Gunung Nuang...on a bike

"Adoi, Kita jalan naik bukan main susah, diorang naik d'ngan basikal?!".
The last words of a Pos Malaysia group that I heard as we began our 3km long climb up to the foot of Nuang on our faithful MTBs.
Upon arrival at 9am or so, about the same time as a large group of trekkers from Pos Malaysia were just about to leave up... their annual sports club outing apparently.
The ride up is really not for the weary and untrained. It is as steep as steep can be; even for regular walkers, what more for a bike. BUT... we had to do it, because as they say "it is there". Besides, now that the authorities are collecting a hefty RM1 per head, they've even leveled the route up to the foot with some beaten down earth and gravel.
Beaten down earth is good if not muddy or wet, or we'll be spinning wheels no end. Gravel is good, until it gets steep... and wheels spins are common as we try to ride up, but nothing that a little shift of weight cant resolve, a technique I learnt from an old issue of MBT rider. (good mag that!).
The ride up was about and hour long (long time for a 3km ride you might think). But imagine that it takes about an hour and 20-30 mins to walk up 3km.
Arrival at the "pondok", a quick 20min rest, a get-your-feet-wet-in-the-stream time, small-talk with whoever's there, and back on our bikes and downhill we go. A couple of downhillers we met along the way'd be really happy now.
Downhill can be just as dangerous if not more dangerous. Care to be taken and definitely brakes are to be well maintained if you're coming here. It was a quick 20min downhill.
Satisfied but not really that tired yet, we ventured into some "kampung" area, clicked some pics, rode nice and easy through the kampung (very nice). Another 8km, and then back we went. Fully spent, hungry, fairly tired.
And to think that the day before i spent the day in bed from a tummy ache.
This is what you need... a good sweat out. UP to Nuang... that's what i say... Up to Nuang... trek, ride... whatever.

Bukit Tagar Estate

Some months back I assisted a couple of hares go around setting out the trail for hash harriers at Bukit Tagar Estate.
If you dont know where that is, well, neither do I, but it's somewhere up north not too far from KL.
It was a nice oil palm estate owned by sime darby with some very nice sceneries and some killer hills. Take alook at the low res pics taken from a low res phone cam admittedly. (wish i had a shock proof, water proof, hi tech helmet cam to help me on these pics and videos)
The weather started well, and the trail leading into the estate was really nice. Dirt trails used only by the weather beaten land rovers, and of course, the avid mountain biker.
I like the little bridges built over little streams.
Hashing is no easy task. The "hares" had to litter the paths with pieces of papers across the entire route. (ssshh... dont tell bandaraya). No, they actually went around cleaning up after the Hash race the next day.
The estate itself was HUGE and we'd surely be lost had my friends not brought their faithfull Garmin GPS equipment!! My next Christmas present to me!! Soooo cool !
The ride was long enough that we faced, cool in the morning, warm and hot in the afternoon and rain and mud in the evening.
Nice lakes, nice hills, nice climbs, nice animals, nice kampung folk, a nice "haunted house" even... but terrible terrible hospitality from the estate manager there. But that's another story.