California Not so local California bataan dealth ride report

[ABTrailers]

Well my plans to ride from Hanoi to Saigon are on the back burner. With the Tet upon us it was just near impossible to secure the bike i wanted and then I would be forced to pay top dollar for the crappy leftover accommodations.

So i am about 500km into my bataan death ride. I picked up my trusty steed a vintage xr200 no rear brake, complete with bike rack to carry my crap. First day i went up to Baguio, it was my intention to push on thru to Isabela, however the roads up there are concrete, steep and curvy, what happens is the trucks laboring up these mountain passes they squirt out lots of oil, when it rains you can see the sheen. Several times i started sliding sideways just like moss in the riverbeds. This is where i met my frist Filipino rider his name is Dino he was sitting under a cover with a shiney new 200 cc cafe racer with clean clothes I knew right away he was "the" man to ask. Upon his strong recommendation to not continue to Isabella in these conditions the next day I raced several other rideres downhill to San Fernando, a short quick hop, I was very disappointed that i missed the motocross races the day before and decided to buy a pair of 60 peso oakley glasses pass on the miss ladyboy beauty contest. Go back to the "Bali Hai" resort and settled into drinking with the Australians and Canadians. Clearly i could not keep up with their superior training and decided to sneak out early before they woke and began drinking for breakfast. Yesterday i made a side trip and ended up in some abandoned town......I was just glad to get out of there without dysentery or some terrible roach bite disease I think the allure of getting "off the beaten path" has run its path for me and i will focus on riding to the next nicest accommodations. Today I am in Vigan, an old Spanish settlement on the north end of Luzon. Vigan is known for its spanish architecture as it was so isolated and not destroyed in ww2. Tomorrow I push on to the north towards Laoag.

I am pretty well prepared with my spiffy honda atv pants complete with removable legs and compression suit to protect when i get squished between a jeepney and a concrete truck. I only wish I had taken my own comfey clean helmet and I could switch the throttle out for a toggle switch, add rear brakes.

I forgot my camera but if anybody can tell me how to post pics from an ipod i will try.

Maam San Miguel light please

Alex

[Neversurfaced]

Wuh??

The beginning of that sounded so improbable that I thought you were joking. Honestly, I'm still not sure...

Wait, so you're in Asia, a Filipino, Australian & Canadian walked into a bar, you rode to the San Fernando Valley and bought sunglasses for 60 pesos. ?

I'm so confused...

[Agent2]

To ease some confusion, TT Member AB Trailers is currently on a dirt bike trip through South East Asia.......

And you wanted me to tag along on that? I get the heebie jeebies when I cross the State line. This is more of a Neversurfaced style of trip.

Alex, be sure to post occasionally so we know you haven't been kidnapped. If that does happen, I guess we will have to arrange some sort of dirt bike riders commando rescue squad to get you out.

Photos would be great, if you can send them to my e-mail, I will post them for you.

"Maam" or "Madam"??

Have fun, but be careful.

[YNOTRIDE]

Right on that sounds like a fun ride. I am currently in the Philippines for work (Makati) and I wish I had a bike to ride. Keep the reports coming and if you come thru Makati before the 17th hit me up and I will buy you a beer or 3.

PS - San Miguel Super dry for me ?

[ABTrailers]

Guys sorry but i made a detailed trip report and it may or may not post.

Quick summise 1450 km PLUS (speedo broke)

Butts sore.

Y not my cel 09496187811 I am in ermita on mabini street, lets have a beer.

I got a 630 to bacolad get a bike then dumanagete and cebu

Y not have u been to the museum, which one do u recommend???

I hope my trip summery will come back????

Rick message me your email.........u shud have come!

[SILENTSHOK]

? I'm with you Agent2......I'm getting itchy butt just thinking about where he's at

[truep]

This is my dream. My mom is from Cabanatuan city. I just got back from Philippines Jan. 1st and miss it already. There's a motocross track in Makati. Keep us posted. I'll be watching this post. There is more to see than you could in a lifetime in the Philippines. My mom was in Vigan in December but I didn't get to go. I'll be in Baguio next December and maybe get to see Vigan...but the coolest place in the Philippines has got to be Palawan!~

[Papa Sarge]

I miss the PI. I spent six years there, 84-91.

Oh yeah Ermita. the firehouse, blue hawaii, etc... cheap beers and dancin girls. stayed at the hilton, the la corona, ebassy suites, and a number of others i cant remember. went all over the island. from bagio, san fernando, manila, makti, and middle of no where. fun times.

[SILENTSHOK]

Then you hear this and it makes you want to go:smirk:

[Papa Sarge]

Then you hear this and it makes you want to go:smirk:

?

[YNOTRIDE]

Guys sorry but i made a detailed trip report and it may or may not post.

Quick summise 1450 km PLUS (speedo broke)

Butts sore.

Y not my cel 09496187811 I am in ermita on mabini street, lets have a beer.

I got a 630 to bacolad get a bike then dumanagete and cebu

Y not have u been to the museum, which one do u recommend???

I hope my trip summery will come back????

Rick message me your email.........u shud have come!

Hey man sorry for not seeing this earlier. I ended up going to Boracay for the weekend. That place is really nice. 5 star resort with miles of white powder sand beaches for 300 bucks including the flight ?

Haven't been to any museums here but I did go to Intramorous on my last trip. It is the oldest city in Manila with alot of cool buildings and architecture. May be worth a ride over there for a few hours.

I only have 3 days left before I head home and I dont think I will have time to meet up. I work cali hours here which is 10pm-7am (6am-3pm PST) and I sleep during the day.

Have a good trip and don't get run over by the Jeepney's.

[Agent2]

Some photos of Alex having fun

[ABTrailers]

Well guys I am back in the US alive and well. I actually did do a pretty complete write up on the bulk of my trip but my poor computer skills I lost it.

I am now in a time zone haze..........

This post is for those of you thinking of making such a trip and may use some of my lessons.

When all is said and done i probably rode about 1700 km, hit 5 islands. I have NO doubt that i saw more of the Philippines than 99 percent of the population.

1. Most my riding was on road, if you pay the thousands of dollars for a guide I am sure they will show you the better off road dirt trails. With the heat and humidity I don't think I would want to be stuck in any technical sections offroad. The wind on the road makes riding in gear comfortable.

2. Bring gear thin gersey WITH PROTECTION u kno the elbo pads, knee protection etc, you might feel like a "freak" when everybody else is passing you in shorts and slippers but locals actually find it interesting to inspect your stuff. There are lots of opportunities to fall down and slide a ways and trust me that you want shoes and protection.

3. Bring your own helmet, a cheap Chinese ebay helmet with open/close type face would be ideal........as a full helmet gets hot at slow speeds. The helmet I got with my rental was real shit and i regretted not bringing my own.

4. Bring a poncho to cover everything when it rains. Plastic bag for your pack cover.

5. Bikes..........I don't think it matters what bike you get. I took the xr200 as it was the most powerful thing i could find. In all honesty the scooters would probably work just as well, has a more comfortable seat, and are better in the rain (your legs stay dry). The express ways require a 400cc bike, I accidentally got on a couple and nobody seemed to care.

6. Bring a camera, preferably one that mounts to you as its difficult to stop and take one out.

7. The best i can see there is no speed limits in this country, you can pass on either side, I brought up passing to a new level by actually going off road on the shoulder, however I learned the hard way DONT PASS IN THE RICE FIELDS. Any road signs are not mandatory, merely a suggestion. Beware there appears to be no laws against drinking and driving.

8. Don't stop at the mandatory police stops..........just blow right thru them, also before you rent any bike make sure the registration paperwork exactly matches the license plate, or they will shake you down for pesos (my penalty for not blowing the police blockade).

Remember there are over 7000 islands in the Philippines so options are unlimited.

Other ride options I am considering......

Hanoi to Saigon.

Bali (their winter, our summer)

Cambodia, Laos, Thailand

[Neversurfaced]

Good stuff man ?

I love the tip on blowing through the police checkpoints - it's always good to know where that works, and where it doesn't!

Sign me up for the tour of the Golden Triangle - I heard the H is super cheap down there!

[Papa Sarge]

Looks and sounds like you had a great time Alex.