Sabi nila, There’s always a first time… When was yours?
If there’s one thing I do not like risking, it is falling… falling while riding a bike so I always ditch mountain bikes. I would only ride a bike if it lets me feel the floor with my feet when I am on it.
I started biking when I was little (littler than my height as of now). 5 years old, perhaps? Oh, no. Probably four. Basta, wala pa kapatid ko nun sa labas ng tiyan ng Nanay namin. I remember that Tatay bought me that Red Power Ranger (yes, I like Power Rangers back then. That was the first movie I watched inside the movie house!) bike after church. I had no idea we were about to buy one. My first ride pulled all my nerves out.
It was early morning, 6 A.M. perhaps, and Tatay woke me up. He said he’ll teach me how to ride the bike. The road where we practiced was going down. Until now, I have no idea why he chose that road. The other road was straight as hell! Why are we not choosing the other side?!
As the road was going down, I just let the gravity pull me down. I didn’t know what breaks were back then kaya pinatama ko na lang sa maliit na pader. Basta, yung parang elevation sa sidewalk. Syempre, hindi nakasunod ang Tatay ko habang dumadausdos ako. Mahirap naman ‘yun. He just looked at me… while I was free-falling.
Then my friends from the neighborhood saw us and they asked Tatay if they can try my new bike. Ako, keri lang naman. So they did. Tapos pinatama lang din nila doon sa pader-elevation. Nagalit ang Tatay ko. Sabi niya, Huwag niyong sirain! Ngayong naaalala ko ‘yun, ang naiisip ko na lang, HELLO?! Earth to Tatay? Eh bakit kasi sa daang ‘to tayo? Yung nasa kabila naman diretso? (Inulit ko lang ‘yung sinabi ko sa unahan.)
Then every afternoon, he will teach me how to bike, too. After a day or two, he removed the training wheels. AGAD-AGAD. Hindi pa nga ako makapagbalance! During the first day of no training wheels, hawak niya pa ang manibela at yung likod ng upuan ng bike. The usual way how others teach someone to balance the bike? On the second day, guess where he holds… On my nape. Nothing more, nothing less. Just my nape as I was pedalling. He tells me look forward, not downwards. Eyes on the road, not on the pedal.
I can still remember the tightness of his hand on my nape because I was wiggling. I wanted to cry that time because I felt like he was already lazy to teach me because I am not learning anything. That I was slow to catch up with all the balancing skills. But I was wrong. Sabi nga, everything has reasons; and I’m glad Tatay taught me that way.
When we visited La Mesa Watershed, we tried to bike around the forest. Since it’s a forest, the right bike to do the job is a mountain bike. Good luck kung hindi mountain bike ang dala mo. Good luck sa trail. Good luck sa gulong mo at sa legs mo.
Una pa lang, kinabahan na ako. I have never experienced to ride a mountain bike, unless angkas ako. So I held on to my bike – a mountain bike (for emphasis) that day. I made sure I would be able to touch the ground. I was able to --- when I am tiptoeing. (I borrowed a bike.)
Hyle, Ems, and Sir Den-Den, our guide biking. I was on the bike with the Go Pro this time.
Of course, the two were wearing the right outfits. Ako lang ang pasaway na naka denim pants. (My helmet was on the bike Hyle was holding.
Hyle, Ems, and I started to roam around with our guide, Sir Den-Den. Syempre, dapat may guide. First time nga, eh. Baka maligaw kami.
After 15 minutes, I ergo concluded that the La Mesa Watershed’s trail is a monster! It made me chase after my breath. It was very challenging for a first timer like me.
I usually pant after an hour of biking pero ‘yung sa La Mesa, grabe talaga. Kakaibabe, mga pare, mga mare! Feeling ko na exercise yung lungs ko more than all cardio exercises na jumping jack at kung anu-ano pa. Buti na lang, fresh ang air sa La Mesa forest. Why? Because it is filled with trees which were planted since 1999. And after some years, they decided to plant only the endemic ones – local trees of the Philippines. Dati raw kasi, nagtatanim din ng exotic trees however, on studies conducted, they figured that the exotic trees do not last long unlike the endemic ones. Example, 10 – 20 years versus 100 years ng endemic trees. Beat that!
There are also no fruit bearing trees in the forest. People might come inside and just take all the fruit. Much more, the old scenarios may happen again. Before, there were informal settlers inside the forest who conduct kaingin (burning of trees) so they can sell them as coals. And also, fruit bearing trees do not hold much water (for flood) as non-fruit bearing trees do (Oha! Nakikinig ako ke Mang Joe!). They also have a high percentage of survival of trees! It’s 93% chance of survival rate.
Because of Save the La Mesa Watershed Project, the forest was soon rehabilitated. Dati raw, halos wala talagang mga puno sa forest. It was a whole of happy and victorious yet a sad-bloody story, for me. Because of the greed of others, lives of innocent ones were taken. Someone was even beheaded to protect their illegal activities (I am serious, look it up). Those lives of people who just wanted to restore and protect the environment.
By the way, this is very important. The La Mesa Watershed is the sole reservoir that serves potable water to over 12 million residents of Metro Manila. That’s why it’s important to take care and plant more trees along the forest!
***
And because I take pride of myself (obvious naman mula pa lang sa simula ng blog na ito), ako pa rin ang nauuna sa trail. Sunod si Hyle then si Ems ang sa huli. (Ewan ko ba ba’t ang tagal niya! Haha! Joke lang, IvaMi peace tayo.)
Ako 'yun! Ako 'yun! 'Yung kasunod ni Sir Den-Den! Si Hyle 'yang sunod.
The trail was uphill and downhill. Mga 3km lang ata tinakbo namin. Tapos maalog, nginig to the max ang aking cutie cheeks. Chos. Pero swear, nanginig talaga sila kasi nga medyo rough road yung trail. Mapapakapit ka sa manibela mo nang sobrang sikip kasi baka malaglag ka. By the way, always use the back break first before you press on your front break. Baka bumaligtad ka if you use the front one first.
During our first stop, kasi medyo malayo na kami kay Ems, habang we were waiting for her, Sir Den-Den told me, Biker ka talaga no, Ma’am? (Uy, natuwa naman ako sa comment ni Sir. HAHAH!) Sabi ko, hindi naman po. First time kong mag mountain bike. Takot ako rito, eh. Nagbabike lang po talaga ako sa kalsada. Pero sa ganitong trail, first time.
Nung pabalik na kami, sabi ni IvaMi, may problem daw sa bike niya. Naglock ‘yung mga gear sa speed niya. Basta, ‘yung pang adjust. Tinignan namin ni Sir Den-Den, naglock nga. (Pinag gagalaw ata ni Ems, eh! Chos.)
Ang struggle ni Ems.
The Cannondale. More than 20k kaya ito! That was me taking a video. (Taken during the beginning of the ride.)
Hyle chill-chill.
The journey back to base was harder. Perhaps it was because we already lost much amount of energy but Sir Den was like, Steady chill-chill. Ni hindi siya hiningal. Almost every day daw kasi, nagrarounds sila sa forest to make sure everything is in order.
When we were just a few blocks away from the base, as in mga ilang metro na lang, I felt like I was about to pass out. Seryoso. Hyle and Ems said I was turning pale and I can feel my body being dragged downwards when I stepped off my bike, kasi pagod na talaga ako, di ko na kaya magpedal, paakyat na naman kasi siya. Inakay ko na ‘yung bike ko then I stopped. I inhaled very deep and exhaled. Nothing changed so I sat on the side (Do not cross your legs, stretch them out), with all the grass and soil around, trying to breathe normally. That was the first time it happened.
Few blocks away from the base. I was really tired. Hyle took the other cam kaya hinawakan namin ni Ems 'yung bike niya.
You know my biggest fault? I did not bring my water. (Ayan, yabang kasi! Haha! Akala ko enough nang uminom ako nang marami before magstart.).
I’m glad that Hyle and Ems were there during the time. I didn’t pass out because of them.
So my takeaways from this first time:
- Always check your bike before you ride.
Breaks, chain, and all that.
- Bring your water when you bike, no matter how long or short your trail is.
Just bring your water!
- Do not wear denim pants
Safety first and make sure you’re comfy-doodie!
- Always wear your helmet
Safety first!
- Appreciate the trail and whatever is around it.
Especially if you are in La Mesa. Appreciate the trees, the soil, the grass, the air! I think La Mesa is the only place where you can bike with fresh air here in the metropolis (Manila). And most especially, your companions – yourself or your friends.
- It’s OK to take risks in falling.
What matters is you get up either you are alone or with the hands of others.
Invite your family, friends, o kaya si crush (malay mo, ma fall na siya sa’yo…) to bike aroun the La Mesa Watershed’s Forest! You may call 938-2540 or shoot an e-mail to lamesawatershed@gmail.com for details. Bring your own bikes, OK? Bikes that are right for the trail. You can also inquire if you wanna do some tree planting activities or trekking.
The La Mesa Watershed has an area that encompasses Quezon City, Caloocan City, and Rizal. We rode on the QC area.
So ikaw… Kelan ang first time mo?
This blog does not reflect the views of the Save the La Mesa Watershed Project Management. This is my own and mine alone. Thank you! (Some of the photos were screenshots from clips taken using Go Pro.)
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