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Christmas Gifts for Mountain Bikers

December 5, 2014 Comments off


There was once a wise man who said: It is better to give than to receive. Legend has it that that man was actually Mike Tyson, and that he was just describing the most basic tenet of his sport. Anyway, Christmas is fast approaching, and the season of giving (and receiving) is here again.

Yup, it’s that time of the year when people at work receive bonuses from their employers. It’s also that time of the year again when those who get something extra in their paycheck give something back in a chain reaction of gift-giving that exponentially increases the level of goodwill and fun that is Christmas.

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you are mountain biker, or you may have a friend/significant other who is also a biker. Chances are, you may also be wondering about what to give him/her this holiday season. Well then, here are a few ideas you may want to consider. And since people don’t really receive the same amount of goodwill in their paycheck, I’ve taken the trouble to sort them out according to budget.

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Solo Biking in Sabtang, Batanes

September 6, 2014 3 comments
Biking Sabtang Batanes

The pebble beach in Chavayan village in Sabtang Island, Batanes

Sometimes you just have to do things on your own—like biking in a strange beautiful island for instance. Last April, I went to Batanes for a week’s worth of biking. After savoring the sights, sounds and vibe of the province’s main island of Batan for several days, I thought it was time to hoist the anchor and sail to another equally incredible island—Sabtang. (Actually, I would have preferred to bike with someone, but my traveling partner took off on her own for the island of Itbayat.)

This small island municipality lies just a few kilometers from Batanes’ main island. Sabtang is easily accessible by boat. The trip however can last anywhere from half an hour to almost an hour depending on how rough the waves are.

But even if you easily get seasick, you should not forego the chance to see Sabtang. If you loved what you saw in Batan, the honest truth is: Sabtang has got more of them and then some. Skip Sabtang and you’ll be cursing yourself for life. The rolling hills, the cliffs, the quaint villages with stone houses, the friendly locals, and the quiet idyllic scenery that have come to define Batanes—Sabtang has all of that. But it also has the best beaches in Batanes, and rock formations which you can’t see anywhere else. Read more [+]

Biking Batanes: South Batan Loop

May 19, 2014 2 comments
Biking Batanes: South Batan Island

A road carved from a hill that plunges into the sea.
Photo by traveling-up.com

Biking around the southern part of Batan Island reminded me of a lot of things. The road reminded me of Pagudpud because of how its rocky cliffs plunged into the sea. It also reminded me of Sagada because of how those same cliffs often towered above the road. Its undulating grass carpeted hills reminded me of Bohol and its famous Chocolate Hills.

But Batanes’ southern loop also had something these places didn’t have. I had a hunch that biking through the towns of Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan and back to Basco would send me through some very awesome vistas. But I didn’t know just how awe-inspiring this place would be.

We started riding out of Basco at a relaxed pace around mid morning. We wanted to start early but there was some mix up with the mountain bike we were going to hire. Because of this the sun was already almost halfway up the sky by the time we were pedaling out of Basco’s town center. It was mid-April and as expected, the weather was already hot. But there was also an ever-present sea breeze that made the ride quite pleasant. Read more [+]

Mountain Biking Batanes: North Batan Tour

May 6, 2014 14 comments
Mountain Biking Batanes

Batanes: it’s where earth, sea and sky meet in the most spectacular manner. Photo by traveling-up.com

Batanes’ landscape is special. To describe this group of islands as beautiful is to commit a grave understatement. Even jaded travellers are awed by its strangeness. I’m not sure if you can find another place in the Philippines where the earth, sea and sky come together in the same spectacular manner.

Biking Batanes is also a very special experience. Admittedly, its islands do not have the most technically challenging trails in the country, or not yet anyway. If you want to display your attitude and prowess, this is probably not the best place to do it.

But if you are in search of the ever elusive flow, you’ve come to the right place as Batanes has got loads of flow, and then some. You can find your own flow in many of its sweeping rolling hills. But its real attraction for bikers is the sheer raw beauty of the landscape, which is incomparable. Read more [+]

Tips on Mountain Biking Batanes

April 26, 2014 15 comments
Biking Batanes

This landscape just oozes magic and adventure

Dream destinaton—there’s no better way to describe it. Batanes is likely the best biking destination in the Philippines. Bar none.

I thought I’d seen it all. But then I rode my bike up the crest of a steep grass-carpeted hill overlooking the sea. Then I pointed my bike down the hill’s steepest face and let gravity take over, fly me down the slope of a solid wave of green earth. If you like flow, Batanes is overflowing with flow.

There is also this minor thing of a rush of sweet sweet feeling in the blood. Surfers call it “stoked.” Bikers may call it whatever they want to call it as long as they know the feeling. There’s the most fantastic landscape, and there you are riding it. Read more [+]