Matt and Goma at Taguanao Bridge, photo by Ryan Babiera

These past weeks, spending time in front of a desktop computer  developing websites for clients seems to feel like a prisoner in your own space with fast-traveling time and same routines. One thing to do is to stay away from the screen for a while. Relax and unwind. Feel the breeze outside. Talk something not related with work and do something that hasn’t been tried before – mountain biking?With my buddies Matt and Ryan, we decided to go biking at Taguanao. We met in Divisoria Jollibee and had our breakfast there. We are preparing ourselves for the whole morning ride – proper food intake and pretty much excited on how will our bike ride ends today. We grab our bikes and headed on the first route for our first destination – to Aluba, Upper Macasandig to Taguanao.

The first ascend to Aluba seems easy. You can feel the fast loud beating of your heart and cold sweat just when you reached the top. How’s Matt and Ryan? They managed to catch up on me after, but Ryan just broke his pedal. Can’t blame for his heavy weight, his pedal is made out of plastic, a weak material for such activity.

There were bikers passing by and probably greet us then told, “hinay hinay lang bai! (take it easy pal!)” So this is how biking community feels like – a sense of camaraderie, politeness, and let the amateur feel that biking is the best sport/pastime to spend on.

We grabbed on our bars and a full-speed descend ahead, letting us feel and smell the wind on our faces overlooking the view of Cagayan de Oro river, traveling a long distance in just a short period of time.

The 2kms ascend on a hill from the Taguanao bridge up to Rosevale was very punishing! The heat of the 10o’clock sun feels like inside the oven, and decided to take a rest on the mid. I’m already here, there’s no turning back. I have to make it through at the top. Mounted on bike, preparing for the final assault, took a spin and finally reaches the top!

Such experience could actually give you craziness like I should just watch movies than torturing myself under the sun, or sleep and eat rather than straining my muscles and give it just a drink! But it’s not about it. The time that you almost give up on reaching your goal, thinking it’s hopeless could actually give you the best idea on how you’ll be able to achieve it — dismount, take a break, re-gain and challenge yourself. There are still a lot of uphills on the next ride. I’ll win this one and glad I did! We did! It was fun. That experience you’ve shared with your buddies, the laughter, the tease, the breaks – priceless!

I could not forget the experience of my first ever mountain biking. Now, I’m ready for the next mountain biking challenges!