MCC pedals to Baler, Aurora

We have gone farthest and hardest in a day this time, compared to our past Holy Week rides. Had I known that the afternoon ride would be that tortorous, I would have insisted on a two-day ride.

Our Holy Week rides are once-a-year long distance bike rides we undertake to visit other places using only our bikes for transport. Before this ride, we train for two months minimum to prepare us for the arduous task ahead.

This year, 16 members pedaled 250 kilometers to reach Baler, Aurora. We intended to reach the place in just a day. We knew it would be our longest one-day distance so far. And we also knew that our afternoon would be spent traversing Sierra Madre, but we underestimated it, thinking it would not be too hard since its top height is only 600 MASL.

Started gathering at 3AM, we rode out from Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal at 4 AM on March 28. We made good time during our dawn ride that by 7AM, we were already having breakast at San Rafael, Bulacan. We have covered 68 kms. and the rolling terrain from San Jose del Monte City to Bustos town in Bulacan.

A kilometers-long traffic in San Ildefonso town due to an accident slowed us down considerably. We picked up speed from San Miguel, Bulacan to Talavera, Nueva Ecija, arriving there just past 11AM, covering 140 kms. in total.

By 11:30AM, having finished lunch, we continued our ride.

The 20-plus kilometers of road from the towns of Talavera (Pinagpanaan) through Llanera, to Rizal is like a straight arrow, with sparse tree cover along the road. Looming at the end of the road are the mountains of Sierra Madre, that we knew we have to traverse to reach Baler. By this time, the heat was already scorching, the asphalt road equally hot, and there was no cloud cover. Plus, with a headwind coming from the east, we started to get fatigued. We rested in Rizal town, at the foot of the mountains.

The mountain section of our ride, from Rizal, Nueva Ecija to Maria Aurora, Aurora, covers about 70 kms. There were some long climbs, and long downhills, and there were about five hard and steep climbs, but there were no spectacularly hard nor long climbs or downhills, especially if one is used to the mountain bike routes of Rizal province. However, its the continuous and innumerable uphills and downhills in the terrain that makes it significant - and challenging. Its just like waves upon waves of mountain crests and troughs keep coming in, until the very end ain Maria Aurora.

The rise from Rizal town to Pantabangan proper was gradual, but it was very "magnetic". Even at a gradual downward slope, we needed to pedal to move forward. The long and hard climbs come after the Pantabangan town proper. There's a good vista of the Pantabangan Dam at the top of the first mountain peak.

After reaching the peak of Pantabangan, the highest peak in this mountain section, one goes a long downhill, then can relax while traversing a plateau for a few kilometers. Then the seemingly unending rolling terrain commences.

After passing Alfonso Castaneda, the last town of Nueva Ecija, 203 kms. away from our starting point, came the hardest part of the mountain section. From here on we encountered the five steepest climbs, the short but continuous waves of climbs and downhills, and headwinds opposing our exertions. But we persevered amidst pains; only two among us riding the SAG. It was already dark when we arrived at Maria Aurora.

From hereon, it was flatland as we reached Baler, Aurora at 7PM. Tired, sore, but all happy for what we have accomplished. First, we covered 250 kms. in a day, our longest continuous ride so far. And second, we did it with the most challenging terrain we have ever ridden in.

While in Baler, we were like tourists who visited Museo de Baler, the local church, the local market, Quezon Park, Dona Maria's house, walked at Diguisit Beach, took a dip at Sabang Beach, at bathed at a river. Of course, there's the "picture-picture" everywhere.

If we are going to visit Baler again on a bike, I would seriously suggest doing it in two days. I was not able to enjoy the scenery much because we had to hurry to get to the other side of the mountain before it got dark.

For those interested, here's a route track from Talavera to Baler: http://app.strava.com/activities/46465766.

To see our photos:  https://plus.google.com/photos/109810665246281797587/albums/5863369238377687441