[sustran] FW: Metro Manila's TOUR OF THE FIRELIES 2002 REPORT

[Paul Barter]

-----Original Message-----
From: katti sta. ana [mailto:katti at qinet.net]=20
Sent: Thursday, 30 May 2002 7:20 AM
To:  ... =20
Subject: TOUR OF THE FIRELIES 2002 REPORT


TOUR OF THE FIRELIES 2002: "MoBiLeS: More Bikes Less Smog"
REPORT

Earth Day Eve, April 21, 2002, was a red-letter day for environmental =
groups worldwide. The Firefly Brigade=B9s annual activity held on this =
day was the Tour of the Fireflies, a =8Csocial=B9 bicycle ride (not a =
race!) that seeks to heighten awareness of our dismal air condition in =
the metropolis. A 50-kilometer tour of seven cities in Metro Manila, =
this year=B9s edition started at the University of the Philippines at =
Quezon City.

The household helper sat patiently at the curb in front of a house at =
Visayas Avenue, Quezon City. Her eyes were intent on a rise on the road =
where she knew a throng of cyclists would emerge. As the first line of =
riders came into view, she ran screaming into the house, echoing, =
"Nandito na sila! Nandito na sila!" (They=B9re here! They=B9re here!) =
The whole household spilled out onto the driveway, waving at the =
cyclists as they passed, and they received cheers in return. The mother =
of the family, whose son is a marshal of the tour, searched for him in =
vain as the peloton passed by for 30 minutes. And then they were gone.

In terms of participation, this year=B9s tour is the biggest so far =
since it started in 1999. There was a total of around 700 registered =
riders. This can be attributed to an unprecedented media blitz in print =
and television through partnerships with The Philippine Daily Inquirer =
and Bantay Kalikasan. Other sponsors that helped in disseminating =
information and registration are Cravings, Bisikleta Atbp, Bicycle =
Works, Joven Bicycle Shop, The Bike Room, Roosevelt Bicycle Center and =
Extreme Bike Shop.  The rule of thumb for estimating total rider =
participation in this type of activity is to multiply the number of =
registrants by two to three times. Thus we arrive at a ballpark figure =
of 1400 to 2100 riders, which is consistent with various media and =
police estimates. At intersections this mass of riders block traffic for =
an average of 30 minutes. Needless to say, this spectacle had people =
pouring out of their homes. The neighborhoods where the Tour passed =
through became an impromptu fiesta if only for half an hour. Not all =
were amused though, as evidenced by the frowns on the faces of some =
motorists who were caught up in the traffic.

At the Manila Cathedral, the bride was about to alight from the bridal =
car when the Tour swept by as it entered the Walled City of Intramuros. =
The wedding guests poured out of the church to watch, mesmerized by the =
sheer number of cyclists. An astute photographer began posing the bride =
and guests, using the swarm of bikers as a backdrop. It certainly was a =
wedding day to remember.

The Tour of the Fireflies 2002 passed through several areas of interest =
in Metro Manila. From the tree-lined campus of UP Diliman, the cycling =
horde stitched a path that connected, among others, the Quezon Memorial, =
the =8CLechon District=B9 of La Loma, Divisoria, Binondo Church, =
Intramuros, Rizal Park, Manila Hotel, the Cultural Center Complex, the =
Makati Business District, Mandaluyong City Hall, the Pasig Kapitolyo and =
Marikina Riverbanks. It passed through neighborhoods of pomp and =
poverty, with a singular result; people poured out to watch and cheer.

"Th-th-this is like a ma-ma-massage!" a participant rider quipped as her =
bike chattered over the cobblestones of Intramuros. She was literally =
passing over bricks of history as the granite blocks were originally =
used as ballast by empty galleon ships returning from Mexico during the =
Spanish Era. Loaded with spices for the outbound trip, the huge sailing =
ships needed weight in their bellies in order to keep upright when =
heading back to Manila. The cyclist biked on, cleared the rough section, =
onto the smooth concrete road that led to the Manila Hotel.

The Tour passed through a representative sample of Metro Manila=B9s =
streets. Smooth multi-lane concrete highways served as a counterpoint to =
narrow, labyrinthine, pot-holed side streets. This experience opens the =
participants=B9 minds to the need to maintain these roads, to the need =
to use quality materials in the first place, and to encourage bicycles =
so as to lessen the volume of traffic which rips up the roads. The =
knowledge of alternate routes was also presented, which the participants =
can use should they try to take up bike commuting in the future.

"I can=B9t believe I=B9m here in Manila, all the way from UP!", an =
excited participant declared at Quirino Grandstand, the Tour's halfway =
point. His previous longest ride was but a few kilometers pedaled at the =
car-less oval in UP on Sundays. Yet there he was, 25 kilometers already =
ridden, pumped up and ready to tackle the rest of the route. Suddenly =
biking to work didn=B9t seem a strange and remote concept; it was within =
reach.

The deliberate pace of the Tour is geared towards that of maintaining a =
comfortable speed within the abilities of the beginner cyclist. Even =
children, with their diminutive legs pumping the pedals, had a grand =
time. At an average of 17 kilometers per hour, almost everyone can keep =
up with the pack. Seasoned cyclists consider this a slow tortuous pace =
as they are much more comfortable at a faster pace. Yet most of them, =
when enlightened of the reason why we hold the Tour, understand and even =
help in regulating the pace. With this partnership, beginners are =
launched into the world of cycling as their enthusiasm and confidence =
are heightened. Now, numerous beginner cyclists, some of whom had never =
ridden beyond 5 kilometers early in the year, join the weekly Firefly =
Brigade rides which typically run for at least 40 kilometers per ride. =
The tribe is increasing.

The sweeper-marshal wiped the sweat from his brow as he finally caught =
up with the tail of the group. He had just assisted a rider onto the =
Support And Gear vehicle. Sweeper marshals are positioned at the end of =
the bicycle peloton to assist participants who bog down due to fatigue =
or some other reason such as a flat tire He sees another 'downed' rider =
and stops again. At the end of the day, he has had twelve downed rider =
assists.

This year=B9s Tour has seen the emergence of an organized Marshal group. =
A total of 45 Tour Marshals have trained for weeks prior to the Tour. =
They have been divided into 4 groups with specialized duties. There are =
marshals that clear the way, pace the group, protect the team at the =
periphery, and sweep the lagging riders. This way, all participants can =
be confident that there is someone to help them in trouble. Backing up =
the marshals was a team of two ambulances (Fire Protection & Emergency =
Assistance Group) and several support vehicles, courtesy of the Tour =
sponsors (the main support vehicle was provided by Bicycle Works) and =
private individuals. A much needed water station was established by =
Uniglobe/Camelbak at the halfway and end points of the Tour. They also =
provided the orange vests that identified the marshals.

Pedaling up the slight incline that leads up to Marikina Riverbanks =
Center, Mang Bob Sarreal grinned as he accomplished his fourth Tour of =
the Fireflies. All of 73 years old, Mang Bob along with his heavy =
pre-war bike has been a mainstay of the Tour. Later he would be =
recognized, for the fourth time, for being the oldest participant. Other =
cyclists won prizes too; the youngest (6 years old), those with =
decorated bikes and costumes, and the largest contingent.

The Tour of the Fireflies ended at Marikina Riverbanks with a flourish. =
The lead cyclists trickled in as they zipped up the slight uphill. Soon =
the trickle became a torrent as the main pack of riders checked in, a =
cacophony of tinkling bells, clanging chains, shifting gears, excited =
whoops and cheers permeating the air. There was an epidemic of high =
fives, hugs, handshakes, smiles and welcome kisses as friends who got =
separated during the ride finally met up. The most heard question was =
"Why does this happen only once a year?" At the ensuing program, awards =
provided by the Tour sponsors were given to deserving riders. Food was =
provided to the registration and volunteer marshals by Cravings. Though =
sapped by the effort and intense heat of the summer sun, many of the =
riders, empowered by the experience, were already looking forward to the =
next Tour of the Fireflies, which promises to be even bigger. =20

It was mid afternoon. Only the 11 exhausted core group members of the =
Firefly Brigade remain. Some were eating the lunch that should have been =
enjoyed a couple of hours ago. It seems that the emotions generated by =
the Tour was enough sustenance for them. The event that they had worked =
hard for for several months has ended an hour ago. Most were still =
dumbstruck by the sheer volume of riders that showed up for the Tour. =
The final tally of participants  was double the number of riders they =
expected to join. "Were we successful?" one ventured. They all looked at =
each other in silence. The answer was a definitive yes.

The Firefly Brigade had pulled off its biggest Tour of the Fireflies =
ever. A media blitz reeled in numerous cyclists of all ages and =
abilities to join. The streamlined registration procedure ensured that =
the Tour started on time. Although there were a few minor injuries such =
as bruises and dehydration, there were no major mishaps thanks to the =
concerted effort of the marshals and support vehicles. The Tour =
certainly coaxed the populace out of their homes to marvel at the huge =
mass of human-powered machines. And the people indeed understand the =
Tour of the Fireflies for what it is; a cavalcade of concerned cyclists =
in whose collective consciousness resides the idea of a city =
encapsulated with clean air.=20

The vision is attainable. We must not rest until we have pure, =
unadulterated air coursing through our lungs as we breathe. We must not =
rest until the fireflies come back to live amongst us.