Mitch's Philippine Loop Adventure Tour ✝️🚴🇵🇭
Bicycle Riding Day 3️⃣0️⃣
February 24, 2024
From: Surigao City
Destination: Butuan City
Distance traveled today: 126.19kms
Total KM Traveled: 3,162.09
Route:
Surigao, Mindanao following National Highway past Sison, Tubod, Alegria, Kitcharao, Jabonga, Cabadbaran, Lake Mainit, and right to Butuan 🚴♂️🇵🇭
Notes:
Aside from a few climbs, I was surprised, and happy how flat it was today. I am enjoying now the flats because Bukidnon will be judgment week with unli-mountains! ⛰️🗻🏔️
I had three flat tires today. Thank you Mindanao! 😂🤣
I met some educators today, people watching me change my tires, some bikers on their uphill, and over seven greetings from motorbikers.
One jeep driver asked me, "Where you going?"
I said, °Gen San and Manila."
He shocked, replied back, "You sure?"
I answered, "Of course."
Most people cannot imagine the massive distance of the Loop. They have not driven it and not even flew it. I'm BICYCLING it!🥇🏆🤣😂 🚴♂️🇵🇭✅
P.S. It should take me three days to get to Davao. Getting joined by another friend to Gen San 🚴🔥🇵🇭
End of Day 3️⃣0️⃣
Mitch's Philippine Loop Adventure Tour ✝️🚴🇵🇭
Bicycle Riding Day 3️⃣1️⃣
February 25, 2024
From: Butuan City
Destination: San Francisco, Agusan del Sur
Distance traveled today: 95.26kms
Total KM Traveled: 3,257.35
Route:
Butuan south through Bayugan City, Prosperidad, to San Francisco, Agusan del Sur 🚴♂️🇵🇭
Notes:
I call today my lazy day pace. I took many, long breaks. I stopped at fruit stand for three cups of fruit salad. Excellent! I stopped for haircut. I stopped in Prosperidad to overhaul, clean, and re-grease my bottom bracket.
Many ascents and descents in route today. I had my 4th flat tire in two days. Changed my outer tire to my "Made in Germany" emergency tire. No more problem. I need to buy replacement.
Met group of Butuan bikers early, lots of sticker giveaways today, to basketball team, kids, others. Lots of greetings, people shouting out their car window. People asking "Where from?" " Where going?" Hard to explain to them over 3,200kms already🤣😂 🚴♂️🔥🇵🇭✅
P.S. It should take me two more days to get to Davao. Getting joined by another biker friend going to Gen San 🚴🔥🇵🇭
End of Day 3️⃣1️⃣
Mitch's Philippine Loop Adventure Tour ✝️🚴🇵🇭
Bicycle Riding Day 3️⃣2️⃣
February 26, 2024
From: San Francisco, Agusan del Sur
Destination: Nabunturan, Davao de Oro.
Distance traveled today: 131.38kms
Total KM Traveled: 3,388.73
Route:
San Francisco, Agusan del Sur through Rosario, Bunawan, Monkayo, Montevista, stopping in Nabunturan🚴♂️🇵🇭
Notes:
So far, I feel like a celebrity down here in Mindanao. There is a much higher interest, curiousity, thumbs up, smiles, greetings, interest, than anywhere else. People staring, like they never seen white guy on bicycle before. More people wanting selfies, etc. Very different from Visayas and Luzon. Hummm?? 🤔
It showered (light rain) most the day. Got wet, chilly, back to warm, back to dry. Strange change of weather. Long rolling mountain hills. The iced coffee at 7/11 is great!
One Barangay of Rosario called: Wasi-an, it seemed like everyone in a good mood! It was very different from others.
I decided to stop in Nabunturan before dark. 🤣😂 🚴♂️🔥🇵🇭
P.S. It should take me one more day to get to Davao, then direct to Gen San. 🚴🔥🇵🇭
End of Day 3️⃣2️⃣
Mitch's Philippine Loop Adventure Tour ✝️🚴🇵🇭
Bicycle Riding Day 3️⃣3️⃣
February 27, 2024
From: Nabunturan.
Destination: Davao City.
Distance traveled today: 101.99kms
Total KM Traveled: 3,490.72
Route:
Nabunturan, Mawab, Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Davao City 🚴♂️🇵🇭
Notes:
It rained all night. I was concerned it would rain all day too. It did not. Only drizzled. I had some climbing before Tagum. After Tagum, straight and fairly flat. I had an excellent breakfast at Bibingka Citi. They even found a big, American sized cup for me.
I washed my bike at car wash, gave away over four Bibles today. I got another flat tire on the border of Tagum. The exact moment I met three other motor Loopers from Pangasinan.
Found excellent vulcanizer to patch three of my old tubes.
When arriving in Davao, I bought two new tires, and ordered some more GoPro batteries.
Ate pizza for my recovery meal and changed my tires in my motel room.
Someday I will total all my flat tires in past 33 days (The total was 20 flat tires in 49 days). Amazing! 🤣😂✝️🚴♂️🇵🇭
P.S. My next two required checkpoints are General Santos and Dapitan Port. 🚴🔥🇵🇭
End of Day 3️⃣3️⃣
Mitch's Philippine Loop Adventure Tour ✝️🚴🇵🇭
Bicycle Riding Day 3️⃣4️⃣
February 28, 2024
From: Davao City
Destination: General Santos
Distance traveled today: 158.04kms
Total KM Traveled: 3,648.76
Route:
Davao through Digos and Malungon to General Santos 🚴♂️🇵🇭
Notes:
This is where a friend from South Africa joined me for 1/2 of the day. We stopped at many of his favorite spots and met many bikers along the way. After he turned off to return, I still had a big day ahead of me.
The following day, I needed to get some spokes repair and bottom bracket repaired before leaving town. I did not leave until after 1pm back to Digos to go through Bukidnon.
✝️🚴♂️🇵🇭
P.S. Next, is the grueling Bukidnon. I am expecting this to be my hardest week. 🚴🔥🇵🇭
End of Day 3️⃣4️⃣
Mitch's Philippine Loop Adventure Tour ✝️🚴🇵🇭
Bicycle Riding Day 3️⃣5️⃣
February 29, 2024
From: General Santos
Destination: Digos
Distance traveled today: 107.13kms
Total KM Traveled: 3,755.89
Route:
General Santos over mountains to Digos ⛰️🏔️🚴♂️🇵🇭
Notes:
I had a super late start today because of a bicycle shop visit. Replace my bottom bracket bearings and tightened a bunch of my spokes. I didn't get out of town until almost 1:00 p.m.
I was very tempted to stay in General Santos one more day, but don't want to get behind. I'm surprised how far i actually went. The mountains are easier going to Digos than they are the other direction.
I had a little bit of rain. I met almost six bikers gave way a lot of stickers as usual.
I pulled into a place to stay at almost 11:00 p.m. not my habit, but i feel good about my progress today. Had a big flat tire again today in the dark. Those little wires are the culprit often. They mostly come from the shredded blowouts of the tires of the truckers. ✝️🚴♂️🇵🇭
P.S. 15 days to Finish Line. Can I make it? 🏁 🚴🔥🇵🇭
End of Day 3️⃣5️⃣