Mt. Batulao, Sungay Road, Tagaytay & Casile 09/24/2012

Solo Cross Country Cycling and Trekking

The plan was to pedal my way from Canlubang to Nasugbu via the Calamba-Tagaytay road and then climb later Mt. Batulao. Upon reaching the boundary of Calamba and Tagaytay, however, I learned that the road was closed to public use. Thanks to the elitist policies concerning the use of public roads. Uphill were the elite subdivisions of Calamba and Tagaytay that had to be protected from ordinary folks and busy traffic. The closure led me to an alternative route.

Connecting the upland barangays of Calamba, Tanauan and Talisay with those of Tagaytay, the Bunggo-Talisay-Sungay circuit of roads had extremely inclined portions that would spell hell of a challenge to a mountain biker. Despite the exhaustion, biking through the alternate route was very fulfilling. Despite the forces of change, the upland barangays were still predominantly rural. Taal Lake and the volcano were panoramic. The air was cool and refreshing. Fog welcomed me in Tagaytay.

The climb at Mt. Batulao revealed the renowned charm and elegance of the mountain. The rocks and peaks were captivating. A shroud of mystic air lingered as fog engulfed me at the summit. I was almost entirely alone on the slopes.Except for the pain in my left knee, the climb was relatively easy. I had to be extra careful though especially since the mountain had just taken a mountaineer’s life only that year. Dew-drenched pretty flowers greeted me downhill. A cat that kept on meowing tried to catch up with me but failed. After a rustling creek, I saw two lonely carabaos-- a mother and her offspring-- tied among the mango trees. A row of trees with elegantly shaped trunks and branches caught my attention. When it was time to go home, it occurred to me that the best way to exit Tagaytay was through the Dapdap-Casile road.

The advantage of using the Dapdap-Casile road was that it would demand downhill free wheeling almost all throughout. But I had to deal first with the uphills for three hours from Mt. Batulao to the starting point of the Dapdap-Casile road. The lack of light for both road and bike was not much of a problem that night due to the familiarity of ground condition in Casile.

I stopped over Marcos Mansion taking some pictures in the midst of darkness. The intention was to disprove claims that the mansion was haunted. After a while, I left shivering quite unsure if the place was really free from ghostly manifestations.