Mt. Lubog : not bad for a first time hiker.

“Jumping from boulder to boulder and never falling, with a heavy pack, is easier than it sounds; you just can't fall when you get into the rhythm of the dance.”

-Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

I’ve wanted to try hiking for as long as I can remember, I just didn’t know a lot of people back then that does so when I finally had the chance, I immediately signed up.

It was my brother’s girlfriend that invited me to join her group to a hike last saturday. We are going to climb Mt. Lubog in San Rafael Rodriguez,Rizal. We met up at 2am in Cubao , from there we rode a uv express to Rodriguez,Rizal. When we got there we have to ride a habal-habal which is a two hour ride to Brgy. Puray which is the jump off. From the jump off, it’s an hour and half hike before we reached the summit.

While the uv express ride was uneventful, the habal habal ride was like riding a roller coaster, just a little bit rougher and muddy. When we got to the jump off, we started our climb at 6 am, the sun is already up. I was a bit apprehensive as the path were slippery because of the mud. It was a little steep so we have to be extra mindful of where we step to ensure a stable footing and not cut ourselves in the sharp rocks in the process. Our descent proved to be more difficult than the climb, it was a very slippey slope. I had fallen on my butt a couple of times because I’ve lost my footing. I half expected myself to faint mid-climb as I it was my first time and I am not physically prepared, and boy, was I so glad to finish the hike without injuring myself and causing inconvenience to my fellow hikers.

My favorite parts of the experience was the breath-taking views that I have seen. On the way to the jump off, the night sky was illuminated by millions of stars, like a mini milky way. The city lights from the distance only made me feel closer to the stars. And of course, the feeling of completing the hike was eclipsed only by the view from the summit. We can see the stretch of the mountains of Sierra Madre. I am a little bummed out tho that we didnt get to see the clouds covering up the place. We didn’t get to see the sunrise but it was still beautiful.
Savoring the feeling!:)

I would definitely join another expedition, there is always someting revitalizing about being surrounded by nature. It strips away the stress of living in the city, and gives you a serene feeling even if only for a moment.