THE
PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE Bushcraft Camp is fast approaching and I have
to determine the ownership of the lot where the campsite will be.
This is a bigger PIBC since there are many participants. Good thing
that Aljew Frasco is available for today, May 23, 2015, to help me on
this. Good thing also that Jhurds Neo and Dominik Sepe will be
coming along also for this trip.
Earlier,
Jhurds, who was with Dom, came with his Suzuki Scrum Van and whisked
me from a street corner where I waited and we proceed to Lilo-an,
Cebu where Aljew will be waiting. They both came on time and I
believe we will cover a lot of ground. The campsite had already been
chosen on my previous visit last April 11 with Jhurds and today we
will do a courtesy call on the village chairman of Mulao.
The
campsite is found beside the Cotcot River and can be accessed from
the village of Mulao. Going to Mulao from the town center of Lilo-an
is a bit of complicated since, according to someone whom Aljew had
talked with, it is lined with low hanging branches of mango trees
that a bus cannot pass. Mangoes are considered treasure chests here
and cutting even one twig would elicit you a subpoena for malicious
mischief.
We
arrive at Lilo-an at 08:00 and into a gated residence the van parked.
Big Mao, a fat Chow Chow dog sniffed us closely and released a
single bark. Aljew served us brewed coffee and filled bread from
Titay’s Bakery as he prepares himself to go with us. After a
lengthy conversation, we proceed at around 9:30 for Mulao. We load
up inside a KIA Picanto driven by Aljew.
We
go past Cabadiangan and approach the spillway where the road begins
to go steep. This is where mango branches sag so low but we found
not a single branch hampering the passage of even the biggest bus.
The Municipality of Lilo-an will offer us use of one their buses and
I suspect that information about the mangoes could have been made by
the bus driver himself. Either he does not have the gall to drive by
that place or he is somewhere else.
Anyway,
we proceed on and pass by an ongoing road concreting project. This
is a narrow road where only one vehicle could pass in order to reach
the village of Mulao. It is made narrower still when one-half of the
lane is closed, nevertheless, the smaller Picanto maneuvered through
between the curb and the row of stones placed as barriers to the
concreting work.
We
reach the village and immediately we walk a short distance to seek
audience with the village chairman. We stated our purpose and our
intent to stay for three days on a campsite which is on private land.
The chairman assured us that he will be the ones to ask permission
on our behalf and we could not be more than happy with this
unexpected event. It is now almost noon and we have to make a
30-minute walk to the campsite where we will cook our meal.
The
Cotcot River still has running water although it has leveled low.
The swimming area near the acacia tree is now on mid-thigh level now
and the bare boulders reflect heat from the noontime sun into our
bodies and placed so much glare upon our eyes. The hot surface of
the boulders are felt in my feet soles and more of it by my bare
hands. Age and bulk caused me cumbersome and embarrassing moments
hopping and balancing among smoothed rocks but it was really
something else.
Fungus
growing under the toenail of my right big toe had caused so much pain
and limited my movements. The toenail had thickened and grown long,
warping inward where it pierced flesh on the upper reaches of the
nail. I had remedied it long ago by cutting the nail with a steel
saw when it grew long. Then I applied Vicks Vaporub over the nail
for several nights and the fungus disappeared. Lately, it returned
with a vengeance.
I
have to take it easy so toenail would not bump the insides of my
shoe, especially during forced jumps, or when the rest of the toes
pressure against it as when I lodge foot in rock crevices. Watery
eyes betray the pain I hid with a red-and-white krama and it
added to the misery of the eyes straining against the oppressive
glare. I begin to feel the tell-tale sign of irritated eyes which
hounded me during my lenten hike last April.
Epang,
a local whom the village chairman had requested to accompany us,
arrived together with his nephew. Together we fix the natural spring
by placing a new bamboo trough. The mature bamboo was hard but it
gave in to the sharp edge of the AJF Puygo knife that I had borrowed
from Jhurds. But I liked better the performance of my AJF Gahum,
which I did not brought along. I open carry a smaller knife instead
– a deer-antler-handled Fame knife from Sheffield, England given to
me by Alan Poole.
We
reach the campsite. It is really wide upon second inspection.
Although near the edge of the river, it is about three meters high
from the level of the river bed and I see no signs of debris brought
by an overflowing water. The ankle-high shrubs have wilted before
the onslaught of warm days brought by a mild El Niño weather
and it effectively became great cushion for ground sheets. Sleeping
on the ground then becomes much comfortable with it, I suppose.
Immediately,
as it is now 13:40, we prepare our meal. From my vintage-looking
Lifeguard USA rucksack, I retrieve cook pots, pork meat and the AJF
Folding Trivet. Jhurds and Epang forage firewood while Aljew starts
a fire with twigs by the unfolded trivet. Dom starts slicing onions,
garlic, green pepper, potatoes and meat with a Humvarnet. I filled
my bigger pot with rice and water and Aljew took care of that on the
fire.
When
the rice got cooked, Dom take his turn with the fireplace. We do not
have cooking oil but I got soy sauce and he improvised. We got
braised pork with potatoes as viand and we eat our very late lunch at
15:00 together with Epang and his nephew. After the meal, I revive
the fire and dispose all man-made garbage by burning. Organic
garbage are spread over the vegetation. Fire burned down until it
dies. I left my pots unwashed and proceed to stow it back to my
rucksack with plastic.
We
go back from where we had came and that means downstream. That also
meant that I have to pass again the narrow ledge where I have to kiss
the rock wall and, once again, to a difficult obstacle. Despite my
qualms, it was easier if done in reverse but the pain on one foot
remains. Biting the bullet, that is. We give thanks to Epang and
nephew and go on our way back to the highway. We passed by the same
road where there is a constructed stretch and, thank God, the road
concreting had just been finished!
We
pass by first at Barrufol Resort, to examine the place. This is
where the participants will cool down after three days in a humid
camp. It hosts a swimming pool, several cottages, a bar and
beachfront. Satisfied with our inspection, we end our day
with a post-activity discussion over cold beer. And when you are at
Aljew’s, the blades are the main topic.
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