River Road Adventure

Saturday marked our first official training for the ride to Boston. We did about 35 miles all the way up to Alpine along the Henry Hudson Drive also known as the River Road. It was beautiful up there but we had no idea it was so hilly. It had ridiculous climbs that our thighs were practically burning all day. Still, it was a great ride. We probably burned about 1500 calories but we gained those calories right back when we went to Dino BBQ in Harlem for lunch! We ate like kings! Those porkies didn't stand a chance...Team Tour de Bean 1 - Pulled Pork 0. All in all, it was a good day. Until next time!

The route

Props to Pao and Ramon for riding with us! Respect!

On the GW with downtown Manhattan in the background (what a beautiful day!)

Took a wrong turn to a park by the water but Jon was still happy

Chillin for a while

Finish line!

We caught a car burning right before getting on the GW

We were done in 5 minutes...

Chilled in the park for a while where Chester learned how to ride a bike! Kudos!

Critical Mass or Critical Miss?

Last Friday, Jon and I, and about 50 more riders biked around Manhattan for a couple of hours. The event was called Critical Mass. It was definitely an exhilarating experience. I felt like I was in a protest rally on wheels. I felt empowered by my fellow riders. I felt I owned the city. I felt powerful... that's until a cop in Times Sq. tried to dismount a biker from his bike to arrest him in the middle of the street! I'm not sure if he actually got arrested since we bolted as soon as we saw what was happening. Honestly, I didn't feel bad for the guy. I wouldn't even feel bad if it was me who got arrested. Although it was an exciting ride, it totally defeats its own purpose. This is supposed to promote bicycling in the city but the group kept on breaking all traffic rules, from beating red lights to outright stopping traffic so the whole gang can pass. They shouldn't call it Critical Mass. They should call it Hypocritical Mass instead.

Biking through Times Sq.

Welcome to Le Tour de Bean!

(email I sent to my friends at work)

From: Chua, Eduardo
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 12:36 PM
Subject: The Road to Boston

Hear ye! Hear ye!

In a little bit over 2 months from now, the legendary Johnson “The Bullet Quick Release” Gregorio and yours truly will be embarking in the most excruciating undertaking of our time, maybe even mankind. With only our vigor and perseverance, we will attempt to pedal our way all the way up to Boston; yes, all 225 miles of it. This bike race will not only challenge our physical strength but will also test our hearts and spirits. With that, I would like to ask for your unrelenting support and your gracious complements. We will be starting a blog so you can track our progress or rather our misadventures.

Thank you and Godspeed!

If a uniballer can do it, so can we…

Em

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MESSAGE AND ANY ATTACHMENT MAY BE PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED FROM DISCLOSURE. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or use of this message and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and permanently delete it from your computer and destroy any printout thereof.

That's right. Jon and I are biking all the way to Boston! These two keyboard cowboys are trading their coats and ties for some sweaty jerseys and some super tight ball huggers. I'm assuming a lot of people have questions so just read the FAQ below.

Why? --- Honestly, why not? Read the quote below and you'll understand what we feel.

Who? --- A lot of people think Jon and I are joining a race but actually it will just be the two of us. If you want to join, you are more than welcome to ride with us.

When? --- The tentative dates are June 25, 26, 27, 28. Hopefully, it will just take 4 days.

Where? --- We haven't really thought about our route but we'll keep you posted.

Are you crazy? --- Hellz yeah!!! But really I think we're just bored...

So welcome to this blog! I'll be updating this frequently so you guys can track our journey. I'll leave you a quote so you guys know what's going on in our heads.

"This is where the hungry come to feed.
For mine is a generation that circles the globe in search of something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite, and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience, and if it hurts, you know what... it's probably worth it." -Richard from the movie The Beach

Hello from Jon and I!