Ride for Heart - Toronto, Ontario

My first ever road ride on the highways of Toronto! Or for that matter, my first road ride anywhere in the world! 

Truly a memorable time; what with 13000 other riders, all riding for a good cause. 

The ride consisted of 3 different categories; the 25km, 50km, and 75km. I took part in the 50km, with Gabe and Amelia. 

The weather on that day could not have been better. A lovely cool and cloudy 18C with mild breeze. 

The Gardiner expressway and Don Valley Parkway highways were both closed to any kinds of traffic except us riders and officials!

We started the morning by driving downtown to the main parking area and then unpacking our bikes, and meeting the rest of the Bank of Montreal team for a lovely all-you-can-eat breakfast, consisting of sausages, croissants, eggs, drinks, fruits. 

Because it was not a race, we took our own sweet time eating and finally began our ride at about 8.30am. 

The highway was a good mix of small short climbs and smooth downhills. We stopped at various places just to take some photos. Don Valley is known to be quite scenic. The riders' starting times began from 6am till 9am, which made everything less rushed and crazy. Imagine if 13000 riders started at the same time!

Well, not much need be said about the ride itself, and quite honestly, I know now why I mountain bike and not road ride. I cannot imagine myself riding on the road for hours. It can get quite monotonous actually. Nothing like the ups and downs of good mountain biking. 

So yes... I guess MTBRogue will remain a mountain biker. And the occasional road rider for charity.

Ground Zero...

All I needed was to take a month long holiday (with no ride) and my fitness went back all the way down to ground zero! But not for long.
Took my dusty bike out, got my riding apparel ready, and headed out to my 2nd best-place-to-gauge-my-fitness place for a ride. Kiara.
Man was I unfit! How unfit? let me tell you.
Starting out from the bottom of the kiara tarmac road is an immediate 1.5km climb. In my mind I knew I had to start slow or kill myself even before reaching the top. With my HRM on, and about half way through the hill, my pulse was already hitting 170bpm! A horrendous reading since it would normally be in the 150s and at a much faster pace too!
Anyway, consoled myself cos at least I didnt need to stop for a breather.
A quick loop around the tarmac area of kiara was ok and I caught my breath while doing that. Then I decided that I would need to pick up my pace and work at getting fit again! So I headed to "apollo". A climb which normally I would do as part of 10% of my usual full ride.
Needless to say... I died; having to dismount several times and push, through what would normally be 'just a normal steep climb'. (I remember coming here soon after the Sepang ride and breezed through this climb).
That was it... I was done.
After I was out of 'apollo', I got a rest at '2k' shed and headed downhill back to the car.
In my mind I know that while this is disappointing, it's only a minor set back. And as usual, MTBRogue will always get back up there. Sooner than later.

Sepang Jamboree 21 Nov 2010

Click on image


Woke up at 4.30am on the morning of 21 Nov 2010 (Sunday) and headed out for what was to be an easy ride. Many had said that in Sepang, oil palm estate, how bad can it be?
Alas... how wrong everyone was!
Not only was the ride undulating... it was downright HILLY, and coupled with a night of rain before, muddy! What started as a "nice n easy" 42km, turned out to be one of the most gruelling and difficult trails I've ever been to. Although the climbs were not as formidable as the ever famous "antara gapi" trails, nor even Steroid or Pines at FRIM, the climbs were good MTB climbs worthy of mention. UNTIL... we hit the muddy energy sapping places.
There was one point where I had to lift the bike on my shoulders, which is normal for most MTB trails, but to lift the bike and then try to climb out of a muddy ravine about 8 feet high, with my feet constantly slipping and me falling back into the ravine is not what I can call MTB-ing. There was one point where my feet sank right in to my ankles and the only way i could get my feet out again was to NOT PANIC, and gently and slowly drag them out again. Remembering that I didnt have anything to hold on to. How the others got thru here is a wonder. THIS to me, was the MOST difficult part of the entire ride! At one point, I was worried about being leech food! ("ahoy leeches... someone trapped here for our nights feed", I could almost hear them shout in glee)
Well, all was well, after much much struggle, sweat, I managed to climb out. A few others behind me had the same struggles too. The big and heavy would have real problems getting out.
Scenery-wise, not much to say, just a few glimpses of our KLIA (KL International Airport), and some hill-view into 1. more oil palm trees, 2. a road or two and 3. a chinese cemetery.
Well, what can I say about the Sepang Jamboree?
Rideable, fun (without mud), challenging at some points, nice single trails, thorny on tyres (I got a flat a day later), good and nice climbs, a few but not enough downhills. But still, a place I just might take a drive out to again.
Any takers?
If you were riding this trail, take a look at the 12 min clip, you may just be in somewhere, being overtaken by me of course. Click on video clip below (or link on right).

Preparation for Sepang Jamboree 2010

MTBRogue - the Logo

How's that for a new logo for MTBRogue? Curtesy of Amelia Lee!
Nice huh!

Sepang Jamboree 2010 - 45km offroad

Woo Hoo... the great MTB chaps of KL have organised another kayuh lasak jamboree in Sepang!!All the info is here: http://sepangjamboree2010.blogspot.com

45KM of rugged terrain, but I still dont know if its gonna be hilly (like Ipoh) or flat flat like ... umm... flat flat like ... dono lah, never cycle flat flat before.

Knowing MTB-ers, I do hope there'll be some killer climbs separating the men from the boys; This time I'll be well prepared so I wont come out of this feeling like a boy... or better still, a little girl.
Glad to say I'm in ship shape.
There was recently a Penang Jamboree but unfortunately, it was FULL 2 days after registration was opened. Sigh. Missed it. And will NEVER get to do it EVER (Canada beckons).

Anyway...see everyone there at Sepang then!

Oh Yahhhh... Flat Flat like SUBANG!!

Canadian Trails...

One of the big questions in my mind when planning to move to Canada, is "where are the trails for mountain biking gonna be?". Glad to have found myself some contacts of MTBers who gladly directed me to http://www.canadatrails.ca/mtb/mtbon.html ; a nice little site of trails in Ontario which I'm sure I'll be going to.
(and posting to this site of course).
It's really so nice to know that there are miles and miles and miles of pure trails! Single trails are any MTBers favorite! Uphills and downhills, doubly so for this particular MTBer! Who knows what I'll be reporting in this blog this time next year. Autumn leaves, cool weather... PICTURE AND RIDE PERFECT!