The Keledang Experience - Part 2

Parting is such sweet sorrow.. 
From the foothills of Keledang hill, we had to find our way back to Ipoh town.
This is roughly about 10km away and there is a shorter route via Taman Rasi to Taman Mas.
The goal is to locate Spooner Road.
I punched in the coordinates on my Garmin EDGE800 cycling GPS and took the role of sweeper while Siang relied on his paper map.
The journey was smooth as we found our way to the point of exit and cycled into the mining pond path.
This part of the journey was interesting. 
The bike's capabilities were put in paces and I am proud to report that my 2009 Dahon Speed P8 had done very well...

Cycling through the rough trail

The team with Keledang in the background

The ride home...
My plan was to get a train ticket back to KL.
The rest of the guys, well, they bought their ride home earlier.
As a result of a last-minute decision, I had to board a train that was an hour later than the rest of the gang.
We had an early lunch at Taman Rasi. 
Chris Wong was so happy to have completed the ride while the rest of us reminisced the good times we had all the way.
From Taman Mas, we found the 'missing' link to Jalan Spooner.
Siang said the geographic information he had obtained from Google Map's satellite imagery was dated 2004. 
Many things had changed and the landscape that we rode across was barely recognizable.
We stopped at the mid-way point and took plenty of pictures before heading back to hotel for a shower and later had a tea session in Ipoh town.

Colonial legacy: The raintrees in the background are destined to be gone really soon

Waiting for the rain to stop at the hotel

One for the road: the Batu Gajah - Ipoh exploration team

Conclusion
This was one of the best rides I've ever had since the Betong trip in February.
It would be better if I can bikepack with my Dahon Jetstream EX.
The teamwork was amazing and I get to see some parts of Ipoh that is not 'touristy'.
That said, plans are in the pipeline for a ride that will take us from Teluk Intan to Tg Tualang.. 
So, stay tuned.. 

The Keledang Experience - Part 1

Our next mission..
I had some mixed feelings about starting out on the next day in Ipoh. 
Part of me wanted to bug out and head home.
But the desire to explore had left me with an option to continue with the group that I was with the previous day, cycling from Batu Gajah to Ipoh.
I persisted and continued riding with the guys. It was the team spirit and good company that kept me yearning for more....

Riding out out Ipoh town 

Ipoh's lost glory
I must admit that I don't really know much about this town.
I've hardly been there and the only places that I've been to, were some makan places.
Expedition leader TT Siang had done a great job, mapping the route.
We rode towards an abandoned Colonial Government quarters in Spooner Road and began to  find our way towards a housing estate in Taman Mas which led us to Taman Wang and later, towards the foothills of the Keledang Hill.
It was an adventure cycling through an old tin mining pond with sand and puddles. 
This reminded me of the early days when I used my road bike to go fishing at an abandoned sanitation pond in Air Panas, Setapak.
My Speed P8 held up pretty well and the Schwalbe Big Apple tires worked its magic, keeping the bike firmly on the ground.
It took us nearly an hour to reach the foothills as we began our push..

Beginning the climb

Pushing the limits
Of all the slopes and hills I've encountered, Keledang is one of the hardest.
Not even a quarter way, I had lost my ability to climb.
So, I got down, rested and started pushing the bike.
Siang and Chris who were the strongest of the lot, were ahead while Kim Hwa and I lagged behind.
I had to lean forward to push the bike and half way through, I met an elderly Malay couple. 
The man worked in the Batu Gajah prison while his wife is with the National Drugs Agency.
We talked a bit while working our way up and actually made it to the mid-way point.
Siang and Chris were already nearing the radio transmission tower.
I caught up with Kim Hwa who was resting at a hut. 
At Keledang, there are plenty of pit stops where you can take a break from hiking up the hills.
The total distance to the summit is 810metres with roughly about 8km to cycle.
Later, Siang told me that he nearly suffered cramps on his legs and also pushed his bike all the way...

The radio transmission towers

A view of the Kinta Valley

The descent
Kim Hwa and I had decided that it was best for us to slowly begin our descent.
He was afraid of overheating the brake pads on his bike.
We rolled downhill and took breaks every 500metres and it dawned on me that the 3.5km roll was so fast, we reached the entrance of the trail much faster than we did climbing.
When we reached a public parking lot, the journey was over. Well, at least to Keledang that is..

No kidding!

The monster-ride next Monday

It has to be done: Klang - Teluk Intan recce route for future programmes

A few scores and many moons ago, I interviewed a single-handed sailor who invited me to join him on his ocean racer from Port Klang to Langkawi.
He said: "It doesn't matter if I don't complete the voyage. What's important is the fact that I get to the starting line because by doing so, I've already succeeded..."
In the months to come, I carried a daily report about his attempt to sail East-West-East which has never been attempted before.
Everything came to a halt when his boat was knocked down while he was crossing the Southern Ocean in mid-April, 1999.
It was through his misfortune that I get to travel halfway around the world to meet him and conduct a follow-up interview.
What motivated me: was his mindset.
He was all out to complete his mission and did just that by crossing the finish line in Langkawi in August that year.
The rest was history.
So, what did I learn? The Malay phrase: "Perlahan-lahan kayuh.." which is the adage made famous by the Hare and Tortoise race.
Fast-forward to now - I have six days off and I am not going to waste it by banging balls at home.
That said, I am going ahead with my plan to tour from Klang to Teluk Intan.
Maybe I can improvise the route, what has to be done, has to be done..
The sailor dude, although no longer in plain sight, he taught me to get started and just do it..

Chamang Series 02 - Part 1

The team at Pusat Basikal Bentong in Pahang

Michelle making her way to the mountains

Farmer Wong's son Jr was pretty good with is Polygon Hybrid bike

This has been a fucked-up week with plenty of shit thrown at me.
So, the best way to de-stress is to take a ride in the countryside.
I made some arrangements with my buddy Ah Pan to meet up with him and Farmer Wong in Bentong.
Earlier, I posted in the Malaysian Foldies group on a ride to the Chamang waterfalls. 
I wasn't expecting a large turnout as I would have done fine with Michelle, Ah Pan, Farmer Wong and his son Jr.
This time round, we had David Foong and his wife Jessica who met us at Taipan USJ in the wee hours of the morning today.
This was my second ride with David and Jessica and I was surprised to hear that he had been riding literally everyday!
He had even souped up his Dahon Speed P8 with slick tires and boy! This guy is fast!
Michelle and I were riding out Speed P8 and TR which was loaded with a set of Ortlieb frontroller side panniers.
These are also an ideal-sized baggage for small bikes.
Our bikes are lugging at least 10kgs of excessive baggage.
This is our training to endure the long-haul planned for next month.
At Bentong, we met up with Ah Pan and Farmer Wong with his boy.
To my surprise, Ah Pan had rounded up a Dahon Dash P-18 which he had ordered from the Bentong Bike shop.
This fellah is more than happy to cruise with his fast folding bike..

Bentong - Karak Ride part 2

Our old friend Ah Pan (left), Rita, Uncle Meng and Michelle

Farmer Wong trying out the full-suspension recumbent bike by Veloteknik

The heavy traffic leading to Karak

Our planned route

I put my foot in my mouth when I said I don't ride on highways.
Somehow, I was beaten flat and Michelle complained about riding some 16km of highway from Karak to Bentong..
The realistic route was from Sertik to Bentong. This is an additional 20km to the existing route and I don't think we would take it.
That aside, we managed to cycle all the way to the Bentong junction along the East Coast highway without a hitch.
I can see plenty of skid marks on the road. Some cars have actually swerved and crashed on a straight stretch. 
If fate would have things it's way, we were done for.
It just takes a drunk driver or some guy high on drugs to end our lives in a flash. 
That is the danger of cycling on a highway.
Even the road leading to Bentong was heavy with traffic.
I received a call from Ah Pan when I was about to reach town. He was already there with farmer Wong and wanted to meet me at a coffee shop opposite the town's central market.
As I made my way, a bunch of high-powered motorbikes whizzed through town. They acted as if they owned the road. I have little respect for super bikers because they have no courtesy.
Ah Pan wave and shouted as we made our way through the town square.
Bentong is small and our plan was to have a bowl of curry laksa there.
"Eh, no good la, there's a Vietnamese beef noodle shop here. Its really good!," said Ah Pan.
We took a bite at this and it was really good.
Half-way through, I saw two familiar shapes and they were none other than Uncle Meng, a recumbent bicyclist and his friend Rita.
We communicated on Facebook and were told that they would be plying the Bentong route from Gombak.
Uncle Meng is expected to shoot off to Europe next week for a three month tour.
His HP Veloteknik bike was fully loaded with gear and this, I guess, was a final run before he embarks on the long-haul.
We exchanged some notes at the coffee shop, the couple had their noodles and drinks and as the day grew hotter, it was time to hit the road.
While Ah Pan and I were examining the recumbent bike, a middle-aged man asked: "You are Sam Wong right? The guy who cycles and writes about food?"
Both Ah Pan and I were dumbfounded. "Sam Wong? Nah, never heard of him.. Sorry boss.." I said. I can see the confused look on the guy's face. And Ah Pan did the right thing by correcting him. 
"Sam Cheong is it? This is the guy la.. ", he jested.
So, there I was, caught in a catch 22 situation. I am no 'Sam Wong', because that namesake was a real prick back in art college.
Jokes aside, I chatted with the guy, obliging some questions. 
Our Dahons were 'overshadowed' by the HP Veloteknik recumbent.
Ah Pan suggested that we meet up with farmer Wong and his kid at 'Pusat Basikal Bentong', an authorised dealer for LE RUN products.
It was just a couple of minutes ride as we made our way through Bentong's busy street. 
The traffic seems to flow seamlessly till I flagged down a car and a motorcycle to allow us to cross over.
We caught up with farmer Wong and in the heat of the conversation, some mountain bikers rode past. 
They asked Michelle a lot of questions about her Dahon Speed TR.
With the sun above our heads, she hinted that it was time to scoot.
I wished Uncle Meng well for his long-haul and parted ways with Ah Pan and farmer Wong.
The next ride would be a trip from Karak to Raub. This would be interesting.
As for the fun, well getting back was all there is on my mind. 
We don't want to get killed and our main objective is to ride it all the way.
Certain parts of the road to Karak had proven to be truly overwhelming.
The heat and undulating terrain had forced us to pull over to cool off several times.
But with determination, we rode back to Karak town at half past twelve.
Getting home to Subang Jaya, well, that is another thing!


RIDE REVIEW


Total distance covered: 42.51km
Time utilised on the road: 3hr 02mins
Total of stops: 6
Number of flat tires: 0
Average Speed: 13.9km/h
Top Speed: 48km/h


THE GOOD


Decent road, plenty of places you can pull over to rest, conduct repairs. The distance of 20km from Karak to Bentong is not bad. But you will have to be at least a level-2 rider (fit, with some training) to complete the course.


THE BAD


Plenty of road debris along the way, some parts of the route are really narrow and there were a couple of sections with long slopes, so, if you are a lousy climber, better work on the right technique


THE UGLY


This is a route that is heavy with traffic. There are speeding trailers, trucks and cars. So, be on the defensive. I know this sounds crazy, a side mirror helps. If a car comes from the rear and is careening out of control, you have ample time to ditch the bike and jump for safety.


There are very few places along the route that offers water. Whether you buy or fetch it. So, plan your water supply, hydrate all the time..

Broga Ride

The long undulating terrain towards Nottingham University's campus in Broga

At the Selangor-Negeri Sembilan border

Having a warm glass of Chinese tea during lunch

Michelle and I have been talking about Broga and riding in the area for some time. 
We put this idea into full swing this morning by driving to Semenyih town and setting up our 16" Dahon Curve D3 and SL bikes.
Since my wife had encountered a busted valve two weeks ago, the bike has been plagued with problems.
Just barely minutes into the journey, we pulled over near an orphanage to adjust the rear wheel of the Curve D3.
Seems that the chain was loose and this causes the internal hub gear not to engage.
So, throughout the ride, Michelle was only riding with two gears.
I can say the same with my Curve SL as the rear derailleur kept jumping.
I tried tweaking this a bit and it kinda held up.
We rode into Broga at 10am which is kinda late for our cycling tours.
By mid-day, the sun was up and the weather was very hot.
At the last kilometre before reaching Broga Hill's trail head, we took a break by the roadside. 
This shaded area provided relief from the sun.
After a good rest, we rode into Broga town and circled the area before taking a refreshment break at a coffeeshop.
The main attraction here is a Chinese temple at the edge of town, roughly about 1km away.
We rode there and checked out the temple before heading down to a makan place for an ealry lunch.
A good meal made up for the ride, which is roughly about 9.5km from Semenyih.
After filling up our tummy, we rode back to town, packed our bikes and headed home.


Trip summary


Total distance covered: 19.6km
Number of stops: 1
Number of punctures: 0
Average speed: 18km/h
Top speed: 32km/h

Road to Mount Ophir part 2

Arrival in Tangkak

Kuang Fei beef soup

Michelle, pointing out a road sign near Muar

It took us some 1hour 20minutes to arrive at the outskirts of Tangkak.
The 15km of undulating terrain leading to this town had really sapped our energy. 
I used up my water bottle as I kept myself hydrated under the hot sun.
Traffic was beginning to swell up and things got a bit hairy at the intersection to the PLUS highway as heavy vehicles started to weave in and out.
We made our way towards a Petronas station in Tangkak and treated ourselves to a bottle of 100Plus isotonic drink.
Under the heat, it was a bliss.
We took a ride towards the edge of the town and decided to find a place to chill out. 
Michelle's cousins were supposed to meet up for lunch at Kuang Fei beef noodles.
So, we made our way there, found a place to park our Dahons and ordered a drink.
While we were at it, we also tried out a bowl of beef soup.
This went down really well.
As we sat and rested, a bunch of bicyclist rode past us.
Seems that the folks in Tangkak are really into cycling.
Bicycles are a common sight here.
Tourists too are flocking to the noodle shop for an early lunch.
At noon, our hosts arrived as we helped ourselves to a hearty lunch.
We parted ways and by 1.30pm, the sun was out in full glory.
This means riding back to Muar under intense heat.
My plan was to cycle in stages and our next pitstop was Sungai Mati...


to be continued..

Road to Mount Ophir part 1

Posing for the camera at a relative's home in Muar

Char Koay Teow for the soul..

Enroute to Sungai Mati, some 10km away from Muar

Michelle had suggested a ride to Tangkak from Muar during our visit to her hometown for Cheng Beng recently.
I snapped the idea and jumped straight into it as soon as we made lodging arrangements with her relatives there.
Our plan was to ride towards Tangkak, some 36.5km Northeast of Muar.
I studied the route on Google Maps and found it to be a straight forward ride with 15kms of undulating terrain towards Tangkak.
So, that in mind, we prepared our Dahon Speed P8 and TR.
Michelle and I decided to go with the 20" bikes for longhauls as they have proven its roadworthiness in Betong, Thailand earlier this year.
We packed the bikes and drove down to Muar in Johor after finishing work.
The city traffic on Fridays was horrible and it took us more than three hours to get to a relative's home in Jalan Teratai, Muar.
We spent the night catching up with our hosts and called it a day after having supper.
On Saturday morning, we woke up early to set up the bikes and departed to the town centre.
It was a breezy 3-km ride towards Jalan Yahya where we had breakfast.
From there, we rode towards the Muar bridge as traffic was not heavy.
Along the ride, we came across three guys on their mountain bikes.
These buggers weren't as friendly as some of the roadies we have met on our rides.
They remained aloof till we lost sight of them prior to arriving in Sungai Mati.
The road to Tangkak was also heavy with traffic as vehicles sped towards the tolled highway.
We kept to the left and were riding along the white line.
After 30-minutes of cycling, we made a pit stop near a school and spotted a monitor lizard crossing the road.
A few ladies who were hanging out nearby were spooked by the large lizard.
From there, we rode to Sungai Mati where some roadworks were taking place.
Traffic was at a standstill as vehicles manouvered along the crammed lane.
I told Michelle to pull over as a retard on a 4WD truck was driving too close to the road shoulder.
From there, we worked our way slowly towards pekan Bt 10.

to be continued..