FOR
THE BENEFIT OF those that have not had the privilege to join the
cross-country multi-day hike that I led on the dates March 22 to 25,
2012, I have organized a shorter activity which details the route of
that first day. This is from Lutopan, Toledo City to Tubod, San
Fernando passing by Lamac, Pinamungahan which, I estimate, would be
at least 18 to 22 kilometers long.
I
have scheduled this activity on June 24, 2012 and this is a day hike.
I may have to add though the route which will start from Tubod to
Panadtaran, also in San Fernando, where the national highway is
located, but doing so, we may have to walk a long way which, I
reckon, will take two to 2.5 hours. This would, at least, expose the
hikers to the scenes, the heat, the fatigue and the anguish that the
first passers have experienced.
Going
with me are Jhurds Neo, Edwina Marie Intud, Eli Bryn Tambiga, Dominikus
Sepe, Glenn Abapo and Mr. Bogs – all of Camp Red. Also coming is
second-timer Silver Cave. We meet at 6:00 AM inside the Cebu South
Bus Terminal and transfer to Lutopan via a slow-running bus with
which place we reach at 8:05 AM. We enter Bunga, also in Toledo City
and walk the road to Lamac which we reach at 9:45 AM.
We
rest at Lamac while I occupy myself of procuring the ingredients for
our lunch later in the day. Lamac has a mountain resort but I decide
we not visit it today for lack of time and so we continue on our walk
at 10:00 AM. It is a hot day and there are too few shades until I
decide that we take rest at Sibago at 11:00 AM near where there is a
water source and prepare our meal.
I
think 400 grams of chicken can be accommodated to eight people, so I
chop the chicken into many bite pieces as possible while Edwina and
Glenn help me with slicing the eggplants, squash, tomatoes and
onions. Meanwhile, Doms, Eli and Mr. Bogs do the honors of cooking
the milled corn. Jhurds, on the other hand, recon the area for any
cold refreshment that may be found and discovered instead pure
coconut wine.
After
the meal, the native wine became the center of our social time. A
local provided us green coconuts to give us added electrolytes which
we may need during the assault phase towards the Pinamungahan-San
Fernando boundary and the rest of the journey. We leave Sibago at
2:15 PM, too late for my own comfort knowing that we are already an
hour behind schedule when we started this trek in the morning. The
day is very hot and our resolve would be tested.
We
reach the top of the knoll and shaved some minutes off and that is
good. We were in light backpacking mode compared to the first time
when we were packing heavy loads. That time I was carrying a Habagat
Venado II which has a capacity of 80+ liters but, today, I am
bringing a Sandugo Khumbu good for 50 liters. I carry less
than that inside and I am testing the backpack for the first time as
well as my new Mammut SDT hike pants and Nautilus bike
shorts.
After,
a short rest, I lead the party to the old “carabao highway” that
pass on a series of ridges to Tubod. This meter-wide path have been
dug by countless generations of swamp buffalo hooves and travois. As
I am following it, recent ruts caused by the wooden sled are engraved
on each side of the path. My pace is relentless knowing that we are
now in a covered route and that it is not that hot anymore.
We
finally reach Tubod at 4:10 PM and I am quite elated that we have
shaved off some 50 minutes from our deficit of one hour but we did
not stop and proceed down an unpaved road going to the national
highway. We found a store and refresh ourselves with cold drinks
that its sugar we may need up ahead on the road. Sooner we may
encounter paved roads and that would put a strain into our feet
soles, which have already suffered from walking a long distance under
the mercy of the hot sun.
A
tipsy local answered our query of how distant is Tubod from the
highway: Two hours if they locals were to walk but three or more
hours to those who are not from here. I don’t know if he is
exaggerating or not but that remains to be seen. At exactly 4:30 PM,
we leave Tubod and cross a spillway where, it is now all uphill walk.
It
is not easy for me now since my right thigh is suffering from a
severe pain which I did not show to others for I fear it might cause
them concern. I could not freely raise my right foot high during a
climb over every rise and it gives me great discomfort. I begin to
assess of what caused those and I suspect that either I am quite
overweight or I forgot to stretch my muscles before this hike. I
suspect both!
It
gives me so much consternation and disbelief that reaching the
lowland I will have to tackle a series of road rises whose pavements
are so uneven, broken or disintegrating causing footing and balance a
nasty affair on an unending rhythm. You have to make sure you do not
step on those pebbles else it press onto your already tenderized
soles. Besides that, you have to watch out for those revving
motorcycles whose drivers honk all the time to clear their way.
Darkness
overtake us on the road and the hazards coming from motorcycles
trebled especially after the wake of a speeding four-wheeled vehicle
raise up a storm of dust that hampers visibility. Pain underfoot,
meanwhile, doubled when discernment of surface feature is almost
obliterated. There are no street lighting and what light there are
come from a few houses which have electricity and from vehicles which
are very fleeting.
Good
for my party they have used their LED lights. I prefer to use my
night vision even if I know I have a torch with me. That increases
my difficulty in my walk but I have gained great insight as my mind
work on the study of the disadvantages of walking in the dark.
Basically, when I am walking I am at peace with myself and my
thoughts are clear.
Reaching
Tabiangon, there are now few rises and the road starts to gradually
steer towards the lowlands and that increases pressure on the feet.
Pebbles and uneven surface are my constant worry. Tiptoeing is out
of the question and it boils down of how well you know of yourself
and what organic mechanisms you are to use to kill pain. I turn off
pain by switching off the nerve that signal this to the brain. Easy.
For
an hour the road is like a white serpent winding slowly down and down
until the bright lights of the Grand Cement Corp. is visible at a far
distance and that raise our hopes. Minute by minute, the distance is
cut down by inches, by yards and then by kilometers. Edwina
struggled but she put on a brave front and so were Jhurds and Mr.
Bogs.
I
am the last to reach the highway at Panadtaran at 8:05 PM. Everyone
have walked the distance of nearly 45 kilometers without complaint.
Everyone were quite fatigued but they retained their poise and true
grit. The rest have not done this longest walk yet in their lives
and they have cause to celebrate over this achievement. Hungry
stomach and thirsty throats have not dampened their spirit nor the
threat of rain which have missed us by a half-hour over the route
which we just have traversed before Tubod.
Passing
buses for Cebu City are overcrowded and that made waiting a longer
interlude until one God-sent empty public utility jitney made a
U-turn infront of us and began calling for passengers. We took the
hint and how I am glad to sit and relax again. The rain have missed
San Fernando by a hair and, as the jitney moved, we feel it when we
reach Naga City. The jitney reach the end of its route at Talisay
City but we transfer to a downtown-going jitney and I drop off at the
bus terminal where my motorcycle is parked.
The
air is cold and I am soaked by rain as I go on my way home. It is
10:00 PM and I think I need a good dinner which I have in the form of
hot shrimp soup and braised pork. Meals fit for a hungry explorer.
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