I had an unexpectedly awesome weekend. My friends and I took part of Carlos Celdran's bike ride to help DOT (Department of Tourism).  Because of a recent incident, our foreign tourists arrivals might drop. So, we need to become tourists ourselves! Why not introduce biking as a way to see the city?


The Movement: Get the government to create bike paths around Manila's famous landmarks. 


The man with the plan: Carlos Celdran. 
Any person who can command people like me to wake up at 5am is a winner! He's gotten people to see that Manila can be an exciting tourist destination. Now, he wants us to consider a breezier more exhilarating way to see the old city.

Mia and Knox in Rizal Park. 
This lovely lady lent me her spare bike. I've been wanting one for quite a while because my dream is to be able to bike to work. But it just seems insane for a person who lives in Marikina to bike all the way to Makati. 

Mia's baby is a Fixie. 
I adore the clean lines and vintage look. She set it up with a leather seat and front wheel brakes. Brakes! Very important. 

Pitstop at Rizal Park
Carlos Celdran attracted a legion of people including media men, runners, and of course bikers. I saw fixed gear bikes, mountain bikes, regular commuter bikes, and even foldables. I was tailing some very chic Strida folding bikes at one point. Drool. 

Stuntmant Vic Down the Slopes of CCP. 
We went from the Manila Film Center, to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, to Intramuros, to Binondo, and then on to Rizal Park.


The last time I biked around in Manila was years ago, in the wee hours of the morning, using those rusty things they rented out near the Film Center. I've always treasured that memory but I didn't know what it would be like to bike during the daytime. There are other forces to contend with like: the heat of the sun, angry motorists, and pollution. But it wasn't that hot, weaving in and out of cars wasn't that frightening, and the pollution was unnoticeable at its best and acceptable at its worst. Soon, I found myself speeding up enthusiastically, waving hellogoodbye to runners, and singing Queen's, "I want to Ride My Bicycle" on the top of my lungs.

It was a good day. One that I'd like to be able to do more often.