Fourth Solo Ride to Tanjung Tualang.

Started off from home at about 7 o'clock this morning and arrived at the Taman Halaman Indah house in Tanjung Tualang about forty minutes later. The weather was cool and cloudy, and traffic was quiet.

Had breakfast with my wife who drove there on her own, and cycle back at about 8:30 while she stayed on to tend to some pots of flowers in the driveway.

Reached home via the long way through old town, past the disused Impiana Centre, through the back lane behind AmBank and looping back by the market.

A total distance of 26.49km, taking 1 hour 23 minutes at an average speed of  19.1 km/, reaching a maximum of 30.7 km/h.

Solo Ride to Malim Nawar again.

Second day of solo cycling after the long ride to Fraser's Hill more that a week ago.

Today I took the main road A1, 15 km to Malim Nawar where I stopped for breakfast at Kenneth Sai's shop. Then, proceeded along A114 another 6 km to Kg. Sikh, just outside Tanjung Tualang, before turning around and headed back home by the A110.

Monday blues

After cycling for 21 km, I turned around here. Didn't proceed to Tanjung Tualang town today.

After 35.75 km, at last I'm home. The look of delightful fatigue.

The joy of unlocking my front gate

Solo to Malim Nawar: Breakfast.

First day of solo ride since the expedition to Fraser's Hill more than a week ago.

Wifey visiting the daughter in Singapore, so I cycled all the way to Kenneth Sai's Coffee Shop, 9 km away, for a simple breakfast.

Cermin gelap baru beli, Nampak tegap Hati geli

Cycling Expedition to Fraser's Hill

Five of us members of Kampar Cycling Community set off in two cars from Kampar at about five o'clock in the morning and drove for about an hour to the Kuala Kubu Bharu stadium where we parked our cars and assembled our bicycles. There we were joined by another four friends from Kuala Lumpur.

After a simple breakfast in KKB town, the nine of us embarked at 8:30 am on our 12 km ride towards Sungei Chilling, our first stop, which we reached just before 10 o'clock.

After that we rode on for another four and a half hours and reached Fraser's Hill at about 2:30 in the afternoon. Well, almost . . . after a total of 32 km of climb up to an elevation of about 800 m above sea level, dehydration and lack of sleep got the better of me.

Our group decided not to proceed with the remaining 8 km of steep gradient up another 400m of altitude, but instead to call it a day and return downhill.

The Destination

At the Gap to Fraser's Hill, 837 metres above sea level, after about six hours of slow ride punctuated with numerous stops for rest to regain our strength. Technically we had entered Fraser's Hill town council limits. Practically, we're another eight km away from the centre of town, a whopping 400 metres above our heads.

A Hill to far: 8 km of steep climb left for another day.

Decision time, decision time. To press on or not to press on, that was the question 

A solemn reminder to take this last 8 km steep uphill stretch seriously, which I did not embark on

My still quite new Raleigh Echo 27.5" MTB, on this second long ride since I bought it on 20Apr2015.

Looking East towards Raub and Bentong on the Pahang State side.

Looking back westwards, to Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor from where we started

The Climb 

Some photos of our slow and painstaking journey up from Kuala Kubu Baru (60 m above sea level) to Sungei Chilling (12 km) and pressing on uphill to The Gap, the entrance to Fraser's Hill town. (another 20 km), at 840 m above sea level.

All dressed for the kill

We were all still fresh and cheerful on our first 13 km to Sg Chilling.

A group photo at a popular stopover spot.

The satisfaction lies in the journey itself.

Exhausted, overheated and hypoglycaemic. I had to shed the arm warmers to cool down.

This wasn't what I expected by being dressed for the kill . . .

My new Raleigh Echo

After using my old trusty but heavy steel-framed 26-inch Trinx M066, I decided to upgrade to a newer and higher performance bike as I was joining the cycling community in Kampar for longer and more demanding rides.

At the suggestion of a friend, I bought a new 27.5 inch Raleigh Echo with lots of high end specs, except perhaps the brake system which was somewhat "ordinary" compared to other bikes.

Here are a couple of photos of my old and new bikes

My old steel bicycle: Trinx M066

A close-up of my new Raleigh Echo

20150424 My brand Raleigh at the Rakan Muda Stadium going for a short ride with Ganesn

20140425 At the bus stop just after Kopisan, on the road to Kota Bahru

Comparing gear ratios to decide if I should go for two chain-rings or three

20150613 At last I changed from three chainrings to two for better utilisation of gear-ratios

20150613 Two chain-rings nicely done

20150613 Close-up view

Sunday 22Mar15: Second time on the Sungei Kroh Route.

This morning's long ride with Kampar Golden Riders. From Kampar to Mambang Diawan, Sg Kroh, Kg Timah, Tg Tualang (stop for refreshments) and back, altogether a 56 km loop.

First ride in March: the shortest in history.

Sunday 01-03-2015

Today's group ride was supposed to take an off road track behind Taman Bandar Baru Jaya (near the old Makolin factory) to get to the main road and proceed to northwards to Malim Nawar via a riverside off road trail.

I got no further than 30 metres into the rugged downslope track just out of Bandar Baru when I fell heavily on my right knee. Had some abrasions and a 3mm puncture wound right on top of the patella.

Ooi Kay Beng came to my rescue, lifting up my bike and calling out loudly to Ganesan to turn around. After I applied some direct pressure on the wounded knee, the bleeding appeared to stop and we, having decided to abandon the route, turned around and headed back towards the Bandar Baru main road, with OKB and Ganesan escorting me all the way..

Managed to cycle home with a bloodied handkerchief tied around my right knee. Went to see Dr Ng who did a fine job in cleaning and dressing the wound, administered an ATT injection, prescribed a course of amoxycillin plus mefenemic acid (Ponstan?) painkiller and some germicide and cream for me to cleaning and dress the wound at home.

Before the ride: posing with Ooi Kay Beng.

This was where I fell. Sitting down to gather my composure.

St John Ambulance Cadet training to the rescue. Applying direct pressure with a clean handkerchief.

A close up view of the wounded knee after cleaning away most of the dirt and controlling the bleeding.

The dressed up wound, after returning from Dr Ng's Clinic

Chinese New Year Evening ride to Malim Nawar

Sunday 22-02-15, the fifth day of Chinese New Year.

Left Kampar from the railway overhead bridge with Mukhvinder, Ooi Kay Beng, Eugene and Ganesan (event organiser) for a short leisurely ride for a late afternoon tea at Kenneth Sai's Coffee Shop (Yen Lee Thong) about 9 km away.

On the return journey I had to break away from the group and hurry off to meet my sister-in-law and nephew who have arrived at my mother's house for dinner. Despite my almost "top-speed" of 25-27 km/h all the way, Ooi Kay Beng caught up with me on ascending the slope to the overhead bridge at Kampar.

It was a pleasant evening with fine weather.

I arrived at the foot of the bridge to meet a Kamparian jogger Jacky Lo for the first time

Chit chatting, after Ooi Kay Beng arrived, but still had to wait for Mukhvinder

Finally Mukhvinder arrived and needed help from my mini pump to inflate his bike tyre

Kenneth gave us a hearty Chinese New Year treat at his coffee shop. The bachelors received ang pows

Final pose before we left for home at about 7 o'clock

Country road, take me home, to the place where I belong . . .

Off road northwards to Batu Gajah

Sunday, 15-2-15

After yesterday's 53 km ride down south to Tapah, today I joined Kampar Golden Riders on a 56 km ride up north to Batu Gajah:

- westwards out of Bandar Baru Kampar,
- then north to Kota Baharu on A110
- from Kota Baharu, we went off road along the eastern bank of the Kinta River, continuing northwards to Kampung Pisang on the southern fringe of Batu Gajah, covering a total of 26 km from Kampar.
- we then turned south on A15 for breakfast at Chenderong village, 6 km away.
- after a slow and satisfying breakfast, we pushed on southwards for another 10 km along A15 to reach Tanjung Tualang for a pit stop.
- the final 14 km stretch brought us home non-stop to Kampar via A114.
Kong Foo Low Winston Ooi Kay Beng Ganesan Raju Eugene Lim Hor Kar Choon and me, six riders in today's loop.

Photoshoot by the eastern bank of the Kinta River before embarking on our northbound riverside ride to Kampung Pisang, Batu Gajah.

A odd excavator on super-sized tracks parked on the riverbank.

Yay! We arrived at Chenderong village after 32 km of pedalling. Time for breakfast.

After failing to keep up with the unrelenting pace of Winston Ooi and Hor Kar Choon, I took a road side break with Eugene, Ganesan and Kong Foo Low.

Long distance ride to Tapah.

Saturday 14-2-15

Today's ride with Kampar Cycling Community:

- from Kampar down south to Temoh and Tapah along A1,

- then loop back up north to Chenderiang via route A19,

- out of Chenderiang on A118, back on A1 northbound, passing Temoh town again, 

- then westwards to Temoh Station on A116,

- followed by the A70 heading north to Mambang Diawan 

- and finally a short Sandy off road path behind the Railway Station to get back home to Kampar. 

There were five riders in today's 53 km outing.

At Chenderiang town, after 40 minutes of groaning uphills and screaming downhills.

The sand! The Sand! Off road track behind the Kampar Railway Station where I nearly fell.

Sunday morning ride to Tronoh Mines

08Feb2015

A group of eleven riders took part in this morning's 37 km loop to Tronoh Mines, a breakfast stop at Kampung Timah, a stop at the Sunday morning open air market at Tanjung Tualang and finally back to Kampar via the new road.

Gathering at Ganesan's house before setting off

With Louis Chang, a neighbour across the road from my home

With Dr Teh Chee Seng

Setting off on the long straight road ahead for Tronoh Mines

Onwards to Tronoh Mines

Here am I, trying to keep up with the leader

Breakfast with the gang at Kg Timah

Bargaining for a seamless scarf at the Tg Tualang open market

Out of Tg Tualang, at the intersection to Kampar

The home stretch, eastwards to Kampar town