This post climbed DOMSA last Sunday, November 23, 2025, during the St Clement Angono town fiesta. At first I hesitated. Days before I climbed up to the bridge or up to Power Blocks summit/building.
I was able to climb successfully, although this post paused 3x
My bike ride today was to Bugarin KM 68, using big chain ring 52 x 28. Like the gear combination I used for the Teresa Antipolo loop. Before I drop down to small chain ring before Km 63 (before climbing to the bamboo farm. This time it was big chain ring all the way. The going gets rough at km 64, right after the restaurant row.
But thereafter going gets less tough. The gradient at Bugarin must be 5 to 12 max (or even less)
I dreaded going up Bugarin before May gear was small chain ring ang the biggest cog at the rear
What was my feeling (especially that I just turned 73)
1. Like Eureka - see I did it big chain ring all the way;
2. Like I was very young again;
3. Like I had a new bike
I will try this at Cabrera, Domsa, diversion and Antenna. I hope I dont break my chain.
Si Peter Anonuevo panay ang tanong kung may salunga yesterday sa Tagaytay. Of course there were. The most challenging one was before PNPA. The rest of the way it was easy. It was a 22 km ride all the way from Balibago. Sta Rosa. It took me nearly one hour from Balibago to PNPA
I was hesitant to ride this, because of many tall stories from other riders. May heartbreak hill daw (may be that is the long climb up before PNPA) And Joel said that when they rode it, he had to use his 44 gears (naglakad)
As for me, the frequent SCH practice ride using a road bike helped. I did not have to use 39 x 32. All that I used were 39 x 19 to 23
I did not suffer nor feel any distress as when climbing up Tagaytay via Aguinaldo highway.
Nauna nga ako eh. Nainip ako waiting for them for at least 30 minutes (some 2 km from the public market) There were 4 whom we waited for being behind.
The other thing is when you bike in this place, you seem to be transported to another place. One with nature and with all modern amenities. Wow
I was training officers last week and part of the schedule was physical fitness. HR brought them to Marian hills on a hike. I brought my MTB and rode up via Tolentino. I used relatively hard gears going up. 32 x 17 to 19. I had long lay over and could not manage I think climb up by Gate 2. I was ahead of every body else. I met them: a lady and another senior near Sitio Mangga all ready.
Then I went up again riding the bike. And then when we went down, I rode down to Mangga and then climbed again meeting them near the last switchback before Mangga. I rode down again and met them near the first cross.
They walked down Gate 2, and rode up and down again as they descended. As usual, in the afternoon, I was dead tired and had to sleep for two hours
I was not able to ride today because probably of the hard rides I did for the last two days. Yesterday, I rode up East ridge, trying to climb it at 32 front chain rings. However before and after Unamonte I had to shift down to 24 and return to 32 before the former SG outpost. After resting for a while, I rode up to the new guard house and passing by the MTB riders from Taguig. who had to stop and rest some 20 meters before the summit. In a conversation, the young riders said they admire me, the senior rider for not stopping.
Last Wednesday, I climbed San Carlos Heights Antenna via the Gate 2 (the more difficult climb, the easy climb is via Tolentino) I also used 32 chain ring. There were lot of riders last Wednesday. I did it non stop. There I met Glen Diestro and Supremo Armin. Great guys and riders
On those two occasions, I was with new recruits/trainees at the office. Part of developing sound mind in a sound body
Today our office PE was at Eastridge. The ladies walked and I biked. Before, I could not climb even up to Unamonte. I feared that the bike would willy or that I did not have enough gear and stamina to make it at least to the gate of Unamonte.
Well today I did. I stopped inside the Unamonte subdivision, and then rode again just before the gate. After the gate I rode up to the main gate using 32 x 36. I did not have to shift down to the granny. (All other riders were using granny gears 24 x 32 or 34) The 32 36t was more than enough.
At the top I met 3 Taytay MTB.riders. They left behind somebody who had 1 x 10. 32 front and 32 biggest at the back. I suggested that he go back to the triplet or have 42 t at the back if he wants still to retain the 1 x 10 set. up. That is why I avoided the 29; not very efficient in climbing
I am happy with this ride. This has proven that at 65 I am still strong, and I had levelled up my MTB skills and strength
Where is the Spirit of Edsa 1986 (did we just replace the dictators with new ones, the commissioners, but used the old system and values)
In biking, it can never happen that we use the old system to achieve outstanding results. Certainly we should have learned our lessons. Some interviews show lead us to some lessons:
1. Invest in a trainer. Vhen has one (given/courtesy of Engr. June) Tito plans to buy one. You can practice a lot of things on the trainer: leg speed, sprint, ILT and a lot more. Not to mention being able to practice on a rainy day.
2. Hydrate often, Eat every two hours. Or bring along chocolate, banana, or even rice cakes. Drink before you feel thirsty, eat before you feel drained out.
I knew before that Jeff and Idol rode to Baguio last Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (Holy Week). They rode up via Marcos highway and had to walk 1/2 of the way from the tunnel to Green Valley. I understand Jeff's gear is 53 x 23. That must be hard climb for both them.
They slept in Tayug Pangasinan, I understand.
Congratulations and God bless Jeff and Idol. Idol kayo pareho
Armin Z says that the most difficult ride he has has exprienced with the Recyclists was the Kaybiang Ternate ride last Sunday, December 1, 2013. Ben said that too. Had he known that it was not that all flat (somebody was guilty of deception/lying) he would not have joined. He had fever until Wednesday.
The false flat condition near Mt. Palay Palay and the all going downhill to Kaybiang tunnel compounded the difficulty. Some say it is magnetic portion (may bike is aluminum, it would not be pulled down by the magnet). After you go down to the tunnel, the more difficult part is going back up and they are not easy climbs.
The Kaybiang Ternate climb was something like this. You ride up to Urdaneta. When you arrive at San Fernando, you climb up to Angeles City (a la Baguio) and then down. And then you climb another 10 km up to Dau (a Baguio like climb again) and then you ride up to Urdaneta in one whole day. Gerry says it is difficult and his thighs were aching until Thursday.
I agree with Armin that it is the most difficult/hardest climb.
