Day 1: The Long Haul North
Captain's Log Stardate 11-3-05

I finished loading and prepping Charmaine early and was itching to leave for the designated take off point by 10:45 pm in order to get there by 11:00 pm. I was given my first ever assignment as ride captain and felt that it was my duty to arrive early to make sure all was in order prior to take off. I arrived at Caltex - Ortigas at 11:00 pm and there received a pleasant surprise: 80% of expected riders were already there, earlier than me, all itching to get going! The air was thick with both excitement and anticipation. With the group finally completed, we therefore collected ourselves, made some last minute announcements and reminders, performed our ritual pre-ride prayers, and were off and running by 12:00 am, sent off by a bunch of guys ill-fated to be left behind. That initial run from Manila to the province of La Union can only be described in one word: challenging! We were buffeted by strong rains from the turn at Guiguinto, Bulacan all the way to the outskirts of Pangasinan. Everyone had to deal with the muddy, slippery, pot-hole infested roads, the cold weather, and the poor illumination which was further complicated by the steady downpour that numbed fingers, fogged helmet visors, and made overall visibility appalling. At our second gas stop, just after Gerona, Tarlac, Reggie Arceo's Hexagon failed to re-start after the refill due to electrical failure and had to be lifted unto the supply truck. Casualty number one was recorded and the game Reggie enjoyed the rest of the trip as a back rider of Teddy Tong.

Backriding Reggie

Fortunately for us, the rain let up as we entered Pangasinan, making the going a lot easier. By the time we entered Agoo, La Union, we were already considerably dry and considerably hungry. Breakfast was celebrated at a quaint little restaurant along the national road, just beside the Agoo Cathedral, called Iceland, where the guys were treated to a tasty repast of tapsilog and the local version of lomi, all surprisingly very good and very filling! Needless to say, its clean comfort rooms were a welcome respite for many a rider requiring much needed relief from the trials of their biologic functions. Despite the initial difficulties encountered, our spirits remained high as we noted that we were about an hour below expected ride schedule. With full stomachs and clean bowels, we stowed our ride gear and resumed our long trek northwards.

As we proceeded north, the rains resumed and we geared up and gassed up at a small local gas station midway between Agoo, La Union and Vigan, Ilocos Sur. It was during that stop that the group made the collective decision to by-pass the proposed stop at Vigan for lunch and to press on to Laoag, Ilocos Norte. That decision, made in the spirit of self-sacrifice, meant that an additional 1-2 hours could be cut from our projected traveling time.

Prior to entering the town of Candon, La Union we had to negotiate a bridge that was under construction. It was at this mud-infested, *#@&\%*!, SOB place that I inadvertently went down, slipping and sliding on the extremely muddy surface. With timely assistance from my hero, Sponky Villarin, I was able to right the bike and assess her for any damage. Fortunately, because of the very soft mud and the fact that I tried to brace the bike's fall with my own body, no damage was suffered. I, however, was a sight to see indeed, half-plastered in brown, icky mud from head to foot on my left side. When I finally met up with the guys at the Vigan gas stop, that image would earn me the sobriquet of Nardong Putik, a name to which the appendage of senior would be added in the light of later events. Despite that small setback, I remained thankful for 3 things: that the bike and I suffered no damage; that I was not hit from behind by the vehicles following me; and that, because I was at the back of the group at the time, none but Sponky saw my ignominious fall. Thank God, indeed, for the small things in life!

While resuming our run towards the Vigan gas stop, we would suffer our second casualty of the ride. Jong Dalupan, eager to prove himself a capable rider and testing his Vespa to its perceived limits, suffered an engine seizure in a concerted effort to keep pace with the fast group. Casualty no.2 was loaded on the truck and Jong would continue the rest of the journey as a back rider first with Phil Naval and later, Simon Barcelon.

The group would stop at the outskirts of Vigan for much needed gas. Here, I had to weather comments on my mud-splattered appearance and accept the new sobriquet of "Nardo, And Taong Putikan." I used the time for a much needed cleanup, amid the taunts and laughter of my fellow riders. After this brief respite, we continued our trek to the north, buoyed by the fact that we were now 2-3 hours under our projected traveling time.

Nardong Putik

Another two hours of hard riding would bring us to the outskirts of Ilocos Norte, where we would encounter our first army checkpoint. It was here that the foresight of our hard-working secretary, TB Fernando, was aptly demonstrated. Asked to produce documents on all our bikes, our game secretary proudly waved a sheaf of documents in the faces of the astonished guards, complete with details of official registrations and receipts of all bikes as well as copies of each drivers' license, with the number 1 classification clearly indicated. That small act of planning and foresight would save us much needed time and spare us from the inconvenience of individual inspections of our bikes and persons. It was an apt demonstration of the value of a thinking officer capable of anticipating possible scenarios and showed to the border inspectors that they were dealing with a tight, well-organized group of riders.

From that point, it was a short, easy ride through the twisting roads into the city of Laoag, which we entered by 3:00 pm, a full 2 1/2 hours below our projected traveling time. As we milled around at the city outskirts, asking for directions to our place of refuge, we were suddenly approached by a young man in shorts and slippers, riding a chopped underbone, animatedly gesturing to us and shaking the hands of the riders he was able to get close to. He would introduce himself as a member of the Road Warriors, a local motorcycle group. The scene was thus set for an encounter that would bring members of both rider groups together in the days to come.

We eventually found our way to Balais de Blas, a quaint little pension house with a neat little garden out front, our home away from home at least for that night. After a sumptuous late lunch consisting of really excellent but simple fares, we unpacked, cleaned our gear and bikes, relaxed, and got on with the business that every Euroscoot member really loves: beer-guzzling, story-telling, and lots and lots of loud laughter. We awaited the arrival of our special guest for the night, Laoag Mayor Michael Fariñas. While doing so, his aides would arrive with a load of food, compliments of the mayor, for our evening repast and drinking pleasure. These consisted of pots filled with longganisang ilocos, inihaw, and a local dish called "baliktaran" which would taste like the delicacy "pinapaitan." It sight of so much food stimulated our hunger again but delicadeza forced us to await the arrival of our generous host. To this, TB would remark, "Baka sabihin ni mayor bakit hindi pa natin sinisimulan and pagkain na pinadala nya." It was a fact acknowledged by all but, still, no one touched the food.

View from the top of Balay de Blas

Mayor Fariñas would arrive just a little after 7:00 pm and was met by a bunch already inebriated by the amount of beer consumed, exaggerated no doubt by the exhaustion from the struggles of the day. After a round of introductions, formal ceremonies were started but, given our state of being at the time, it would prove no surprise that the events that followed would be a little off kilter. Our MC was hyper-excited, the new inductees were asleep, and the President asked the mayor to forgo the induction of officers in favor of continued drinking. We gifted his honor with a complementary khaki jacket emblazoned with the Euroscoot patch, which he proudly and gamely donned over his polo barong. That done, we proceeded with the serious business of drinking and eating. Upon joining us, the mayor's first words would again prove the prescience of TB and his ability as a good judge of character. On the mayor's prodding, the food was attacked with much gusto, spiced up by dips into the local dark-colored vinegar. It was a really delicious repast, indeed! The festivities lasted well into the night, with his honor joining us in the inebriated state. He would later treat us to a late snack of the famous local empanadas (JB Oca was said to consume 4 pieces that night!) and would proudly show off his collection of high-powered firearms. All through that, the group watched the game exchanges between his honor and Yeyey Yatco, his long-time friend and the person who facilitated his invitation in the first place. The closeness between the two would eventually earn Yeyey the sobriquet of governor, "ang kaibigan ng mga mayor," a well-earned title indeed. His honor so enjoyed himself in the company of the guys that, upon hearing that we had plans for breakfast in Laoag City on our way back from Pagudpud, he generously invited us for breakfast at the Laoag City Hall! Euroscoot was suddenly in the big leagues! It was a fitting end to an exhausting, hectic, but exciting and very satisfying first day!

Yum Yum Longganizang Laoag!

Day 1 Summary: Take off point: Manila
Destination: Laoag, Ilocos Norte
Total traveling time: 15 hours
Total distance traveled: 495 kms.

Images care of Bimbo Isidro and Jong Dalupan