These bike clinic and bike trail are closer to nature and lots of fun

The Camp N Incubator Trail and Bike Hub of Nuvali has been developed in the northwestern side of Calamba, Laguna. It is the latest outdoor fun in partnership with Specialized Philippines and it offers bike clinics for both beginners and intermediate riders.

Orientation is required for intermediate bikers, such as this group of cyclist being lectured by Mon Jocson, Camp N's Operation Manager. 

We were there on the opening day, 29 October 2016, and tried the 3.4 kilometer winding bike trail that traversed through and around the 6-hectare ground of Nuvali's Camp N. 

Bike trail tour coaches on bikes

The trail is filled with dips, bridges, and obstacles that will put to test the ability of bikers even to those who are already in advance level.  If you are not ready to tackle or not so brave enough, one can slow down in passing through or choose to skip any of the dips or obstacles and follow the detour instead.

It was raining few hours before we arrived at the place. So by the time we hit the trail, some portions of the trail already turned muddy and surprisingly it added to thrill. One has to master in choosing the right gear to void falling on the muddy puddle.

The guy skids and falls on the muddy portion and they burst out in laughter, amused of themselves having lots of fun.

Anyway, I did not worry much if I would fall because the ground appeared to be safe to drop down with your weight. Bikers are always required to wear those protective gears and these are available in Camp N for rent.

Margette poses with some of the muddy Specialized bikes used by the first batch of advance trail bikers. Behind her is a group of intermediate bikers exploring the Incubator trail of Camp N.

There will be at least 2 guides (coaches on bike) that will accompany a group of bikers touring the trail. These coaches will serve as guide, look out and will assist those who need help along the tour.

Biking the trail here is closer to nature, very healthy, and lots of fun

Water stations with disposable drinking cups were situated in some spots along the trail to help quench the thirst or re-hydrate the bikers.

Biking here is very friendly and entertaining. The topography and terrain is covered with green grasses and patches of shrubs. There is that portion of the trail that is hidden under the shade of trees and tall bamboos that will make you feel closer to the nature. While breathing the fresh, cool air and hear the rasping sound of bamboo leaves, I could feel that I was brought back to my childhood experience when I used to ride my bike in the province - totally carefree and lots of fun.

If you want to make your child’s first bike ride very memorable, bring your kid to Camp N Incubator and Bike Hub where coaches or yourself can tutor your kid. Not only the kids, even grown-ups such as your spouse and siblings can also learn biking here. The place is actually designed for them and their company. You can also bring your friend or someone special to learn biking or tour Camp N’s wonderful bike trail.

A newbie rider being tutored on how to ride a bike safely while enjoying the fun. Visit Camp N and recreate this bonding moment with someone special.

To join the tour in the incubator trail and bike hub, it is required that the child must be at least 7 years old of age.

You don't need to bring your bike. Available at Camp N Incubator Trail and Bike Hub are Specialized Bicycles like these MTB bikes.  Head gear and other body protection are also available for additional rental fee.

You can bring your own bike to Camp N Incubator and Bike Hub. If you don’t have a bike or that bringing a bike would be a hassle to you, Camp N provides the bike in all the bike clinics, including the rentals of helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and gloves for an additional fee.

The bike trail is open daily
for bike clinics and tours
from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

To register for bike clinics and tour, contact World of Outbound at 0977-84-CAMPN(22676) or email to camp-n@lakbaykalikasan.com. You can also make your group bookings to Camp N's other outdoor activities and for other inquiries here.

MUST READ: The trail map, policies and regulations, guidelines, and other features of Camp N Incubator Trail and Bike Hub.  Click image to enlarge.

Where to find Camp N in Nuvali

Camp N is located on the northwestern side of Calamba City, extending next to the southernmost part of Sta. Rosa’s Nuvali park.  It is right beside the organic demo farm, Greens and Patches.  It can be accessed through Nuvali Main Road (Boulevard) and then right to Ecology Avenue, then left to Evolving Parkway (See Google map here). Camp N bike clinic and trail tour schedule is open daily.

How to get to Nuvali driving

For private vehicles, take the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and exit at the tollgate of Mamplasan, Sta. Rosa, Eton-Greenfield, or Canlubang/Silangan Industrial Park.   

How to get to Nuvali via public transportation

Pubic buses go to Nuvali from major hubs such as Makati, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), and Balibago.  At Nuvali terminal, one can take the shuttle to Camp N.

Mon Jocson, the Operation Manager of Camp N, introduces to media representatives some of the features and the concept of Camp N Incubator and Bike Hub.

Margette with some of the trail coaches and bikers.

Here is the muddy and rocky portion of the trail. It is one of the tricky obstacles encountered by trail bikers. Here,  I realized the importance of changing your gear to a right setting.

Edgie after touring the trail with Specialized MTB bike

Wonderful foods and culinary treasures I found in the sneak preview of the second Big Bite!

Margette is musing on what variation of sisig to try in this array of pork sisig, chicken sisig, and bangus sisig served pica-pica style like tapas.

I have been to Pampanga many times recently and in the past, but it was only in the Big Bite that I found so much Capampangan foods and culinary treasures in one setting.

The Tuguegarao longanisa is of ground lean pork.

I'm overwhelmed with The northern food festival that I never knew exactly where to start and when to end taking photos. Same thing happened when we start partaking of the foods, I never knew exactly what to get first and what to get last. 

The table centerpiece has local fruits that we took as after meal dessert, except of course the vegetable fruits.

The other dilemma I realized later was that I never knew when to stop - it seemed that I cannot have enough of everything. Oh, Big Bite!

Your experience with the Capampangan cuisine is incomplete if you have not tried yet these exotic foods. (L-R) sauteed camaru (mole cricket), grilled bulig (mudfish), and betute tugak (stuffed frog).

Surely, you will have fun with what you will find there on October 17, 18, and 19, 2014. Check these wonderful foods and culinary treasures I found in the sneak preview of the second Big Bite!.

Chicken sisig

Pork sisig

Bangus sisig

Sizzling pork sisig  - a sizzling plate of classic pork sisig. This is what Chef Mel W. Galang and his son, Chef Edwin Galang, demonstrated live in the sneak preview of the second Big Bite last week. See more about it here   

A serving tray of Chef Sau del Rosario's gourmet version of tuna sisig  he performed live  in the sneak preview of the second Big Bite last week. See more about it here

His kind of seafood sisig can be also be justified as healthy and nutritive other than being gourmet. In my assessment, this combination of local and imported ingredients will surely spike up your libido. I never thought Chef Sau is cupid. See more about it here

A pot of chopped Ilocano bagnet with side dipping of pig liver sauce similar to lechon sauce.  The golden-brown pork skin is delectably crisp and the cubed meat of bagnet tastes like that of  lechon Cebu.    

Spiced up aslam atbu (cane vinegar)

Crisp fried lumpiang gulay served with spicy aslam atbu (cane vinegar)

Packets of binulo or rice cooked in bamboo tube.

A serving of Binulo rice.  The taste actually depends on the kind of rice used.

Cassava cake

A pot of swam na mais

Ms. Jingjing Romero of Stratos Inc. helping herself a cup  of swam na mais.

Pots of Kare-kare. The saucy dish has a layer of boiled vegetables on top, The well-stewed meat, usually cutlets of oxtail, knuckles, and skin of cow are laid at the bottom.  Dig the ladle to fish them out. Kare-kare is best if smothered with sautéed bagoong alamang (shrimp paste) sweetened with little amount of sugar, like the one in the white porcelain mug.

A serving plate of pacu salad (young fern salad) garnished with ripe tomatoes and itlog maalat (salted duck egg)

Who said palitaw is always flat? So, it's true,  they have these balls of palitaw  in Pampanga.

Ice-cold dark sago't-gulaman.

A squadron of betute tugac.  They really equals the taste of manok inasal (roasted chicken). The frog meat are tender and tasty.

A pile of ningnang bulig (broiled mudfish)

A mound of sauteed  camaru (mole cricket)

A serving of sauteed camaru

 

The Marquee Mall of Angeles City hosted last week (Oct. 1, 2014) the sneak preview of the 2nd Big Bite! The Northern Food Festival. 

A magtataho scoops out taho and strawberry preserved.

My cup of taho-strawberry

Her cup of taho-strawberry

A plateful of Central Luzon's binatog, boiled white corn kernels topped with shredded not-so-matured coconut meat.

Binatog is supposed to be served with a douse of fresh milk or evaporated milk.  Other condiments may include, butter or margarine, sugar, salt, and the optional cracked or ice cubes.

There is no better way to serve  empanadang Iloco than to use freshly cracked chicken egg, wrap all the ingredients and cook right before you then eat it right away while still very warm.

This empanadang Iloco is prepared the way the Ilocanos from Ilocos Norte would do it.  Back there, they would deep fry it in kawali, but in the Big Bite! it is done in electric fryer.

One of the distinguishing mark of empanadang Iloko is the its orange-colored crust. 

You have to split or cut the empanadang Iloko so you could put some or dip it effectively in spiced up vinegar.  Here, you can see the pouched egg, and the pre-sauteed bits of longanisang Iloko. 

A cup of freshly brewed Kalinga coffee.

Chunks of sliced Tuguegarao longanisa with sliced cucumber, tomato, and ripe pineapple.

Tuguegarao longanisa is of ground lean pork meat. 

 

The BIG BITE! on its second year, will open on the weekend of October 17, 18, and 19, 2014.  There are more to find on those days.

A table setting for the sneak preview of the second Big Bite in the Activity Center of the Marquee Mall.

This sour-sweet berries of littuco (rattan fruit) is better than coffee to keep you awake. Ilocano truck drivers are fond of it while having a long drive.    

Mangosteen

You only have to eat the luscious white pulp around the seeds similar to when you eat santol. But unlike santol, the rind is hardly to be considered edible being bitter and acrid.

Until now, many of us still don't know the English name  for atis. It is called  sugar apple (sc.name: Annona squamosa, L.) or sweet sop.

(a-tis; dw ???. ???)

  

Among the activities to expect in the food festival are the food market, Sisig Festival, Food Art Installation, street food aisle, culinary cook off, cooking demonstrations, live entertainments, fire works, free food sampling, and many more. 

The achara of Suzie's Cuisene

The greaseless peanuts of Navarro's

The pork chicharon with laman also of Navarro's

The banana chips of Navarro's is glazed with caramelized sugar. A nutritious, delicious snack.

The aslam atbu (cane vinegar) of In My Kitchen makes a perfect dip for  the pork chicharon with laman of Navarro's

Two kinds of bottled Cesario's chili oil: The Extra Hot Chili Oil and the  Chili Garlic Oil.

In My Kitchen found the best way to help you avoid the nasty smell when frying tuyo (dried fish).  These bottled ready-to-eat Garlic Tuyo Fillet in canola oil  and the unflavored Tuyo Fillet in canola oil will keep you away from trouble with your uninitiated neighbors abroad.  

You will need a lot of cooked rice for each bottle

The taste and texture of fried tuyo is perfectly preserved. 

Related topics:

• BIG BITE! is back this 2014 in Marquee Mall, Angeles City
• PAG installed artworks to Marquee Mall's Big Bite! The Northern Food Festival 
• The evolutions of Pinoy sisig and my food dictionary
• Sneak Preview of the BIG BITE! (2013) - There's more on the upcoming 3-day food festival
• Best of Northern food featured in MarQuee Mall’s Big Bite! (2013)