THE splendor of God's creation like the immense panoramic view of the cities of Bacolod and Victorias can be captured in a simple gaze by standing in front of the bamboo-made Macca Hill, a spot located in the upland of Purok Magtahos, Minuyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, established by multi-awarded Negrense athlete Franklin Echevarria.
The road going to his place is not for common travelers, but for those whose stamina and psyche are attuned to extreme outdoor adventures.
Endurance athlete Franklin shared that it was when Covid-19 started to escalate where people in the mountains have a hard time going out to buy their food. Being a Dagyaw Negrense member, he volunteered to join the group in sending food packs to the affected communities which included Purok Magtahos in Murcia.
"I fell in love with the place given the imperial beauty of nature serving as surroundings and backdrop of the place. Being an athlete, I find the terrain fitting for training considering the hilly terrain which can develop physical endurance and stamina. The place is also gifted with waterfalls that are neighboring the Mambucal waterfalls. If Mambukal has several waterfalls, ours comes next to those waterfalls where people admired the beauty of nature," he shared.
Extreme adventurers like mountaineers, bikers, artists who are nature lovers, and others can be spotted going around the place to just enjoy the amenity of nature.
"Rain or shine, one can spot which area experiences good or bad weather conditions due to the high elevation of the place. At night, the panoramic aerial view can be glimpsed as the massive Christmas village citing the power lights the cover the energized communities," he said.
He also shared how the locals collaborate in paving the roads which can be traversed by 4-wheel drive vehicles and single motorcycles or "Habal-Habal" driven by the locals.
Franklin competes internationally in the field of triathlon that involves swimming, cycling and running.
His passion for sports was innate in him. He just found the exact sport that can connect with his love for sports.
He engaged in running and was curious about sports in triathlon until he was hooked on those sports which were beneficial to his physical endurance.
He is an athlete for almost 20 years and he never stops.
Indeed, the road still belongs to those who are passionate about developing their skills in sports and to those who want to leave indelible imprints in the field of sports.