October 20, a rest day to the majority members of the team but a summit training day for some that arrive late last night. It's still the wee hours of the morning when I wake up feeling the sore in my legs, something that I know it already healed few days ago, at this time this is because of our trek going down the trail from yesterday's training run. I just put some ointments hoping it will gone before the race day.
The team that will do the summit training prepared while we take our time appreciating the place, take pictures of the nice view, the rock face of the summit cleared and it is not a foggy morning compared yesterday's weather. This group will have a good summit training, it is not too cold compared yesterday and will most likely have a clear view up in the mountain. After they leave, we have breakfast and prepare for our next adventure, to the town proper of Kundasang. I am excited, this is going to be a 4 kilometer gradual downhill walk from our lodge. To my thoughts this is from my place up to almost the town proper in my home province, something that we do not do a walk. But this is going to be fun, a new place, a magnificent view of the mountain ranges of Kundasang area, a vegetable plantation on one side and a view of the jagged face of Mt. Kinabalu on the other side that is covered by clouds. We take our time walking, taking pictures and just relaxing my sore legs. They said this will be a recovery walk for all of us.
I am with Mayan and Erl, at the tail end of the team, we just really enjoy the view while being cautious of the big trucks and fast vehicles that pass by us on the side of the highway. After more than an hour of walk with no more sign of our teammates, we started to ask where the market of Kundasang is. We are just worried we might miss a turn. We just continue with our walk, until we reach the center intersection of the road, what appear to be a row of houses from afar is already the market which I never thought. We walk around hoping to see our collegues. We reach the fruit area, until we get inside the center of the building, our teammmates are just accross the other side eating breakfast in one of the restaurant. We joined them and started to eat as well. We ordered the same food that they have, and it taste good, after that long walk even if I already have breakfast, I need to eat again, in this way I will be able to recover faster. The food is great and it is cheap, very affordable.
After our meal we proceed to vegetable and fruit section of the market. They are already setting up booths for the annual cabbage festival of Kundasang, something that we want to witness but it is not starting yet at this day. It will be on our race day which I know to myself we will not have the time to go back. Their market is neatly arranged, I noticed one side are all live chicken while at one area are fish and other seafood products. Further are the stalls of vegetables and fruits. We buy some fruits and vegetables as our supply on the duration of our stay in Ceasar's Lodge. Thank goodness to the van that bring us back to the lodge, that spared us a 4 kilometer uphill walk back to Ceasar's Lodge.
Upon arrival at our room, Merlita is just around eating lunch. Still full but Merlits is eating, I was thinking I might as well eat with her too. She cooked some mushrooms which is just appealing to my taste, Jules wanted to eat as well, but we run out of food, I decided to cook another set of sauted mushroom. I decided to check some mail in the business center area (room 1) while waiting for the time. The rest of the ladies decided to go to the park, we plan to walk on some trail.
But before starting to do the walk, some wanted to have coffee at the restaurant, which all of us joined. It's getting dark though it's still early afternoon until a heavy down pour of rain comes. Our trek has been put aside and we just decided to take our time relaxing on the restaurant. It's getting colder we decided to leave, while Auntie (Josaw) really want to stay behind and trek on the trail despite the rain. All of us discouraged her, the trail will be slippery, there might be fallen branches, etc. But she really wants to stay. So when it was just drizzling we decided to leave while Josaw started her trek.
It's really cold outside, it's still raining, Merlits keeps on saying we will hitch a ride, but we go ahead on the road, the rain is tolerable, so the usual walk on the side of the highway, it;s just wet at this time. Until we are almost at MT's Restaurant when the wind blow, we struggle to position our umbrella on the blowing wind until we stop at the restaurant. We keep on waiting for Merlits and Erl but they did not pass. We decided to order an early dinner while Nina leave ahead of us. She still has meeting by 8pm. We eat our dinner while keep on watching at the road, Erl and Merlits might pass by.
After dinner we decided to start our walk to our lodge, at this no more rain but it's just really cold. We have no choice but to continue walking fast, really fast. We arrive the lodge only to fund out the group that do the summit training today are drenched in the rain. Only Mia made it to the summit while the rest was just at up to Laban Rata. It rain up there as early as 10am and they do no have a clear summit on that day. Thanks to Auntie for deciding to stay, she serves as the angel to the group that are freezing cold at the gate of Timpohon.
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