ATV sports-adventure season starts in Subic

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Some 60 outdoor riders from all over Luzon opened up a new trail here for enthusiasts of Motocross and all-terrain and ultra-terrain vehicles (ATV-UTV), establishing yet another frontier for the extreme kind of sports-adventure in this free port.

The new trail comprises more or less 30 kilometers of rugged paths that crisscross the forests of the Subic Bay Freeport, the hilly grasslands of Bataan, and the sloping terrain of remote areas of Olongapo City.

The Motocross and ATV enthusiasts, who joined the inaugural ride on Saturday, described the trail as a “hardcore course” even among professional outdoor riders.

The opening of the new trail was dubbed the First Networx Subic Mega Trail, and was graced by Filipino car- and Motocross-racing icon Joey Almeda.

Lawyer Ferdinand Hernandez, former senior deputy administrator for operations of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and avid outdoor motorbike enthusiast, also joined the event.

Dong Arguelles, organizer of the event, said the participants came from different places, including Subic, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga.

The event kicked off with a “prologue ride” at Subic’s Boardwalk area and proceeded to the Pamulaklakin Forest Park.

From there, the rugged drive started, forcing riders to negotiate the rough roads passing through the Pastolan Aeta community in Hermosa, Bataan, then the hilly farming areas of Mabiga in Morong town.

The riders later entered the grasslands at the Bangal part of Dinalupihan, Bataan, where most of the farms in the SBMA’s “social fencing” project are located.

At the end, the riders exited at New Cabalan, which is a part of Olongapo City. The journey, which took almost a day, also traversed several knee-deep rivers and narrow foot trails just enough for an ATV to pass through.

Arguelles said this was the first time that riders experienced such an extreme course in the Subic Freeport. “It’s not a race, but the challenge would really get your adrenaline pumping,” he said. “I hope we can do this regularly.” (30)