Ondabag Riding

I'd been lurking on mtb yahoogroups for sometime now. There's quite a few - Pinoy Mountain Bikers, Karerista, MTB Addict, etc. Ondabag is one of them. I don't know anyone from there or the kind of ride they do, but from the UP Mountaineers who have riden with them, I hear stories like..."halimaw...we almost did 100kms" and "by the time we finished the ride, only 5 remained of the 20". Hmmm...these guys sound hard core.

The Culture
I showed up on schedule and introduced myself (like I always do whenever I hook up with a new group). They meet 6:30 am every Sunday at McDonald's along Marcos Highway. For a guest fee of P20, you get to ride with them. From what I've seen, Ondabag is a mix of hammer-head oldies and young guys, but with more of the former. They have a strong sense of organization - a treasurer who collects guest fees, a sweeper who ensures that no one gets left behind, and a group leader who sees to it the ride and the riders are all doing fine. Altogether, it's a chill group who take the safety and riding experience of their members and guests, first and foremost.

Paquiao Fight
With the Manny Paquiao fight that pm, the usual long haul was shortened to a mini-ride to Cogeo and coming out in Antipolo. It's a new trail for me, although most of it was on paved road. The route took us into what you'd think was the interior of a hilly area, but development was very evident. Urbanization was creeping up the mountain slopes. Nonetheless, we chanced on a few single-tracks that livened up the ride and a few more granny creepers that made spinners out of shredders.

The Old Neighborhood
Having separated from the group, I found myself wandering aimlessly on my bike, stopping for coconut juice here and peanuts there, etc. It wasn't too far from my old neighborhood, SSS Village. I took the detour and visited my old house, chatted to the 'little kids' who by now had families of their own, and scanned the area, getting a glimpse of my childhood. It was a good nostalgic side-trip down memory lane. Feeling mushy, I took off before the nostalgia became old.

--- TheLoneRider

Reader Comments:

Rudy
(Jan 27, 2006) d fun, d camaraderie, d bikes, d trails, all d adventures..and nothin' but the ride... keep on ridin my frend...hop anytime w/ us...mtn biking..ourway of life..Cool site to get frosty...nice man, ride on!!

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