Monday, April 22, 2013

Taytay Falls Itinerary

Taytay Falls
Majayjay, Laguna

Itinerary

0430 Meet up in Buendia LRT
0530 Board bus to Sta. Cruz, Laguna
0830 ETA Sta Cruz, Laguna; Board jeepney to Majayjay Town
0930 ETA Majayjay, Ride jeepney to Taytay Falls
1020 ETA Taytay Falls
1030 Swimming Time
1200 Lunch
1400 Tidy up
1530 Ride Jeepney back to Majayjay
1630 Ride jeepney to Sta. Cruz, Laguna
1800 Ride bus back to Manila
2100 ETA Manila

Expenses:

Bus to Sta. Cruz: 140.00
Jeepney to Sta. Cruz Market: 8.00
Jeepney to Majayjay: 34.00
Jeepney to Taytay Falls: 16.00
Registration Fee: 20.00
Jeepney to Majayjay: 16.00
Jeepney to Sta Cruz: 34.00
Bus to Pioneer EDSA: 132.00

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Victor Joel "Biki" Ayson: The Kind of Guy You Meet In The Mountains



♫♫There are places I remember♫♫
♫♫All my life, though some have changed♫♫
♫♫Some forever not for better♫♫
♫♫Some have gone and some remain♫♫

♫♫All these places had their moments♫♫
♫♫With lovers and friends♫♫
♫♫I still can recall♫♫
♫♫Some are dead and some are living♫♫
♫♫In my life I've loved them all♫♫

(excerpt from the song In My Life by The Beatles)

It was on the ship bound to Batangas Port when I was asked by a kid if how many times did I have climb with the guy talking with his mom. I replied a couple of times. But those two times namely Luzon 3-2-1 hike and Mt. Guiting Guiting were the two most difficult climbs I ever had. Technically, it covers four mountains so in a way we had four climbs together. By the way, the mom was Elma Muros-Posadas, a well known athlete, and the guy she was talking with is Victor Joel Ayson or Biki as fondly called by his peers. Biki is recently on the news as the hiker missing in Mt. Maculot. 

The aforementioned anecdote happened just hours before he was reported missing. He was with me and three others, Tootz, Mick and Marlon for five grueling days in Sibuyan Island, Romblon. He organized the said sojourn. Basically, he almost did everything the whole trip from event organizer to doing the errands to communicating with us as well as to the guides up to cooking for us and lastly taking photos. The last was his hobby if not passion. Before the trip, I kinda labeled him as "the photographer" due to his expertise on that endeavour. In fact, when he joined the Luzon 3-2-1 hike, I asked Dada who he was, and his reply was that he takes good pictures and that answer was good enough for me. Indeed, the whole trek even in the limatik infested Tawangan trail, he took pictures of us along the said path to Mt. Pulag's summit. And fortunate to me, my first ever sunrise in Pulag was the most special because his pictures was amazing that made some of my friends drooled.
Luzon 3-2-1 Group (Sir Biki on the outer right)

I do not know him really well as we only had interactions during climbs so the Victor Ayson I only know is the Mountaineer/Photographer Biki. His stat sheets is very impressive, he conquered Pulag, Apo and Kanlaon in one year. Those are the highest peaks in the country's three major islands. He also conquered Pulag via Ambangeg (executive trail), Akiki (killer trail), and Tawangan (Bloody trail). He even made Snapshot Adventours in which he organizes climbs for beginners and enthusiasts as well. Probably, the mountain he most loved is Pulag because he went there 10 times in a span of a year. According to him; he has a 6-4 record of successful Pulag Sunrise (a feat I am envy of and hoping to surpass; I currently boast a 2-2 record). I also noticed that he prefers climbing during a full moon. I think its intended for his photography skills.

The Great Pulag Sunrise (courtesy of Sir Victor Joel Ayson)

During our Romblon Invasion, I still remember a lot of things about him like making the ferry boat as a refugee camp wherein he laid out his clothes and other belongings that were wet so it can absorbed the warmness of the sun. In addition, he also had a lot of cup noodles as in a lot as he might tasted all the flavors available on our RoRo trip. Aside from those unusual antics, I observed when we were at Dagubdob Falls, he was a good swimmer as he was the only one able to go to the deepest part of the falls. Also, When he cooks, he always add a curry on the food. According to him, he really prefers having it in his meal. He also respects nature as well as those supposed "inhabitants" in the mountain. When a blue butterfly greeted us in the camp site and quite positioned it self in the cooking area, Biki decided to cook inside his tent so he will not bothered the butterfly as the local said that it was a spirit overseeing us.

As I write this essay and published on the day he turns 27, I will keep on praying for his safety and hoping for his safe return. He still has a lot to accomplish in mountaineering per se. He intends to staged a Mindanao Invasion next year (Talomo-Apo Mega Traverse then a D2K Traverse). I also suggested to climb Pulag days after that so called Invasion so we could have done an epic Pilipinas 1-2-3 (The country's three highest peaks in a few days span; for I the one stupid enough to think of it and he gladly accepted the challenge). Lastly, there's the dream team climb in G2 where as previous conquerors of the mountain and a few fellow hardcore hikers will be assembled for a time attack on the said mountain. (Spoiler Alert: I also remembered Biki telling me that he is planning to pop the question on the country's highest ceiling i.e. Apo this year.)

There are still a lot of mountains, that Victor still need to conquer and take pictures of it so I and a legion of mountaineers and friends are expecting for his safe return. Happy Birthday, Sir Biki!

'Til our next climb, Biki!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Mt. Guiting-Guiting Itinerary and Expenses

Mt. Guiting-Guiting Traverse
Sibuyan Island
Entry point: Sitio Olango, Brgy. España, San Fernando, Romblon
Exit point: DENR, Magdiwang, Romblon

Actual Itinerary

Day 0

1700 Board ferry boat to Odiongan, Romblon

Day 1

0300 Arrive at Port of Poctoy; Board bus or Jeep to San Agustin Port
0530 ETA San Agustin Port; board ferry to Ambulong Port
1000 Arrive at Ambulong Port; board trike to San Fernando
1200 Lunch; last minute shopping at the market
1300 Courtesy call to the Mayor's office
1400 Side trip at Dagubdub falls
1700 ETA at Sitio, Olango (Mountaineer's Resthouse)
1800 Prepare Dinner
2100 Lights off

Day 2

0200 Wake up
0300 Commence trek
0340 ETA Olango River; Water source
0500 ETA Camp 1; Breakfast
0630 ETA Camp 2; Enter Outdoor Pilipinas Trail
0647 ETA Bobbits Peak
0900 ETA Camp 3; Lunch; Water source
1100 ETA Crash Site
1230 ETA Remvaldys Peak
1500 ETA Summit
1600 Set up camp in secret garden
1900 Dinner
2200 Lights off

Day 3

0530 Wake up; Breakfast
0630 Break camp
0730 Start Descent
0745 ETA 90 degrees wall
0830 ETA Peak of Deception
0945 ETA Mabel's Spring
1030 ETA Kiss the Wall
1300 ETA Knife Edge
1400 ETA Mayo's Peak
1430 ETA Bulod Spring; Lunch
1530 ETA Camp 3
1620 ETA Camp 2
1640 ETA Camp 1
1710 ETA River
1800 ETA DENR, Magdiwang
1900 ETA Bagumbayan Resort; Dinner
2300 Lights off

Day 4

1000 Board ferry direct to Batangas port
2330 ETA Batangas Port

Day 5

0000 Board bus to Cubao
0200 ETA Manila

Expenses

Bus to Batangas Port: 161.00
Ferry to Poctoy Port: 991.00
Terminal Fee: 30.00
Jeep to San Agustin Port: 150.00
Ferry to Ambulong Port: 324.00
Terminal Fee: 10.00
Trike to San Fernando: 250.00
Dagubdub falls Entrance fee: 30.00
Guide and Porters: 6000/5: 1,200.00
Trike to Bagumbayan Resort: 75.00
Guide and Porters Trike to San Fernando: 800/5: 130.00
DENR Registration Fee: 300.00
Ferry direct to Batangas Port: 1468.00
Terminal Fee: 12.00
Bus to Alabang: 112.00