When something is missing

It was one of those days when you know that something is missing, but you miss that to find it out. It's just that elusive thought flitting around and hides our consciousness before we can approach it.

Even so, I set the ride too early, and this time, from home. A transit of about 40 minutes, before actually reaching the trailhead that Saturday. I have the intention to make the long road trip to the Tower 3 (about 60 kms ...). Although I did not know because I was not convinced of it. Until at the middle of the climb to 8 ½, I calculated in my personal GPS, the route that at least minimized my discomfort. Would make the long route, but in reverse. Instead of taking into the "Obsidianas" downhill (a drop of ~ 30 minutes), and then making the long climb from the lowest part of the forest to the Cerro de San Miguel, where the tower 3 stands.

So, instead of addressing "Obsidianas", kept me long for the "broad way" to call green door (about 13 miles of the starting point), hence begin a steep but short climb to the solid formed by several hills that crown in tower 3. I was going pretty well, much quieter and with that "cricket" and at times silenced by the beating of my own heart, that was certainly a frequency about eighty to eighty-five percent...  I noticed it when I was riding in one of the rocky sections, ran into a stone, skidded and had to stop ... "pup-pup, pup, pup, pup, pup, pup-pup" .... I listened, I thought someone tapped on my shoulder, but in a split second, I returned to my reality and my time, in the half of the climb, in the woods, it was unlikely that someone was trying to give me a drum rhythm to pedal . My heart was pumping at full steam, supplying the most of my muscles. At the end of the climb, has not yet reached the top. Still be missing some two or three miles, to reach the goal. When we finish this hard climb, it comes the "rest" of ride on the back of a couple of hills before "attacking" the last climbing effort. Is there, riding over of Cerro San Miguel, when the silence begins to surround one. It is a silence that overwhelms you, not scare you. There is a blanket silence that envelops you in tranquility and to some extent in their own expectation. These listening to the delight of the wind caressing the bark of trees, the elusive whisper of an animal hiding in the bushes, or just the planning of a leaf right when it decides to left its tree and starts its own adventure to the bed forest.

Surrounded by those thoughts I was got to the intersection that we call "the tree" (if, for the "uninitiated" sounds absurd that in the middle of the forest, there is an unmistakable junction called "the tree", I invite you to know this place, you will understand and your life will make sense, lol). I spent as this crossroads where one can start down the other side of the hill to the village of Tala, eleven or twelve miles to the east and about a thousand feet below, or to the famous climb followed by "Obsidianas".

At this point my goal was not down, but conclude the climb riding the last few miles. I was with that goal in mind when I saw to a quartet of runners, surely preparing for an upcoming cross country, they would be lost on my back when I heard the ominous sound "psssss .... pssssss .... pssssss "punched! ... and my tire is not sealed, that meant or that flat tire or was not "tubeless" or simply had no liquid sealant, I stopped and confirmed that, indeed, the tire should be repaired .... Apparently my plan to return by “Obsidianas” would have changed since I bought no more tire patches and only brought a spare camera. I could not take the risk of another puncture riding back by “Obsidianas” trail, ten miles from the nearest point of support. Anyway, I began the task of replacing the punctured tube with the new, but not before to thanks myself to been bought metal clearings (tools to remove the tire from the rim), with which I could remove after a few minutes of sweat and bruises on fingers the tire from the rim. I removed the failed shining new camera and put the new one in place and oh surprise! ... my personal cricket, my discomfort came galloping with a laugh on my shoulders when I discovered what I had missed ... my air pump! There, about 14 miles from my starting point, about two or three miles of the tower 3, without knowing for certain that the tower had a guard or it would be provided with pump to inflate my brand new camera, there, I found myself, standing, watching my aluminic with only one rodable tire, my conscience reproaching me because I’m find myself in that situation. But the silence was my friend, and shut myself up. I found myself there again, just me, my bike, and no air pump. As they say in the computer field, rebooting systems, weighing alternatives, working your way up? That would be, 40, 50 minute walk up to the tower? what if there was no air pump there? Would be any other biker up there? Or may I gone to  Tala town? Uhm, no, too far away and would only come and take a bus, I would return to my city late afternoon. Back where I come from? It sounded the better option, I could face other cyclist by that way, or maybe even a truck that would take me back to starting point...

So I would take that option, I thought, come back, it was after all a long way down, and arriving at wide road could jog back up my defective tire. So I headed for the back of the hill of San Miguel undertaking the return this time without reaching the top of the tower 3. Fortunately the forest itself is my greatest ally and prevented my own negative thoughts hurt my optimism and bombed me with guilt. To walk through the forest was not always a joy to have. I was walking with my bike to the side, trying to hit the rear tire not too hard on the stones and at one time I loaded better, seemed like it could go much faster if carried it on my shoulders. I was in that way when I heard the crackle of a branch; I stopped and took my camera, perhaps that even this failed venture could give me the vision of a deer, a raccoon, a fox or coyote crossing the road, but no. They are very good these critters to hide in your land. Still, I continued with my camera ready on my way, and see that it was a happy sight that I had to get to the next bend in the road ... a couple of cyclists coming down the road ... "Hi there!, would you bring an air pump?" - "Here we go, yeah, of course", and immediately one of them dismounted and lent me his air pump. I started to inflate my tire while we talked about forgetfulness and luck. Approached talked how good was that they begin later his ride, how their companions had not come that day, so they decided to do a long route, but they were already late. "Lucky for me," I thought to myself. What a pleasure to know that today you can still count on others, they relied on an anonymous asking for support and I could count on their help in a place where there are usually no people for miles around. To say goodbye and thank you, get your good vibes and restart my return, riding again caused completely banished the anger and guilt for forgetting my air pump, but is something that I must take better account for next, I won’t stuck in there... I need to re-made all the negative, and turn it into positive, give it the value of the support that comes from still unknown who share a taste for riding, confident that help is on the way, and we just need to walk towards it instead of staying stopped lamenting, not get mad, or not to stay in the "angry mode", but accept the consequences and take way, taking the lesson and keep it in the bag, I think that's what it was worth on this occasion, and it was that gave more value to the unfinished trail to Tower 3.

So, as I said, I restarted my return, with much attention, as my two colleagues had continued their own way to the top, and I had no intention to punch again. I reached the broad road and taking care not to hit squarely on a stone (not to "sneaking bite" the new camera) I gained confidence and speed ... I was approaching busiest routes, up to "Estacion bicicleta (bike station)" (which in turn deserve one or more blogs ...) a new site that seeks to make us see that we can enjoy the forest, to share with it without having to destroy or indelible trace of our passage through it. Anyway, there was an oasis really. There were many cyclists who were terminating their own trails, then take the opportunity to ask again for an air pump to inflate entirely my tire and at last, and why not? Enjoy a tasty coffee pot, there among the trees beside the road, energy recovering for the last miles of the return.

That was how I rode that day, at the end the balance was positive, perhaps much more than I ever thought. Rode nearly thirty miles in the woods, about fifteen more in the city, I walked from one to two miles in the middle of my woods, I met new people, I asked for help and I offered my help, I rode alone, but together. Because thanks to the company of other cyclists it was that sooner rather than later I returned home.

So: to keep riding!

La Primavera forest corners

A great example of how enriching it is to ride. A few days ago I had the opportunity to share the trail with several colleagues. The magic was seen myself at certain moments riding with the "old guard", if we can say it so. Not because they are old -not all- he he. I rode with whom I had shared trails since seven or six years ... Fer, Ruben, Robert, Liz. 

And in other moments I was riding with Alex and Samuel, who are rokies that are no longer rookies, he he. They have accumulated miles and experience over the tires. 

And what gave the final touch, it was in the last part of the return back and find to a "new-rookie" ... the buddy Luis, coming back for years without riding and what better way to come back to ride that do it for the first time in "La Primavera" Forest.

It was a pleasure to share with all of this route, is a gift enjoy the landscapes, enjoy the sunrise in the woods and check once more the brotherhood that it develops between those who ride, among which we ventured through the breaches and the trails just by the desire to do so, for the sake of those who find places as Rober took that morning crossing back towards Tala and come back by the same way ...

Towards Tapalpa from Guadalajara

August 18, 2012, 5:30 am. Preparing the cars to reach the starting point: "Postes", the door to "La Primavera" Forest. After some details, we started at 7:00 am, 9 cyclists, even with some drowsiness, which was blurring as we climbed to the "8 1/2". Charly, Fer, Rommel, Eria, Liz, Robert, Andrzej, Przemek and Ro (yes, me). And without aluminic two great friends, whom supported us during all day long, Eli and Francisco at the front of the battle, followed us with support cars through the freeways...

It was a great challenge, while not completed as planned, it fulfilled what we expected. We enjoyed this feat more than 8 hours riding, cleaning, walking and carrying our bikes. As if we were a bolt, we crossed "La Primavera" forest that was just woke the Saturday morning, we reach heights to climb from the Tecuan village to the Lagunillas town on the edge of the Sierra de Tapalpa, to no more than 10 miles of Atemajac de Brizuela.

We passed the Valencia dam and the Villa Corona lake, enjoyed a delicious breakfast of "quesadillas" and "gorditas", complementing with a cookie or a chocolate to seize power.
And best of all, in my opinion, we enjoyed an unique company, Frodo and Sam would have had with them a community of bikers as we had. We rode my land with courage, with joy, with conviction, with fellowship and with the good taste of sharing this experience that will stay here for a while.


At the end, we did not reach the original goal that was Tapalpa, we rode around 80kms (50 miles) of 110 kms (68.75 miles). But is is the perfect excuse to repeat the feat, and again take up the challenge, take note of what we missed or what we left over, as the mud and the breakdowns ... he he. But we have the conviction that stands to cyclists, to ride it and ride it again ....

Here's the map and altimetry of our riding, where I indicated the maximum constraints, it was the mud becoming almost a swamp some sections of the trail, which we have made ​​delayed arriving at Lagunillas at dusk, and then we decided to catch up and get to there ...

A sunrise, a hope

We are full of bad news, of people talking without saying anything at all times on the radio, on television, in newspapers. People who are believed to own the lives of others, believe they can do and undo the Earth at will ...
The truth is that they are desperate, they are living and abusing the last moments of our stay at this level, the new ways starting to show in the shadows, in the small corners that I discover at each output on my level of aluminum ...
This image is the sample (right), three months ago what you see here as green were flames, was the fire of our ignorance and indolence, then came the shadow of government stupidity to ashes and blackened trunks. Now, go out there and I realized that now remains of the wound than we produce in our forest are healing. 

Partly for that will of organized society, for their tireless forest rangers and firefighters, who now serve as instructors, guides and storytellers. The team of the technical committee of the "La Primavera" forest continues at the front of the battlefield supported by thousands of citizens and cyclists that we become the eyes and hands of the same forest struggling to stay alive.
Now we can go back looking like green, damp caresses us as we cross with respect and admiration for the stoic ability to forgive our faults, our omissions, and the candor to offer life again, and embrace a fresh start with Friday more. ..

The 3 Towers 2012

The 3 Towers, and with capital "T", they deserved. July 22, 2012, I don’t have the exact number, but I think than more of 50 cyclists we came together to call for Tequila Bike group for, beyond that going after the 3 Towers, go after our own limits, going deep into our own being, our ability to achieve our goals. Everyone got a goal, was prepared in the best way to join with many others that agree very early on Sunday at the gates of “La Primavera” Forest. It’s 6:0 o’clock, cyclists and cars kept coming; they were swarming the lamps, the yells that called into battle, the challenge ... "encourage dogs ... and ladies!", As the tide indomitable, comes first drop by drop as well, cyclists we were approaching the starting line and in groups of two, three, five, ten, we took the road towards our first goal, having behind us a city still asleep in the Valley Atemajac, as in a bed. It was 6:08 am.

This time I didn’t bring my camera, so you won’t have my "graphics", but I’ll try to describe the experiences and "snapshots" of this unique experience that I enjoyed and suffered during that Sunday. We were heading for the Tower 2, or hill of Nejahuete, marking as our first check point. Climbing the forest plateau we rode into the area of geothermal fields, even dark I just discovered that my lamp did not have the scope to shoot at considerable speed safely, so I kept as close as I could to Ruben and Fernando, as their lamps were working better and went until I could not keep up and I preferred to save my energy for later. I started to go with other cyclists and together we approached the first tower. The day began to light up when we arrived to the Nejahuete hill Tower, 7:15 am. Excellent time, and with no waiting minutes further, I initiated the descent of the tower, then I realized that the sun reached me far beyond what it had in previous years, went down and I was reached by Marcos, also from Intel bike team, and then we were joined by some other anonymous companions to descend again at full speed down the broad road. Once there, we saw Ruben taking a breather while we continue to the step of “Obsidianas”(a long downhill covered with a lot of that kind of stones in the pathway), about 12 kilometers into the forest. There we joined some other "first-timers" of the route, and they did not know the stroke. So we move apace, until we headed in the climb to “Obsidianas”. Knowing the stroke, I preferred to slow down and save some energy for the time of the ascent of the San Miguel Tower, which was seen in the distance, still flirting with some clouds. I got to the point where we began the descent of “Obsidianas” being as 8:20 am. A drop of our dreams, then we regroup Liz, Marcos and Ruben, 25 minutes riding down until we reached the lowest point of the travel, to be hovering around 1900msnm, we were getting the 1500msnm, this stage was covered with a great gift, a fog bank that cooled us light on one of the most arduous sections of the trail. There were still a new companion followed us a long time, and another left us, Ruben, feeling a little unwell that best decided diverted to Tala town.

We headed for the Torre de San Miguel, being in this high elevation, the lowest of all the forest, crossed a couple of gentle streams, where I took the opportunity to supply water, and no, it was contaminated, a mockup of the purity our forest, still I’m alive, lol. We keep riding, starting to feel the constant elevation of the road, not stop until the second tower in our challenge. And the best, with clouds above us gave us protection at least up to the Tower. There was a meeting point, cyclists who were going to the last tower, others that were just arriving, others that there remained little over time, recovering from the first 5 hours of challenge. It was 11:20 am, I was just over 5 hours riding. There must leave the bike at rest, to climb the last steps to the tower, sign in the guestbook (those who wanted to) and some water supply, very little, because the poor Rangers on guard that morning looked with awe as they kept up cyclists for water, until he had to say "all gone", otherwise he runs out of water the rest of his week.

It was time to move, came another "rest" for being down, but that didn’t mean an easy section, I consider that this lowering of the Torre de San Miguel to the “forest main road” is one of the most risky in the forest, especially since is likely to take a confidence in them, and the slightest slip can become stuck in a stone, or taking a curve too fast, but fortunately on this occasion was not the case, at least we were down in my group, we and went ahead to the point of slaughter, where Alex, was in charge of giving a little support challengers in fruits, water, chocolates, break ... we had 62 kilometers, we did even 30.

After refuel and convince our own minds, we left that point in a small group, with Liz, Marcos from Intel bike, and with Mengele, the “Black boy” from Tequila bike and I with the last goal... Tower 1, “Planillas”. It was the starting of the last section to complete our challenge ... around 12:30 pm. There were gaining strength in a section somewhat tedious, which is the main forest road, which then become Mariano Otero Avenue 10 miles straight forward, but before that we must to divert to the “Planillas” Tower climbing, and that road can overwhelm because it is a continuous slope that takes us back to the high of 2000msn without being properly part of the climb to the Tower, but was really good keep taloking with Mengele and “Black boy” went ahead without boredom in the meantime that Liz and Marcos were left a little behind until I didn’t no longer saw them. We finally arrived at the beginning of the ascent to the “Planillas” Tower (the last one), but not before "rescuing" a rider was lost, Miguel, who join our group and with other 3 went and toward our ultimate climb ... here I was hugging fatigue and in time I flirted with the idea to decline ... "and you are here…" "…and you come, come, come back ..." "nothing happens if ..." here I realized that the challenge of the 3 towers, may be more than physical, mental. This shows that not only muscles are required in your training; you must demonstrate to yourself the integrity of your spirit, your conviction to overcome the ego. Because in the end, you don’t ride the 3 Towers to prove to anyone but me that you did for yourself. Especially when a rise in the latter is being left alone, each of us, we parted on the trail, everyone is taking their own pace, it is difficult to see two riders going together, near each other, but not together, at least I did not see me. Here's one with himself, I was convincing, proving with every pedal I could move forward, and suddenly saw one of those who were already back down, and as a bucket of cold water passing saying "Courage", "already done", " almost there "... that was more energetic than a "red bull",  I take air, straightened my back a few seconds and continued riding. It was then that I saw it... the “Planillas” Tower! No more than 2 kilometers ahead, and with these latter forces coming from who knows where, quickened my pace, and reached it being 2:38 pm, 8 hours and a half since we had just begun ... now with the sun in full swing, just touched down back to the starting point, then I went with two co-challenge, we went a short distance along with the wisdom of not relying on the descent.

So, at 3:15 pm that Sunday I was arriving at starting point and end point of this adventure, called the challenge of the 3 Towers, no prize money, no cheers at the finish, only some of those already had finalized or were concluded, saying "That's it, congratulations!, you did it" that is worth more than you could imagine, look on the face of honest smile colleague to know what it was, fist held high , greeting, fatigue start to make you aware, all worth it, worth the effort, back pain, numb muscles, the sweat still falling, it was worth wake up early on Sunday, it was worth the tension of the previous days, it was worth being there to prove to myself than I am able to demonstrate what convinces me to go back and enjoy and share with my family, friends and others, even though I do not know who , might be motivated to move again!

Until next time!

De rodadas y politica

Hola,
En esta maraña política actual, en la que algunos ya estamos hartos de dichos y decires, algunos ya estamos ansiosos porque llegue el día de la decisión para dejar de oír a unos y otros lanzándose lodo, por no decir, escupiéndose esa materia orgánica que esta al final de la ciclo del drenaje. Señores, señora, súbanse a la bicicleta, y si no tienen condición física (que seria muy recomendable para aguantar el estrés) para venir a la montaña, a los valles azules del agave, a las exuberantes selvas de nuestras costas a las mesetas arenosas y extremosas de los altos, salgan siquiera a las calles de nuestra ciudad y saborear el triunfo de moverse por sus propia fuerza, sin depender de que alguien pedalee por uno, quizás rodando grupo, pero de igual manera, nadie te va a pedalear tu bicicleta por ti mismo. Y antes de pensar en llegar antes o no, descubrir que la bicicleta, como la vida, no se trata de llegar antes o después de alguien, sino de hacer lo mejor que tu mismo puedes dar. Y por otro lado sentir la libertad de elegir uno mismo su propio camino, y descubrir que en si, lo más importante no es llegar, sino aprender a saborear el trayecto para llegar a la meta, que no es el final, sino simplemente el inicio de un nuevo reto. Ahí arriba de la bicicleta uno se puede conocer mas a uno mismo y por ende, conocer a los demás… no para tratar de lograr sacarles algo, sino junto con ellos, lograr una misma meta, que haga de todos, alguien mejor.
Hoy lo logre de nuevo, je je. Domingo a las 7 de la mañana logré despegarme de las sábanas y me vi rodando por las calles del sur de la ciudad rumbo al bosque de la Primavera, que por cierto, ya viene recuperándose después de la indolencia del gobierno que no fue capaz de apoyar a los brigadistas y a los encargados de su cuidado en el pasado gran incendio provocado, este apoyo vino de la ciudadanía, que no dudo en organizarse, recolectar víveres, pasar la voz y hacerlos llegar a los que estaban en la línea frontal, tratando de detener el avance del fuego, aun cuando este era avivado en momentos por traidores que indolentemente pretendían que el incendio continuara quien sabe bajo que motivos sin escrúpulos.
En esta ocasión disfrute, en general, de una apacible rodada. No hubo fotos esta vez, solo aquellas que se convierten en recuerdos aquí adentro de mi memoria, momentos congelados en quien sabe que parte de mi cerebro o mi cuerpo en general, imágenes mágicas que en ocasiones están detenidas, como esa liebre que se atravesó a mi paso. O ese instante en que con el apoyo involuntario de un desconocido al cual “le mordí llanta”, rompí mi record de subida al 8 ½ , ahora 14 minutos con 40 segundos. O esos momentos en que coincidí con otros tres ciclistas en un trecho de la ruta que sale de la Mosca y llega al Ángel, en donde yo los deje para enfilarme por esa subidilla que me depositaria al final del Espinazo, para entonces tomar el camino de regreso a casa. Así fue, sin fotos, pero igual puedo en esta ocasión compartir con ustedes el trazo de la ruta. 

Si quieres el archivo para verlo en Google Earth avisame y te lo mando por email....

Riding to my office

The bicycle as a way of seeing the life, it is also useful tool, so simple. When we say, "it is a lifestyle" ... sounds so trivial, that we don't realize the importance of what we say. The implications of becoming aware of those four words together, and the fact of the weight of those words should not require more essays or explanations, but let's continue...


The bicycle is a way to return us to a more human point of view of ourselves, a way to get closer to that really led us to make us human, men and women who know part of a whole larger than themselves and which  are part of that, we are not more nor less than the forest, the sea, the desert but are part of them. We are not above the fawn, pork or chicken, or below the great Orca or the Tiger but with them, we are part of a wonderful world, an environment which, in its own balance, is a miracle in the immensity of the universe.


I reached these thoughts when I rode one morning as others, while I taking my bike headed toward a day's work. Riding through the streets, listening to birds chirping... yes, even above the trills "run-run" of the dehumanizing car ... With all that, I rode into my office, for the crosswalk on the great congestion over the "highway (not speedway)". But my bike does not make me rise above the cars or the traffic, I'm not under the motorcycle goes in the opposite way or whom, in the desperation, hit's the horn even to the fly that dared to stop for a second in the windshield of the car.

My bike and I, we're part of this current mess, but we are the call of our own nature to return to the simple, to the human, to leverage our own ability to move at a pace that is not artificial and that eventually we will making the most of living here and now ... 


Greetings!