Mt. Maculot - Cuenca, Batangas

My most memorable day hike...

At first, I was hesitant to do this climb because my first day hike was not so successful, (http://byahengjologslakwatsera.blogspot.com/2013/01/pico-de-lorothe-famous-mountain-shaped.html) .. And this is the first time that most of my buddies are first timers. Kinakabog ako, when I received a call from my buddy sir Erwin, he told me that four our climb buddies are new to hiking...and we are only three who had experience in mountaineering...also we are all new in this mountain... Kya kailangan ng doble ingat at lakas ng loob...
The only guide I had was the blog I read from Manong Unyol (http://manongunyol.blogspot.com/2012/06/mt-maculot-adventure.html) and Batang Lakwatsero (http://www.ivanlakwatsero.com/2012/01/mt-maculot-rockies-dayhike-with.html)
Thanks to both of them for sharing a comprehensive experience of their climbs...whew!

preparing to hike at
mountaineers jump-off

Start to move...

end of the concrete trail and right was the entrance to the woods
...and the real trek begins here...

left to right - Mam Cecil, Me, Mam Dada, Sir Erwin, Mam Liza,
Mam Weng my tukayo, and Sir Carl...

having fun along the trail

View of Taal Lake

trail to rockies

the rockies

group on top of rockies

sigh of a very successful day hike

This was really a great climb with the great buddies...  This is the price of climbing mountains and reaching the peak or summit... Aside from meeting new friends..every time I climbed, I felt so overwhelmed... Nakakalimutan mo ang buhay sa kapatagan pag nasa tuktok ka ng bundok...walang pumapasok sa isip mo kundi ang pagpapasalamat sa Lumikha dahil nakikita mo ang kagandahan ng buong paligid...
Sometimes, I got too emotional when my two feet touch down on its summit... I always murmur to myself...salamat sa lakas ng pangangatawang ibinigay sa akin...dahil nagagawa ko pa ang mga bagay na gusto ko pang gawin... ito ang tinatawag kong "Personal Freedom"...haaay...kay bait talaga ng Lumikha...kay ganda talaga ng Kalikasan....

Mt. Palay-palay or better known as Pico De Loro (Parrot's Beak)

My first dayhike - also my first failure climb
Pico de Loro 

in Ternate, Cavite City

Hindi ko alam paano ako magsisismula sa pagsusulat ng kwento ko ng karanasan ko sa bundok na ito...Dapat ko pa ba ito isulat or hindi na?

But I came to the point na why not? Pinili ko magkwento ng lahat ng napupuntahan ko bilang pasasalamat sa pagkakataong ibinigay ng Lumikha sa ating Kalikasan...not only me had an experience like this...not only me had a sad story like this...I think every hikers/mountaineer had this similar experience...."failure climb"...
Ganun pala ang pakiramdam...di ka mapakali...gusto mo balikan agad...and sometimes keep on asking yourself...Bakit di ko ginawa?...Bakit di ako tumuloy? But keeping in mind those sad experience won't make you move forward...Kaya I just set aside those sad experiences and life must go on....Ang saya kayang umakyat ng bundok...ang sarap kaya na damahin ang biyayang ganda ng kalikasan...Kaya pipol...eto at ibabahagi ko sa inyo ang ganda ng Pico de Loro (Mt. Palay-palay)....sa abot ng aking karanasan...

Road from DENR office 

Second Registration...from where you can buy souvenirs

Second registration area - from where some mountaineers
hang their tarps

The Pico de Loro view from campsite

View from camp site

sari-sari store in camp site

a unique tree that catched my attention along the trail

Another view in campsite

Again....as I mentioned earlier...a "failure climb" does not mean we have to be disappointed...
This can only be charged into experience...though I did not climed the Monolyth... I can prove to myself that I can still do dayhike eventhough I'm not as young as other hikers...ayun yun oh! hehe
And soon I will go back to this very beautiful mountain and push my unfinished business...
See you soon again...Mt. Palay-palay or better known Pico de Loro...
Guys...who will join me here...taralets...byaheng jologs tayo!!!