We like the sense of adventure from the guys at MIA Santa Cruz with their recent travels to the Philippines. We also liked how some of the terrain looks similar to what we ride here in South Africa. Although obviously that’s where the similarities end, but don’t take our word for it. Check out the team’s video and write up below. – TREAD
(Note: The Philippines is one of the more cost friendly international destinations for South Africans and provided your stay is no longer than 30 days there are no visa requirements. Info via your local travel agency or the Philippines embassy in Pretoria, pretoriape.dfa.gov.ph)
So as not to lose some good riding habits during the European winter, part of the MIA Santa Cruz team set off to spend winter in the Republic of the Philippines, the south East Asian island state, located in the Pacific Ocean. Travelling with their Santa Cruz, heading for a destination that’s pretty unusal for us mountain bikers were riders Maxime and Yohan, accompanied by photographer friend and video maker, Will Camus. While Thiromana Yin, founder of “Adventure we like” was in charge of logistical planning.
By Maxime Peythieu
Photos: Will Camus
Maxime told us:
Heading for Baguio, seeking out the first mountain biking areas
At 200 kilometres north of Manila is the town of Baguio with a population of 300,000 inhabitants. Situated in the Province of Benguet, at 1500 metres elevation. In the middle of the town, you can find the John Hay Camp wildlife reserve, which in the last century was where American troops were stationed and spent their free time. Today however it is a place which all Baguio citizens enjoy peacefully. Baguio is easily reachable, with its vast network of purpose built trails for mountain bikes, it is a little paradise for the many riders who go there. Yohan is given a free rein to unleash his passion for street trial riding around most of the reserve, jumping from one tree trunk to another or performing 360 nose picks from walls. Pretty challenging!
And now, on to the Flow.
In Trinidad close to Baguio, is the Flow, a bike park on a hill overlooking the town, built by a group of desperate riders using picks and shovels.
In the high part of the trail, you can find the most awesome jumps, some as long as 10 metres, all perfectly shaped. Two lines cross one another, one is straight with high jumps, while the other is a series of turns and small jumps. Guaranteed fun!
On with the adventure!
Accompanied by Jordan, one of the famous “desperate pike axe bikers”, we set off early in the morning for a natural location which he himself has recently discovered. A three hour drive to start off followed by a four and a half hour climb on our bikes, with long hike a bike sections in the middle of the jungle while leeches clung to our legs in the rain…. We wanted adventure and we found it!
After reaching 2150 metres elevation, we took a short break to admire the spectacular views. A 14 km descent awaited us; and we weren’t going to miss out on anything!
The first part of the trail has an awesome flow which took us to a ridge, where the trail turned into a really technical singletrack. What bliss! Our morning’s efforts being repaid way beyond our expectations. Lower down the atmosphere changes again. We ride through a rice field, passing by cattle and horses grazing freely, until we get to the valley floor, where a suspension bridge takes us across a river.
Despite our efforts, the ride is very long and tough, and it is dark by the time we arrive at the “excursionists’ house” in a little mountain village, where we are in for the warmest of welcomes.
Balanga, facing Manila
The next day, we manage to get a lift and passing the “Gold seekers “valley, we leave the mountains and head for the quiet town of Balanga, facing Manila on the other side of the bay.
News about our arrival has spread and many local riders come to join us. A shuttle service is improvised and with just a few pesos, (Approx 1 ZAR = 3.70 PHP) we climb Monte Samat pulled by …… side cars!!! From its peak, you can see a 90 metre high cross erected in honour of Philippine and American soldiers killed during the Second World War.
It is time to get the bikes out and take off to discover the routes prepared by the B.E.E.R team riders. The trail, just like a DH, offers all kinds of biking challenges, including roots, steps and rock gardens. It twists and turns through banana and coconut tree groves. It would be hard to find anything more exotic. The day flies by, with heart stopping descents and climbs. The trip comes to an end in the evening, with an incredible dinner of fish and seafood on the beach.
If you want to cut short your winter, think about the Philippines, it was a marvellous discovery for us. We would like to thank Thiromana Yin – Adventure we like – for the logistical planning, all the riders who accompanied us during our stay, the sponsors of the MIA Santa Cruz team and Race company.
