VW Beetle - number 73

Note:This will be simultaneously posted to all three of my blogs-
sorryalltheclevernamesaretaken
dumaguetewebsite
robertsimms

Anyone who has followed me for any length of time is aware of my occasional posting of photos of Volkswagen Beetles that I might happen upon while roaming about Dumaguete and Sibulan. This will be the 70th VW post published onto the first blog. Those 70 posts have featured 73 different Beetles - not including the VWs featured in a blog post on VWs in Davao.

As has been my routine for over a year, I went out early this morning on my bicycle. I don't always take the same route; I'm likely to go anywhere within a five or six mile radius of my home. Today, I took a slight detour toward the Negros Oriental Convention Center not far from the Main Campus of Negros Oriental State University.

As I passed an office of the Highway Patrol, I spotted the VW Beetle I'm featuring here.

Bicycle Ride to the Valencia Monkey Sanctuary.

 

Being retired, I try to keep busy by pursuing a few hobbies, one of which is bicycle riding, and another is photography. I combine the two in order to pursue a third hobby - posting photographs to Google Maps.

Not so long ago, I began riding along the upper portions of Rovira Drive. That area is heading toward the bundok (mountain) and is quite an invigorating sprint. I'd frequently ridden up the road to a friend's house - about 4 kilometers from my home. Looking at Google Maps, I set my sights on the Palinpinon Barangay Hall.

From looking at the map, I learned that not too far from the Palinpinon Barangay Hall is the Buayahan Bridge. On the morning that I road to the Barangay Hall, I considered going on to the bridge, but frankly, the climb had worn me out and didn't believe I could continue on.

A few days after that ride, I learned that the Valencia Monkey Sanctuary is located at the bridge and I decided to condition myself to make the ride.

According to Google Maps, the bridge (and monkey sanctuary) is 8 kilometers from my place - making the round trip 16 kilometers - or 10 miles. As far as distance goes,10 miles is within my range. However, also according to Google Maps, my location is 21 meters above sea level and the bridge/sanctuary is a whopping 166 meters above sea level. That's a pretty good climb for an old fart like myself.

The first part of the week, I did a couple of 10 mile rides along the Diversion Road to prepare myself. I took off at 6:00 AM this morning, determined to make the ride. From my previous ride to the Brgy. Hall, I knew I'd be taking mini rest stops once I entered the bundok.

Thankfully, I made it.

I had hoped that there would be monkeys feeding near the bridge when I arrived, but I wasn't really expecting them there, however. I had been told that the monkeys only get close to the bridge when hungry. The odds of my arriving at feeding time were slim. I didn't mind. I was able to post photos of the bridge and the sanctuary sign onto Google Maps, and the ride itself was an accomplishment.

As I wrote above, Google Maps says the destination was 16 kilometers (10 miles) but according to the odometer on my bicycle, the trip was 15.29 km (9.5 miles). Either way, the ride was a personal best for me, considering the uphill climb. Besides, it was all downhill on the trip home.

 

City Pound Bridge

A friend recently told me of a road located near his new house. Prior to his moving into his house, he had never been down said road. He also told me of a bridge on the road that crosses the Banica River.

One end of this road starts at the intersection of Rovira Drive and the Dumaguete-Palinpinon Road. The other end connects to the Dumaguete-Balugo Road. As far as I know, the road could, technically, be the upper part of the Dumaguete-Balugo Road. Be that as it may, I road my bicycle out to the bridge and took several photographs.

As can be seen from the photos, the bridge is named "City Pound Bridge". I discovered that the bridge had not be named on Google Maps. I've remedied that by adding it myself. Below are some of the photos I've uploaded to Google Maps, along with it's location on the map.Although the location has now been published, it may take a few days for the edit to show up for the general public.

 

Multifit Gym

While out on my early morning bicycle ride, I stopped at Multifit Gym to see what sort of equipment they have. The gym is located on Real Street between E.J. Blanco Dr. and the Shell gasoline station at Felomino Cimafranca Street.

The gym is well equipped with free weights and exercise machines as well as treadmills and stationary bikes for cardio workouts. Perhaps, the only negative I can mention is the claustrophobic feeling I experienced.....lots of equipment.....too little open space.

According to one review I read on Google Maps, the gym is currently without showers. I can honestly say that I didn't check to see if there are showers available; I just assumed there would be.

The gym consists of three floors - 2 floors of exercise machines, and the top floor (actually the roof) is for an eatery. The young man giving me the tour bragged on the protein shake.

While looking over the equipment, I naturally took a few photos to upload to Google Maps. Those photos are posted below, along with a map showing the location of the gym.

 

Daro Barangay Hall

 

A day or so ago, I saw a post on Facebook where the barangay hall in Daro was mentioned, and it occurred to me that although I've been through that barangay more times than I can count, I had no idea where the barangay hall is located.

I searched for the location on Google Maps and after finding it, decided the Daro Barangay Hall would be a good spot for me to ride my bicycle this morning and take photos.

Naturally, I've uploaded these photos to Google Maps as well as post the photos to this blog.

According to Google Maps, the distance to the Daro Barangay Hall from the Magatas Brgy.Hall near my home is 5.5 km one way. That's 11 km there and back.......a little less than seven miles. A nice little ride.

 

Magatas Brgy. Hall

Back in September, I wrote a post about six barangay halls located within cycling distance from my home.

The barangay hall nearest our place is the Magatas Barangay Hall. At the time that post was written, this Brgy.hall had been torn down and a new one was in the process of being built in the same location. Also, at that time, there was a temporary brgy. health center put up across the road.

A few days before Christmas, the new hall was completed, and opened. The temporary health center has been since torn down.

I've taken photos of the new Barangay Hall, which I'm posting here. These photos have also been uploaded to Google Maps.