and more cycling...

all images above © John Watson

I found John Watson's blog, Prolly is Not Probably, a couple of weeks ago. I found it just in time to catch his almost-daily posts from his epic trip from Portland to San Franciso. That's just under 1300 kilometers by his estimate, which he covered in around two weeks.

When I got into biking (just a few weeks ahead of finding Watson's blog - noob), this was the sort of trip I imagined. And even if I'm long ways off from having the strength, the know-how, and even the courage to pull off a trip like that, I've been really enjoying the process of getting there.

Last weekend I biked around U.P. and ran into my dad and his bike buddies hanging out at a sari-sari store in front of the AS building. I swung off the pavement to say hi and hit a bump. My bike fell from under me and I shot my arms out to catch myself from falling flat on the dirt. I gingerly picked myself and my bike up and sheepishly walked to the stands, and then said hi to my dad.

Me: Hey! Did you see me fall over there?
My dad: Nope, but I'm sure all these people did.

This was the day right after I rode along Daang Hari with Dino, and did 20 kilometers biking from Alabang to Cavite and back. That's the farthest and longest I've ever biked, and I was feeling a bit confident.

Last night, my friend Jun invited to ride around the ULTRA/St. Paul's area. It's a bit of a steep inclined loop and it's supposed to be good training for climbs. I managed three rounds before giving up. There were parts where I just walked the bike up. I still haven't gotten this granny gear thing down pat, apparently.

Anyway, Watson's blog is really encouraging and great. Check out his "A Day In 10 Photos" section where you can see photos from his trip. He's also on twitter: johnprolly.

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So that nobody thinks I've totally given up my day job and sold my work cameras - it has crossed my mind - here's an outtake from the shoot of Jun's band. I wanted to shoot at night and in ambient lighting.

I eventually brought another car around with headlights on around for fill. I still know how to do this. Haha.

My bike is built. Dante at Life Cycle, Greenhills put it together this morning The only thing I bought from Life Cycle was a bike stand and a tire tube but Dante's been my dad's mechanic for twenty years so I went to him.

As soon as the bike was finished, I was going to take it out to The Fort for a ride but then it started raining hard. Even when it let up the skies were grey so I just headed back home. By the time I got to Makati, the rain had completely stopped so I took the bike around my four-street village. The ride  was smooth, if not a bit frisky, and felt very plush. That the bike was moving around a lot under me is probably because I haven't been biking very long, and my tires are set to 40 psi. I also have to fine tune that fork. I'm just assuming a lot here.

Also, I did the stupidest thing. I stuck a decal to my frame, regretted it, and had to scrape it off. So I scratched my bike less than six hours after it was built, and not even by riding it. Next time, just get on it and go.

Tomorrow I'm biking along Daang Hari with friends who will be on road bikes. Let's see how that turns out.

I have to work on my bike portraiture skills too.

Rob Penn - Beach to Border

I like his take on biking. I'll look for his book.

I finally found my fork today. The Rockshox Recons are affordable and I went all the way to Cartimar to find them. Then I went to Life Cycle and found them there for the same price.

I also found nice, white, flat pedals. I just need a flat bar, a stem and a seat and I'm done.

The new outdoorsy, active me.

Week 3.

This is how my bike-building project is looking on Week Three. I'm going to be a gearhead for a couple of paragraphs and talk about what's in that photo before getting existential. Feel free to zone out.

The frame is a Voodoo Bokor 29, size 19. Picking that frame was a bitch. I'm 5'9 1/2" (177cm) and it's a size that's apparently quite tricky to size up for bikes. Depending on the manufacturer, I could be a Medium or Large, or to be more precise - or not - can fit sizes 16 to 18, or 17 to 20. I've never so diligently used what little math skills I possess to convert units and compute for ratios and differentials. Inseam length finally came into play, and after getting cozy with Edmund, the bike store manager who measured my inseam, we figured my frame and 34" inseam could comfortably ride this particular Bokor 29.

Other frames I considered were On-One's 456, a Surly Karate Monkey (the name alone!), and a Santa Cruz Chameleon. I picked the Voodoo Bokor 29 because it's relatively affordable and easy on my eyes. I like round tubes over common, modern, sleek frames that are products of aerospace engineering. Also it's versatile. Though designed as a mountain bike, you can stick a rigid fork into it, hitch it on narrower tires, and ride it as a touring bike. I can also configure it as a single speed but hipster skinny jeans won't fit me. The over-sized 29 wheels will roll over almost any terrain while still looking proportional under my, er, hefty body.

Also, in that picture is a Fulcrum Red Metal SL wheelset. Though it matches the Bokor's colors, the decals are a bit gaudy. Maybe after it's been scratched up a bit, I'll refurbish and repaint the rims white. The tires are Kenda Nevegals, which I might return in exchange for Karmas. In the box is a Deore drivetrain and a Race Face headset. I traded in the brake set that came with it and got Hygia Usagi hydraulic brakes. My brakes are beyond my biking skills but it was on sale and can be carried on to future, more advanced bike builds. So far I've got a Salsa Shaft seatpost, and free Chunky ESI grips from my distributor. I've yet to decide on a fork and cockpit configuration, but hopefully, by next week, this bike-building project will be a bike-riding reality.

The awakening of my inner gearhead is just a means to an end. I just want to be outdoors more. I realized that I spend an unhealthy amount of time staying indoors, literally sitting on my formidable ass. Being a photographer is an active job relative to desk jockeys. But for the most part, I'm in airconditioned studios, conference rooms, kitchens, homes, or sitting behind my tripod during the inevitable downtime between layouts. The real workout is lugging the gear around. And I've got a guy for that. My assistant is lighter by at least 20 pounds now than when he started working for me three years ago. I kid you not.

At the end of the day, I get home, sit at my desk editing photos, or kick back to watch a ballgame or my favorite shows. My activities are split between hanging out with friends, eating out, and catching movies. That's all good but I could do more.

More Daniel Danger

... because he reminds me of Todd Hido.