Walking beside a sweeper

“I am a novice mountaineer.  I may be the slowest, but indeed, I got the best learnings from my climbs when I walked beside a sweeper.”

Looking back, I never thought that I’m already a mountaineer, and that I’m a bonafide member of SMB (Yipee!!). But all these became possible because of the people behind this group, people who’ll never left you, who will push you to your limits, and bringing out the strength within you. Honestly, I was hesitant to join my first climb because I never been to people whom I really don’t know. Ano bang mawawala? Since my friend was pushing me to join to my ever first climb at Mt. Natib, I thought that maybe these are good people, my good friend would not join this group, if they are not. Since I joined SMB last Sept. 2011, I already climbed 5 mountains (3 major, 2 minor). 

at Mt. Natib

at Mt. Mariveles/Tarak ridge

at Mt. Batulao

at Mt. Pulag

at Mt. Maculot

but still I could say that I’m not a very good climber. I got tired easily, I walked too slow, I hate walking on a slippery muds, I almost give up in the middle of the trail, I’m afraid to be injured, such complaints to myself, blah, blah… 


but I still climb, I want to reach the summit. I learned that every mountain has its own characteristics, so every mountain I climbed is a new experience. That muds, rocks, peaks are part of the trail, and I’m beginning to get used to them (as I encounter them going to Mt. batulao, and lake Yambo).

It makes the trail become more challenging. It tests every climber to proceed and look forward to more climbs, for more challenging and difficult trails, and for more higher peaks. Every climbed I had led me to a euphoric state. It inspires and energizes me in my everyday routine. But let me remind you, this is not about me, this not about my recent climb.


This is about one of the persons who I met to reach the summit, and make it possible. He became my tent buddy, my confidante, and my sweeper.

As I always say, “In life, there are people you will meet along the way, but they will never stay with you always. They will come and go. They come and cross your way to lead you to the right track, to teach you some important lessons in life, or sometimes teaches you to walk alone and not to depend on them.“

He’s a sweeper. For the longest time I had my climbs with him, I noticed that he usually doesn’t want to be the pacer, because he doesn’t want to be walking with someone else on his back. It gave him a lot of pressure. So, he's always at my back, watching every step I make.

I am at comfort when I climbed with him, because I know when I am almost at a point of giving up, I know that he will be the last person who will push and cheer me up. I learned that the goal in climbing every mountain is not just reaching the summit, but also appreciating the scenery, the trees, the flowers, the tiny creatures, the fresh air, the rainshowers, the faunas, and a lot of things along the journey which are most of the time are left unnoticed. That’s what I appreciate when you’re at the last line, when you’re beside a sweeper (of course, it’s a no, no, not to be behind the sweeper). You can see clearly the long trail that you have gone through when looking back.

He’s not only a sweeper, he’s also a trekking pole. Not because he’s thin, but he’s strong, and patient. He’ll assist you and offer his helping hand when you need something to hold on to (pero siyempre bawal ang magpabuhat, di na libre yon! Hehe). The goal of every sweeper is not just to push everyone to reach the summit. But he also builds your strength so that on your future climbs, you learned to stand and walk on your own without his supervision.  Because not all the time, he’ll be there to walk beside you.

"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure." - Sirach 6:14.

He’s a sturdy shelter. We share the same humor, I guess, or shouId I say, his humor and laugh are really contagious. I never had my own tent, since a member of the group would provide and share his tent with me, I was relieved that I would have a free lodging and accommodation for the overnight climb (Sana sir lagi kang kasama sa climb, para may tutulugan ako, wehehe). One time, I honestly told him, “Sir alam mo nung una kitang nakita akala ko lesbian ka, me nakapagsabi na ba sayo nun?” Actually, he was not surprised when I told him about that. He said, “Marami ng nakapagsabi niyan.” I answered, “Ah ganun ba, so aware ka naman pala.”  

He’s a trail sign. He’ll direct and guide you up to the summit. 

Doing the ninja moves...

 But i think it's time for me to walk alone, not because i don't need him anymore, but because  I'm  a grown up mountaineer now. And mostly, my climbs will be never be the same without him.

" I’m surrounded with people who care and love me so much, though they come and go, the lessons they taught are always within me. " - From My pilgrimage through zero visibility


Because life is a big adventure, it will take us to a long journey. Each may travel a different path, but all of us will reach the same goal. As like climbing mountains doesn’t end when you reach the peak, but face the harder part, which is going down. 

Urban hike 101: A day of nothing to do

I was thinking of what to do on the following long weekend. Thank God I’m off; it was such a blessing to have a one day off because of the Chinese new year. Thank God, that our president is a Chinese that it became a non-working holiday, hehe ;) I already had a chat with arisse a few days before the coming Sunday. I would be from duty that time, and I was thinking to have at least a social life once a week. We decided to have a long walk at intramuros. I couldn’t remember where that place was because I had been there if I could remember it right, was when I had a field trip in elementary. Whew! I met arisse at SM manila. She had a new haircut, curly no more... been thinking also to have a new one. Maybe next month, and i'm sure of it. We rode a jeepney with a PIER signboard, though we didn't know where we would go down after. We walked a bit and found the manila cathedral. It was a huge church, the last time i went there was when I attended a wedding in highschool. She was my neighbor, happily married with his husband for about 10 years, presently with three kids. We went inside and prayed for a few minutes... I'm not a religious person, maybe i'm more of spiritual. I'm not lucky but I believe that what i have today is because of blessings. What we pray will be given but if is not given, it is because we will be given more than what we pray for. I remember my mom that day, like me she's not also religious, but she likes going to churches in different places. 

We took some pictures in front of it, and proceeded our walk.  It felt like i was placed on a time machine where i went back to the year 1800's, seen the preserved buildings and even the guardia sibils. It was past lunch time, when we decided to eat at chowking, back to the year 21st century. We talked a lot of things, crushes, the future, people, common friends, being impatient of you know that already... and some more. And after we ate our lunch, we went to St. Agustine church, and we witnessed two weddings. I was amazed that arisse haven't been witnessed a wedding yet, me, i have been to countless weddings already, and all i can say was I've always been a bridesmaid. But I haven't been experienced to witness a wedding to a person whom i never knew. So we went inside the church, the first wedding had a purple and apple green motif. The bride looks like a chinese, with roses fixed on her hair, while the groom looks like an arab. The two were left at the front of the altar still happily taking their moments and pictures while their guests were already outside. The second wedding had a black, white and gray motif, though uncommon, everyone looked elegant in each of their dresses. The participants started to have their own  walk when at the end, the huge door of the church opened, where the bride was seen standing and started to have her a walk to remember. The entrance was very dramatic, everyone's eyes were on the bride, and everyone was taking some pictures, including me. 

Our next stop was a reception hall beside the church, he he. We just went inside not knowing if it was allowed or not. Then at the top of it, looking downwards, we saw a non-catholic wedding leaded by a pastor. Well, since we're not allowed to go down, i took some pictures from above (yup, it became my background), and also with the guardia sibils. Our long walk did not end at the intramuros, we further went to walk further until we reached the front of The phil. red cross, manila then, at the PLM. I remembered that there's a huge garden of orchids near the Luneta park, the orchidarium. I remembered the last time when I went there was, when I was taking my botany class in my pre-med years. We were required to go there to see the different species of orchids existing. And during that time, I was really mesmerized with that garden. It was like a paradise, with orchids of different colors, and kinds, name it!!! with fountains and falls. I told and described it vividly to arisse, where both of us became excited about going there. So I invited her to go there, we crossed the street, and walked around, and asked some people where to find that big gate. But when i found the place, I was surprised that the gate was opened, and we went inside not knowing if it is allowed or not. It was gloomy, the vines were already dry, and there were no orchids to be found, that the place was already closed for almost a year due to some renovations.

but we continued walking along the Luneta park, i never thought that there were a lot of people just like me, nothing to do that day that they just roamed around. Some placed their own blankets and slept, children were playing, some martial arts buffs were having their practice, some are dancing, and anything else. I thought, for me, I was spending time for myself. Yes... have you ever too done it to yourself? After a whole week of working for other people, taking care of them, giving your time, then you also need to have it some for yourself. A time to reflect, a time to reminisce, that everyday is always a day of learning new things which could also be done by just having a stop, look, and observe the things happening around you.  It was already 5pm, it was another day had passed.

" I should be doing this more often!"