My bike tour to Sagada was off to a good start. I successfully rode the Partas bus to Bacnotan, La Union, met up with my friend, and biked to Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, where I was able to get well-rested at Buenavista Family Inn.

As I was sound asleep at night, the rest of the group arrived one by one until we were all assembled at the meeting point by 6am. The first day would cover 68km from Tagudin to Cervantes.

One of the participants arrived with his friends via car, which acted as their support-and-gear (SAG) vehicle. The owner was kind enough to let the others use the SAG, so I loaded my clothes into his Toyota RAV4 to lighten my load.

The group left before 7am, riding along the national highway for around 2km, before turning right to the road leading to Cervantes. Eventually, the sea breeze gave way to mountain winds, and we began the first of many climbs. I was humbled upon realizing the incline was nothing like my neighborhood streets in Kapitolyo.

We rode at “pasyal pace”—neither lazy nor hasty, just enough to enjoy the journey and finish before sundown. The monotony of the climb was broken up with rolling hills and bridges. At 8:45am, we had an early brunch at a roadside eatery, the last one we’d be seeing for a long time.

I ordered sinanglaw, mistaking it for dinakdakan (grilled pork). Instead, what I got was a dish that reminded me of beef nilaga. This would be my last proper meal during daylight as I ended up depending on snacks from sari-sari stores for sustenance. I’m not a fan of junk food, but stocking up on snacks prevented me from starving during the ride.

After more biking, we were now at Bessang Pass in the municipality of Cervantes. One thing I realized from all the climbing was that being on the mountain pass can be more enjoyable than the flats.

The cars were few, and since the roads were narrow and twisty, people weren’t as inclined to drive like maniacs. More importantly, the view got better and the air became colder with the elevation. I didn’t notice the time fly by.

I spotted the SAG vehicle pull over on the road with Budolbuddy having a snack beside his titanium Stridsland Beachcomber. Apparently, the climb was over, and all that was left was a long, continuous descent. I waited for the others to catch up. But no one else arrived after a while, so I decided to take the plunge and go on my own.

I played Eurobeat for background music, not knowing how long the descent would be. Coincidentally, another participant hitched a ride in the back of someone’s pickup, which allowed her to record a video of my descent.

Despite the intensity of the music, I was actually descending conservatively. Tailgating was a big no-no, and so was counterflowing. I was no Takumi Fujiwara, and the last thing I’d want was to overshoot into Truck-kun.

What goes up must come down. The descent spanned more than 10km with an elevation drop of around 1,000m. Eventually, the road straightened, and I approached the town center and arrived at D’Edralyn Mountain Resort before 4pm.

The first thing I wanted to do was eat. But I couldn’t order any food with the restaurant closed. And since the place was 5km away from the town center, I had no choice but to settle for snacks from the resort’s convenience store. That was inconvenient as the staff only accepted an exact amount in cash.

The worst offender was the bathroom, which was more like a cramped wash area with a sink and a toilet jammed inside. There was no toilet paper or bidet, so good luck trying to take a dump. And without a counter or a towel rack, you’d have to leave your clothes and towel outside so they didn’t get wet. To make things worse, it was shared by 10 guys lodging in the same room.

Through this bizarre experience, I learned the three S’s that are crucial for any accommodation. If I cannot shit, shower, or sleep in the comfort of my room, I will have a miserable time (I couldn’t go out of the resort to do any of those). Thankfully, my friend took care of the arrangements for dinner and breakfast at the resort.

In a video titled A Taste of Freedom, cycling personality Ronnie Romance shared how the bicycle is a vehicle that lets you go to places unreachable by walking, but at a natural and leisurely pace that allows you to take in and enjoy the scenery.

I had the time of my life in Bessang Pass because I enjoyed every second of it. The climb was steep, but the view was breathtaking and the weather was pleasant. This made me realize something: Despite the limitations of cycling, I find it to be the most pleasurable mode of transportation.

They say that life’s greatest pleasures are the simplest ones. And I believe my experience this day captured this. Photos don’t do justice as they fail to convey the clean air, the cool weather, and the tranquility of nature. You don’t know what you’re missing out on until you experience something like this yourself.