musings

I spent my weekend at Mt. Ugu in Benguet. My 1st weekend without A. He was suppose to come but he couldn't get any leaves. If I couldn't get spouse to climb, at least the concubine!

I like Mt. Ugu. It has unique combination of a challenging yet fun climb.

It was like my 8th time to Ugu. The post at the egroups of AMCI was a Big Brother Big Sister project where 2 teams were to bring up school supplies at Sitio Lusod and Sitio Domolpos. What caught my attention though was the post made by esteemed Team Leader Bajay. BAjay was organizing a 3rd team called the Summit team. This team would leave earlier and bring some of the supplies to Sitio Domolpos and trek to the summit of Mt. Ugu after. He also mentioned a new trail to Indupit called Pangawan.

So I joined the climb. Yep yep, it was a climb with a lot of twists. Well, ok I'll use the "twist angle" LOL.

Twist #1: We actually left before 11pm and esteemed TL BAjay told me that Doc would be my tentmate. Mountain pipol from AMCI (my mountaineering club) don't really want to share a tent with me unless they snore as loud as I do. lol.

Twist #2: We have a guest. A Sierra Pilipinas member named Alman Quiboquibo (you read it right: Quibo-quibo). He will play a prominent role in this climb. Lemme put it this way: He is Iton's sidekick when it comes to teasing Francis Maballs (Mabayag). He's got a mouth that never stops and he's actually fun. To top it all, he does not like Butch, better known as the husband of Pia. Yes, folks, he's loud too. Sometimes too loud. Hmmmmm.... must be a member of our universe!! lol. Loud Alman is a lawyer. His personality fits his occupation. I can't stand his goatee. I have nothing against facial hair so long as its neat. He has gotta do something about it.

Twist #3: I have trouble sleeping on buses. But this time, I slept quite well. I woke up in the last stop in Aritao feeling quite rested.

Twist #4: Sometimes you get used to the perks of power. I was President last year and the year before that, Chairman. So for the past 2 years, everytime I get to go up Mt. Ugu, I ride in the front with the driver. That didn't happen. Just as I was getting in the cab with the driver, Madam President and her kanan kamay, Yaya, told me that I'm not President anymore so I ride in the back with everyone else. Huhuhuhu... Jenny called me a DOM (dirty ordinary member) huhuhuhu... of course Iton and the rest had to rub it in. How the mighty have fallen!

Twsit #5: The new trail to Indupit! Its called pangawan. From Kayapa proper about 20 minutes further on saving you from climbing about 200 meters. The old trail via Kayapa and those blasted stairs is an open, hot, and steep trail and you climb this trail for about 700 meters to reach Indupit.

Its located at the boundary of Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet. A jeep/truck could take you to about half way to the trail. But our esteemed TL Bajay decided not to take the jeep halfway but to trek all the way to Indupit. (Because of this decision, the "esteemed" honorific should have been replaced by torturer!). The trail started as gently rolling for about 20 minutes and then got steeper, then rolled, then steeper, then rolled gently under a mini forest cover above Indupit. It was a nice trek, not too hard but loooong! Our IT said an hour but we got to Indupit in about 3 hours. And the trek was cool. Only a couple of signs will tell you that your near Indupit. If you see water pipes by the trail your about 20 minutes away. If you see a bright clearing then your very close.

Twist #6: I actually enjoyed eating my cold sweet&sour pork from Chow King.

Twist #7: Esteemed TL BAjay (now he deserves the honorific) suggested that we load camp water at Domolpos. The counselor from Domolpos was there at Indupit to pick up our gifts for the students at Domolpos. I was able to negotiate the trail to Domolpos in about 2 hours, the fastest I've ever done it. I got to the 4th waiting shed at 3:30pm!

Twist #7: I've found a replacement for best friend Patrick. He is best friend Iton. He got water for me at Domolpos while I listened to Alman's entertaining monologues.

Twist #8: We didn't camp at the Summit area. We camped at the clearing before the miniforest

that takes you to the summit. I climb the dreaded Tey's revenge in about an hour. This is the fastest I've ever done it. That restful sleep in the bus made me so so fast and strong.

Twist #9: First time I've ever seen Papa Dong in a vertical limit moment.

Twist #10: Got to the campsite ahead of Jong Mondejar. By the way, Jong had new Salomon shoes and his hair in the armpits are as curly as his head hairs.

Twist #11: Doc, my new found tentmate slept very well that night. Doc says my snoring was "paos". An overall improvement I must say.

Twist #12: Ugu's temperature is a comfortable 17C. Enough for a fleece jacket only.

Twist #13: Crossing the mini forest to the summit only took 20 minutes. It seems longer if your tired.

Twist #14: The trek to Lusod can be done in 4 hours from the summit. There was an hour break at Big Foot Memorial site. Another 2 hour break at the old saw mill area. Sarap mag siesta!

Twist #15: We met up with Team Lusod at Lusod. Kuya Mar and the lead pack got to the area at 1pm kasi naman nagpahatid sila sa 2nd waiting shed.

Twist #16: Eto naman hindi bago. Ang mga sweepers natin eh may pagmamalasakit sa ibang grupo na kasama natin sa project na ito. So Chief Sweeper Bajay (daming honorific noh!) eh nag worry kasi yung Team Domolpos ni Ogs Galuza and the Sierra pipol eh siguradong mag night trek. BAjay, Bing, Maxie and Francis ay tumungo sa old saw mill area para abangan ang Team Domolpos.

Twist #17: Siyempre hindi naman nag pahuli sa responsibility ni Madame President (sweeper din pala), Yaya Jing and Baby bear Jenny at nag-init sila ng soup habang nakiki social ako sa grupo ni Kuya Mar and Kuya Jon. Gusto ko rin makilala yung mga ibang non-AMCI participant. At siyempre, para ma recruit pa rin sa AMCI. After 45 minutes, ayan na dumating na ang mga ibang Team Domolpos. Medyo maluwag na nag paghihinga ng batchmate ko si Jojo Cubar kasi mga tao niya sa abot kamay ang unang dumating. Siyempre, bigay ako ng soup sa kanila. Si Alman naman panay yakap. I've never seen a guy hug so many smelly guys at one time.

Twist #18: Its nice to camp ni Lusod. I was able to crap properly and to take a nice refreshing bath and to apply my moisturizer to my dainty skin.

At my age, why do I still climb? Sometimes my body sends out signals that I'm not that young anymore (my sister says so). But I like climbing. Sometimes its not the mountains but the comraderie and the friendship.

See ya on the trails.