Friday, January 20, 2012

Rogue Rider - projek Bagan Lalang, part 3

Getting there is half the fun..
Single-handed cyclist Master Meng Fook Cheun once told me: "Don't fear the hills, and getting there is half the fun.."
Meng is one of the leading recumbent cyclist in Malaysia and has a large following especially among newbies.

So, after riding for 10km, I reached Morib.
The sun was scorching and the first thing on my mind was to get my water supply replenished.
Its important to stay hydrated and I always made sure that my water bottle was filled.
I was packing my Ortlieb flight 27 backpack.
This was the first time I hauled such a pack on the road.
Its waterproof, but a bit heavy to lug. 
It contained my much-needed spares as the ride was solo and self-supported.
For this, I relied heavily on my Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires. It performed flawlessly, hardly a single puncture since I procured the Jetstream in July this year.


Refreshment break in Morib, Selangor
On this ride, I was also testing the Olympus EP-3 micro four-third camera.
I was issued an EP-3 body with a 14-42mm zoom lens.
Earlier, I communicated with a PR consultant for Olympus and managed to secure a review for the camera.
My Canon Powershot G12 is reaching the end of its lifespan.
So far, so good, the EP-3 performed well. I've gained respect for the camera although its made entirely in China. 
After a short break in Morib, I cycled towards Batu Laut and Tg Sepat..


The phone, it kept ringing and ringing and ringing...
I've had a sackload of missed calls on my cellphone.
Its mostly work-related.
The slave-drivers at the office are still pressing for work to be done.
As far as I am concerned, I'm out of the office.
But, there were pressing issues, especially on my upcoming book project.
I made a few calls and had it sorted out.
From Batu Laut, Tg Sepat is around the corner. 
My initial plan, was to have a glass of iced-cold coffee and Mui Choy pau.
But time was not on my side.
Instead of stopping, I pushed on to Bagan Lalang.
Now, the point-to-point travel is roughly about 100km.
I still have to ride home from there.
And its no fun as the short 16km stretch from Tg Sepat to Bagan Lalang is mostly a void..
I rode as far as I could, reaching a small break area before the junction towards kg Sg Rawang.
There, I sat down, and refilled my empty drinking bottle. 
Just as I was getting comfortable, a man rode into the area on his motorcycle.
We chat a bit and he kept telling me how fast the heavy vehicles were zooming past the Federal road along Selangor's coastline.
I was not deterred by this. 
Bagan Lalang, is just around the corner. Its either death, or victory..


There's no turning back

Peat fire at Bagan Lalang
I rode along this path before and the last few kilometres ain't gonna hurt.
The evening sun was slowly setting as I made my way towards the Bagan Lalang beach.
There was smoke billowing from an area near the village.
A fire truck rushed by and as I rode towards the location, I can see the vegetation catching fire from the heat.
The coastal area in West Selangor is known for peat fires..

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