My Philippine Loop Adventure 2022
OUR PHILIPPINE LOOP ADVENTURE TOUR 2022
Adolf N. Garde and Robert "Tito Bingot" Del Rosario
Disclaimer:
I am not a professional writer. This is the first time I wrote an article about
the adventures I have had. I am an adventure-seeking person who already did
climb Mount Apo, trekking, camping, and tandem paragliding, I have an advanced open-water
scuba dive certification with more than 50 hours of dive time and free diving.
I also love gun shooting, air rifle hunting, airsoft games, online gaming,
mountain biking, and a lot more to mention. I am writing this article as our
journal to document the events during our Philippine Loop journey and to share
our experience with those who are aspiring to try Philippine Loop Adventure
Tour.
It
was a dream come true when I and my riding buddy Tito Bingot decided to register for the Philippine Loop Adventure on March 9, 2022.
It was quick and never had a second thought about joining the event. We just
thought if not now then when are we going to do it? The restriction has eased
down a bit, and we could still make it before the rainy season starts. We
decided that our take-off would be on my 41st birthday on May
12, 2022. Just two (2) months of careful preparation, watching YouTube videos
for tips and advice from Philippine Loop Conquerors, and even having a conversation
with the former conquerors of the Philippine Loop through Messenger.
The Philippine Loop Adventure vest.
My wife wearing the Philippine Loop
t-shirt and cap.
The Route
We also had to rethink our route
several times whether we do it clockwise or counterclockwise taking into
consideration the weather on the day we will jump off. Should we include the
islands of Cebu, Bohol, Camiguin, and Siquijor for our loop also came to our
mind pondering if we could make it within my 19-day leave of absence. We
revised our itinerary in an Excel file several times before we came up with the
almost perfect one. Our travel time mostly relies on the calculation of
Google’s estimated time of arrival. The target destination per day was also identified
and just in case we could not make it a contingency plan was already planned.
Our sample itinerary for our Philippine Loop
Adventure.
Our Things
We strategized packing our stuff by
using a Ziploc to secure our clothes from getting wet. We also used it for our documents
such as hotel, gas, roro, and food receipts as we were required to document all
of it and submit it to the Adventure Team Philippines one month after the ride.
I also bought us a tent just in case we could not find a hotel along the way
which unfortunately we were not able to use throughout the duration of our
loop. We also prepared first aid kits and various medicines for medical emergencies.
The things I am going to bring for the Philippine
Loop Adventure Tour.
Our Motorcycle
My motorcycle is a Honda CB650RA naked
bike. Although an expressway-legal motorcycle but not the most comfortable one
among other motorcycles. My ride buddy is using a Yamaha Nmax 155. We are not
allowed to use the expressway since one of us was using a motorcycle below
400cc. I guess it would give us a better advantage in scenery and get to visit
more cities if we use the service road. We prepared tools, tire
inflators and sealant, radiator coolant and chain lubes for our
motorcycle. We distributed tools according to their weight to reduce the load
on our top box bracket.
Stitched Philippine Loop Adventure to our CORE
Riders banner.
Our Body Preparation
We had to reduce our food consumption
limiting it to one (1) cup of rice per meal. A mild walk for our cardio
exercise and frequent short distance ride was done to familiarize the
weight and balance of the motorcycle. We never spend too much on exercising
instead we maintain our physical condition with our basic daily routine.
We also did haircuts and shaved our mustaches and beard. We challenge ourselves not to shave until we reach home again.
Our Riding Gears
We prepared our riding gear and
raincoats in case of a rainy ride. I even lend one of my helmet intercoms to
Tito Bingot to use during the loop. This way I could constantly check whether
my riding buddy is okay and be able to announce hazards on the road without
pointing at them by using my hands. I downloaded google maps on my smartphone
and updated the apps to be used during the loop. I used the Relive App
throughout the journey mapping all the locations and roads we drove along the
way.
We used the reliable Cardo helmet intercom for our
communication.
Our Riding Preparation
Before the start of our Philippine
loop, we joined the 500-kilometer endurance ride in General Santos City
organized by Kopimoto. This is to test whether we could finish the endurance
ride earlier than planned. The endurance ride was also a combination of wet/rainy
and dry riding, on-road and off-road adding to the test and our ability to
endure and cope with a different type of weather system.
Everything was
almost perfectly prepared up until a week before our take off. We could already
feel the excitement that we had to see each other every day just to check the
things we have prepared.
Getting ready for the ride.
DAY
1
My Birthday is the
D-day
It was my
birthday. I woke up early to my excitement preparing my gear for the loop. I
was also busy calling the food I ordered for an early breakfast with my family
and friends before we jump off. Tito Bingot arrived early at our house, and we
went to Church to pray and lit some candles praying for our safe journey. The
family of Tito Bingot also came with our friends from the Cotabato Rescue
(CORE) Riders to have breakfast with us.
Quick pose after breakfast with family and friends
before the jump-off.
We left home
around 8:30 in the morning and advanced to the nearest gasoline station for
fuel. We are required to fill in our gas tank before jump-off as a requirement
to one of the procedures before take-off. We had our photos taken with our vests
on, holding our passports beside our faces with the background of our
motorcycle and the gasoline station as our starting point. We need to send a
text message to the organizer with the details written on the passport for the
approval code. No approval code within the day means the ride is invalid and
you must start over.
Started our loop in a local gasoline station in
Cotabato City.
The Pink Mosque, Datu Sajid Ampatuan, Maguindanao
We visited the Provincial Capitol of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato.
Photo was taken by one of the PDRRMO staff.
City Hall of Koronadal, South Cotabato
The journey
then began at around 9:00 AM going to our first destination in Governor
Generoso’s Parola de Lavigan. With just a cruising speed of 80 kilometers per
hour, we reached places of Pink Mosque in Datu Sajid Ampatuan in Maguindanao,
Sultan Kudarat Provincial Capitol in Isulan, Koronadal City hall and arrived at
around 12:15 PM at the City Hall of General Santos. We had to stop to take
photos of any landmark in General Santos as the first designated checkpoint in
our route. Again, we held our passports in our faces wearing the Philippine
loop vest and t-shirt with the motorcycle and the landmark in the background.
The first designated checkpoint in our route.
After having
our gas up in General Santos City, we stopped several kilometers on the
outskirts of the city for our Balbacua lunch. We felt a bit tired because of
the excruciating heat from the sun and the heavy buildup of traffic in the
city. After a 45-minute meal, we left for Tagum City stopping over the boundary
of Sarangani and Davao Del Sur for the picture-taking.
Balbacua lunch in the outskirts of General Santos
City.
Sarangani – Davao Del Sur boundary and welcome
arch.
We reached
Tagum City at 3:00 PM for the refuel and snacks. We started to feel our butts
getting numb, body aches, and exhaustion. We are beginning to doubt we could
reach our destination for that day according to our itinerary.
Gasoline and snack break in Tagum City.
Spirit-willed,
we began moving again. We reached Governor Generoso’s town proper around 7:00
PM. We decided to stop for our dinner at the local barbecue stand. We feel
exhausted from the sweat of our riding gears even when the sun goes down. The
cook from the barbecue stand was asking where we came from. We replied we were
just getting started to go around the Philippines and they were in awe never
believing what we told her.
Dinner at Governor Generoso town proper.
After our meal,
we began moving again to our target destination taking our chance that we could
still come into the Parola (lighthouse). After an hour we finally reached the
Parola but not after crossing a mountain with a deep ravine alongside it. To
our dismay, we were not permitted to enter the lighthouse. The residents in the
area told us that the caretaker has already gone home. To make things worse,
there was no available room to comfortably rest our tired bodies near the
Parola.
Unexpectedly,
we met the owner of Parola Seafood and Grill restaurant who obliged us to use
their dining area for us to take our rest. Tito Bingot and I agreed to stay
there since it would take us another hour to find a hotel down the mountain.
Not to mention the time we would spend unpacking things from our motorcycle.
Photo with the owner of Parola Seafood and Grill,
Governor Generoso.
The night was
so unpleasant because we must sleep uncomfortably on the benches without
cushions. Mosquitos feasting on us and worse there was a power interruption
cutting the electricity from one of the wall fans provided for us by the owner.
We also had to wake up from time to time just to make sure that our personal
belongings are intact. I felt like I haven’t slept all night because I kept on
waking up every hour.
Southern Tip of Davao Oriental
The tables and benches we used to sleep for the
night.
DAY 2
Tiring Day for a Ride
The
night was almost over waking up early again to prepare for another riding day.
We did not sleep well, and I felt a bit groggy, but we have to catch up on our
itinerary. We took a bath in one of the common comfort rooms with a not-so-clean
water. I have to use the bottled water I bought last night for the final wash.
Before our
jump-off, we must take pictures of our odometer which we forgot to take last
night upon arriving at Governor Generoso. After a couple of photos were taken
in the area, we took off around 4:30 AM for our next destination in San
Francisco, USA… Just kidding, San Francisco, Agusan Del Sur.
After several
minutes of riding, I felt my head is heavy, and I am still sleepy because it is
still dark, and the sun had not gone up until 5:30 AM. At the same time, I must
look for a gasoline station to fill up Tito Bingot’s tank because it is almost
empty. I also felt a strange vibration from one of my eyelids indicating that I
have not rested well last night.
After
a couple of hours, we reached the boundary of Mati and had our breakfast
overlooking the sleeping dinosaur. We also had fun riding over the twisty roads
of the mountains of Mati. Still could not believe we are already doing the
Philippine loop we had dreamt of a few months ago.
Welcome arch of the City of Mati.
Breakfast overlooking the sleeping dinosaur.
Mati Baywalk Park, City of Mati.
We reached
Caraga municipality around 9:00 AM and we stopped for a snack at 7/11. I had my
energy drink early because I felt sleepy, and I could not drive fast enough
afraid I might lose consciousness along the way. I took a short nap inside the
convenience store while Tito Bingot is so energetic, I could see in his eyes
the excitement about this journey.
The 7/11 convenience store in the Municipality of
Caraga.
Pamahalaang Bayan ng Cateel.
While mobile,
we talked about going to Aliwagwag falls instead of Enchanted River because of
the time constraints and since we both have gone to Enchanted River from our
previous rides. We kept on praying that God would grant us good weather, but it
rained a few minutes after. We were hoping we could cross the Visayas island on
dry. So, we stopped to put on our rain gear and slowly proceeded to Aliwagwag
falls.
The Aliwagwag
fall is so spectacular. The water at that time is so dense due to heavy rain
from the mountains of Cateel. We had our time taking a few photos of ourselves
while our motorcycle combines the frame of a picture-perfect scene. After
which, we stopped by Cateel proper to have our lunch and went to another fall
which is in Bislig, Surigao del Sur. We had a few pictures in Tinuy-an falls
taken by the guard in the area before we proceed to San Frans.
The Aliwagwag falls in Cateel.
Taking a pose in Tinuy-an Falls, Bislig, Surigao del Sur.
Tinuy-an Falls Welcome Arch in Bislig.
I love Bislig monument.
We
reached San Francisco, Agusan del Sur at around 4:30 PM to take our early rest
for the next day’s ride. We unpacked our things while the rain is pouring hard
on our beaten and exhausted bodies. We also had to take pictures of our ending
odometer for recording purposes.
Our first hotel accommodation during our Philippine
loop in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.
To
recover from a short rest last night, we had our early dinner from again a
local barbecue stand. Bought some refreshments and went back to our hotel room
to tend to our things for tomorrow’s ride. Before I slept, I manage to finish
updating my passport before I could forget the events that happened that day.
We snored to bed before 8:00 PM.
Barbeque dinner in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.
DAY 3
Senior The Port
Negotiator
It
was indeed a good morning when we checked the outside of the hotel finding the
streets dry and we could finally see stars in the sky. We packed our things,
say a little prayer, and before 4:00 AM we took off for Lipata Port in Surigao.
Unfortunately, before reaching Bayugan City it rained and soaked us wet again.
We continued riding slowly until reaching Butuan City. We decided we are going
to have our breakfast in Cabadbaran City and have our fuel.
Getting ready for an early ride in San Frans.
Suiting up our rain gear in Bayugan.
By 6:30 AM we reached Jollibee in Cabadbaran City. We could not afford a late meal because we both need to take our supplements and maintenance medicines. We still could not believe that we are on the 3rd day of our journey reaching almost the end of northern Mindanao. Few kilometers more and bye Mindanao for a while.
Breakfast in Cabadbaran City.
We
reached Lipata Port at 9:16 AM and bought a ticket straight away so that we
could leave the island before noon as planned. Unfortunately, upon entering the
port we discovered that more passengers are waiting in line to get on a boat.
The port authorities said that we could board the boat at around 3:00 PM. I
began to worry because we may not reach Tacloban City before nighttime.
Accepting our fate in that instant, we took the time to take photos at Lipata
port, one of the designated checkpoints of the Philippine Loop.
Our arrival in Lipata Port in Surigao.
After several minutes of waiting, we started to mingle with fellow riders who were also waiting for their boat. But Tito Bingot hurried to one of the guards assigned in the area. I do not know what they were talking about, but he suddenly went back to me saying to get my gear because the boat who were about to leave will be accommodating us. I could not believe we are hurrying ourselves to leave the port. I later found out that Tito Bingot negotiated with the guard telling them that we are Philippine loopers and we are in such a hurry because we have a target place to reach before sundown. To my delight, we were in a boat waiting for it to sail while looking at the riders we just met. I just thought to myself maybe they are wondering what the hell happen and why both of them are on the boat while we are left here when in fact those two came late before us. I guess that is the advantage of senior citizens, they are good port negotiators.
In Lipata port while waiting for our 3:00 PM
boarding.
The boat sailed for about 2 hours, and we have seen the southern tip of Leyte Island devastated by Typhoon Odette. The mountain is naked, and the coconut trees seemed to have had a recent haircut. The makeshift port greeted us with dust and with a few port personnel. I was worried because I might not be able to maneuver my big bike through the rough egress. Upon disembarking, we then took some photos of us wearing the official shirt, our passport, our motorcycle, and the makeshift port as the background. We also visited the San Ricardo Port, but the building was also destroyed by the typhoon.
Sailing crossing towards Visayas Island.
The naked mountains of Southern Leyte were devastated by Typhoon Odette.
Makeshift port in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte.
We
were racing time and other vehicles to the next municipality when I got the
chance to find a restaurant offering affordable food. It is 3:00 PM when we had
our lunch that day. We get to chitchat with the owner of the restaurant, and he
was telling us what happened during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. Luckily,
none of the people they know died on that day. After the meal, we proceeded
with our ride thankful for their hospitality and service.
A local eatery where we had our lunch in Southern Leyte.
We then reached the Agas-agas bridge, the highest bridge in the Philippines. I can’t imagine how they were able to put up the bridge that high. There are lots of tourists flocking to the bridge to take pictures of this magnificent work. I even remembered asking one of the construction workers to pose with us for a photo.
Construction worker posing for a picture in
Agas-agas bridge.
About
halfway from Tacloban, we had our motorcycle refueled. We have seen a group of
riders going in our direction. We immediately took off to catch up with them.
But right before reaching the town of Tacloban, the group split up with us. We
do not know who they are, but they are kind enough to convoy with us until the
city. We proceeded to McArthur Landing Memorial Park and took some pictures
while booking a hotel for that night.
Refuel in Mahaplag, Leyte where we spotted the group of riders.
Spotted one of the Philippine Loopers in Palo, Leyte.
The McArthur landing memorial park.
Before
we reached our hotel the rain began to pour soaking us wet for the third time.
Luckily the hotel we had, although costly, was like a 3-star hotel and we never
intended to stay in a big hotel like that to save cost. But we said that we had
to make ourselves comfortable and it is going to be for this night only. …which
never happened in the succeeding days.
So,
we had our dinner inside the hotel restaurant, which is again very costly, but
we manage to order cheap food from the menu. After our dinner, we unpacked our
things from the motorcycle, took photos of our ending odometer, and went
directly to our room.
Dinner at the hotel restaurant in Tacloban City.
The staff of CLN Hotel in Tacloban City.
The
room was cozy, warm, and clean but we have to make a few messes of the place to
hang dry our riding gear and wet clothes. I did even manage to wash my helmet
because it was stinking wet, I could no longer bear the smell of it. Make a few
notes to my passport and took my heavy sleep around 10:00 PM.
Our room in Tacloban City where we put a clothesline
to dry up our gear.
DAY 4
The Riders We Meet
Along the Way
It
was again an early morning wake-up so that we could reach Allen port early and
cross the island of Luzon before sundown. We jumped off around 4:30 AM and we
went straight to San Juanico Bridge (one of the longest bridges in the
Philippines). It was my first time in that place, and, in our journey, it is my
first time in most areas. The bridge was not that long because we reached the
other end in a few minutes even riding slowly.
The San Juanico bridge.
We
had our sumptuous breakfast along the way to Allen port. We were entertained by
this restaurant owner ranting about politicians in their area for not prioritizing
their dilapidated road. It was like “sungka” from San Juanico Bridge to
Northern Samar and I thought it would never end.
Carinderia in Paranas, Samar.
We
reached Allen port around 10:30 AM and I immediately rushed off to buy us a ticket.
The port is too crowded with commuters of different vehicles waiting since the last
day. We even spotted the riders we met yesterday saying they were not able to
cross last night. They have no choice but to stay under the eaves of one of the
buildings at the port to sleep. They look exhausted and I could feel their need
to take a cold bath.
Second Ro-Ro ride in Allen port going to Luzon
Island.
We
waited at the port trying to talk to someone who could give us some slot on the
boat. We were beginning to lose hope to cross the island that day, so we took
our time to have our early lunch at one of the restaurants along the beach. I
napped however Tito Bingot was busy chatting with his friends from his cell
phone while waiting for our order.
Having our lunch by the bay in Allen, Northern
Samar.
Right
after our lunch, we head back to one of the ports in Allen taking the chance
that we may be accommodated but luck is out of nowhere. So, we head back to the
port where we first arrived and waited to take the chance that we could cross
the sea.
Just
as when we almost decided to take the scheduled 2:00 AM boat for Luzon and move
out of the port to look for a hotel, indeed God moves in mysterious ways
because a strike of miracle came in. The guy we previously asked if he could
give us a slot went to us telling us to hurry and buy our ticket because the
captain of the boat who just landed at the port prioritized the small vehicle
over the large truck and buses. Hearing the good news and without my mask, I
went over to the large crowd at the ticket booth to get our tickets. It was
still during the pandemic time, and I just said to myself, “good luck Covid,
come and get me but we need to cross today.”
Boarding the roro for Luzon.
We felt blessed when a soft rain poured over us while waiting at the port until we loaded the boat. God must have been watching over us all the time because Tito Bingot prays a lot. We get to talk again with the fellow riders we met yesterday. We found out that they are from Manila and had just gone home to Marawi City to cast their vote from the recent national elections. They were Maranao and they were surprised that a fellow Mindanao took the challenge of the Philippine Loop. I happened to recognize one of the guys from the group who keeps on liking our daily posts on the Philippine Loop Facebook page.
Tito Bingot taking a nap in the boat going to
Matnog port.
When
we landed at the port of Matnog, the group of Maranao riders rushed out because
they intend to reach Manila whatever it takes. We bid them good luck and throw
them a “ride safe” sign when they left. But Tito Bingot and I have another plan
in mind and that is to see the Mayon Volcano, so we proceeded to Daraga and
reach there at about 7:15 PM.
Arrival at Matnog Port in Sorsogon.
We
had our dinner and an ice cream dessert at the restaurant on the ground floor
of our hotel. Worried about what to wear for the next 3 days I went looking for
a laundry shop which sadly had to close early that night. So, we went to our
room, get our good night’s sleep just after I finished updating my passport.
The restaurant on the ground floor of our hotel in Daraga, Albay.
Dinner at 1st Colonial Grill in Daraga,
Albay.
DAY 5
The Magnificent View
of Mayon from our Room
We
never thought that the morning would greet us with a magnificent view of Mayon
Volcano from our hotel room. I immediately woke up Tito Bingot to see it
because Mayon Volcano is so bare no cloud formation enveloped the mountain at
that time. He even mistakenly called it Mount Apo. Anyways, we had our picture
taken with it on our background.
We had our free breakfast in our hotel
room and after which we prepared for another day of riding. We then proceeded
to Cagsawa Ruins where the famous sunken church is located. As frequently seen
on posters and tourism flyers we also posed for our own souvenir photos. We
bought some souvenir items at the local store and have a nice chat with the
caretakers of the place. By the way, there is a minor fee upon entering Cagsawa
Ruins.
The Cagsawa ruins overlooking the Mayon Volcano in
the background.
It was again a long ride to Naga City to meet Tito Bingot’s classmate in high school. We never accommodated him for a short snack because we are in a bit of a hurry so that we could reach Laguna before dark. At least we get to visit Naga City even though there is a shortcut going to Rizal province.
Tito Bingot’s high school classmate in the City of
Naga.
Taking a picture with the local president of Nmax
Group in Ragay, Camarines Sur after our lunch.
Lunch at Ragay, Camarines Sur.
When
we finally reached Quezon Province, the GPS of my google map suddenly went lost
and I could not make the google map work because there is no available network
in the area. I was dismayed because we thought we could pass by the infamous
Bitukang Manok View deck. I was very disappointed knowing that we passed by the
view deck for about 20 kilometers already, and I remembered angrily honking my
Denali horn to one of the vehicles getting our way.
Well, just as my late father told me, “Kung di uukol, di bubukol” and never lose hope cause better things will happen soon. My father was right because we had the chance to visit Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban, Quezon which my brother used to visit before with his family in Luzon. My brother died from complications of Covid in 2021.
Kamay Ni Hesus in Lucban, Quezon.
After that, we went to Siniloan, Laguna to look for a hotel for the night. It was raining mildly, and the road is too narrow and dark. I thought that Laguna would greet us with large buildings and overcrowded streets. We arrived at Siniloan town proper at around 7:30 PM and had our dinner at McDonald’s. McDonald’s restaurant at that time was selling old stock toys and I managed to buy some for “pasalubong” for my son.
Dinner at McDonald’s restaurant in Sinoloan,
Laguna.
After
the meal, we went out looking for someone who could point us to a local hotel
in the area. Luckily, there was this old man, a local from that town who guide
us to a resort because there are no hotels in the area. It was 9:00 PM and the attendant
of the resort was kind enough to accommodate us despite the late hour of our
arrival. We took our rest after accomplishing our passports around 10:00 PM.
Ending odometer after day five.
Finishing my passport for the day’s ride before
going to sleep.
DAY 6
The Famous Twisty
Road of Marilaque
I
intended to have our rest in Laguna so that we could go through the famous
Marilaque Highway the following day. Without a doubt there we were traversing
the twisty road of the Marilaque Highway. Marilaque Highway is not part of the
Philippine Loop Adventure route, yet we want to experience the thrill. We had
our breakfast at the top while looking at some riders speeding back and forth
the curves. After breakfast, we tried our riding skills by going through the curves
of Marilaque. Instead of speeding, we took the moment to enjoy the scenery, and
we hardly noticed the area where the Big-C and the Devil’s corner are which I
frequently heard in Facebook posts where most speeding rider overshoots.
I love Mabitac Monument in Mabitac, Laguna.
The Marilaque Highway in the background.
The place where we had our breakfast was along the
Marilaque highway.
We
exited Antipolo going through the heavy traffic of NCR. I was a bit anxious
driving my motorcycle in NCR because we might encounter difficulties with the
traffic build-up and worse the traffic enforcers calling false traffic
violations. We managed to reach one of the suppliers of motorcycles in Quezon
City through my smartphone navigation map, which is the YukiMoto. I usually
order parts and accessories for my Honda CB650RA from YukiMoto and I called the
owner last night to book for a carwash and bike check-up.
Yukimoto shop in Quezon City.
While
our stay at the motorcycle shop, the owner noticed that the top box bracket of
Tito Bingot has hairline cracks, and it could fall off at any moment if not
repaired. The owner is kind enough to guide us to a shop for the repair of the
top box bracket. We spend almost six (6) hours in that area finding some other
shop that could do the change oil as Yuki Moto shop only caters to big bikes.
We had our free lunch at Yuki Moto shop, bought some accessories for my
motorcycle, and bought a Parak Jersey which by the way I love wearing because it
is very comfortable. So comfortable I had to switch from wearing a riding
jacket to a motorcycle jersey. Of course, for safety, I am wearing an elbow pad
for protection from falls.
Tito Bingot’s top box bracket got major welding
work.
Accessories and parts I bought for my CB during our
Philippine Loop in Yukimoto Shop in Quezon City.
We
left Quezon City while heavy rain and thunderstorm struck the city, which immediately
flooded the streets. After a while, we had to stop by one of the gasoline
stations in Bulacan to have our snacks and refuel. It was already 5:30 PM and
were not even halfway to our destination which is Cabanatuan City. The heavy
rain and traffic cause us to move slowly not to mention the road condition. It
was slippery, large trucks parked all over the place, and the thunderstorm up
ahead worries me because it means more heavy rain to come.
Dinner in Bocaue, Bulacan.
We
reached Bocaue, Bulacan at around 7:15 PM and we decided to have our dinner and
find a place for comfortable sleep in the area. It was still raining when we
reached a motel, and we are both soaked and feeling cold. We had our cold rainy
sleep at around 9:00 PM.
Our motel in Bocaue, Bulacan.
DAY 7
A Bad Tire Makes a
Bad Riding Day
Just
when you think that everything is doing well, well to tell you that nothing is
perfect in this world. Right after we jumped off from the motel, Tito Bingot
noticed that my rear tire is underinflated. I thought we could finish the Philippine
loop without a tire problem because I bought a brand-new tire just for this
event. We stopped to take a look and I noticed a significant amount of air
exhausting from my rear tire pushing out the sealant inside. So, I took out my
Koby tire sealant to add more sealant and air to my tire. Fortunately, it
worked but somehow, I intend to find a local vulcanizing shop in the area to
patch the hole permanently.
Putting in Koby tire sealant and inflator to my
rear tire.
We
drove around San Miguel, Bulacan to find a local vulcanizing shop offering a
cold patch tire repair. Worse is they don’t have a paddock stand to lift the
rear of my bike. The mechanic has an ingenious idea to place the motorcycle by
its side stand while I lift the bike hold so that he could remove my rear tire.
I stayed in that position until the rear tire was installed, ingenious indeed.
We find some kind of a sharp washer penetrated almost cutting an inch in my
tire. Maybe it came from big trucks when we were traveling from Bulacan last
night.
Vulcanizing shop in San Miguel, Bulacan.
The culprit that deflated my tire.
We
spend almost two (2) hours in the vulcanizing shop before we proceeded to Nueva
Ecija where we find a laundry shop. Another two (2) hours were spent at the laundry
shop to wash our riding gears and clothes we used for six (6) days. We were so
lucky we were entertained first despite a load of laundry from other customers.
Certainly, we gave the attendant a tip. We jumped off around noon to go to
Baler, Aurora.
Nueva Ecija welcome arch.
Laundry shop in Nueva Ecija.
We
reached Baler, one of the designated checkpoints of the Philippine loop around
3:30 PM. It was a bit late because we still have to traverse the mountains of
Sierra Madre for our night stop. We gave away CORE Riders stickers in Baler to
fellow riders and some children who are always standing by welcoming Philippine
Looper coming into the area. I also bought souvenir items from the local
tourism shop near the park.
Entering the province of Aurora.
Designated checkpoint of the Philippine Loop
Adventure in Baler, Aurora.
We
were amazed by the view of the mountain and waterfalls of the ranges of Sierra
Madre. It was a bit cold, and quiet, and only the sound of nature and the waterfalls
adds up to the relief of accomplishment we made at that moment. We were able to
see some local Aeta in the area and the disbelief that we were able to see them
personally. We never had the chance to mingle with them as we are rushing to reach
the next town.
Coastal road of Dipaculao, Aurora.
The mountain ranges of Sierra Madre.
We
reached the town of Madella at around 6:30 PM where we decided to have our
dinner and sleepover. After dinner, we went to a local gas station to ask for a
nice hotel in the area. They are kind enough to point us to one of the
prestigious old hotels which at some point during the pandemic was closed down
due to restrictions. It was indeed old but grand, and we are the only guest of
the hotel that night. We were greeted with a warm welcome from the attending
personnel at the front desk. It was eerie old and all I can remember was Tito
Bingot joking of, “Ano ang kelangan ninyo? hihihihi”, imitating the voice of an
old witch.
Hungry? Grab a Snickers.
Dinner at Madella, Quirino.
The creepy hotel in Madella where we stayed for the
night.
So,
we then proceeded to one of its rooms, and to our relief, it was located near
the driveway away from the imaginary ghouls we were imagining when we checked
in. We immediately unloaded our things from the motorcycle, took some shots of
our ending odometer, and prepared for a good night’s sleep before lost souls could
get to us. The night wouldn’t be complete if there we no clothes hanging inside
our room from our makeshift clothesline. We stayed up until 9:00 PM after
finishing our passports.
Our hotel room in Madella, Quirino.
I
must have forgotten to pray that night because when I woke up at midnight, I
could not move my body. I was having a nightmare. I was calling Tito Bingot to
wake me up, but his snore is louder than my soundless scream. When I got the
chance to move, I drank all the water from my canteen, turned the lights on my
cell phone, and went back to sleep again. It was meant to be a joke and I never
thought they are going to take it seriously.
Manage to smile even exhausted.
DAY 8
The Longest Distance Ride
of our Philippine Loop
We
prepared early and took off from the scary hotel around 4:00 AM. It was still
dark and luckily the beam from my auxiliary light makes the road much clearer
to see. We were speeding that day because of mostly straight highways for
several miles going to Tuguegarao City. We had our Ilocano meal on the
outskirts of Tuguegarao.
Passing through the City of Santa Maria, Isabela
The Tuguegarao City Hall.
Breakfast at Iguig, Cagayan.
St. Philomene, Alacala, Cagayan
We
reached Aparri’s welcome arch around 10:30 AM and proceeded to one of the
landmarks inside the town for a photo opportunity. Aparri is also one of the
checkpoints of the Philippine Loop. You have to travel 30 minutes going in and
out of Aparri because there is no other way to get in there. It was sunny at that
time, and I could already feel the exhaustion from a week-long ride. We visited
a local church in Aparri and prayed. We rested inside 7/11 for a while and have
our refreshments before moving on to another tourist spot, the Patapat viaduct.
Welcome arch of Aparri, Cagayan.
Designated checkpoint of Philippine Loop Adventure
in Aparri.
Saying a little prayer in Aparri church.
Heavy snack in 7/11 convenience store while
charging our Cardo communicator.
Tito Bingot having a quick nap outside the 7/11
convenience store in Aparri.
We reached Sanchez Mira at almost 2:00 PM and we could already see weather disturbance up ahead. We arrived at Patapat viaduct around 3:00 PM. Tito Bingot was so amazed he could not believe that he has reached that spot in the Philippines for the first time. The place was not new to me as I have been there before. I was looking for the waterfalls just beside the viaduct, but I could not see one. There used to be gushing water from the mountain pouring right down the viaduct.
Passing through the welcome arch of Sanchez Mira, Cagayan.
The Patapat Viaduct in Ilocos Norte.
Upon
reaching Pagudpud proper the weather was not kind to us. We had to stop by one
of the gasoline stations in the area to wear our raincoats. The rain was so heavy,
and we could only move slowly because sometimes it is zero visibility.
Fortunately, upon reaching the big fans of Bangui the rain began to ease down.
I went looking for a sweet spot in able for Tito Bingot to see closely the windmills.
I could not believe the joy of Tito Bingot as we walk closely by the windmills
of Bangui. We had some photos and videos of the windmill and bought some
souvenir items from a nearby store.
Heavy rain welcomed us in Pagudpud.
A quick visit to Bangui windmill.
We
never stayed long in Bangui because I am worried that we are not going to make
it to Vigan City before sundown, so we moved on to the next tourist attraction
which is the Cape Bojeador (an old lighthouse). We had a few pictures taken and
we are mobile again because the rain is getting thick again.
Posing for a picture in Cape Bojeador in Ilocos
Norte.
When we are about to enter Laoag City
the rain began pouring heavily. It was 6:00 PM and we had to stop by for
another photo opportunity as Laoag City is one of the designated checkpoints of
the Philippine Loop Adventure. We were also able to visit Paoay church before
the sun could finally rest over the horizon.
Stopover in Laoag despite of heavy rain to take a
photo for the designated checkpoint.
The Paoay church in Ilocos Norte.
We
reached Vigan city around 7:45 PM and the rain has finally stopped for a while.
We were tired, soaked, hungry, and sleepy but we still need to find our place
to stay. We managed to find a hotel near Calle Crisologo and the senior citizen
discount of Tito Bingot slashed a significant amount from the actual cost of
the room. We had our late dinner at Max’s Chicken and ate the famous “bagnet”.
Hotel Mercante where we had our overnight stay in
Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
Dinner at Max’s Chicken near Calle Crisologo in
Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
We
decided to walk along Calle Crisologo but the rain started pouring again so we
had to go back to our hotel for another good night’s sleep. Of course, I had to
finish my passport before going to bed. That’s when I realized we traveled more
than 600 km in one day when I calculated the starting and ending odometer of my
bike.
DAY 9
The Most Memorable
Day in our Philippine Loop Adventure
This
9th-day ride was the most memorable ride of our Philippine loop. It
was already 8:30 AM when we jumped off from Vigan City. I just thought that the
ride to Tinoc was not so hard that we decided to jump off late considering the
distance to reach it is not that long compared to our previous riding days. We
forgot taking to account the road condition and the twisty road going to the
highest point in the Philippine highway system is not that good. On or about an
hour of riding I felt sleepy because my stomach is full, so we stopped by
Tagudin to take a nap.
Breakfast in Hotel Mercante in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
It
was a relaxing ride indeed, with no speeding and just enjoying the scenes of
the mountains because the road is not that kind to any two-wheeled vehicle as
it is very slippery. As we were cruising speed, there was this unfortunate
incident that a pile of soil whose load was about the size of a three (3) dump
truck suddenly fell in front of us. Fortunately, I managed to evade it and
immediately informed Tito Bingot behind my back about it which is why he was
able to avoid it, too. It is so scary to think that at any instance you will be
buried alive while driving along that mountain. The cracking sound when the
soil fell in front of me was much scary than the soil itself that is about to
bury us.
The mountains and waterfalls in Ilocos Region.
We
reached Bessang Pass unscathed and safe. We still managed to take some photos
of one of the famous landmarks from one of the Philippine success stories. It
was indeed a great experience getting to this place remembering the struggle of
our Philippine soldiers during World War II.
The Bessang Pass memorial park.
Gas up and refreshments in Tagudin-Cervantes-Sabangan
Road in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur.
Lunch break at Kayan West, Tadian, Mountain
Province.
We
were moving so slowly because of the twisty and slippery road. We seldom
encounter vehicles going to and from the Mountain Province. We reached Tadian,
Mountain Province around 2:30 PM and the cloud was starting to get heavy. We
gas up from one of the gasoline stations up the mountain and all they offer is
premium gasoline. By the way, the day we decided to ride for the Philippine
loop is the period the price of gasoline almost went up 98 pesos per liter. The
gas attendant told us they don’t sell regular fuel because of the cold and only
premium gasoline provides more heat for the engine. I don’t know but it does
make sense somehow.
Gas-up in the mountain province.
We
are moving slowly, and we reached Banaue rice terraces at almost 5:00 PM. It
was raining and darkness begins to envelop the area, but we did manage to take
photos of the famous tourist attraction at the view deck. We underestimated the
route by leaving Vigan late that day to reach Tinoc before nightfall.
It was raining when we arrived at the Banawe Rice
Terraces view deck.
It
was already 5:30 PM somewhere in Ifugao where the skies are getting dark, rain
is pouring heavily making the road more slippery, and frequent landslides and mud
getting over the road. Our rain gear is so wet the water started to penetrate
the seams and to the zippers. It was so cold that even wearing a laundry glove
over a riding glove made it impossible to trap the heat of our hands. Our
balaclava was also getting wet, and a bit of air blown off of our faces makes
our teeth grinding of cold.
Ever
witness a landslide and a big truck passing by that mud? You will see a
formation of a mound of mud in between tires. That is where Tito Bingot lost
his balance when his front tire went over the mound. Fortunately, the rider
behind Tito Bingot helped us lift his bike because we were exhausted at that time,
we can hardly carry our bags.
After
a while, I began noticing my phone was not charging properly because the
charging port is wet. I was also having the same problem earlier that my phone
would not charge properly leaving a 30% battery. We mostly relied on my smartphone
for navigation. Not to mention our intercom communicator began beeping after
several minutes indicating a low battery condition. For the next hours, I was
not able to take pictures fearing the battery of my cell phone could die much
sooner.
We
were traveling for about an hour when we reached a restaurant by the road
offering food. Cold Tinola soup with a slice of chicken meat as hard as my tire’s
rubber and it is hard to chew. There are fried fish covered with insects flying
close to the light (gamo-gamo) and a not-so-pleasant dish we never dared to
try. But I am more worried about my phone than about my stomach because the
battery decreases by 1% of it every kilometer. That is when I thought if Tinoc town
proper is 30 plus kilometers away then it would be impossible for us to use the
navigation of my phone for the next 20 kilometers. My phone refuses to turn on
any application lower than 10% of its battery.
I
recalled talking to the owner of the restaurant offering us a place to stay in
his living room. He also said that when commuters were stuck up in the
mountains, they would go back to his place to wait for the morning because
sometimes the landslide in the area makes it impossible to go to Tinoc town.
That adds to my worry about continuing our ascend.
I
asked Tito Bingot if he could still make it and I remembered him uttering, “let’s
just go slow”. I also told him if we spend our night in that place, we could
not make it to our next destination tomorrow and a small delay from the next
day onward would mess up our itinerary badly.
We
thanked the owner for his offer and without having second thoughts we geared up
and proceeded as planned. From the last glance of my smartphone before I turn
it to rest Tinoc is about 30 plus kilometers from the restaurant where we had
our dinner. The helmet intercom’s battery is almost dried up and whenever I
call for Tito Bingot he was not responding. By then, I should keep my distance
close to Tito Bingot so that I could monitor him from my side mirror. He
responds to the intercom occasionally just to preserve the battery. I advise
him that whenever there is mud or running water crossing the road, he should
let his 2 feet fall off the motorcycle to keep his balance. We do not want
another accident as no one could help us lift the motorcycle from the raging
mud and water.
It
was mud after mud, small to large stones gushing from every direction, wild
water crossing the road, and broken railings beside a gorge. It was too eerie
and dark. The sight of light from the houses we pass by relieves us that we are
still on the right track. It was raining softly, but the wind is so strong
adding colder to our bodies. The sight of a single vehicle coming at us makes
us feel that we are still good to proceed.
There
was this moment when I just thought to myself what the hell are we doing here?
Aren’t we supposed at home just relaxing while watching TV? What if there were
bad guys who wanted to beat us to death? What if hypothermia sinks in and one
of us could die at that moment? What if one of us fell off the gorge? There are
a lot of things playing in my head at that time.
But
all I did was to divert my mind saying to myself this is my passion. I love to
ride. We were given 17 days of continuous riding. There were times when I could
not sleep well the night before the weekend ride. Now I was given an
opportunity to beat my butt just to get to ride every day.
Silent
we are but less we know that we are both praying for our safety that time. My
phone’s battery is below 15%, and I still manage just a quick peek of my GPS
map if we’re still on the right track.
When
finally, a glance at the lights from one of the mountains of Tinoc we felt a
sign of relief. We arrived in Tinoc town proper at around 8:30 PM but still
were finding a place to stay and most of the houses and establishments in the
area were already closed. We meet a group of people busy preparing for a
birthday party the next day. They told us that there are transient rooms for
rent just up ahead. I recalled Tito Bingot greeting the celebrator with a happy
birthday. They were surprised upon knowing we are Philippine Loopers riding up
late and still finding a place to stay.
Our arrival at Tinoc town proper.
We
reached the transient house where we stayed for the night at 8:55 PM. I thought
we were not going to make it because it was already closed. We were just trying
our luck pressing the doorbell and hoping someone would respond. A sickly woman
opened the door for us and showed me one of the rooms on the 3rd
floor. I guess she was not feeling really well because she was in quite a
hurry. She said she have to leave us and just lock the door behind us because
she needs to rest. We are so very thankful for her because despite being ill,
she was so kind to accommodate us. We were also very thankful to God because he
sent us his angel to tell the sickly woman to open her door for us.
After
unpacking all of our things and getting inside our room, Tito Bingot offered a
simple prayer thanking God for the safe ride. He too was so scared at that time
that is why he said a single word. Just “um” and “okay”. I just thought he was
so angry at me at that time because he refuses to respond to my call. Peace
sir!
We arrived in Tinoc, Ifugao at around 8:50 PM.
We are preparing our bed when we realized that cold air is seeping into our room. We manage to find an old newspaper and cover the space under the door and the holes in the window. Our blanket is so thin and short that cold air still makes its way to our already cold bodies. We slept before 10:00 PM after finishing the passport.
My CB ending odometer when we reached in Tinoc, Ifugao.
DAY 10
The Struggle Finally
Pays Off at the Top
After
a good cold night’s sleep, I woke up at 5:30 AM. I heard from our room water
gushing from the riverside thinking it must be very cold getting me goosebumps.
I was planning to take a bath, but the water inside the shower is too cold the
water heater would not function at all. So cold I could not even wash my face
off or brush my teeth, but I guess I should. We left the transient house around
6:30 AM and off to the highest peak of the Philippine highway system.
The RD’s Transient House where we stayed in Tinoc,
Ifugao.
We
reached the highest peak at around 7:50 AM. Wearing only a riding jersey and the
Philippine Loop t-shirt I could already feel the very cold wind penetrating my
body. The area must have been colder than Baguio City. I could not even feel my
hands even though I am wearing a riding glove. My teeth grind while smiling and
posing for pictures at one of the checkpoints of the Philippine loop adventure.
Gas up in Tinoc town.
Posting CORE Riders sticker at the highest point in
the Philippine Highway System.
Our
struggle last night pays off and it was a self-fulfilling moment of our entire
loop. We have reached the impossible even the time constraints and other natural
factors affecting our decision-making and riding capabilities. It was the worst
and greatest moment of our Philippine Loop Adventure Tour. With pride, we posted
the Cotabato Riders sticker to the sticker wall at the highest point in the
Philippine Highway system.
At the new highest elevation of the Philippine highway system.
Breakfast in Buguias, Benguet.
It
was an hour after we left Tinoc that it again started raining. Remember the
news on TV when vegetables were thrown away because of the freeze, we have seen
them in Ifugao. Mountains covered with vegetables of a different kind.
We
could have gone to the 2nd highest point of the highway system in
the Philippines, which is in Atok, Benguet but because of time limitations, we
opted to defer the trip. We reached the summer capital of the Philippines
around noon, it was still raining, the traffic build-up is almost unbearable,
and we have not eaten our lunch yet. Lucky for me I always bring Snickers just
to satisfy my hunger.
St. Joseph the Husband of Mary Church, Tuba, Benguet.
The Lion’s head in the summer capital of the Philippines,
Baguio City.
We
visited the Chapel of Our Lady of Manoag in Mangaldad, Pangasinan. We are in
great timing at the chapel because the priest is going to give a blessing to
all the vehicles in the driveway.
Another designated checkpoint of the Philippine
Loop Adventure in Alaminos, Pangasinan.
Monte Rio Garden Bed and Breakfast, Alaminos,
Pangasinan.
Dinner at Mang Inasal in Alaminos, Pangasinan.
We
arrived in Alaminos City in Pangasinan around 5:00 PM and went straight to the
port to take picture of one of the landmarks as the checkpoint for the
Philippine Loop. We have our dinner at Mang Inasal and overnight rest at Monte
Rio Gardens bed and breakfast.
DAY 11
A Riding Day of
Mourning
Our
bodies started to feel tired from ten (10) continuous days of riding. We woke
up tired and as if we haven’t got a long rest. 5:10 AM, we left Alaminos for
the next checkpoint in Subic, Zambales where we had our breakfast.
Posing for a picture at one of the designated
checkpoints of the Philippine Loop Adventure in Subic, Zambales.
Refreshments and gas up in Guagua, Pampanga.
After
our breakfast, we went for another long and bumpy ride through McArthur highway
going to Quezon City. I remember seeing a fellow rider get stuck in traffic
because she does not want to cross a pool of water across the road. It was a
very tiring ride. All I can remember is I am dizzy because of air pollution and
the agonizing heat of the sun.
We
stopped in Guagua, Pampanga because I felt dizzy. I took a nap in the 7/11
convenience store, ate some ice cream, and drink more water. It must have been
our tiring ride in Tinoc that sank into me that time.
When
we reached Quezon City, we went to a columbarium where my brother’s urn was entombed.
He died of Covid in 2021 and this is the 1st time I ever see
him, inside an urn since 2019. It was a heartbreaking moment for me. I promised
myself that whatever happened I will find time to visit him during my
Philippine loop. Hugging his cold urn made me realize that life is so short and
only God knows where and when will our life end. I bid him goodbye for the last
time with a heavy heart knowing I will never see the like of him again.
Another colleague of Tito Bingot we met in Quezon City.
But
life and ride have to move one. After meeting my sister-in-law and some
colleagues and the nephew of Tito Bingot we went off and visited KM 0 in Luneta
park before our late lunch along Roxas boulevard in Aristocrat. Unfortunately,
when we are about to leave Aristocrat, it rained. We proceeded to Cavite where
a fellow Cotabateno named Roland welcome us to his home and offer dinner and a
sleepover. He was constantly monitoring our whereabouts and he keeps insisting
we visit and sleep over at his house.
So, we went to Dasmarinas, Cavite. Finding his house was a bit confusing because google Maps could not give the exact location of his house. When we reached his house, we ate our dinner and had a chitchat until midnight. We slept without changing our clothes.
The Km O in Luneta Park.
Late lunch at the Aristocrat on Roxas Boulevard.
Dinner and overnight stay in the humble abode of a
fellow Cotabateno in Cavite City.
Ending odometer of my CB in Dasmarinas, Cavite.
DAY 12
Leaving the Island of
Luzon
It
was still early in the morning when Kuya Roland prepared us breakfast. It was
5:15 AM when we left Dasmarinas, Cavite for Batangas Port. We stopped by the
roads of Tagaytay, but we were not able to take a picture of the Taal volcano
because we find ourselves negotiating with various establishments covering the
scenic view of the volcano. I was so sad that a fellow Filipino was ignored for
the opportunity to have at least a couple of minutes to witness and take a
photo of one of the tourist attractions in the Philippines. Sad because some
greedy establishment owners prohibit us from using the parking for a while,
else if we want to then we’ll pay a hefty price. Well, life sometimes sucks so
we moved on to Batangas.
Tito Bingot taking a pose for a Philippine Loop
Adventure checkpoint in Batangas Port.
At
7:55 AM we reached the most organized port in the country, the Batangas Port.
In just about 15 minutes we reached the end of the queue with no hassle at all.
No need to go shoulder to shoulder with other commuters to buy you a ticket, and
no long lines to wait. We did not even spend another 15 minutes before the boat
announced boarding.
Little snack inside the boat for Mindoro.
So,
we left Luzon Island unbathed and smelly and landed in Calapan port in Mindoro
around 12:15 PM. We traverse Mindoro Island and reach the southern tip in only three
(3) hours. Well, we are so unlucky because when we arrived at Roxas Port the
last boat has just left, and we need to wait until 7:00 PM for the last trip to
Caticlan.
Our arrival in Calapan Port in Mindoro.
The welcome arch of the Municipality of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro.
Waiting for our boarding to the last boat trip to
Caticlan in Roxas port in Dangay.
Waiting in line for our boat for Caticlan.
The 4-hour trip to the Aklan.
The
boat sailed to Caticlan at around 8:00 PM. We could not sleep well because the
whole boat is air-conditioned. We could not get outside too because it is
raining. Tito Bingot rested well because he was sleeping on one of the benches.
While I, not a senior citizen would have to sleep from one of the chairs. Seniors
still have a good advantage over almost everything.
DAY 13
The Day of Rest and
Relaxation
We
decided to have a break from the continuous days of riding. It is already 12:15
AM when we landed at Caticlan Port. There were no more passengers waiting to
cross the island of Boracay. But we still manage to get private motorcycle
parking from one of the residents of Caticlan. We immediately unpacked the
things we need on the island and the owner of the private parking was considerate
enough to let us leave some of our things and ride gear inside his abode. We
offered him a tip, but he refuses to take it. He is more than happy to
accommodate Philippine Looper and extra fee would be the last thing he would
thought about.
Our early morning arrival at Caticlan Jetty port.
Upon
reaching the Terminal for Boracay, we were asked if we already have a QR code. Having
a QR code means that we already booked our hotel on the island and determine
the length of our stay. The authorities said that they could allow us to stay
in Boracay for 24 hours only because of the requirements needed. With a heavy
heart, we agreed to the condition. I mean staying in Boracay for only a day is
like not visiting the Island at all.
After
buying tickets and paying other fees we thought that we could already ride the
boat. The gatekeeper told us to wait until 4:00 AM for the first trip. But our
restless bodies could not wait any longer, so we arranged for a chartered trip.
We paid two 2 thousand pesos just to get ourselves to the other side. Yes, the
two (2) idiots are rich, and we have no other choice but to pay the hefty price.
Later that day we found out that the regular fare only costs Forty (40) pesos
per head.
Buying our ticket for Boracay.
To the chartered boat ride to Boracay.
Upon
reaching the island, we talked to some e-trike drivers to bring us to some
cheap hotels. He brought us to Station 2 in Boracay and we manage to find a
nice hotel and slept at around 3:00 AM.
The chartered boat where we paid Php2,000 pesos for
one way to Boracay Island.
We
rested and woke up at 8:00 AM. There were already noises outside from various tourists
who checked in at the hotel. We walked to the shoreline and took some pictures.
Unbathed, I went to dip my sticky face and my warm body in the Boracay waters.
The sand was so fine, and the tide is just right for a morning swim. We stayed
until 9:30 AM at the beach and went back to our room for a shower. We check-out
the room before 11:00 AM and had our brunch from one of the restaurants along
the shore. We also bought ourselves some souvenir stuff.
Our hotel room is in station 2 in Boracay.
Buying souvenir items in Boracay.
Having our late breakfast and early lunch at one of
the buffer restaurants along the beach.
We
slept and rested well underneath a tree laying our “sarong” over the fine sand.
When we woke up, we find ourselves with other tourists passing by us. Sexy women
wearing a two-piece, girls posing for a picture in a transparent boat, couples
taking pictures by the bay, and scuba divers carrying big tanks at their backs.
I remembered joking with Tito Bingot to get his binocular eyeglasses.
Short rest and enjoying the views in Boracay.
We
chartered an e-trike to tour us around the island. Boracay is not that big, but
we are surprised by the fact that despite the revenue the island generates from
tourist activities the whole island is still a barangay. We are shocked that
there are malls and even fast-food chains on the island. But with the
initiative of the previous administration, jewel island becomes great again
thanks to its sewerage and water pollution control.
We chartered an e-trike to get us around Boracay
Island for an hour.
On-going rehabilitation of Balabag Lake in Boracay.
We
left Boracay island around 2:30 PM. Upon landing in Caticlan, we fetched our
motorcycle, and find ourselves a hotel to stay in and a laundry shop to wash
off our clothes. We manage to find a small laundry shop near the port of
Caticlan and had our snack from a burger stand. I remember feeding four (4)
pieces of cheeseburger to a stray dog because I noticed that the female dog
just gave birth, and she must have been very hungry.
Leaving the island of Boracay where we paid only 40
pesos for a one-way trip.
Having a snack while waiting for our Laundry in
Caticlan.
Ate was kind enough to accommodate our laundry even
though we came late.
We
went back to our hotel and had our dinner at the restaurant by the beach
overlooking Boracay island. We also witnessed the actual landing of a plane
that came from Manila. Our hotel is just adjacent to the other end of the
runway of Caticlan airport.
Our hotel near the other end of the runway in
Caticlan.
Pointing at our hotel room from the restaurant in Caticlan.
Our view from the restaurant by the beach.
DAY 14
The Race Challenge
Downhill
We
left Caticlan before 5:00 AM and headed to Iloilo for our boat ride crossing
for the Negros Island. It was still dark, and our pacing was slow through a
wide asphalt road. We stopped for breakfast halfway to Iloilo and continued
riding across the mountains. We reached the port of Dumangas at 10:00 AM.
Preparing for another ride to Dumangas Port in
Iloilo.
Breakfast stop at Altavas, Aklan.
Our arrival and photo opportunity in Dumangas port.
Photo opportunity for a checkpoint in Dumangas Port with Ride Buddy Tito
Bingot.
Inside
the boat, we met a fellow rider from General Santos City. He said he came from Manila
to get the motorcycle that he used during the BOSS Ironman challenge last
February 2022. It was an awesome BMW bike. He was riding alone, and he noticed
us at the port of Dumangas during boarding. We had a little chitchat and took a
selfie.
While
on the boat I called Honda Elite Dumaguete to schedule my 3rd Preventive
Maintenance Service. I was scheduled for the next day. We drove long since day
one (1) and my odometer was almost due for a change oil.
A fellow rider from General Santos City greeted us
inside the boat to Bacolod.
Our arrival in Bredco port in Bacolod City.
The
BMW guy split up from us at Bredco Seaport in Bacolod while Tito Bingot and I went
straight to “The Ruins” to have our lunch and sightseeing. It was almost 3:00
PM when we began moving again.
Late lunch at the “Ruins” in Bacolod City.
Just
about to reach Bago City, I almost got into an accident with Ceres Bus. The bus
suddenly swerves into my lane almost hitting me. He opted to swerve rather than
stop right over his lane when a car in front of him was caught in a pedestrian
crossing. I stopped in front of the bus and pointed my finger at the driver. He
had an apologetic gesture telling me to move ahead. I just thought he was
scared because from then and every time we caught up in traffic he slows down
and let us pass by.
Stop over at Bago City to remove our rain gear.
We
sped up a bit because it was getting dark, and we have to cross another
mountain to get to the other side. This time another rider was recklessly
racing with us down the mountain. I thought this guy is a local because he knows
the road down the mountain. At first, I was ahead of him, but he was going too
fast on corners. I let him through and followed him down leaving Tito Bingot
behind us for several minutes. We recklessly overtake big trucks by the curve,
speeding over a large crowd along the road and even driving over a curve with
sand and gravel. I later realized that I was lucky I did not slip into the sand
and gravel we drove over. It was too risky and having an accident should be the
last thing that could happen to us.
I
got tired so I slowed down and noticed illuminated streets ahead and that is
when I drove slowly waiting for Tito Bingot. From there it is about another
hour of driving to Dumaguete City. We reached Dumaguete City at 8:00 PM. We
find ourselves a place to stay and a place where we could eat our dinner. I was
assuming that we could no longer cross the boat to Mindanao Island at that time
because it is already late, and I still have an appointment with Honda the next
morning.
Our hotel in Dumaguete City.
Our hotel room in Dumaguete City.
Inihaw meal for dinner in Dumaguete City.
DAY 15
The Port that No
Fixer is Allowed
We
woke up late because Honda Elite Dumaguete will open at 9:00 AM. I went there
early so that they could finish early the preventive maintenance of my CB. We
had our breakfast from the adjacent establishment serving affordable “lutong
bahay” food. I went back to Honda and the bike was already finished and we went
straight to the port.
Honda Elite in Dumaguete City where I had my 3rd
Maintenance Service of my CB.
Upon
entering the port, I noticed a long queue from all the ticketing outlets of the
different shipping companies. I just thought finding a fixer would solve our
problem. But I was wrong. I approached the guard at the port entrance. He
instructed me to find a ticket from one of the shipping companies after giving
me this piece of paper. Come back to him so that he could record our ticket and
our number in his record book.
But
that did not happen. When I never had the chance to buy a ticket, I looked for
a fixer and gave this piece of paper the guard gave me earlier. I instructed the
fixer if one of the shipping lines is starting to sell tickets, he will get them
for us. So, I went back inside the port through the entrance to wait for the
fixer’s call.
Upon
entering the gate, the guard asked me about this piece of paper he gave me a
while ago. I admittedly told him I gave it to the fixer. He was upset and disappointed
asking me to return the piece of paper he gave me. I immediately apologize for
my actuation. I went back to the fixer and reclaim that piece of paper.
I later found out that the piece of paper he gave me is an assurance that we already have a slot inside the boat regardless of if we buy our tickets late. I was so ashamed of myself that I took the liberty of buying food for him during our lunch as a peace offering. But when I came back to the gate he was gone already.
Inside Honda Bigbike showroom in Dumaguete City.
Photo ops in Dumaguete port.
While
waiting for 3:00 PM, that is when the ticketing office started selling tickets,
we roamed the streets of Dumaguete. Took some photos from the old churches,
withdraw some pocket money from the ATM, and bought some motorcycle stuff from
a local motorcycle shop. We went back before 3:00 PM and bought our ticket and
went out again to have our motorcycle gas up and have our early dinner.
Lunch at Café Racer diner in Dumaguete City.
One of the old churches in Dumaguete City.
We
get to pass by the BSP Dumaguete branch and get to meet one of my colleagues in
building maintenance. He offered us dinner from where we had our breakfast earlier
and have a little chatter. Just before 6:00 PM, we head back to Dumaguete port
for boarding and my colleague bought some food for us to eat while on board.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas – Dumaguete Branch.
A colleague from BSP Dumaguete offered us dinner
before our boat trip.
We
waited until 7:00 PM to board the boat. It was already 8:00 PM when the boat started
to sail to Dapitan City. It was raining and the waves are big because of a weather
disturbance affecting northern Mindanao. The boat is full we could not even get
our legs stretched because this young girl was sleeping in front of us on the
floor. We arrived at the port of Dapitan at 12:45 AM. It was raining heavily,
and we have to take photos of us with the port in the background for the
checkpoint. We looked for a motel in the next town in Dipolog City and slept at
2:00 AM.
Waiting for boarding in Dumaguete Port.
Sailing back to Mindanao Island.
A rainy and early morning arrival in the port of
Dapitan.
DAY 16
The Busy Streets of
Zamboanga
Although
not the usual route of the Philippine Loop, we went to Zamboanga City for a
change. Our loop was supposedly coastal but because of time constraints, we had
to adjust our itinerary. We left Dipolog City by 9:00 AM. Our trip to Zamboanga
City was slow because of torrential rain along the way. We reached Zamboanga
City around 3:30 PM. Tito Bingot had to change his rear tire because it is
already worn out and I could not afford to travel back home the next morning in
that condition.
Our motel in Dipolog City.
Welcome arch of Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte.
Breakfast in the town of Katipunan, Zamboanga del
Norte.
The Divine Mercy statue in Sindangan, Zamboanga del
Norte.
Zamboanga Sibugay welcome arch.
Stopover in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay for a snack and
gas up.
Right
after the tire change, we visited Fort Pilar Shrine to light up a candle and
post my brother’s picture on the wall for the victims of Covid. After that, we
started finding a hotel. We had to travel again and drive through the busy
streets of Zamboanga. It was rush hour and crossing after crossing of traffic build-up.
The drivers tend to counterflow to the other lane to get ahead which causes
more traffic build-up.
Entrance in Asia’s Latin City, Zamboanga City.
The Wall for the victims of Covid inside Fort
Pilar, Zamboanga City.
Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City.
We
went back to the hotel where we check in from our previous ride in Zamboanga
but unfortunately, the hotel is full. Later did we know there was an event held
in the city with participants coming from the island provinces of Basilan and the
neighboring municipalities. We had no choice but to get our accommodation in this
newly built and expensive hotel across the street.
Newly built hotel in Zamboanga City for our
overnight stay.
I
thought we are going to pay big but with the senior citizen discount of Tito
Bingot, the price got slashed by 20%. I was also thinking since it would be our
last night why not spend and exhaust the budget we had for the loop? After all,
we deserve a much more comfortable sleep.
We
went out after settling in our hotel room to have dinner. We went to Shakeys and
ordered a thin crispy pizza, cold beverages, and a large fried chicken. Tito Bingot
went for a vegetable salad meal that night. We ate and never felt full since the
first day. We were like having a celebration that night.
Sumptuous dinner in Shakeys inside the NCCC Mall in Zamboanga City.
We
came back to the hotel, packed up some things, finished my passport, and slept
at 10:00 PM.
DAY 17
Home Sweet Home Ride
Our
ride home was a bit easy because we were already in Zamboanga a few months
before our Philippine Loop and the place was already familiar to us. We leave
Zamboanga around 7:00 AM after our breakfast in the hotel.
Early free breakfast in our hotel in Zamboanga.
The last hotel we checked in during our Philippine
Loop.
For
more than an hour, we were cruising at 80 kilometers per hour but as we passed
over Zamboanga Sibugay, I realized that if we continue that pace, we might end
up reaching critical areas at sundown. We rushed a bit and had our lunch in
Pagadian City. After lunch, we passed by Sultan Naga Dimaporo in heavy rain.
Refreshment break in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Gas up in Sultan Naga Dimaporo.
A quick pose in Picong Tunnel in Malabang.
Almost home taking a brief pose in Municipality of
Matanog, Maguindanao.
We
reached one of the entry bridges in Cotabato around 4:00 PM. We immediately
proceed to Immaculate Concepcion Church to say our prayers and light a candle
thankful for a successful Philippine Loop. We ended at the gasoline where we
started on day 1. Refill our tanks, recorded total mileage, final photo with
the passport and the gas station in the background, and split our way to our
homes.
We lighted candles and offered prayers at the
Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral in Cotabato City.
I
know Tito Bingot was so happy to finish the Philippine loop at the age of 66
with me as his riding buddy assisting him. My riding buddy whom I treated as a
father, a friend, a mentor, and most of all a yes man because I never heard him
complain but just to enjoy the trip. Tito Bingot is a cowboy, and he would
still do things at his age, and I am glad we get to experience together this
journey. After all, we have been riding buddies since before the Philippine
Loop.
Final photo opportunity from where we
have started our Philippine Loop.
The photo was taken by my wife when I arrived home on May 28, 2022.
My teddy accompanied me all through my
Philippine Loop Adventure.
A
week after our loop, we started compiling the requirements and sending them to
Adventure Team Philippines, Incorporated, the organizer of the Philippine Loop
Adventure Tour in Makati City. All the pictures in the designated checkpoints
and roro ports, the photos of odometer readings, original hotel receipts, gas
receipts, food, and hotel receipts as well as other proof were organized in an
album. This is to validate that we exactly toured the Philippines.
Compilation of post-ride requirements.
The sample album for submission to Adventure
Team Philippines, Inc.
Finally,
after months of waiting, on November 30, 2022, the organizer of the Philippine
Loop Adventure announced the second batch of conquerors on their Facebook page.
I was so afraid I might not see our names from the list considering that some
of our photos are unrecognizable and some receipts were missing during our
loop. I was so happy when I saw our names from the list and immediately
informed Tito Bingot that we are already conquerors.
The post of Ms. Che Lopena on the Philippine Loop Adventure Tour Facebook page on November 30, 2022.
We
would like to thank first, God for the wonderful experience. God’s creation is
so amazing. Without it, we would not be able to experience the challenge of nature.
We get to value more the beauty of nature during our loop.
We
would also like to thank our loved ones for supporting us from the very start.
My wife Chinette, my son Chino, my Mamang Nelia, my brother Jun-jun and his
wife Chacha. The family of Tito Bingot, his wife Tita Ne for being so
supportive of us, his son Paulo for providing Tito Bingot with his needs prior
to the loop, her daughters Kismet and Karla for the inspiration and the Apo for
the motivation during their video call with Lolo. Our families were there
during our loop monitoring us through the group chat I created in messenger.
To
our friends and the CORE riders for giving us riding advice. Your inputs mostly
contributed to the skills development in our riding. The moment we took photos
of the CORE Rider’s sticker at the highest point in Tinoc is the manifestation
that we always bring the pride of Cotabato Rescue Riders.
To
the organizers of Philippine Loop Adventure, the Adventure Team Philippines,
Inc. headed by Sir Francis Rivera and their staff Ms. Che Lopena. Thank you for
the opportunity to discover the Philippines through riding.
I am hoping that this article will help aspiring Philippine Loopers and remember “Huwag maging banyaga sa sarili mong bansa”.
It
is indeed more fun in the Philippines.
Ride
safe and God bless.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Parola Sea Food and Grill, Governor
Generoso, Davao Oriental
Paseo de San Francisco Suites, San
Francisco, Agusan Del Sur
CLN Hotel, Tacloban City
Villa Armada Hotel, Daraga, Albay
Villa Temprosa Resort, Siniloan, Laguna
La Francos Veranda, Marilaque Highway,
Rizal
Kyoto Hotel Traveller’s Inn, San
Miguel, Bulacan
Amelia’s Laundry Shop, San Leonardo,
Nueva Ecija
Villa Caridad, Madella, Quirino
Hotel Mercante, Vigan, Ilocos Sur
RD’s Transient House, Riverside
Poblacion, Tinoc, Ifugao
Monte Rio Gardens Bed and Breakfast,
Alaminos, Pangasinan
Ascension Columbary and Chapels, Quezon
City
NS Carpark, Caticlan, Aklan
Vicente Aguirre Rooms, Station 2,
Boracay, Aklan
S-E Hotel and Residence, Caticlan,
Aklan
FCL Chow Stop, Altavas, Aklan
PVL Ventures, Daro, Dumaguete City
Café Racer Diner, Dumaguete City
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas – Dumaguete
Branch, Dumaguete City
Gloriper Pension House, Gulayon,
Dipolog City
WINN Hotel, Zamboanga City
Provincial Government of Aklan
Laoag City Government
Municipality of Tinoc and Ifugao
Provincial Government
Alaminos City Government
Provincial Government of Sultan Kudarat
City Government of Mati
Du Ek Sam Inc, Honda Bigbike, Daro,
Dumaguete City
Yukimoto PH, Quezon City
Tyre Guyz Garage, Dasmarinas Cavite
Vulcanizing Shop, San Miguel Bulacan
Kopimoto AdvenTour Loop 2022
Boots Manuel-Garde, Quezon City
Rolando Presas, Dasmarinas, Cavite
Saggy Stark, General Santos City
Rodrigo Ege, BSP, Dumaguete City
The actual route of our Philippine Loop covers 5712 kilometers in 17
days.
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