 |
| A road train of blue and green: The Ride for Hope 5-Team Bisikleta Republika making its way through Morong, Rizal. Photo by and property of author. |
The lights started going
on as soon as we reached Pangil, Laguna. Our legs—and our hearts—quickened as
daylight rapidly turned into night; with every turn of the wheel, darkness ran
even faster, overtaking us in its embrace.
Kuya Sam and I were just about ready to make a run for it when we spied
C-j by the side of the road, holding his hybrid road bike
upright. “What happened?” we asked.
“I was sprinting with
Mikey and Chuckie when I ran onto some broken glass back there,” C-j replied,
pointing to a spot where we came from not far away from where he stood. Kuya Sam and I immediately dismounted and
checked our bikes’ tires as well. “Better be sure,” Kuya Sam said to me, and I
nodded.
Meanwhile, C-j settled
on the roadside and set to work, ripping out the front wheel’s inner tube and
looking for the telltale puncture. Kuya Sam and I looked on, mindful of the
growing darkness around us, but trying our best to keep calm.
***
The build-up to this
adventure we had gotten ourselves into started exactly one year ago. On
November 8, 2013, the most powerful typhoon on earth to date slammed into the
central Philippines, leaving a path of unimaginable destruction. “Yolanda”
(Haiyan) laid waste most of the Visayas islands, most notably the city of
Tacloban, with a storm surge almost 20 feet high and 200-plus kilometer winds.
Two days later, Ride of
Hope 3 launched, attempting to raise support for the survivors in the Visayas.
Despite the team failing to summit Tagaytay City, the effort was enough to
raise funds for a family in Iloilo to repair their storm-damaged home.
Meanwhile, by the end of the month I had become part of a relief team that
surveyed the destruction in Leyte province, leaving an indelible impression in
my heart and nightmares in my sleep.
At the turn of the year,
I got in touch with someone from our college organization in UP Diliman who was
trying to do her part in the relief effort. Chai Yumul enlisted the help of
friends and relatives to send balikbayan
boxes to the storm-ravaged province of Aklan, which was hardly in the news.
Considering the outpouring of relief in Tacloban and the province of Leyte from
other countries and aid organizations, I readily agreed that concentrating our
little effort towards other areas that equally needed assistance was the more
practical way to help.
Our first opportunity
came in April, on the Day of Valor (Araw
ng Kagitingan). A new riding team assembled and summited Tagaytay City, and
Ride 4 Hope was able to raise enough money to buy a new roof for a day care
center in Barangay Calizo in Aklan.
 |
| C-j and I take a selfie before riding out on the morning of November 8. |
It was this scenario
that both C-j and I had in mind at the conclusion of our foolhardy trip around
Laguna Lake last August. We both agreed the course was doable enough for an
epic ride; however, I was looking more towards something that could be
replicated within a specific time frame, a challenge to others who could not be
part of the Ride Team. With the success of the infamous “Ice Bucket Challenge,”
C-j and I both concluded a “Laguna Loop Challenge” was somewhat possible.
***
In the weeks leading up
to the Ride, Chai and I finalized our intention to raise funds so that the
survivors in Aklan could have a self-sustaining livelihood. With a definite
purpose to work for, we initiated the Ride
for Hope 5 project and assembled our riding team: road-ripping C-j
Indiongco, from Tondo; scrappy Mikey Casilum from Cubao; speed monster Ronnel
Ramos from Pasig; downhill specialist Kuya Sam Traballo from Cainta, Rizal; and
epic rider Chuckie Zabella from San Pablo, Laguna.
The November 8 launch
date was chosen to compensate for my preferred date (November 10, my birthday,
which falls on a Monday) as well as to accommodate the personal commitments of
the riders. It was only later when we realized it was the first anniversary of
the Haiyan disaster; the significance of the date was not lost on anyone in the
team.
Four days before launch,
our friend Roselynn came down with dengue, and we joined her in praying and
monitoring her platelet count, which was dropping steadily. The next day,
Wednesday, my girlfriend Cat and I trooped to the hospital to have my blood
drawn and provide a reserve source of blood platelets.
The medical technicians, however, had problems drawing blood from me, which
left both my arms aching from the procedure more than usual.
A further blow struck
the riding team that day: Mikey’s bike “Ato” was stolen from his house in
Cubao. As Mikey went to the authorities to report the loss, we had to scramble
for a replacement so Mikey could ride. We were also concerned with his state of
mind, but we decided letting him ride was a better idea than leaving him to
mope around.
On the day before the
Ride, we scampered about, finalizing our preparations. However, Maia’s supplies
got delayed, so we had to rush her final check-up, including replacing her rear
wheel’s inner tube. C-j showed up at the house nursing a bad cold. Meanwhile,
we were to learn later that Kevin, one of Chuckie’s riding companions, had lost
his bike as well. With the stress of the last few days—and the challenge that
now faced us less than six hours away—the riders struggled to fall asleep, only
to be rudely awakened three hours later by our alarm clocks, and our bodies
hardly refreshed.
***
Saturday morning came on
us earlier than usual. After a brief prayer for Chuckie and his team (which had
a three-hour headstart on us as they came from San Pablo), C-j and I swung into
action, readying ourselves and our gear.
Despite our hurried
preparations, we found out we still missed out on a couple of essential items.
C-j was unable to bring a spare inner tube for his bike; I forgot to pack my
utility carabiner and a bottle of rubbing alcohol (for wounds, just in case). I
actually almost forgot to bring my water supply! We finally managed to push off
from the Bisikleta Republika shop near our house in Sucat at around 5:30am
towards our 6:00am rendezvous in Taytay, Rizal.
Turning into C-6 road,
which was our direct route to the McDonald’s meet-up area in Taytay, we were met by thick smog.
Breathing became difficult, so C-j and I quickened the pace to get out of the
foul-smelling cloud. As soon as we were out of it, however, we became aware of
the road’s numerous potholes and broken portions, turning the highway into a
five-kilometer dirt trail. C-j and I were on edge, praying in
our minds that we wouldn’t get flat tires here, so early into our journey.
Thankfully we managed to navigate C-6 safely and without incident.
 |
| Navigating C-6 on the morning of November 8 through a mixture of smoke and fog. Photo by and property of the author. |
We managed to stay on a
relaxed pace despite the fact that we were playing hurry-up to the rest of the Manila
team, which, by this time, had assembled at our staging point. I even had time
to enjoy the sunrise (which I didn’t capture on camera so that I could just
appreciate it). One hour later, we linked up with Ronnel, Mikey, and Kuya Sam,
along with some of Ronnel’s friends who were tagging along until up to the foot
of the mountains in Pililla, Rizal.
 |
| Team Bisikleta Republika (TBR)-Manila before setting out from Taytay,
Rizal. From right: Mikey, Kuya Sam, C-j, and Ronnel and his friends. Photo by and property of the author. |
We excitedly donned our
sponsored riding kits. For the first time ever, Ride for Hope had a distinct
riding kit and Joy Ride Club became a "factory works" team; for this trip, we
became officially known as “Team Bisikleta Republika” (TBR). Our official and
long-time parts supplier, Bisikleta Republika, had us outfitted in sleek
blue-and-neon-green kits that were simply marvelous to look at—and highly
visible for the night portion of the Ride. Our bikes also had new race bibs the
size of billboards, which guaranteed the attention of both pedestrians and
motorists alike, much to our delight.
People back home also
got into the project as well. Friends posted messages of encouragement and
prayers of safety, as well as sharing our promotional video to ask for pledges
and support.
 |
| Gennabel (left) and Cat show their support for Ride for Hope 5. Photo courtesy of Cat Zuniga. |
As TBR-San Pablo
(Chuckie and his co-riders) reached the outskirts of Metro Manila, TBR-Manila
(C-j, Mikey, Kuya Sam, Ronnel and Co., and me) pushed off from Taytay at a
little past 7:00 am towards our first stop in Binangonan, Rizal. There were a
lot of bikers on the road to keep us company, acknowledging our presence with
smiles, nods, and bell rings. This kept our spirits up as we made quick
progress towards our first stopover.
***
The Binangonan
checkpoint was only a stone’s throw away from where Maia lost her front wheel
during our first journey back in August. I was a bit worried as we came near
the spot, fearing the same ghosts would haunt me anew. It was also at this
point where Maia started to exhibit some problems with the left-hand pedal,
which added to my fears.
 |
| Stopover in Binangonan. The store where we were supposed to buy ice candy is in the background; there was none available for us to enjoy. Photo by and property of the author. |
A bit of disappointment
came over the team as we pitted for our first stop, as we found out there was
none to be had of the famous ice candy we had all looked forward to.
Nevertheless, some of our group settled for breakfast at a nearby eatery while
Kuya Sam looked over Maia’s creaking pedal. I was worried it would break off at
some point, especially during the Bugarin climb, but Kuya Sam assured me it
would be ok.
News came that TBR-San
Pablo had pitted somewhere in Muntinlupa City for a flat tire and some
breakfast. I became a bit worried this would affect our timeline, and hoped
they could be back on the road soon. We decided to push on towards Hacienda
Pisong Kape in Pililla, Rizal, and wait for Chuckie and his friends there.
 |
| Mikey (left) and Ronnel have some fun by creating videos on the road. Photo by and property of the author. |
This part of the journey
was uneventful, save for a little incident at the outskirts of Morong, as I was
taking footage of the Riders. Seeing us pedal in a line in identical kits was (at
least for me) an awe-inspiring sight, and after making sure the road was clear,
I drifted to the left to take pictures and video.
A tricycle rapidly came
up from behind. I had heard the engines so I drifted back onto the right side
of the road to let the tricycle pass, but not fast enough to escape the
tricycle driver’s ire. “Mga siga kayo ah!
Parang sa inyo ang kalsada! Mga g_go!”
the guy screamed out at us, accompanied by his trike’s blaring horn, as he
passed our group at high speed. We shook our heads, wondering who was actually
hogging the road for his own.
***
We reached Hacienda
Pisong Kape without further incident, although at this point we were able to
rejoin Ronnel’s friends, who managed to get separated from us coming out of
Morong. We settled down for some real food and rest. We decided to wait for
TBR-San Pablo here, at the foot of the famous Bugarin climb.
 |
| At the Hacienda Pisong Kape in Pililla, Rizal, a popular stop for cyclists and non-cyclists alike on the Manila East Road, which is the road to the right of the photo. Photo by and property of the author. |
The enforced downtime
made sure I was able to post an update on the Ride to Facebook. Seeing the
messages of support warmed our hearts. We kept reminding ourselves what the
Ride was for, and this buoyed our spirits a lot.
Soon, Ronnel and his
friends took their leave, pedaling back towards Pasig, due to some prior
commitments. This provided us a welcome break that allowed us to rest more
comfortably and to talk about some personal matters, such as Mikey’s love life.
It also gave me time to look at Maia’s parts and see if there were any further
problems.
The pause to allow
Chuckie and his co-riders to link up with us turned into a three-hour wait. We were
concerned the layoff had caused us to lose our initial momentum, but even more
so at the prospect of finishing the Ride later than we had anticipated. After
communicating to Chuckie to rendezvous with us at the Bugarin view deck, the
four of us—C-j, Mikey, Kuya Sam, and me—pushed out towards the mountains.
***
The “view deck” in the
village of Bugarin, which was actually just a cluster of roadside shops that
afforded the best view of Laguna Lake, is situated some 250 meters above sea
level. To get there, one had to negotiate gentle curves, long inclines, and
switchbacks that could prove tortuous to the uninitiated.
 |
| Kuya Sam and Mikey chat with Chris, a solo rider we meet at the "view deck" of the famous Bugarin climb. C-j smiles for the camera. Photo by and property of the author. |
We reached the view deck
an hour after pushing off from Hacienda Pisong Kape. It was good running, all
things being considered. Waiting for TBR-San Pablo, less than an hour away,
also gave us opportunity to rest and to chat with some of the tourists there, particularly
those who noticed us because of our superb kits (thanks, Bisikleta Republika!)
and the race bibs on the bikes. It was a wonderful opportunity to tell them what
Ride for Hope was all about, but at best, when they learned the activity was
about asking for pledges and support, the response was, “Ingat kayo ha (take care), good luck!”
 |
| After almost 12 hours of hard riding, Chuckie links up with the Manila team. He is welcomed onto the "view deck" by Kuya Sam. Photo by and property of the author. |
To our relief, Chuckie
came up the road and onto the deck, followed by the rest of his team about 15
minutes later. It felt good having our team completed at last. After a few more
minutes of rest, we got back on our bikes. We then pushed on for about two or
three more kilometers of hard climbing, followed by the dip back towards level
ground that most of us were looking forward to.
 |
| Selfie at Kilometer 68. From here onwards, the road goes downhill; about a hundred meters from where I am standing, one crosses into Laguna province. Photo by and property of the author. |
It was here that I
started to experience my own riding problems. Coming up Bugarin, I had removed
my warmers because I was sweating due to the climb. Forgetting to put them back
on was a mistake; as we crested the summit and the road went downhill, the cool
air coming from the Laguna side of the mountain developed into a blast that
numbed my arms and made it hard for me to grasp the brakes, let alone the
handlebars.
 |
| Resting at the Mabitac-Siniloan junction. We are so, so far... |
This went on for about a
third of an hour or so, and by the time we reached level ground at the
foothills of Mabitac, Laguna, my hands and arms were tingling with pain. I kept
shaking them to get the circulation back, but still, the painful feeling
lingered. At the junction between Siniloan and Mabitac, we got off the bikes to
eat a bit and get our energy back, and somehow the tingling eased up a little.
As we pushed on towards
the town of Famy, I couldn’t stand the cold, tingling feeling in my arms
anymore. I stopped and put my warmers back on and motioned for the others to go
on ahead. It was about 5:00pm but it felt more like 6:00, as days are shorter
this time of the year. We started to pick up the pace, and it was at the town
of Pangil, Laguna, that C-j experienced the first flat tire for TBR-Manila for
the day.
***
C-j found the puncture
in no time at all. The reserve tube I had given him was no good, as it was
several sizes bigger than his road tire. “I’ll have to vulcanize—patch this
tire up,” he said, grinning and in no way worried. I took the chance to post a
Facebook update and to check our location on the map. Out of nowhere, Cat
called us up and that eased my nervousness a bit. She was concerned the rest of
our trip would be in the dark, but hearing her voice felt reassuring, and it steeled
our resolve to get back home as well.
 |
| C-j repairs his bike's punctured tire as Kuya Sam looks on. Photo by and property of the author. |
The call ended abruptly,
and Kuya Sam asked me to check our bearings again. I checked the map. “We’re in
Pangil, Laguna,” I responded confidently.
“Sure?” Kuya Sam asked.
“Yup, 100 percent,” I
responded, showing him the map on my phone. I pointed out the landmarks.
“That’s the Iglesia ni Cristo church over there, and there’s a cemetery right
about there,” I pointed down the road.
“Wow, that map is
accurate!” Kuya Sam replied. He pointed to an arch behind us, and in capital
letters, etched in metal, the words PANGIL MUNICIPAL CEMETERY jumped out at us.
“Hoy, Ceej, are you finished back there?” I asked, my feet growing
cold.
“I’m done,” he replied,
slapping the repaired wheel back into place. In about two minutes we were back
on our bikes, pedaling away as fast as we could in the growing darkness.
***
As is common in many
rural areas in the Philippines, our group had to deal with the lack of
streetlights on the Manila East Road, an alternative thoroughfare for motorists
heading towards the interior of Laguna province. Darkness covered us like a
blanket. Maia’s headlights could provide illumination only up to eight feet ahead of
me at best (we all wore blinkers, though, but that light was not enough). For
the most part we were forced to rely on the headlamps of vehicles coming up
from behind or in front of us so we could see what lay ahead. In my mind,
however, I was praying that we would not have any more flat tires, especially
in the dark places where any tire change would be impossible.
We forged through
Pangil, Pakil, Paete (the famous town of woodcarvers), and into the town of
Kalayaan. We saw bright lights up in the mountains ahead and knew instantly it
was the hydroelectric plant that harnessed the water coming from Lake Caliraya
as it emptied into Laguna de Bay. We pedaled on; there was no sign of our
advance group yet. We hoped they were waiting for us somewhere.
At the foot of the
mountains, the road rises around 200 feet or so to accommodate the hydroelectric
plant’s spillway underneath. It was the last long climb for the ride. We
willed our aching legs to pedal on, until we reached the top of the road and
had a majestic view of the hydroelectric plant beneath us, and Laguna Lake in
the darkness beyond.
 |
| The Kalayaan Hydroelectric Plant at night is still a sight to behold. Photo by and property of the author. |
“Kaya pa?” C-j and I asked Kuya Sam, who was visibly winded. He gave
the thumbs-up sign and asked for water, and we gave him some. After a few
minutes rest, we resumed our trek.
Coming down from
Kalayaan gave us the shivers: The road was pitch-black ahead. There was no way
to see where we were going—it was like biking downhill with your eyes closed.
Thankfully a car came from the opposite direction and lit up the road, in time
for us to avoid crashing onto the metal barrier at the end of the slope.
We finally caught up
with the rest of the team at a gasoline station, and our journey as a group
resumed. As soon as we reached Pagsanjan (which was impressively well-lighted),
we decided it was time for dinner. It was around 7:00pm when we came upon a
quaint restaurant called “Binalot sa Dahon” where the staff welcomed us and had
us park our bikes inside the compound.
 |
| At the Binalot sa Dahon restaurant in Pagsanjan. Photo by and property of the author. |
We found a nipa shed in
the middle of the inner compound and decided this was the best place to have
dinner. We were still thinking of what to eat (and debating the cost) when a
middle-aged woman came to take our orders.
“Tatlo pa lang ang nag-order
kaya pinuntahan ko na kayo (Only three out of seven riders have placed
their orders),” the lady declared amiably.
“Ano pong meron, Ate (What’s on the menu)?” Mikey asked.
“Liempo, grild pis, binagoongan…”
“Ano yung ‘grild pis’?”
C-j asked. He must have been thinking whether what he heard was “grilled peas”
or “grilled fish,” so I answered for the lady that it was inihaw, or fish cooked on a grill. The woman nodded. C-j went for
the fish, while I settled for liempo,
and the rest chose other available viands, such as adobo or binagoongan. This was served wrapped in banana leaf together with a hunk of rice, a red tomato, and a hard-boiled egg. Needless to say, dinner was superbly delicious.
 |
| C-j and Chuckie dig in and enjoy their "grild pis." Photo by and property of the author. |
***
We got back on the road
soon after dinner. Passing the Pagsanjan Stone Arch called for the customary
group shot. It was to be the last for our group. The team got separated again in Santa Cruz as Kuya Sam and I lagged behind in the darkness, unable to match the pace of younger legs. As we approached the town of
Victoria, a light drizzle started to fall. By the time Chuckie and his group
bid us farewell at the junction of Victoria and the road back to San Pablo, the
drizzle was enough to discourage us from taking our cameras out for any group
pictures.
 |
| At the Pagsanjan Stone Arch, for our last group photo. Photo by and property of the author. |
It was a proud moment,
though, as Team Bisikleta Republika-San Pablo had reached a milestone: they had
already completed the Laguna Loop. The riders exchanged warm handshakes and
hugs, while Chuckie gave his sincere thanks. “I should be the one thanking
you,” I replied. “Thank you for being part of this Ride for Hope.”
***
Team Bisikleta
Republika-Manila, composed of C-j, Mikey, Kuya Sam, and me, pushed on towards
home. Home. It never felt so far
away than here, with the darkness and the rain conspiring to discourage us. Meanwhile, my
arms and back ached as my hands tingled in the cold. Our pace dropped from a
comfortable 20kph to around a lagging 12 or 14 kilometers per hour, except for
C-j, who kept peeling away from us and leaving us in his wake.
As the darkness embraced
us and Maia’s headlights left me hopelessly frustrated (I could see no more
than eight feet ahead and the lights were getting dimmer), my mind turned to a
piece of Scripture: Your word is a lamp
to my feet, a light unto my path. It was a stark reminder in faith—that sometimes,
God provides just enough light through His Word for us to take the next step
ahead. I just had to trust God to bring us home safely, while I keep on
pedaling. This realization gave me some measure of comfort as we trudged on.
We passed Bay and
entered Los Baños. The road here was better-lighted; nonetheless, a light but
steady drizzle still fell on us, letting up as soon as we entered the city of
Calamba. We took a brief rest, and C-j and I took the opportunity to change
into drier clothes as my nose started getting a little runny, and we reckoned
it would be dry the rest of the way (we were wrong in this aspect).
 |
| If there ever was a patron saint for us Riders, she would be it. Taking a break at St. Catherine's Pharmacy in Calamba, Laguna, for some rest and hot coffee and chocolate. Photo by and property of the author. |
We reached the Calamba
City crossing at a half-past ten. The drizzle resumed shortly afterwards,
getting us cold and wet once more. We pushed through Cabuyao, then Santa Rosa,
then Biñan, where we rested once more at a bakery to refuel and rest.
My arms and back ached
mightily, while my hands tingled.
The others were quite tired as well. It was already midnight, and we still had
a long way to go. We had to remind each other at this point why we were doing
this: “Bakit nga ba natin ‘to ginagawa?”
I would ask.
“Para sa Aklan,” came the reply, and we would climb back on our
bikes and resume our slow trod towards the finish line.
***
After Biñan came the
city of San Pedro, where I last crashed. Once again, we chose the flat route
through the city center, but this time, upon reaching the railroad tracks, I insisted
that we dismount and walk. The rain had left the tracks slippery for sure, and we
saw this for ourselves as I reenacted my crash with a walk-through. Combined with
the gap in the track, there was no way Maia’s wheels would have made it safely
across without losing grip.
 |
| Resting and refueling our bodies at a bakery in Binan, Laguna. Our bodies are tired, but the Riders are still fighting for the people of Aklan at this point. Photo by and property of the author. |
We canceled the photo-op
at the San Pedro boundary and instead pedaled headlong into the City of
Muntinlupa. We were back in Metro Manila! Realizing we were now in the
homestretch, our legs pumped furiously, making short work of the villages in
succession: Tunasan, Poblacion, Putatan, Bayanan, Alabang, Cupang, and finally,
Sucat.
***
At 2:00am, Sunday,
November 9, Team Bisikleta Republika arrived at the finish line. Starting from
the Bisikleta Republika shop, C-j and I had covered a distance of 166.86
kilometers; Mikey, Kuya Sam, and C-j would add more to that total as they returned
to their respective homes at early light. The team had also set some sort of
unofficial endurance record for the Ride for Hope series, finishing at 22½ hours.
 |
| At the finish line, 22 1/2 hours later. Photo by C-j Indiongco and property of the author. |
We let out a prayer of
thanks as we wrapped up our long, grueling journey. We also prayed for the
people whom we hoped to help with this Ride. Our trip may be finished, but the
survivors of typhoon Haiyan in Aklan and elsewhere in the Visayas are still trudging
through the long and oftentimes painful road to recovery. With this Ride for
Hope, it is our prayer that we give them the means to go the distance, and
eventually, to finish strong.
***
You
can also participate in Ride for Hope 5 by taking the Laguna Loop Challenge. Take the journey around Laguna Lake on your
bike on or before November 30, 2014, or pledge PhP200.00 to help the survivors
of typhoon Haiyan in Aklan. Once you have completed your Laguna Loop, post your
pictures on Facebook, tag Joy Ride Club or Bisikleta Republika, and nominate
three of your friends to do the challenge as well.
The
Ride for Hope 5 team wishes to thank Bisikleta Republika, our official kit
sponsor and parts supplier; Jomel and Leony Medina; Joy Christian Fellowship;
Cat Zuñiga and Gennabel Fernandez; and our respective families.
 |
| Ride for Hope 5-Team Bisikleta Republika (Manila). From left: Ronnel, C-j, Mikey, Kuya Sam, and the author. Photo property of the author. |
 |
| Ride for Hope 5-Team Bisikleta Republika (Manila & San Pablo) at the Bugarin climb. From left: Mikey, Kuya Sam, C-j, the author, Kevin, Lemuel, and Chuck. Photo property of the author. |
