Epic Ride Leyte

Malitbog, Southern Leyte - Tacloban, Leyte

I started my journey April 17, 2008, 05.30 in the morning at Malitbog, where we arrived from Cebu via Hilongos a few hours earlier. It just started to drizzle a little, luckily it kept dry the whole day in spite of several thunderstorms unloading some showers occasionally, but always far from my present location.

This ride I did alone without support vehicle, some friends of mine drove the car to Tacloban though where we were to meet at Palo's War Memorial.

Morning mood near Tomas Oppus

War memorial at Sogod

I've had my forst coffee break and snack in Sogod town, as usual there is always a crowd gathering within minutes, asking me many questions.
By now I even got used to drinking that 3in1 stuff, still better that no coffee at all.

My first encounter with the Philippine Army took place about here, it was around 6 am and they were marching... to a store nearby to refill their Tanduay Rum bottles.

Intersection a few kilometer after Sogod, the fun starts here with the climb.

I'm a slow climber, my goal usually is to get there at all, and not to be as fast as possible. After all, I'm just a skinny handcyclist.

One of the typical bridges. On climbs like these I usually take it easy to conserve energy, having a short stop for a photograph or a sip of water from my hydro pack.

Mountain view near Brgy. Pancho Villa

You think you're alone out here, but my sensitive ears are insulted by the hammering of one of these bleeding karaokes coming from some nipa hut.

Road condition was not too great, but manageable.

Sogod Bay in the distance

Nice view, but the climb is far from over

The pavement could need improvement.

Nice and green and hardly any traffic.

Near Mapatong, this road I passed first time back in 1992, some things never change.

Or do they? I was really surprised to spot this construction site.

View from the summit

This is going to be one hell of a bridge, will have to bike over it one day.

Accessramp from the north, the soft soil luckily just got compacted by a roller.

Just here my second encounter with the army took place, this time the men were really marching, heavily armed and alert. I wonder if they were here because of the on-going construction.

Downhill for a change, too bad my cycle computer did not work properly, I did not get my top speed or average.

But good thinks don't last, here we go up again. All across the mountains the road was not very smooth, particularly with a handcycle I feel all cracks and bumps hammering up my spine.

Other crossroads, before the town of Mahaplag, also known as Divisoria. Was going to have a break here but the stand-by's were bothering me by asking money and sneering at me, so I just went on.

About 82 km to go.

Downhill again, but these pothole are really spoiling the fun.

Kids posing. As almost always I don't get to eat my snacks because I give it away to the children.

Nearing the coast and town of Abuyog. At a rest stop I drank a sparkle and had my water bag refilled, surprisingly free of charge. The water was poured from an old Sprite-bottle that wasen't cleaned properly so my water tasted slightly of softdrink.
My Visaya is not good, but here nobody semed to understand me, probably because I entered the Waray-speaking area:)

The last stretch led from Abuyog, through MacArthur, Mayorga, Dulag, Tolosa and Tanauan to Palo, near Tacloban. Mostly straight road and flat topography. By this time traffic increased and also the stupid remarks and insulting laughter, I know that being a foreigner riding a handcycle here in the Philippines is a very unusual sight, but sometimes I think too many people have too little brain activity, or too much idle lying mental capacity perhaps.

My total distance was 161 km, I drank 4 litres of water, 3 bottles of softdrinks and 1 coffee. The wheather was good all along the route, with temperatures around comfortable 31°C.

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