Roadtrips with Stark

Adventures on a 1.0 L hatchback.

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Weekend Drive Club Goes to Pantabangan Dam Location: Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija

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Baler, Aurora with side trip to the Pantabangan Dam, Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija and Ampere Rock Formations, Dipaculao Beach, Aurora

The families that goes on road trips together, stays together. 

First overnight road trip with the Nava family :) Also, first road trip to the eastern tip of Luzon. Yey!

What’s really cool about this trip was that it cost us only PHP 6,165.82. We’re a family of four, and this total expense includes gas, toll, drinks on the way there, accommodations, dinner and breakfast, plus the surfing lessons. This makes it a re-doable road trip after a month or so. :D

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We finally made it up here to Baler, Marc. I didn’t go surfing, because I still can’t swim. The place is beautiful, soothing, serene, undisturbed. 

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Mt. Samat Shrine, Bataan

Trip date: July 30, 2016

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Angat Dam Adventure Angat Dam, Norzagaray, Bulacan with WigoPH, Ford Ecosport PH, Suzuki Jimny Club and the Philippine 4x4 Outdoors Team

Trip date: February 21, 2016

Our biggest road trip yet. Four car clubs in one big crezy road trip to the Angat Dam, the water reservoir catering to most of Metro Manila. 

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Destination Unknown Roadtrip Part 1 Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery, Nagcarlan, Laguna Bumbungan Ecopark, Cavinti

Trip Date: February 17, 2016

Our first destination unknown roadtrip, wherein we didn’t say where we were going. All we told them is the meetup place, time and clues (distances) to each destination. 

The restaurant we ate at was a bust. 

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Montemaria Shrine, Batangas

Trip date: January 11, 2016 GPS: 13.640649, 121.042911

To the far ends of Batangas. 

Snow White and her eight dwarves :P 

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National Arts Center, Los Baños, Laguna with WigoPH

Trip date: October 5, 2015

We were supposed to check out the Magnetic Hill, but, alas, we were so adrenaline pumped that we missed the spot. 

Bummer.

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Agoo, La Union

Trip date: August 23, 2015

A little team outing. First drive with Chopper (silver Honda Mobilio).

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Cape Santiago Lighthouse, Calatagan, Batangas

Trip date: June 1, 2015 GPS: 13.772060, 120.653121

Second lighthouse. I remember having a bout of diarrhea while on this trip, thank heavens there were facilities I was able to use. 

This also required a bit of planning and coordination, as we had to contact the lighthouse’s caretaker before we went there. If we didn’t, we wouldnt’ve been able to ascend the lighthouse up to the top. 

Not included in pics: Side trip to the old Marcos Mansion, which we passed by on the way down from Tagaytay. Exciting hill descent. 

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Malabrigo Lighthouse, Lobo, Batangas

Trip date: May 16, 2015 GPS: 13.598704, 121.262514

First pebble beach. First lighthouse with the Weekend Drive Club. 

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Nagsasa Cove, Zambales

Trip date: May 4, 2015

First time leaving Stark overnight in an enclosed parking area. Oddly, didn’t feel anxiety much, as the place is serene and worth it. 

I guess when you’re in good company, all is good. 

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Vigan, Ilocos Sur Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Trip date: December 2014

Lots of firsts on this trip. First long drive, more than 600 kms one way. First overnight experience with members of the Weekend Drive Club. First time up North. First time with Snow White, the white Ford Ecosport. First big road trip with family and friends. 

Last road trip with Marc and Tux (the black Tucson 2014).

We miss you too much, and no words can ever describe how much longing we feel for you. Everything we’ve done from this point forward, and all the road trips we will make (because there are 82 provinces), we do for ourselves and for you. 

We miss you to bits, dude. 

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Jala-jala, Rizal

Trip date: August 23, 2014

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82 Provinces, One Tiny Car

Here is the list of the 82 provinces. We are currently at 13 out of 82.

Abra

Agusan del Norte

Agusan del Sur

Aklan

Albay

Antique

Apayao

Aurora

Basilan

BATAAN

Batanes

BATANGAS

Benguet

Biliran

Bohol

Bukidnon

BULACAN

Cagayan

Camarines Norte

Camarines Sur

Camiguin

Capiz

Catanduanes

CAVITE

Cebu

Compostela Valley

Cotabato

Davao del Norte

Davao del Sur

Davao Occidental

Davao Oriental

Dinagat Islands

Eastern Samar

Guimaras

Ifugao

ILOCOS NORTE

ILOCOS SUR

Iloilo

Isabela

Kalinga

LA UNION

LAGUNA

Lanao del Norte

Lanao del Sur

Leyte

Maguindanao

Marinduque

Masbate

Misamis Occidental

Misamis Oriental

Mountain Province

Negros Occidental

Negros Oriental

Northern Samar

NUEVA ECIJA

Nueva Vizcaya

Occidental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro

Palawa

Pampanga

PANGASINAN

Quezon

Quirino

RIZAL

Romblon

Samar

Sarangani

Siquijor

Sorsogon

South Cotabato

Southern Leyte

Sultan Kudarat

Sulu

Surigao del Norte

Surigao del Sur

Tarlac

Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBALES

Zamboanga del Norte

Zamboanga del Sur

Zamboanga Sibugay

METRO MANILA

Those that we’ve been to with Stark will appear in CAPITAL LETTERS and hopefully with a link to the post with the details and photos, as if I actually take them photos myself. :) 

Note: I usually don’t, as I am usually the one driving :D  

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Kaybiang Tunnel, Ternate Cavite

Trip date: August 9, 2014 GPS: 14.233954, 120.633316

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The 2014 Epic Tanay Matsuri

Trip date: July 27, 2014

The Epic Tanay Matsuri was a yearly event hosted by a bunch of driving enthusiasts. The goal was to finish the Tanayburgring, a 200 km route circumnavigating the Laguna Bay, passing multiple towns and driving through some of the country’s exciting mountain twisties. When we embarked on this trip, Stark was barely four months old and I, well, I wasn’t as well-informed on the basic driving techniques for conquering twisting roads. Stark is a manual transmission car; there are techniques. 

We got a little confused with the route guide when we got to a specific portion about halfway through. Thanks to GPS, we eventually found our way to the next checkpoint and proceeded to drive the rest of the way, relying on our phones’ GPS connection reliability and the good-old ask-’em-locals-for-directions. We enjoyed the drive so much that we ended up getting to the finish line (not really a finish line as this was not a race to begin with) a good hour ahead of the rest of the pack. 

It was a great driving experience, especially for a newbie driver. It eventually paved and marked the beginnings of our club, The Weekend Drive Club.