Traveling on a budget with legs as my gears

Mornings in Malasya are magnificent. I had my feet enclosed in the warmth of the inside of my backpack. Because I left my heavy blanket behind, I had to improvise and keep my feet from the cold. Despite being fully clothed and having my best socks on, it was futile against the morning mountain breeze.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Courtesy of Duanne Vasquez

Courtesy of Duanne Vasquez

0600. The time I woke up was the time we were supposed to be riding out, but no one seemed to be rushing to go. The group was deciding if we would still continue on the third day because we were way behind schedule already, and judging from each of our calibers, it was evident that some of us–me, included–were bordering a meltdown. Bey and I got ready as soon as we rose, nonetheless.

0700. We had breakfast and took pictures before we half-heartedly went on our way. I say half-heartedly because the group wasn't sure if we should take the route that was originally set, or do a backtrack. I, for one, did not want to do the latter, for the sole reason of its record [on Strava] not looking cute (priorities!). So even if the locals warned us about the trail's status, it was decided that we just stick to the original plan but end the ride altogether, meaning cut it short of the last day once we reach civilization.

Courtesy of Duanne Vasquez

0800. A ten-second away river crossing await us upon leaving Malasya. It was a long ride home, but we probably won't go back so soon, we might as well capture the moment while we're there and still can!

Oyasumi's heavy carriage

1000. I wanted to leave basically everything behind and just trek my way out. That's just the exhaustion talking, of course, but I meant it for a second. This was the most tearjerker ride I've ever been on. A sadness inducing occurrence on top of the hardship, my two-month old Shimano Goretex with brand new cleats were withering away. First, the outer layer of its sole fell off. I accepted it, but I kept the materials in the hopes of getting them repaired when I get home. So the inner layer where the cleats are screwed in were what I used to literally get my feet on the ground. I noticed it quite late when the inner layer on my right shoe was gone. I thought it wouldn't fall off because the cleats were screwed in but it fell off along with the cleats. Niko was able to recover the one on my left shoe, and I put it away inside my backpack trying to save the remaining cleats. I was walking on a thin layer of sole now basically, feeling every pebble.

1200. We reached a community in Apia and we took a break there. I ate some of the trail food I had and shared it with the rest of the group to lighten my load. I also put some salt in my tongue to help me retain my fluids. Not long after we rode out, I felt my mouth getting unusually saltier–a threat of throw up incoming. I was still pedaling when I couldn't hold it anymore, dismounted from Oyasumi by reflex to vomit. After the upchuck of the biscuits I had just eaten, I took out my mashmallows to wash away the aftertaste in my mouth. Niko offered his candies as well; we gave some of them out to the kids surrounding us.

1400. Lunch has passed two hours ago but I still wasn't feeling all that hungry. We reached the main river to be crossed where we hung around for a while, cleaned our bikes, and took a dip.

Saying that my shoes got dirty is an understatement

It rained heavily while we were still basking in the river, so we needed to move along the route because the water was getting high. Nearing a place where we could rest came a local who had a log on his back, trekking the clay mud with absolute ease. He saw me struggling and offered to help. Usually, I resist and claim that I can manage, but this time, I accepted. He then proceeded to carry my heavy loaded bike AND his log. It was insane, but in my head, I wondered, if he could spare just one more thing to carry: me.

1600. We reached a sari-sari store where we had our late lunch at. I bought a can of mackerel for 27php and contributed 15php to the rice that we had cooked. Erlan gave the uncooked, extra rice to the local who suddenly became a porter for others' bikes. We ate merrily as all of us were already starving, then headed to Calawis while it's still not as dark after we finished up.

1800. I'm just estimating time now from what probably is a fake memory. It was completely dark when we reached Calawis. We were finally able to see concrete and living things other than plants. I'm not a soda person because I used to puke when I drink such but I insisted Bey, Niko, and I share two liters of soda. I contributed 13php.

1900. We exited to the Boso-Boso Highlands area in Cogeo and ate our dinner there before we split up. I spent 35php on beef pares. Duanne, Dex, and Erlan stayed for a bit while Bey, Niko, Aljon, Rhon, Jayson, and I went on our way first.

2000. Jayson was getting left behind so we took a break at a well-lit area to wait for him. A lady selling balut passed by and I bought two for 30php (at home when mum buys a dozen, I usually eat four).

Photos by Niko Lopez

2300. Rhon and Jayson parted ways with us before Bey, Niko, Aljon, Sir Dante, and I headed to Taguig. I don't remember where exactly but I do remember that around this time, people couldn't stop staring at us. When we got stopped at a red light, there was even a guy who asked us if we came from Timberland in San Mateo, Rizal. I remember answering no, then the light went green.

2400. At a 7eleven store in Bicutan when it was just me, Niko, and Aljon (Bey and Sir Dante had a different route), I bought my favorite Gulp Gatorade (Did you know that the largest Gulp cup is almost 1 liter for only 35php, while a bottle of Gatorade is only 500ml for the same price?). They didn't have that though so I got the one for 20php. There were child beggars scattered about and they looked at me as if I was one of them. As a long distance biker, I have experienced being bothered by beggars when stopping by convenience stores, but this time, I was never bothered. I laughed to myself at that fact, especially when one of them finally broke the awkwardness to tell his friends to check out my very dirty shoes. A child beggar near me was playing with his coins and one of the coins accidentally flew in my lap. I laughed at the kid, "Binibigay mo ba 'to sa 'kin?" (Are you giving this to me?) I handed it back to him and then I reached into my backpack to give him what remains of my snacks: marshmallows! The others gathered around as they asked for a piece too so I just gave the whole pack to one kid for him to share with the rest.

Sunday, December 11, 2016
0200. I finally reached home around this time. I rested for a bit before I got cleaned up for bed.

See also: Ride For A Cause: Rizal Mountain Exploration Day 1

My friend Duanne, who I met through Hip Hop affiliates in 2011, set up a Ride For A Cause with Dex (Duanne's friend who Bey and I met when we rode to Mt. Balagbag in April 2016). The Ride For A Cause was supposedly going to be for three days, however, because of the status of the trail (almost knee-deep clay mud) and unexpected occurrences (Duanne and Niko getting attacked by bees, Bey and Niko's cliff-hanging crashes, Dex leaving blood on trail from stepping on a sharp pointy branch bare-footed as well as his pedal breaking, and then there's me accidentally biting my tongue from always having something to munch), the ride fell one day short. We gathered joiners by posting invites online and I, being from the South, was the self-initiated appointee to tag other Southerners along. We went on our way early Friday, December 9, 2016, which was actually my birthday and the first official day of my freedom (I quit my job).

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Friday, December 9, 2016
0200. I woke up one hour before my ride out time. We were to meet up with Duanne, Dex, and two other joiners friends with them, Erlan and Jason, at BPI Lagro near SM Fairview at 6:00AM sharp. I already had everything prepared–I set up my bike with the carrier installed (by the demonization of Erlan through our groupchat) and my stuff were packed in my heavy carriage. I still had to bring a backpack for extra space because there were groceries bought for Kuya Amang and his family (the Dumagats who welcomed us into their home) to be divided to carry among the ten of us who subjected ourselves to [the] excruciating ride.

Things I brought (from top left to bottom right): shaul and face towel; underwear and cold weather clothes; plastic bags; sports camera; slippers; bike tools - allen keys, patch kit, tire levers, tail light, headlight, extra interior, pump; powerbank, extra batteries, selfie ring light, LED light; eyewear case and cleaner; camera floater; toiletries - toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant, sunblock gel, panty liners, feminine wipes; first aid kit - alcohol, cotton, q-tips, bandages, betadine; raincoat (which served as not only a raincoat but a bedsheet); mess kit - food container, spoon, and fork; the rest are food and snacks, obviously. (Those I ended up not bringing are greyed out - extra clothing, blanket, and some snacks).

0300. Time to ride out. I was to meet up with Aljon in Parañaque at 3:30AM. Aljon was one of the joiners who saw the invite online, so I didn't really know him. But hats off to this guy! Crazy strong!

0330. I set the meeting place for Niko, Bey, and Sir Dante (Bhike Quest) in Parañaque as well so the five of us can be gathered up to fetch Rhon, another joiner from the webz, in Manila at 4:00AM.

0400. We were running kinda late on schedule but because Bey set the pace at a heart-stressing rate, we were able to catch up. After a moment of easing into the flow of traffic, the six of us went on our way.
I took this photo with my phone taking cover from the headwind behind Bey and Niko. The motion makes my hand shake; I still haven't mounted the sports camera yet so I'd have to make do with this.

0500. Rhon was wheezing from the pace Bey set and to be honest, I was too, so I suggested that we take a break at the next 7-eleven store that we'll pass by. We were already along Commonwealth when we took our first and only break. I also needed it to mount the sports camera. I don't ride alone with a camera on display because I believe it will attract bad juju(?), and because we were running late at the earlier meetup, I wasn't able to put it in place then even though we were already a pack of 5 and 6 running at that time.

Don't you just love the sight of bikes compressed together? 😍

0545. We arrived at the meetup 15 minutes early. Erlan and Jason were already there. Not long after, Duanne and Dex showed up with the groceries. We had a respective category of items to carry. Mine was going to be our dinner. The others had canned goods, biscuits, and kitchen staples like rice. Each of us contributed 200PHP. We wanted to arrive at 2,000PHP funds for the groceries but we didn't want to spend more than we could afford, that's why needed more people for a wider division of expenses (originally, it was just us four: Duanne, Dex, Bey, and me). The 200PHP of each person included not just the goods for the Dumagats, but also Day 1 dinner and Day 2 breakfast.

(From left to right) Bey, Niko, Jayson, Sir Dante, me, Rhon, Aljon | Photo by Erlan Roxas

0700. I lost track of time after we made it in advance at the main meetup, but to keep the itinerary going, I'm just going to place an estimate of what time the happenings occurred from here on out. So around 7:00AM, we went on our way to the first order of business: Pangarap trail. This was the only familiar thing in the route Duanne and Dex created; they took Bey and I here already when we went to Mt. Balagbag.


0900. We arrived at San Isidro and had breakfast after exiting Pangarap trail. I spent 75PHP on papaitan and 4 rice (2 I ate there, 2 I took to-go to pair with my pouched corned beef). We needed to prepare a packed lunch because there won't be any carinderias on the mountain to buy lunch at anymore.

The view of our parked bikes across the carinderia | Shot by Erlan Roxas

0930. We probably departed around this time to the next traps in line: Mascap, Puray, and Mt. Ayaas.

1300. When I caught up to the group taking a break at a shelter of a local family who took us in when it rained, we had our lunch. Eating is so much more rewarding when you are starving that even the simplest meals are delicious. I opened my pouched corned beef and the rice I got from the carinderia. Some of us had dishes ordered and cooked from the carinderia while others opened one of their own canned goods.

There's no electricity on the mountain, so it was very dark. Good thing I had quite a few lights with me.