Maiden Solo Ride Trip: 1855kms in 6days of joyrides looping Central Luzon's plains and Cordillera's mountain range

THE PULL:

Tucked away from my home country for over two years, the once beautiful sceneries of deserts, sand dunes, fine beaches of this foreign land I recently enjoyed here now ended up in a monochromatic seclusion  in contrast to the vistas I longed back home for the green emerging  meadows, forest, hills, mountains, rivers and waterfalls. 

THE PUSH:
Confident of navigating into new places, I find riding a motorbike is a way too good to reach surprising places at a reasonably cost-wise budget adding the advantage of a freedom of your own paces of time.  Now, I had came up for my long cherished dreams of visiting too good inviting places through this means - by motorbike.

TRIP PLANNING:

Luzon map

The search began with a map of the whole archipelago, but since the ride will start at Cavite, suddenly almost 99% of the rest of map was dismissed and what remained was only parts of Luzon.

With the big bold lines that interconnects each places on the map, I highlighted the flow until I completed a loop route for the Western and Central Luzon. I pulled out a pad of notes and began noting waypoints, estimated distances, points of interest, places of attractions and directions.  Also a bundle of map electronic images were save to my mobile cellphone for visual references upon on the road.

Then the bike preparations ensued as I just got a clear idea of the places I must be into.  Ten provinces, 3 major cities are at the trip plan list and I was bit doubtful whether the bike could make it or perhaps me couldn't reach back home.  Yet i rely most of my focus to the bikes condition, that as long as the bike runs, we will never depart each other, we could make it. 

at the outskirts of Agno, Pangasinan

One afternoon, I inspected the bike and make some tune up, replace spark plugs, servicing the chain, changed  oil and did necessary various refinements.  Seems the bike is more excited than me to roar on roads.  To let the bike delighted more, I gave her with highest octane petrol available from Shell. On that night, while the bike were on rest, i began packing my necessary things. Two backpacks were loaded for long day trips, camera, tripod, rain gears, shirts, jeans, medicine, drinks, energy bars and so on. One bag was tied at the pillion seat and the other at my back. 

FIRST LEG: THE ROAD TO EL KABAYO.

It was a good month of June when I finally embark for this ever first long trip, however weather news updates seems not and everywhere is pouring out rains.

On the first run, me and my brod convoyed towards his office in Quezon City. With his Honda TMX155, we left by 0530hours.  It was a promising morning with white floppy clouds on the morning glow, no signs of rain... this must be a good day to begin.

Pillion bag

But behold, after a few kilometers, I lost my brod left on the roadside with rear flattened tire. Seems it's not a good sign to continue the journey. I dragged the bike to the nearest vulcanizing shop.  I called up my brod and thereafter he get traced back me up until we met purchasing a new set of tire interiors. 

After leaving tips to the shop guy, I regain the confidence back to go on with the trip. Again we hit the road for him to catch up with his duty time.  Although not yet a rush hour but the drive was not totally smooth. Driving within NCR area is like disentangling yourself in a maze of puzzle finding your way to your destination. With over countless stops and short-cuts through the lanes and sidewalks, this is the reason why until today Manila still claims the title as one of the most traffic cities in the world.

Much of time loss we reached Balara, Quezon City.  As my brod had to report in his office, we bid goodbye. At this time i'll be travelling solo. This is where my real riding trip has to begin. And here my problem likewise began. I am totally disoriented of the location right now. Departing from his office, am truly lost on how to get to my next waypoint - the Monumento.

Bringing just a few words of instructed directions from my brod, it's just guts that made me whole to continue riding in comfort. Via Muñoz market before mid-day, droplets of rain drizzles. Again as if i was reminded of the sign I might not push this trip. I settled to stay at the nearest Shell service station and have some snacks waiting to let the rain gone.

When the sky cleared, i was placed on a 50-50 decission whether i should proceed or not. I already lost nearly 2 hours of waiting due to that hard rain. But then again, i prayed and put myself in silence asking guidance from Him asking would I be alright to proceed.  Past 10 and i left Monumento heading McArthur Highway.

sceneries towards Olongapo

It was a tough ride. Smog induced me losing my appetite to drive. Tailing to the traffic jammed jeeps and trucks along the highway made it terrible.  Upon reaching Bulacan, i was lost my way. But with the help of the puto selling vendor, i manage to returned with my route.  

Reaching San Fernando, Pampanga towards Olongapo, the highway turns beautifully plausible. A good oppurtunity to push the engine to the limit, but hey, beware! There were police on cycles I came to ride around with. A group of 3 policemen in their bikes passes me while i was enjoying joyride with the sceneries on both sides of the road.

Subic is still a long way from Olongapo.  Upon entering SBMA, a look out guard from the maingate has all its duty to get into an inspection. Here comes the SBMA, one of the Philippines' most disciplined traffic.  This is the only city  that in all raad intersections, traffic from all directions must stop. The thumb of rule, first stop is the first to go, that's simple yet so effective.

SBMA is incredibly one fine metropolitan.  No traffic, fresh air, and here you could drive as per prescribed speed without limitation of other road traffic factors. I felt lucky as I was allowed by the entrane to have a glimpse of the most exclusive village here inside SBMA, similarities like that of Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa, Benectican is one clandestine village neatly surrounded by trees of fresh air.  A clusters of houses carefully masterplanned by only best architects.

The road to El Kabayo

Forest Adventure Park

Before the Forest Adventure Park is the El Kabayo. The name itself suggest what's the best anyone could barely come up into. It's a horse riding playground for those horse lovers. Leaving El Kabayo, i feel some refinement with myself being indulged from one super silent place, aside from my hushy engine blows, i can still clearly hear the cracking of the crickets. 

Roughly 15kms away from the SBMA towncentre, is the Ocean Adventure. But since there was no whale show given I was in wrong timing and it’s already late in the afternoon.  I just roamed around the facilities and head back to SBMA towncentre.  When i checked my gauge, i almost sucked out all of my tank petrols for todays daylong trip and here i took my first tank reload.  Out of Php100.00 i still able to refill the excess petrol to the reserved empty plastic container i have in hand.  This bike incredibly rocks in terms of mileage run. 

Subic Bay at the Airport's hilltop

"Tracking back my route, I was completely mesmerized by the country.  Those were so charming towns  folded away from the bubble of urban buzz.  Naturally breathtaking, the serenity of the people are just so inviting.  Places like these are truly captivating, the terrains, the mountains, the rivers, the beaches everything   that came across to your sights are so unimaginably surprising. No doubts that localites are simply endowed    with such beautiful towns taking pride of their natural wonders."  --- Sam