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Biking to Mt. Balagbag’s Helipad

January 23, 2014 10 comments
Biking to Mt. Balagbag's Helipad

The picture probably doesn’t do justice to the difficulty of this route

Mt. Balagbag and its infamous peak called the Helipad is the logical next step for mountain bikers in Metro Manila who have already pushed themselves past the challenges of Timberland’s trails. If you think you’re ready for the big leagues, Mt. Balagbag is just there waiting for you like Cain Velasquez eager to give you a lesson or two about ground and pound.

As you grow as a mountain biker, you search for harder and harder routes to test yourself. You want to see how fast you can climb, and how fast you can descend on trails that get more and more technical. For Manila’s mountain bikers, Balagbag has got to be one of the hardest routes accessible via a weekend trip. Read more [+]

CamSur’s Bike Attractions at Mt. Isarog

January 15, 2014 9 comments
Biking at Mt. Isarog

There are probably lots of trails still waiting to be explored at Mt. Isarog

Everyone knows Camsur. If you’re from the Philippines and you didn’t crash your unhelmeted head more than a decade ago which sent you into a coma, then you’ve mostly likely heard of this province down southern Luzon called Camarines Sur.

Mention Camsur and images of wakeboarders sailing through the air quickly come to mind. Or if you’re a fan of “Suvivor” Camsur will evoke scenes of white sand beaches, fantastic corals and towering limestone cliffs. But this Bicol tourist mecca also has some pretty interesting sites which will put a smile on the faces of bikers.

In the foothills of Mt. Isarog lie the Panicuason Hot Springs. A bit further up, there’s the the Malabsay Falls. Last year, I was fortunate enough to have visited these sites on a bike, thanks to a blogger tour organized by Biggs Diner. Read more [+]

Waterfalls You Can Bike to from Metro Manila

January 7, 2014 32 comments
Waterfalls By Bike

There are several waterfalls you can bike to from Metro Manila

Metro Manila has waterfalls. Well, maybe they’re not exactly in Metro Manila itself. You will need to work a bit to reach these cascades. But if you’re a mountain biker, getting there is more than half the fun.

For a lot of people who grew up in Metro Manila, it can be almost hard to believe that there are waterfalls that are just an hour and a half away by car, or two and a half hours away by bike from the city. Waterfalls, after all, are part of mountain streams, which are in turn nurtured by forest watersheds. If you cut the trees in the forest, you eliminate the watershed, and you kill the waterfalls. Rampant deforestation in the municipalities and provinces around Metro Manila has probably eliminated a lot of these awesome nature spots. (This is what happened to Uugong Falls in Morong, Rizal.)

Still, the situation isn’t so bad yet. There are still a few waterfalls near Metro Manila, which means that there are still trees in the mountains to sustain them. And here are some of the waterfalls you can reach with your mountain bike.  Read more [+]

8 Best Rides of 2013

January 1, 2014 Comments off
Best Rides of 2014

Best Rides of 2013

The start of the new year is the best time to take account of the really good things that happened to us in the past year. When you look back at all the good things that happened to you, and which you accomplished in the past 365 days, it makes you want to look forward to further adventures in the coming days.

Yes, a lot of bad things slammed the country last year, which left most of us scarred in one way or another even though we were not directly affected. But lots of great things also happened to each of us, and we should be thankful for all the good things too.

For me, 2013 was an excellent year for riding two wheels. And here are some of the awesome experiences/adventures that I am thankful for. Read more [+]