It was one of those lazy Saturday mornings i had just fixed up my motorcycle the night before and i woke up with nothing planned except “let’s just ride and see where the road takes me.” I grabbed my helmet tossed a bottle of water and some biscuits in my bag and headed out from Baler. Did not even have a destination in mind sometimes the best trips are like that, right?
The ride up north was smooth enough. The wind hitting my face felt so good, blowing away all the stress I’d been carrying from work all week. I passed through San Luis town proper waved at a few folks it would met on past rides and kept going. The road started curving more as i climbed higher and i could feel the air getting cooler that’s when i knew i was heading somewhere special.
I don’t know exactly what made me slow down. Maybe it was how the trees started to thin out or how i caught a glimpse of blue from the corner of my eye. When i finally pulled over and turned off the engine wow i just stood there for a minute, not saying anything. I was in Dimanayat though i did not know the name back then.
All around me was just… space. To my left and right were rolling green hills that looked like they’d been painted with soft brush strokes some parts bright green some a little golden from the sun. Up ahead the Philippine Sea stretched out as far as i could see the water shifting from deep blue near the horizon to a lighter turquoise where the waves broke against hidden rocks below. And behind me? The Sierra Madre mountains stood tall covered in thick forest that looked so lush you’d think you could just jump right in.
I parked my bike on the side of the road and walked a few steps to the edge of the hill. The sound of waves crashing mixed with birds chirping up in the trees no cars passing by no loud music just pure quiet. I sat down on the grass pulled out my biscuits and just watched everything move. Clouds drifted slowly across the sky casting shadows that danced on the water. Every now and then a gust of wind would come through making the tall grass sway like it was dancing too.
While i was munching away an old man on a tricycle stopped by. “First time here, kid?” he asked with a big smile. I nodded and he told me this place was called Dimanayat been here for as long as he could remember but not a lot of tourists find their way up here. He pointed to a spot further down the road. “If you go a little more that way you will see even better views you can see the whole coast up to Casiguran!”
I thanked him and hopped back on my bike. He was right the next stretch of road had even more amazing spots. There was one turn where i could see palm trees lining the shore below their tops swaying in the wind. Another spot let me look straight at the mountains with sunlight hitting the peaks just right so they glowed golden. I must have stopped five more times just to take it all in every turn brought something new to see.
By the time i decided to head back the sun was starting to sink lower in the sky. The whole place changed color the blue water turned to silver the green hills got warm golden tones and the clouds looked like they were on fire. I took one last look before i started my engine knowing that ill be back soon.
That’s the thing about Dimanayat you don’t go there looking for it. It finds you when you are just out riding around, looking for nothing in particular. And once you see it you will keep coming back just to feel that same rush you get when you first pull over and see all those views spread out in front of you.