by admin | Feb 1, 2019 | Local News / Bohol Balita, Sports
Technical climbs and rampage rated downhill sections with possibly painless ball-out sections if you are quick to roll into the tall grasses: these await the uninitiated into the KinatkataysaBinabaje, Alicia’s extreme cross country mountain biking challenge.
Set in the afternoon of February 24, the 35 kilometer race of epic proportion, is generously spiced up with punishing climbs into the tall hills of sitioBinabaje in Barangay Cambaol in Alicia town, and opens to age group competitors.
But just before you let go of that P400 registration, it just might be fair if you get forewarned about what to expect when you get on The Alicia Panoramic Park (TAPP) trails.
BUILD ON THE MUSCLE AND THE HEART
If you ever had joined a group trail ride and wondered how you humped and puffed while other whizz through, then you know what it is to climb faster, rip through the downhills and bunny hop on obstacles like they do.
That ain’t coming with your kind of training regimen.
You would have to invest in lots of riding, great fitness workouts and scratched bikes. So take on the trails at least four times a week and build on those heart muscles.
TAPP’s KinatkataysaBinabaje is a 35 kilometer 3 hour ride at least, so it would make sense if your designed training program fits the race distance. Or more.
Single day long rides or moderately long rides placed back to back in the remaining weeks should work on the muscle memory and the heart. Keep the intensity level high in short trail rides, and do not forget the recovery rides, that is where one heaps on the power level needed for the punishing trails.
And then train on steady endurance.
To do this, an occasional spin with the road bike will often do the trick.
If you noticed, mountain bike training plans are suited for the technical sections and agility, but seldom on the pace upkeep in a steady tempo. It is the big effort on short sections and then recovery and then big effort and recovery that does not help much. Sometimes, when the efforts is less than five minutes and you reward yourself with a stop at the peak of technical sections, it does not help a lot.
This is where a road bike spin will help you attain a strong endurance to hold a high intensity attack mode that must hold throughout the race.
BIKE HANDLING
KinatkataysaBinabaje is not your typical long climb and then recovery ride, but that is getting ahead of the story.
Binabaje and the entire Alicia extreme XC MTB is a juxtaposition of climbs and descents that knowing which gears to fit into your rig can be a make or break.
A 1x or 2x 11-46 or 50 fits on a niner or a 27.5, a 35 may be fine on a 26 frame, but it is not the cassette, it is the rider that matters.
The climbs here are arduous and a shift to a low gear may be the easiest and most painless way up the obstacles. Anticipate on the gear change and decrease the strain on the chains to shift to a gear that matches the terrain and the climb.
When climbing needs traction, by standing on, you may lose this grip, so leaning forward while staying seated could work much better.
Slide forward on the saddle or hunch over the handlebars to add more weight on the front wheel for added traction, this may just be better than dancing your bike and lose much energy on the skids.
KEEP PUMPING
And keep pumping, keep the pressure on, and don’t let up on those pedals, getting at least a speed over the uncomfortable. Do not overspin, because that will dent on your energy.
The downhill sections here equally demand full off and on saddle and keep off the temptation to grab on the brake levers as it could literally send you cart wheeling down the majestic slopes.
Find better judgment when you have the itch to grab on the levers. Downhill sections here are extreme, and expect the front wheels to skid if you over-brake on the front. The rear brakes should play here, making sure you’re shifting your weight to the rear to lend more traction.
Shift into the big chain ring on the downhill, at least a bumpy descent will keep the chain from bouncing off and the chain will cover the teeth of the big ring so it won’t bite into your leg.
RELAX AND ENJOY THE RIDE
Stay loose, keep from being rigid, don’t lock your elbows or clench your grip, let your hands act as an extra fork to absorb the shock, while your hands keep a firm controlled grip on the bars to keep things steady.
Most of the time, looking ahead and not on the front wheel allows you to steer better. Let your shoulders guide you through each turn and around each obstacle, but do not oversteer.
A good bike skill is to let the bike track the direction you are looking, while you shift and adjust on your leans, thinking only of the line to go.
WALK YOUR BIKE
Every decent dirt biker knows it is embarrassing to walk your bike when it has in the rig all the necessary gears to get you past that technical ascent.
But, a good judgment helps.
If you would swallow your pride and walk your bike than dance through the technical sections, an unwanted crash may sideline you for good and ruin your dream of finishing the race.
Moreover, a hard attack on a section that would deal so much on your energy reserves would better be good because many riders take so much time picking up from a fall than simply walking on the bike and get past the dangerous sections.
Just keep off the cameras.
STAND ON THE PEDAL AND RISE ABOVE THE SADDLE
Racing down bumpy, technical descents would be easier if you stand on the pedals and above the saddle, letting your legs and knees absorb the bumps.
While it may not be necessary, a dropper seat may help here.
Binabaje has a fair share of technical downhill sections that dropping your saddle 2-4 inches should lower your center of gravity, allowing you more space to dance with the bounce.
And yes, the pedals can get snagged in the undergrowth, so the front pedal should be a bit higher so it won’t catch on to something and toss you over the handlebars.
Keep your focus, concentration pays. If, in the ride, your thought strays, then so may your bike, into the long unwanted roll.
And yes, going into the roll could be the best way to get you up and running again. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
Either you use up all your energies to mount the hills or lower your pride and walk your bike, KinatkataysaBinabaje will have many instances when you have to pick between the two. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Feb 1, 2019 | Headlines
Enthused by the successes of the massive volunteer clean-up of the polluted bay in Metro Manila, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Visayas spearheads the simultaneous clean-up activity to kick off the river rehabilitation program in Central Visayas this month.
Set this February 22, Friday, the DENR has identified ten rivers in Central Visayas as venue for the envisioned massive volunteer clean-up activity, according to DENR Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales.
The DENR has identified Category B classified rivers in Cebu, Bohol, Negros and Siquijor for this.
Bohol Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Charlie Fabre, during the Capitol paid radio program Kita ug Ang Gobernador Friday, explained that category B rivers are those which have been identified with a certain degree of pollution where the coliform level is below the 100 most probable number (MPN) as determined by laboratory tests.
These include Bautanon River in Mandaue, Bulacao River in Bulacao and Luyang River in Luyang Carmen, in Cebu, Abatan River in Cortes, Wahig River in Inabanga and Manaba River in Garcia Hernandez in Bohol, Banica River in Valencia, Panam-angan River in Bais and Sicopong River in Santa Catalina in Negros Oriental as well as Señora River in Siqiijor.
In Central Visayas the state of our rivers is not a hopeless case, [but still] let us come together and prove that we can also make it happen,” said DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Gilbert C. Gonzales.
And while most river clean up events are initiated by government agencies, the DENR intends to gather as much volunteers and mobilize communities for the Visayas-wide events this time.
The activity is also in line with the Presidential directive to the DENR, which the secretary Roy Cimatu also followed up with a department order to strictly enforce Republic Act 9272 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
The activity kicks off the region-wide river rehabilitation and would involve community stakeholders, national government agencies, local government units, barangay officials, the academe, people’s organizations, environmental groups and other well-meaning groups with DENR as the lead agency.
In Bohol, interested groups can contact the PENRO at (038) 416-0151.
While in the past clean-ups, the DENR has not been as strict, this time, Gonzales said they are discouraging volunteer participants who use single use surgical gloves, black garbage bags and other clean-up materials that turn to be additional trash after each event.
The environment agency however suggest that volunteers wear appropriate personal protection: boots or shoes, gloves, hats, caps or headgear for sun protection and, tongs and used sacks as trash container.
Along with this, local officials including barangay officials where these mentioned rivers snake through are now asked to help coordinate volunteers for areas of assignment and future rehabilitation activities which they can implement, DENR sources said. (rahcPIA-7/Bohol)
Aerial View of the Abatan River from Over Bato, Cabawan, Maribojoc. The factory in the cackground has long ceased its operations but with communities now settled along the river, issues of cleanliness of the river have recently resurfaced. (PIABohol)
Aerial View of the Abatan River from Over Bato, Cabawan, Maribojoc. The factory in the cackground has long ceased its operations but with communities now settled along the river, issues of cleanliness of the river have recently resurfaced. (PIABohol)
by admin | Jan 29, 2019 | Headlines
Bohol tourism stakeholders expect more tourism arrivals here as a fascraft service that promises to take people to destinations fast and easy, opens up five daily routes at an introductory promotional fare to Bohol at P250.00.
Leading fast craft service provider in Bohol, Ocean Jet (OceanJet) Ferries Corporation made true its tagline of “taking you there, fast and easy,” as it opened its five daily boat trips from Pier 1 in Cebu City to Getafe Wharf in Bohol, January 24, vespers of the feast day of the town.
The newly opened fast craft route bodes well to the tourism and economic stakeholders in northeast Bohol as this establishes a new fast connection between Cebu and the sleepy towns here.
Already coming up with their own tourism products but are hard up with the facility of bringing in guests with the closest port in Tubigon, over 30 kilometers away, the new trip cuts the travel time from Cebu to Getafe by slow boat by half and adds up five trips to the 10 already established trips served by Clemer Shipping and another fast craft service: Star Craft.
With its inaugural trip January 24, Ocean Jet offers no business class only tourist class for P250.00, some P40 more than the slow boats serving the route.
Ocean jet trips to Cebu’s pier 1 from Getafe wharf starts at 6:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:15 PM and 6:15 PM, all trips to Cebu in an hour-long of comfort and style.
Pier 1 to Getafe starts at 8:15 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM for the last trip, sleeping Getafe.
Meanwhile, the newly opened Oceanjet routes complement the already present conncetion between Getafe and Cebu.
Boat trips from Getafe to Pier 1 therefore are the following: 5:00 Am (Clemer), 6:15 AM (Clemer), 6:30 (OceanJet), 7:00 AM (Clemer), 7:30 (StarCrafts), 9:30 (Oceanjet and Clemer), 10:30 (StarCrafts and Clemer), 12:00 noon (Clemer), 12:30 (OceanJet), 3:00 PM (Clemer), 3:15 (OceanJet), 5:00 PM (Starcrafts) and 6:15 (OceanJet).
From Cebu’s Pier 1, trips to Getafe are the following: 6:00 Am (StarCrafts), 6:30 AM (Clemer), 7:30 AM (Clemer), 8:15 AM, (OceanJet), 9:00 AM (StarfCrafts and Clemer), 10:30 AM (Clemer), 11:00 AM, (OceanJet), 12:00 noon Clemer, 1:30 PM (Clemer), 2:00 PM (OceanJet), 3:00 PM (Clemer), 3:30 PM (StarCrafts), 5:00 PM (OceanJet and 8:00 PM (OceanJet).
The new trips place tourists in close proximity to Danao, about 20 kilometers away, where legendary hero Francisco Dagohoy put up his defenses against the Spaniards in his century led revolt in Danao.
Danao Bohol’s Eco Extreme Adventure Tour (EAT) packages in the Suislide, notably the country’s highest and longest zipline, the Plunge, yet the Philippine’s tallest and only canyon swing, spelunking, rubber tubing, whitewater kayak, cliff climbing and rappel, wall climbing and buggy rides.
It also opens up to Getafe’s Banacon Island, Asia’s largest mangrove reforestation project, Handumon’s seahorse reserves, premier bird watching sites and tropical island get-aways.
About 10 kilometers from Getafe port is Buenavista’sCambuhat River Community tours which feature the oysters, green crabs, blue crabs, shrimps, and the buri traditional products,
About 20 kilometers to the southwest is Inabanga and its interesting loom-weaving traditions, souvenir baskets, river tours, gardens, and island hopping destinations.
About 20 kilometers to the east is Talibon with its notable sandbars, island hopping destinations, sustainable marine and coastal law enforcement practices, seafoods markets, and agricultural tours.
The new route also opens possibilities for the tourism destinations in Trinidad Batongay Caves, Kawasan Falls, Dive Bien Unido’s underwater grotto, island hopping, Ubay’sAgri tourism Parks and Alicia’s Panoramic Park.
A new tourism product: East Bohol, is now on the test run and features eco-treks, glamorous camping, sunrise-sunsets, falls, lakes, rivers and community immersion tours. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
NEW ROUTE TO ADVENTURE TOURS.OceanJet opens up the possibility of extreme eco-adventure tours in Danao, Bohol’s extreme adventure capital.
GETAFE’S BANACON ISLAND TOURSfeature mangrove planting, kayaking, birdwatching, island hopping and seafoods feasts.
by admin | Jan 28, 2019 | Headlines
A Filipino American triathlete who ruled the previous Timex triathlon here is among the big names the country is looking at, as the Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) opens its inaugural Philippine qualifiers to the New York Cycling Marathon in Bohol January 27.
ArlandMacasieb, elite triathlete based in New Jersey along with a good number of promising Filipino speedsters on pedals and Lycra, would be bringing the name of the Philippines as the locals crank it out against 400 other cyclists from 14 countries joining the inaugural mass start GFNY race from the Pavillion of the Bellevue Hotel in Panglao and off to mainland Bohol.
Already rated as among the region’s international greats, Macasieb and a horde of local cyclists can only use the familiarity of the course as their ace on the sleeves, as the best of the best GFNY races in the region have descended here to take a spin at that prestigious front corral in the GFNY world event in May.
Macasieb who has been competing internationally, however, is coming to Bohol with a new excitement: to realize the goal of bringing the international GFNY brand to the Philippines.
Macasieb said the green and GFNY black jerseys are ubiquitous in the NYC area and I know the GFNY series is global with events in our neighboring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia. Coming to the Philippines was the next logical step.
Although admitting that bringing an inaugural event in a place would be tough, Fluhme cited the birth pangs, but nevertheless, they were still able to generate over 400 bikers from 14 countries.
Basically a personal endurance challenge where athletes compete against others, the clock and yourself, the GFNY in Bohol also puts the chance for local cyclists to qualify for a front corral start at the GFNY World Championship in NYC this May, 2019.
Since 2010 when GFNY envisioned the bike race until May, when it started its races at the iconic George Washington Bridge in New York, the gran fondo has maintained its characteristics as a mass start race with an individual chip timing from start to finish, and since this means racing against the self, the race ensures closed roads or police moderated traffic so cyclists would need not stop during the race.
GFNY president Lidia Fluhme said since 2014 when GFNY first held its world event in Italy, the race has transformed into the world’s largest cycling marathon series with 20 events held in Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Portugal Uruguay, the USA and the Philippines.
Upon invitation of the Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board and Susan del Mundo, tourism attache in New York, GFNY came to the Philippines and immediately considered Bohol, Fluhme bared.
ForMacasieb who came to Bohol for the GFNY route ocular inspection, he said Bohol will always have a special place in his heart.
“I won the inaugural Timex 226 Iron distance triathlon there back in 2011. The roads in Bohol are nice with awesome views and low traffic,” he said.
“There is light traffic and there is a great scenery, warm people and the community support is always evident,” another GFNY registered racer who had his race course familiarization, said on Friday.
Fluhme who finished Hawaii triathlon 7 times and who races with her husband, also explained: GFNY is not just a race. It is families bonding, and the presence of various destinations here, Bohol is an ideal vacation hideaway for the family of the bikers.
In Bohol for the first time as it is in the Philippines, GFNY in Bohol features a race for the long route which is 144KM and includes 1611 meters of climbs where only the finishers of are given category rankings and overall as well as podium awards.
From these, top ten of the age categories are qualified for the race corral at the GFNY world event.
Also open is the medium course of 66 kilometers and 554 meters of climb.
Featuring chip timing system, the race put in chips in every competitor, which by radio frequency identification system, can be read as the bikers pass close to a proximity sensor which records their time.
As to the Bohol hosting the race, local authorities including the DOT, TPB, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zones Authority, Bohol Provincial Government and Bellevue Hotels have organized coordination meetings with LGUs especially those within the race course to assure the safety and security of the race.
We have seen the LGUs work and we are excited at the way they are helping us, Fluhme told media during a press conference Friday.
Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto, who admitted he had no second thoughts about hosting the event.
In fact, with the GFNY here, organizers are already planning for another race in September, here in Bohol.
Boholanos are very excited, be assured that we are more than willing to host the next event, Chatto bared. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Jan 27, 2019 | Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd district) favors the use of nuclear energy – but only after a thorough study.
Aumentado aired this position during a recent meeting with House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The solon expressed his support for the bill proposing to use nuclear energy provided that all safety measures are put in place.
He said a thorough study must be made by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Energy (DOE) on the nuclear power models of the United States and Japan, among others, before attempting to repair, retrofit and use the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
On the local scene, he observed, power in Bohol is getting expensive. He said this is because of the strides in infrastructure development brought on by President Rodrigo Duterte’s thrust of “build, build, build”.
Bohol still depends to a large extent on power from Cebu. But, Aumentado said, this may not be for long because Cebu’s power demand is also increasing – at a rate bigger than Bohol – the former being already industrialized.
The price of power will inevitably become more and more expensive, he said. The Philippines’ chance of finding sustainable and stable energy comes in nuclear power, he continued.
However, Aumentado warned, while DOST may be supportive of nuclear power, it should not push to the back burner the concerns on the environment. Development of nuclear power must be consistent, especially with the province’s goal of protecting the environment and the lives of the people.
When operational, Bataan can easily provide from 500 to 1,000 megawatts of power. This can give more elbow room – sufficient and sustainable energy – for even more infrastructure development.
Aumentado said his support for nuclear energy comes from the realization that continued coal mining and fossil fuel use will only deplete resources and destroy the environment, he concluded.
