My First Week of Bike Commuting

Note: I'm blogging from the office right now in the midst of bagyong Ondoy to keep my sanity intact. Flood is everywhere in Metro Manila and our place is not an exception. I lost contact with my wife and I don't know how she's doing this time.
This entry had been sitting inside the draft box for quite sometime already and ended up updated daily during my spare time. It's always raining in the night time so I would leave my laptop computer in the office - the reason that I also haven't had replied to e-mail from friends, I haven't had updated my blog and haven't had visited other blogs. I should get a water-proof backpack to transport via bike commuting my laptop from home to office and back.

The Monday Ride

After I bought my road bike last September 19, my first real ride was on Monday, September 21. As I mentioned from my last entry, I had to test ride my new road bike. By the way, my wife named my new bike as Angelina. My wife told me the bike is not handsome but beautiful.

As mentioned in my last blog entry, I would be taking C-5 on my way to Quezon City, so I just did. I had to pass by Libis further to Katipunan. While on C-5, Angelina is very light I could accelerate just as quickly as any other average motorized vehicle. I was on an average speed of 45 kilometers per hour while I could speed up to more than 70 kilometers per hour on flyover descents - speeding just the way motorcycles do, the only difference between the bicycle and a motorcycle is that my bicycle is very light and was becoming unstable at this speed. I didn't notice it when I was pedaling since the pedaling motion is counter-balancing. I only noticed that it was unstable at this speed when I coasted going down the flyover. It was also dangerous if the car ahead of me would apply a sudden brake. Anyhow, it was simply a calculated risk. After all, it's a test ride and I was only testing the maximum power I can put on the bike. I forgot to mention, I was using the 53-tooth chainring and 13-tooth cog on the fastest speed I was able to deliver.

When I reached Katipunan, I made a U-turn going to Loyola Heights. I was on an average speed of 25 kilometers per hour. The traffic is so light since it is a holiday (end of Ramadan). I continued pedaling all the way to Kamias Road and until I reached to the venue of the meeting I'd be attending.

Celebrity Sighting: Mindanao Department of Education Region X Regional Director Haja Esnaira Estrella-Abid Babano, a Muslim princess and peace advocate, talked about peace education. My apologies for the blurred photo. I was only using my cellphone camera to take photos during this event. Most photos turned out blurry.

It was raining in the afternoon and I thought it wouldn't stop. At 4:30pm, I had to leave the meeting to report to work, or at least, to show myself up. As originally planned, I had to take EDSA. It is the nearest and the most direct way going to my work place.

The law dictates that slow-moving vehicle should stay at the outer lane. But common sense would tell me the fast lane is more safer for a bicycle rider. I had been driving cars around Metro Manila since I arrived in 1995 and was also riding motorcycles in my stint in a brokerage and based on these experiences, I am pretty sure the fast lane is the safest lane for a bicycle rider - and I did just that. I was pedaling in the outward part of the fast lane in EDSA with the center island to my left. I started my EDSA ride from GMA-Kamuning and maintain an average speed of 40 kilometers per hour. Fast cars passed on whizzing by to my right. But fast car traveling in a straight line is still safer as compared to commuter buses wobbling their way between bus lane and private vehicle lane.

When I reached the San Juan part of EDSA, I noticed the long and moderately ascent going up there in Ortigas Center. I didn't notice this during those times I was driving cars and motorcycles but only this time that I'm on top of my bike. I shifted to a lower gear I am comfortable at but pedaled hard to keep up the 40 kilometers per hour speed that I maintained. I repeat, it was a holiday and there were very few cars in EDSA. Actually, I would have preferred bicycling in EDSA when there are lots of cars so vehicular traffic would move so slowly. Fast cars moving in a very light traffic is more dangerous.

Just as I arrived in our office, the rain poured again. When I was preparing to go home, I decided to leave my laptop and the entire backpack that contained important belongings in the office. I only brought my phones wrapped in a plastic bag. Well, it was just drizzling when I was pedaling on my way home. I was not totally wet.

All in all, I pedaled the day a total of 30 kilometers.

The Tuesday Ride

It was the second day of my bike commuting. I wrapped up my office uniform and phones in a plastic bag and tied it up in the handle bar. I left my back pack in the office the previous night. From our house to work, I was taking this route: Ortigas Avenue - Rosario to Tiendesitas to Julia Vargas Street to Meralco Avenue to Shaw Blvd. and into my work. The moderately sloped ascent in Julia Vargas is a long climb. I had to downshift for a comfortable pedaling. Except for the long climb in Julia Vargas and the elevated bridges of Rosario and Floodway, all the rest are flat. Travel time from office to work in the morning is 35 minutes. Average travel speed is 5.8 kilometers per hour.

Going home in the evening was a bit challenging. It was raining that I decided to leave my laptop in the office. I just brought with me my two cellphones and my PDA (into which I was writing the draft of this blog entry). My route was to make a U-turn in the rotunda at Kapitolyo then turn right to Meralco Avenue and another right turn to Julia Vargas Street going to C-5. Before reaching C-5, I had to turn left to Tiendesitas and I pedaled until Ortigas Avenue. There I would meet the volume of traffic. Squeezing through the traffic with a bicycle is totally a whim. Travel time from work to home is 30 minutes only. Why the difference of 5 minutes for the morning ride? It's because of the descent in Julia Vargas Street starting from Meralco Avenue to C-5. I'd coast all the way at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour.

Wednesday Ride

It's the same typical ride as the Tuesday ride. Nothing special...

• I wrapped up my office uniform in a plastic bag.
• I was going through the same route.
• The sun didn't show up and it rained just when I arrived at work.
• It was raining again in the night time so I had to leave again my computer in the office.
• Travel time in the morning and in the evening is still the same as yesterday.

I forgot to mention that I'm all soak with rain as soon as I arrive home. And since my road bike has no mud cover, at an average speed I travel, the rear wheel is throwing rainwater into my back. The front wheel didn't do much water throwing as the water is blocked by the frame. Also, there's that splashed rainwater towards me from the passing cars.

My wife usually would arrive home first before me. And she is already preparing hot water for me to clean up myself. And she would usually clean up Angelina (the bike) while I clean up myself inside the bathroom. My pregnant wife is very much supportive of my bike commuting.

Thursday Ride

It was drizzling in my morning ride enough to make me wet all over when I arrived in the office.

Going home at night, I had just finished my turn at the Kapitolyo rotunda and was a few meters away before turning right to Meralco Avenue when I was honked by a sedan behind me. Blowing horn once or twice to announce its presence behind me is okay but it's not even like that. The driver is honking me like there's no tomorrow. The honking was so disrespectful and full of arrogance. Apparently, he would also like to turn right the same direction I was heading to and he couldn't speed up in his desired speed because I was in front of him on my bicycle. As a bicycle rider, I know it that you cannot just speed up and abruptly slow down to make a turn in the corner just the way you do in a car (of course, it is still not the way to do it in car but some driver simply accelerate hard and brake hard). With a bicycle (or a motorcycle), you need to slow down a little bit farther from the corner before making the turn (you can also ride rough in a bicycle or motorcycle but it doesn't make any sense at all and such foolish act could even endanger your life or some unseen pedestrians').

The car behind me kept on honking me as if the driver wanted to eradicate me in front of him. No, I was not blocking his way. Just the way most bicycle riders/commuters do, I was just utilizing my own share of the lane in the most outer part. He could have overtaken me but simply couldn't because both of us are actually slowing down in preparation for the turn.

After we completed our turn, the car behind me managed to overtake while squeaking its wheels. It's a silver grey sedan with plate number Z N Z 7 3 9. I wasn't able to catch up the vehicle model because it was blurring in speed. I slowed down and tried to reflect. In my 19 years of driving experience, I never ever did such act to a bicycle rider. To a fellow motorist, maybe yes, but never to a bicycle rider. I always have high regard to bike commuters who utilize their own human power to transport themselves from A to B; who cut their transportation cost to be converted as additional incentives for the family's expense; they are bike commuters who strictly adhere to zero air pollution concept.

The driver maybe wearing his neck tie and driving his flashy sedan. But he is the least educated person I know. He's a self-centered individual who is thinking that the world revolves around him. He's looking at bike commuters as second class citizen and have no rights to use the road. I know some drivers who humiliated bike riders because of this kind of thinking. Some of them I can even call "friends."

Friday Ride

The morning ride was the same as this week's typical ride. The rainshowers in the morning didn't deter me from riding my bike. I bought this bike purposely for commuting. I'd rather get wet riding on my bike and arrive to work on time rather than being hostaged to jeepney's availability and I would be late and pants and shoes still soaked with rainwater.

In the night time going home, I left my laptop in the office and ride under the heavy rain. It's the heaviest rain I've ever experienced since I officially started riding to work since Tuesday. It was announced that typhoon Ondoy is coming.

Saturday

The rain didn't stop since the night before. My wife and I casually prepared ourselves to report to work on this day. It was raining so my wife and I waited for a while. But it was almost 9 o'clock in the morning and the rain didn't stop so I decided to just go ahead of her andride under the rain. My wife told me she will just go outside the house as soon as the rain would stop.

When I stepped outside the gate, I realized the water is knee-deep. I thought that the water would just subside very soon if the rain would stop. I decided to just ride through the flood. Earlier, I received news through my phone that signal number one is raised in Metro Manila.

When I reached the market, I could see flood all over the place. There were still lots of cars and tricycles moving. The water is not so deep yet - probably less than a foot. Water current is strong that a lot of debris were swept away. The water is murky and smelly. I ride defensively. I was following 4-wheel vehicles that drove through the flood. My instinct told me that my wheels won't easily skid as the 700C can pierced through water. What I was afraid of is the already invisible parallel-slat sewer grates in the middle of the flooded road that my 700C wheel might shot through.

When I arrived in the highway, water is already knee-deep. I ride through the flood. Traffic was getting heavier. I squeezed myself between slow-moving cars and trucks at the same time trying to maintain my balance. Watersplash caused by the cars from both sides of me blinded my eyes yet I managed to see flood everywhere. Water current was very strong that I was riding slowly.

This was how I looked like this morning as I arrived to work. My cousin and officemate Pauline took these photos using Nokia 6230i. Click the photo to see more. What started as a personal fun ride under the storm turned out to be a total devastation to all Metro Manila residents in the succeeding hours and days that follow.

At ten o'clock in the morning, my wife called up. She told me that the water level on the road had risen and she won't be able to report to work. I told her to inform our boss since she was not receiving any reply from her immediate superior and her reliever.

On lunch time, my wife called up crying. She said that the water on the road is already on breast level and that water already started to creep inside our house. She said that she was trying to save our things by putting it on top of the bed. Some of the things are already wet though. I felt numbness all over my body. I can't imagine my wife doing all the heavy lifting when she's three-month pregnant. She's alone in the house and is trying to save everything. Pero nakuha pa niyang magsabi sa akin na sini-save daw niya yung dalawa kong SLR cameras. I told her to just unplug all the electrical appliance or unplug the main switch. But she said that electricity was already shut off in the area. I told her that I'll go home right away as soon as the flood would subside. Even outside our office, the rain is very strong.

At three o'clock, my wife called up again. She said that the water inside the house had risen to knee-level. Our friend and neighbor-next-door Junjet poured gravel in our door to block the water but it didn't help much. My wife asked me to just come home even if there's flood yet as she was already tired, hungry and thirsty. She haven't eaten her lunch yet since there was no more time to do such. She adviced me not to bring anything, even wrist watch and wallet as I would expect to submerge myself in deep water. So I fixed my things up and neatly placed it in my locker in the office. I brought my wallet though with several IDs so just in case something wrong might happen to me, I can be easily identified. I couldn't find something to eat inside my bag since I forgot to bring some foods in the morning I left home. I usually would bring cookies and crackers in my bag because I seldom get hungry every time because of my ulcer. I've found three sachets of Ovaltine choco so I packed it up in a plastic bag together with my wallet. I left my phones as per my wife's instruction, of which I truly regreted later. Then I braved the strong wind going home. The rain is no longer that strong at that time.

I took Ortigas Avenue instead of Julia Vargas as I didn't want to be isolated in this very undesirable weather condition. Hundreds of people were walking barefooted under the rain. Men and women, some are even on their office uniform. They are heading to the same direction I was heading to. I reached Rosario without seeing any flood - not just yet. But when I reached the intersection of Ortigas Avenue between GSIS road and C. Raymundo Avenue, I can see hundreds of people wading through waist-deep floodwater. Cars were stalled in the middle of the water. Motorcycles were being pushed by their riders since the spark plugs were getting wet. Cyclists were carrying their bikes on their back to avoid it to be soaked with water. I also did the same.

...and it was a long walk in the flood...

When I reached the second bridge, the Floodway Bridge, which is already very near of which I can just turn left and a few minutes I'm home, I can see the Pasig River in it's most menacing state. The color of the water is brown and the water is really rolling with big waves. So many things were floating on the water. Some houses in the squatters area in the floodway were already submerged under water. I can only see the rooftop. The scene is horrible. Looking ahead, thousands of people were stranded on top of the bridge. Hundreds of vehicles that include commuter buses, passenger jeepneys, private cars, and motorcycles couldn't pass through the flood. A lot of people tried to cross the flood but turned back when they realized it's very deep and the water current is sweeping them away. In my part, I was already getting near to our house but can't get through the flood. Together with thousands of commuters, I was stuck right there where I couldn't do anything.

There were police, paramedics, and rescue teams in their rain coats and radio. It was like seeing a disaster movie in reality. I was all wet and feeling cold already. The rain continued. After an hour of wait, I realized that the water is not subsiding yet but instead it continued to grow. I noticed it because the water level when I first arrived in the scene was just infront of a stalled jeepney. But right after an hour, the water level is already behind the jeepney. I feared for my wife. I wonder how is she doing at that time. If only I brought with me at least one of my phone.

There were not only stranded commuters in the bridge. Some are residents from Floodway who already had evacuated bringing with them what they could possibly brought about. I spoke with one crew in an MMDA rain coat and asked about any update in our place since he's holding a radio. He told me that the water level in our place is breast-level and the way going there is impassable. Not even a boat can make it because of strong current. All along I thought I'm losing my sanity thinking of my wife alone in the house. While there are two-storey and three-storey houses in the neighborhood, I wonder how she may be able to cross the road to go there if the water is already so deep.

Two hours of waiting for nothing is already enough for me. I talked to a lot of people who were living the same place that I am and they said they couldn't really wade through the flood as it is already so deep and water current is very very strong. For a moment I thought I might be able to cross the flood myself, but turned down the idea later on. It's dangerous indeed. I realized all I needed first thing first is a phone to communicate with my wife and know her status. It was also getting dark and I was all wet. I was already very hungry too. I haven't had eaten anything since lunch time.

I turned back to where I came from and waded through the same floodwater between the intersections of Ortigas Avenue and GSIS Road and C. Raymundo Avenue. I realized the water is really growing because the water is much deeper as compared to when I passed there two hours ago. I could see a black sedan floating on the water being pushed by locals to safer ground. Even a prime mover truck with trailer was also stuck in the flood.

I was thinking to go back to our office to get my phone back. But it's already closed and I didn't have the key. I pedaled all the way back without minding hunger, thirst and tiredness. The frustration is overwhelming. My first target is to visit a friend in Brgy. San Antonio so I can just borrow a phone to contact Pauline, my cousin and officemate who got the office key. I was able to contact my boss who's with Pauline. They're in SM Megamall and the mall is closing by six o'clock because of the typhoon. I told them I'd meet them up to borrow the key so I could get my phone. I pedaled going through SM Megamall.

In the office, I removed all my clothings as rain water was dripping from me to the floor. I got my phone right away and dialed my wife's number. It's unreachable. I sent her a text message thinking that the network is just congested with voice call and she may be able to receive text messages as long as her phone is turned on. I didn't get any reply from her. I didn't know what to do.

My wife's elder cousin from Valenzuela called me up. She's asking about our status and told her what had happened. She comforted me by saying that she know her cousin very well. She's strong, highly-spirited, and courageous, she said. I know my wife too, but there are some physical challenges she may not be able to do like climbing on the roof top and she's not a swimmer just in case. I worried so much. The elder cousin adviced me to call the owner of the house we are renting. They happened to have their own house too just a few blocks away from ours. Luckily, I was able to contact her and she told me that the flood really entered in their house but it was just like waist deep. Somehow, I'm feeling relieved right now. My worry was that if the flood had risen to roof-level and what will happen to my wife. I called up my elder cousin and told her about it. Our boss also keeps on calling me asking me to go home for my wife. But I can't just go there when it's still raining right now and the flood is still very high. And it's already night time, which is more dangerous than in a day time.

I realized I have no food here. There's a convenience store at the corner of Pioneer Street but I didn't have any money here. My wife is no longer giving me any allowance since I bike to work and I also bring some foods in my bag. I stare at my credit cards. It's of no use at this time of emergency. I simply needed a few peso bills.

Instead of panicking, I'm trying to calm myself. I took shower to clean up myself from germs and bacteria I accumulated through the flood. I washed my clothings and wore dry clothings I spared in the office. Since I have nothing to eat, I just prepared some Ovaltine choco in a glass of hot water. It's good that we have hot and cold water dispenser in the office. I also had my spare toothbrush. I have to wait for my wife's message if ever she's able to receive my text message. I have to keep myself awake. I'm popping up my laptop and start copy-pasting for this blog entry and updating the last part here. I have to blog to keep my sanity intact.

Please pray for my wife...

Here's some write ups and photos of the typhoon Ondoy that I came across just now:
Photos of the flood in the day time
Cristine Reyes and family stranded on the rooftop