Bicycle Diaries #01: Things I learned from my recent ride in Basdaku, Moalboal

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Kon'nichiwa Hivers!
I want to share my experience last Saturday, November 27, 2021.

Villy, a friend of mine and an ultra-marathon runner, decided to ride to Basdaku Beach, Moalboal. I was thrilled about this ride because it was one of my goals to traverse this part of Cebu, so I joined him. This would be our second long ride together.

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_{5:29 AM — Prepping my gears and myself. 😎}

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We met at 7-Eleven in Minglanilla and ate breakfast in a carinderia nearby. We had a nice catch-up on our life update. Now that our stomach is full, geared up, and ready to conquer Moalboal. I thought to myself, “This would be an easy ride!” — or so I thought.

During the ride, I realized that I wasn't prepared for this. My last long ride was 7 months ago and didn't have short rides as well. This was very challenging. My body was stretched and my legs were burning already. I had so many realizations and thought about sharing them with you.

So, here are the things I learned from this. Ready? Let's go!

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1. Ride at your own pace
At the onset of our ride in Minglanilla, it was already evident that I was struggling. I just couldn’t catch up with Villy. He was using a Vellum road bike and mine was a 29er AgentX MTB — imagine the weight difference, but it shouldn't be an excuse.

Honestly, it felt like I was a newbie and no longer capable. I remember a line from the book Tuesdays with Morrie, "There's no such thing as too late.". It's never too late to practice and train again. It's never too late to prepare for my next long ride. So, let’s continue on our journey.

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_{8:32 AM — Guadalupe, Carcar}

I stopped by this spot and took a picture of this scenery. I realized that I can only appreciate this scenic view if I only ride at my own pace and not be filled with thoughts like 'my speed should be at par with my friend, or why am I too slow, or I should do this and that'.

Ride at your own pace in order to see the beauty surrounding you. You don't have to compare your level to others. Your level 1 is not the same as level 10 of others. Pace yourself according to your season, to your responsibilities, and to your level. Then from there, you build yourself up.

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2. Ride with self-awareness
We stopped by a bike shop (I forgot to take a photo) to tune up my front and rear derailleurs because if not, then, I won't be able to reach the Moalboal. I needed to acknowledge that I needed help. Manong was generous with his knowledge when it came to biking. He gave me tips for proper shifting of gears going uphill or downhill.

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_{9:06 AM — Finally reached Barili!}

_{10:34 AM — We had our early lunch at 4J’s Eatery Dakit, Barili. That’s Villy right there.}

_{11:19 AM — Barili proper}

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Did you notice the signage? It says, “Road closed”. It was probably because that part of the bridge wasn’t ready for use yet. It still needs time for completion before its full operation. We had to wait for our turn.

Sometimes there are things in our life that hinder us from moving forward. Sometimes we need help and fixing. We need the expertise of others who will improve our life. Sometimes we need an intentional pause or break to experience rest, replenish, and regain strength. Break leads to breakthroughs. I remember a quote by Socrates that says, “An unexamined life is not worth living.”. Self-awareness and evaluation will go a long way.

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_{11:40 AM — POV. This spot is near Sayaw Beach, Barili}

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We had to make a stop and rest for a while. Took a deep breath and enjoyed the view.

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_{3:15 PM — We finally arrived at Basdaku White Beach, Moalboal}

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TOUCHDOWN! I got to finally see this beach again. The first time I went there was 2 years ago. White sand, calm wind, and happy people. We didn't wait for the sunset because we needed to go home before 10:00 PM.

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3. Ride alongside others

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_{5:23 PM — Sunset in Ronda}

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It’s already getting dark and we still have a loooong way to go. But first, we need to eat dinner.

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_{Dinner at Angana Kumain Eee Carinderia Bitoon, Dumanjug
Photo from: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1452248235120416/}

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After eating, we continued our ride. As I started pedaling, I had chills. Fatigue was starting to creep in. But because of the heavy and delicious dinner, I got the energy I needed to speed up, however, the excitement was no longer there.

At that time, my mind was focused on one thing only: Go home safe and sleep. My mind was eventually filled with negative thoughts. It was going out of control. I was about to abandon my friend on the battlefield.

I had to rest for 2 minutes then ride for 10 minutes, depending on the terrain. Those downhills were my only salvation. Haha!

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_{9:03 PM — Mantalongon, Barili}

We agreed to ride a bus, but we had no more cash. We had to withdraw from Gcash at 7-Eleven, but they didn't have a cashout option. So, we had no other option but to pedal. Then, someone approached us and offered cash in exchange for Gcash. It was amazing because he was also living in Minglanilla.

Now that we already have cash for the fare, we only need to wait for a bus. A few moments passed, and there was no sign. We were approached by a barangay tanod also known as a barangay police officer to give us protection while waiting.

For some reason, a taxi appeared. We asked the driver if he could accommodate our bikes, and he agreed. It was a relief. We had to disassemble our bikes, remove the tires and seatpost in order that our bikes would fit inside the trunk.

During the ride, which took 30 minutes or so, we exchanged stories with the driver. We discovered that he was from Hilongos, Leyte. He shared about his family, work, and love life. These are the perks of riding alongside others. You get to hear their stories.

So, with a total of 125 km distance, 7-hour moving time, and a 16-hour journey. We arrived home safe. I can say, it was all worth it.

I'll end this journey with this quote by Rainer Maria Rilke, "Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final."

How about you? What have you been up to lately? Whatever it is you're doing, it's working.

And with that out of the way, let’s get back to work.
See you on my next #bicyclediaries, Hivers!
Ciao!

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