Although Baler is known as the birthplace of Philippine surfing, it’s also a nice place to go biking with its tranquil roads and scenic views.

My friend Myta used to frequently visit Baler in the past, which is why she organized a bike-tour with close friends. It was a simple three-day, two-night trip with the main event being a whole-day tour.

However, getting there was the most challenging part because of all the preparation needed. This story will have four parts with the first one covering the journey getting to Aurora.

Before anything else, I had to make sure the bike was ready. My Bridgestone Eurasia was outfitted with custom-made accessories, which all happen to be locally made.

The front and rear racks were from Bikedelic Santa Rosa and Rack en Roll, respectively. Meanwhile, Coyote Bikepacking Gear supplied the bags. I wasn’t planning on bringing my Léon Denim rando bag, but I had no choice since my handlebar bag was already overloaded.

So, what did I bring on this bike-tour?

I organized my stuff into three categories. The everyday carry were the items I’d always need on my person. My phone, wallet, keys, and power bank were stored inside my Sack It sacoche, and I’d stash that bag along with my Fujifilm X100V mirrorless camera into a larger drawstring bag. Placing these in the rando bag at the front gives me easy access.

The ride essentials were basically everything needed to keep my bike running: a pump, inner tubes, quick links, tire levers, and tools. The idea was that if anything were to happen on the road, I should be able to fix it myself. These fit in the front pouch of the rando bag.

What occupied the most volume were the clothes and the toiletries. I didn’t have the luxury of a trolley or maleta, so I had to be wise with what I brought and how much. Toiletries were kept at a minimum (just my towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, and bar soap) to save up on space. Thankfully, everything fit into two large packing cubes, which fit into the two panniers nicely.

The handlebar bag was strapped to the saddle in case I needed additional cargo space. I didn’t need it most of the time, but it was handy when I had leftovers that I wanted to eat before or during the bus rides.

The hardest part about traveling out of town (or abroad) is getting out of Metro Manila. This is true regardless of your mode of transport.

Packing for Baler is one thing; getting there was another. Biking all the way wasn’t an option, so the next best thing was to ride a bus.

Myta booked tickets online for JoyBus, worth P2,060 for the round trip (plus minor charges). This wasn’t bad especially considering the price of gas and toll if I were to bring a car.

The earliest trip from Cubao to Baler departed at 12:30am (yes, after midnight). The idea was to sleep during the five- to seven-hour trip, and then arrive early in the morning.

We rode out from Kapitolyo, Pasig, at 10:30pm and arrived at the terminal by 11pm. This was to provide enough time for eating (so that we wouldn’t go hungry during the ride), claiming the tickets, and putting our bikes in the bus. We were actually a bit too early since the bus was only ready for loading by 12 midnight.

I had to remove the front wheel to load my bike in the storage compartment of the bus. This was the part I dreaded the most because I was afraid of the frame or the fork getting scratched. But I had no choice.

JoyBus is the executive class of Genesis Transport, so the cabin was premium with spacious recliner seats and a bathroom. Learning from my Sagada tour, I made sure to wear pants and bring a jacket since the air-conditioning was ice-cold.

The bus left a few minutes after 12:30am. I was hoping to get some good shut-eye, but was instead treated to a red-eye roller-coaster ride on a massage chair.

I couldn’t sleep when I felt every bump and sway as the bus traversed along the highways and expressways at high speed. The road was straightforward until we passed the municipality of Rizal in Nueva Ecija.

Things didn’t get any better as I was tossed around from side to side in the twisties, as if the bus driver were Takumi Fujiwara trying to deliver tofu in the mountain pass.

I’d have a few moments of relief when there were slower-moving vehicles in front. But those lasted as long as a sigh, since the bus driver quickly sped up after overtaking them on the narrow road.

As uncomfortable as the experience was, my greatest consolation was that I was inside the bus (rather than outside). I can’t imagine myself cycling on the same road in pitch-black darkness getting overtaken by buses going that fast.

The sun was still down when we arrived at Baler, Aurora, by 5am. It’s a bit hard to believe that the trip only took less than five hours, but at least the worst was over.

However, things weren’t exactly smooth-sailing since I encountered a hiccup while assembling my bike. I couldn’t attach the front wheel because the rotor wouldn’t slot in between the pads. I ended up having to tinker with the caliper of my Growtac Equals.

This took longer than I wanted, but I noticed that the sun was still down. Perhaps we could still catch the sunrise. It was highly unlikely that the homestay reception was awake, so we made our way through the sleeping town to get to Sabang Beach with our fully loaded bikes.

At the end of the arduous trip, we were welcomed with a cloudy sunrise by the beach. Sleep-deprived and now hungry, I snacked on the remaining Poco Deli pizza, as I gazed at the waves crashing against the shore.

This was just the beginning as there was still a whole free day ahead. I was glad to be out of Metro Manila, but the jarring bus ride reminded me that there was no guarantee of a smooth trip getting out of the city.

The Philippines is a big country. But exploring it can be challenging when transportation options are limited and road conditions are unpredictable.