Ride to Batangas City Grotto

It was the 3rd day of the August long weekend vacation..I received a  wallpost on Facebook from a bikemate(Ramon) saying that he will be visiting the Grotto of Mama  Mary located at Sto. Domingo,Batangas City. Since i havent been there  and my girlfriend already issued me a passport,Go!!! I texted ramon  immediately,"What time are you planning to take off?" Ive waited for a  bit but no reply from him.Since I were drunk( first time I tried a  Johny Walker Black Label...whoa!! smooth!!)I fell asleep. Good thing is that I set my alarm at 5:00 am,I have a contingency plan that if he  would not reply,I would find another route to go. I looked at my  cellphone,1 text message, from Ramon. "I will leave house at 6, meet me  at the city hall". Ok,sounds like i dont need my plan b. So I hopped from my bed. Gargle while taking a look at my  bike.Tools, pump, tires, brake..checked!! I hurriedly fix my self because  I dont want to be late. I just stopped by a carinderia to fill myself  with tapsilog. After that,off to the meet up point! Ive waited for about  10 minutes until he came and we left immediately.At first it was smooth  sailing,but then comes the uphill road,I said to Ramon "This is it,from this point,all are climbs".From Conde Itaas,it was all  climb.We had to take a breather.Then a group of fellow bikers came.We  decided to group with them.Seriously,the climbs were very difficult,I said  to myself before I leave that house that I would never use my granny  gear.But damn!!It was so hard.I feel like my heart and nose is going to  burst.Seems like I was a carabao plowing a field.The chatting and  laughing stops,all you could hear are "huh! huh! huh!" I came to a  point that I had to dismount from my bike.My chains would not  break,but my legs will.The saying is right,"kapag paahon,galit galit  muna".As we are going through a long climb,a fellow,strong biker pass  us by. I mean a very strong biker!! He was standing at the  pedal,mashing it and changing gear at the same time making it looks  like he's just playing the course!! WTF!! Could his legs be a robot?!  He's so fast as if we are not moving!And finally! After almost an hour of climbing we reached the grotto!

The view was very great!! At front was an over-looking of Batangas  City and nearby towns.You can also see Mt. Batulao and Mt. Maculot.And  at the back was green trees covering the mountain.The site was not  that grand but enough for someone like me who gets tired of the  everyday city life.A once a week view of this is enough.So as  usual,picture taking.

We enjoyed talking with fellow bikers,sharing our  interest with our hobbies. Meeting new friends outside is really  great.That's one of the best part of going out.So after a couple of  minutes of talking and laughing,we decided to descend.The roads now  are mostly downhill.

I said to Ramon that I will just be slow on our  way down.But as soon as I saw the long downhill road,I cant help it,I  need to be fast!!! So I released my brake then zoooom!! I found my  self in the front pack in no time. This is our reward! We're so fast  at that moment,at the same time I am praying."Please God,no dogs or  children please".It took us about an hour and half to reach the grotto but  descended for just about half an hour.Of course after the long ride,we need to refuel,so we decided to have  lomi at Jocas in Libjo.All were tired but seing at each other's  face,we knew we had a great time.Nice meeting you fellaz from  Shimmod!! Till next time..

The Twin Lake of Balinsasayao Adventure

It was our last day of vacation in Dumaguete, when our friend Jassen took us to the famous twin lake of Dumaguete. Aboard Reva(his toyota revo's name) we headed to the town of Sibulan. Then after a left turn from the highway, it was all now rough terrain and rocky road up to the mountain where the famous lake is. The view were all beauty. Green trees, mountains and everything are all pleasant to see.



the view is great!

 After about an hour of bumpy ride, we've finally reached a lake, a mini lake actually,we thought it was the twin lake but it just a place for registration.




the mini lake beside the registration area

So after registration, hopped again to reva, but they said it would just be a short ride from now.Yeah it was short ride, but hell of a slope hehe.Then we reached a big nipa hut-like restaurant i think. We rested for a bit and negotiate to rent for a banca that would bring us to the lake.

After resting for a while, we decided now to go to the lake, and take a boat ride. There are two options, we can either ride through a banca and go to the other side, or we can ride a banca to the watch tower located at a hill separating the two lakes.We opted for the 2nd option because its much cheaper and we are saving time. We really are excited as we went to the banca. Wish this could carry us all hehehe.

 Honestly, i was scared as we are sailing through the lake, we dont have any life jacket, and the fact that im not a good swimmer. Manong told us that the center of the lake is approximately 500 meters,wow!! He also told us that there once a fisherman that caught an 80-kilo fish.That was a monster fish!! A fish weighing closely to a pig hehehe.


the lake is really calm



To be continued

I survived Batangas City - Lobo Loop

Opened my eyes, saw my ceiling fan greeting me good morning.It was Aug 6, 2011, 5:30 am. Hurriedly i

get up from my bed.Fixed myself.Went to my mountain bike, tires, checked. Tools and missing links,

checked. Hand pump and water bottle checked.Went back to my room and fixed my bag. It was raining

that morning, i water-proofed my bag, gadgets and a spare shirt. I warmed up a little bit, can't

help myself, i am so excited for this ride.I said to myself, this will be a long ride. So off we go!



First stop,Brgy Pinamucan




Headshot!!

First kilometers were all great. I reached mabacong in no time. I stopped over some brgy. entrance

to take some pictures. But suddenly my digital camera flashed low battery.Damn!! why haven't i

thought of charging it. I need to save battery for me to capture my destination.



strong waves are out there



My ride continue, then i reached the long, winding and uphill road to Pagkilatan.Wew, this is it. Crack! crack! crack!! changed gear!! Granny gear for now, need to save my enery, i have no idea of what roads are

waiting for me out there. There are people at the roadside doing their, maybe everyday chores, i

greeted them good morning, and they returned a smile.So i reached the former Monte Maria,unluckily,

it was now closed and i cant even go the place beside the cliff overlooking the beach because the

road is already closed. There was a detour, so i just continue my trip. It was a long downhill rush.

I can feel the wind blowing in my face. I don't know why, my brain is saying brake!!brake!! But my

hands seems disobedient this time.I can feel the rush!! Whoa!! How i wish this downhill road was

endless.

Then i've reached the road beside the sea. The scenery was great all the way. Biking beside the

beach is awesome! I decided to take a rest and watch the beach for a moment.How i wish i had a spare

brief or if only i were wearing cycling shorts, then i can hop and swim on the beach. I dont want to

be pedalling on a wet brief(guys know this hehehe).Time is passing by, need to continue my journey.

This time its mud time!! I maybe a fool, but i really like the feeling of splattering muds hitting

my face, my shirt.I am mountainbiking yeehah!!. Then a couple of childrens playing, a group of

them.And as they saw me coming, they reached their hands toward me,shouting "apir!! apir!!". Whoa,

the feeling is great!!Dont know why, but i reached everyone of them and give them a high five as if

i were really a biker hehehe. Want i nice scene to see, if only i could have captured that moment.

Some of them came running with me for a little bit, then bid farewell as i continue pedalling. After

the muddy and sandy road, was a gravel and rocky road. I was running fast, there were two ladies

walking along the way,i was thinking to myself, "dont fall, dont let me down jrorange, it will be

very shameful for us hehehe" Yet, we survived that road before we even know it.



Nice beach!!



Finally!! i've reached the town of Lobo!! I've immediately went to the church to take a photo as my

souvenir that i had been there. I ate my lunch at a karinderia in front of the church. Chat with the

vendor for a while and off we go again.



Lobo Church



finished my lunch :)

The weather was now freaking hot, as if it was still summer. This is'nt what i am expecting!! I need rain!! Please! All ive prepared is for rain, not this scorching heat! not to mention that this will be a long uphill climb.But i need to move on.The first climb were just fine, but suddenly, criiiick! criiick!!. What was that.I dismounted from my bike and checked on it. Oh crap! My chain was now all dry and all the sands and mud it got along the way are penetrating in it. So i needed to be careful on pedalling, it will be a lot harder for me if my chain would break. Now the sun is taking its toll on me, all i see is uphill road, my chains are not

performing well and im so tired already.I stopped for a bit, changed my ipod playlist..linkin park.

Now this is what im talking about, so i hopped in again and moved through the road.On my way up,a

fellow biker overtaken me, as if the climb was just so easy for him.He just greeted me and pass by.

Suddenly my legs started to ache,i stopped again and drop my bike at the side of the road.Me,

running to a shade of a tree. Not cramps! not this time! My leg muscles are all so hard.I rested for

a bit. Some jeepneys and trucks pass by, and i think all of the passengers are enjoying on what they

see, a biker sitting helplessly at the side of the road,smirking at me.

What came to my mind?Who gave me the idea to do this?Can i really do it?How?What fool am i to think

this is an easy ride.My butt now dont even what to sit in the saddle, i think it swelling.I am all

tired, i found myself washing my hands in a canal with free flowing water, it felt nice.I wanted to

take a nap, i want to lay down on the ground.I wanted to stay there until the sun comes down.I just

wanted to rest.Then i remembered i have a baked pasta and cake on my bag.I found a waiting

shed,decided to take my carbo load there.People passing by seems to be amused seing a biker eating

his lunch in a waiting shed, who cares hehe.I rest there for quite sometime,i even thought to lay

there for even 10 minutes, but, what if i wake up and its already dusk,knowing myself, i am good at

sleeping.So its not a good thing to do. After about 15 minutes, i now decided to continue my

journey.Wow, the baked pasta worked! I have strength to carry on again! Every uphill now is a

struggle, everytime a feel my legs would be contracting, i would jump immediately and walk my

way.And everytime i would see a sloping road,it would never miss making me say "Yes!!".



Pasta,no more!!



haven't thought of taking picture of the pasta while it was there :)



finally!!!



it looks like i still haven't losing weight hehe

At last!! Ive seen the Fortune Cement factory.It means i am getting near on finishing my journey.

What a relief i felt. I came rushing down the road. Then i dropped by my workmates house to ask for

some water refill(thanks mam maricel!!).The roads from now on are all easy, but still my butt

screaming in pain!Then i decided to drop by my girlfriend's house.Wew! Now that was really a treat!I

stayed there for a couple of hours to rest. My journey until then was about 8 hours!! 8 hours of

gruelling ride over the paved, muddy and rocky road, uphill and downhill. My gf congratulated me and

says she's proud of me as i bid goodbye.Another few kilometers to ride, but its nothing compared to

what ive been through.

At long last!! ive reached our house.I immediately boiled a kettle of water for me to clean myself.

My clothes, my bag, my helmets and all the things i brought are all over the place, it really was a

mess to see, who cares, i will clean it later.So after i cleaned myself, i immediately lie down my

bed and decided to sleep. As i looked at my ceiling fan, all i can say is that... "I really did it,

i survived it, thanks God"

Based on a fellow biker here the whole trip was 77 kilometers with 899 meters of climbing.Not bad hehehe.