Wallet, check.
Cellphone, check.
Bike lock, check.
IPod, earphones, check.
Energy bars, check.
Sun block, check.
Camera, check.
Gorillapod imitation tripod, check.
I’m ready to go. This is the first time again I’m going to use my hydropack, mainly because I’ve been using my Deuter Nordic Lite water bottle hip pack, plus the bite valve of my hydropack’s bladder has been leaking (after only a few months of use; don’t buy Oakley, they don’t have replacement bite valves, at least here in the Philippines).
As with my riding tradition since I bought my Cateye Velo 8 cyclocomputer I reset the computer to 0.00 km. I mount, lock in (hearing the satisfying click letting me know my cleat is now clipped in my Shimano clipless pedal), and I kick off.
Will this ride push through, I asked myself. My partner-in-crime in planning this, Allan a.k.a. Sup, didn’t respond to my text message the night before. Fine, he might already be sleeping, getting enough rest for the ride.
While preparing my stuff Jerome, a.k.a. Bornok23, replied to the same text message I sent Allan the night before, confirming his attendance. Good, I thought. I’ll have at least 1 riding buddy today.
Approaching the Daang Hari Police Outpost I could see 2 riders. One I recognized as Jerome. The other I didn’t, and I assumed it was Allan (this will be the first time I’ll get to meet him). As I get near I recognized him as Jomel.
“They already left you,” Jomel said, letting me know some of the Backout Boys just took off. I knew Frank was planning to ride, I just didn’t know with whom. Later on I found out they were Togs, Migs, Rommel a.k.a. Prof, Frank.
“Yes,” I said, “I’m not riding with them today.”
It was getting late. A few mountain bikers started arriving but still no sign of Allan. I whip out my phone and send him a text message: “Are we meeting at 6 A.M. or P.M.?”
10 minutes pass. No reply. 15 minutes. 20 minutes. Still my phone is silent. Either he’s pedaling or sleeping. My money’s on the latter.
More riders arrive. While waiting Jerome receives a text message. Marlo, a.k.a. El Guapito, is on his way. More riders.
The longer we wait, the more riders arrive. What surprised me was almost all of these new arrivals were friends with Jerome and Marlo. Some looked familiar, but if you’re a regular attendee at a regular meeting place everyone will eventually look familiar.
Then my phone beeped. It was Allan: “I’m with Togs, inside the trails!”
Double-U, tee, eff, I thought! The crazy guy left us! So I informed Jerome and we made quick plans of going with almost everyone around us. 4 riders even arrived to join us.
First sign of epic failure: I left my camera’s rechargeable batteries at home, in the charger. GAH!
When we reached the trail head I decided to do a head count when no one else was left behind. 17 riders all-in-all, and I only knew 3. Marlo volunteered to be the sweeper since majority of the group will be riding the Malipay trails for the first time. Jerome volunteered to stay in the middle of the pack. And they volunteered me to lead… even after I told Jerome I’ll stay at the rear.
Once everyone was accounted for I led the way. First real section was the Otso-otso (8-8) due to it’s small loop that brings us back to the main track where we entered.
The usual practice if we have first-timers in the group I stopped at each and every turn or intersection making sure no one gets lost. Upon seeing Marlo taking up the rear I start pedaling again, continuing the Otso-otso loop.
Along the track that leads to the Otso loop, but this time in reverse, going back to the trail head, we turn right into another short S-curved downhill single track which now has a detour flanking left of the deep bottom of the track, then a sudden short uphill climb which would require quick shifting, if you haven’t done so already.
Behind me was Ashkel. As I reach the top of this short climb I heard him just starting, then I heard a loud snap. It sounded mechanical, it didn’t sound like wood. Then a curse. “What happened?” I called back.
“It broke!” he says. I dismount, turn back, and walk towards him as he checks what happened to his ride. It was his dropout hanger. It broke in half. We needed a chain cutter.
Automatically 3 people started offering their tools, they all had chain cutters. One of the best characteristics of a group ride: everyone helping each other.
When the chain was fixed, the bike was turned into a single-speeder. But when Ashkel tried pedaling the lack of a tensioner was making the chain drop down to the lower gears, making it unbikeable. After a while he just decided to call it quits. It was a good thing this happened near the trailhead and he was able to walk his bike out.
So we continue with the Malipay loop. Though, some of the first-timers had trouble with the deep downhill slopes and steep uphill climbs, like I did during the first rides I had here, they expressed how fun they were still having, and plans of going back and eventually conquering these obstacles.
Along the way a few people were bailing out, I’m not sure if it’s the difficulty or if they had commitments (even after being assured we’ll get out in time). 3 stops, 3 groups didn’t finish the ride. The first pair left while we were trying to fix Ashkel’s chain.
Then there were 10. From 17 only 10 finished the loop. Nearing the end, while resting, challenges were being presented. Challenges of going to another trail, is everyone free for the whole day? Mixed answers were received. Some answers were changed (from yes to no). During this debate I decided to call Allan (Sup) and asked him to enter the main dirt road and meet our group at a sari-sari store inside Malipay.
While resting and joking around Jerome’s and Marlo’s group decided to do one last trail and call it a day. The newcomer, Stephen, wasn’t sure about the plans. Since he didn’t know anyone else I asked him if he wanted to join Allan and myself, if he had the whole day to ride, and I could tour them both through the trails I know in the area. He agreed.
The ride from then on was uneventful but fun. It was enjoyable riding that kind of distance with newly-found friends, and good riders at that. We went through the Bokiko trail. Nearing the end of the trail, maybe 1 kilometer before hitting cement, Stephen asked about a store. He was getting tired. Good thing there are quite a few sari-sari stores we’ll be passing.
We stopped at the first opportunity for some Mountain Dew. Then we proceeded to Davy’s Canteen for some well-deserved breakfast, at 10 A.M., of pancit bihon and hotdogs.
Around 11 A.M. we all decided not to push through to Sta. Rosa as we might arrive at the start of Cardiac Hill at 12 noon. Too hot for that climb. And too late in the day.
Previous plans were head for home at 12 noon.
So I lead the way to Victoria Homes (all road, both descents and ascents) and brought them to the Reverse Tubuhan trail with the detour for the narrow, single-track climb to the Tamarind tree.
After a long rest we started again for the river. Allan attempted to ride it down and cross it, changed his mind almost a little too late, lost his footing as he was about to dismount, and lightly crashed on his side. After a few laughs we all carried our bikes and boulder-hopped to the other side, and started another fun climb.
More uneventful riding along this route after exiting: Victoria Homes store, half of the National Bilibid Prisons land reserve track (the venue of the 24 Hours of Endurance Muntinlupa race), Gran Trail Cycles shop, 1 lap around the Filinvest mountain bike track, and from there we went on our way home, at around 4 P.M., with Stephen and I going back to Cavite. Highlights on this route were the conversations between the 3 of us — something that’s quite difficult to share here. You should have been there to enjoy it.
Just 71.41km. Hardly an epic ride…
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