Bike to The Future Fun Ride - Discovering Quezon's Trails

On October 30, 2011 I was invited by my brother to join him in a bike ride organized by the Order of Demolay Kalilayan Chapter. At first I was hesitant because I had just been under the weather a week ago but my curiosity got the better of me since I have never joined a large group ride before. I ride mostly with my two buddies or with my bro, sometimes just alone.

Meeting place was at the Pacific Mall in Lucena City. We went there at around 5:30 am. Registration was 150 pesos and for that I received a rider number and a meal stub. I got to chat with veteran riders and saw some cycling clubs that frequent the roads in and around Lucena City. Waiting for the start got me hungry so I decided to leave and was able to buy hot pandesal at my favorite bakery just a short bike ride away from Pacific Mall. When I got back to the starting line the organizers told us to get into formation and just follow the police escorts. I went to the front of the pack before the motorcycle escorts started traveling. Then they moved and so the rest of us followed, all of the approximately 250 mountain bikers that showed support for the event.

We headed north towards Sariaya, Quezon where we had our first stop. It was an uphill climb on paved road. I was surprised that they distributed 'merienda' and water during the stop at Sariaya's municipal hall. So as of now it's 150 for the ride, the number, the lunch meal stub and this merienda. Burppp. Hmm.. I wonder if there's a raffle draw. Anyway, after the burp and the gulp we headed down to a rough road going to the shorelines of Tayabas Bay via Barangay Tumbaga. But just a few kilometers away and still far from the sea we turned left and worked our way back to Lucena City via Barangay Ibabang Talim. We passed through coconut plantations and rice fields and took a group pic on a spillway with an old train bridge as a background. After that I bolted from my group and pedalled hard back to the starting line which was about 14 kilometers away. There were already a dozen riders eating their lunch at the covered ground near the start. After finishing my lunch and 'kumustahan' with my friends who also rode, I went home and completed a 42 K ride to start my off season training. And yes, there was a raffle draw and I missed it.