My 2016 MTB Adventures

The year 2016 was the best year for my mountain biking experience. I have been into mountain biking for many years but 2016 was the best so far. This was due to the so many highlights and milestones that we have (literally) covered. This was the time when I together with my fellow Golden Bikers have officially joined the BadBoys. This was also the time when I first had my mixed-up ride with X-CBP Padyakers and Golden Bikers creating a bigger MTB riding family. This has paved the way to more exciting and unlimited riding adventures for year 2016 and the years ahead. This is the first part of my blog on My MTB Adventures for 2016. Please come and join the ride..

NUVALI AREA

We welcomed 2016 by taking a short ride around Nuvali area. It was actually more of eating than biking LOL! Every time X-CBP Padyakers are gonna be having a ride, and our manager Sid De Leon is riding with us, it surely is gonna be a wonderful eating experience no matter how short the ride is.

Selfie while having our breakfast at Blue Corner in Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Sta. Rosa Laguna

PADYAK CABUYAO, JANUARY 15, 2016

Next in line was the yearly bike event called Padyak Cabuyao which was sponsored by the local government of Cabuyao. Laguna. We woke up very early in the morning (4am) of January 15, 2016 and kicked our way out to the 10 km ride to reach the starting point just to ensure that we're gonna be getting the free souvenir t-shirt. The event was participated by hundreds or maybe even more than a thousand bikers from different localities of Laguna. Other participants even came from outside of Laguna. The ride was slow paced and created traffic jams but we enjoyed it just the same.

From L-R: With Archie, Boy & Alex at Padyak Cabuyao

CASILE AREA, FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Upon completing the next two steep climbs after the Marcos Mansion, we took a break at this fruit store and had our fresh coconut and banana fruits. We initially planned to take the Revpal climb but Mang Boy decided not to and called it a day. This ride was very memorable to him because this was the first time that he was able to finally make that two steep climbs without stopping.

Having a break with Mang Boy

CARDIAC HILL, FEB. 20, 2016

One of our favorite spots is the long climb that bikers call Cardiac Hill in Silang Cavite which is just a few kilometers away from Nuvali in Sta. Rosa Laguna .Just like my previous climbs in this area, it was a leg breaking and extreme heart pumping biking experience before reaching the top. A feat that was always quickly rewarded with the plenty supply of fresh coconut fruits that await every climber.

Photos taken last February 20, 2016 during one of our Cardiac Hill rides:

From L-R: Alex N., Alex M., Ogie and myself

From L-R: Me, Lean, Alex N. and Alex M.

ARIEL'S SPECIAL LOMI HAUS, MARCH 2, 2016

This was the best ride ever. We woke up one morning and out of the blue just decided to have a short bike ride together. But much to my surprise we ended up having our breakfast at Ariel's Special Lomi Haus in Bunggo Calamba City which was about 10 kms away from where we started. That was quite a feat for Mommy who has not been riding a bike for eon. After having the very delicious Ariel's lomi, we concluded our breakfast by accepting the videoke challenge before finally going back home to complete the loop. Biking combined with having my breakfast at Ariel's is always a winner, but doing it with Mom was priceless!

Isn't she lovely?!

SAMPALOC ROAD BGY SAMPALOC TALISAY BATANGAS, FEB. 25 & MAR. 5, 2016


I consider this route as one of the most difficult climbs in our MTB gests not because of its height but because of its gradual but continuous 13 km ascent. Not to mention the almost absence of trees or shades to where you can take refuge if you feel like stopping for a while to recover. The only place along the route where we usually stop to replenish our water jugs and wash our heads and bodies to cool down is the section along the side of the mountain, which is maybe about 3 to 5 km away from the top, wherein supply of water is continuously flowing.

Selfie at Sampaloc Talisay Batangas before taking the 13 km climb to Tagaytay Nasugbu Highway near Hotel Tagaytay. with Taal Lake as our background.

Helping a couple who were riding on a motorbike, in fixing their flat tires. They failed to bring the proper tools or repair kit to do the repair themselves. Luckily we passed by and was able to put back their bike to life.

PEOPLES PARK IN THE SKY, MARCH 6, 2016

Another site worth mentioning is the route to Peoples' Park in the Sky in Tagaytay Cavite thru Casile and Dapdap.or what bikers call Reverse Palace or Revpal. This is also one of our favorites and like the Cardiac Hill, there is also a kiosk serving fresh coconut fruits right after completing the climb to Marcos Twin Mansion. Here bikers from every direction congregate to re-energize for the next 10 km and 1 km elevation gain uphill ride that waits ahead. And just when you are about to reach the Peoples' Park in the Sky, on the right side of the road, is the All Is Well Bike Stop or Aling Yolly's Tapsihan. Here bikers have the option to make a stopover to have their breakfast or lunch depending on what time of their arrival.

Photos taken from our REVPAL Ride last March 16, 2016 at Marcos Twin Mansion.

From L-R: Archie, Charles & Alex

From L-R: Archie, Charles & Alex

From L-R: Archie, Myself & Charles

Here are the links of the videos of one of our Revpal rides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CKeN60NWzI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuzyqMsL1Q4

TAYAK HILL, APRIL 2, 2016

One of our most memorable rides was the Tayak Hill Loop (Calamba-Los Banos-Calauan-Rizal and back thru Nagcarlan-Victoria-Los Banos-Calamba). Tayak Hill is situated at the Western side of Mount Banahaw in Tala Rizal Laguna. We covered a total of about 120 kms after completing this loop. The climb was very challenging especially when we were about to reach the destination. But the scenery when we finally reached the spot where the cross is standing was very rewarding. The temperature was soothingly cold and the mountains surrounding the hill were awesome! We stayed for maybe an hour to do some selfie stunts before heading back home. This journey was the Golden Bikers' first long ride officially as BadBoys.

MOUNT MAKILING, APRIL 24, 2016

Your Laguna mountain biking experience will not be complete without visiting Mount Makiling in Los Banos Laguna. It's a 25 km ride from our location in Calamba City. Mount Makiling is a well protected rain forest. It's rocky trail was very ideal for hiking and mountain biking adventures. But sadly the last time we went there to my horror, the trail has already been paved. I just could not comprehend why Filipinos are paving trails like this and leaving city roads with holes as big as mountain craters? Although I am definitely certain that we all know the answer to this.

End of first part. Thanks for visiting my blog.

My Guitar Collection Continued

Hello everyone I'm back! Because technically, I am a newbie when it comes to blogging, I really had very little idea on how to properly go about it especially when I made my first post back in July. I was thinking that it's just ok to regularly edit a post until I noticed that the date was not changing hehe. I thought that every post should be regularly updated through the "Edit" feature which I eventually realized as something stupid. Anyway, I've decided not to erase or correct anymore the previous posts that I made so that I will have something to look back to if I want to know how I progress with blogging later on.

An MIJ Fender Squier Stratocaster 

It was actually when I was fifteen years old when I felt the urge to learn how to play the guitar. It all started when I saw my friend, Bernie Balinas, played it and I was so fascinated by how the sound being emanated from the guitar blended with his voice. I immediately asked him to teach me how to do it and I could still remember how happy I was when finally I was able to do the open A and D chords within the first few hours of our teaching session. But that was short lived. It was only in my late teens and early twenties when I really felt the passion for guitar playing. This time my influence was my high school friend and kumpare (being the godfather of his son), Joseph Hitones. We've had a lot of Neil Young, America and Clapton's songs back then but sadly, he could no longer read this recognition because he has just passed away due to stroke.  My condolence to his family and loved ones and may our Dear Lord Jesus Christ bless his soul in heaven.

My dear mother recognized my talent and granted my request and gave me my first axe, a brand new locally fabricated and personalized classical Jacinto guitar. This was followed by another gift from her when she let me buy the pre-owned locally made Fender Strat electric guitar a few years later. I was so inspired by them which has given me the motivation to learn all of the rock guitar riffs and solos that I used to perform in most of my gigs later in my rock & roll world  We've formed bands of our own and managed to have a few decent gigs. But the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) during our time (it was in the  80s) was really struggling. It was also during that period when I was given the opportunity to work with San Miguel Corporation, Beer Division, the biggest beer manufacturing company here in the Philippines through the help of my dear father who was himself also a San Miguel employee during that time. I had no choice but to leave  the music world and let my dream of becoming one of the best guitar players, even just here in the Philippines, vanish in thin air haha.

My MIK Epiphone Les Paul Studio

My MIJ Ibanez RG270

I thought that I would be completely separated from musicality when I entered the corporate world, but I was wrong. The moment they learned about my music inclination, the company encouraged  me to form a band and bought us the whole band set, instruments, speakers and amplifiers. This has paved the way to make my music dreams come true. Some of our big corporate events became our concert venues. Even some of our sister companies and subsidiaries liked our music and celebrated their milestones together with our band.

When I retired from San Miguel and hired by La Tondena Distillers Inc., the world's biggest producer of gin,which later on became one of the subsidiaries of San Miguel as Ginebra San Miguel Inc. or GSMI, same opportunity of sharing my music was given to me. It was during this time that I had the chance to represent my company and had the luck to become the Grand Champion of the yearly held San Miguel Corporation Song Festival. This had been a yearly corporate-wide event participated by different San Miguel subsidiaries in the whole Philippines represented by those who was declared champions in their locally held singing competition.

My 1st electric guitar, a locally made Fender Strat

Today, I am very thankful that there are so many internet venues to where we can freely share our talent like YouTube, Facebook and Blogger to name a few. Like this Blogger, I have other YouTube Channels where I have been expressing my creative side. I am now an editor, director, extreme sports athlete, writer, an artist, a teacher in my own right wrapped into one, This was all made possible through the generosity and unlimited possibilities being offered  by the internet. Please watch, like and share my videos and subscribe to my YouTube channels: TeoB Duremdes, Rendezbike, Petty Grime, Party Pak, Anne Boxing and Hawhaw De Carabao. I hope you'll find them interesting and enjoyable to watch.

My travel guitar, an MIJ Fernandes
Nomad Electric Guitar

I had this idea of owning again a guitar when my job at GSMI was transferred to a place about 60 kilometers away from my family's permanent residence. I met new acquaintances and one of them re-awoken my passion for guitar playing. The guy's name is Jayper Cruz and he has been very active in playing with his church band. He is also my FB buddy. In fact he was with me when I made my first acquisition, a Japan made Fender Squire Strat, among the series of acquisitions that followed. I convinced my wife that instead of having a party on my 50th birthday, I'd rather have the money so I could buy the Gibson guitar that I have been eyeing for every time we made a visit to Gibson guitar outlets, as a birthday gift for myself. But that has changed when I met Jayper. He introduced me to the beauty of pre-owned and Japan made guitars or what we call Lawsuit guitars. That was four years ago and the rest was history. I also made this an opportunity to acquire skills in guitar repair. I purposefully acquired  a few defective guitars, repaired them and ended up owning some of them or selling them to make some profits. Now it's not just a hobby but it turned out also to become a regular revenue generating enjoyable activity that I have ever done in my entire life. Finally I am now making money like Michael Jordan. Earning while playing haha.

Below are other axes in my collection: I still have other project guitars but I have just decided not to include them anymore in this blog because I could not find their photos. Maybe I will just post them in my future blogs if time so permits. Enjoy reading!

Photogenic Telecaster

Maison  SG MIJ

         

         RJ Electric Guitar            Ibanez RG120 MIK
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

     Yamaha Decalled only             Aria NAC Series                  Morris Acoustic

               Shamisen                      Makway Acoustic             Fernandes Acoustic

        

           Mockingbird MIK     Fender Squier Strat MIK        Yamaha G-120 MIJ

           

               Ibanez Acoustic MIC                Yamaha Classic MIJ                 Epiphone (Gibson) Strat MIK

Fernandes Strat MIJ

       

Philippine MTB

Hello everyone! Aside from guitars, music and other things, I am also very fond of mountain biking. For starters, I would like to share with you some of the photos and videos that I have taken in some of the mountain biking adventures that we had here in the southern part of the Philippines. Hope you will enjoy them as much as you enjoy my guitar photos. Cheers!

With our bike group the Bad Boys at Tayak Hill Rizal, Laguna, Philippines.

With my old time friends in Nuvali Sta. Rosa Laguna, Philippines.

Check out these videos to see our Fun Rides in Tagaytay and Calamba Cities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdUpoVdJ-WM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CKeN60NWzI

Welcome to the Philippines fellow bikers!