From Dust Clouds to Golden Sunsets How Walking Up That Unnamed Mountain Near CDO Became My Go-To Fix for Life’s Chaos

Hello Wednesday Walker!

I still remember the first time i decided to tackle that winding path up the hills just outside Cagayan de Oro i thought it will be a quick stroll, maybe an hour tops. Was i wrong. But honestly? Best mistake i ever made..

The trail starts off easy enough a dirt track squeezed between thick clusters of banana plants and trees I can’t even name. You can tell it’s well-used though locals on motorbikes zip past every now and then, giving you a friendly nod or a quick “Maayong adlaw!” before kicking up a cloud of dust that sticks to your skin like sunscreen you didn’t rub in right.

The air here is something else too it’s got this fresh earthy smell mixed with hints of coconut and maybe some wild flowers i have not spotted yet. Way better than the city’s usual mix of exhaust fumes and street food grills.

About twenty minutes in, the path starts to climb proper. My legs were already complaining, but then i turned a corner and whoosh there it was. The whole valley spread out below like a patchwork quilt someone had tossed over the land with tiny houses dotting the green and brown fields and mountains fading into blue hazy layers in the distance.

I plopped down on a rocky spot to catch my breath and just stared even with sweat dripping into my eyes i couldn’t look away. A couple of birds i would never seen before hopped around nearby probably wondering why this weirdo in jeans was sitting in their spot..

The higher you go the quieter it gets. No more traffic sounds just the crunch of gravel under your feet the rustle of leaves when the wind picks up and your own breathing matching the rhythm of each step. I found myself talking to myself more than I’d like to admit “Almost there, buddy” or “Okay, just one more bend” like some cheesy movie character. But up there it doesn’t feel silly at all..

When I finally reached the top (took me way longer than planned) there was this little clearing with a dirt road curving off into nowhere. The view was even better you could see all the way to where the sky meets the distant mountains and the sun was starting to sink low painting everything in warm gold and orange. I sat there for ages just watching the light change munching on the pack of biscuits i would stuffed in my pocket..

Walking down was way easier on the legs but harder on the balance every loose stone seems to find your feet when you are heading downhill. By the time i got back to the start, my knees were shaking and my shirt was a total mess but i had this goofy grin on my face that would not leave. Now i try to make it up there at least once a month sometimes with friends sometimes alone. There’s just something about putting one foot in front of the other and working your way up that makes everything else feel simpler..