They’ll brake, and take a break, at these stops

MANILA, Philippines–The road can be a comforting ally or a relentless opponent. In both instances, those who dare tread it for an extended period of time need to step out, stand still, and rest.

That’s where rest stops and roadside conveniences step in. Rest stops aren’t just put there by accident; they’re a vital part of a motorist’s health and safety. In more developed countries, there are mandatory rest stops and intervals for drivers.

The California Department of Transportation, for instance, wrote about the need for Safety Roadside Rest Areas, which would provide travelers a safe venue to stop, stretch, take a nap, use the restroom, get water, check maps, place telephone calls, switch drivers, check vehicles and loads, and exercise pets.

It reasoned that rest areas reduce drowsy and distracted driving and provide a safe and convenient alternative to unsafe stops right along the roadside.

Some premium vehicles issue “break alerts” to drivers via their dashboard or onboard information systems. The Volkswagen Touareg chimes in a “driver alert, take a break” indicator every three hours, signified by an icon of a piping hot cup of coffee.

Pit stops, indeed, help motorists and travelers get to their destinations not necessarily faster but always in a much-better shape. They’re refueling tired minds so they rejoin the road as fresh as the time the journey started.

In the Philippines, there are a number of remarkable rest areas that motorists have considered their favorites. Here is what Inquirer Motoring has compiled.

1.) Petron NLEx Marilao Station (Northbound)

Tom Clemente III, a property management executive for one of the top five real estate developers in the country, gives this refueling station a thumbs up.

“When heading up North, our group would meet up at this station because of the variety of restaurants and fast food outlets,”  Tom quipped, who has gone on trips to most of Luzon to as far south as Dumaguete on a variety of big bikes—from Triumph, BMW, to Ducati, KTM, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki—with his fellow Saturday Posers Group riders.

“At the extension of the complex, one would find clean and air-conditioned restrooms. I prefer the restrooms for the Petron Value Card holders (finally an on-site benefit). It is less used and has an attendant by the entrance with alcohol and hand lotion available,”  Tom added, who often goes on his big bike trips for as long as four days at a time.

2.) Cordillera Autonomous Region rest areas

Like Clemente, Ferdinand “Ferdie” Raquelsantos favors stopping at gasoline stations with clean toilets and washrooms, as well as those that offer a variety of local chow.

Ferdie rides Harleys for the Mad Dogs group, BMW bikes for the BOSS (BMW Owner Society of Safe Riders) group, and for offroading, he goes for his KTM, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda bikes.

An engineer by profession, Ferdie is the president of Solar & Wind Electric Power Inc. (SWEP), and the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc.

Raquelsantos is proud of his achievement in completing the BOSS-sanctioned “Ironman” rides, which requires riding for 1,200 kilometers in 24 hours.

But in the mountains, where there are usually no structured rest stops, it’s back to nature for Raquelsantos. “Offroad riding is where we do mountain rides and river crossings. Our pit stops here are just for when we buy gas in bottles in remote mountains. Best is when we rest for the night with great sceneries when we wake up in the morning, like in Hundungan in Bontoc above the rice terraces. For the trip up Mt. Pulag, the only stop is on top of a mountain called the Ranger Station.”

3.) Petron Lakeshore, Pampanga

This one, assesses Clemente, is also at the top of his list, if only for the location. “This is the last stop before the long stretch of the NLEx ends, and SCTEx and TPLEx begin. The restaurants here are so-so and the restrooms need some improvement. I wonder why they can’t match the level of the one in Marilao,” he said.

4.) Nipa huts as rest stops

Raquelsantos points to the lowly nipa huts as the next best thing when it comes to rest stops.

“When there are no sari-sari stores in the mountains, nipa huts are best because these are where we can eat our energy bars, then take a quick nap,” said Raquelsantos, citing as an example a nipa hut in Kibungan town between Baguio and Mt. Data.

5.) Shell Rosario, La Union

“Our usual stop before heading to Baguio and beyond would be here. Although there are two other gas stations in the area, this is our favorite because it has ample seating areas. I would also rate the restrooms at this station 3.5 out of 5 for cleanliness and being odor-free,” said Clemente.

6.) Patapat Bridge, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Who doesn’t stop and at least take photos here? Northern Luzon travelers, this author included, can’t help but appreciate the breathtaking view of the stretch of sea lying between Ilocos Norte and Batanes. This stretch of Pagudpud—the so-called “Europe of Ilocos”—is indeed a sight for sore eyes.

7.) That “random” fuel station along Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte

Forgive us for missing the name, but the amenities of this fuel station along the national road in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte (you won’t miss it for its immense “clean restrooms” sign), is unforgettable. There’s a P5 fee for using the toilet, but the relieving experience should be worth much more than that.

8.) Shell NLEx Southbound (San Fernando), Mexico, Pampanga

“It being the first gas stop for the long stretch of NLEx, our group would take a breather, hydrate and take a light snack here. I had long wanted to complain to Shell HQ about the nonworking urinals and stench. But to my surprise, just the other day, it had a major refurbishing! It now boasts of newly marbled walls and granite counters. Plants ornament under the sink and, most of all, three brand new split-type air-conditioning units have been installed.  And as all public restrooms should be, there are separate rooms for the elderly and PWDs. There’s also a dedicated cleaning staff for both the male and female restrooms. Bravo Shell!”  Clemente quipped.

9.) Shell Magallanes

Clemente said:, “As our rides also take us to Southern Luzon, the first meeting area is here. Not only is this the closest to the first toll gate to the South Luzon Expressway, its Select store has good hot coffee and quick bites before our ‘take off.’”

10.) Caltex SLEx Southbound

“Further South is our group’s next favorite meeting spot in Mamplasan, Laguna, for its wide open and less crowded parking area. There are a handful of restaurants here, but Seattle’s Best Coffee is a good enough place to relax and sip a cup of coffee, or in my case, hot chocolate,” Clemente said.

11.) Petron after the Lipa exit

“Northbound on the Star Tollway after the Lipa exit, there’s no other place for us but here. Parking is good, but the restrooms need major refurbishing. It does get tight especially on weekends and holidays,”  Clemente observed.

12.) Quezon National Park, Atimonan and Pagbilao, Quezon

Negotiating the dizzying twists and turns of the picturesque “Tatlong Eme” (the drivers’ term for this Quezon Protected Landscape) truly induces any motorist and passenger to stop and take a break at the peak where a mini park situated north of the narrowest section of Luzon in Quezon province offers travelers refreshments, nice photo ops and a rainforest appeal rarely found elsewhere.

13.) Petron Sipocot, Camarines Sur

This fuel station is an ideal place to either prepare you for the challenging 90-km Andaya Highway on the way to Manila, or as a rest stop after taking on the gruelling highway that bypasses Camarines Norte on the way to the southernmost Bicol provinces.

Local motoring media’s dynamic duo Mike Potenciano (Speed Magazine motoring editor) and Lindy Pellicer (Speed Magazine writer), who are deeply involved in the humanitarian project Toy Run for the kids of “Yolanda”-devastated Leyte province, included this station in their many pit stops. However, when they made a pit stop here last April 24, there was no water supply in the restrooms, although they were still generally clean.

The Toy Run is a series of donations of toys, goods and building materials to help rebuild classrooms and health centers to the supertyphoon affected areas. Its core group includes Mike, Lindy and Johnnie Lightning Zerna.

14.) San Juanico Bridge between Samar and Leyte islands

Bridges are favorite themes for photo albums and social media profile pictures. And this one connecting two major islands of the Philippines certainly takes the cake in its span and grandeur. San Juanico Bridge is part of the Pan-Philippine Highway that connects the islands of Samar and Leyte. Mike and Lindy always look forward to driving—and stopping—along this stretch.

“Passing here has always been the pinnacle of our Toy Run road trip because of the photo opportunities. It also uplifts our tired minds and gives a big boost, because this bridge tells us, ‘We are home!’”  Mike quipped.

15.) “Buda” highway (Bukidnon-Davao route)

Lester Dizon, Motorcycle Magazine editor in chief, has been on an epic road trip from Aparri to Saranggani onboard a BMW R 650 CS. It took him and 19 other riders from BOSS five days to finish the route.

He recommends tired and weary motorists, especially bikers, to rest along the safe areas beside this highway overlooking panoramic  sceneries. “The ‘Buda’ highway is one of the best roads in the country,” says Dizon.

16.) Shell Julia Vargas-C5

This is Inquirer columnist Randy David and his bikers’ group Hombres’ favorite pit stop when they’re southbound. Going north, the Starbucks Petron NLEx would be the preferred assembly place.

His pit stops read more like “feast stops”: Northbound, these are Everybody’s Café (San Fernando, Pampanga), Apag Marangle (Bacolor, Pampanga), Bariotik Restaurant (Dinalupihan, Bataan), Sinagtala Café, (Orani, Bataan), Rock Inn, Sagada, Log Cabin of French Chef Aklay, Sagada, Soul Café, (on the way to Baguio), and Abatan Café and Buggies (along Halsema Highway).

Southbound, these would be the Ayala Greenfield Golf Clubhouse (for breakfast), Aling Lita’s Carinderia (Gumaca, Quezon), Kamayan sa Palaisdaan (Tayabas, Quezon), Enting’s Kinalas (Naga City, Camarines Sur) and Red Labuyo (Daraga, Albay).

David added: “We usually explore public markets for the best and freshest local turo-turo dishes.”

David’s long routes have included Infanta, Quezon; Legazpi, Albay; La Union; Vigan, Ilocos Sur; and Baguio, and as far south as Dumaguete.

“Most of the time we do shorter Sunday rides to Subic, Clark, Tagaytay, Pico de Loro, Sto. Tomas, Batangas, and to Sierra Madre,” David said.

David rides his Ducati Monster S4 916 cc, Aprilia Caponord ETV 1000 cc, KTM Adventure 1190 cc and the Husqvarna Terra 650 cc.