Articles in Philippines Bike Trip 2013
Load Na Dito! – Get Your Load Here!
“Load na dito!” The Philippines is powered by cell phones. They can do just about anything with them here, and you can’t turn a corner without seeing a sign saying that you can buy credit for your phone, or, as the Filipinos put it, “Load na dito” – Get your load here! When your phone runs out, you get a message saying that your load …
Meet Ultra-Marathoner Jojo
Meet Jojo. Jojo came down to Legazpi from Manila to compete in the Mayon 360 50-Mile Run ultra-marathon. (That’s 80 kilometers!) It’s called 360 I believe because the route goes entirely around the base of Mayon Volcano. I set off on my bicycle the other day to ride the 80 kilometers around the volcano and I gave up because it was too far. Jojo – …
Water Pump in Legazpi, Philippines
A water pump on a street corner in Legazpi, Philippines. Many homes in Legazpi do not have running water, and it is part of the daily chores to get water from one of the many wells and pumps scattered around the city. There are pumps like this one every few blocks. Some of them are out in the open, like this one, and some are …
Waiting His Turn at Street Pool
A young man in Legazpi, Philippines, waiting his turn to play the local version of pool. The guys playing the game were all tricycle drivers and they were simply passing the time between customers. If a customer showed up that needed a ride on a tricycle, they would quickly abandon the game and go back to work.
Street Pool In Legazpi Philippines
Meet the local street version of pool in Legazpi, Philippines. It’s an ingenious set-up. Instead of balls, this game uses round plastic disks with one larger disk as the “cue ball”. The disks are numbered just like in regular pool. The object of the game is the same, too. You hit the large disk with the pool cue and try to knock the smaller disks …
Cycling the Slopes of the Mayon Volcano
Friday April 5, 2013
7:45 a.m. Mayon Backpackers Hostel, Legazpi, Philippines
Dogs, I’ve come to realize, are common in the Philippines, at least in Legazpi. I know that not because I see them but because I hear them. Occasionally, in response to some unknown signal or danger, one dog in the neighborhood of the hostel will begin to bark and all the other dogs will join in. …
A Completed Tricycle for Sale
This is a completed tricycle with the covering over the sidecar and the motorcycle itself. I don’t have anything like accurate figures, but a couple of people told me that to purchase a full tricycle like this would cost around P75,000 (about $1,900 US). I was also told that a tricycle driver can expect to make about P200 per day (about $5 US). I don’t …
Motorcycle Mechanic
This man was one of the mechanics at this garage. He is working on a very typical local motorbike. I have heard them referred to as “underbones”. I’m sure there is another name for them in the Philippines. They are like a cross between a scooter and a motorcycle. It is like a motorcycle in that there is no helmet compartment under the seat, no …