It’s a Pine Weekend Ride! – Part 1

The Baguio / Mt. Data Highest Point (in Philippine Highway System) Ride was scheduled January 26 to 28 (Friday to Sunday). I knew I wanted to join the ride since it would be quite an experience for me and PYKE. But frankly, I was more anxious than excited not knowing how is it gonna be like when the group’s not riding: spending an entire weekend with a bunch of different people I hardly knew with only our love for Vespa as a common ground.

To make a long story short, I got to Baguio on an eight hour ride on my Vespa. Here’s proof:

photo by direkyey

It was such a GREAT weekend, but not without an incident. I stared the ride with frustration and disappointment from things of my own doing. Read my story…

After working in front of the computer the night before, I’ve finally and firmly decided that I’ll come along. I’ve packed my bag, installed the front rack on my scoot and took a shower before finally deciding to take a quick shut-eye at around 1AM. I’ve asked my wife to wake me up at two since out take-off time is 3AM at Caltex fronting Greenhills. Though the place is practically just minute away from my place, I figured an hour is an ample time for me to prepare. But Benz didn’t wake me up until it was 2:30. So I rushed all preps within the remaining 30 minutes and got to Caltex at 3:05AM. By then, the station was void of any other Vespa while a gasboy and the guard was pointing to the direction of EDSA and told me that the group had just left. ‘Just left’ at the crack of dawn when business is slow could mean anywhere between a minute or thirty.

I played the scenario in my mind before. If the group left me, I’ll simply go back home and have a restful sleep. But it awfully sucked when it actually happened. Going home was never an option so I twisted my throttle and decided to catch up with the group with my bag haphazardly tied down on PIKE’s front rack and my back armor not safely strapped at all. What I wasn’t sure is where I would stop catching up. Should I go back if I don’t see them at the end of EDSA, McArthur Highway or should I go up all the way to Baguio solo?

I was traversing EDSA at 80/kph hoping to catch a glimpse of a convoy of single tail lights up ahead. Passed Cubao – Quezon Ave. – SM City – Muñoz and there was none. As I zipped along, I saw a group of scooters parked outside Shell Select in Balintawak. I slowed down, made a U-turn and took a counterflow (good thing I was riding rather slowly and defensively at this stretch due to a recent fatal Vespa accident along that area) and there they were! It was an unscheduled stop since one rider (Jay) had to change a flat tire near SM City. It was an unfortunate incident for Jay but I’ve got him to thank for my being able to catch up with the group.

By 4AM, the all-Vespa trail (1 GT, 2 ETs and 13 PXs) hit the road again. Along Mc Arthur highway somewhere in Bulacan, I made a very stupid mistake that I vowed never to commit the rest of my riding life. During an overtake, our ride captain (direkpal) and three other scoots ahead of me effortlessly passed a slow vehicle. I decided to follow on full throttle thinking the approaching truck on the other side would either slow down or move a bit to give way to 2-wheeler. It didn’t and I don’t blame the driver. It was his right of way afterall. Good thing I was able to pass the slow vehicle (I cannot recall what type it was since my focus was the approaching truck) but barely made it back to our lane before the speeding truck could hit me. I was shaken with the stupidity I’ve done and all I could do was pray thanking God for sparing my life and limb and telling Him sorry repeatedly for being such an idiot! I’ve even tried to pray the Our Father but couldn’t manage to finish it because I was badly troubled of what could’ve happened. A couple of my fellow riders behind (Cox and Edmund) saw the incident and they’ve noticed that I’ve realized my mistake since I suddenly got conservative in overtaking immediately after.

Because of that incident, I ironically earned the title “Fancy Moves” from the group throughout the weekend and up until this day. It’s not something I am proud of. It’s one I would want other newbie riders to learn from. The good-natured taunting is much deserved and I actually appreciate that they made light of the fatal stupidity I’ve committed.

But that’s just the first half of the trip going up the City of Pines. I got up there with no other freak incident, thank God! But I guess, posting the rest of the story all in one go will be a bore to read, so I’ve decided to split it up. Thanks for reading….

Fancy Moves… NOT!

-o-
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J0HNRANA

john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com