Mt. Kinabalu Climb 2016

I have always wanted to climb this mountain – Mt. Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Southeast Asia at 4,095 meters ASL. But back then, there were no budget-promo airline from Manila to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia and I had little disposable money for travel back then. But nowadays, Manila to KK airfare is very affordable and me and my wife can spare some travel funds for some serious out of the country adventure travel. So for our 20^th wedding anniversary last February 10, I booked a flight to KK and a Mt. Kinabalu 2D1N tour package with via Ferrata.

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

Tiwi and Caramoan Bike Ride 2015

On August 20 to 23, a group of Sorsogon recreational cyclists visited Caramoan, Camarines Sur on a long weekend unsupported bike ride. The weekend warriors were Noel (me), Kareen (my wife), Cyrk and Nat, Linzo and his son Dominic, Paulo, Sam – all from Irosin, and Ed of Matnog and Tyrone of Bulan.

The Bicol 630 Road overlooking Lagonoy Gulf.

Climbing Mount Apo 2015

Mt. Apo is on every Pinoy climber’s bucket list of mountains to summit. The highest peak of the Philippines is there waiting to be climbed, but for Luzon folks this endeavor is costly (airfare) and time-consuming (5 days in and out). So when I was on official travel in General Santos City, I jumped on the opportunity, traveled to Kidapawan City on the last day of the convention and climbed Mt. Apo, solo, over the weekend of May 22 to 24.

Biking the Cordilleras 2015

Nothing compares to the Cordilleras if you are a recreational mountain biker in the Philippines. And in affirmation to that statement, seven Sorsogon cyclists embarked (once again) on a ride to the mountain roads/trails of Ifugao, Mt. Province and Kalinga. This is our fifth Cordillera ride, this year’s installment for the annual summer “Lakbay Bisekleta” ride we have been doing since 2009. The riders are Noel (me), Kareen, Cyrk and Natalie of Irosin, Tyrone and Jay of Bulan, and Ed of Matnog.

Traditional tattoo artists of Kalinga: Grace (seated) and Apo Whang-od (standing)

Biking Samar and Leyte Island

Samar Island is a short 1.5 hour ferry ride away from Sorsogon. Roll-on, roll-off (RORO) ferries from Matnog town will take you Allen, N. Samar and from there you can pedal away up to Liloan, S. Leyte. The Samar-Leyte bike circuit is one of our favorite route  since 2008.

Bike Touring Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Cordilleras and Central Luzon 2012

This is a blog of an epic bicycle ride undertaken by a group of Sorsogon cycling enthusiasts during the Holy Week of 2012. I describe this ride as epic in consideration that it traversed the provinces of Ilocos Sur and Norte, Cagayan, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, N. Viscaya, N. Ecija, Bulacan to Metro Mania in an eight day unsupported ride of 999 kilometers. The major ascents/descents of the ride includes Lubuagan (Kalinga), Sagada, Mt. Polis (near Banaue at 1,910 meters ASL) and the Dalton Pass.

The ride is named “Lakbay Bisekleta 2012” by the Irosin Cyclists Association and the fourth cross-country of the team composed of Noel (me), Ed of Matnog, Tyrone and Jenor of Bulan, and Jeffrey of Sorsogon City (now of US of A). We travelled by bus from Sorsogon to Manila (12 hours) and from Manila to Vigan City (10 hours). At Vigan, we were graciously accommodated by my town mate Marsha of Marsha’s Delicacies and she (again) was our host.