Feeling Gorgeous -- Manyapyap Gorge, Paril, Cebu City

I tried to do the Manyapyap Gorge almost two years ago through the route of the legendary Ronnie Muring. The way I read it, it passes through a lot of river crossings in Mulao, Compostela, heading upstream by that same river that runs through the gorge. If you’re a newbie and you do the route of some really awesome dude, there’s bound to be a problem.

The guy has mountaineering, mountain biking, and probably extreme survival skills. What did I have that time? A bicycle, decent riding skills, and some misplaced sense of self-confidence. I don’t have to say it but yes, I was not able to find the gorge.

Two years later, I have become two years older. And I have been more tempered, more cautious, and a whole lot lazier. Thankfully there’s Edward Cardew, his all-knowing GPS, and his impeccable sense of direction. We did not do the Mulao/Cotcot River route though because the river was too strong and because we’re not sure if we can find the route from that end.

Instead, we went around Mulao, Compostela through a gruesome climb to the Tagubi-Paril junction, and finally on to Paril. The entrance to the gorge is just right beside Paril Elementary School. Just head down the riverbanks and the downstream will take you there. Just one river crossing and you are all set.

Ted knows the easiest way through but we wanted to check out some bike trails too. We did find a really good downhill track but the problem is, we headed the opposite way. It would have been much better to do it from the Cebu City end and just weave your way through until you get to that Upper Mulao downhill track.

Also, never ever go to Paril without eating in Mabini first. Valley barangays don’t always have carenderias open. That’s simply because people there know how to cook for themselves not like us!

I’d like to name that track Shake that Booody because it’s pretty mossy, slimy, and rutty. You don’t need a sign to tell you that it’s an accident prone area. If you’re really keen about doing that trail or finding Manyapyap Gorge, just leave a comment and I’ll fetch a GPS trace from one of my friends. From Ted, most likely.

I very much appreciate Ton-ton Kintanar’s company. He’s one of Cebu’s pioneer rock climbers but now he’s a crazy rider. And much stronger too than the last time I’ve checked. The photos are from his camera which claims to be shock proof for 6.6ft and waterproof for 40ft. Of course when I suggested testing it’s durability on the gorge, Edward decided against it because it’s way more than 6.6ft for the drop and we might not be able to find the camera because the stream was pretty much in a foul mood that time.

Anyway, I once remember watching this TV documentary about guys who collect toys. One of the collectors said that he loves toy cars because it protects him from the world outside. That is, (this is so according to him) it keeps him locked up inside his house and he’s safer that way.

Just to tell you guys, a whole bunch of people die each day so don’t make a big deal out of your own death. People go through it all the time. Just live happily and you’ll live a lot longer.

We’re not being totally reckless. We measure our risk and take the necessary precautions. I’m a damn coward myself. When I go to Toledo to climb rocks, I don’t even look down one bit. Because it scares me a whole lot.

Whatever we do, we always keep it safe. Getting ourselves into accidents will only create a bad image for our sport. So let’s all try to enjoy and be safe. I am just an amateur and I never forget that even pros fail.

Craggamuffin: Cantabaco, Toledo Crag!

On to our third try at Cantabaco and it could not have gone any better. (Actually it could have if I was way stronger and a lot more flexible.) If you don’t know yet where Cantabaco, Toledo is check out the post right before this one. It’s 100% helpful, with just a very few whining squeezed in.

We did two new routes this time, the Pumping Station and Itchy. Of course there was our most beloved Vina Kulafu.

Flor still was unable to do the first part of Vina so we thought we’d help her get through it so she can do the rest. She’s gotten remarkably stronger and the veins on her forearm were starting to pop out. Interesting. It just sucks though that she could do the first part. But she rappelled down happily and I wonder where she gets all that positive energy.

If I couldn’t do the same thing on the third try I’d be suicidal—or homicidal, if I want to direct my frustration to other people. If we want to increase our survivability as a specie, we need more of that sunshine spirit. Anyway, I’m sending out kudos to you Flor for not being half as bad as before.

I don’t really want talk much about the grades because I’m pretty much a newbie to the sport and I don’t wanna sound like I’m trying to be an expert. That’s bosses do and the last person I want is someone who wants to pretend that he’s more than what he really is. (I also don’t like guys that have machetes with an intent to kill me but they’re not a whole lot of them around so I feel okay about them.)

Anyway, I couldn’t have done Itchy without a few takes and one cheat—I held on to the rope that loops around one of the bolts. I mean there were holds but they were not as comfortable as that soft little rope. It defeats the purpose, I admit. I don’t know why I keep doing something when I just destroy the purpose of doing it.
If you wanna know more about the routes you can check out this blog called adrenaline romance. He’s got a whole bunch of those. I’m just here to show off.

Photos by Flor. Thanks a lot!

How to get to Cantabaco, Toledo where you can wear your callus out from rock climbing

Right click on the maps and open them in a new tab to enlarge them a bit

This is the post where I would try to be very helpful so you guys will all know how to get to Cantabaco, Toledo. I posted a lot of map images too from Google Maps. As my college literature instructor would always say, showing is always better than telling. You have two options, side from buying your own car and driving straight right there to where it says on the map.

Going to Cantabaco, Toledo through Manipis, Talisay

Van or bus (van bus sounds creepingly familiar). I prefer to take the van because the drivers are less reckless. You can take the van from CitiLink Terminal right across Cebu Technological University. Look at the map, the whole City Link is right there where there is a green arrow.

Location of City Link Terminal

If you wanna find your way around it much easier, just copy this 10°17'48.81"N 123°53'27.31"E and put it on your Google Map app. By the way, I need to emphasize that all images here are from Google Maps, that’s why it says Google at the top right. The fare is 70 pesos, the van passes through Manipis highway where there are really deep ravines on the side.

Don’t worry, it’s very safe, it’s only scary to newbie commuters. The whole trip is about 28kms, usually about an hour’s length. Intimacy with people you don’t know is part of the package, because they will try to squeeze in all the human beings they can because leaving. When there is heavy rain though, vans divert through the much longer Naga-Uling road.

Cantabaco through Naga-Uling Road 

The Naga-Uling road is where the buses going to Toledo pass through. That’s our second and less preferable option. It’s very humid and hot at the South Bus Terminal where they park their buses and they always have these “dispatchers” bugging you.

There would be about 20 people asking you where you’re going before you can get to where the buses are parked. Check out this map, the buses are parked near the Land Transportation office. It’s opposite the park lots for Ceres buses. Take a look:

The Toledo buses are near the Land Transpo office

Any of those rusty, on-the-verge-of-decay buses that have the Toledo, Toledo-Balamban route will do. As long as it says Toledo you’re fine! Just tell your good old friend Mr. Driver or Mr. Conductor to drop you off at Lutopan.

You probably won’t miss it because a lot of people get off the Lutopan Junction. If you miss your stop it wouldn’t be my fault because I wasn’t there. The fare is 40 pesos. The guys are mostly nice so they won’t charge you extra even if you look touristy. There are motorbikes from the Lutopan junction, it’s a 10-peso fare from there to Cantabaco.

Just tell them you want to go to Cantabaco. I like motorbike drivers in the Cantabaco-Lutopan area because they are not as stupid as our drivers in Liloan. They are, in fact, very good drivers and they always ride at reasonable speed.

I personally don’t have climbing gears so always ask for help from our local friends Enie and Willard. They are really cool guys to hang out with and they can tolerate my constant whining. They both know the climbing routes by heart. I haven’t asked them yet if I can post their contact numbers but I will later. I was there yesterday and yeah I got a lot of cool photos.

Fare is subject to change with gas prices. If it does blame the gas people!

Xtra XTerra

This has been a long overdue post about my ride with Eugene and Edward. I usually write to complain about everything but life has been so good lately I can't complain. Hence, I got nothing to write about. The only thing I could complain about our ride was the weather. The sun was burning red when we met at Liloan Church only for it to rain heavily when we were in the middle of the trail. Then the sun lit up again at 4pm when I had mud all over my nape. I don't know how those two felt, they seem to be indifferent to the bludgeonings of nature. But I couldn't take it. I had to constantly worry how much mud was going into my locks.

Eugene was at the peak of his love for mountain biking and Edward just got off a series of flight from Luxembourg. He still came out strong during the ride and I was secretly happy that he had jetlag. He could have been much faster if he didn't. Triumphalism over other people's misfortune--so many Filipinos have that attitude that we came up with a phrase for it "crab mentality." You know how when crabs are placed inside a bucket, they try to bring down the guy who goes right above them. I'm not sure if they do that on purpose or out of the desperate need to have something to cling to. It sort of reminds me of a short story I've read in high school, the Spider's Thread by Royunusuke Akutagawa.

Anyway, we did the Xterra 2013 route for mountain biking, the entirety of it. Thanks to Ed's all-knowing GPS we couldn't stray to the wrong path. We made some slight diversions, not because we were lost, but because we're creative. Writers weave stories, bikers weave trails. That's one of life's simplest formulas.

I took them to one more extra route--the trail run route. Rocks jut out several inches out of the ground. That must be how it feels to fly through an air pocket on a no-flight weather. Anyway, I am amazed by their valiant effort--they made it through smoothly on their hardtail cross-country bikes. "I once did this on a hardtail and I promised not to do it again. I thank you both for sharing my agony." That good old thing of sharing your misery to others, it makes you feel better. You do that on Facebook, you get mockery. You do it on a literary blog, you get reviews. You do it on the trail and you make friends.

After the all-afternoon right we hit the Rosquillos store for the initiazation of our protein recovery process (that's a grand way of phrasing eating snacks after a ride). It has been a ride to remember, I thank Eugene for being on top of his game with the photos and Edward for his British humor. We're riding again this week. Rock on!