XTerra Adventure

After our epic 7 1/2-hour CowTown hike to find out just how badly the 1.7 mile trail had been damaged during the super typhoon Soudelor, we decide to do the same for the 1-mile XTerra trail. 

We arrange to have one car at the top of the trail, and two cars at the KingFisher entrance where we will start from the bottom of the trail, so that either way, whether we have to turn around or if we are able to push through, we will have transportation available.

At 6:15 a.m. on Sunday, five of us meet at the KingFisher Golf course entrance: Thor, Sparky, Chops, Ewok, and CC. We move the cars a little closer to the Camacho farm. Our backup plan, in case we fail to push through, is to turn back to the farm and go down to Hidden Beach. 

Last minute checking to make sure all is in good order. Thor has a new CamelBak, Sparky helps to figure out what that little yellow gadget is. Chops has a brand new CamelBak as well, and is anxious to see if it works out better than her previous hydration system.

Thor is delighted to find out that the little yellow gadget is a whistle! It should be a required item for all hikers...

The trail is still clearly visible, even though the ground covering plants have overgrown, and some broken limbs (visible on the right) have been cleared off. We wonder if someone has actually done the same for the entire trail??

Soon enough the question is answered by fallen tree branches and mass invasion of all sorts of bushes and unfamiliar plants. Here Chops, Thor, and Ewok go different ways to get through the tangled mess.

Trees have crashed across the trail even as they have begun to grow new leaves.

A temporary opening of the trail with leafless tangantangan on both sides. We are happy to be able to see the houses on top of the ridge, near where we hope to emerge.

Back to "running" the obstacle course, Ewok over and Thor under, trying to get past this tree.

Chops and Ewok finding an easier way to go around this jumbles of branches.

A comforting sign that we are still on the right trail.

Thor and Ewok pushing through the mess of branches. We are quite surprised that there are masses of mimosa along the trail, a phenomenon not usually exist so much on this trail. Fortunately we are all wearing long pants and wearing gloves to protect ourselves.  

Although many of the fallen trees remain alive and start to grow leaves, these ironwood trees look quite dead.

Chops scrambles over this pile of debris.

Chops and Thor successfully make it over this bundle of half dead trees.

Sparky, Thor, and Chops get down on their hands and knees to crawl under this canopy of fallen trees. By now, we have been climbing over and crawling under numerous times, and our legs are starting to feel rebellious.

A well-earned rest.

Ewok strips his long and heavy shirt. We are relieved to find out that he does have a skin-colored undershirt, and a couple of snazzy suspenders! It is, by now, getting quite hot and humid.

Hiding under the trees, taking another well-deserved rest.

This is the most difficult portion of the trail, as we near the final straight-a-way. We find this rather large area of mangled and chaotic debris. What makes this more difficult is because we are near a steep drop on one side of the trail, and hillside on the other, so we have to navigate carefully. We split three ways to scout out the right way, and Sparky succeeds in locating the ribbon and the trail. We are relieved.

Even though we are among lots of dead woods, obstacles, and mimosas, we are still delighted to find beautiful flowers and wondrous fungus. 

At our final assault of the trail, Rexplorer comes down to give us direction to climb up Chloe's Park, thus avoiding another big group of fallen branches toward the end of the trail. Here Ewok makes it back to the starting point.

Cold water, hot coffee, and snacks revive everyone (almost). Thor is down for the count. And who is that mystery towel-man sitting behind Chops???

3.5 hours to conquer the short one-mile trail is a testament of the efforts we have exerted. Ewok, Chops, CC, Thor, and Sparky are rather proud to have made it all the way up hill safely. Sukha wonders why he gets left out on this fun hike!

Hill Above Tanapag

With almost all the trails inaccessible, we decide to take a quick hike, near home base, to see what Tanapag looks like. Giggles and Peppy join us at 6:15 a.m. and we drive to park our car at Thor and Sparky's driveway. From there we walk to Sariguan Road and head west. 

Minor obstacles easily overcome by Giggles and Peppy.  

A quick stop to take in the view of the coast line and village below, by Rexplorer and pal Sukha.

Soon we head down into the savanna grassland. Giggles and Peppy carefully negotiate the sometimes slippery slope.

The first abandoned structure. Part of the cement blocks have been blown off by the typhoon.

A quick stop to identify some of the buildings in the village. 

Orange fungus.

A pile of rebars left behind, rusting and overtaken by weeds and grass.

A rough outline of a house staked out by rebars, an unfinished dream. This area has an old coral road and leveled land that seems to await homes to be built. The view is fantastic. 

View of Tanapag, the sea port, and brilliant blue waters.

Above is the rolling hill, below is deep valley and a stream that gurgles with recent rain.

After some consideration, we decide not to venture down into the valley and the stream. Sukha and Rexplorer are relieved...

From here we stop to have our snacks, then head back to our car.

By now, it is already getting pretty hot. Sukha refuses to move another inch.

We make it back home and agree that it is a good little jaunt on the prairie. Sukha once again refuses to budge for the picture taking. He is hiding in the Mexicon Heather ground cover to the left of Rexplorer.