Ipoh - Part 3

Preparing for the trip home.. 

We've had a blast at the Hulu Kinta Forest reserve.
The cyclists spent some time exploring this part of Ipoh and took plenty of pictures.
I told Uncle John that it was time to move on and that we should break for lunch when get get out of the trail.
He told me to alert the rest of the riders about the downhill ride.
Inexperienced cyclists, he added, might encounter some difficulties.
We also parted ways to Patrick, his wife, John, a foreigner and a young girl. They lived in Tambun, so, that was their destination.

Coconuts for the soul

Cooling off

Mr & Mrs Wong enjoying their refreshment

We rode out towards Sunway Ipoh and found a place for a break.
It was a small stall selling coconuts and at RM2.50 a pop, the natural cooling juice was a welcoming treat.
Later, the group proceeded for a lunch break near Giant Hypermart.
I timed the break in such a way, we would be able to get back to the Ipoh Sentral station by 04:00pm at the latest.

Lunch break

A chance encounter...

After filling up our tummies, we rode out towards the Tambun junction.
There, we parted ways with Uncle Joe.
The group carried on riding until they reached a roundabout.
From that point, the cyclists were breaking up.
We regrouped at a bus stop and while we were waiting, Uncle John pointed out at a senior citizen who was pushing his bike.
The man wore a safety vest and was pushing his 26" bike.
"Hey Sam! You've got to meet this guy, he is 95-years-old and still cycling!," said Uncle John.
The man in question is Mr Joseph Sr. 
He was a bank employee and one of the longest surviving cyclist in town.
Uncle Joseph said he had been hit by vehicles a few times and thanked the Lord for looking over his shoulder.
I found his story inspiring and there's no doubt that Ipoh is a place for retirees.
Hopefully, I would be able to catch Uncle Joseph on the trail again. I wished him safe travels before moving on to the new part of the town for an early tea break.

Uncle John sharing a light moment with the Grand old cyclist of Ipoh..

The group, making a final run to town..

We had our tea break at a coffeeshop called Loke Wooi Kee which is famous for their ice-cream soda drink.
There, we feasted on their rojak buah and quenched our thirst with the carbonated beverage.
Uncle John, being the good host that he is, kept watch over our bikes while the group was split in half when some of the cyclists had decided to try out a soya bean drink outlet nearby.

The famous coffee shop serving ice-cream soda in Ipoh, Perak

Uncle John keeping watch

The ice-cream soda treat

After the tea break, Johnny decided to get some trinkets for his family.
He wanted to get the salted herbal chicken and one of the shop selling it had a long queue.
I told him that its all the same.
So, we went to a corner shop and bought some of the local delicacy.
When we were done, we rode out towards the Ipoh Sentral station.
There, we took a group photo to honor our host Uncle John and parted ways.
It was an awesome ride right from the beginning...

Thank you Uncle John! 

Johnny, packing up his 16" ride

The gang, heading back to KL

We said good bye to Uncle John and our riding kaki Roger and Patric had decided to stay behind.
After packing our bikes, we went to a cafe at the station.
There was a table where we sat down with Eric Eng treating the gang with some cool drinks.
While we were at it, an elderly Malay man started engaging in a conversation.
He asked if we were part of a club.
I told him that we were merely friends.
"Eh, you can help me la, organize rides for charity...," he said.
Then, he pulled out his business card and the man has a title.
So, I politely told him that we are not club members and event organizers.
He took my hint and changed the subject.
This is a stranger who wanted a group of cyclists to do his bidding. If we were naive, we might end up doing work for him while he reaped the profits.
So, the way to go about this is to lay low and go under the radar. I had a bad feeling about this and stayed away from giving out way too much information.

Summary

The Ipoh ride had turned out to be a success. Everybody was happy. That said, I can look forward to an overnight stay in Ipoh and spend more time getting to know the great foldies of this Northern town. Once again, Thank You Uncle John and Gang for making this happen! 

Ipoh - Part 2

Riding a small bike in the real world..

I've had my Dahon Curve SL 9-speed 16" folding bike since 2011.
Its the perfect bike for bikepacking and town-hopping.
The 9-speed Shimano Capreo drivetrain is evenly paired with the bike's 55T FSA chainring.
This little demon can climb, cruise and coast.
My last outing was a solo bikepacking ride in Taiping, Perak and I came to appreciate the bike for its versatility.
In the Ipoh ride, three 16" bikes were on the road.
Johnny Ng brought his XDS foldie while Eric Eng was riding a Polygon Urbano.
I didn't have much trouble keeping up with Uncle John and the rest and was actually reserving my energy for the ride to Hulu Kinta.

Samo's going places with his Curve SL

Eric Eng and his Polygon Urbano

Johnny's little and nippy XDS 16" folding bike

We chilled out at the Kek Look Tong cave temple.
A bunch of curious old timers were checking out the bikes and when they were told how much it costs, their faces literally went white.
We took a group photo at the temple grounds before moving off towards Jalan Tambun.

Local folks checking out the bikes.. 

At the Kek Look Tong temple

The road to Hulu Kinta...

Prior to moving out, I told Patrick, the ride leader who took over from Uncle John to keep an eye out for a petrol station where the cyclists can fill up their water bottles.
We have between 10 - 12km to cover before reaching the Briged Utara training centre where the elite VAT69 police commandos are based.

Riding along Jalan Tambun 

Filling up with RON95

Roger and Patric, my regular touring kakis

We rode towards Jalan Tambun through some housing estates to avoid the daily traffic.
While I was maintaining my speed, Uncle Joe rode past and told me that Tambun is the epicentre for growing pomelos.
We kept our conversation until a climb over the North-South Higway bridge.
From that point, we made a right turn towards Sunway Ipoh.
A petrol station was not too far in the distance and there, we filled up on our water while some took their toilet break.

A strong group and well-organized cyclists...

The Ipoh foldies are the most friendliest and courteous group of people I've come across.
In my years of cycling the folding bike, I've yet to meet riders over the age of 70.
There as Uncle Joe and Uncle Tee who were way past their 70s.
Uncle John is one year shy of joining the 70s club.
He told me that the two other guys would cycle regularly and go on town-hopping trips.
"We go to Gopeng and have lunch, then jump into the train back to Ipoh," said Uncle John.
He takes bikepacking seriously and has plans to discover Central Sumatera on his folding bike.
We left the petrol station and Patrick the ride leader is a strong cyclist.
He was pulling at 25km/h and half-way through, Uncle John blasted his electronic siren to ask for a re-group.
The stunned ride leader then said the rest of the group was a bit slow.
I told him that the average moving speed is between 12 - 19km/h.
We waited for the group to close-in and made our way to the Hulu Kinta Trail.

Johnny and his little bike in action

Uncle John our host in Ipoh

Places in Ipoh I never knew existed...

We rode in certain places around Ipoh which I think could be included as a set destination in future bikepacking trips.
I wanted to check out the Tanjung Rambutan train station as it is scheduled to be demolished.
But seeing as it is, the trip to Hulu Kinta forest reserve seems more interesting.
Lucky for me, none of the KL foldies protested, so, we rode out to the area.
Uncle John told me that the area could be really tough for beginners as the terrain was undulating.

At the end of the climb.. 

Mohd Radzi at work with his camera

At the Sultan Azlan Shah reservoir with Patric Yee

I rode along Uncle John and had a chat with him.
We talked a bit and waited for the rest of the riders to re-group.
There are stalls at the Sultan Azlan Shah reservoir and I was told that there are also tracks leading to the National Stud Farm beyond Tanjung Rambutan.
If I have paid to ride in the Ipoh Fun Ride event, I would have never seen these places.
I felt really privileged to cycle with Uncle John and his crew who showed us around.
We spent some time at the Hulu Kinta area before moving back to town..

Ipoh - part 1

A month's worth of planning...

Bike technician and shop owner Johnny Ng had expressed keen interest on a train & ride trip from KL - Ipoh.
I suggested that we take the KTM ETS service from KL Sentral and ride around Ipoh, Perak.
He took the idea with great enthusiasm and all that's left, is to round up the posse.
I bought the tickets in advance and told Johnny that only certain seats in the coach are with enough space to place the folded and bagged bikes.
Apart from that, I also contact Uncle John Pah, an Ipoh resident who rides a Tern Eclipse P24h.
He was very enthusiastic about it and actually made arrangements to show us around.
The head-count was seven cyclists from KL and another 15 people in Ipoh.
Our ride also coincided with the Ipoh fun ride that took place on Sept 15.

The gang in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

Early morning blues

Getting up in the wee hours of the morning and driving to the KL Sentral station isn't everybody's cup of tea.
To bikepack, you've got to be thoroughly disciplined.
People with Rockstar attitude would not cut it.
So, the plan is to meet Johnny and the posse: Mohd Radzi Md Noor, Roger Teoh and Patric Yee (my usual bikepacking and touring kakis) in Brickfields at a public carpark and ride to KL Sentral.
There, we will meet two more cyclists, newcomers Eric Eng and William Yeo.

Ipoh-bound, William, Eric and Mohd Radzi

Johnny wasn't impressed with the size of the breakfast wrap...

We've loaded up with breakfast to begin the two and a-half hour journey to Ipoh.
And at 06:04 sharp, the doors on the KTM ETS coach closed.
Usually, on early morning rides as such, the coach would be half-full. So, we could sit anywhere we want.
And as I've predicted, some asshats sat on our seats. 
It's okay since we found a area in the coach which was large enough to accommodate our bikes.
But the bummer was the fact that I lost my Cateye Rapid One with an adapter clip that was given to me by Johnny's partner Ah Fatt.
I went on without realizing that the light was missing.

Rendezvous with the Ipoh foldies...

We reached Ipoh Sentral station at 08:30am.
There was a group waiting for us there and the first person who came up to us was Uncle John.
He told me that his group is waiting in front of the train station and are ready to escort us on the ride.
"Eh, Sam ah! We are going to take you around a park area in town before heading down to the old section of the city for breakfast.. Okay ah?," asked Uncle John.
I was happy to oblige and told him that Patric was really hungry. 

Introducing the posse to Uncle John at the train station

We made our way to the entrance of the station to set up the bikes.
This time round, I brought my old faithful 16" Dahon Curve SL.
It has the lowest mileage in my stable with about 550km of ride time.
I felt really guilty because the rest of the time, I was cycling my Dahon Speed P8 and Jetstream EX.
Later, we went out to the exterior of the train station and organised a group photo.

Fellowship of the foldies

Uncle John led the cyclists to a park area near the riverfront which I never knew existed.
It was very interesting as we were led towards the older part of Ipoh.
Breakfast was served and my priority was to lead Mohd Radzi to some Halal food stalls while the guys enjoy their Ipoh street food.
Being the only Muslim cycling buddy in the group, I felt obliged to look after him.

Breakfast at Omar Nasi Kandar

Immediately after filling up our tummies, we rode back into town to join the rest of the people.
The ride sweeper Patrick, Uncle John's cycling kaki said we were slightly behind time.
Since Johnny wanted to see some cave temples, I told Uncle John to grant him the wish.

Riding along the Concubine Lane in Ipoh Old Town

Heading out of town

Cycling in an orderly manner

So, we rode a loop across Little India and made our way to the outskirts of Ipoh.
The first destination was the old Polo ground.
We rode around the place and went straight to the Kek Lok Tong Cave temple..

Rogue Rider : Project Taiping - Port Weld, Part 4

Chasing storms
The weather in Taiping is unforgiving.
I managed to get back to the hotel in time to experience a heavy afternoon downpour.
Only this time round, I was dry and in the comfort of a hot cuppa coffee.
As I waited out the storm, there was room to reflect.
The ride from Taiping to Port Weld, short in terms of distance as it seems, was very educational.
In a single sweep, I managed to see so many things.
Even Taiping per say, is a town that is worth visiting during the different time of the year..

Ngah Ibrahim's fort near Matang

A last sweep and meeting the Taiping Foldie Fans
I made arrangements with Coach Jamell and his gang to meet up for a cup of coffee in town.
He mention Yut Sun coffee shop and told me to ask for directions on how get there.
I did a Google search and nailed the location.
Back at the hotel, I took an afternoon nap.
At 06:00pm sharp, I set up the bike and rode out towards town..

Taiping Lake Gardens

A HDR capture of the lakeside

What I like about Taiping is the fact that cyclists are accepted here.
And its also a great place to see on a bicycle, I shit you not!
With two hours to burn, I made my way to the Taiping Lake Gardens. There, I rode up to the War Memorial, which turned out to be a row of headstones.
At the same time, lots of cyclists rode past including joggers on the well-laid path.
Cycling along the Lake Gardens, I found myself on the path towards town.
That was where I met Coach Jamell who shouted out my name.
He was with a group of cyclists and we kinda indulged in small talk.
Later, Jamell led me to a bicycle shop who deals with Dahon Folding Bikes
The owner told me that he had four bikes and are selling the folding bikes really well.

Taiping's Colonial architecture is in dire need of conservation..

From the bike shop, I rode towards Yut Sun coffee shop.
This is one place that opens at night and is known for its Hainanese food.
There as a write-up by Sunny Foong, an ex-colleague of mine and also my guru who taught me on how to set-up the pages for Star's Metro Southeast edition.
I ordered a plate of chicken chop which is just average. Cost me about RM9 including a cup of coffee. The brew is pretty decent, but I think the chicken chop could be better.

The chicken chop

Later, Cikgu Azis came. 
I met the man in person at the CFAL4 in Penang last month.
He is a nice guy and very accommodating.
Azis knew that a solo rider wants and told me that Taiping had lots to offer.
He was joined by Coach Jamell and his family, Adib Chevy and Tok Chiru.
These are the guys who started the folding bike movement in Taiping.
We chat until it was que for me to leave.
I set my Sigma Powerled Pro to high beam and rode towards the hotel.
It was already 10:30pm and since the chicken chop really didn't do squat, I decided to ride towards Kamunting for supper. 
After a filling meal, I made my way back to the hotel and spoke to the elderly Malay man who helped me in visiting the places of interest in Kuala Sepetang.

All good things must come to an end..
My alarm rang at 06:30am.
I have to ride out towards town to take another route towards the train station.
When I rolled down the bike, I met the caretaker and thanked him again.
The Sun was already out in its full glory and it was a wonderful morning
My goal was to score a plate of char koay teow in town..

Breakfast in Taiping

An awesome treat: char koay teow

The aim is to get to the Taiping train station by 09:15am and wait to board the Butterworth - Singapore express train to KL Sentral.
That was not an issue since I had plenty of time to spare.
After a good meal, I rode down Jalan Stesen which leads to the Rail terminal..

Historic: with a new and modern station nearby, this wooden shack will fade away..

I found out that I had ample time to pack my bike, re-set my gear and hunker-in for the ride home.
Took me a couple of minutes to organise things and before I knew it, the train came. 
Only a handful of passengers boarded the express train to Kuala Lumpur.

Mission accomplished!

I endured the ride till the train had reached KL Sentral.
On my mind, I was too lazy to cycle home from the transit terminal. So, I paid for a cab to take me home so I could rest.
The ride to KL Sentral costs RM37 one-way and the other way round was RM39. The bikepacking journey was complete with these factored-in.
A return ticket to Taiping costs RM56, while the hotel was RM106 for two nights. Meals came up to RM30 in total, incidental expenses were kept at bay around RM30 throughout the trip.
I think the most expensive thing was the cab ride.
The train was okay and you have to be really patient throughout the journey.
On the whole, I clocked-in a total of 77.8km in Taiping and Port Weld.
To sum it up, it was a great experience and from the knowledge gained, I can't wait to ride again in Taiping with Michelle.
My most likely recce ride is Kuala Kangsar in the months to come..

Rogue Rider - Project Taiping - Port Weld, Part 3

Destination: Port Weld

I've been fascinate with Kuala Sepetang - the present name of Port Weld where one of the earliest railway line in Malaysia was built.

There's nothing left of the steam engine railway but a marker stone with the numbers '1885' inscribed on it.

After a good night's sleep, I woke up ahead of the alarm bell.

On my mind, the thought was to pack as light as possible and not miss out all the essential items for the ride.

This is also a short ride covering about 12.5km.

With the bike all set up, I made my way to town and had my breakfast.

It was a piece of tai pau (large Chinese dumpling), a plate of siew mai and a cup of Kopi-O kau.

While I was having my meal, I can hear some old-timers talking in the background. 

They were gossiping about the size of my bike.

Then, after I got up to strap on my helmet, another old-timer had asked some question in Hokkien. 

I don't have a clue what he was talking about and rode off.

Hallelujah for the GPS!

Having a Garmin EDGE 800 strapped on my handlebar, I was confident of carrying out the solo ride to Port Weld.

My mind was focussed on two things: keep on going and stay safe.

I keyed in 'attractions' and the Port Weld Railway Station came on-screen.

After pressing 'Go', the GPS led me towards the outskirts of town and to a flyover leading into a village.

It was a safe and smooth ride - literally on a straight line towards Port Weld.

I rode past two other villages, an oil plam plantation, underneath a bypass on the North-South Highway.

The route joins with the Taiping - Port Weld road and later, I learned that I had cycled on the actual railway line. The tracks of course, were long gone...

The road to Port Weld

Taking a break off the Taiping - Butterworth route

The oldest trade in the village
Port Weld is know for its charcoal kilns.
Generations of people here had worked on producing charcoal for local consumption and export.
I made a detour into the area's famous charcoal kilns and found one at the edge of the industrial area.
A middle-aged couple, who were really friendly had strucked a conversation with me. We talked a bit and they gave me permission to photograph mangrove lumber being processed into charcoal. What a trip!

At the charcoal factory

A worker preparing mangrove timber for smoking

The earthen kiln where the wood is processed into fuel

Big shrimpin!
Kuala Sepetang is well-known as a seafood production centre.
The symbiosis between mangrove and the marine life is obvious here.
Shrimps thrive in the muddy coastal area which also serves as a buffer during violent storm.
In short, this is truly the 'river of life'.
Port Weld, on the other hand, is a just a small town with many commercial fishing landing site.
I found a shrimp processing centre owned by a Malay family and spoke to them.
They were nice enough to allow me to capture the activity on camera and as we were talking, I was told that the Mee Udang shops are usually closed on Fridays. What a bummer!
But, as a saving grace, one of the ladies pointed out to me a stall off the main road that serves a killer shrimp noodle dish.

Shrimping is a big income earner for this village

A man sorting out his catch

Port Weld at last..
It took me somewhere between two to two and a-half hours to ride to Port Weld.
When I got there, there was a hive of activities.
I cycled past some of the seafood processing centre and found that this is an excellent place to just hangout and take pictures.
My intention was to find the a stone marker that says: "Port Weld" and snap some shots there before pushing off.
With the GPS, it was no sweat.
I set my camera, took some shots and was on my way.
Before heading back to Taiping, I wanted to try the Mee Udang and did just that.

Historic: The remnants of the railway station

Sumptous: The prawn noodles

A simple meal
I found the stall and ordered a bowl of noodles.
The owner was just happy to oblige.
Now, I am not a big fan of prawns. But having tasted this simple dish, I must say that the ingredients are fresh.
The shrimps are sweet and crunchy: an indication that it was a fresh haul.
And my bill came up to RM9 including a drink. This was really a treat and I hope to patronise the stall again in a follow-up trip.

The way back..

After a meal, I rode towards the Matang forest reserve.
There, I met a forest ranger and spoke to him about the accommodation facility.
Seems that a chalet costs RM80 per night (for three guests) and bookings have to be made in writing a month in advance. I'll pass on that and perhaps organize a day trip to walk on the planks on this facility.
Satisfied with my findings, I rode back towards Taiping on the busy Port Weld - Taiping road..