Conquering The Laguna Loop

Last January 16, 2015, a Friday, was a holiday on account of the Pope’s visit, so I decided to take a little trip.

• I left 8am and came back exactly 330pm.
• I had two pit stops, both at 7-11s because I wanted to rehydrate with Pocari Sweat. I couldn’t find my balaclava, so when I wiped my mouth after eating it was dark with street soot. Disgusting.
• Traffic was bad up to the Los Banos area, after which it was clear sailing all the way. I didn’t encounter traffic again until I got to Ortigas Cainta.
• I tried to avoid going faster than 60kph. I didn’t want to strain it too much, mainly because if it broke it would be really hard to get back. Despite that I still think I managed 70kph in certain stretches.
• A highlight of the trip was the Lumban area above, where the Caliraya Dam is located. The area where those letters were being placed is elevated showing off a fantastic view of the West side of Laguna lake.
• Other highlights were the Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan area up to Tanay and Morong and up Antipolo. These are especially beautiful places worth exploring and I am totally excited to bring the wife and kid all up there to do just that.
• I actually made a wrong turn somewhere in the Morong area (I think), where I should have turned a left to Taytay Rizal instead of going up Antipolo. This must have lengthened my trip apart from the fact that it took me a lot longer going up twisty and steep zigzag roads.
• Afterwards I ached badly and steadily. My back was sore in all sorts of places and I was even using a hot siopao from 7-11 to alleviate pain from my ass. I think this was because I over inflated the rear tire to 30 (it should be 25). The front wheel was the proper pressure at 24, so I didn’t feel any strain on my arms and hands like I used to before when I would over inflate it also to 30.

All of this of course, is in preparation for THE BIG TRIP.

I’m not even sure I want to do it on Leslie. I am thinking of doing it on another bike I am planning to buy, but since funds are thin at the moment I will have to temporarily set this plan aside (but not forever).

Finally I want to note Leslie is a genius little bike. It never choked, never faltered, never showed any weakness. It is slow as heck for sure but who cares. It is reliable and steady as a rock, even if I was on full throttle on several areas going up Antipolo. After the trip I stood looking at it and I could swear it was asking me ‘Is that it? Is that all you got?’ It truly is deserving of the title The Greatest Ever Motorcycle.

I was thinking maybe of letting it go to finance the next project bike, but after this trip it is going to be ten times harder to do so.