Category: Motorcycling

Regina Rica in Tanay, Rizal

While most people are probably heading out to their home provinces or hitting the beaches this Holy Week, riders are probably looking for their next destination. With the streets in Manila virtually devoid of traffic during the Lenten Season, this is just the perfect excuse to gear up and head to religious destinations. Riding to visit churches and sites of religious significance can be a meaningful way to celebrate the Holy Week.

regina rica tanay rizal motorcycling travelup

Last year, I found myself motorcycling a total of 232 kilometers South of Manila for a Holy Week themed ride, passing through the churches of Pakil and Paete and the Tatlong Krus a pilgrimage site in Paete, where three crosses sit atop a hill.

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Siquijor: Motorcycling the Mystic Island

Siquijor is shrouded in stories of sorcery and witchcraft. Dubbed the “Mystic Island,” this province in the Central Visayas is known as the home of witches, shamanistic folk healers and mambabarang (people who can cause affliction or death by supernatural means). I heard that hexes, curses and love potions were hawked on the streets along with the usual souvenir keychains and magnets. You have to admit, there’s just something so fascinating about any place steeped in such superstitions. While some people are afraid to set foot here, this reputation for dark magic is actually what drew me to the island.

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Motorcycling around Batanes: South Batan

On the left side of the road was a towering rock wall. On the right was a cliff that plummeted down into the sea, complete with dramatic waves crashing into the rocky coast. The winding road carved into the hills narrowed into one lane as it made its way around a sharp bend. Yellow “Blow Ur Horn” signs painted on stone markers signaled blind spots in the road, leading to landscapes that wouldn’t look out of place in a fantasy film.

basco lighthouse travelup batanes

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Ride to Jariel’s Peak in Infanta, Quezon

Jariel’s Peak in Infanta, Quezon is a popular weekend spot for motorcycle riders based in Manila. It has everything that makes a for a great half-day trip – enough distance to make the ride feel “not bitin,” twisty mountain roads, and cool climate and scenery that transports you visually to Baguio or Sagada. In fact, the place is located in a sitio called Little Baguio. Plus, it’s off the grid, if you like that kind of thing. No electricity or phone signal here, folks. You’ll have to wait to post on Instagram or Facebook once you get home

jariels peak infanta quezon travelup

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INFOGRAPHIC: Motorcycle Gear Upgraded!

I often like to think of myself as a character in a video game when I travel. In fact, this blog was inspired by the whole video game concept of “Leveling Up” and I consider every trip as a way to earn EXP points. Last year, I was fortunate to get upgrades for some of the motorcycling gear I’ve been using for road trips. So in the tradition of upgrading equipment in video games, here’s a look at the main features of the motorcycle safety gear by Spyder and what makes them so cool:

motorcycle gear infographic TravelUp

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Park, Rest & Dine in Baras, Rizal

Park, Rest & Dine is an eclectic and quirky restaurant located along Marcos Highway (Marikina-Infanta Highway) that serves pretty good meals. During road trips, I always prefer eating in places with character and these are few and far between along this highway. There are lots of small carinderias and a couple of resorts that have their own in-house restaurants along the highway if you’re not too picky about meals, but Park, Rest & Dine offers a pretty good selection of affordable meals in a pleasant setting.

park, rest & dine rizal 01

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Palo Alto Falls & Leisure Park in Baras, Rizal

On the first day of 2014, I took a solo motorcycle ride as a “good luck ride” for the year ahead. I ended up finding a very nice waterfall not that far from the city. This relatively unknown waterfall that’s just an hour away from the Quezon City area is a promising weekend destination for motorcyclists and mountain bikers.

palo alto waterfall TravelUp

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Achievements Unlocked in 2013

It seems like only yesterday when I decided to put up this blog to chronicle my real and virtual adventures. But here I am, writing the third edition of a year-ender post, which is apparently my 200th blogpost as well! Time flies when you’re having fun. It’s been a really awesome year in gaming (separate post on this) and not a bad year in terms of travel. I wasn’t able to travel internationally, but I discovered a few off-the-beaten path destinations closer to home and got to tick a few places off my bucket list. Here are some achievements unlocked and noteworthy adventures in 2013:

calayan tawi-tawi TravelUp

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The Sierra Madre Hotel & Resort, Tanay

With its refreshing view of the mountains and cool breeze, the Sierra Madre Hotel & Resort in Tanay, Rizal is a favorite stopover for motorcycling and mountain biking enthusiasts.

sierra madre hotel & resort travelup

This homey resort is very easy to get to from Quezon City. Just take the Katipunan road heading towards Marcos Highway, straight on past Cogeo market, through the twisty mountain roads, and you’ll eventually find yourself at the hotel located along the highway. The road is very well maintained and not a lot of cars pass here, which makes the drive a very pleasant one. Continue reading “The Sierra Madre Hotel & Resort, Tanay”

Motorbiking to Calauit Safari Park

Thank God I didn’t insist on driving my own motorbike. That was all I could think of on what seemed like never-ending stretches of dirt roads from Coron to Calauit. Our destination was Calauit Safari Park, a game preserve where animals roam freely, located on a small island at the tip of Busuanga, Palawan. A map showed that it was roughly 70 km away from the Coron Town proper and locals said it could be reached in about 2-3 hrs time by motorbike. But like a real life version of Excitebike, the terrain seemed to challenge us with increasing levels of difficulty the longer we drove. There are dirt roads, then there are demented dirt roads. This was the latter dialed up a notch.

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