On low batteries.

Am poofed all alone by lonesome right now. Miss wifey who’s out of town on a family reunion. Feels weird the house is too quiet. My daughter doesn’t want to leave her cousin’s at my in-laws. Should be time to sleep a long night and try to do some washing around the house. Just light stuff without exertion. Miss them a lot when it’s just two nights. But ironically when their here it’s like chaos. I’d like to read a book but am a bit sleepy. My fingers are doing the talking on automatic without me having to think about. S;pontaneous..am still itchy in the eyes with all that salt and sun. Ate some pasta with toast and a ton of butter to give me a little boost tomorrow moving. Energy level is at an all-week low. My GPS is on low battery and I need to really discharge it for longer life. Maybe it too is weak. I was offered two tickets for a fashion show tonight but didn’t think twice about it. What I could only think is rest. What would I wear anyways. It’s too chick a party to go to anyway. I have been wearing shorts the past 20 yrs. or so and my stock of pants and semi-formal attire seems to be out of date. Something productive is in the plan for tomorrow. I need to have my ten year old Timex watch fixed. I hope it’s just the batteries and none else. I can only think of something sweet to chew on like black chocolate unfortunately I should have passed by the convenience store. Am I getting too old for my activities or just need more sustenance? Maybe both but I tend not to think so of the former. Tomorrow is going to be a brand new day and till then will my body dictate what can be done tomorrow.

Tired but fired up.

Tiring day! I guess three days straight of water play does get to you. Especially if the winds are a bit strong and shifty. I enjoy every minute but the tiredness is setting in. It’s good for the body though. If one part hurts on the muscles I know something is either improving or just overworked. The beach looked fun today with lots of sunbathers out on the water as the tide was just right. Chepit was enjoying his runs but was getting overpowered. I am lucky to hit 30kts. on some runs. The course was very choppy because of the crosswinds but who would complain.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Windsurfing/Villarosa-beach/fun/176334

The little guy who sells us peanuts-unshelled, garlic and honey roasted is starting to open up to us. He’s a cute kid who keeps counting his hard earned money and keeps asking us if the new 20 peso bill is authentic. He thinks it’s play money. He likes to hang out around us now and for once he can now sell us peanuts in an open tone of voice.

Chops and hops.

A bit windier today as I turned the bend going up the seawall leading to Villarosa beach. Darn I should have brought the windsurfing kit. Am amazed about this place when all is dead calm in the city which is close to the sea there isn’t much wind you could feel but get to this place and a venturi effect happens.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Kiteboarding/Villarosa-beach/choppy/175421

469 calories is what all it took to finish the GPS track. I requested Sam to recalculate the formula for calories and says he will adjust mine to a lower level. Now this will really thin me out. I hope am doing the right thing. I told him yesterday why the ‘heated run’ had only 300 plus calories while most of the kiteboarding had 1 thousand plus. And he did adjust on the kiting tracks. I returned a reply to him a few minutes ago that it “was nice and 2 cheeseburgers worth of calories”.

Back to the run..It was a bit cloudy with the sun jutting in and out. And it was nice to see whitecaps forming all over. It was choppy all right. I was a pogo stick if not for my knees and calves. I tried to do fast runs but couldn’t control it. Nevertheless, jumping was a really fun aspect of today’s kiting. The two boys Popoy and Ardee where on hand to give me a launch and retrieval with their pics on this page. It’s a blessing to have these kids help us all out rigging windsurfing equipment, launching, etc..they enjoy being around with us.

Lightwind kiting outwitting mother nature.

It’s always fun to outwit mother nature. I almost thought I’d be going nowhere. Light winds were the order of the day as not as much whitecaps can be seen but wrinkled waters which were around 8-10kts. So I took out the 14 meter kite and the Airush 144 Switch which proved to be effective in those conditions. I was really in a zone and every puff I could feel and translate to power the board. I tired out easily though most probably from yesterday’s ‘heated run’ but then it’s always refreshing to be gliding amongst the bobbing people on the water unmindful but smiling as you pass by.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Kiteboarding/Villarosa-beach/lightwind/174445

The timing couldn’t be perfect. Beautiful skies and sunshine. My problems really gone for the duration of the GPS track. I had a wonderful conversation with the boys(kite-tenders) about life in general outside of the usual subject. It was good to make a quick dash and back from the beach. Really soul-cleansing.

Heated run and cool sweat.

I was running like a mad man on my off beat self. I wasn’t prepared as I usually do two hours before. Didn’t really hydrate well neither did I have a proper lunch none at all to say the worst. Only peanut brittle which I was munching on a few hours before. The new government center or the Bacolod City hall was just close to my place and provided a new scenery but boy was it hot on the pavement. Cars kept streaming in and out but at the back of the building felt fine and after a few minutes you get used to it. I just wanted to do at least 3kms. but ended up more. I guess I just wanted more of the sweat than anything else.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Running/Government-Center/exercise/173464

The GPS showed every loop takes 800 meters plus or minus a few. So it was easy to count the roundings and just run enough. There were times the heat was getting to me I had to slow down or walk to minimize heat stroke. But as with every heated run there is always cool sweat and that was really nice.

Ready for take-off at a snail’s pace.

I felt like a fish out of water after the week’s windsports. I’ve been to this old runway before and surveyed it and must be a good place to run and it is. It felt daunting to me when the guys at a tycoon’s hangar tells me the runways about 2.2kms. long. Oh what the heck am here already might as well.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Running/Old-Bacolod-Airport/exercise/170974

I started easy then tried to pick up the pace but my legs where like full of lead from the weeks windsurfing and kitesurfing. I tried to run the perimeter of the runway as much as I could but a cow or two would be standing right on the path. There was dried poo all over and broken beer bottles but in bits and pieces. The headwinds were a bit tough to run through but it’s part of the run which makes it all fun. I was just imagining how a Boeing Airbus overshoot the runway killing dozens across the riverbanks and plowing through the bars after the banks. On the opposite end it was great to see the sea and whitecaps dotting the surface. People who were going to their outriggers and tending to their cow’s were looking as if I was a mad man running in the midday sun. After the run it was good to sit in the hangar’s shade and talk stories with the watchman on how the owner amassed millions of dollars.

Black Saturday and no Karaoke’s just wind and sunshine.

The Bacolod squad was out in full force minus one guy. We all went early around 8am hoping to get a hut were we usually rig before someone gets it since it’s a Black Saturday. Unusually quiet for a long weekend. No karaoke’s, portable boom boxes or auto speakers it was just laughter and waves crashing. Nice! I could see whitecaps about a kilometer out but decided to kite first then when it fills in windsurf again. And so I did.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Wind-powered/Villarosa-beach/fun/168684

Since it’s two tracks on the GPS which is Kiteboarding and Windsurfing I simply call it Wind powered.

It’s good to have small talk and forget about life in general. We were all huddled in the hut and just talking nonsense about anything imaginable. It was an easy day and we had time to de-rig and pack up for a slow drive home.

Kite crashes and smiling faces on a Good Friday.

Arrived early at Villarosa beach around 8am to get a headstart kiting on the water before the crowds come pouring in. The wind was just good enough at 12-14kts. and so I used a 12mtr. and the Cabrinha lab rat with homemade fiberglass fins. I knew I was doing good runs warming up from 23 to 24kts. Even though I don’t have speed equipment I’d like to think it is. Well I think the pure essence of kiting would be cruising, jumping and tricks but since I don’t know how to do the latter might as well do speed. http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Kiteboarding/Villarosa-beach/fun/167572 Am happy with the GPS tracking of 22kts on the 500mtrs. I crashed on one of those runs when the board couldn’t hold it’s grip on the water. Not much power I guess going really downwind. So I re-adjusted and went for it again but the winds weren’t holding it’s course but wavering from side to onshore. Still at 24kts. plus that’s good enough for a peak. If only the fin didn’t break loose. Siggghh..can’t have everything. Another day another time and I can better my personal best.         http://www.ka72.com/TrackRecalc.aspx?fid=13746

Started jumping and twirling around smiling people on the water it was a lot of fun. I tried to pick up a loose ball but unfortunately too slippery and crashed the kite hard. That’s one cardinal sin I wouldn’t do next-never lose sight of the kite. It’s a Black Friday and by the time I got back to the beach I was amazed at how many people, karaoke’s and cars were parked. Still it was nice to be solitary with nature but smile at someone on the water or getting a wink in return.

Cooler on the water.

Everywhere I went was hot! Annika was getting ansy even with the airconditioning on full. Feels like Indian weather. Piercing..I brought her to the nearest Mcdonald’s for a quick breakfast and off to her cousin’s house. I did the groceries and made sure the butter wouldn’t melt so back home where every place in the house seemed hot even when all the doors and windows are open.

I was literally waiting for the slightest breeze to move my “wind tree” so I can cool off. And it sure did even as the weather charts only said 6-9kts for the day I decided to take a chance. I was happy it was blowing 12kts and very consistent. It was a cool dip even for less than an hour. Good company these kids who help out lay the lines. launch and retrieve the kite. I brought out the 14mtr. kite and a Airush Switch 144 for the lightwinds and presto.. It made me sane for this afternoon. Just light but cool winds and an energized body.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Kiteboarding/Villarosa-beach/fun/164418

Knot by knot on the GPS.

Am so happy with what I tried to run after. I was trying to hit 32kts. on the GPS but only short by .00’s so close but yet a tad far but breaking pb’s is still an effort. Knot by knot really is the deal here. Am glad I fixed the lower batten so to make a fuller profile on the bottom half of the sail.

http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/JPCuaycong/Windsurfing/Villarosa-beach/fun/159227 31.70 max speed

http://www.ka72.com/TrackRecalc.aspx?fid=13591   31.79 mas speed

The winds were coming in puffs but I couldn’t complain. We really don’t have the perfect venue and so is my gear. If it was as flat as ice then it’d be easy to hit 35. Another day and the numbers will come.