edp773

I am leaving this Friday to go the the Philippines and get married.

On March 10th the hospitable members at Pinoy MTB forum are holding a mountain bike ride for me. We will ride the scenic Wawa trail via Pintong Bocaue north of Manila.

I rode with one member who is on Bikeforums last December. Great people to ride with.

I will consider this ride my Bachelor's party. This may be why they chasnged the name from Ed"s Wedding Ride to Ed's Stag Ride.

East Hill

Congratulations Ed!



Does the wife-to-be also ride a bike? If not, I hope you can convince her to get out there with you .

That is too cool that the Pinoy MTB members are going to host a ride for you. Give us a report (of the mountain bike ride) when you return and have time...

East Hill

edp773

Thanks East Hill. She does not have a bike at present, but I will change that.

I like her definition when someone asks why I ride a bike. She smiles and replies, "He's addicted!"

East Hill

She will eventually agree that it's better for you to be addicted to cycling than half a dozen other things I could mention!

Is she going to get a MTB, or do you do road cycling as well?

East Hill

edp773

Mountain bikes are popular over there and that is what she is usually rides.I do both, so time will tell.

Here is a link to the area:

https://www.camperspoint.com/article.php3?id_article=280

East Hill

Pretty cool, Ed! Looks like an interesting place to explore...

East Hill

edp773

Thanks again East Hill. I will post a ride report when I get back.

If I get the time I will repost my interesting ride report of the Baywalk ride. The traffic in Manila is mixed with pedestrians, bicycles, buses, jeepneys, and cars. There are very few traffic lights and turn signals are not used. Uturns are legal and you just force your way into traffic. This made for a very interesting ride for me.

edp773

My thanks goes out to Boyet for going with me on a memorable bike ride to Baywalk and back during my last day in Manila. Riding through people mixed with traffic was a little different for me, but we had a great time. Boyet did some impressive trackstands while riding through stopped traffic and was very patient waiting for me to catch up. At one point I was riding on the white line and a SUV decided there was room to pass in the same lane. I wonder if the driver was able to remove the handgrip rubber off the side of his vehicle?
Boyet impressed me so much with the effort he put into our ride. He rode his bike 20 Km to meat me,and then 20 Km to Baywalk and 20 back. All this with little or no sleep. In my opinion, Boyet is a great man being more than hospitable. Many thanks to Boyet and to everyone in Manila that showed me such excellant hospitality.
My plans are to come back in May and go MTBing with the group.

East Hill

We'll be looking for that report, Ed.

Slightly off topic--I tease my husband about once every ten years or so about the fact that when he was in the Navy, he never went off the base to visit Manila. Not even once! Actually, he rarely went off the base at all. I could never understand why someone would join the Navy to "see the world" and then not bother taking a look at it. I guess 'ya had to be there'... .

East Hill

slowandsteady

Don't do it! Don't do it!


Just kidding. Congrats.

So why are you going to the Philippines?

seriouslysilly

Congrats!
I'm glad I just came upon this thread. It even peaked my interest to read Philippines

My parents and younger brother just came back from vacation last week from there. From what they told me it was great to see family again.
I wish i was able to go with them. I haven't been back since I left when I was 10.
Maybe someday....

Have fun on your ride and marriage!

edp773

It sounds like I am going for the bike riding doesn't it? This is a bike forum.

I am going to be married to a wonderful lady. The bike ride is just an added bonus.

slowandsteady

Uh, you didn't really answer my question. Are we talking mailorder bride?

East Hill

I would think that if Ed feels that you really need to know the details of his courtship of his future spouse, he could send you a PM... .

East Hill

slowandsteady

Well he brought it up.

edp773

You only asked why I am going. I met Meryll through networking on the Internet. I went over last year and got engaged to her.

Where do you shop for these mail order brides? How many do you have?

slowandsteady

Well tons of people get married and don't go to the phillipines. It was just a bit vague to answer the way you did. Not that you owe me an explanation. I was just curious.

Congrats on your soon to be marriage. The Phillipines look pretty nice. Watch out for Tsunamis!!

edp773

Well, it is a tropical paradise and much less expensive than Hawaii.

I know you were just having fun.

Thanks.

edp773

I did it!!!

I completed the Wa Wa Dam ride and got married. The ride started at the base of the mountain and we rode up the mini wall and the wall. It was only a 10 kilometer ascent, but it was hard even for the seasoned MTBers. Of course I was told it was an easy trail to ride.


.Also,Meryll and I got married at a garden wedding in Manila yesterday on St. Pat's day/

East Hill

Congratulations, Ed! The best to both you and Meryll .

That's a great way to remember your wedding anniversary .

(How do I remember mine? It's the day of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of '06...1906).

East Hill

edp773

The stag ride went well. The guys led me to believe the Maarat WaWa was an easy trail to ride. I was gasping for air within 3 Km on the climb up the mini wall. Two turns later was a 7 Km climb called the wall. What a way to start the day by riding up a mountain. I walked up the mountain more than I rode.The ride down the other side was worth the climb and my ears popped on the decent. The downhill is a twisting dirt fireroad that ended at the river below. We followed the river and crossed it six times and going to the Wa Wa dam. The trail included some singletrack to rocky technical sections. The ride was great and my thanks to the 12 Pinoy Mountain Bike Forum members who stayed back to ride with and help me.

A special thank you goes out to my friend Boyet, who tried to push me up the mountain, Mike and Ron (I believe) who helped me cross the river, and pazigrider for organizing the event and letting me ride both his mountain bikes. A great group of guys to know and ride with.

The first rest area.

The downhill.

Before the first river crossing.

Ed emptying the river from his feet with many 17 supervisors watching.



The Halo Halo stop.

The tower at WaWa dam.


The final five at Tina's.

edp773

Exactly one week later.


Ed and Meryll Price.

East Hill

That ride looked like a lot of fun, Ed.

You and Meryll look pretty good in that photo, as well .

Congratulations again, and thanks for the pics--definitely some good looking rides out there.

East Hill

cantdrv55

Congrats! Beautiful woman you married. You must be proud.

I'm a Filipino too and was born there though I do not remember too much of what life was like in the PI. My family left 32 years ago and I haven't been back since.

Thanks for the photos. Makes me want to visit!

edp773

Thank you cantdrv55. It was her beauty on the inside that attracted me.

Life there is not as fast paced and you deal more person to person than here. It is definately worth the visit. The filipino hospitality is great also.