Sorsogon-Davao City-Sorsogon Bike Ride 2011

While rummaging through my old files I finally found my notes on the 2011 “Lakbay Bisekleta” (Bike Tour). Now I can recount my longest bike ride to date and and the most challenging with 200+km-days over diverse terrain under the hot summer sun and torrential downpours. The trip was a grueling 11-day unsupported mountain bike ride of 1,682 kilometers over Samar, Leyte and Mindanao Island to Davao City and back.   

Bryan, Tyrone, Ed, Jeff and Noel

Day 1, April 16, Irosin, Sorsogon to Calbayog City, Samar

I started out biking solo from my hometown of Irosin to Matnog Port where I met up with my roadmates. The team was composed of Noel (me), Ed of Matnog, Tyrone of Bulan, Jeff of Sorsogon City and Bryan of Tacloban City. We boarded the Samar bound ferry at noon and arrived at Allen at 3:45 PM. Back then, the Allen to Catbalogan section of the Pan-Philippine Highway is literally a pain in the ass. The road was in an eternal cycle of repair and disrepair and was bumpy, dusty when dry and muddy when wet. The great vista of the western seaboard of Samar was negated by the road.

But this road was improved with decent cement pavement and asphalt overlay starting in the early 2010’s (the section in Palanit, San Isidro is still full of cracks as of 2015).  It was 8 PM when we arrived at Calbayog City with a log of 96 km for the day. Our preferred pit stop when in Calbayog City is the Calbayog Lodge - spartan and affordable. 

Day 2, Calbayog City to Tacloban City, Leyte

The day started early at 6:30 AM with the pleasant flat road up to Gandara. After this town, the road undulates like a sine wave to Catbalogan, to Jiabong, to Motiong and up to Paranas. From Paranas to Calbiga town is a relatively flat road followed by a long ascent to Pinabacdao. Lots of fluids and patience are needed to get by this road on summer days.

Lunch stop at Catbalogan

Root crops and cyclists, Pinabacdao

At Pinabacdao we met Fr. Amado Picardal who is on a “Run-Walk for Life and Peace” across the Philippines. I describe our bike ride as grueling, but our endeavor pales in comparison to Fr. Picardal’s Davao to Aparri 2,060 km run-walk in 56 days. Ed had accompanied Fr. Picardal in 2008 at the Southern Luzon-Samar leg of Fr. Picardal's bike around the Philippines. We asked for blessings for safe journey from the peace advocate-biking priest, were blessed, and parted in opposite ways - a long arduous journey ahead for all of us. 

Fr. Picardal, northbound to Aparri, by running-walking

From Pinabacdao is a flat road to San Juanico Bridge and to Tacloban City. We arrived at Bryan's house by 6:45 PM where we had dinner, did laundry and rested for the night. Distance traveled is 174 km.

Day 3, Tacloban City to Liloan, Southern Leyte

We departed from Tacloban City at 5:45 AM after a cup of coffee. Royce, a rider from Tacloban and a roadmate in Lakbay Biseketa 2009, joined with us up to Mahaplag. The road condition is definitely better in Leyte with wider carriageway, better surface and proper road setback of houses and establishments. Down south the coastal road goes along the Leyte Gulf, flat and straight up to Abuyog. After breakfast in Abuyog came the calorie-burning mountain roads of Southern Leyte. The ascent from Abuyog to Baybay-Mahaplag junction is long and tough with steep inclines...

Southbound to Davao City, by bike

After an early lunch at Mahaplag is another long climb to Agas-agas. The ascent is gentler this time and is cooler as the road slowly gained elevation and the vegetation transitioned into forest. Traffic is very very light and pedestrians are "maupay". Near the top of the climb is the impressive billion-peso Agas-agas Bridge at Sogod. This engineering feat rises 90 meters from the gulley below and is the highest bridge in the Philippines. There is a zip-line over the bridge and across the ravine and some adrenaline junkies are zipping by.

Agas-agas Bridge, the highest bridge in the country.

What goes up must come down and so we coasted down slope up to Sogod Bay, bypassing the Sogod town. The terrain along the road from Sogod to Liloan is very pleasant with hills, cliffs and rice lands to the east and the sea just a few meters to the west. But the road condition was another thing. We arrived at Liloan Port by 4:45 PM and rode the ferry to Mindanao. At Lipata Port, we stayed in a government-operated small inn just outside the gate that charged P 150 per head. Tacloban City to Liloan is 153 km.

Bill of Ladings is P 350 per bike at Liloan Port, none if hand-carried.

Day 4, Lipata Port, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte to Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur

Mindanao is the second largest island in the country and we intended to traverse it north to south in two days. We started out from Lipata Port at 6:15 AM into the mostly flat sometimes rolling terrain of Surigao del Norte on wide and well-paved roads. After Kitcharao is a hilly terrain which also afforded a nice view of Lake Mainit, the fourth largest lake in the Philippines, to the west. We had our lunch near Jabonga when a downpour poured. After the noon break, we pedaled in the rain and about 15 km from Cabadbaran City was floodwaters in middle of the Pan-Philippine Highway about half-meter deep. The rain has saturated the mountain ranges to the east and was flowing in all available channels. Instead of waiting for the waters to subside, we pedaled across the floodwaters and Tyrone lost his bike chain to the flood. We did not carry a spare chain (lesson learned) so he rode in a habal-habal to Cabadbaran City for a bike store.   

  

At a diner after lomi in Cabadbaran City

After chain replacement and lomi in Cabadbaran City, off we pedaled again in the rain. It was late afternoon when we went past the junction to Butuan City - a long way from the planned pit stop of San Francisco. We decided to push on to as far as Sibagat, unaware that a long, long climb was just ahead. And so we pedaled into the night into the mountains of Agusan del Sur. There was no lodging place at Sibagat but at least there was a good restaurant. After eating, we pushed on for Bayugan City in a moonless night and arrived at 8 PM. The total bike distance is 160 km, short of about 40 km from our itinerary.

Day 5, Bayugan City to Davao City, Davao del Norte

It was decided to go for Davao City today, a daunting 247 km bike ride in unfamiliar terrain.We started out from Bayugan City at 5:45 AM into the mountain road to Prosperidad. From Prosperidad is relatively flat road to San Francisco to Rosario to Bunawan and to Trento. Alongside the road are extensive plantations of palm trees and bananas. This was the time before Typhoon Pablo ravaged the Agusan area.

All smiles, even if the destination is still 187 long and hot kms ahead

It was hot day. Somewhere in the mountain roads near Monkayo, Compostela Valley, Bryan’s bottom bracket started to fail and he decided to hail a bus and commute all the way to Davao City. A Bachelor Lines bus pulled over, and Jeff promptly joined Bryan. (Thus the moniker “Bachelor” for a rider who decides to opt for motorized transfer during long bike tours).

From Nabunturan entering into Davao del Norte is another series of ascents and we reached Tagum City by nightfall. After a burger at Tagum City, we pushed on into the night into the busy streets of Panabo and the industrial areas of Davao City. I was tired, it was dark, the traffic was getting busier with cars and bus racing in the highway and pedestrians all over. I already have big painful rashes in both cheeks of my ass that I cannot sit in the saddle anymore. And Ed’s pace is getting faster and I have difficulty keeping up. Whew, this was my longest day ever in a bike saddle.

Finally, we arrived in Davao City (near the airport) by 10 PM where Ed’s relative took us in and provided dinner and very nice accommodation. LASPAG!

Day 6, Davao City Rest Day

Well-deserved rest day today. I had a slight fever in the morning, most likely from sheer exhaustion, and slept till noon. Bryan had his bike's fixed at the Davao GT Bike Shop and the rest of my companions tagged along. In the afternoon, we wandered around the city (by jeepney this time) and went to Aldevinco for mahlongs, tubaos and souvenirs. 

Bike repairs at GT Bikes, Davao City

We stayed at the Sunny Point Hotel and Apartelle, very nice, courtesy of Ed's first cousin on the mother side. Maraming salamat po Mam Elsa Chu and children. Carbo loading, bike cleaning, minor repairs and laundry (washing machine with spin dry) in the late afternoon. In the evening, we went to a sea foods restaurant for grilled tuna and beer.

Bryan, Yolanda survivor, with a slab of tuna

Day 7, Davao City to San Francisco, Agusan del Sur

Halfway, homeward bound, a long way to go and we had to backtrack our route. It is Holy Friday and we endured the Davao City to San Francisco's 211 km of road. Started out at 6 AM, a hot sunny day, the terrain was rolling and tough, and reached the pit stop at 9 PM.     

  

Thanks Sunny Point Hotel and Apartelle Davao for the food and lodging

Road near Tagum City, very spacious compared to those at Luzon Island

Day 8, San Francisco to Lipata Port

We left San Francisco at 6 AM for another long day with 202 km of road to Lipata Port. At least the day was overcast with brief showers. Some riders from Bayugan City accompanied us up to the ascent past Sibagat. It was already pitch dark (again) when we reached Lipata Port by 8 AM where waited for the next ferry, boarded and I slept near the bow of the boat all the way to Visayas.  

Riders of Bayugan City

Honestly, I never heard of this city until I passed it

Lake Mainit

It was well past midnight when the ferry arrived at Liloan Port. With no lodging place in site, we opted to rent "banig" or sleeping mat in a store at the ferry terminal and settled in for the night at the lobby of the terminal.

Day 9, Liloan to Tacloban City via Silago

We started the Leyte ride at 7 AM from Liloan Port after a cup of noodles. It was an overcast day with plenty of rains. Upon arriving at Sogod-St. Bernard junction is a choice - backtrack via Mahaplag or ride the yet unexplored eastern seaboard of Leyte. Of course, preferring the unknown and unfamiliar, we opted for the latter.

The lobby was our pit stop for the night

To the left or to the right? Let's go via Silago...

We were not disappointed in choosing the via Silago route to Tacloban City. The seascape past St. Bernard to Hinundayan to Hinunangan was worth it. We saw in the distance the scar in the mountains when in 2006 a massive landslide devastated the village of Guinsaugon in St. Bernard. As it was then, it was raining, hard, that we were drenched from St. Bernard up to our lunch stop at Silago. After Silago is a long, long hard climb into forested mountains. The Silago-Abuyog road is surprisingly well-paved and with very few vehicular traffic and very sparsely populated. After the climb is of course a long down downhill ride, past a penal colony, and into Abuyog where the road met up with the Pan-Philippine Highway. The torrential rain did not relent as we rode into the night to Tacloban City and we reached Bryan’s house by 7:45 PM. Distance traveled for the day was 186 km.

Day 10, Tacloban City to Calbayog City

This day, only three of us were left to finish the self-propelled trip as Bryan opted to stay behind in Tacloban City while Jeff (who really dislikes riding in the rain) went for motorized transport. Left Tacloban City at 6:15 AM, biked the Samar Island and arrived at Calbayog City by 6:45 PM after 176 km.

The last three men standing at San Juanico Bridge

Day 11, Calbayog City to Irosin

The last leg of the journey started at 6:45 AM into the rolling seaside hills of Northern Samar and we ended up at San Isidro Port by 11 PM. A ferry ride later and we were back in Luzon Island. Back home by 4 PM after covering 77 km for the day.

Tyrone's odometer at San Isidro Port, N. Samar

My total of distance covered in 10 biking days is 1,683 km - my longest continuous ride to date. I would love to ride this route again some day but next time I would prefer shorter distances per day. Great ride nonetheless.

By Noel Mercado II