Story:
This route is a good 35+km circuit. It's ok for beginners and will also interest advance riders. It has manageable climbs (but with short steep grades) and exhilirating long downhill cruise. The local government was gracious enough to accomodate us and even guided us by motorcycle escort. This is the route that will be used for this year's (2010) Calaca MTB Race (with an additional 20+km smaller loop to complete a 50+km race course). This passes through major portions of the 2009 route (but in reverse). Though Calaca is far from Manila, it's a good trip to try this route out.
More Pictures at: (courtesy of Mark Santos) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristan_santos/sets/72157624803173823/)
This route is a good 35+km circuit. It's ok for beginners and will also interest advance riders. It has manageable climbs (but with short steep grades) and exhilirating long downhill cruise. The local government was gracious enough to accomodate us and even guided us by motorcycle escort. This is the route that will be used for this year's (2010) Calaca MTB Race (with an additional 20+km smaller loop to complete a 50+km race course). This passes through major portions of the 2009 route (but in reverse). Though Calaca is far from Manila, it's a good trip to try this route out.
More Pictures at: (courtesy of Mark Santos) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristan_santos/sets/72157624803173823/)
You may also contact Calaca LGU through their official website.
Tips:
Based on our ride, we all agreed that it is better to do it in reverse. The climb is shorter at 9km and the downhill is longer at 20+km. Also the downhill route we did was mostly in cemented road while the climb was mostly on off road tracks so doing the reverse will be better- climb the shorter cemented portion and descend in the longer off road. So if you will be asking for guides or for directions, just mention this option. Also if you will look at our route on the map, there is a small loop in top of the circuit. That is the most challenging part of the trip, with the most steepest portions so for beginners, you may want to stay away from that loop. That loop has an access to another route going down to the hi-way (route from 2009).
We have also thought of another way to do this ride. Rather than going to Calaca town proper, you can go to the top portion from an access road near Canyon Woods. Then you can descend and climb this same route but with a different starting point. So the exit is near Tagaytay, making travel time faster. But suggest to do it if you are already familiar with the route.
Another plan we had was to do the Payapa Ciruit and include this off road circuit for a total of 140km+ riding time. This is something an advance rider can consider (we skipped it as we have newbies with our group). You can refer to my other Trip here in Everytrail entitled Tagytay-Payapa Route.
Based on our ride, we all agreed that it is better to do it in reverse. The climb is shorter at 9km and the downhill is longer at 20+km. Also the downhill route we did was mostly in cemented road while the climb was mostly on off road tracks so doing the reverse will be better- climb the shorter cemented portion and descend in the longer off road. So if you will be asking for guides or for directions, just mention this option. Also if you will look at our route on the map, there is a small loop in top of the circuit. That is the most challenging part of the trip, with the most steepest portions so for beginners, you may want to stay away from that loop. That loop has an access to another route going down to the hi-way (route from 2009).
We have also thought of another way to do this ride. Rather than going to Calaca town proper, you can go to the top portion from an access road near Canyon Woods. Then you can descend and climb this same route but with a different starting point. So the exit is near Tagaytay, making travel time faster. But suggest to do it if you are already familiar with the route.
Another plan we had was to do the Payapa Ciruit and include this off road circuit for a total of 140km+ riding time. This is something an advance rider can consider (we skipped it as we have newbies with our group). You can refer to my other Trip here in Everytrail entitled Tagytay-Payapa Route.
Tags:
Calaca, Batangas, Mountain Bike Road Bike Payapa
Calaca, Batangas, Mountain Bike Road Bike Payapa
Comments (2)
good day kindly help me again for the Ala-eh Mountain bike extreme challenge (all Category)to be held on December. thanks im robert castro of Calaca, Batangas.
by robertcastro on Jul 08, 2011
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