Vigan to Baler Bikepacking 2017

The Luzon Island landmass is oriented north-south and most Luzon multi-day biking tours follows this general direction. A Luzon east coast to west coast bike trip can take an hour or so (Unisan-Atimonan, Quezon), or couple of days if you throw in Sierra Madre and Cordilleras along the route. Preferring the path with the most resistance, the ninth edition of “Lakbay Bisekleta” (bike tour) by Sorsogon cyclists is a coast-to-coast traverse of Northern Luzon from Ilocos Sur, over the Kalinga Cordilleras, across the Cagayan Valley, over Sierra Madre, to the beaches of Aurora.

Abra summer landscape

Bicolano cyclists Noel (me), Ed, Tyrone, Jay and Cyrk were joined by Ilocanos Peri and Jong at Vigan, Ilocos Sur, for a 5-day 526 kilometers ride to Baler, Aurora.

Day 1, April 9, Vigan City, Ilocos Norte to Licuan-Baay, Abra

Kilometer zero is Calle Crisologo and we started out at 6:40 AM in the cool Vigan morning. Going south via the main highway is a pleasant ride on a relatively flat terrain, past the Abra Canyon, with the West Philippine Sea coast to the right and the Abra mountains to left. About 29 km from Vigan is a junction before Narvacan town and going west is the road to Abra. The first series of humps (bukol) are encountered 35 km into the ride, and on the descent is Ilocos-Abra boundary – with a historical marker for revolutionary Gabriela Silang and the Tangadan Tunnel. From the boundary up to Bangued (and Lagangilang) is relatively flat, with the road getting busier near Bangued. Early lunch is at Bangued where we also stocked up on food. Before Lagangilang is an very long impressive bridge spanning the Abra River.

At Calle Crisologo, Vigan

Abra Canyon

Ilocos Sur roads, the whole route is 99% concreted

Tangadan Tunnel

Don Mariano Marcos Bridge

After Lagangilang (where we stocked up on water) came the ascent - with the afternoon summer sun bearing down on us. The vegetation cover of Abra is disheartening. Brown dry grass covers the (I presume) once verdant rainforest. Deforested during the Martial Law years, by JPE minions, says Jong. Sparse trees, burning brown grass at the roadsides, harsh summer sun, winding lazily ascending road, hot tarmac with asphalt seal oozing from heat, minimal mostly motorcycle traffic. No habitation in sight, no water source -  not even from roadside ditches or mountain slopes. Bring plenty of water here during summer time! And calories.   

Long, winding and ascending road to Licuan-Baay

Mostly deforested mountains of Abra

Up and up the road goes, and we were lazily slow under the unforgiving heat. Relief came as we neared 580 meters of elevation 105 km into the ride where the vegetation got greener, the air cooler and the sun dipped down the horizon. With thicker forest came a water source near a vacant roadside makeshift market. After that is a more pleasant ascent into the forested areas of Abra, and cool exhilarating descent into Licuan-Baay which we reached around 5:30 PM.

No lodging or homestay in sight at the very small mountain town of Licuan-Baay, so we just proceeded to the municipal compound, talked with the police, and we were offered the MDRRM Office as our pit stop. No problem – we have our sleeping bag/hammock/blanket. Pancit from a panciteria for dinner!

Distance for the day is 119.4 km, moving time of 8:01, average speed of 14.9 kph, with 1,727 meters elevation gain. Route details here: https://www.strava.com/activities/934322047.

Day 2, April 10, Licuan-Baay to Balbalasang, Balbalan, Kalinga

Further into the mountains! The day started with rice, fried eggs, canned sardines and instant coffee from the panciteria. And we were off by 7:00 AM, going up and up the winding Cordillera road. The road is mostly well paved and the forest at the mountainsides thick. This part of Abra is a hotspot of rebel activity and skirmishes with security forces still happens particularly near Malibcong. Few vehicles pass this very remote mountain road and houses are far and few between. A mountain pass at 1,768 masl about 23 km from Licuan Baay marks the boundary between Abra and Kalinga. And from the boundary is a massive downhill ride past the thick pine forest of Balbalasang, Balbalan National Park into the very picturesque settlement of Balbalasang.

Near Abra-Kalinga boundary.

Ed, and Kalinga.

Down to Balbalan.

Anglican Guesthouse.

Don't miss this sign! Balbalan is just across the river.

Balbalasang. In the heart of Cordillera, a collection of houses in a small sloping clearing sandwiched between a river and a forest. Difficult to access as there are no Tabuk-Balbalan jeepneys, and still far from the main town of Balbalan. An intrepid backpacker will have difficulty accessing this place. No cellular network also. A place to get lost. It has the mountain charms of Sagada and with no tourists in sight (except for the solo bikepacker Lester who was cycling from Sagada to Tabuk).

The best Balbalasang accommodation option is the Anglican church guesthouse where you can arrange with Ms. Snooky (unforgettable name). For a token donation, we had the whole house to ourselves including the kitchen. Very nice place. And very friendly people.

The house at the center is the guesthouse.

Licuan Baay to Balbalasang is 35 km which we cycled in slow 4 hours with 1,023 meters elevation gain. Route details here https://www.strava.com/activities/937180243.

Day 3, April 11, Balbalasang to Tabuk

Left Balbalasang at 6 AM into the roller coaster roads of inner Kalinga. The landscape is reminiscent of Bontoc-Tinglayan road, very rugged, road hugs the steep mountain slopes, winding, going up, then down, with an abyss just a few meters to one side. There is a long insane downhill ride in a steep badly paved narrow road to Pasil River, then the road merged with Halsema Higway 54 km from Balbalasang.

Ride out from Balbalan.

No road railings, so better be very careful in these roads!

Rest stop (with concrete road barriers).

Happy mountain biker.

Chico River to Tabuk City.

We had lunch at a bus stop where Pasil River and Chico River meet. From here, the road follows the Chico River downstream so we it was a fast ride to Tabuk City.

Easy 89 km on the saddle done in 6:15 hours moving time, mostly going down but still with 1,040 meters elevation gain. Details here https://www.strava.com/activities/937181167 (elevation gain records varies between my smart phone GPS and Peri’s Garmin watch GPS, and I used the latter.)

Day 4, April 12, Tabuk to Maddela, Quirino

Longest day! We have to traverse the southern Cagayan Valley from the foothills of Cordillera to the foothills of Sierra Madre via Santiago City, Isabela. Flat roads amid rice fields, with the usual traffic and urban sprawl in urban areas - and insanely hot in the windless humid flat lands of Cagayan Valley in the middle of summer.  

Leaving Kalinga for Isabela.

Cagayan Valley, and the Sierra Madre mountains in the distance.

Near the Isabela - Quirino boundary.

It was later afternoon when we reached Aglipay, Quirino where the road started to undulate marking the start of Sierra Madre mountain ranges. It was already dark when we reached the town of Maddela where we were accommodated by Peri’s friend.

A long and exhausting 165 km with a moving time of 8:35 hours and elevation gain of 832 meters. Strava details here https://www.strava.com/activities/939590615. 

Day 5, April 13, Maddela to Baler, Aurora

Started out at 6:30 Am from Maddela for the Sierra Madre traverse. About 14 km from Maddela is a 6-km stretch of a very steep climb (the steepest of the ride). As it was Holy Thursday, hordes of people from Isabela and Quirino are congregating to the beaches of Aurora over this mountain road. Scores of old vehicles and tricycles and motorbikes are groaning and conking out on the steep road.

With our Maddela host.

Long and winding Sierra Madre roads

After cresting, the road dives down, followed by a roller coaster (again) going up and down and winding, hugging the gentler mountain slopes. The road is well-paved but the mountains are already deforested. After 50 km of winding and turning and going up and down, came the vista of the Pacific Ocean and the long insane downhill ride to the white beaches of Dinalungan, Aurora.

Dinalungan white beaches.

What followed was a pleasant coastal road ride down south west to Baler which was relatively flat except for three humps. We arrived in Baler in the middle of the middle of the tourist season and the town and beach was packed to the brim with people. Luckily, we were able to book accommodations in a home stay just near the beach.

Sierra Madre.

Rocky beaches of Dipaculao.

Surf Baler?

Logged 118.5 km in 8:04 hours of moving time with elevation gain of 2,261 meters for the day. Strava data here https://www.strava.com/activities/942224331.

Luzon coast-to-coast ride over Cordillera and Sierra Madre done! After a rest day, Cyrk and I took the bus from Baler to Cubao while Ed, Tyrone and Jay biked 200+ km to Olongapo City.

By Noel Mercado II