Philippines: Baler Bay, Ifugao, Moutain Provice

**mikehohman** · 13th March 2011, 07:22 PM

Last November my friend Tyler and I spent a few days riding out to Baler Bay and then up to Banaue and Bontoc thru Ifugao and Mountain Province. We met a lot of rain and fog, but still managed to have a blast! What a wonderful place to ride, i would go back in a heartbeat.

Anyway, i finally got around to make a video. They shot the Helicopter Attack scene in Apocalyspe Now in Baler Bay, so the vid has an Apocalyspse Now theme. It's a little boring i guess, doesn't do the trip justice. Some of the best parts were in the pitch dark, high in the mountains, with a cold driving rain and fog so dense I had to follow the side of the road just to go forward.

Hope you like the video, and some photos follow after. Enjoy,

Mike

Ifugao by Mike Hohman, on Flickr

Road out of Baler by Mike Hohman, on Flickr

The Pier by Mike Hohman, on Flickr

Cementos by Mike Hohman, on Flickr

The Bridge by Mike Hohman, on Flickr

Fields of Aurora by Mike Hohman, on Flickr

**Captain_Slash** · 13th March 2011, 07:48 PM

Nice pictures there Mike

**costaguapo** · 15th March 2011, 11:18 AM

Wish I could have gone with you

**SilverhawkUSA** · 15th March 2011, 12:38 PM

Well done. The music really fits well with the overcast and gloomy skies. Also good clarity. I love the water bottle. I have not been to the Philippines. Many of the roads look similar to northern Thailand and Laos. Your photos are also quite stunning. Excellent.

**LivinLOS** · 16th March 2011, 09:39 AM

WOW.. I can see your handy with that GF1 !!

Nice work.

**mikehohman** · 16th March 2011, 05:29 PM

Thanks fellas, appreciate the compliments. The GF1 is a sweet camera. All those shots (except the last 1) are shot with the 7-14mm wide angle lens, and that thing is crazy good, i love it!

Riding in Northern Philippines is excellent!! The terrain is stunning and i think there is plenty of opportunity for adventure. I really want to go back, I highly recommend it!. And Baler is really nice too, i could spend a week at the beach there (if the food was better... wink wink)...

Mike

**feejer** · 29th April 2011, 11:21 AM

Yes, amazing shots there. That BIBAK area has been high on the next "to do" list. My wife is from Bauang so we plan to stay with her kin as home base to explore the region in Nov/early Dec before the Xmas road madness. In 2006, we only got to Baguio after getting stuck behind a few jeepney and getting a migraine from being gassed from the diesel fumes for an hour. Going to be sure to have a properly powered bike next time. Nice of him to allow it, but borrowing cousin Francisco's beater was OK for around town but a joke on the slopes.

**Tom Forde** · 30th April 2011, 05:14 PM

Great photos Mike,
I spent a number holidays in that area up to 2003, mostly surfing trips from ("BelAir") on the East coast and San Juan on the West and through the mountains to Baguio.
We nick named Baler, BelAir as this was the pub in Aust were we all held out as teenagers.
I think it is getting close for me to revisit this beautiful part of the world, this time on a bike.
Thanks for the memories.
Tom