MANILA, Philippines--Fifty-one times.

That?s how many times the Mitsubishi Strada 4x4 pickup has crossed the same river in Ilocos Sur with this driver. And every time, she has come out on the other side with a smile on her face.

If there is an off-roader?s ultimate wet dream, surely this stretch of trail between Salcedo and Gregorio del Pilar in Ilocos Sur qualifies among the top three, at least. It?s not called ?Heaven?s Floor? by trekkers and mountain bikers for nothing.

For its part, no other pick-up has given this much wild and wet fun for this writer. This ?metrosexual? looking red 3.2-liter Strada GLS Sport has proven that it can get down and dirty alongside more brutish-looking pickups out there (in particular with a 3-liter Isuzu D-Max which also went along for the ride).
It showed it had enough power to part a waist-deep river, and enough maneuverability to negotiate its way around boulders and steep inclines whilst fully loaded with humans, luggage, bikes and native pasalubong.

The treacherous way to the quaint but historic town of Gregorio del Pilar, from neighboring Salcedo town which usually serves as the jump-off, involves crossing the moody Quinibor River 17 times. So why did the Strada do 51? The first time the Strada encountered the Quinibor was three years ago, when this writer used the 2.5-liter variant of the 4x4 pick-up.

During that trip?part of a pilgrimage of history students known as the ?Heroes? Trek? commemorating the death of Gregorio del Pilar by an American sniper during the Philippine-American war?the Strada went for a two-way trip from Salcedo to Del Pilar, and back.

This time, the Strada, with the Isuzu D-Max and a hybrid 30-seater ?jeep-truck,? carried 28 members of the Inquirer Outdoor Club and Cycad (Cycling Adventures and Advocates) for a revisit of this sleepy town that bore the young general?s name.

The thing about off-roading, this writer noted as the convoy arrived at the town late in the afternoon of Jan. 22, is that one single route never gets boring despite how many times you take it.

That?s how it was with the Quinibor river-trail. And it?s how it has always been with the writer?s numerous off-road experiences. In a stormy June last year, for example, she?along with other motoring journalists?also took the D-Max Boondock II edition on a swelling O?Donnell river near the foot of Mount Pinatubo. She had driven this route before, on a Ford Ranger 4x4 Pinatubo Edition pick-up, but the experience seemed always new, always exciting.

The pick-ups, in general, seemed to improve in its features and handling over time?adapting to the terrain as well as the driver?s quick decision-making. The D-Max, in particular, would now attack the unpredictable paths with its shift-on-the-fly pushbutton 4x4 settings?that means the D-Max?s 4-wheel electronic drive lets the driver shift from the regular 2H drive to 4H even while in motion.

The Strada, on the other hand, must have adhered to purists? wishes that the gearing remain ?old-school??that is, the shifting remains as a smaller shift stick beside the gear shifter. It has its charms, and practical reasons, even, for how can someone fix an electronics problem when your 4x4 shifter breaks down in the middle of nowhere?

So, it would seem ironic that this metrosexual, urban-chic looking Strada would reveal a manly stick shift, while the brutish D-Max offers, uhm, buttons. But as we always say, style is subjective. Whatever works goes in, right?

The Strada, however, presents more of a challenge when shifting from 2H to 4-wheel drive. Because it is a shift stick, drivers need to make sure that they have disengaged from 2-wheel and have engaged the 4-wheel-drive?and vice versa.

While the Strada is longer, higher and heavier, the D-Max has a longer wheelbase and has slightly higher ground clearance.

The Strada seats seem better adjusted for shorter-stature drivers.

Noticeable, too, is the presence of Strada?s bedliner and automatic window opening at the back. The D-Max, for its part, offers a third brake light, a slightly longer pickup bed and 3-point seatbelts for three back passengers (a rarity for pickups).

The accelerator pedals on the D-Max felt a bit smoother, with the RPMs and engine feeling steady. The Strada, at higher speeds, rode more like a sedan than a truck.

The location for the air cleaners for both pickups, by the way, is ideal for river crossings.

Gone are the days that pickups offered stingy legrooms. These two had ample ones even for tall passengers.

Fifth class

It would be no wonder why a young Filipino general by the name of Gregorio del Pilar would choose this mountainous region of Ilocos Sur as his hideaway from the advancing Americans. The town is surrounded by mountains and knife edge ridges topping 4,000 feet, and provides numerous strategic spots for spotting approaching enemies. Formerly a township named Concepcion (in honor of its patron saint, Nuestra Senora de ?Concepcion), this was later renamed, by virtue of Republic Act No. 1246 on June 10, 1955, to Gregorio del Pilar, who valiantly defended the Tirad Pass.

Del Pilar was felled by a single American sniper?s bullet to the neck on Dec. 2, 1899.

Nowadays, Del Pilar, a fifth-class municipality, is invaded only by a few tourists, perhaps a group of mountain bikers, and a throng of history enthusiasts come December.

Well, every now and then it gets visited by a metrosexual Strada and its macho friend the D-Max.

Verdict:

The Strada proves that it can feel at home at both kinds of jungles (concrete and otherwise). The D-Max, meanwhile, has reinforced its reputation as a heavy-duty workhorse with a soft heart for 4-wheel-drive convenience.

Here are the price tags?: The Strada 2.5 GL 4x2 M/T P860,000; Strada 2.5 GLX 4x2 M/T 925,000; Strada 2.5 GLS 4x4 M/T 1,128,000; Strada 3.2 GLS Sport 4x4 M/T 1,265,000; Strada 3.2 GLS Sport 4x4 A/T 1,305,000.

The D-Max prices and variants: 4x2 M/T LT (Standard) 860,000; 2010 D-Max 4x2 M/T LX 993,000; 2010 D-Max 4x2 M/T LS 1,105,000; 2010 D-Max 4x2 A/T LS 1,165,000; 2010 D-Max 4x4 M/T LS?Boondock II 1,345,000; 2010 D-Max 4x4 M/T LS 1,335,000; 2010 D-Max 4x4 A/T LS 1,395,000