The dreaded Round South (2016) - By Romeo Delima

Director's Cut

November 12,2016

4:30 dawn

As our traditional round south practice is a week before D-day, it was moved two weeks instead for recovery reason. I tried to counter the move 'coz it was to early for that, but numbers won.

Anyway my team Gurkha will have to replace that schedule to another round north or the like.We started the exact scheduled 4:30am ride with prayers. The weather was perfect, everybody seemed perfect as we went along.

I knew everybody even in semi-darkness- their body built, their sizes, their ways of pedaling and body postures, and their voices.

Before we reached 5 kms, Noy Eli was flying. He was doing a needless and insignificant move vying for a pointless positioning to a pointless position behind the early fast starter Dondon Merto and the insane Ernie. But Noy Eli and Dondon soon had to fade away behind as the pace got faster.

Now the elite of Expendables, Bryan Michael Enad, Sandy boi, Michael, my onced-domestic Arnie, Abski, and Dexter were on the move to join their teamate Ernie Loreno spearheading the breakaway.

I, along with Billy, Jurani,Regan, and Gerard Francis dropped the two dropped bikers (Eli and Dondon) somewhere before San Fernando.

I strongly told Billy to stay with me at the start, but I know he won't be restrained for awhile. I let him breakaway at the Guadalupe ascend, and he knew where to wait for me. He is such a climber.

Gerard Francis was behind me in the climb but had to excuse himself for a faster pace and later caught up with the escapees.

Regan, who was recuperating from an ailment, passed me on the plateau of Guadalupe as I was lingering after the climb. He was amazingly stronger and faster than I expected him to be.

Before the milk station, three musketeers joined us, Nestor and his cohorts. Exchanges of pleasantries were made, then I bade them to go ahead as they were visibly strong yet. They will be breakfasting at Alegria while we at Dumanjug.Phoenix captain Gaya and John Carlo Amparado, who were late and were not at the start caught us up before Dumanjug.

At breakfast, we learnt that Rye Kido was at Barili chasing us. He was late to the schedule also.

I requested Bryan Enad to let Sandy boi ride with me 'coz at his tender age he might not handle their constant fast speed. Bry agreed.

I told Dondon to wait and accompany Noy Eli who was left behind.

Now I have two domestiques, Billy and Sandy boi who were both 14 yrs old and classmates. I am their protector, though.

I offered Allan Leon Pujida if he was willing to go with me. He was smart not to go with us, he has his own comfortable pace.

Then off we went. Next re-group is Alegria as was ageed. While others were still at their breakfast, came newly energized Noy Eli at the bend. He has his meal along the road before Dumanjug. I told him to stay with Dondon. And that was the last that I saw him in the tour.

Capt. Gaya and his group ( Jurani, Reagan, unknown one) together with my domestiques were intermittently passing each other for awhile until my unit led far distance from them. That was our last contact. No bikers at Alegria. So the lead pack had another plan.

We pushed until somewhere in Alegtia-Malabuyoc, we spotted them. Flat tire for sure. We passed them with acknowledgement and then push ahead. Now I had plan too. We wont until Santander.

We felt that we are now the lead pack. But too soon enough, our quick flirtation of being the lead pack was blown away their overtaking maneuver. We were surprised not of their speed but in the number of bikers. We thought that all were left behind by us but two did not stopped during the flat, that insane Ernie Loreno, and that more insaner Gerard Francis ( nobody follows Crazy Ernie when he sprints).

My responsibility was to bring my two domestiques as fresh as they started and unleashed them at Argao. I knew that the lead pack was suffering and needed longer time to recover by their constant fast pace.

Though they were fast, we were inly less than 2 kms apart. My two domestiques were aware of that fact. And that kept them alive.

A I promised tI the two, we arrived at Santander for lunch 15 mins before noon. Together with all the lead pack we lunched. Nestor and company joined later.

In less than an hour we started homebound. Then with newly refuelled body, another almost 140 kms to be conquered, we pedaled again.

The climbs at Oslob and Boljoon was punishment enough to our aching body. But soon the pain and agony became an integral part of our being that it became a spiritual thing. We wont stop. We can not be stopped. At least that was our plan. Next stop was Dalaguete. 4pm. we arrived there. Again, no lead pack.We took our dinner. And we took our time, too.

At 5pm we started to pedal towards Argao, towards home and no more stop. We had pedaled 180+ kms for 12 hrs, and what is 66 kms homeward bound? Chicken. But halfway Dalaguete-Argao, with my malfunctioned headlight and Sandy boi had none at all, I had reservation to the scenario.

Bryan Enad and his lead pack was in Argao tired and spent too, called and texted us if we decided to quit. He was worried about Sandy boi, even though he had a motorbike assigned to assist us all the way. He was worried. I was protective to my two minor domestiques. I din't give up. I didn't give in. I just changed my mind.

Two kilometers before Argao, the insane but good samaritan Gerard Francis picked us up.

And happily we rode home, forgetting those left behind for a moment. Anyway, the pain, the agony, the suffering in biking can become a spiritual to one.

Every biker is a happy biker, especially those who suffer.

Long live long ride.

As of this posting, I have no idea about noy Eli's story. But I know it s a better one.