Biketoberfest 2009: Part 3 Fellowship

The rains that came later in the evening were no match for the spirit of fun and rider camaraderie at 8610 Gitara Restaurant.

Riders from South Cotabato Riders Team (GenSan), Tachometrics, Socsargen Raiders Team (GenSan), Davao Mixed Moto Club, Motographics, Davao Scooters Club, Team Underground, XP Riders Team (GenSan), Davao City Motor Club, Inc., Explorider Motor Club, Road Runners Club, GRO (Davao), Team Most Wanted, Independence Riders Club, Team Ycompetence, On Any Sunday Riders, Suzuki Raiders Club, and Vman Racing thoroughly enjoyed the ledge dancing by girl dancers, the music of a live band, the presentation of club muses and selection of the best club muse. Lucky participant also won prizes during the raffles.

The organizers would like to thanks the sponsors and donors who made the event possible.

To the Libikers (and the kids) who helped man the booths and the gate, the members of the Davao Scooter Club who acted as marshals during the motorcade (I still have to get the pictures) and all the clubs who participated, thank you for making Biketorberfest 2009 a success.

(More pictures, please....)

Biketoberfest 2009: Part 1 GMall

The fun started in the morning of Oct 31 at parking level 3 of GMall with games (amazing race, relay, slow drag, tug-of war) participated in by various bike groups.

Ping, Roy and Bdul Birthday Party

A little over a month ago, three terribly good-looking, superiorly intelligent, but genuinely humble members of the Davao Agila Riders celebrated their birthdays by jointly hosting a night of beer drinking and merrymaking at Sunburst Restaurant. The Agilas and their lovely wives came to wish the three hunks the best.

Thanks to Ma'am Mercy for the pictures...

Kadawayan 2009 Parade

The Agilas overwhelmingly agreed to Ma’am Yvette’s suggestion that we get into the spirit of the Kadayawan Parade. So Sir Ping’s trike was mounted on Sir Dan’s trailer and the “float” was soon decked with flowers, fruits, and the obligatory stuffed eagle.

Team Underground

What started out as pure fun for a small group of people with the same interest became a brotherhood that goes well beyond just riding motorcycles together.

Team Underground Bikers Club of Davao was founded on October 28, 2006 and is composed of 63 members who all share a passion for motorcycles. They share this passion with the community by engaging in various outreach activities and livelihood projects

The club also works hand in hand with other organizations and takes active part in activities concerning motorcycles in Davao City.

The organization aims to be of service to the community and is committed to fostering better rapport and enhancing camaraderie between motorcycle clubs in the city.

The officers of Club Underground are: Pres - John Jickain; Vice-Pres: Francis John Alivio; Secretary - Bong Mata; Treasurer - Dodong Tadle; Screening Committee Chairman - Bobby Dagondon; Asst. Secretary - Donald Badajos and PIO & Founder - Randy Nikolai Ilustre.

Even More Unity Ride Pictures

(Click on a picture to englarge. )
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Pictures courtesy of Anthony Castillo. See previous post for contact info.

More Unity Ride Pictures

(Click on a picture to englarge. )

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Pictures courtesy of Anthony Castillo. See previous post for contact info.

Unity Ride Pictures

(Download the panoramic picture (courtesy of photographer Anthony Castillo) on the right for best results.)

Tons of pictures of the Unity Ride. Get in touch with Anthony Castillo (TNT : 0909-6111118; SUN : 0922-4419222; email : toncastle2222@yahoo.com; web site: http://www.toncastillo.multiply.com/).

I will be posting more pictures later.

Unity Ride (Jul 12, 2009)

With over eight hundred riders, it was a ride with biggest number of participants ever held in Mindanao. Riders from Davao City, augmented by riders from Panabo City and Gen. Santos City (and neighboring towns) all rode together in a round trip from Davao City to Malita Davao del Sur, around 125 kilometers away.

When it was initially conceived by the officers of the Davao Agila Riders, the Unity Ride was to be a short ride from Davao City to Buda to be participated in by a few motorcycle groups in Davao. But word got around and with a lot of motorcycle groups expressing interest in joining, the destination changed to Malita and the night just before the ride, nobody had any idea of how many were joining. We soon knew.

Early July 12 (Sunday morning), riders started congregating in the street beside SM and by 7:30 AM the whole place was a sea of motorcycles and their riders, backriders - and the proverbial kid squeezed in between (see fourth picture from the top) - in full battle gear . By 8:00 AM, a very short send-off program was held with the Hon. Mabel Acosta (who rode pillion on hubby Rey's trike) relaying a message from Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Soon afterwards, the riders started moving and the filled the highway out of Davao.

With the safety of the riders in mind, we rode in a relatively slow pace and passing was strongly discouraged. (A few pricks with low self-esteem, unfortunately, could not control their juvenile desire to show off.)

After negotiating the terrible stretch of roads in Sta.Cruz that was undergoing repairs, we reached the area near the mango plantation just outside of Digos city where all dismounted as we waited for the scooters and underbones to gas up (seems their tanks could not hold enough gas for the journey to Malita). The wait was rather long. I could imagine the two or three gas stations in Digos City being completely overwhelmed by the number of motorcycles queuing up for gas.

Gasoline tanks now loaded, we proceeded past the detour in Gihing until we reached the fork in the road the led to Malita. In the junction, we were simple taken by the sight of more than a hundred riders from the General Santos area. It seems that they had been waiting for us since around 8AM! There was another long break in the riding as we waited for the other groups to catch up.

Soon, the long parade started moving again and a careful ride through the twisty, picturesque, and very well paved road to Malita began. After an initial stretch of straights where we started twisting the throttles, the road changed to an un-ending series of tight turns that traversed (in my impression) two high altitude areas until one reaches the final, twisty descent to Malita proper.

We reached Malita town proper and were escorted by a group of riders from Malita for a few more kilometers to a beach resort where a parking area for the motorcycle had been set up. In a resort, a powerful public address system blared warm welcome to the riders. We arrived just before 11 AM. The Malita hosts could not hide their surprise (and possibly their apprehension) as wave after wave of riders arrived. It was past noon when the last of the stragglers finally arrived.

A program was started and was mercilessly prolonged by the usual crop of politicians speechifying, unmindful of the rising temperature. It was way past 1 PM when the program ended and it was time for those who did not bring their own baon to finally have lunch.

Lunch finished, we rode back to the town proper for a pit stop and while we waited for the Agilas, the other groups had parked their motorcycles by the side of the road, while a couple of riders showed-off their stunts.

The ride back to Davao then began, and since it was not organized as the ride from Davao, one did not have a choice but pass the relatively slower scooters and underbones.

Along the way, riders who were parked by the side of the road waved as we passed by. With this simple gesture, one could see the camaraderie that developed among the riders who participated in this Unity Ride.

For the Agilas, the ride home was relatively uneventful until a rider (not an Agila) was unable to stop his bike on time and hit two motorcycles in front of him which resulted in the two motorcycles (and their riders) hitting the pavement. Discussions (and gossip) were made and the ride to Davao continued.

We reached Davao late in the afternoon, proceeded to MTS for dinner and a few beers and reflected on the awesome display of motorcycles and riders getting together in such numbers for a day.

Congratulations to the organizers, especially to Ronnie, who made the ride a huge, huge success.

Thanks to Maam Mercy for the pictures. More pictures to come…

Clubs who joined the ride can email me (vulcandvo@gmail.com) their pictures of the ride so I can post them in this blog. Include in your email the complete club name, the list of your officers and, if possible, a short backgrounder of your group.

Motorbykle – Cynthia Alexander

(I watched Cynthia perform at Kanto bar about 2 weekends ago. Dusted off her old CDs and rediscovered that she had a song (tenuously) related to riding. Obviously, the song is not about heavy metal thunder racing in the wind nor about firing all the guns at once and exploding into space. Nor does one think these thoughts while zipping at 100 kph. But alone in a bar at night, after riding on a Sunday all by your lonesome, well, one may get to rummage through the mind and think…)

we barely survive the abuses
we inflict upon ourselves
we never mean to be unkind
the colors leave us blind

well we get what we deserve
and we pay for what we get

here is the game and here is the cycle
while I ride my motorbykle
Ride

we brave the accusations
& stand on burning bridges
blame it all on weakness
& crucify our innocence

well we get what we deserve
& we pay for what we get

here is the game
and here is the cycle
while I ride my motorbykle

now we have come
to our hi-ways' end
run along now & carry on

& embrace the changes
sanctify this distance
we're certified experienced
to do it all again

but we get what we deserve
& we pay for what we get

here is the game and here is the cycle
while I ride my motorbykle
Ride

Brigada Eskwela Part 2

During Sir Boy’s birthday celebration last May 30, word was received that ABS-CBN Davao was asking the club’s support in helping students of the Circiaco Mariano Elementary School. We were informed that most of the students of this school were children living around the vicinity of the old garbage dumpsite at the Diversion Road.

So at Sir Boy’s instigation, the hat was passed around, and the Agilas (and other guests at the party) were able to raise enough money to buy school supplies for one hundred pupils. Roy even solicited support from Agilas who were not present at the party and also did the leg work in purchasing the school materials.

The donation was made during the first day of school, June 1, and was aired on ABS-CBN’s morning program “Maayong Buntag, Mindanao.”

Agilas Join Philippine Eagle Week Motorcade

It was only fitting that the Davao Agila Riders join the motorcade launching the Philippine Eagle Week last June 4, 2009. The motorcade was organized by the Philippine Eagle Foundation, the only action-oriented organization focused on saving the Philippine eagle and its habitat. In 1992, the Foundation successfully produced the first Philippine eagle hatched and bred in captivity. Since then, the foundation has been able to hatch and breed numerous eagles. It has also expanded its work to include restoring the natural habitats of the eagle in the Philippines.

The motorcade started at 8:00 AM in Magsaysay Park and ended at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos.

Pictures please.

Brigada Eskwela

The Davao Agila Riders joined the Honorable Councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta and her staff in a Brigada Eskwela activity last May 22, 2009 at the Gov. Duterte National High School in NHA Bankal.

Not only did the club contribute money to buy paint, hollow blocks and other materials, officers and members themselves helped paint the school buildings and build the school’s fence.

The Agilas see that being part of Brigada Eskwela is an expression of the club’s civic responsibilities.

The activity was covered by the Mindanao Daily Mirror.

Zest Air Sucks, Really Sucks

As I mentioned in a previous post, the Agilas took the Zest Air early morning flight from Davao to Manila last May 8 en route to the National Motorcycle Clubs convention in Baguio.

The flight to Manila was pleasant and uneventful. The stewardesses were dressed more formally (and more attractively) than those of Cebu Pacific and I deplaned thinking that we were lucky - I had a good deal (we had availed of the promo prices) and that Zest Air was a decent airline.

Man, was I wrong.

The flight back to Davao was scheduled at 4 o’clock Tuesday morning. Most Agilas decided to drink and talk the night away; I had a much abbreviated night’s sleep. We left Ma’am Mercy’s house in Quezon City around 2 o’clock and, on two taxis, headed towards the old Domestic Terminal.

The security and check in queues were quite long, but I didn’t mind. Everybody was thinking of getting an hour and a half of sleep during the flight, having a tummy-filling breakfast in Davao then snoring the day away.

Around 3:45 AM, with no advice to board the aircraft given, I guessed that there was something wrong. Then word got around that the flight had been postponed to 5:00 o’clock. Ok, flights get delayed. No big deal.

After an hour, we were advised the flight was postponed to 6:00 o’clock. We should have been in Davao having breakfast during that time.

By 6:00 o’clock, we were told that the flight was to be postponed to 7:00 o’clock. Tempers were now starting to get frayed; there was no supervisor from Zest Air to officially tell us what the real score was, only an announcement from the public address system that the flight was delayed and they were still waiting for clearance from “maintenance”. By this time, those who haven’t slept tried sleeping on the chairs. I borrowed Sir Ping’s sleeping bag and slept in one corner of the waiting area.

By 7:00 o’clock, you guessed it, we were told that the flight would be postponed to 8:00 o’clock. I think around this time, we were asked to queue for mush they claimed was breakfast. I ate it simply because I was hungry. Still no ranking employee from Zest Air to explain the real reason why the flight was delayed and what they were doing about our plight.

Eight o’clock and were told (no surprise) that the flight would be delayed to 9:00 AM. We now learned the darned airline just had two large aircraft; the flight-worthy one had started ferrying passengers around 5:00 AM. We (and all the other flights that were to use this aircraft) had to wait. And for four hours we had waited for the plane to get fixed.

Remember during all time, it was a poor, harassed low-level employee in the Zest Air counter who had to face the ire of visibly disgruntled passengers. No higher-level officer showed up to explain the situation and to calm down the passengers.

Nine o’clock and word passed around that we would be flying on another airline. Five hours to decide that their plane was busted.

They jam-packed us to buses which headed towards Terminal 2. Well at least, we were moving. Bad jokes about going back to Davao on a bus. During the hot, 20 minute ride, somebody wondered aloud about our baggage.

When we reached Terminal 2, we knew. Our baggage was strewn all over the sidewalk! You had to search, look, and grab your baggage. There was nobody from Zest Air to assist the elderly who might have trouble getting the baggage. And nobody to stand over and watch over the baggage (the previous bus loads already had retrieved their baggage and were now near the entrance of Terminal 2 Building). And nobody and no system to check if the baggage you got was really yours.

Now we waited in the area just in front of the main entrance to the Terminal 2 Building. In around 20 minutes, two employees from Zest Air started shouting out names and handing tickets to passengers who were to take the Philippine Airlines flight to Davao. It now seems that not all passengers could be accommodated on this PAL flight. And, you guessed it, we lucky streak held.

So we dragged our baggage and boarded another bus bound for Terminal 3. Good thing, there were guys who helped us load our baggage to the bus because there were people now approaching the breaking point of their patience.

We were handed tickets and did not go through the normal boarding procedure of Cebu Pacific. We were told that somebody would carry and take care of our luggage. We were too tired to think and took their word of it. By this time, it was 12 noon, and we were hungry. We stopped by one of the stalls to buy some food but a Cebu Pacific employee told us to hurry, so we walked quickly to the boarding area and finally seated ourselves in the Cebu Pacific flight to Davao.

I think I slept for most part of the flight. We arrived in Davao at 2 o’clock in the afternoon tired, hungry and eight hours late.

Agilas Fly to MC Convention

Dreading another awful encounter with the biker-unfriendly roads of Luzon, the Agilas decided early March to forgo riding to Baguio on motorcycles to attend the 15th Annual Convention of the National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs and, instead, take the plane to Manila and from there ride a van to Baguio - which was a good decision because the convention dates coincided with powerful typhoon Emong’s visit to the Philippines and Baguio ran smack on the typhoon’s path.

So, on May 8, 2009, the Agilas boarded the Zest Air’s morning flight from Davao to Manila, had a delicious lunch of hot goat viands in Quezon City (on the recommendation of Ferdie) and soon were off the road to Baguio in the dry comfort of two vans (thanks Sir Ping and Ma'am Mercy) while we saw groups of riders braving the intermittent rains that were still following typhoon Emong out of the country.

We stayed in an inn recommended by Sir Boy and looked forward to enjoying the Convention.

The Convention itself was good by Luzon standards. Aside from a small number of table placed in the center of the convention hall, everybody had to sit in chairs 20 or so deep, arranged on the three sides of the center area (where the tables were) and elevated like the ones in movie houses. So you had to hold the bad food they served on one hand while you tried to eat it (the same food they also mercifully supplied us the next evening.)

While proceedings were taking place inside the Convention Center, there was an area outside where booths were setup displaying and selling motorcycle merchandise. On the area’s front was a stage where a band comprised of lady singers in shorts played. Guess where the Agilas opted to spend their time?

The organizers produced a nice souvenir program, though.

The Agilas explored Baguio’s environs (which, it seemed, had deteriorated since my last visit about 15 years ago.) We had more fun drinking, eating and swapping made-up stories in our inn. Baguio’s cool weather, of course, made the drinking really enjoyable.

We left Baguio early Sunday morning for Manila and went directly to Antipolo for dinner at (forgot-his-name; muscular type with a Mickey Mouse tattoo on his arm) and had fun imbibing the beers and eating the delicious food prepared. Exhausted, we then settled in Maam Mercy’s house in Quezon City for the night.

The next day and night were spent exploring the fun things Quezon City had to offer.