Mountains to Surf
Video
A short teaser I threw together on iMovie while waiting for the 4 hour upload to vimeo. 15 minutes of work :)
Pictures
Hardware:
2 helmet mounted Go Pro HD's
1 pocketed Kodak Play sport
1 Lumix GF1
42 GB of footage!
Maximizing the current cool weather we've been having, a few intrepid Hombres and myself went up to the Mountain Province. Initially I was planning on backing out because of 4 hairline fractures on my flange, a common issue with the 04-05 1200GS. But thankfully Alvin was at BMW and applied some of his miracle rapid fix epoxy (I'm making a video review this stuff is awesome!). And with a lot of prodding from him, I decided to join. THANKS ALVIN!
4 bikers, Doc Francis on his KTM 990 Adventure, Alvin on 1200GS Adventure Pito and Joey on their CB1300 and moi on my trusty 1200GS took off for the Mountain Province. It was a near perfect almost 1000k ride, marred only by 2 tip overs and some rain. But those imperfections are what make it an adventure. We ended in La Union where there happened to be a surf competition SWEET!
Day 1 Manila - Banaue
384 kilometers
Take off 630am
over 3hrs of eat, rest and gas stops
Arrive 445pm
Road Almost all paved
Notes
Aliaga-Talavera Diversion Road is a new road being constructed, compacted dirt, flat and easy for any bike. It's somewhere near Talavera. It looks closed and once on it seems like your are going nowhere but it is so worth the dirt to not have to go through Cabanatuan the tricycle capitol of the Phils.
Weather as we entered the mountain province was foggy with light rain. Enough to make some turns a bit tricky and made my tires wobble a bit.
Banaue Hotel is really nice considering it's government run.
NO COKE LIGHT OR ZERO in the Mountain Province. For those who know me and my addiction, this was the biggest challenge.
Day 2 Banaue - Bontoc - Cervantes (not via hanging bridge) - San Fernando
271 kilometers
Take off 830am
5.5 hours riding 5 hours eating and resting
Arrive 630pm
Notes
Hotel Sebay Surf Central: No hot water in the shower!
Watch out for the wet patches, they are really slippery!
The rice terraces go on and on and on.
Didn't see the view from Banaue because of the rain and fog.
Easily doable by a street bike.
Alvin "Imagine leaving your house and going to Baguio but all twisties and mountain roads" The perfect description for this route.
Day 3 San Fernando - Home
297 kilometers
Take off 10am
1.5hrs of eat, rest and gas stops
Arrive 410pm
Notes
It's the usual highway ride from La Union to Manila.
The Gerona area is a good place to stop since it's the mid point (I think).
Notes of Doc Francis Ride Commander
Total Distance Covered: 923Km
Provinces covered after NLEX/SCTEX: Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao,
Mt. Province, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan
Lagawe: last town w/ 95 Octane
Banawe to Bontoc: 47Km twisties with good roads almost all paved (some short segments of compacted dirt, total is less than a kilometer in my mind)
Bontoc: 71Km from Lagawe. 95 Octane available
Bontoc to Buguias market (junction of road going to Mangkayan and Cervantes): 59Km
Bontoc to Tagudin: about 157Km. 95 Octane available
Buguias to Cervantes: 31Km
Besang Pass National Park: about midway between Cervantes and Suyo
Suyo: town between Cervantes and Tagudin. It was the town fiesta when we passed by Feb 5. We stopped for drinks here.
Bontoc to San Juan: about 195Km
Ride Rating 9.75/10
Awesome near perfect ride, I just got a bit wet on day 1 and my gear didn't dry over night coz of the rain. So I was kinda miserable and cold in the morning of day 2 but once I got moving I dried up quickly.
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