The Sunday Bike Ride To The Sierra Madre

by BERT SAENZ

It was still dark when the alarm clock went off at 4:45am last Sunday, 21 March 2009. Switched on the coffee maker, took a "wake me up shower" and after having been asleep for only a couple of hours, it was time to get dressed. Today was the first bike trip for the summer!!!! Lito Quiogue and I were taking a ride up to Douglas Marcaida's 15-hectare farm in the mountains of Pinugay, Barras. After a hot cup of coffee, on came the "Battle Gear" riding boots, blue jeans (couldn't find my riding chaps) tee shirt, leather jacket, gloves, balaclava and riding helmet. After removing the dust cover of my Honda Nighthawk S, which is a 750cc 6 speed bike, getting it started and warmed up, it was off to the first adventure of the Summer of 09, at exactly 5:35am!

The thrill of going out for a bike ride with the guys for some fun and mischief, just DOES NOT DIMINISH (even after 45 years)! Fortunately, there are still about a half dozen active riders from HS'63. Anyway, off it was to meet up with Lito at the Dasmarinas Petron Fuel Station at the corner of Dasma Avenue and EDSA. Getting there at exactly 6am, I spied 4 big Harley Davidson's at one Coffee Shop of the Station (wala si Lito!) I looked further off and there was another Coffee Shop--and there was Lito with an anticipatory smile on his face. Lito was on his R65 BMW that looked like it just rolled off the showroom. Let's go! Poor Lito had no concept of being a bike ride leader! After asking for the route we would be taking, he took off! Shit! He was on a FLIGHT (and I was his wingman... just like on a flight... if you tarried, you got LEFT BEHIND!) He was flying to Antipolo like his life depended on it (and there I was, behind him, struggling to keep up). The upside of it was that we were in the Highland lair of Douglas by 7am! with fog still surrounding the mountains and us freezing our tails off!

We roused Dougie out of bed and went up to his roof garden (which has a great view of the surrounding mountain tops) and had cups of piping hot coffee. In a little while, his ladies brought us a feast of Chinese fried rice, a platter of the most beautiful yoked eggs from his free ranged chickens, corned beef guisado, and all the coffee we could drink. Man, that was some great breakfast! After swapping lies with each other for about and hour, we took off for the Sierra Madre Club and Resort. Dougie is now joining us in his Ducati Monster.


Now it’s the misguided Marcaida, who decided to play squadron leader! Flight leader Quiogue was stuck like glue behind him while I coasted along 10 to 15 seconds behind them. This is now mountain territory and is just a continuous series of zig-zag roads, and Dougie is showing us how a mountain rider rides! After about 45 minutes we arrived at the Sierra Madre Club and Resort. It's a beautiful place at one of the highest peak along that part of the Sierra Madre, with a Spectacular 360 degree view. We had coffee, enjoyed the view, the Club, the Hotel, the Casitas (that are for rent) the golf course and the huge swimming pool and Cabanas at the lower part of the resort, then headed off to inspect the road to Infanta, Quezon. Another 45 minutes later we were at the end of the paved portion of the road. Enroute, we passed Camp Capinpin as well as JE Camp, the farm of ERAP, where he was detained. The road was only a few more kilometers to Infanta now, so it was downhill zig zag, from Sierra Madre to the construction site of the road.

The road was beautiful for riding because there were very few cars or trucks on it, majority of traffic on the road were scooters, small, medium and large motorcycles, and according to Dougie, sports car clubs often frequent that road. We rode to the intersection to Sampaloc, Quezon and stopped for lunch at a nice restaurant serving Filipino food. We ordered Bulalo, Chop Suey, rice and soft drinks, and whiled the time away with the Videoke machine.

Lunch over, we decided to head for home. At Pitogo, Dougie broke off from our formation and went home. It was a pleasant trip on the way home till we got to the Cogeo area, where the traffic was horrible and hot as hell. The traffic continued to be heavy all the way to C5. Lito broke off at Market! Market! and I continued on home, arriving at around 4pm. Not a bad 101/2 hour ADVENTURE !!!

Any biker in the group is WELCOME TO JOIN US!!!

As Joey Estagle was suggesting, perhaps we can take the Nautical Highway and take a trip through Batangas, Mindoro, Panay, Boracay, Negros, Ozamis, Cagayan de Oro then to Davao. Who knows, like I said... never a dull moment in this group!!!
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The 'Clean' Dozen?

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Last week a handful of Dirty Dozen guys met up at Treehouse, the alternative Batch63 hang out at Dian Street. Ed Oleta, Polding Arnaiz, Bert Saenz, Doug Marcaida, Oni Mayo and Balikbayans Nilo Villanueva and Gary Salcedo came for the event. The dinner hour gathering had the group famished and so there was a serious discussion on what to order. Initially, the group had fun with the waitresses when the items selected by the group were out of stock. Even the famous Polding's Kilawin was not available. The sarcastic gang then really gave it to management when they discarded the given menu and asked for the real menu with available dog food!

Eventually the group feasted on tuna belly (in tangy lemon butter and kalamansi sauce), crispy shrimps (fried with herbs and fully edible from tail to head), crispy pata (a hit as usual) and other pulutan sensations. But then where were the hard drinks? And the cigarettes? It was mind boggling to see none of these vices on the table! Has the Dirty Dozen become the Clean Dozen? Ed Oleta sheepishly said he has had an Angio and is cutting down. Lino is finally over the hump with his bronchitis and is keeping himself in check. Bert Saenz was worried about weight loss for a while and so is taking it easy.

I was about to praise the heavens for the transformation when the group got bored after a while. The guys ultimately headed for Justine's where finally brandy and beer were served on the table (among other products of the place). If GMA should "moderate her greed" in the words of Neri during the Senate hearing, the Dirty Dozen can "moderate their vice" when they have to, it seems. At least there were no cigarettes still when I had to leave the group ahead as usual.

Once More for La Salle!

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March 7 is the traditional DLS Homecoming event, and it was one grand fiesta! Like years past, it saw La Salle alumni coming from far and wide to meet up with old friends. For once, the venue was the open ground floor of the College building instead of the football field. Clearly, the organizers had had enough of the March rains that had always threatened (and actually spoiled in instances) past reunions.

The new venue allowed a different sort of program for the festivities. For one, a proper theatre type stage was possible. Fritz Ynfante, the DLS alum who is an experienced theatre director, was the Show Director. Fritz Y thought up a Mardi Gras theme for this year and thus the 2009 extravaganza was held for all to see. To ensure that the program run well, the eve of the event was rehearsal time for the participants. At showtime the next day, the professional chorus line dancers, samba drum ensemble band and homegrown talents (students and alumni) were well briefed as they alternated in displaying their carnival inspired wares on stage.


After the colorful and loud opening number, Brother Bernie made his acknowledgment speech in behalf of the La Salle community. And then the GS59 video show kicked in. The crowd was all eyes and ears as the video showed the milestone decades in a La Salle Taft boys' life. The video displayed sentimental scenes from the old campus and socio-political scenes from the eras even as the individual photos of Batch59/63 graduates flashed beneath it. After the serious stuff, the video capped its presentation with the driving Hail One La Salle song that saw more than a dozen Batch63 die hards in formation on stage singing their hearts out.


The event was the 50 year celebration for GS59 and wont happen again. The video presentation to the Alumni body was a major project of the year for Batch63. The Batch63 persons responsible for putting things together were Vince Misa (representing Batch63 in the Alumni Project committee); Art Alvendia (conceptualizer and adviser for the video show production); Quito Moras (the Video's voice overdub); and Oni Mayo (composer of Hail One La Salle). But in the end, what made it all happen is of course Batch63 guys who bankrolled the video project and all those who came from far and wide to sing on stage and show the world what being a La Salle boy is all about.

I understand that the festivities that night in Taft lasted way beyond the Mardi Gras stage presentation. However only few Batch63 remained to partake of the camaraderie with other batches and the free flowing San Miguel beer. What is evident is that shortly after the stage presentation, most of the guys (probably convinced by the Dirty Dozen) typically crammed into vehicles and headed for more exotic watering holes around town. Things never change, it seems.

One Grand Reunion Show

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For DLS Batch59/63 it was one more successful project! Of course, I’m talking about the Show of Shows – the Stars of Yesteryears extravaganza. As early as 3PM on that Saturday show date, Baby Angeles, Joey Zamora, Oni Mayo, Vince Misa and Manolo Relova were in the 7^th Note Music Bar to run through their numbers with the live band. By 8PM, the 7^th Note was filled with Batch63 stalwarts and their wives and friends.

First up in the show was the Homecoming Video premiere. The Homecoming Video was prepared as Batch59/63’s contribution to the forthcoming DLS Alumni Homecoming event on March 7 in La Salle Taft. The Video showcases The Story of Us – the book project of the Batch done several years ago that chronicled the journey of La Salle Taft boys (essentially Batch63) through life. The video ended with a presentation of the logos of the many La Salle branches in the Philippines accompanied by the Hail One La Salle song. The Hail song is an original composition initiated by the Batch for the Homecoming event.

Right after the video premier presentation, it was Showtime at 7^th Note! The performers were: Jack Jones (Vince); Matt Monroe (Oni; a replacement of Boy Lumba who cancelled his trip home hopefully not due to stage fright); Cliff Richard (Joey Zamora); and Frank Sinatra (Manny Relova; a replacement of Mari Vargas who backed out when he lost his voice probably trying to rehearse his song); and the Everly Brothers (Lito Domantay and Baby Angeles). That was not the end of the show as Bert Saenz’s turn came. He sang a hot Tagalog R&B duet with Suzie (a young crooner) to the delight of the crowd. The piece de resistance was reserved for last and that was Elvis (Joey Estagle). Elvis came prancing on stage clad in cape and rhinestone encrusted white body suit that brought the house down! Through all these, Batch63 enjoyed the fare for the night consisting of Wagyu Steak (that suspiciously looked like pork chop) and Peking Duck (that looked like chicken!).

Baby Alvarez and Tonichi Grey (substituting for Bert Saenz who came in very late) did a yeoman’s job of emceeing. The Dolphy and Panchito -like tandem played to the crowd. Baby was all aplomb with his witty Spanish and Pilipino quips while Tonichi was a wild man bursting into uninhibited exclamations and moves when he gets excited. After the entertaining show, the promised all-night dancing became a reality. Despite the tight dance floor space, Batch63 and their friends showed how it was to enjoy! The shortage of female partners did not deter the shameless Batch as they convinced guests and including 7^th Note waitresses to rock with them on the dance floor.

For this memorable chapter in Batch63’s existence, let us once again acknowledge the role of the sponsors who made the milestone show possible. Despite the economic downturn, these guys – all acknowledged top class businessmen in their own right - financially supported the project without hesitation. Together with the imagination, persistence and patience of the organizers (the handful who actively pushed for the project), it just goes to show that with faith in our abilities and a positive outlook, Batch63 can do anything it wants to do. In the words of Babes Alvarez, let's do this every year! Until the next project then mi companeros, Animo La Salle