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!

Flying with wheels

Because I do not always have the time we want, 
Because it is sometimes necessary, delay any going out to the hills,
Because the priorities we have sometimes like to play occasional jokes,
Because until you thought that I had already fallen from my bike ...


No, I have not fallen off the bike, I keep riding in the street in my city, under the harsh sun that in recent weeks has worn and wants us not forget that he is still the master of this little corner of the galaxy ...


We keep riding, and I took part with 300 other riders and we enjoy a Sunday morning in the nearby mountain village of Mazamitla. If I win? of course! if I come first? Of course not!, but still I won, a great achievement in this 2012, my lungs up the cobbled streets of the dusty town and then gaps between oaks and pines.


Great downhills fulling my veins with adrenaline at the time our face filled with dust, but in the end, coming back to town and see how the patrols would step for me and my aluminum horse, to reach the goal and see my girl receiving me with a huge smile ... what else I can I ask?


I'll keep riding, because it is not just ride the bike, is to live my own life style!


Rogelio

Awaiting the green

Tom and Liz riding among blackened trees and ashes

Almost one month passed since the great fire in "La Primavera" Forest (April 22nd to 25th), the mobilization of civil society was awesome and very motivating, so much, that even the government wanted to join. Up came the president and promised to replant millions of trees ... well, I want to stay with it was simply because they are well meaning and not be ignorant of the processes actually needed to care for and restore a forest. It was a first impulse and as always, just looking flashy and get it right in the photo of the newspapers. But the reality is different. Gentlemen, before planting and pretend to cover the facts is necessary to return to the causes, both to punish the perpetrators (those who really lit the fire without being there), not the lady who wanted to present as environmental kills, but those who want win by destroying the earth. And is that before sending planting trees, you have to plant surveillance that prevents greedy real estate want, built new houses because there is not tree now. We must motivate to irregular houses and move people to areas where if they have services and can access the education they can live with better quality and productivity. Why not sell two or three houses of the mrs. Elba Esther?(Mexico female gangster, leader of teacher union) With that money you can easily set up a little town to re-locate a number of irregular ignorance and abuse of other gangsters (like her), make them settle in where they should not.

A few weeks ago the forest suffered, but the city came to his aid, I think the collective unconscious just discovered that without the forest, the city will die. I'll put other pictures I took last weekend, not to be sad or angry by powerlessness we all feel to see rising columns of smoke those days. They are photos that make us not forget that although we watered, we can also compose, it is necessary not only to stop being tuned, not to allow this, the gangsters want to take advantage and build houses where there had been trees. It is time to return to the forest their land, not the suburbs, not to individuals just waiting for us let's turn down the forest and put a tar road.

On Sunday we rode Tom, Liz and I through "La Mosca" trail and the "Garrison", the traditional route is there for about 20 years, I think the first real mountain path in the woods of "La Primavera" forest, and is impressive as the fire swept. Now it looks blackened, and the first impression is of sadness ... but we must not stop there, because in another few weeks I hope that even with the blow to the attractiveness of clouds, rain forest receives a well deserved rain and we will see the gratitude of the forest to the thousands who went to his aid, green back, reborn leaves, the ashes will be the bed for trees were saved not yet be the fertile soil of a new generation of trees and even stronger resistant, as this new generation of citizens in Guadalajara starting to emerge from the slumber of apathy and are now seeking ways to better support the creation of a new society, more human, closer to itself and the nature of which depend if we want to endure.

The traces of fire in the signs

Garrison downhill, today a sad trail that we must to see with hope of a new green

Arriving to the "Glorieta" one of the most affected zones, for sure one of the areas that will flourish at all in a few weeks.

Endless riding

The sun continues to rise, but this morning we have allies. Hundreds of trees are our escort while we shot the rise among the industrious little town of Los Reyes (state of Michoacan, map below) and the little villages of 18 de Marzo, La Palma and Zacán. Over 15 years, others like us have been crossing these forests, that voluntarily or not, share the land with avocado orchards and some pasture. 
The asphalt has taken its toll line and took a few meters, but at the nerve center is still the land itself which serves as a carpet, cover and sunscreen. Here we all shot each in its way, at times we push and other times, someone pull to us. The pack of cyclists is compacted or stretched like the tide. Come and enjoy shooting pain that strikes in our thighs, wrists and fingers, when we got the saddle to climb the step ... stretch the neck, and half-closing our eyes when a sunshine finds its way among the high branches of the pines that line the route. 


Our muscles squeeze the maximum torque to continue supporting the weight of effort to climband climb, inch by inch, mile by mile ... until we left the forest and continue up a bit more, seeing from far away the majestic Tancítaro mountain (pictured here below covered with clouds ...), master of the southern mountains, and his young lieutenant ... Paricutin volcano.

Here the map from far up over earth... to let you know approximately where is this epic trail....

Here is a link to google map... Point A is the Paricutin, you'll see Angahuan bit close to north and Los Reyes a little far to West...
Paricutin placemark

Transvolcano 2012... once more time

Again in the streets of Los Reyes, Michoacán, the colorful stained jerseys of riders coming from other states and the very heart of the Purepecha culture. The friendliness and camaraderie flow to the rhythm of pedaling dozens riders on their bikes, we undertake the challenge to ride the 40 miles between this city and Angahuan village, near the "baby" volcano, Paricutin. 

Many of us have rode 40 kilometers in a single trail, is not easy, especially when within that range, there is a unique climb that brings us from 1.300 mts over sea level to 2.200 mts over sea level in no more than 10 kms of the journey. It is up and up, is to think without thinking, is to concentrate without exhaustion. Energy is found in every corner of each of our muscles and keep going, we encourage each other that passes to us, is to echo these spirits and encourage us to ourselves, as in life itself. 

After 3 hours, we find the first trophy of this adventure, the arrival at the ruins of San Juan Parangaricutiro, buried in the birth of Paricutin volcano. Now at the side of tenacious temple that resisted the lava up the posts of some of the finest "quesadillas" that I had been tasted. Here we stopped to count the first details of this epicroute, we get to see other cyclists as we stopped to refuel and take the final leg to Angahuan, where more trophies we collected during the weekend,companionship, friendship, reunion with old friends, meet new, enjoy a cold beer that tastes heavenly after these 40 kilometers of enthusiasm, tenacity, endurance and self-conquest. We all left without medals achieved without economic bag claim, simply the fact of achieve improving ourselves, so Transvolcano always be the route that is made to enjoy!