Bikepacking the Annapurna Circuit 2022

Back to the Himalayas! 

We have been craving another ride on this great mountain range since our Ladakh cycling trip last 2019. Cycling in the Himalayas has been the most intense experience we have had on the saddle. Immense landscapes, remote location, high elevation, cold climate, unfamiliar culture, majestic natural views - worthy to return to despite the physical and logistical challenges.

And so, when the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions were relaxed, we took vacation leave from our jobs, cashed-in our savings and year-end bonuses, packed our old mountain bikes, filled our dry bags with gears and winter clothes, took a flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, and cycled the Annapurna Circuit.

Day 11, Lower Mustang.

Bike Touring and Bikepacking Campsites in the Philippines

 A Google Map of secure campsites in the Philippines for adventure cyclists.

URL: bit.ly/BikeCampsitesPH

Disclaimer: This is a crowdsourced map. Do your research and contact the campsites in advance. 

Cebu Loop Bike Tour 2021

This is our first long bicycle tour after almost two years of COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. On November 2021, the Province of Cebu announced the loosening of travel restrictions for inter-island tourists with vaccination card as the only requirement. With that news, we immediately readied our bikes and gears and headed for Matnog port.

There is now a roro (roll-on, roll-off) ferry that services the Matnog, Sorsogon- Bogo City, Cebu route three times a week. The boat departs from Matnog (and Bogo) at midnight with travel time of ten to 12 hours. This is a welcome development for bicycle tourists from Bicol visiting Cebu and the Central Visayas - and for Cebuanos visiting Bicolandia. Bikes are free of charge - just remove the front wheel before climbing to the passenger deck.

Boljoon Church

Everesting Cycling Challenge 2021

On June 6, 2021, three young “pandemic cyclists” from our town Irosin, Sorsogon, Philippines attempted the Everesting cycling challenge and were able to finish with impressive time results. They trained hard for the event and were fully supported by the local cycling community. As we fed, hydrated, encouraged, and monitored the progress of Vicson A., brothers Airru E. and Lucky E., I silently committed to myself that I would also attempt this vertical cycling challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic was still out there, and I have nothing else better to do.

The Everesting Challenge for cycling is simple: pick any hill anywhere in the world and complete repeats of it in a single activity until you climb 8,848m – the equivalent height of Mt Everest. For the uninitiated, read more at the Everesting website and at Wikipedia. 

With Ed B, 70 years old, and completed the Half Everesting.