Thanks to my teammate Kira and friend Jayjay, we set off on a day trip to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan, which is the jump-off point for Bi3. We left Manila at 4:30am and took the NLEX and SCTEX to Dinalupihan Exit then drove for a bit more. We arrived around 7:30am and paid for an 8-hour room so we had somewhere to shower after our ride.
We set off around 8am with another group who serendipitously were also there to scout the bike course.
There are two distances for the race (Largo and Rapido), but since my two companions were doing Rapido and had never been on the bike course before, I decided to stick with them.
I already know these hills from five recon rides here last year for Challenge Philippines anyway. 🙂
The Rapido course passes from Bagac into Morong and takes a U-turn at the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
at the Bagac-Morong boundary arch
Kira’s first time to ride to the power plant!
It was a nice leisurely 30+ kilometers and then we were back at Las Casas for a quick shower, lunch, and peek around the resort.
Las Casas used to be a private collection of reconstructed and relocated antique houses. Now it’s a thriving hotel, resort, and tourist destination.
I definitely can’t wait to go back there in a few weeks’ time and run through those streets. 🙂