The Rafflesia Ride: Part 3

The wrath of nature...

Patric and I wasted no time in preparing dinner.
With the little daylight left, there wasn't much time to work with the leftovers we had.
So, we kept things at the minimal.
And in the icebox, there was a large tilapia where Patric had given instructions to fillet.
It started to pour heavily as the camp cooks had struggled to prepare dinner.
There were some leftover roast duck, chicken and the main course was deep-fried tilapia fillet.
And right there before our eyes, the river swelled.
Water mixed with mud had gushed down the stream where just hours earlier, the guys were taking a dip.
I can hear the crushing force of the water against the rocks and this was rather eerie.
Siang and Captain Yew were observing the raging river and issued instructions to evacuate the scene.
Time was not wasted in getting the job done as we packed our stuff, moving the bikes to higher ground as parts of the farm house began to flood..

The last frontier: Kg Hulu Geroh in Gopeng, Perak

A great shot by Patric of me riding up Hulu Geroh

After an ass-busting hike, Coke is it!

MIchelle, posing at Kg Orang Asli Hulu Geroh

Better safe than sorry..

We played the waiting game and after two hours of waiting, the water level on the river began to subside.
Its only then when we decided that it was safe again to move our bikes back to the farm house.
During dinner, we reminisced on how people got killed by ignoring the danger signs especially when camping too close to a river.
Deforestration also did not help in this case as we noticed that most of the hills surrounding the farm has been cut down.
We were glad that nothing untowardly happened during the storm and continued to savour our dinner.

Raging wild: the river next to the farm house

Cool as cucumbers: Patric and Roger at the dining hall

Reflections of a bikepacker...

After the good meal, we cleaned up and prepared our sleeping quarters. 
Its a long ride out the next day and we wanted to ensure that nothing gets left behind.
During supper and a few beers, Siang and Angela opened up on their past experience with a larger group of cyclist.
I found it amusing that a cyclist with only a year of experience is now regarded as a 'guru' among the beginners.
Well, I guess some people needed their role-models.
We continued to chat until midnight and decided that it was best to hit the sack to get some rest..

Capt Yew leading the way out.. 

Michelle and Roger

Possibly the best asam laksa in Gopeng

Late breakfast..

We improvise...

Much of the foodstuff we brought was depleted.
So, for breakfast, I gathered all the instant noodles and whipped out a meal.
The guys had no issues downing the meager breakfast I had dished out.
Later, we made some arrangement with the birding group to transfer our luggage to the deer farm.
This took off the load on our bikes as we rode out empty.
The rough terrain had taken a toll on our wheels as Michelle had noticed my rear rim wobbling.
While negotiating a pothole, she had a fall and the impact had damaged the bike's fender stays.
Its not difficult to fix this problem as we slowly made our way to the Gopeng Hills laksa stall.
By the time we got there, the birding gang were already finishing their laksa.
We had a round of noodles before cycling back the farm.
It didn't took long for us to get there and after packing up, we parted ways.
I thanked Capt Yew for rigging up the trip and gave him a copy of my book.

Happy camper: Patric with a copy of my book..

I told the gang that we were headed to Kampar for lunch and then break off towards the Klang Valley via the North-South highway.
We agreed and followed-up with Kampar's 'seating man' char koay teow.
After a good fill, we parted ways.

Summary

Spare the weather, the ride was a success.
We kept our expenses to the minimal with the generosity of Mr Chung who hosted our stay at his farm house.
The Rafflesia ride itself was a real experience. Despite the lack of training and our physical state, we were glad to make it in and out alive.
This ride will pave way to more outings throughout the year and I hope to maintain the lean crew that we have.
For the record, we were the few cyclists with small bikes to reach Hulu Geroh and that is something that we could be very proud of.. Hell, I won't be surprised if some internet cycling celebrity would take this route and promote this as his own ride for his personal glory. Getting there first is 

The Rafflesia Ride: Part 2

The early riser...

Preparing breakfast

Our camp

 I woke up at 06:00am.
And my camping habit is to get the stoves fired-up and prepare breakfast.
That was the first order of the day. There were instant noodles where I blended a few packs of Japanese Udon and rough vermecelli
There were some left over chicken from last night's dinner where I had added it onto the soup base.
By 07:30am, breakfast was served with a cup of hot black coffee.
This is luxury by today's standards and a far cry from eating lousy food.
By 08:00am, the gang was ready and we were supposed to ride out back to the deer farm to meet up with Captain Yew, Siang's friend who had generously hooked us up with Mr Chung, the farm owner.
Captain Yew was with his teenage son and a friend who drove up from Kuala Lumpur.
We set out to the farm and split up at an asam laksa stall up in the hills before Adeline's Resort.

The team having breakfast

Riding out to the deer farm

At the Kandu caves near the deer farm...

Rolling out 

We had a smooth ride and met up with Mr Chung, Captain Yew, his son and Steve, a luxury car workshop owner.
After a brief conversation, we took a group photo and rode out.
Before we did that, I asked Mr Chung for a favour, and that was to stock up on beer and ice.
We gave him some cash and his staff and obliged by driving his pick-up truck to a local hypermart to get the essentials.
After the formalities, we set out towards the camp.
Half-way through, Angela developed a puncture on her Pacific Reach.
I radioed Michelle and helped Angela with recovering her bike.
Lucky for us, we had the Biologic seatpost pump that made life really easy.
After fixing the flat tire, we rode up to the asam laksa joint where Roger and Patric were already waiting..

Asam Laksa for the soul: the awesome noodle treat

The detour..

Our plan was to have lunch mid-way and ride towards the Rafflesia conservatory. 
This means, no big feast back at camp. 
I was told by Mr Chung that his wife had prepared a big lunch to welcome their additional guests.
After feasting on the asam laksa, we rode towards Kampung Orang Asli Hulu Geroh.
This is an additional 5km from the junction leading to the campsite.
The terrain was undulating and with each crank on the chainring, we progressed slowly towards our destination.
Once we reached there, my plan was to locate a grocery shop and purchase some chilled soft drinks.
We were lucky to find a grocery shop and I feasted on some Coca-Cola while Michelle had the last remaining 100PLUS isotonic drink.
While we parked our bikes at the Rafflesia visitor's centre, a Semai woman came up to us and asked if we were with the same group of hikers who came in earlier in the morning with their Mitsubishi Pajero vehicle.
This sounded like the birdwatchers who camped below us.
I asked the lady on the going rate for leading tourists to the Rafflesia site and she told me that the minimal charge was RM22 per head.
I found this to be reasonable and since we were there, Roger and Patric were not going to bug out as it was their opportunity to witness the largest flower in the world up close...

Hiking up the hill

In full bloom: the Rafflesia of Hulu Geroh

The opportunity of a lifetime...

I concur with what Master Siang had said about the Hulu Geroh experience.
Mr Chung's luxury farm house and generosity is something that money can't buy.
And that if we made it to see the Rafflesia in full bloom, it would be something that would put a smile on our faces as we talk about it for a long time.
So, at the visitor's centre, we agreed to join in the hike by hiring the Semai guide at RM22 per head. 
She told us that we were lucky to be the only group on the day to hike up a 1.5km trail to witness the Rafflesia in full bloom.
And she was right.
We worked our way slowly up the trail and after 20 minutes of hiking, the path became narrower and steeper.
Slowly, I climbed my way through a steep hill to reach its plateau where the group were taking pictures of a sole Rafflesia in full bloom.
Patric was fast to declare the Rafflesia Ride a success.
I was glad that we made the right decision to hike up the hill. 
At my age, I pushed the physical threshold. My knees and left ankle, which was damaged in a road accident 12 years ago had taken a real bashing. Nevertheless, it was mind over matter as I slowly ascended the hill to see the Big Ass flower.
I felt a sense of achievement by making it back to the visitor's centre in one piece.
For the birdwatchers, their hike ends with a ride back to campsite.
As for us, the road head is long and winding.
The weather held up until we reached camp where later in the day, we had to make a critical decision..  

The Rafflesia Ride: Part 1

Lure of the Big Ass Flower...

I picked up some literature from the Malaysian Nature Society's HQ in Jalan Kelantan.
One in particular, had struck my interest.
It was about a community development programme in Hulu Geroh, Gopeng, Perak.
There is a trail at this remote orang asli village that yields some spectacular natural attraction.
The said flora is the Rafflesia, which is one of the biggest flowers in the world.
I came across this during a trip to the Crocker Range in Sabah.
That was back in 1997 when I visited Keningau with some scientific officers from the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Linking a natural curiosity with a ride..

To map out a route, I worked on Google maps. 
Terrain wise, this area is pretty hilly.
Later, I contacted the country's leading Bikepacker Master TT Siang and asked of his opinion.
Siang has been to this part of the world and also agreed to co-host the ride. He later arranged for a ride and also contacted his friends in Gopeng to seek accommodation.
The plan was simple. Drive to Gopeng  in Perak, link up with a group of birdwatchers who also joined us for the stay at a private farm near Hulu Geroh.
And it was also a very straight-forward trail - some 11km ride from a deer farm where we parked our vehicles.

Patric and Michelle in Gopeng, Perak

No country for small bikes.. 

I've been drawing some flak for not inviting newbies for my rides.
This is apparent with tough trips requiring self-support and hauling your own luggage.
At this juncture, I am not keen on baby-sitting beginners. 
That's a lot of work in catering to high expectations. From previous experience, leading rides for newcomers seems to be like charity work where people expect organizers to treat them like paying customers. I got fucked by a shithead for telling him off during the World Car Free Day ride. 
So, that said, I've been really careful in selecting my ride companions. 
No issue with Michelle my wife as we are very comfortable with our own pace and timing on the road. 
For the Rafflesia ride, I invited Roger Teoh and Patric Yee, both whom I had been working with on my Perak Man Ride from Ipoh to Lenggong.
The four of us made a really tight team.
Then, there's Master Siang and his spouse Angela. Both seasoned bikepackers.
The Rafflesia ride is more of a bikecamping trip, so, in this case, most of the cyclists are well-equipped. 
Roger and Patric are pretty new to the scene, but I like their attitude and honesty.
We made plans to meet up in Gopeng, then link out with another group on their four-wheel drive vehicles. 
Then, from Gopeng town, we head towards a deer farm and ride out from there.

The paip besar Gopeng is a known landmark in this neck of the woods...

In the Big Country...

We had rigged up our Dahon Speed P8 and TR. 
Both bikes had clocked-in some impressive mileage and this is one of those occasion where we put our bikes to the test by riding offroad.
We could have rode our Jetstreams, but this time round, since there were some gear-hauling with our Ortlieb panniers, we went to our trusty Speed P8 and TR.
The packs were rigged with camping gear, cooksets and food.
Whether we liked it or not, we were going to rough it out.
Barely an hour into noon, we set out towards Hulu Geroh. The countryside ride brought back many pleasant memories and a group of seven cyclists including Mr Chung, our host, was easy to manage.
We rode towards Adeline's resort up in the hills. 
The elevation gain here is about 779-metres and I must say that the route is not for beginners.
On the average the gradient is about 6 degrees with 17 degrees as the steepest incline along the route.

Taking snapshots at Adeline's resort

Rock'n Rolla terrain: The undulating terrain from Gopeng to Hulu Geroh

Pushing the last 3km towards the private farm...

Our generous host had prepared lunch for us at his farm.
Mrs Chung is a darn good cook as she had prepared a few dishes including some fresh fish from Mr Chung's farm.
We had three more kilometres to clear after rolling down from Adeline's resort.
Siang said that although the ride is only under 11km, it felt longer because a portion of the trial is offroad.
For this, he brought his trusted Birdy Disk, while Angela rode a Pacific Reach folding trail bike.
The only guys with large bikes were Roger and Patric.
We took about one and a half hours to reach the farm and when we got there, a feast was already waiting.. 

The tasty lunch treat

Chilling out in the stream.. 

Our expectations were blown away.. 

Mr Chung our host had built a small enclave for his family and guests.
We were truly honored to stay at his property and he didn't charge a single cent for this.
In fact, he was happy to host us.
As a gesture of goodwill, I gave him a Mora knife. He was happy to receive the gift and told us that we could come and stay at his farm anytime..
After a heavy lunch, we prepared our bedding for the night.
Since we don't need to set up our tarp shelter, I chose a spot at the farm's shelter to set up our thermarest sleeping mats over a ground sheet.
As time progresses into the early part of the evening, I began to prepare dinner.
This was a simple affair as we brought our own food.
I prepared a vegetable curry dish while Patric worked on frying some kangkung leaves.
Dinner was served before nightfall and we spent the entire evening catching up with a conversation.. 

Master Siang sharing his thoughts during supper at the farm..

Round about midnight, we decided to call it a day.
I set up my sleeping quarters with Michelle and before we knew it, we were already fast asleep. Another day looms ahead as we prepare to ride back to the deer farm and later, cycle to the Rafflesia conservatory area in Kampung orang asli Hulu Geroh.

A place called Gopeng

A cure for an itch..
Farmer Wong told me that he haven't been fishing for months.
The rainy season had brought along good fortune as demand for greens have been high.
Despite that, he invited me to tag along on a fishing trip to Gopeng, Perak.
For Wong, its an opportunity to pick up his motorized pump in Teluk Intan, which is an hour's drive away from the location.

The plan
After feeding the dogs, I drove to Karak.
There, I met up with Ah Pan and Wong. We set out towards Gohtong Jaya near Genting Highlands and rolled down towards Batang Kali.
From the Selangor border, we drove towards Sungkai where we had lunch at Choy Kee restaurant which is known for their pork trotters and slow-cooked ikan Terubuk.
Following that, we left for Gopeng.
That was where I met Farmer Chong, a friend of Ah Pan and Wong.
We left our luggage at his home where we spent a night and took off to a fishing pond.

An old article at the makan place

A story told through time and again...
My farmer friends told me about their massive haul from a pond in the Lawan Kuda farm near Gopeng.

Their usual catch would run into the dozens and each ikan Haruan (snakehead) would easily weigh-in above 2kgs.
I always take stories as such with a pinch of salt.
We only had a few hours at the pond.
I had a few nibbles and a strong bit on my bushwhacker lure.
That was it.
Ah Pan landed one fish, while the heavily-pressured Farmer Wong had a small catch.
We decided that it was best to release all the fish back to the pond and called it a day..

Trying my luck

Ah Pan at work...

Farmer Wong's catch of the day

Our good host
We left the pond at 7:30pm. 
It got dark and as soon as we reached Farmer Chong's home, most of us had freshened up.
I checked my phone which was flooded with missed calls and tonnes of messages.
It was work-related and when I returned an 'urgent' call, the voice on the other side of the line was rather frantic.
That's the problem when you deal with people who are afraid and completely in the dark about the present work situation.
Dealing with such ninkampoops raises my blood pressure. Nevertheless, I had it sorted out and dealt with the issue the following day.
The rest of the night, we caught up with Farmer Chong and his friends.
Chong hosted us to tea while Farmer Wong brought some durian to entertain his host.
Spare the meager catch, the night went down well...

Sunset

Our great host - Farmer Chong