Sports Eye
Meeting Houston Fil-Am cyclists
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
HOUSTON, TEXAS – It’s now my second time in this state. The first time was in April, 1978, in the city of Pharr, my father’s hometown where I later migrated.
But coming to the beautiful and big city of Houston is my first time, the home of NASA’s ‘mission control’ of space shuttles.
I came here and made a four-day stint on the invitation of my good friend and our kababayan Blandino “Blann” Caguioa, formerly from San Carlos City, an active cyclist and one of the board of directors of a cycling club here dubbed as “Houston Fil-Am Cycling Club” and with a squad named “Siklista Cycling Team.”
This team was originally formed exclusively for Filipinos, but for some reasons, the group decided to make it broad-based and accepted three foreign riders from Mexico, Columbia and Cambodia.
Of course, the club was dominated by Filipinos with 26 members led by Joey Coz of Calatagan, Batangas as team director (that’s how they name their leader) with Caguioa brothers Blandino and Amor of San Carlos City, Pangasinan, the father and son Joey and Julian Se, Leo Robles, Edgar Lacro, Danny Jardiolin, Ariel Leonardo, Albert Lising, Mon Mateo and Art Encarnacion of Metro Manila.
The Ilocano riders are Boyet Carag and Ron Agatep of Ilocos Norte, Bonnie Busngi of Isabela, Julius Acosta, Charlie Barlaan, Buddy Tabula and Rommel Cruz of Pangasinan, Boyet Bigalbal of Cavite, Jorge Joaquin of Bulacan, Gilbert Mangahis (son of my cycling contemporary Nilo Mangahis) of Laguna, Noel Malcaba of Tarlac, Tom Padilla of Bicol, Benjie Yas of Cagayan de Oro City and Joel Alba of Dumaguete City.
The three foreigners are Alberto Martinez of Mexico City, Diego Parra of Colombia and Ric Chea of Cambodia.
I met them personally in the morning of November 14 at the beautiful house of Blann where we all took our lunch. We had a really an interesting chit-chat and I found out how curious they were about cycling, asking many questions about me especially my heydays in the Tours.
I found out, too, that most of them owned sophisticated bicycles, close to what seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong is using, made of titanium and carbon, which cost almost ten thousand dollars each.
And because of the camaraderie and amity that they had shown, and for my love for the two-wheeled sport, I might seriously consider staying in this country for good, which is just a fifty minutes flight to the city.
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
