CONQUERING TARAK RIDGE

June 12-13, 2009 Location: Brgy.Alas-Asin Mariveles, Bataan

The Happy Hikers plus 2 additional members is going to conquer Tarak Ridge in Bataan. After our shift, we headed straight to Five Star Terminal in Cubao. Three hours of sleeping and the conductor drop us in front at the hall of Brgy. Alas-Asin

Our climb started at 11:30AM, we had our lunch at the DENR where we also met Nanay Cording..At 5:00 PM, we are now in the Papaya River..

The group decided to hike straight to the top, so we experience another night trekking. At 8:30 PM, we reach the summit but unluckily, the camp site is full of other campers, almost 60 other campers. So we decided to pitch our tents at the center of the cogon field..which was very advantageous during the time of socials.

Our dinner was so good, non-stop Sinigang na Baboy sa Gata with plenty of vegetables, Papaitang Baka and Adobo.. Lights-out at 2AM.

We started our hike down at 10AM, we are back at Papaya River at 12:30NN, so we had our lunch there and had a splash of the river. At 3PM, we head down reaching the Barangay Hall at 7:00PM..

The bad news is that the last bus from Mariveles is at 6PM which we missed by an hour. The last bus at Balanga is at 8:30PM, which we did not see at the terminal. Our route was to ride a jeepney going to Layak (junction) and wait for buses coming from Subic and Zambales.

Thanks to Bro and the bus came after a couple of minutes we stepped down from the jeepney. A fast dinner at the stop-over. The puto was great. At 11:30PM, we are now in Cubao. For the Happy Hikers, see you in the next climb..