Ride to Frasers

June 7th 2008: Very early in the morning, we set out on our hour long drive to Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB). On the NS highway there are several exits. One of them leads us through a "ghost town" off of Bkt Beruntung. Fascinating how these almost town sized buildings can be just abandoned and left to rot.
Anyway, unbeknowest to many people, just a few km from KKB, lies a big and beautiful lake (manmade it seems), where 2 rivers meet to form a very huge reservoir supplying electricity to various parts of malaysia. It was along this lake that we parked and began our ride up. 25km of gradual uphill.

Weather today was great for this ride... cool, cloudy, breezy. Our aim, get up to frasers, lunch, and back.

We had 2 unfortunate changes in plans. One was that "the Gap" was closed for renovations. This was the age old place where i'd come to once or twice as a little kid with my parents on one of our trips to Frasers. My hope to visit the place for a cup of coffee was foiled. Ended up eating a coconut bun on the road while taking a rest.
The second change in plans we had to make was the route up. Due to a HUGE landslide (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/National/2268100/
Article/index_html)
which we didnt know about, the entire highway for the route UP to frasers was closed. Because of this, the OLD route had to be used and the 1 hour up and 1 hour down traffic laws were back. Odd hours up and even hours down the final 8km climb.
This to us was a challenge because we didnt have racing bikes, and we were not quite mentally prepared for a fast 8km/hour climb uphill, let alone a fairly steep one.
We decided that if we couldnt make up in an hour, and the traffic reversed, we'd just have to turn back and come down.
At 1pm we started up.
Ride ride ride... as fast as our fitness allowed. No chance to stop and rest... just climb all the way as fast as we could.
We made it.
Frasers that day was cold, damp, drizzly... but still the same quaint, quiet, left-alone place.
Very nice stay for a day or two; anything longer than a week up here and any city person will probably go insane from nothinglessness.

At 2.20pm, after about 40 mins of riding around and taking picts, we headed back down.
Ah.. the rewards of climbing are simple...
A relaxed, swift ride down 30 plus km downhill !!!
Nice.

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.

Come Rain or Shine..

In these days, or rather, afternoons to late afternoons, if you even think of hitting the bike path... be warned.
We're in crazy weather now. It doesnt just rain... it really really pours !!
Well, I headed out, as usual to my favourite haunt over at FRIM. I guess i asked for it, as it was already dark. I also knew that its been raining daily. What more today... 4pm... dark clouds gathered ... and i could see it hovering above the FRIM area even as i drove there... URGHH. But what the...
I was psyched up... havent ridden a whole 6 days!! my body ached for some torture .. up Steroid, or Killer Hill.
I arrived the car park of FRIM.. drizzled, thundered... "ahh.. so what!... I gotta do this" I thought..
Besides its not the first time i'm riding in such conditions. Been caught before at ulu yam, ulu langat, this ulu and that ulu... so FRIM was no different... or so i thought.
Rain poured after 15 mins into the ride. Rovers Hill was ok... the trees protected me somewhat. Hmm... and imagine seeing people running helter skelter to get out of the rain (especially those in white t-shirts (chuckle). I continued, unwilling to be distracted.
Soon there was no one around... it was dark, thundery, but not much lightning and that was a consoling thought as i rode. Wouldnt want some tree falling on me.
Mud puddles, wet sand and gravel, getting muddy... all part of the game. ... UNTIL...
Mann!! ...
ever tried cycling up-stream ?? especially when the stream comes crashing down on you, muddy water at a 30 degree angle?
WAH LAO.... !!
I continued... I was not going to be beaten... this is STEROID...
Steroid and me are old friends... i respect steroid... i'll be ok ...
I continued up the hill...
the deepening mud waters continued down...
after a slow 1km climb up steroid.. i made it to the top... i'm not sure how long i took, but the storm had subsided back to drizzle when i got to the top... (hmm... maybe i passed the height of the cloud! hahahaha)
Made it... that's all that mattered.
dirty, muddy, soaked... but made it.
The way down was quite treacherous too, slippery, streamy, muddy etc... well you get my drift (literally).

Finally after almost 2 hours... made it back to the car... soaked. But satisfied. Dead... but satisfied. Cold... but satisfied. It was good.
No wonder... me and steroid are friends... and as long the government doesnt decide to turn our pretty forest reserve into some LRT station or a housing estate.. me thinks I'm gonna be a long and good friend to steroid.

By the way... DO NOT bring any important electronic equipment in the rain...like a handphone. Somehow, they dont agree with water. Like mine didnt. Ho Hum.

Bike Upgraded !...

woh!!... I spent rm1860 upgrading my bike !! ... but nice .. nice.. real nice... heh heh..
Got myself the long awaited and talked about clipless pedals and shoes to go with it...
upgraded my old cranks that were warped and made noises everytime i climbed steroid (FRIM).
New brake pads... new set of rims to match a new set of slick tyres (this was unplanned and unbudgetted).
All in all.. upgrade cost more the bike itself when i first bought it !...

But alas.. I'm glad... satisfied and happy ! heh heh..
Clipless Pedals?
If you're a long term cycle freak... then GET IT !! ...
There is no other way to ride well, efficiently, where we are ONE with the bike.
nice.
Take a look at the pics--> http://picasaweb.google.com/MTBRogue/BikeUpgradeJan08)

Unseen advantage: nobody will steal your bike cos they think it doesnt have any pedals ! hahaha

Gabe's First Day on his 24" GT Palomar

For a first time MTB owner, FRIM is a good starting ground.

We set out at a late 9am. The plan was simple; take a simple ride on tarmac to warm up, then some small off road, gravel, earth pathways. Maybe cover about 10km should be enough for a first timer.

First complaint was the hard seat! But that soon went away after we hit some nice sights and hard rides.

The climbs were tough enough.

We hit the lakes managed by Hong Leong bank, a quiet place that nobody knows about with nice pathways. Then a quick 2 min break and we headed towards Steroid Hill. Gabe was determined to get there (riding it was a different issue altogether). And got there we did... after some pushing uphill. After 6km riding and reaching the foot of steroid, he decided it was too much to continue. Took a quick look and we headed back to the lakes and then the car.

11.5km in total was quite enough for a 12 year olds first time. All 1hr 30mins of it.

'twas good for me too.

KonLoh Mee at Bentong anyone ?

September 01

Ai say... there's nothing like small town Konloh Mee!! With a touch of that non-halal crunchy stuff chee yau chah... Bliss...

The morning began real early at 6am. Drove out to our usual stop the Sempah hospital. The plan was simple: Ride up 16km of easy hill climb to the foot of Genting (where McD. is); then a nice downhill (30-40km/h) to Janda Baik. Loop at JB and back.
But... as it turns out, our plans changed. Bernard and I decided "hey Patrick hasn't been to Bentong right?"... Right.

Off we went, from the foot of Genting... down to JB; PAST JB and added another 30km down to Bentong!

The weather was moody but we weren't. And we enjoyed the cloud filled skies with a touch of breeze, and at 30km/h + breeze = bliss.
Old country, well maintained tarmac, trees left and right...so so typical of our roads. Nothing short of beautiful.

About 10km into that road to Bentong, we passed a high waterfall, a not-very-popular hot spring called... uhhh... Kolam air panas Bentong, what else.
Arrived the small town of Bentong in 1.5 hours and headed straight for "Soon Goh" (go where I wonder). I remember dad telling me a story when i was kid about a shop named "soon goh fatt". Laughed quietly to myself when I saw Soon Goh.
Hungry hungry hungry... only 2 slices of bread covering 50km... NOT ENOUGH!

The Konloh mee was excellent... all chek poon of it + 1 packet of rm1 nasi lemak... and the usual nescafe peng to finish it off (caffeine getting dangerously level)

Well... all downhills had to come to an end. The way back was all uphill !!! ... PAIN... pain...
So we stopped at Kolam Air panas BENTONG!!!
Unfortunately green waters and slime infested walls not my type of swimming pool. Dipped my hands, smelled the water and off we went again.
Saw the waterfall.. dipped my hands, smelled the water... and back up to Sempah.

All was over and back to the car at 2.30pm...
Nice and memorable.
Where to next I wonder.