[1117] Car Restomod Ideas

I've written about this before but I want to write about it again. If I do come up with the funds to buy and restomod a car I will have the following priorities: safety, reliability, and practicality.

Safety. This involves making sure the electricals, brakes, seatbelts, chassis, air bags, and other related things I can't remember, are in great condition. This means at least making sure the brakes are in great condition with no leaks in the brake lines. Maybe even upgrade the brake lines and refresh the calipers and other components. It could also mean replacing the wiring harness and electrical components with new ones. Costly yes, but crucial to make sure the car will be able to protect the riders.

Reliability. The engine, transmission, and other important components should be problem free. Could include having to overhaul the engine and transmission, specially after all the stuff we've experienced with our 2001 Rav4. Replace all fluids and make sure everything is in tip top condition.

Practicality. At my age my idea of a practical car is a relatively small, spacious, and fuel-efficient car (like my main dream practical car, a Honda Jazz gen 2). Also included in being a practical car is the creature comforts so having a reliable AC and a "modern" head unit, so Android Auto and Apple Car Play ready head unit. I'd also love to add roof rails that can carry a cargo box or bike rack.

And that's it. I do want to add "performance" mods. Stuff that aren't practical but will hopefully scratch my car guy itch. Things like adjustable coilovers so I can raise the ride height by two or three centimeters. A carbon fiber hood to lighten the car and make it more fuel efficient. LED bulbs for most lights, excluding the headlights. Fog lamps, both front and rear, for those really dark and low vis situations.

Out.

[1116] A Much Needed Break

In the next two or so weeks I'll be taking a holiday from my job. I think this is the perfect time to rest, unwind, and just break my routine.

I'm hoping this break will both get me motivated again as well as re-invigorating me to my current job. I'm pretty tired and excited for this much needed break. I still don't know what I plan to do, aside from celebrating the holidays.

So here we go. Hopefully this break will be fruitful.

Out.

[1115] Initial D

I've recently started re-watching Initial D and am now up to the 4th Stage (aka Season 4). It's interesting to watch it again through a set of eyes that have a different perspective in life since I first watched it around twenty years ago.

I still stand by my opinion that Initial D would have been more epic had Takumi lost a few races. You can argue he "lost" some races when his car broke down against Emperor's Sudo and his Evo 3. Or when his father, Bunta, outraced him on the Subaru Impreza WRX STi. That really doesn't count for me either.

Takumi is too much of a Mary Sue (or a Marty Stu as a friend terms male overpowered characters). I think it would have made him more human and more relatable if he lost some races and used those losses to grow as both a street racer and as a character.

However his wins have been heavily influenced by "divine intervention" so to speak. Accidents to the opponents or surprise road obstacles always lead them to slow down or give Takumi the opportunity to pull off a really amazing overtaking maneuver.

I still enjoy it and I guess re-watching this will get me excited for the second season of MF Ghost.

Out.

[1114] Tong Yang Review

My wife, daughter, and myself had lunch yesterday with my in-laws at Tong Yang's One Ayala branch. I must say, I was very happy eating there.

Tong Yang, basically, is an all-you-can-eat hot pot/grill buffet. Your table has individual induction stoves and one big centralized grill in the middle. You get your ingredients from a buffet table and cook them. You have different choices of what broth you want for your soup base.

It's basically a complete meal in the restaurant. Aside from the ingredients for the grill and hot pot, you also have some choices of sushi rolls, some cooked side dishes like vegetable, pancit, and rice, and you also have different desserts. There were also cold fruit drinks, beer, and coffee available.

Price was relatively affordable at around PhP878 per person, excluding taxes and service charge (I think, I didn't pay).

Would I eat there again? Sure, I enjoyed the experience and since I got what I wanted to eat I feel that I got my money's worth of food. However, I also realize that at my age I'm not really the type to "enjoy" all-you-can-eat places since I don't really like eating that much anymore,

Out.

[1113] Random Filler Post

Nothing new to blog, I've been relatively busy lately. I'm trying to wrap things up as the Christmas and New Year break is approaching.

I need a break, and not necessarily a vacation. I need to break the monotony of my daily routine and I have no idea how or what to do.

I'm hoping I can ride my bike during Christmas week. Hopefully less cars on the road and more time for me to go out and just face my fears. We shall see.

One thing I need to maintain are my morning exercises. I need to keep doing them because my portion control for eating is really gone at the moment. I know I'm making excuses but my discipline and willpower really aren't strengths of mine.

Out.

[1112] New Bike Build

So I mentioned I have a new dream bike frame in a recent post, the Ritchey Outback Break-away frame that you can disassemble and store a lot easier for travel. Here's my latest gravel/all-road bike build list, including some explanation why I chose these parts. Take note that since you can disassemble the frame this bike will be using cable actuated brakes (and shifting since I'm not a hardcore cyclist who can see the value in wireless shifting).

I'll be adding the price of the product as of today.

1. Frameset, Ritchey Outback Break-away USD 2399. On sale for USD 1999. Like I said, the biggest reason I'm liking this frame now is because it's collapsible and thus easier to pack for travel. Not that I travel. Based on their website my size would be small because I subscribe to Bikefit James' thinking of getting one size smaller. If not, medium is my recommended frame size. Though at my age, flexibility, and proportions small might be safer. I can always buy longer stems and seat posts but I can't shrink a bigger frame.
2. Wheelset, Mavic Allroad Disc USD 350. On sale for USD 294.98. I was originally thinking of getting the Allroad S but that only has the centerlock option for brake rotors. I'd rather have six bolt locking. The 23mm inner rim width would be more than enough to handle the tires I want.
3. Tires, Panaracer Gravel King SK USD 65 each, I think. I'm a fan of Panaracers. I'm not a gravel racer. I just want to ride a bike with a tire capable of handling both road and off-road. 35mm width would be a good balance for road and off-road, I think. With tan sidewalls.
4. Inner tubes, Tubolity X-Tubo-CX/Gravel-All USD 26.40. Tubeless set up is pricey and needs constant maintenance. I rarely ride my bike so it's not practical to go tubeless. Tubolitos will hopefully be durable enough to avoid flats.
5. Handlebar, Salsa Cowchipper USD 55. 38mm Cowchipper gives me a relatively narrow top with a flared drop that's wider than the Salsa Cowbell.
6. Stem and seatpost, Redshift ShockStop Suspension System USD USD 333.98 - USD 463.96. One of my "luxury" components simply because I'd like to have some form of suspension should I go through patches of bumpy surfaces. I think the Redshift system would be enough for me. I would most likely need a shim for the handlebar if I read the Cowchipper's specs right.
7. Brake calipers, TRP HY/RD flat mounts USD 149.99. I was also considering the Yokozuna Ultimo but they're almost, or over double the price of the TRP. Plus like I said, I don't ride that fast so this should be fine.
8. Brake rotors, Shimano RT66 6-bolt 160mm USD 29.99. On sale USD 23.99. Stopping is important but honestly I think these will do.
9. Groupset, Microshift Sword 1x10 no price on their website. Ideally 165 mm cranks, 42T chainring, and 11/48 cassette. I saw one being sold locally for PhP 19,500. That one though has 170 mm cranks, 40T chainring, and 11/48 cassette.
10. Pedals, Shimano PD-T421 USD 80. This might be a good compromise between a flat pedal and a clipless pedal. It doesn't look too flashy and might pass for a normal plastic flat pedal.
11. Cleats, Shimano SM-SH56 SPD Multi-release Cleat w/o Cleat Nut USD 19. Of course you'd need Shimano cleats to work with the pedals.
12. Saddle, Ritchey WCS Cabrillo Saddle USD 100. From the bike fitters I follow I do know that Selle Italia saddles are their go-to. But as far as I know they're expensive. So hopefully the Cabrillo will do. It does seem shorter than my saddle now but hopefully it is more than enough.

And there you go. A more detailed bike build that basically covers everything you need for a functioning bike. I'm not including accessories like bike lights, bottle cages, and bags.

Out.

[1111] New Dream Bike Frame

You read it here first. I have yet again changed my mind on what my dream bike frame is. This time it's back to Ritchey and their Ritchey Outback Break-away frame.

Why the Outback Break-away? Well, the biggest reason would be portability. It's already designed to be collapsible. It comes with its own carrying case that doesn't look like a bike carrying case, and it's a Ritchey Outback similar to my earlier dream bike frame. Only this time, you can dismantle the frame for easier transport.

This would lessen the need for having a rear or roof mounted bike rack. You would just need to disassemble the bike and keep it in the case and put it in either the trunk or second row of your vehicle. I've seen a few videos how to disassemble the bike. It looks challenging but probably worth it in the event I need to travel with my bike.

The biggest downside to this would be the price. It's currently priced as USD 2399 for the frame set alone. I'd need to spend even more to get other components like the groupset, brakes, handlebars, wheelset, tires, and so many other things.

However that doesn't mean I can't dream, right? I may just make another blog post with a more detailed build centered around the Ritchey Outback Break-away.

Out.

[1110] Highly Improbable Christmas Wishlist

Obviously a filler blog post, but still somewhat relevant. Christmas is just around the corner and here's a list of things I'd want to have, but I doubt I can receive as a gift. Simply because they're either too expensive or too hard to find. Mostly the former. So here we go.

1. A nice two-bedroom condominium unit with two car parking slots. I've been doing a lot of browsing for condominium units here in Metro Manila and currently the best bang for the buck location I can think of that is relatively closer to where my wife works and where my daughter studies is some location in Pasig. Pasig units are around 50 sq m or so for the same price as a 40 sq m or so unit in Makati or BGC, and this is a big reason why I think Pasig is the way to go. I just don't know how bad traffic is going to and from the place.
2. Another car. Yes, we already own a Toyota Wigo G. Number coding is still in effect here in Metro Manila and I think we still need a relatively bigger car for road trips and when the Wigo can't be used. I've already blogged about options, and they still haven't changed. My dream choices are either the Toyota Avanza 1.5 G CVT (because spacious, relatively affordable, and fuel efficient), the Toyota Zenix 2.0 Q Hybrid CVT (because hybrid), and possibly the Honda BR-V VX CVT (because Honda, similar size to the Avanza, and looks nice).
3. A new, custom gravel bike built to my specs. I'd rather not blog about this now but I do want a more modern gravel bike using through axles and the more well-known brands. This also makes my current bike a full-time bike trainer. On that note.
4. If I can't get a new bike then one of those smart bike trainers would be nice. Maybe I can afford a Zwift subscription or one of the other well known virtual bike apps. It might help me spend longer times on the bike trainer.

That's it actually. Just stuff I know I can't afford, and stuff that's basically a luxury and not a need.

Merry Christmas.

Out.

[1109] The Weather

During November the Philippines has been, or will be, hit by six typhoons. We've been fortunate enough that Metro Manila hasn't been hit dead on by the typhoons passing the Philippines.

That doesn't mean all is good, since other places in the country are suffering from strong winds and huge amounts of rainfall. The place where I studied, Naga in Camarines Sur, had already been devastated by Typhoon Kristine (international name Trami) earlier in November and is also feeling the effects of the current typhoon known locally as Pepito.

So far based on news reports I've read it's mostly been the Bicol Region and the northern Luzon areas being hit by the typhoons. Apparently, based on the first link, the increase in the number of typhoons is because of global warming.

As I grow older these things become more anxiety inducing since I do worry about the safety of my family, as well as the safety of friends and of course material things. Hopefully everyone can stay as safe as possible.

Out.

[1108] "Toy Car"

I know it's stupid to own a "toy car" (aka project car) when I can barely afford taking care of one car. I still want one, and it doesn't hurt to dream.

So with that being said, I've always blogged about a Japan surplus kei van. Chatting with my friend, who also happens to be a car guy like me, always brings me back to reality. For the price of a Japan surplus Suzuki Every specced out to my preferences it would probably be more practical to get a used, locally sold car that I like.

Cars like the gen 1 or gen 2 Honda Jazz, the gen 2 Toyota Yaris, heck even the Suzuki Swift. Notice I'm still looking for a "small car" to own. Because that's probably the best I can afford if I could save up another batch of money for a car.

I have checked out different cars on FB Marketplace. I was seriously considering the old Toyota Echo Verso (aka Yaris Versso) that was briefly sold here in the Philippines in the early 2000s. I just don't know how other people can still own twenty-plus year old cars without them having major issues like what's going on with our 2001 Toyota Rav4 now. Maybe it's because we never did proactive maintenance and only did oil changes, I honestly have no idea.

Anyway, yeah. I still want a small hatchback to be my toy car if I can ever afford to buy and maintain one properly.

Out. 

[1107] Really Crazy Japan Surplus Idea Part X

In an older blog post I wrote about basically transplanting the innards of a Japan surplus kei van into an existing body of a locally sold Suzuki Super Carry. Well now I have yet another crazy idea.

It basically involves buying a Japan surplus DA17 Suzuki Every Van. Then adding a roll cage.

That's basically it. To compensate for the structural integrity. Though I've seen an FB reel/Tiktok video saying there are different classes of Japan surplus kei vans so I guess the higher the class the less the structural integrity is affected?

Anyway it's just that. Buy a higher class Japan surplus Suzuki Every Van (or Wagong depending on budget and preference) and add a roll cage inside or outside. And yes, it is a crazy idea.

Out.

[1106] I Am My Own Worst Enemy

As I grow older, and watch lots and lots of motivational videos (whether accidentally or intentionally) on social media, I come to the hard conclusion that I am my own worst enemy.

Some videos say that it is up to yourself to control how you feel and how you respond to your day-to-day situation. Sad to say I am very much a negatron. I am aware of this and I am doing my best to improve, though.

I do try to change perspectives and find something that'll make me improve my thinking, but it is a daily challenge. There are days I can overcome it, and being human, there are days I cannot. I guess that is normal. What I'm trying to build upon is to consistently try not to be frustrated and not be so emotionally reactive. Take a chill pill, Will, as I used to say in high school.

Out.

[1105] Breaking Routines

I took the week off to relax. However I wouldn't be doing anything too different from my normal routine. Sure I went out to get my physical exam one day, and then I went with my wife and daughter to get the latter's braces adjusted another. But aside from that it was just me "vegetating at home."

Until today. Halloween would have an event where trick-or-treating kids would pass by the house and we would give some treats. My wife volunteered. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate so the organizers decided to have it held in the village's covered court. They asked us to bring our treats there which I did.

I was not expecting them to ask us to have someone help distribute, and in a very impulsive and unexpected turn of events, I volunteered.

So I spent an hour or so hanging out and giving out our treats. There was supposed to be a second round after some magic show and other stuff in the program but honestly I was sort of bored already and so I decided to head home.

So did I break my routine? Yes. Normally I'd be hanging out at home. Or in today's case, hanging out at home handing out treats. Instead I went out and did something I don't normally do.

It felt sort of good, I enjoyed the short time I was there. And at least I did something different.

Out.

[1104] The Honda Jazz

I think it is safe to say that the Honda Jazz (specifically the second generation, or GE) has now overtaken the Volkswagen Super Beetle / Classic Beetle as my top one dream car. And here are the reasons why.

• Comfort. The Jazz is bigger, has four doors, has air conditioning, and also probably has a more comfortable suspension set up than the Super Beetle. Getting in and out of the Jazz is also easier for everyone because of the four doors, and I'm guessing rear leg room is better as well. Yes the Jazz may be bigger, but compared to the current SUVs driving around Metro Manila it is still a small, compact, practical car.
• Safety. Air bags alone make this is a safer car, add in the fact that the Jazz probably has a better crumple zone than the Super Beetle and it's pretty obvious why.
• Practicality. I can still see Honda Jazz driving around Metro Manila more often than I do classic Beetles, and I rarely see a Super Beetle. I'm guessing this means repairing the Jazz may be a lot easier and cheaper because of availability of parts and more mechanics being more familiar with them. Add to this the fact that the Jazz may just have better fuel economy over the Beetle. Oh and let's not forget the Honda Jazz's Magic Seats.
• Modifiability. I still want to retro mod my car, and just like the Super Beetle I do have stuff planned out. It's not as extreme as the Super Beetle, because of modern tech and safety, but I still have plans. Like better suspension that I can lift up by 2 or 3 cm. Then upgrade the in car entertainment to an Android Auto ready head unit, improve the speakers, and finally upgrade the rims. Possible upgrade interior and exterior lights (except headlights and fog lamps) to LED bulbs, and also upgrade the headlights and fog lamps to better focused lights. A lot less mods than the Super Beetle for sure.

And those are the reasons why the Honda Jazz GE is now my top dream car.

Out.

[1103] Japan Surplus

My curiosity is slowly drifting back to Japan surplus kei vans. Earlier this month I made a blog post about my crazy (and possibly stupid) idea of using a locally sold Suzuki Carry and swapping the engine, suspension, and whatever you can swap into it.

Then I saw a reel on Facebook featuring a version of the Suzuki Every Van/Wagon. The person/s who made the reel gave very honest answers about what to expect with Japan surplus vehicles and I was totally appreciative of the fact that they set expectations properly.

They even mentioned where they got their vehicle from and the re-seller is based in Cavite, which is pretty close to Metro Manila. The seller's FB page featured a few nice looking builds of different Every Van/Wagons including DA64s and DA17s. Plus they even mentioned on their page that they aren't accepting orders now because of the number of orders they are currently processing.

I honestly can't afford one yet, nor am I sure if I really want to risk getting one. I do like how small, practical, and spacious an Every Van is. So I will keep my interest in kei vehicles and hope that eventually Japan will decide to sell them to other countries, and hopefully even have them built in left-hand drive.

Anyway, there are two different kei vehicles I would love to own at the moment. One is the van setup, and the other is the truck setup. I'm guessing the van can do what I plan to do with the truck, while still having seating for at most three people.

I really want a small, fuel efficient, practical vehicle I can load my bike in and bring to different places. That was my idea for the kei truck, create a custom bike rack for the bed and possibly add some secure, lockable storage as well. The Suzuki Every Van can still fit a bike in the rear and not need lockable storage. I would probably just have to fold the seat on one side so I can still get two passengers and my bike inside.

Out.

[1102] Kitchen Appliances

I'd like to make a list of kitchen appliances I'd love to have. I most likely will not give a brand since I have no idea what brands are good, so if I do share links it will be because I'm showing you what the appliance looks like. So here we go, in no particular order.

• A rice cooker. I'd love to own one of those high tech rice cookers, but even the most basic rice cooker can do a lot of things aside from cooking rice. You can steam in them and you can cook those rice cooker meals that became famous in different social media channels.
• An air fryer/oven combo. I am now an air fryer believer. I've eaten different food cooked in an air fryer and if it is indeed a healthier option then I am all for it. Plus having it be a combination oven then even better because you can toast bread, bake cakes, and do other things with this appliance. I can even make sandwiches here instead of using a panini press grill.
• A single induction cooker. Combine this with the two appliances I wrote above and you have a pretty good set of cooking appliances. This can be used for other things you can't cook in the rice cooker nor the air fryer. Make soups, stews, and fry stuff that will taste even better fried in oil.
• A microwave oven. Here's my grand vision: meal prep food every Sunday using all the appliances above. Store them in individual plastic containers and keep them in the freezer. Reheat with the microwave oven. So basically the microwave will serve as a defroster and a re-heater.
• A blender. I think this is more needed than a food processor since you can make shakes and smoothies with this. Yes you won't be able to mince and julienne ingredients with this but at least you can make shakes and smoothies.

And those are, so far, the kitchen appliances I would love to have.

Out.

[1101] Exercise

So I think it was a youtube video I watched where they said if you weren't feeling sore then your workout wasn't really gaining anything from your workouts. And honestly I've felt that way about almost any of my exercises since when I'm done I don't feel sore or anything.

It can be frustrating at times but then I need to remember what my goal is with my exercise, which is to hopefully maintain my fitness level and improve it a bit so I can have a nice health span.

Lately though I have been feeling sore. My hamstring and glute is sore, and I have no idea if it was because of the intermittent jog I did or the kettlebell complexes I do. Maybe it's a combination of both.

All I know is I've decided to bring back my reps in my kettlebell complex to 5 per exercise but I need to do at least four sets per workout. Movements should be slow and controlled and none of the explosive movements.

Then I did a 3km jog, and that's when I felt my right hamstring get sore, as well as my right glute.

Hopefully that just means the body parts are getting stronger.

Out.

[1100] Bike Build Idea

This one isn't as wild as a long tail cargo bike build, it'll be a "normal" drop bar bike build. So here we go.

I just watched Path Less Pedaled's video about Growtac's friction drop bar shifters. This basically means it's a "one size fits all" type of brifter than can accommodate any speed derailleurs. And this is where my crazy idea comes in.

I want those brifters. So I can "just" buy any RD and I won't have to replace the brifters. That's it.

I also want to own Growtac's Equal mechanical brake calipers, but man are they expensive.

Then add bike racks for bikepacking from Old Man Mountain.

Out.

[1099] Crazy Restomod Idea

So I've blogged a couple of times already about how I would love to restomod a classic VW Beetle. Well, this post won't be about a classic Beetle.

I got this idea recently when my mind was once again wandering and I was daydreaming of crazy car builds. So here's my idea.

I'll buy an old, locally sold Suzuki Super Carry minivan. The one sold here locally, based on a really quick Wikipedia search, was the eight generation. This guarantees that the base is indeed built for left-hand drive countries.

Here's where it gets fun. I then get one of those Japan surplus Suzuki Every van. As is. Then I have the experts strip everything and transplant it to the local Suzuki Carry. I'm not sure what can and can't be transferred, but hopefully the engine, transmission, drivetrain, and brakes can be transferred.

The wiring harness I'm not so sure if it can be transferred, but if it can hopefully it'll be wired for left-hand drive steering wheels where the wipers are on the right stalk and the light controls are on the left stalk. That's it.

Seats front and rear can be refurbished and improved from whatever seats are available and comfortable. Interior sounds should be the latest Android Auto and Apple Car Play ready head units with good quality speakers. Maybe even a nice amp if it can fit somewhere.

All the lights, both interior and exterior, should ideally be LED already and bright but not blinding for the headlights. Ideally add a bull bar in front so I can also have some fog lamps installed.

As for the rear, definitely adding a rear LED chase light bar on top of the rear hatch, hopefully having a custom built JDM looking spoiler on top of that. We can also probably add a step-ladded to climb up the roof, where a roof rack will also be installed.

Basically I just want an old Suzuki Carry with modern stuff so it won't be underpowered and hopefully be road trip ready.

Out.

[1098] 2024 Toyota Wigo G CVT

My family recently purchased a brand new 2024 Toyota Wigo G CVT. These are the reasons why we chose to get this vehicle.

• Practicality. We needed a car that could bring my wife and daughter to where they needed to go everyday. The car can seat four adults, or five but tight. It has enough trunk space to hold the usual stuff you bring to school and/or work.
• Fuel efficiency. So far the Wigo has been averaging around 10 - 11 km/L of fuel every week. This includes four work days, and it only usually doesn't go out on its number coding day. This is way better than our old 2001 Toyota Rav4 that usually averages around 6 km/L of fuel. That's almost double the distance you can travel on one liter of gas.
• Reliability. The "newest" car we previously had was 2011. The Rav4 was starting to break down (issues included replacing ignition coils and a refurbishment of the transmission). We needed a car that we would be confident wouldn't have surprise issues any time.
• Price. The Wigo G sells for PhP729k. I originally wanted the Wigo E which goes for PhP684k but since this was a family decision we decided on the higher spec model. No regrets. Except the color for me personally. Technically we were fine with the Wigo E but since the only color available was yellow it was only me who wanted it. We settled for grey metallic for the Wigo G. Again, it's a family decision.

Now you may be wondering why not just go for a used car? To be honest I was also looking at used cars and I was seriously considering getting one. However, the biggest reason why I chose not to get a used car is fuel efficiency. Yes I could have gotten a bigger vehicle with the same budget. However the vehicles I was looking at all had relatively poor fuel consumption. Some got 7 - 8 km/L which is still better than the Rav4, but not as efficient as the Wigo. And currently with fluctuating prices of gasoline I'd rather get the most efficient vehicle we could afford.

Then the available cars at my budget were a wee bit too old for my taste, usually seven years or older. If I looked at smaller cars, around Wigo or Vios sized, then to be honest it was still, at least for me, the better bang for the buck to go with a brand new car.

Finally, why didn't I go with the Suzuki S-Presso or the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback? Well for the former it was a safety thing. The Wigo is rated 4-stars while the S-Presso is rated at only 3-stars. The Mirage is just way more expensive than the Wigo and I'm not sure how okay Mitsubishis are.

So there you have it.

Out.

[1097] Jogging

My good friend Ferds recently told me that some people do 3:1 interval jogging when they train. That basically means doing 3 minutes of jogging (or running) and 1 minute of walking. Earlier today I decided to try it out.

Unfortunately for me I think I set the timer wrong so I only did one set of the 3:1 interval training. Not wanting to ruin my session I decided to just do distance based intervals. So I picked four spots in my route where I would start jogging and stop jogging. I also made sure that my jog sectors would be longer than my walk sectors so that I can still count my work out as a jog on Strava.

Anyway I was able to do 3 laps, a little over 3km. Which is one whole lap farther than my last jog session. And I will attribute it to the intervals. Getting a walk sector or two per lap helped me recover so I could jog farther. So I guess moving forward this is what I'll be doing when I go jogging.

Out.

[1096] Bike Musings

This will be a train of thought blog post.

I really miss riding my bike, but I'm still too scared to brave the public roads. Too many motorcyclists and cars who may or may not respect cyclists.

Aside from that, I haven't ridden longer than two to three kilometers lately so the stamina is gone. I definitely need to start using the trainer again just to get my legs and stamina back.

Speaking of which, I still want to get a new, tubeless ready wheelset for my bike and most likely a better made 11-50T cassette. I also want to try getting 165mm crank arms and a newer, better saddle.

Out.

[1095] My Thoughts on EVs and Hybrids

Honestly at this moment I'm leaning more towards hybrids. I have two main reasons why.

There isn't a great charging infrastructure in the Philippines for fully electric vehicles. There are some mall parking areas that offer slots for EV charging, and I believe there are some gasoline stations that do offer EV charging as well. But I have no idea how many there are, how fast it takes to charge EVs, and how much it costs to charge them.

Hybrids will still have better range for out-of-towns. You still have an internal combustion engine. You can still fill up at gas stations, which are basically everywhere. With the range of a hybrid you have a good chance of making it to a gasoline station almost anywhere you go.

Plus I've read about Toyota's 1:60:90 rule. In terms of resource usage it might still be more environmentally sustainable to build hybrids at this moment.

Out.

[1094] Bicycles

So I'm currently curious about do-it-all bikes that you can ride on tarmac and rough roads. Practical bikes that can be fun to ride but still very practical. Hence my curiosity with cargo bikes.

After everything I've read I think I would rather own a long tail cargo bike. It seems like the adjustment period to ride one is a lot easier than front loading cargo bikes. I've already had my crazy ideas for a cargo bike build, including a 1x setup that has very wide gear range so that you can hopefully stay on the pedals on a loaded bike as much as possible.

Then there's an ATB, or an all-terrain bike. I'm thinking shouldn't this just be a gravel bike? And honestly, I'm not sure. If it's differences in geometries then fair enough. From what I've read though I think an ATB is the right bike frame for me.

I'm at that point in my bike interest that I do want a new frame so that I can fit tires as narrow as 32mm or as wide as maybe 42mm AND still fit fenders. I still want to stick with 1x no matter how curious I am with 2x. a 44T chainring with 11-50 cassette is I think the right gearing for me. And of course drop bars. Flared ideally so I can get a 38mm wide flared drop bar.

Out.

[1093] Practical Dream Car

There are three relatively new models that I would consider to be my practical dream car. I've blogged about it before as well but I want to blog about them again. So here they are in order.

1. Honda Jazz 1.5L AT second generation (2007 - 2012). This is still my unicorn. Alas the prices for used models of this here in the Philippines are still relatively expensive, plus the fact that most of the Honda Jazz being sold have been modified. Still my benchmark for a small, practical car. I just don't think I'll ever be able to own one because I honestly don't see how practical it would be to buy a car that's over ten-years old already.
2. Toyota Yaris 1.5L AT second generation (2005 - 2011/2013) and third generation (2011/2013 - 2021). This would be my second choice because it's a Toyota. It doesn't have the magic seating configuration of the Honda Jazz but it has the same engine displacement and it's also a hatchback. Sadly the second generation sells here for almost the same amount as some third generation Yaris being sold. And most of the third gen Yaris I see being sold are the 1.3L engine variant. Which isn't a bad thing.
3. Kia Picanto 1.2L AT third generation (2017 - current?). This was actually the first choice I had when I was originally planning to get a used car a few years ago. This is the cheapest car being sold but from reviews I've read and watched online this car is very fuel efficient and it is fun to drive. The biggest reason why this drops to my third choice is because it's a Kia and I don't know how easy it is to get parts for maintenance for this car. In terms of used car pricing this is very affordable.

Honorable mentions for practical used cars of course include the Suzuki Swift, Honda Brio, and the Toyota Wigo, AT variants if possible. Also hatchback of course.

Out.

[1092] September

It's already September 2024. We're fast approaching the final quarter of the year. I can say that time is both slow and fast at the same time, depending on your perception relatively.

The day is slow but the days are fast, if that makes sense. There are times when I feel like it takes so long for one day to finish, however when you look back at what day of the week it is you'll be very surprised at what day it is. Or what month even. It's September already, there are a few months left. A lot of things to do.

Out.

[1091] Discipline and Physical Health

I've been blogging lately about my continued attempts to achieve a healthier lifestyle to extend my health span. I will admit it is very challenging for someone like me.

I love to eat, and when things aren't going my way I tend to eat to make me feel better. Not only that, but I also have times during the week when I decide I'll eat a bit more just so I don't start feeling bad.

Here's the thing, though. No matter what happens I have to push myself to do at least three or four exercises a week. It used to be walks, jogs, and or a bike ride. Recently I've started incorporating kettlebell high intensity interval trainings or to change things up some kettlebell complexes.

I can't say I'm at my strongest or healthiest. I think I'm way to far gone from my physical prime, and my joints are starting to ache. What I can do is to push through and keep my discipline so I can improve the quality of body.

Like I wrote in a previous blog, I'm after quality of life, flexibility, mobility, and independence as I (hopefully) reach my golden years.

Out.

[1090] Bike Upgrades

Not that I can afford them, but I also keep internally discussing with myself if I really do need upgrades when I rarely ride anymore.

One thing is for sure, safety will always be the main reason why I plan on upgrading.

Now that that's out of the way, I once again started thinking of bike frames earlier this morning. I was wondering if it was an upgrade or just a "sidegrade" if I got the aluminum gravel frame from the same brand as my bike frame now. Honestly while the frame is affordable I'm not sure it's worth it getting that. I'd rather get a slightly better brand's frame for my bike.

Unfortunately Ritchey Logic frames are way too expensive and will just be a pipe dream for me in the near and medium future. One possibility though is the State Bicycle 6061 Black Label All-Road bike frame. I became aware of this because of Drew Dillman, a member of the Bonk Bros Podcast I listen to. The frame isn't cheap, but it's also not as expensive as a Ritchey Logic frame. Plus being aluminum with a carbon fiber fork I'm guessing this bike will also be lighter.

Biggest "issue" for me is that it's internally routed. I'm not a fan of internal routing but it's something I can live with. Besides, it's not like I'm buying a bike frame anytime soon.

Out.

[1089] Car Mods

I've been recently discussing with a friend about quality of life modifications I'd like to do to a car. Here are some modifications I've thought about, as well as why I'd want them.

• Better car horn. Some cars just have really weak sounding (both quality and loudness of the sound) horns. I think a simple upgrade to better sounding and louder horns might help improve making the car more "visible" by being heard better, if you understand what I mean. I'm actually liking PIAA Superior Bass Horns myself.
• Fog lamps for the front and a rear fog light. I've noticed quite a number of newer model cars have white headlamps. I guess this is okay for normal days, but on days when the rain is heavy I think having yellow-ish fog lamps may help improve visibility, specially when you can't find a place to stop to let the rain weaken. This goes the same with a rear fog light, added visibility for those heavy rainfall days just so your car can be seen even in bad weather.
• Front and rear HD dash cam. Just in case.
• Better speakers and maybe a new head unit and amplifier. Again I have no more ideas about radios and how easy it is to replace them or upgrade them. I guess a safer bet would be to get better quality speakers and even add an amplifier to make the sound quality better. Throw in a pair of tweeters too for better audio. Just not a subwoofer since that may take up space inside the cargo compartment of the vehicle.
• Upgraded suspension, even an adjustable coilover kit. No, I don't want to lower a vehicle. In fact, I want to raise it by two or three centimeters to improve ground clearance. Or depending on what car we're talking about lower it a bit. Better ground clearance and slightly stiffer suspension for improved handling.
• Aftermarket rims. It may be the same size as the stock rims or it could be +1 for better handling. Rims will make the car more unique and if I do get +1 it can help with ride handling at the expense of comfort.

That's basically it. If you notice the first three modifications I listed are safety related, and those are also my priority modifications should I have the opportunity to modify a car. Safety first.

Out.

[1088] Health and Fitness Goals

I'm going to keep it simple. My health and fitness goals are:

• Functional mobility and flexibility. I want to be able to be able to keep walking at a decent pace, be able to bend over to pick stuff up, be strong enough to pick stuff up, be strong enough to lift up some light stuff above my head, stand up and sit down with little to no assistance, and basically be independent as I enter the twilight of my life.

That basically means I want to have a good quality health span. Checking google I found this as a definition of health span. I am copy-pasting a line from that link in the next paragraph.

"A revolutionary increase in life span has already occurred. A corresponding increase in health span, the maintenance of full function as nearly as possible to the end of life, should be the next gerontological goal." — John W. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn, Science, 10 July 1987"

So there it is. I want to live as a functional human being until the day I die. I'm taking baby steps to do this, and the most recent thing that I've modified to help me achieve my goals was the workout I do when I do my HIIT/Tabata training.

I basically added one more set/cycle in my interval training to add one more set of kettlebell exercises that will hopefully keep me fit enough to achieve my goals. Most of my weight training include squats, both Romanian deadlifts and suitcase deadlifts, bicep curls, tricep extensions, kettlebell standing upright rows, kettlebell, two-handed kettlebell press, and bent over kettlebell rows.

All of these exercises are tied down to the mobility and flexibility goals I have. Squats help with standing up and sitting down, and hopefully help keep my core strong. Deadlifts and bent over rows help with bending forward to lift stuff up. The standing upright rows and two-handed press help with lifting stuff up. Biceps and triceps workouts help keep my arms relatively strong.

It's still very draining doing the work outs, which is something I appreciate. As I said in a previous post, I've been trying to be consistent with the quality of my movements rather than quantity of movements. Anyway I'm doing interval training with 20-second exercises so I'd rather maximize the movement in that span of time.

While I'm happy with my 20 lbs kettlebells I am also considering getting a 30 lbs or 35 lbs kettlebell just in case I need to increase the weight to improve the quality of my exercises. I might just push through with this so I can hopefully increase my strength as I keep exercising.

Out.

[1087] One Car

If I could have any one car that was locally sold here in the Philippines as my daily driver for the rest of my life, what would it be?

I was originally going to answer the third generation Subaru Impreza WRX STi automatic hatchback. It combines the sportiness of a rally car with the space of a hatchback. Plus it's automatic!

However as I began writing this I realized there's an even better, more practical answer. The second generation Honda Jazz, 1.5L VTEC automatic variant.

Yes, it may be smaller than the STi, but it does have magic seats. And since it's a naturally aspirated 1.5L engine fuel consumption will be decent. Space for both cars may be an issue, but that's nothing if you add a roof rack system that can carry a bike rack and/or a cargo box.

The Honda Jazz may not be as collectible now as the Impreza WRX STi, but if it will be my daily driver for the rest of my life then I guess the simplicity of a non-turbo engine, coupled with parts availability of something I still see driving around everywhere and I guess I do want a second generation Honda Jazz as my forever car.

Of course we'll be doing modifications to it for quality of life. Maintenance and upgrades will also be done so it stays reliable and economical.

Out.

[1086] Healthspan

I've been following GCN's Dan Lloyd and his videos about longevity and health in youtube. Aside from that I also heard Dr. Peter Attia when he was a guest in The Smoking Tire podcast mention healthspan versus lifespan.

It's gotten me really curious and open to the idea. I'm in my mid-40s and not getting any younger, and I do want to enjoy my life moving forward as healthy, mobile, and independent as possible.

I'm starting small, focusing on being consistent with my weekly exercise goals. Mainly to do at least four sessions of twenty-minute exercises a week. I usually do two-to-three 40-minute walks a week, occasionally replacing one or two sessions with around a 20-minute jog.

I've also added a twenty-five minute Tabata/HIIT workout but it's still basically intense cardio with a 20 lbs kettlebell. I've also started focusing on the quality of my reps during these HIIT workouts rather than the quantity of reps. When I was doing these a few years ago I was targeting getting more reps per twenty seconds but now I realize I should make sure each rep is as close to a perfect form as possible so I'm back to less reps of squats, deadlifts, and other kettlebell exercises.

I honestly don't know if I could have done this at a younger age. I was too immature and shortsighted to consider my long term health. I honestly hope I am not too late, but I am hoping I'm doing enough nowadays to help me improve my healthspan.

Out.

[1085] OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G

This OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is probably the last OnePlus phone I will buy and own. Let me explain why.

While this is probably their mid range phone I'm not really that ecstatic about it. Yes it does the job, but I do find it a bit slow. I got it for around PhP14k or so, and to be honest I could probably have gotten a way faster phone for a few thousand pesos more.

Times have changed and my budget and priorities for a mobile phone will limit me to mid range phones. OnePlus isn't it. I'm seriously considering getting whatever latest Poco X(n) Pro model is current when I do decide to change. Actually the Poco X5/6 Pro was the biggest competitor of the Nord when I was looking to upgrade.

The reason why I didn't get the Poco was because the stupid Shopee app wouldn't let me pick "cash on delivery" for the payment method, and sadly Poco doesn't have any physical stores in Metro Manila. It may be under Xiaomi as a brand but the Mi stores don't sell it.

OnePlus' motto used to be "Never Settle" and I think I will follow through on that by choosing a better brand and bang for the buck phone the next time I change phones.

Out.

[1084] Rainy Day Exercises

Now that it's the wet/rainy season here in the Philippines I know there will be days when I won't be able to go on my morning walks. Fortunately I have come up with alternatives to do in the house when it is raining.

My HIIT/Tabata session is the main thing. I'll do 4 sets of alternating cardio and 20 lbs kettlebell exercises and it lasts for around 20 minutes. My goal doing this is to change up my morning walks, as well as do some light lifting and core exercises. Truth be told I try to do this at least once a week, and have recently started doing less reps in twenty seconds but making sure each rep I do with a kettlebell has better quality movements.

Another alternative that I tried earlier today is riding my bike on my indoor trainer. It's not a fancy indoor trainer that I can connect to those online bike apps. It does get the job done though. Sadly I find this a bit boring, and was pleasantly surprised with my 16-minute workout earlier. That's one of the longest I've done on the trainer that I rarely use. I prefer riding my bike outside, I guess. Plus this also depends if my folks are at home, since I don't want to wake them up with the noise from the trainer if they are here from the province.

I'll probably consider doing HIIT/Tabata exercises that are all cardio instead of sprinkling in some kettlebell workouts. These will probably be my main replacement for my morning walk / jog when it is raining.

I'm trying to be consistent with my exercising. I'm trying to target doing at least three to four exercises a week, with one of those involving the earlier mentioned HIIT session. I still prefer doing walks, and the occasional jog.

Out.

[1083] The Older I Get

I recently entered my mid-40s. These are some ramblings of some random person on the internet. Health is the biggest priority for me now. Not just physical health but also mental health.

Physical health seems to be the easier priority to address. I try to be consistent doing my three-to-four-lap walks during the week. Now I also try to add one or two HIIT sessions just to do some activity that increases my heart rate past the fat burning zone.

Mental health is the more challenging one. I know my weaknesses but I also cannot seem to address them. It's a roller coaster of highs and lows for me.

I'll probably leave it at that. I dislike posting my really private thoughts online.

Out.

[1082] More Beetle Musings

I recently saw yet another FB Marketplace entry for a Beetle being sold locally for a really low price. I am wary about the description. It states that the Beetle looks that way because they're going for a rat rod theme. Oh and the floor has a hole.

That doesn't sound good. In fact it sounds like a really expensive problem to have. Sure you may save a lot of money because of the relatively dirt cheap price, but the cost for repairs may cost the same as the cheaper Japanese cars with automatic transmissions being sold here locally.

If you're serious about fixing it I'm pretty sure you just won't get any piece of metal to fix the floor. You'd want to buy some floor pans from reputable Beetle parts manufacturers abroad. Those cost a lot already, and shipping and taxes will add even more to that. Then bodywork to fix dents, remove rust spots, and maybe a fresh coat of paint. That only fixes exterior aesthetics. You'll want to fix the interior as well.

So basically no Beetle for me in the near future. In fact, if I get to save enough to be able to buy a used car I'll probably buy a modern, automatic transmission Japanese car with air conditioning just because that would be more practical to use here.

Out.

[1081] Volkswagen Beetle

Lately I've been seeing quite a number of classic Beetles being sold locally in Facebook's Marketplace. Price ranges from really cheap to really expensive, and condition is from total project to (at least from the pictures) really awesome restoration.

The Super Beetle is my dream Beetle variant and there is one being sold, but that's the really expensive restored one. It's a beauty but at the same time it's already a finished product from what I've seen.

It can also be a jumping off point for modifications, but really would I want to do that to a well restored car? Not that I should be getting this as a car. I think it has air conditioning but it's still a forty to fifty-year old car.

Besides I'd rather get a running Beetle that needs work so that when you start fixing it up you can start incorporating the modifications and improvements you would want.

Out.

[1080] Shopping

While I do see the uses of those online shopping apps that are famous locally, I still prefer doing most of my shopping in person.

Shopee and Lazada do offer interesting bargains, but it is at your own risk. Even if you just buy from Laz Mall or Shopee Mall it does not guarantee you will get a good product. It has happened to me where I bought a mic from a Shopee Mall seller and got a crappy webcam. The reasons why I never tried to get a refund were because a) it was really cheap and b) it wasn't worth the hassle.

Actually it was that incident that swayed me to just going to the mall with a list of stuff I need. I will still buy some things from the online sellers, specifically bike parts.

Clothes? Size is risky, specially if it isn't one of the big name brands. I'll buy shirts and underwear from Fruit of the Loom or Burlington, but if the seller is a relative unknown I've had hits and misses. Some sizes are still too small, they can't be serious with "Asian Size" and I still can't fit in a XXXXL?

So that's it. The first time I got my Shopee app and account was to buy components for my bike build. After that I rarely use it. I still buy my coffee beans from this one seller I found that gives great bang for the buck, and it's still cheaper than what is sold in retail.

Out.

[1079] Birthday Wishlist 2024

It's that time of the year where I start getting materialistic and wishing for stuff because dreaming is free. Here is my 2024 Birthday Wishlist.

1. Toyota Yaris Cross S 1.5 HEV (White pearl / Attitude black mica). Modern technology and a hybrid system will hopefully mean this car will help a lot with fuel expenses. I'm also picking the Yaris Cross because it should be smaller than the Corolla Cross HEV right? Right?
2. Ritchey Outback frameset based gravel bike. I'll only list the frameset since I don't have time nor patience at the moment to list down other components. For sure it will be a 2x drivetrain, all mechanical. Meaning cable actuated brakes and cable actuated shifting. Let's also include a bike carrier bag, roof mounted bike rack, and other bike accessories for number two.
3. Fujifilm X100VI camera. With a case and other useful accessories. I want to get back to photography and I'd rather use the best gear possible.

That's it actually. Honestly I've been too busy with real life that I honestly have no time to even think about dream material items.

Out.

[1078] Exercise

This week (June 24-28, 2024) was pretty successful for me. I was able to do a four lap walk Monday, Wednesday, and earlier today, Friday. Then Tuesday and Thursday I did a twenty-minute interval training involving cardio and a 20-pound kettlebell.

I'm hoping this helps me kickstart some consistency with regards to exercising (and hopefully it carries over to portion controlling my food). I really want to get below 90kg and I am currently around 92kg. It will be a challenge but I do believe I can do it (again) because I was already at 89kg last year. I just started eating too much again, I think.

Out.

[1077] Altamare

Last week, from June 18 to 21, I went back to Altamare Dive and Leisure Resort in Batangas. It was yet again a company outing, planning, and evaluation trip. This time though it was more work and less play / bonding.

I'm done with my evals and now have a renewed set of goals and motivations moving forward. It will be an interesting time moving forward as I continue to try to grow and stay humble as a human being.

Now back to Altamare. The place is great, if I'm being honest. It's not for families with people who will struggle climbing up and down a looooong flight of stairs. Think seven or eight stories worth of stairs. They do offer a boat to bring you to the beach, but that is an added charge and pretty expensive coming from me. You park in their parking area and their van will take you and the other people who will ride the boat to a dock somewhere where you get on the boat and get brought into the shores in front of Altamare.

The place is nice, the rooms have AC and heated water. And of course, towels. That's all I need. The TV and satellite cable are pluses that I actually used during this trip. I spent a lot of time alone in the room to nap and enjoy the AC.

The food is still excellent, exactly as I remembered it. This time around I ordered their famous Beef Tapa for breakfast everyday, just because I tried their other offerings and decided beef tapa was the best. For other meals we got served morning and afternoon snacks aside from lunch and dinner. These were buffet style and still awesome. Hopefully I was able to control my intake of food and not increase my weight too much.

So the big question and finale, would I go to Altamare with my wife and daughter? Sure, if they're willing to take the stairs down and up. I can see ourselves spending maybe 3 days and 2 nights there just to have a nice staycation.

Out.

[1076] The 2001 Rav4

The check engine light has been on, and the engine has been shuddering. The shop we send it to for servicing couldn't scan the OBD II port. We've decided not to use it until we can figure out what's wrong.

I asked my mom to buy an OBD II scanner from Amazon that I read about from a post in Rav4World. I am hoping that the scanner and whatever OBD app I'll get from Google Play Store will let me scan the Rav4. Then I can have the shop address whatever issue/s is/are found in our go to shop.

I'm sort of bummed out because while I'm doing my best to take care of the Rav4, it's also a 23-year old car already. Since this car is already relatively high tech with an ECU and sensors it's not an easy diagnosis, nor is it something my dad and I can guess at.

I want to have the Rav4 repaired and running, in the event that we choose to sell it we don't have to give a major discount because of the issues. If we choose to keep it a bit longer at least I know it will be reliable and keep running, despite not having great fuel consumption.

Out.

[1075] Tour de France Unchained Season 2

I started watching Netflix's Tour de France Unchained Season 2 a few days ago. I have finished episode 3.

It's a great series. I'm a bit wary of the drama being shown mainly because I don't know if it's video editing being done by the producers of the show or if it's an actual storyline that happened. One thing is for sure, the issues with the sprinters, namely Jasper Philipsen, were indeed happening during the 2023 TdF.

I was sort of following the 2023 Tour de France as it happened and I didn't appreciate the antics of Philipsen and Alpecin-Deuceninck. Watching the series up to episode 3 has made me dislike Philipsen even more. As for his more famous teammate, Mathieu van der Poel, I can respect him as a pro cyclist and amazing athlete but seeing the behind the scenes of the TdF 2023 has changed my views on him a bit.

For me they're painted as the villains, guys who are out to win stages and not make friends. They even said it in one of the episodes. I'd like to temper my bias against them with the fact that they're from a different culture, they wouldn't be elite athletes if they didn't have a competitive edge, and they're also human beings.

I still dislike Jasper Philipsen. I find him a dirty sprinter, though I've only started watching pro road racing the past three or so years so I have no idea if what he does is normal or not.

So give Tour de France Unchained a watch. I like the editing, despite the fact that they've reused shots multiple times in different episodes, and I like how it shows the human side of the pro cyclists.

Out.

[1074] Driving

Last night Maica and I picked up her mom in her house and drove her to the ER. It was nothing serious. What it did prove was that when push comes to shove I can drive. I just really, really dislike driving in Metro Manila.

Most motorists don't use common sense. They'll block intersections just so they know they can get ahead. Motorcycle drivers don't even wonder why a car is slowing down, they'll just speed up, usually to the detriment of the car or pedestrian being allowed to pass.

Even more infuriating was when I left the intersection to another hospital open last night and all public utility jeepneys changed lanes to my lane to block the road. Brilliant.

So what's the point of this blog? Well, I can drive. And I'm starting to trust Waze more. Enjoying the drive is another thing.

Out.

[1073] June

The first half of the year is almost done and as always, time seems to move so fast in hindsight. Living in the present though, time seems to move so slow. I guess that's life.

I can only look back in the past few years of my life and think how things might have gone differently had I done things differently as well. If I was more aggressive in my career or less patient with how events unfolded, things might be way more different now.

There are also a couple of what ifs I can ask, but I'd rather not write about them here. Some career changing things that could have happened probably would have led me to a different scenario now.

Would I change anything? I honestly don't know. I think I've reached that point in my life where if I trust then I am patient.

Out.

[1072] Introspection and Looking Back

It is around 5:01am as I start writing this... in Iloilo. I am here for some things I have to do, both holiday and business I guess. Going solo and being alone with a really screwed up sleep schedule has me up since a couple past 2am. Good thing I fell asleep before 9pm so I did get around maybe six hours of sleep.

When I was younger, in my teens, I used to tell myself and my friends that if fourteen year old me saw ten year old me the former would beat the latter up for whatever reasons. This was also something I said when I was ten, that I'd beat my seven year old self up. I used to say it in jest, but looking back I'm guessing there was a grain of truth to that.

As I grew older my perspective changed and my twenty-two year old self would then try to reach out and talk to my eighteen year old self. Now that I'm entering my mid-forties I suddenly remembered this and I realized that I would love to reach out to my younger selves. It was less anger at myself for using the term "beat up" but more frustration that I missed out on so many things because of how I thought and behaved at the time.

Sadly I doubt I could go back in time to try to steer myself a bit better. This isn't Groundhog Day, this is real life. All I can do is hopefully learn from my mistakes and try to be a better person now.

Tick tock, the clock is running out.

Out.

[1071] Rain

After what seemed like a long and really, really hot summer we finally get a lot of rain. In fact, we got a tropical depression which is locally named "Aghon." 

While tropical depressions or storms are never a good thing, the arrival of rains is something I can sort of welcome. Hopefully the water reserves in Angat Dam and other dams are replenished, and hopefully the weather cools a lot.

I did notice that the peak of heat was two or three weeks ago and it was only good for a week. The following weeks the temperatures weren't peaking as high, but it still reaches around 35ºC or so during lunch. That's too hot, and honestly one of the drawbacks of living inside Metro Manila is the lack of trees and cooling breezes. All the asphalt and cement and white painted houses magnifies the heat.

Out.

[1070] Crazy Bike Build 21 May 2024

I'm going to be writing stuff about yet another dream bike build today. Here we go.

• Medium Ritchey Outback frameset in the Guac y Crema (which is green and cream, I think) colors. Steel bike frame with the carbon fiber fork that comes with it.
• Redshift Sports Shockstop System suspension stem and seatpost. Maybe a 90mm or 100mm stem. Then the longest seatpost at 350mm.
• Microshift Sword 2x10 groupset. Yes, I'm doing 2x10 for my dream bike build. Choosing the 46/29T chainring with the (11-38T) 11-34T cassette.
• Coefficient All Road handlebars. Yep, a carbon fiber handlebar. I'm also picking the 38cm wide bars.
• TRP HY/RD hybrid brake calipers. Mechanical pull with a hydraulic caliper. I don't think Microshift does hydraulic brifters, nor do I want to do a full hydraulic setup. Flat mount calipers since the Outback uses flat mounts.
• Crankbrothers Candy 2 clipless pedals. I'm going with the silver color since it's only available in silver and red. I'm not picking the Candy 1 since the pedals are made of composite materials and I'd rather have alloy pedals.
• Adidas Velosamba made with Nature mountain bike shoes. Charcoal, cloud white, spark colors. The shoes are very casual looking but there are mounting points for mountain bike style cleats.
• Mavic Allroad Disc gravel wheelset. I'll come clean here, I really do not have any preferred wheelsets. I just need them to be tubeless ready and cheap. So the Mavics are it. None of the CF expensive wheelsets. Just simple and hopefully durable and reliable.
• I still don't know if I'm going tubeless or not so in case I decide on inner tubes I'm definitely picking Tubolito's X-Tubo-CX/Gravel inner tubes. These are lightweight and durable and better than the usual tubes I use so might as well save some weight in some areas.
• Panaracer Gravel King 2024 SS tires. Of course I'm going with the classic brown sidewall colors like what I have on my bike right now. I'm also choosing Panaracers as well because I'm just a casual cyclist and I don't really need to worry about the rolling resistance and other things.
• Brooks C17 carved saddle. This isn't the leather version but I've heard great things about Brooks saddles. Since I won't be participating in any races this might be the ideal saddle for me.

I think that's as complete a bike setup as I've ever blogged about. I'm not going with the accessories, like lights, dynamo hubs, racks, and bags. Just enough components that an actual bike can be built. I'm not even going to try to total how much this might cost since I know I can't afford this at the moment. But as we always like to say, "A guy can dream, can't I?"

Out.

[1069] Plot Twist

I blogged quite a few times already that I'm considering getting a small, practical, fuel efficient car that has a high visibility color.

My wife wants to pick the color, and she's already mentioned silver. So I guess in the event we do push through getting a practical car it won't be in the color I like unless I can convince her otherwise.

Out.

[1068] Coping Mechanisms

It's very strange that I cannot figure out what my coping mechanism is. Sometimes it's just browsing online looking for stuff I wish I could afford.

Other times I like to just sit or lie down without using any electronic devices, leaving myself to my own thoughts. Just a chance to think and hopefully decompress.

There are also times I want to go out, go to places I don't usually go to, and probably buy something for myself aside from food.

Food is also a coping mechanism of mine, though I am trying to temper eating what I like with eating just enough. On a side note I have managed to slowly bring my weight down to around 92.5 kg from 94 kg these past few months. Oh yes, I've gone past my 90 kg threshold and I wasn't able to stop it.

Food is a coping mechanism.

Out.

[1067] Journaling Update

I stopped.

I do not have the discipline to write some notes at the end of the day. Once in a while I do update my small notebook, but these past few days I have not written anything.

Do I feel bad about it? No. It was my attempt to cope with anxieties and daily stresses and I guess it wasn't helping. Either that or I'm just really my own worst enemy.

Out.

[1066] Random Post

This will be a total stream-of-consciousness post. I'll be writing stuff as I think of them.

It's been an interesting 2024 so far, and honestly I thought things were going in a positive direction, until they weren't. Though you could say it could also just be me dragging myself down. I just wasn't expecting some personal things to happen this way and to be quite honest it really is getting tiring.

I'm entering my mid-forties already and there are still some things I would have loved to achieve in my life that I haven't.

I need to keep grinding.

Out.

[1065] Summer Heat

This summer has been brutally hot, and it's only starting.

It does appear that every year the hot and dry season is hotter and dryer. Maybe climate change has something to do with it. Maybe it's the lack of trees in Metro Manila. I've seen plenty of social media posts about these things. Honestly I'm not sure if I 100% believe them, but there may be some truth to them. I just haven't verified.

Heat index temps are even worse elsewhere. I have no idea how to combat this, I just hope things get better.

Out.

[1064] Super Beetle

A Volkswagen Beetle is still my dream car. Specifically the flat windshield Super Beetle, mainly because I'm contrarian and the Supers don't get as much love as the 1969 and older Beetles. Super Beetles have better suspension and are more stable. I'll take (relatively) safer over higher value.

Also I have plans of retromodifying the car, which will maybe tank the car's value for others. Things like four-wheel disk brake upgrades, better speakers, Apple Car Play and Android Auto ready head units, an alternator instead of a generator, and other (possibly) questionable upgrades.

Twin carb is in play. I have no idea why, I'm just curious about the performance of the stock carb versus aftermarket carb and twin carb.

A new, modern wiring harness will also be installed. It'll be easier to find replacement fuses plus new wires will hopefully help prevent electrical fires for a fifty-year old car.

A roof rack will also be installed so that I can install a bike rack or a cargo box.

Out.

[1063] Journaling

I think I mentioned sometime ago here on this blog that I've started journaling again. A friend suggested it to help me cope with life, and so far it probably has been working.

So far it's been challenging to keep writing everyday, specially when I missed a week because we were out on vacation. If I don't get to write at night before I sleep I try to write the next morning.

There are so many things to be mindful of nowadays just to cope, and it's really been challenging.

Out.

[1062] Bike Thoughts

A friend of mine recently sent me this link of a locally made (?) gravel bike frame being sold as a fully built bike. The bike looks nice, but the page lacks a lot of info.

As of writing the Marbel Vibro gravel bike I linked above is still on sale for around PhP25k+ which is a pretty affordable price if you factor in what components are used. While it does offer two sizes, I have no idea what the geometry of each size is. I recently realized that stack and reach might be better metrics for measuring if I'll be good on a bike or not. Effective top tube might not be a good enough metric to see if I can ride comfortably on a bike.

I told my friend my crazy idea of purchasing one and then swapping components from my current bike to the gravel bike frame, then maybe upgrading my brifters to hydraulic ones so I can get some hydraulic brake calipers.

Good thing my friend is more sensible than me. He also researches stuff better and he basically told me I'd probably be downgrading the frame if I do get the bike. He does make a good point since we're both not sure how well the frame is made, what the frame is made of (though he did say it could be an alloy bike), and the geometry of the bike.

So after a couple of hours doing back and forth in our chat I decided to just stick to my original plan of trying to save up for my original upgrades, better wheelset, better branded cassette, and narrower tires. 

I am still targeting tubeless ready rims, and a better brand for my either 11-50 or 11-46 cassette. I'm sticking to either 32 or 35mm Panaracer Gravel Kings for my tires, or something of a similar width. Maybe if I save enough I can even change my chainring to either a 44T or 46T from my current 42T, though I have no idea why I want to get a bigger chainring. I have a weaker riding stamina now than before, though I can still cruise at around 20 kmh along the Service Road. I do feel my quads burning along the "false flat" section going back home but I was averaging around 18 kmh or so.

So yeah, a 35m wide, gravel ready tire on tubeless ready rims with an 11-50T cassette and a 46T chainring is probably going to be my next bike upgrade. Most likely along with a better bike saddle, if I'm being honest.

Out.

[1061] Wigo vs S-Presso

Once again in my fantasy car garage I'm torn between two different small, practical cars. The Toyota Wigo E CVT and the Suzuki S-Presso AGS. I chose these two cars because they're in the same price range. There is a more expensive, top-of-the-line Wigo but that's over PhP700k as of this blog.

Honestly at this moment I'm really leaning towards the S-Presso because the warranty is 5 years or 100,000 km plus one year free preventive maintenance service. There's also the fact that the Suzuki is about PhP24k cheaper.

Strong points of the Wigo though are the rear wiper and the fact that it's a Toyota. Parts may be more readily available, both in the dealers and aftermarket. There's also the reputation of "Toyota reliability" that's been around since maybe the 1990s here in the Philippines.

Either way both of these cars are hopefully both practical and useful for daily city driving here in Metro Manila.

Out.