overtook my friends and never saw the humps ahead of me. Bike threw me off the saddle, left arm broken. I stopped biking for a long time.

I really don't remember what got me back to the saddle but I remember myself going to my friend’s house to visit with the same bike that got me a fractured left arm. The same bike that became my means of transportation for visiting my friends. I got to learn more about bikes, different set ups, different disciplines and different price range. Decided to save up, with just my school allowance I was able to build my first XC bicycle with most parts bought used. 

My first long ride was fun but grueling. The group's plan was to ride from Cainta to Wawa Dam in Montalban Rizal. I really don't have any idea what I got myself into and if you look closely, you will see on the picture of my bike, that my tires has almost no thread left, so just imagine how I was like pedaling uphill on a very loose and dusty road. I got into trouble a couple of times but it was most rewarding. I learned a lot on that ride alone. At this time biking was just a hobby for me. Then came the 2010 Tour of the Fireflies.

I got my cousin into biking as well, and he had just finished his bike just in time for us to join the ToF. That was his first long ride and it was my second. Both of us were really excited, him because it was his first, me because we are riding with a mass of riders. Started out early, arrived at the start of the event and we started pedaling. Everyone was happy, each and everyone is greeted with a smile. The route of the tour was very familiar, simply because this was my hometown, this was my area. Because of that I really never took notice of the surroundings because all I see are familiar places. Instead all my focus was divided between my cousin and the other riders around me. Halfway through the ride, I realized something.

There was something missing, something was different even if it's the same roads that I go through every day. Then I started to hear it. Gears switching, tire knobs hitting the road, hubs whizzing, and voices talking to each other. I can hear the bikes and the people on their bikes.

The noise, the honks, the engines, the smoke, the heat, the cars and motorcycles that floods the same road was nowhere to be heard, seen or felt. 

The stillness. The quietness was so overwhelming I immediately fell in love with it. I started to enjoy the bike and the ride itself. And then a question soon followed that drove me to my advocacy. Why can't we have this every day? Would you not want a pollution free, traffic free and noise free roads? 

My cousin and I finished the tour, tired but both of us were very happy. Hell, everyone was very happy. Since then I have longed for the same feeling not just for myself but for everyone else, specially my loved ones. I want everyone to experience the same joy that I have experienced during that ride. I am not against motorized vehicles in fact I have a blog that features my love for cars. However, wouldn't it be nice to have the noise, pollution and congestion caused by vehicles to a bare minimum and have a bike and walk friendly city? I bet Manila would be a much happier place if we can have that.

After a year or so I sold my bike, but I never stopped wanting bicycles. I never stopped believing that my advocacy can one day be achieved. Couple of years after the tour, here I am again building my second bike, still believing and this time I will document my mission and my adventure. I will start by using my bike as my means of transportation from home to my work. (^_^),!!,,

Why? Because whenever I tell people that I am building a bike and I plan on riding it to work, I always get that "Why?" look from their faces. I'll then start to talk about my riding adventures and their "Why?" faces quickly turns into "Really? Hmm... Interesting..." look. I know that If I can show my friends that it's possible, it's doable, I can probably inspire them to do the same. It may not be that big but it could start the ball rolling. 

Let's max out the kilometers of our cycle computer, enjoy the fun of riding a bike and reap the benefits of cycling one ride at a time.