What would you choose? A good night sleep while snuggling your teddy bear...
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...or a night trek along this rocky and bushy trail?
For most of you the answer is so damn easy! Of course nothing could beat a complete rest on your warm bed, in your fresh PJs (oh! I love pajamas!) and hugging your HUGO bear as you doze off to sleep, but for some of us who chose otherwise, it was one GREAT adventure that we'll cherish for the rest of our lives.
Yeah! It's as dangerous as it sounds, but a NIGHT TREK would complete your mountaineering experience, so believe me, you better try it! (Note: Night trekking is strictly not advisable according to MFPI, so if you want to give it a try, please take extra precautions, choose an established trail and go with the people who know what they're doing! Aight?!)
Many of the new members can't make it due to conflict in schedule, which made it a little less exciting. ('coz the more the merrier!!!). I would like to commend Joyce for her determination to join the group. Eventhough all her groupmates backed out, she still decided to come along. She was even self-contained! (self-contained = complete with tent, cook set, stove, butane gas, food, clothes, kikay kit, headlamp and other gears)
Jac and Joyce
Usually my backpack is ready days before a climb, or even a week! (Beat that! Hehehe), but for this climb, I prepared my backpack the night before the climb. Not keeping in mind that it's just a MINOR climb, I've stuffed a lot of things inside my backpack without worrying that it's already OVERWEIGHT! Well that didn't dawn on me until we're nearing the peak, and believe me, it hit me hard!!! As Kuya Lomar have said, you better plan for every climb and research on the internet so you'll know what to expect and have an idea on what you should bring. You also have to limit your stuffs and set aside a little of your comfort according to Ma'am Nona. Well, they're definitely right on that!
The meeting time was 5:30PM at the PGH flagpole, but since most of the members just got off from work, at 5:45 some were still buying their packed dinner.
We loaded the rented van at around 6:15 and at 6:35 we're on our way to Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
After two hours of travelling, we've finally reached the Brgy. Hall of Sta. Cruz, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. We logged in on a blue logbook and used the comfort room.
Joyce pointing at Kuya Mendel's Van
Far left: Kuya Carlo signing in the blue logbook Far right: si Father Ritche umiinom ng Chuckie!
ADAMAS girls @ the comfort room
We've reached the parking lot at around 8:50PM, and put on our gears -- hiking clothes, shoes/sandals, arm bands, gloves, and of course, the headlamp.
Since we arrived at the parking lot one hour ahead of the estimated time of arrival (ETA), we rested for a while. Some ate their dinner and others did some final preparations.
At 9:20PM, Father Ritche gathered us for a short prayer, and at 9:25 we started our trek.
It was total darkness along the way, but thanks to our headlamp we had around 3 meters of vision (unless maganda yung brand ng headlamp, ciemps mas malayo ung range of vision). The first part of the trail was bushy and sometimes rocky, but it's kinda easy. I even managed to shoot some pictures along the trail. :D
However, taking pictures will require you to stop for a while, making others walk past you. That's definitely not a good thing, especially on a night trek, because due to those cam flashes and poses, by 10:00PM, we got separated from the lead pack and got lost.
Though the desire to capture every moment and every scenery lingers (though it's kinda dark :D), you have to limit it, so you wouldn't be left behind by the lead pack. Another thing is, the sweeper should know the trail, so eventhough the lead pack is way ahead of the other members, the last group would be sure that they're following the right trail. On the other hand, the lead pack should also ensure that they're not moving too fast, and should constantly check their pacing by looking over their shoulders to see if the next group is within eye-shot. Unfortunately, these didn't happen until the tail group got lost.
With one wrong turn, we ended up following a different trail, though it would also lead up to the peak, we wouldn't be able to join the lead pack. So we have to backtrack. (here we go again!!! kasama kse si Kuya Lomar e! [Kuya Lomar = Ligaw] Joke! Peace tayo Kuya :D)
'backtrack na naman?!'
We used the whistle and shouted but to no avail. After about 20 minutes, we heard Kuya Lomar shouting, and through the help of our headlamp, he spotted us. He rescued us, by creating a trail across the bushes going to our direction. After 6 minutes, we re-grouped with the lead pack at the grotto / water source.
'Sige Kuya Al... refill lang ng refill...'
Our Team Leader, Kuya Carlo and the other members who know the trail, decided to change the arrangement of the group. They let the girls go first and the members who know the trail was placed in front, in the middle and at the tail.
After 15 mins of rest, we continued our assault. Ma'am Gemma was right on saying that, the difficult part starts after leaving the grotto. The trail was hard for me, so I have to use my hands for support. I was on a four-wheel drive, my breathing was getting faster and deeper, and my legs were aching, but the desire to reach the peak keeps on burning inside me. I'm already catching my breath and needed a 5-minute rest (take 5) once in a while. Needless to say, I'm once again... the WEAKEST link! :( This is where the biggest realization came on me. Though bringing all your stuffs and kikay kit along with you to make you comfortable, it was a BAD idea to stuff everything you WANT inside your backpack! Overweight backpack sucks! What you have to bring are the stuffs that you really NEED! So next time, I have to review my backpacking lessons and apply it!
Seeing me in total distress, Kuya Carlo told me to unload and offered to put some of my stuffs inside his backpack. Although I refused, he insisted. (Thanks Kuya Carlo! Grabe kuyang kuya ka talaga.. ok ka ding team leader) Father Ritche also helped me by adjusting the straps of my backpack. (salamat po Father!)
"Iba ang fulfillment 'pag nadala ko tong backpack ko ng buo sa peak." I remember saying this line when Kuya Carlo first told me to unload. You may call it ego, but for me, it's more of determination. One of the reasons why I joined this club was to challenge myself and to test how far I could go. I know I'm WEAK, and not that physically fit, but I'm willing to do something about it, because I don't want to be the weakest link forever!
As we were about to reach the peak, the wet grasses welcomed the group, as it became colder and slippier. During this time, my pacing was getting slower and slower and my breathing faster and deeper, but a reminder that I'm weak was not what I needed, rather, I would appreciate encouraging words more than ever. So I would like to thank Kuya Lomar for bombarding me with encouraging words, when I was on the verge of giving up.
I couldn't see the cross, which is on the top of the mountain, but Kuya Lomar keeps on saying behind me... "Sige kaya mo yan... malapit na... ayan na yung CROSS... isang sampa na lang... sige kaya mo yan". Those words kept me going, and he never got tired of encouraging me to take the next step until we reached the peak. (Super thank you Kuya Lomar! Kaya kita favorite e! Tsaka aside from being funny, para kang malaking BABY!!!)
We reached the CROSS at around 11:30PM, but we didn't stopped there. We immediately made our way down to the camp site.
By 11:45PM we reached the camp site and started pitching our tents.
Joyce shared her tent with me. (Thanks Joyce!)
While Shy, Kuya Carlo, Phoebe, and Ma'am Vhong used my PINK-a-loosh tent. (actually ung loob lang ung pink... hehehe!)
At 12:45AM, we started our socials. The guys had a drinking session, while the girls had a food binge. (Astig si Joyce, nagdala ng ice cream sa taas ng bundok!!! In fairness buo pa ha!!!)
That night, the temperature at the camp site dropped down to 18'C. (Kaya parang lumpia sila Ma'am Vhong and Phoebe... hehehe...)
Lights out was at 2:00AM and the guys ended their drinking session at 2:50 AM. (Ang ingay nila promise!!! Para silang bumalik sa pagkabata... ang kukulit!!!! That night sumikat din ang phrase na... "Wala kang katulad Red!!!" ala Manny Pacquiao's San Mig commercial... Alam n'yo na kung bakit...)
Wake-up call was at 6:00AM, but since me and Joyce wanted to catch the sunrise, we woke up at around 5:30AM.
Just woke up... *yawn*
We immediately brushed our teeth and grabbed our cameras. It was a breathtaking view, so we couldn't get enough of it. We kept on taking pictures at diffrent angles.
With the rest of the ADAMAS, we made our way up to the cross to take some pictures, together with Father Ritche. (Super funny si Father!!! He keeps on saying... "Oh sige mag-pose kayo para ma-capture ang inyong FRIENDSHIP... ayan... very nice... very good... nice BACKGROUND!!!". He doesn't even know that he's still wearing his neck rest!!! Wahehe... si Father talaga!)
Here are some of our pictures...
I also took some pictures of the shrubs along the way... (cute d b?)
After taking some pictures at the cross, we returned to our campsite, where some of the members were just coming out from their tents and others were preparing for breakfast.
Si Kuya Lomar parang baby!
Here's a view of Mt. Makiling from our campsite.
We had a hard time cooking our breakfast because the wind keeps on blowing off the flame on our stove. So we transferred at the back of Kuya Mike's tent. (Kuya Mike thanks for lending us your can opener...)
At 7:30AM we had our breakfast, Joyce shared her chicken pops and pancit canton with me. Then we mixed my hot and spicy tuna with the pancit. (weird ba? hehehe...) The ADAMAS ate together along with Kuya Benj and Sir Egay.
Kuya Egay
Kuya Benj
At 9:05AM, Father Ritche gathered the group for a prayer, then we had our group picture taking...
Ang kukulit!!!! :D
At 9:10AM we started our descent. We first made our way back to the CROSS before the actual descent. We followed the same trail we used last night. Though it would be better to follow a new trail going down, our Team Leader decided to use the same trail since one of our groupmate decided to go back to the parking lot way ahead of the group at around 6AM. If anything happens to him, we will still be able to see and help him. Another thing is, we haven't seen the trail since it was dark, so we wanted to see the actual trail that we followed and see for ourselves how close our steps were to the edge of the cliff.
On our way down, Joyce asked me... "ng-enjoy ako, ikaw?", to which I answered... "Ahhh... OO". I'm kinda hesistant to answer yes, because the idea of me being the weakest link was so frustrating.
At 9:45AM we reached the grotto and took some rest.
At 10:15AM, we passed along a nipa hut where coconuts were being sold. Kuya Benj bought one for me. (Thanks Kuya Benj!!!) After several minutes, we passed along another nipa hut where the other members bought some coconut and took some rest.
may bird tsaka monkey sila na pet... ang cute!
At around 10:45AM we've reached the parking lot.
We took a bath and freshen up. After 1 hour, all of the members were done and we're ready to hit the road. We left the parking lot at around 11:55AM. Then we logged out from the Barangay Hall, before heading back home.
At 12:45PM, we stopped at Colletes to buy some pasalubong. (lagpas na kasi si Kuya Lomar sa curfew n'ya kaya bumili s'ya ng pasalubong... :D)
We arrived at PGH at around 2:50PM, and the ADAMAS had a late lunch at Chowking at around 3:00PM.
P.S. Sana sa next climb 'di na ko maging weakest link :(
Pero masaya naman ung climb.. nakakaaliw si Father Ritche.. me rosary pa cia s backpack!
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