Keeping Busy in the Fall

So what have the Mangs and Alings been up to in October?  Rest assured, this rat pack of fun lovers isn't lying down on their sofas with nothing to do.  Rather than sit back and let the dreary weather get to them, they're still out there, enjoying themselves.  

Some Mangs hanging out with riders of the United Mountain
Bike of Washington on one of their weekend rides

Team Mang Putik (mud) is alive and kicking, going on mountain bike adventures near and far. Thanks to the other fun loving guys from United Mountain Bike of Washington, Mangs who have other types of bikes (fat tired ones that go bouncing up and down) can enjoy themselves while the roads aren't as safe anymore.  In the fall, when there's an abundance of leaves on the roads' shoulders, cyclists have no choice but to ride on the lane, making it just a bit more precarious for both cyclists and drivers.   

Some Mang on a Mt. Pilchuk hike

Because we recognize the need to exercise our other muscles and we still want to enjoy the outdoors, some of us participate in other mountain-worthy activities, particularly, hiking.  And not to disappoint, some of us are climbing and racking up miles on foot - the most recent of which was on Mount Pilchuck with what we now call Team Mang Bundok (mountain). Looks like we're going to be dong a lot more of these leisurely walks in the next few months.

Our 4 bowla's showing off their winning forms!

And for those who aren't into cold outdoor activities, some of us have found other ways to keep busy and enjoy ourselves indoors. Thanks to Mang Ken, we've got a team representing us in a local bowling league - Team Mang-Bobowla (hard to explain)!  And it looks like they're doing very well.  As of last weekend, they were in first place.  Hopefully, they'll keep that pace going all the way into the trophy rounds!

Of course, there's also the guys who fish, those who are regular gym goers, the spinners on their home trainers and everything else in between - including the ones who exercise in the age old sport of spoon and fork lifting, everyone enjoying each other's company in many ways.

The soul of the team continues to thrive, though, as the faithful continue to ride their carbon horses through the familiar routes on the weekends - doing what they love doing best, road cycling.  Not even the cold or the rain prevents them from mounting their machines.  All this activity will hopefully keep most of us in condition for what is shaping up to be a busy and exciting 2016.  

Ending the Season with a Classic Ride

Mangs (and Aling) and their friends getting ready to board the Edmonds ferry for the Kitsap Classic

The last weekend of September heralded the official end of the 2015 cycling season as Team Mang joined several members of the cycling community in Cascade Bicycle Club's annual Kitsap Color Classic - a 56 mile romp around the Kitsap peninsula featuring rolling hills, a couple of climbs and gorgeous scenery.  Kicking off with a ferry ride from Edmonds also added to the experience as the official start of the ride was actually a couple of miles of gentle climbing from the Kingston terminal.

Here's the gang taking a break at the Poulsbo stop

Since the earliest ferry was at 8:50, we didn't really have a choice but to roll out from the start line way past 9AM.  Nevertheless, with temps hovering just around 60, it was a cool ride in spite of the sunny and clear skies.  Those downhill runs in the shade reminded us that summer was over and this was simply a nice sunny Fall day.

We all stayed within a few miles of each other - reaching Hansville and taking pictures of the bay just chillaxing and staying in at least two groups. The stairclimb rollers after that caused us to get fragmented and by the time we reached those long climbs, the orange train had become really long.  Some regrouped to ride together on the way to Port Gamble.  Still, we were well within a half hour of each other by the time we got there.  From that quaint town, the ride to Poulsbo gave us the opportunity to basically take the road as one big group - intimidating, if you didn't know us - all those orange and black shirts riding the road.   Fortunately, we've been around the cycling circuit so much that random folks, even in cars, recognize us, cheer us on and give us compliments about our good riding habits (calling out 'on your left', calling out obstacles, drafting, etc).  It's a good feeling when your team gives out positive vibes to the community.

More clowning around on board the Edmonds-Kingston ferry

After the Poulsbo break, it was all pedal to the metal as everyone pretty much gave it their all through the last remaining hills to get to the terminal quickly.  Thankfully, nobody missed it, and everyone finished the course in a decent amount of time. It was just such a good feeling to see friends who came out and enjoyed the day and the company - some of whom we hadn't seen in a while.  Here's a video summary of how everything went down.

It may have been the official end of the cycling season for the greater community as Fall officially makes itself unmistakable but Team Mang continues to ride on the weekends, sometimes on the road, sometimes on the mountain trails and sometimes on hiking boots.  We've even got riders in the bowling alley (watch for a report on that soon).  Next year will bring a host of new challenges, opportunities for memories and good times with friends.  Some will take a break to focus on other things in life (as they did this year), others will want to become stronger, while others will just continue to enjoy the company.  Regardless of each others' goals, it will be something to look forward to.  Some of us are already planning for summer 2016!

Have a great off season everyone!

Mangs make an appearance in the Tropics

Mang Amor, Jomarc, Carlo, together with a friend in the middle
of the Honolulu Century bike ride

You read that right! This year, 3 of our friends made their way to sunny, tropical Honolulu on the island of Oahu in Hawaii to participate in the annual Honolulu Century.  Here's how it all went down according to one of the participants, Mang Amor:

"Three Team Mang Cycling members (Jomarc, Carlo, and Amor) just completed the 2015 Honolulu Century Ride on September 27 together with about 15 riders from the Filipino Hawaiian cycling club HIClistas. These guys are as avid and strong riders as you can find anywhere else. We are grateful for this group, especially Jun Sadang, for providing us with authentic Filipino-Hawaiian hospitality both during and after the ride. While most of the group reside in Oahu, we learned during the ride that some of them came from Maui and the Big Island. There were other riders, but among those whose names we can remember are: BeeJay, Jeff, Freddie, Tito, Cecil, Jimmy, and Paul.  Thank you Jun and the other HIClistas!  
The ride started from Kapiolani Park in downtown Honolulu all the way to Kaawa Beach Park, then back. Along the way, riders pass through the Diamond Head Rd, Hawaii Kai, with the blue green waters on the right side and the lush mountains of Diamond Head and Koko Head on the left side.

Our brave mangs proudly displaying their certificate after
having completed a century ride in Honolulu, HI

The ride then goes up a couple of hills, with some head and side winds, but at the top, what do we get? Another amazing view of the water, the famous blowhole, rabbit island, and more of the same, blue green waters on the right side… We went through the towns of Waimanalo, Kailua and Kaneohe riding through a driving rain this time (not Seattle rain, but Philippine type rain), but it’s all good since the rain was WARM! While the wind was whipping us sometimes at 20+mph, both front and sideways, we were always rewarded by the amazing views of the waters and green mountains. We highly recommend that everyone do this ride at least once in their lifetime. Jomarc also showed us another potential ride from downtown Honolulu, which is a short one for training just before the century ride. It’s called the Mt. Tantalus Round Top ride, a bit windy and steep, but if you’ve done Mt. Rainier, it should be easy. (Believe me, you can google it). We also learned that there are many opportunities for riding in Hawaii: go up to Haleakala in Maui (10,000 ft over 37 miles, Kona Coast in the Big Island where they hold the famous Iron Man triathlon for 100 miles, and another century ride on the North Shore of Oahu. Let’s do this ride again next year!"

- Mang Amor

Alings Ride the Wave to support a Good Cause

Alings take every opportunity to have fun among themselves,
just like their Mang conterparts!

Once a year, our female counterparts - we call them Team Aling - take center stage in an all women's ride. Right after the STP, they trained week after week to be able to participate and support the Cycle the Wave movement (Women Against Violence Everywhere).  It's a ride and a fund raising event to promote awareness of domestic violence prevention programs.  They worked as a team to encourage several other women to ride - some for the first time.  More than just a bike ride, the training made for opportunities to bond and support each other and become a bigger family.   Here's what some of them had to say about the whole experience:

Alings pose for fans at the Finish Line Festival

"I always look forward to riding Cycle the Wave because it is such a worthy cause.  But that's not it! It's always a blast on the event day with our Mangs (some Alings, too!) armed with cowbells, cheering, taking lots of photos and videos. I think it's great for other CTW riders to see that there are some good men out there!

My fellow Aling Riders, I am so proud of all of your hard training and fundraising that contributed to the success of this event!  Kudos to Marisa & Arlene for sweeping duties and Veronica for leading!

I am so grateful to be surrounded with people that cares, motivates, encourage and inspire!"

 - Aling Virna

"Doing Cycle the Wave was a huge thing for me. It was the first bike event I participated in after just a couple of months in training. I was nervous and at the same time excited to see how I would fare among other seasoned riders. The event was so fun and festive probably because there were a lot of us participating as a team plus we had our family and friends to support us during ride day.

We did the girly girl route which was just about right for us beginners. For me it was hard but doable. During a rest stop, I was asked by one fellow rider if our team raced or competed. I replied, "no, we just do it for fun". That's how I see it, having fun with a common goal of reaching the finish line together. I never felt any sense of competition among the team. The only competition we have is with ourselves, trying to find how much we can stretch our limits.

I am so proud to be part of team Aling. Everyone looks out for each other and that, I think is teamwork at its best."

- Aling Jojie

Mangs were never far behind, providing
support during training and the actual
event.

"Being one of the newbies in Team Aling, I am in awe how much fun this group has!  The fun doubles when surrounded with Team Mang.  The most fun was had in our interactions with each other during and after trainings.  It was a great privilege to participate in the 2015 Cycle The WAVE (CTW), my first event ride with the Alings (with the utmost support of Team Mang).

On a personal level, the ride with CTW is meaningful to me because this organization acknowledges what I most care about.  I got to participate with magnificent ladies, especially with Team Aling.   On Sept. 20, 2015, I was riding for myself and on behalf of the people I love, who have had gone through tough times.  It’s a wonderful thing to be out there for doing what matters to you."

- Aling Meds

"My experience with CTW was fantastic. Riding with my fellow female teammates, Team Aling, was absolute fun! The camaraderie is heartfelt. "We are family" is definitely the theme of this team. 

CTW was pretty organized and well supported. Speaking of support, Team Aling had their cheering squad, Team Mang! A bunch of funny, witty, selfie taking fellows always there for the gals! Thank you for capturing our CTW event moments with videos and pictures. "

- Aling Patty

This year, our Alings really grew not just in number but in strength and skill. We're so proud of what they've been able to accomplish in such a short time and we're looking forward to having more of them join the Mangs in our training rides and the official rides next year.  Here's a video summary of what went down this at CTW.

Mangs Blast into South Central Washington

On the southern side of the state and on the same day as the Whistler Gran Fondo - 5 Mangs also took in a mountain challenge at the Tour de Blast - a ride up from Toutle, Wa to the Johnston Ridge Viewpoint overlooking the Mount St. Helen's blast zone.  It's not a walk in the park - a ride that climbs up a total of 6,200 feet spread over 82 miles.  Mang Richard, Allan, Aldwin,  Jomar and Raf (that's them on the photo from left to right) took on the challenge - here's what a couple of them (Aldwin and Raf) had to say:

"The 3 hr car ride, teriyaki dinner with half-cooked rice,  sharing of hotel room with the guys and all the timangan in between were definitely a blast.  Then the ride happened. It was challenging. A lot of climbing going up to Johnston Ridge, and the hot temps did not help at all. But the long downhill was something else - FAST.  Thanks to Mang Jomar for pulling at the end. Whether Tour de cure, Tour de Blast or Tour de Mercer Island, Team Mang always finds a way to have a BLAST." 

- Mang Aldwin

"The day started with fog blanketing much of the surroundings. It was like wrapping on a present with the awe-inspiring views of Mt St Helens and the Toutle River valley as the gift. Team Mangs Aldwin, Allan, Jomarc, Raf, Richard spent the first few miles of flat terrain warming up. The grade increased gradually even as the gift was slowly getting unwrapped. The team rolled into the first stop at Hoffstadt Bluffs strong and intact. Photos were taken, drinks were replenished. The route inclination thereon increased. Mang Jomarc kept a strong steady pace pulling the team. Eventually, each team member settled into their individual grooves and took on the challenge at their own pace.

The team reunited at the second stop at Elk Rock Viewpoint. The elevation at this stop was high enough to satisfy any sightseer what with Mt St Helens seemingly within arm’s reach and the Toutle River blast zone below. Picture time once more. What followed was bittersweet. The team enjoyed a sweet fast downhill ride for 8 miles crossing over two picturesque bridges that curve to the right revealing its beautiful arch supports. Mangs Jomarc and Raf alternated taking the lead while Mangs Aldwin, Allan, and Richard kept the pressure on. Soon enough the downhill led to the bitter final climb up Johnston Ridge. I must say, though, that the views really made this climb less punishing as the route took on a huge zigzag circuit that we could see below the road that we just rode on evoking both sense of achievement at what we’re doing and marvel at nature’s lithospheric grandeur.

With Mt. St. Helens in the background, Mangs
savor the rewards of their climb

The climb stretched for seven miles. There were other riders who either were curious at what Team Mang meant or recognized us from other rides. Questions were answered, stories were told, smiles were exchanged. On the final turn came Johnston Ridge at last. Finally, the gift was revealed – Mt St Helens at its splendor. The climb was all worth it. Mang Jomarc would be the KOM on this day, followed by Mang Raf, then Mang Aldwin, then Mang Allan and Mang Richard.

The Team enjoyed a fast seven-mile downhill from Johnston Ridge before enduring a slow eight-mile climb back to the Elk Rock Viewpoint stop. It was all downhill from after that. Yesss! Energized by the thought of no more climbing, the Team attacked like jackrabbits with each Mang taking over and overtaking one another for the lead position. Eventually the pace line would settle down with Mang Jomarc pacing the Team to the finish line altogether. Another epic ride on the books! Tour de Blast. Done!"

 - Mang Raf

We Ride in Other Countries, too!

So you think summer's over because school has started? In the middle of September, Mangs set out to take more road, not letting the seasons defeat them and setting their sights on mountains in two countries.

Team Mang and their families at the Whistler Village
at the end of the Whistler Gran Fondo

Six Mangs represented at the annual Canadian Whistler Gran Fondo - a 75 mile ride that starts from Vancouver, BC and ends in Whistler Mountain Resort, with a total of 5,500 feet of elevation gain.  2 of those Mangs, Ferdie and Roland, tackled the optional climb to Cypress mountain for an additional 2,400 feet of climbing over 9 miles.  They started their trek from Stanley Park with 185 other riders early on Saturday the 12th - at 6 AM.  They would soon be joined on the roads by the other Mangs and 4,000 other riders starting out an hour later.

Some of the families stayed an extra day to have
fun at the Village - even ride around 

What makes the WGF different from other rides are two things: first, riders do not go through any stops (except for the rest stops).  Literally, from start to finish, on this day, for about 8 hours, cyclists own the road.  A freeway closed in one direction, plastic cones lining the Sea-to-Sky highway, traffic lights ignored, staffed by traffic cops - giving participants free reign on the road from start to finish.  Not only is this the safest ride ever, but it makes for a very fun and enjoyable ride where all riders think of is riding, pacelining...racing.  If you were a motorist trying to navigate that highway on that day...well, it sucked.  But it only happens once a year, with the full support of the community, the government and the taxpayers.  The second difference is that most riders on this ride are in it to race (at least against the clock) - so even if you're there just to enjoy the ride, the adrenaline is pumping and you hit it!

Our fastest riders, Mang Boni and Alex finished the ride/race in about 5 hours shortly followed by "Fast Freddie", despite having done the additional Cypress climb.  Mang Roland caught up with Jay and Dondi who were taking their time.  All three finished around the same time about an hour after the first Mangs.  They all did pretty well, not as well as the race's official winner, of course (who clocked in less than 3.5 hours).  And on top of the enjoyable ride, everyone stayed the night to enjoy Whistler Villages attractions.  Here's a video summary of the ride...

No doubt September has been busy so far and there are still a couple of weekends left to ride...stay tuned for more reports on Mangs and Alings making the most of the closing weeks of summer!

Another busy August for Mangs and Alings

So the team's been busy this month.  A couple of weeks after summer's biggest rides, Mangs, and more importantly, their female counterparts, the Alings, never let their saddles rest.  Here's what went down in August:

Thanks to Aling Archelle for the collage - pics of Alings over
over several weekends of riding since late July

Alings got busy training for their signature ride, Cycle the Wave, scheduled for Sunday, September 20.  What started out as an activity for just the avid female cycling enthusiasts of Team Mang has quickly gained interest among the fairer crowd this year and a bigger more diverse team has been on their saddle every weekend since after the STP. And this time, they're not just riding.  They actually raised funds for the cause (WAVE stands for Women Against  Violence Everywhere). Several Mangs have been providing support to the Alings - an encouraging sight in this family friendly group.  At the very least, the Alings' spouses or partners recognize the importance that their better halves play in their favorite hobby.  This team has always been about positive reinforcement anyway.  Watch for a full report next month on how they did at the Cycle the

Veronica met her goals
with the help of the team

Wave ride where most, including beginners, will attempt the 30 mile route.  But some are talking about doing the 37 and even the 42 mile route! More power to all of them!

Even when they're not with the group, the spirit of Team Mang and Team Aling remain with its core members - witness one Aling Veronica.  In spite of her seeming absence from the major rides and training this year, she continues to represent the team in all things good. At this year's Obliteride benefiting the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, we had a 1 person team since many of us could not participate.  So we just helped out with her fund raising efforts.  It's a cause, after all, that affects all of us.  Thanks for representing, Aling V, and thanks for doing this truly meaningful ride!

Mangs with H2Velo friends at the finish line in Vancouver, BC

Another August and another trip to Vancouver, BC, goes down in Mang history. A rainy Friday in the middle of August didn't stop a whole bunch of Mangs from taking the road on their 108 mile journey to Bellingham as part of Cascade Bicycle Club's RSVP (Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party) first leg.  With all the excitement, the group skipped the traditional Royal Star Buffet stop at Mount Vernon and hurriedly made their way to the ride's halfway point.    The second half of the ride provided an additional 17 miles to the normal course due to construction at the border crossing, forcing the ride route through a different international entry point and adding a few more hills to the ride.  Mangs were up to the challenge, though, and working together, all finished and partied at Coast Plaza Hotel at a decent time.

Hanging out at the Night Market
after a day of cycling

In the meantime, another group of Mangs hooked up with a few guys from LAFBL to do just a Vancouver, BC ride on the same Saturday. This was more of a touring jaunt where the goal was simply to have fun and get some miles in.  You can ask the participants about the fun details of that ride - specially that trip to a beach that shall remain unnamed. Both groups came together for celebration at the Night Market in Richmond that evening.  What's a ride without the food afterwards, right?

At Artist Point with nary a view in sight due to forest fire
smoke covering much of Mount Baker

The next weekend brought about another epic ride - this time from Maple Falls, WA to Artist Point, the end of Highway 542 at the highest paved area of Mount Baker, 5,100 feet above sea level.  In spite of the 2 hour drive to the starting point, riders had a blast pedaling 31 miles up the mountain.  It would have been a perfect ride had it not been for the smoke from the Central Washington forest fires which enveloped the mountain specially at the higher elevations, taking away some of the views.  But as with all our rides, it's the company and the journey that counts and all agreed that hanging out with each other was what made the trip worthwhile (click to watch a video).  That downhill run was one of a kind, too.

Our two faithful racers at the raceway were joined by a few
others during the course of the season

August also brought about the conclusion of the year's Budu Racing series at Pacific Raceways in Auburn where at least 6 Mangs participated over the course of the season.  One of them, Alex, actually won something on one of those fateful Tuesday nights.  Some of the faster guys joined in on the series this month just to try it out.  Their only goal was not to get dropped by the peloton - some achieved it, some...well, let's just say the pictures were great!  Several Mangs and Alings hung out at

A few more Mangs joined in later
in the season

the track every week to cheer them on. Next year, some Mangs are planning to participate early on in the season, so they can improve their racing skills as the series progresses from Spring through Summer.     

The month concluded with the annual camp at Deception Pass with a scheduled ride. This year's Saturday ride around Whidbey

A near miss - a car was actually parked there just before
we left for the hike.

Island was canceled due to the strong windstorm that kicked in.  Mangs and Alings woke up to the sound of rangers evacuating the camp site because of the danger of falling trees and limbs.  Already a tree had fallen down, barely missing a car and a tent.  The team and their families were barely able to sneak in a short hike up to Goose Rock in the midst of the windstorm before they all had to pack up and leave.  One of our cars was actually damaged (albeit very minor) by thick tree limbs falling.  So the camp was cut short but we managed to squeeze the most fun that we could out of the place and out of each other (just watch the video).

Having fun with the wind at the hike atop Deception Pass

Whew - summer just blew past us and the rains seemingly arrived right on schedule.  But September promises a few more sunny days and every weekend of this coming month still has a major ride or adventure for the Mangs.  So stay tuned for what's going to happen at the Whistler Gran Fondo, Cycle the Wave, Honolulu Century (yes, we've got someone in Hawaii) and the Kitsap Classic.

Mangs take on the RAMROD and finish together!

This entry is from a guest blogger - my good friend Mang Raf who rode last year and this year's RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day) - so its a better perspective than mine.  Enjoy...

Mangs taking a break at one of the rest stops

"RAMROD 2015 was back to its original route after deviating from it for last year’s edition. The sun came out and along with it the breathtaking views of Mt Rainier and the surrounding areas which made for a really gorgeous day.

Mangs Amor, Carlo, Cris, Ferdie, Fred, Pete, Raf, and Roland set out for the course just before 6AM with the plan of sticking together until finish. Mang Ferdie and Mang Roland set the tone for the first leg of the ride (this will be a recurring theme) with Mang Fred interjecting with inspired breakaway attempts right at the start. The pace line speed was still relaxed at around 16-18mph at this point and was about 15 miles into the ride when we went for a pit stop. It was then that the team realized it was pulling several other teams that were enjoying the warmup behind the Team Mang train. Nice.

A Team Mang staple on every ride - the inevitable selfie shot!

The ride to the first stop at Eatonville was nice and steady. We meet up with Mang Joe. He was riding with his other group with one of member  more than happy to spill some funny-silly beans on Mang Joe [Joe, we can be bribed :-) ]. The pace and elevation started to pick up after the stop that caused the train to stretch and created two sub groups. Mang Roland did some heavy pulling going 20+mph with Mangs Amor, Carlo, Fred, and Raf giving him push while Mangs Cris and Ferdie pulled Mang Pete. We all meet up at the second stop in Ashford. We endured our first mechanical issue with a loose rear wheel hub.

The leg after Ashford is where the ride really started to climb higher and higher. Mang Fred, still highly-energized, attempted another breakaway. Mang Carlo, with his 12-25t cassette, set the climbing pace right at the Nisqually entrance of Mt Rainier National Park on the way up to Paradise. He alternated with Mangs Cris and Ferdie at various stages of the climb. Eventually the trio outpaced the rest of the team at Longmire and off they went. A second and third sub group formed. Mangs Roland, Fred, and Raf alternated pulling each other with Mang Roland doing his usual singing to keep things light. Mangs Amor and Pete rode together as the third sub group.  The first and second sub group reunited at Inspiration Point and also met up with Rain City Cycling. Photo ops galore.

The ride from Inspiration Point all the way down through Stevens Canyon has to be one of the best parts of the ride. The descent was fast – one can easily hit 40mph without even pedaling – and the views were simply amazing. We missed this from last year’s route. I highly recommend this portion of the ride as a must-see/ride.

The team got all reunited once again at the rest area at the bottom of Stevens Canyon. We endured our second mechanical here with the same problematic rear wheel.

The ascent to Backbone Ridge was when the temperature really started to play a big factor on the team. Heat fatigue was setting in. Tan lines were being seared on skin. Ice-cold drinks/ice warmed up/melted down in no time. It proved to be a short climb and lead to a fun 5-mile descent onto the Grove of the Patriarchs.

The fun eventually led to the main crucible of the ride – the climb up Cayuse Pass. We started out all together until varying paces led to another round of several sub groupings. Mang Fast Ferdie and Mang Cris led the charge. Mangs Carlo, Roland, Raf, and Amor bunched together and waited for Mang Fred who was not too far behind. Mang Pete soldiered on. The air and ground temperature got so hot that articles of clothing were getting removed and drinks were instead getting poured on the riders in attempts to cool-off. This sub-grouping continued on until the top of Cayuse Pass at the intersection of Highway 410. Mang Roland broke away off the second group close to the top of Cayuse but got reunited after one mile. He did his best Tarzan impersonation by doing the Tarzan yell to notify us where he was resting on the side of the pass. Maybe it was the hard climb, or the scorching heat, or maybe both but his yell was a welcome cheer. At the top of Cayuse, Mangs Roland and Fred sought refuge in one of the ambulances stationed and took advantage of the A/C. The ambulance was being manned by two lovely lady EMTs and the ever quick-thinking Mang Roland asked one of them to check on his heart (beat). Playa.

Mangs at the Finish Line - 149 miles around Mount Rainier

Mangs Ferdie, Cris, Roland, Amor, Fred, Carlo, and Raf all got reunited once again at the deli stop at the Crystal Mountain parking lot. Kudos to Mangs Ferdie and Cris for waiting. Inhaled food and drinks. Replenished supplies. Stretched limbs. We were all ready to make the final push until we realized Mang Pete was still nowhere to be found. Mang Cris volunteered to stay behind and wait. But true to word, everyone decided to wait and ride to the finish all together.

The ride from Crystal Mountain deli stop back to the finish at Enumclaw was magical. This was where Mang Fast Ferdie and Mang Roland truly showed their veteran leadership, cycling skills, and overall positive attitude by controlling the entire team (and a few other hangers-on). Mang Ferdie would set the pace, shout out instructions, and utter words of encouragement to everyone. Mang Roland added his jovial attitude and kept spirits up.  Mangs Ferdie, Roland, Cris, Raf, and Fred alternated on pulling duties at a pace ranging from 20-27mph. Mang Roland, who was once again back to almost full strength, didn’t even realize that he was actually breaking away when all he was trying to do was take his turn to pull. Mang Ferdie was quick to reel him in. 

With two miles to go on Highway 410, Mang Ferdie and Mang Roland broke away. But, again, true to word, they waited for everyone at the left turn leading to Mud Mountain. All the Mangs started arriving and we made our way down Mud Mountain and rode on a 2 x 2 formation as far as the road emptiness would allow us. The Team, all eight riders - Mang Amor, Mang Carlo, Mang Cris, Mang Ferdie, Mang Fred, Mang Pete, Mang Raf, and Mang Roland - , crossed the finish line TOGETHER a little after 6PM. The fast guys, Mangs Ferdie, Roland, Cris to name a few, could've have finished much much sooner but they chose to keep the entire team riding altogether. Kudos to them!

This year’s RAMROD proved to be an awesome experience for Team Mang. Everyone stepped up and passed the test of skills and character that RAMROD threw at the team. In the end, the shared experience by the eight Team Mang riders will be remembered for a long time. Walang iwanan! (No one left behind!)"

Team Aling starts up their training

The Alings getting ready for their first group ride

You probably already know that the Mangs could never make it through the night without their female counterparts - the Alings (whereas Mang is another way of saying "sir" in Tagalog, Aling is a way of saying "ma'am").  So it was only a matter of time when the Mangs' female charter started riding, too.  To be fair, some Alings have been riding - and riding strong - but many had yet to mount that iron horse sitting in their garages.  Other priorities in their lives always managed to prevent the from spending a few hours of their weekend on their wheeled machines.
But on a sunny Saturday morning, a week after the STP Classic (an event in which many of them gave support to the Mangs), several Alings took to the streets and finally rode their first group ride. They took it easy, cruising at comfortable speeds and navigating the Kent/Green River trail system so that the more experienced riders could guide and encourage the less experienced ones.  Riding as a pack boosted their confidence and these women wasted no time encouraging, instructing and having fun with each other in conversation and learning basic bike handling skills.  The atmosphere was very positive and fun-filled.  For added wit, we threw in a few Mangs to ride along and catch up.
The total ride was a good 3 hours or so and passed through the requisite Starbucks break in Kent, eventually ending up at a Hawaiian BBQ place for lunch.  Hmm, now why are we not surprised?

Recalorization ceremonies are customary after a ride

Overall, it was a great time for everyone.  There are some who may have had some difficulty, being that this was their first time to ride - but with the encouragement of the other Alings, everyone finished with a feeling of accomplishment and a desire to get back on the wheeled machines the next week.
The Alings will continue to ride on the weekends, progressing from the trail system to some city streets and then - gasp - hills! all the way up to the Cycle the Wave ride in Mid September.  Hopefully, this enthusiasm won't stop after that event - we're looking for Alings to represent at the Lake Chelan Challenge and STP in 2016.  And who knows - we might even see a few more tandems in the team.  Mangs will be right there to support them, too, as they've always been there to support the Mangs.

Go Team Aling!

A Hard but Happy Weekend in July

Mangs at the REI rest stop in Kent

Lots of work went into training, preparation, planning and now it was here – Team Mang’s signature events for the year are in July – the Seattle to Portland Classic and the California Death Ride.  

The team showed up in force for the STP.  Most started at the UW start line but others, for logistical reasons, had to start their official ride at the Kent rest stop 25 miles in, making up for the lost miles with rides from their homes or around the area on the way to the meet.  Kicking off the ride at 6AM from Kent, Mangs quickly made it through the first quarter of the ride through South King County.  A few groups developed, as is natural for a group this size (more than 25) but most everyone stayed with a team member all the way until the JBLM rest stop at mile 55. From there, the trip to Centralia broke up the group into even more. 

The fast riders arrived in Portland
a little past 7PM

The other Mangs crossed the Portland finish line within
seconds of each other, just a little bit past 8PM.

Eventually, all arrived safely at the halfway point at fairly good time.  Lunch at Fuji Teriyaki hit the spot…until it was time to climb the Napavine hill (try that on a full stomach).  By the time we got to Vader, there were some experiencing difficulty – even wanting to give up – but thanks to the always positive and encouraging tone and riding style of the others, we soldiered on even as the fast guys put in at least an hour lead over the rest of the group. The fast guys made it to Portland in record time arriving early after 7 PM while the rest of the group came in just a little bit past 8 PM.  A couple of riders got stuck with mechanical troubles early on and had to spend the night in Longview, but finished it early the day after.  All in all, another fun 1-day STP, 207 miles (or 195, depending on where you started), is now in the Mang history books.  Here's a video summary.

Mang Rene, Gat, Eric and Boni finish 5 passes of the Death
Ride challenge

Four Mangs took to the mountains on the same day – in California, no less. The annual Death Ride challenges participants with 5 mountain peaks over 129 miles and a climbing effort of over 15,000 feet.  Riding with friends from H2Velo, our super climbers also went on their own individual paces.  At the end of the day, though, every single one of them finished all 5 passes, albeit not at the same time.  No doubt the high altitude environment made an impact in terms of breathing difficulty.  Some struggled, others felt it was a breeze, but in the end, they all saw it for what it was – a fun day suffering in the mountains, conquering their demons and meeting their cycling goals.

Mang jerseys and an H2Velo jersey
getting ready for the Death Ride 

Early July tests everyone’s mettle – making sure that all our Winter and Spring training efforts would make a difference.  Team Mang was up for the challenge again this year and hopefully, we will make another memorable summer of it.  A few more official rides are coming up – RAMROD, RSVP, Whistler, Kitsap.  Watch out for us on the roads even as we build up our other half – Team Aling!

Team Mang gets busy for summer

Our awesome Team Aling support
at the Sunrise Climb ride on 6/7

Some of the Mangs who did the
weekend Mt. Rainier climbs

So the team's been keeping itself busy this past June - specially because we're only a few weeks away from the season's major rides.  A cancellation of the Peninsula Challenge gave us the opportunity to do a mountain ride on the first weekend of June.  The team started the day from the bottom of Crystal Mountain road - a 6 mile, 1,500 foot warm up climb to the resort parking lot and then quickly back down.  From there, we turned left and up on Hwy 410 veering right to climb up to the Sunrise visitor Center for a 21 mile climb and almost 3,600 feet of elevation gain. More than half the group was done by the end of that climb but others chose to add another effort to their day. Heading back down to 410, they hung a right to go up to Chinook pass, for another 3,000 feet of climbing.  It was a long day, for sure, but Team Aling was right there, providing support for the Mangs while fund raising for their marquee event in September - the Cycle the Wave Ride.  Want some video? Here you go!

Our century ride took us around our southern areas

The second weekend of June gave us the opportunity to complete another century (which was good for those who didn't do the Flying Wheels ride).  Rolling out from Renton, we basically retraced a combination of some of our previous rides starting with the 15th St Auburn climb, snaking our way through Federal Way via Dash Point.  We added a few more climbs through the Browne's Point neighborhood towards some of the roads we traveled on the May Day Classic through Jovita.  From there, we crossed over to Fife, Puyallup and then to Sumner.  Then what was supposed to be a short lunch break at Subway turned out to be an hour and a half long sit down lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Orting. I suppose you shouldn't be surprised anymore by these food detours (we ride to eat, and eat to ride). The second half of that adventure proved to be challenging (not just because we were stuffed) but because of the heat, the winds and the 1 major climb. We had already lost a few riders before lunch (dropped them on a climb and they missed a turn) and we also suffered a mechanical on one of the bikes. We managed to complete the whole loop from Sumner through South Prairie, Buckley, Enumclaw and back to Renton in approximately 10 hours.

Mangs at the start line of the Chelan Century

Father's Day weekend was a special event ride - the Lake Chelan Century Challenge over in beautiful Chelan county.  It's a 3 loop ride, kicking off from the Don Morse park in Chelan, with each loop averaging about a little over 30 miles.  The first loop was the warm up loop through the town of Manson where in spite of the climbs, we were rewarded with scenic views of orchards, wineries and just big country - mountainous terrain meeting crystal blue lake water.  This was all to prepare us for the marquee loop - the 30 mile McNeil Canyon Climb loop. It was a different type of scenic route, lots of desert and no shade for most of the ride, beginning with 20 miles of wind-breaking pacing before going into the the start of the penultimate climb.  5 miles of grinding away at anywhere from 8 to 13 % grades into some 2,300 feet of elevation at temperatures well above 96 degrees turned out to be quite an effort.  It took all of us around a couple of hours to get to the top, some faster than others, some more painfully than others.  By the time that loop was over, a few of us were done for the day and headed back to our camps/hotels but some continued on to the third loop - for more climbing of more than 2,600 feet over another 30+ miles.  You can catch glimpses of those rides in these videos: Manson Loop and the McNeil Canyon Loop.  Much more than the ride, though, was the sheer fun and enjoyment of just hanging out with each other and our extended cycling families - including H2Velo - while camping at the State Park (let's not talk about almost getting kicked out).  We just have to mention, of course, that those who couldn't make it to Chelan did their own epic mountain ride that Saturday up to Paradise on Mount Rainier.  It's good to know everyone's keeping in tip top shape to get ready for July.

With Gig Harbor beyond the Narrows bridge, these guys
were set to take on the monster hill collection over 99 miles

Finally, we closed out the month and our STP Training Series with another Team Aling supported ride through the Peninsula Century route in Pierce and Kitsap counties.  We dubbed it this year's Team Mang Gran Fondo.  Over 7,300 feet of elevation gain across 99 miles of 95 degree F weather - all for fun. No mountains here, just a ton of steep hills and rolling terrain - which, they'll tell you, is more than enough to drain you!  Everyone who participated (and some who didn't even ride) contributed towards our lone Team Aling rider doing the Obliteride in August - Aling Veronica.  We're so glad to be able to help out with such worthy causes.  Here are a few scenes from this ride.

July is upon us and three major rides, the Seattle to Portland Classic, the California Death Ride and the Ride Around Mt. Rainier in One Day (RAMROD) towards the end of July will prove whether or not our training was enough. We're confident that it has been and that we'll get to our destinations with time to spare. One thing to note - June has seen an increase in cycling interest among our ladies and a possible growth spurt in the ranks of Team Aling.  Stay tuned next month to  see where this is all heading. We should have a bigger contingent at the Cycle The Wave even this September.  Thanks for all the help and support from friends, family and other teams.  We'll keep riding for fun and friendships and now we also ride for meaningful causes.

Go Team Mang! Go Team Aling!

May closes out with lots of Mang Action

The month of May proved to be another month of action - both in and out of the saddle - for the Mangs and Alings.  As summer starts rolling in, everyone gets busier doing outdoor activities, celebrating graduations, playing with and on water, and of course, more cycling!  Team Mang continues to do training rides on Saturdays but they've started piling up their other days with more get togethers and fun times.

Alings and Mangs having a blast on Lake Union

Twice, this month, Mangs and Alings tried their hands on Dragon Boat - this is a team effort sport relying on paddling strength and speed but more importantly, timing.  Thanks to some coaching from the Flying Dragons Boat Club, we were able to feel how our upper bodies could actually hurt after an activity that's dependent on core strength and movement.  All this time, we've all been using mostly our legs!  Our first experience came on a sunny Sunday afternoon where we did very well, racing twice with another boat filled with beginners.  We won twice.  After nursing a few aching backs with Salonpas and Alieve the day after, we were ready to try our hand at it again.  This time, a cold Monday evening provided us an opportunity to race against the actual Flying Dragons team that's practicing for a competition in July.  Of course, we lost...but we put up a good fight!

Recognize those Mang jerseys?  Ready to race!

In the meantime, Mangs Boni and Alex participated in weekly races at Pacific Raceway in Auburn.  No medals yet but we're confident that that's just a matter of time. Going over 20 mph for 15 miles is pretty hard! We're rooting for you both and we're looking forward to some awards ceremony eventually!

Mangs pose at the finish line aftertheir first century ride

Cascade Club's Flying Wheels Bicycle Ride is the first official road bike ride that the Mangs and Alings participated in this year.  As usual, they didn't go unnoticed.  Records were shattered on this ride as our fastest riders, Mang Boni, Alex and Roland, reportedly finished the century in less than 6 hours!  For most of our team, this was their first opportunity to ride a full century and they all finished in relatively good time. Usually that's an indication that a rider is ready to do a one day Seattle To Portland ride; the only question being how much faster one can get there. There are a couple more major rides planned in the next month so Mangs and Alings can be even more prepared for the July double century.

Representatives of Team Mang at the Champions Dinner

Also on the 30th, the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure put on their Champions Dinner where they honored TdC fund raisers in the region who have raised more than $1,000 for the cause.  Team Mang had the biggest group of champions, thanks to the generous support of friends and family in their fund raising efforts (see April's dinner dance).  The Team is making such a presence in this event that they always get special mention and their own team tent at the actual event.  We'd like to recognize the leadership that Mang Rene provided throughout this effort, culminating in Team Mang bringing in more than $22K for the cause - double what we did last year.  Thanks, Mang Rene!

Mangs and Alings make a good showing at the Tour de Cure

The actual Tour de Cure ride was held on Sunday, the 31st, at Chateau Ste Michelle in Woodinville. The team had made the decision not to ride a long ride on this day in order to take advantage of all that was going on at the site.  Five Alings rode the 25 mile ride while the rest of the Mangs did the 40 mile route. With more than 20 riders total, Team Mang had the biggest group of riders in the event.  No incidents except for the usual rider getting lost in the Snoqualmie Valley (it's what happens when you're going too fast - you miss the turn).  The TdC is proving to be one of the causes that this team is solidly in support of and one of those more meaningful rides of the year.  Thanks to all of our friends and family who supported all our efforts this month!

So June is coming up and we've got more than a couple of major rides planned getting us ready for StP and the Death Ride. Stay tuned to this blog to see what else Team Mang and Team Aling are going to be up to!

Mangs Show They're Not Just About Bicycling

Mangs and Alings at the kitchen preparing for the evening

On Friday, April 24, the Mangs and Alings sponsored an event entitled Dinner Dance Against Diabetes to benefit the American Diabetes Association.  Planned by a crack team of Mangs, Alings and their friends under the leadership of Mang Rene and the support of others in the community, the event went off with a few glitches - but none that would derail it from its purpose: to raise awareness of the effects of Diabetes and to raise funds for the organization whose mission it is to find a cure for it.  The team works with the Tour de Cure, a bicycling event that raises funds for the ADA.

Dinner was served on time even as more people were still showing up.  In the meantime, Mang Joe and Mang Eric kept on selling raffle tickets for prizes valued anywhere from $25 (gift cards) to $300 (a carbon handlebar).  There was all manner of fun stuff valued in between (restaurant gift cards, gift baskets, special liquor, even a 12th Man jersey).  Every time a raffle took place, you felt the anticipation from everyone.  Even for the non-winners, it was a great time.

Angela Hill from Tour de Cure
shared her story

After dinner, Angela Hill, the event coordinator for Tour de Cure shared her story and how the Tour de Cure has meant a lot to her.  Our fellow cyclist, Leila, also shared her story about how she is dealing with the disease.  The speakers concluded with Louisa, one of our Alings.  All speakers highlighted the importance of educating ourselves about the issue and thanking the evening's participants for their support.

One of the highlights of the evening was the Dessert Dash where guests got to bid indirectly for their desserts, or rather their placement in the hierarchy of who gets to choose first.  After a few minutes of dashing to their chosen desserts, everyone settled in for their sweets.

Mang Rene takes on the lead
even on the dance floor!

We spent the last couple of hours of the evening dancing and just enjoying each other's company.  As with every Mang get together, everyone had a blast.  Laughter permeated the room.  The evening ended around 11 but most of the team stayed to clean up and get the community center back in order.

Our team would like to thank all our sponsors who provided the food - Gianfranco Italian at Snoqualmie, Inay's Kitchen in Seattle and FilCuisine in Kent.  Several donors both from within and outside the team also contributed prizes for the raffle and we're grateful to them as well.  Our event would not have been successful without their support.

Cycling is fun, but helping people through a cause like Preventing Diabetes is even more fulfilling - hopefully by riding our bikes and doing events like this, people are inspired to put more emphasis on exercise and having a good time while doing it. Go team!