Mt. Purgatory Overnight Traverse: A Hike To Remember

When I decided to fire up my old laptop to write this short blog post, I found myself staring into a blank screen for long stretches of time. Like a bored ghost, the cursor blinked endlessly as the minutes went by. I was utterly clueless on how I should begin. Then I remembered a piece of writing advice I’ve read just several days ago. It suggested that if you’re writing about a recent trip, you should jot down the most memorable parts of it then create a narrative around them.

So I asked myself "what were the most memorable parts of my recent Mt. Purgatory climb?" Several ideas came rushing through.

1. The jokes we shared and the laughter that often came after.
2. The thrill of riding on top of a speeding monster jeep.
3. The amazing views of the great Ambuklao Lake as it wraps itself around the towering mountains of Bokod.
4. Savoring bottles of limited gin and brandy on a cold, cold night.
5. More genuine laughter.
6. The unguarded moments.
7. The taste of brewed coffee after a back-breaking trek.
8. The unbelievable temperature as dawn breaks.
9. One, two, Pack. One, two, Bakian.
10. The houses with heart-shaped windows.
11. The sea of clouds.
12. The mist.
13. The smell of pine trees.
14. My injury-prone knees starting to act up.
15. Running the trail from Purgatory to Bakian.
16. That satisfying feeling of beginning the trek as strangers and ending it as friends.

How am I supposed to create a narrative around such a long list. I don't know. It beats me. Maybe some other time. All that it matters (for now) is that it was a good climb among good company. I can't wait to go back and do it all over again.

Thanks for the memories. Hanggang sa muling pag-ahon.