One-Zero-Zero-Plus! my first century ride...
One of my dreams (more of a personal ambition) is to bike up to Manaoag sometime in the next two years (2011 to 2012). I would have enough energy from my weekend exercise by then and probably a geared bike to help conserve strength along the way.
I didn’t expect this to happen sooner, and sooner was last Saturday, October 16.
I was invited by new friends in Pinoy Mountain Bikers’ Forum and at first I was hesitant not because I am barely new with the forum but I am overly concerned with the distance to be covered. Initial estimation was 109 kilometers of mostly flat roads, from Manaoag, Pangasinan to Bacolor, Pampanga, passing by McArthur Highway – the dreaded hunting ground of the country’s fastest and most vicious animal – the Philippine rabbit!
Kidding aside, 100 kilometers is no joke for an amateur like me, but still I decided to join the event dubbed as “Bike for Mama Mary and Mother Earth”. The terrain might be easy, the pacing might be moderate, and the length might be gruelling. There are stopovers in the towns of Moncada, Tarlac City, Mabalacat, and San Fernando in Pampanga to eat and rest before the final destination which is ‘Santino’s lair’, the famous San Guillermo Church in Bacolor, Pampanga.
I left the house and biked to the bus terminal at 10PM Friday night. I actually caught a Manaoag trip of Dagupan Bus but the bus conductor was very snobbish upon seeing my extra baggage, my bike. As a last resort, I caught a bus ride to Dagupan and got down at Urdaneta junction since it won’t pass by Manaoag. I went for some goto at the back of the market to warm myself while planning how to catch a ride to Manaoag at 1 in the morning. Half an hour later I sent a message to my friends, and luckily, they replied they just arrived at Urdaneta. We met and stayed while waiting for another batch of newly-met friends to arrive and then we decided to ride to Manaoag at 3AM. After an hour we arrived at Manaoag and had our short rest at the front of the church. We were greeted by Bishop Utleg of Laoag, hot coffee, and breakfast while having our rest. The other cyclists have started to gather within the front of the church and a few minutes after 5, the bike pilgrimage started with the first mystery of the rosary, fitting for October is the month of the rosary. The ride started after the initial prayer with Bishop Utleg and his bike leading the way to the subsequent stops followed by the rosary, and the con-celebrated mass at the end of the bike pilgrimage.
L-R: Doc Mel, Sir Gary,Bishop Utleg, Sir Gene, Sir Anthony, me, Sir Vic,
starting point at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Manaoag, Pangasinan
The long and arduous journey on a single speed mountain bike was made harder by the scorching heat and the blistering pace set by the bishop and after the second stop, some of us in our group got separated and decided to regroup at the next stop. I had a minor stomach ache in Capas so I flagged a SAG (Support And Gear) vehicle up to Mabalacat. We decided to stay and wait for the others in our group while Bishop Utleg, together with the rest of the pack, left us behind. When the whole gang was completed we discussed collectively if we will still continue or we can just quit and I’ll accompany them to the bus terminal which is a few kilometres away, and then all of us will be on our way home. At the end, we decided to finish the bike pilgrimage at a slower pace to preserve energy. We skipped the San Fernando stop and took a detour straight to the final destination. Thankfully, we arrived at Bacolor just when the mass is about to start.
Overall, I could not believe what I went through in that event. One cyclometer from a friend registered 120+ kilometres while the other registered 140+. Add the Urdaneta to Manaoag ride and subtract the 20 kilometers I used the SAG vehicle, it still totalled more than a hundred kilometres, although the typical century ride according to experts should be in miles (100 miles is approximately equal to 160 kilometers). This is something to be pleased about since we were on the road for almost 10 hours without any sleep. Perhaps Baguio is attainable as I ponder while biking home, but with my legs feeling pedal-heavy already, I think not anytime soon.
regrouping at Mabalacat
the Final stop at San Guillermo Church, Bacolor, Pampanga
Minsan try mo hangang La Union o kaya Ilocos hehehe .. drop by ka san fdo city pakainin ka namin!