It's Wednesday, 31st January 2018, and we're embarking on a long ride on this last day of January.
Our aim was to cycle on a loop from Kampar through Air Kuning, Banir, Tapah, followed by two small hill climbs through Chenderiang, down to the foothills at Sahom and Sungei Siput South before proceeding northwards to Gopeng then southwards back to Kampar via Kopisan Lawan Kuda and Kota Bahru.
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| 0704hr Ganesans house 4.12km |
There were four of us in this ride: me, Ganesan the event host, Adrian Wong and Thaneswaran. We set off from Ganesan's house in Jalan Degong Kampar shortly after seven o'clock and headed west towards Mambang Diawan.
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| 0708hr Leaving Ganesans house 02 4.12km |
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| 0726hr Towards Mambang Diawan |
The ride to Mambang Diawan was easy and quiet with some swift but occasional traffic passing us along the way.
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| 0727hr Towards Mambang Diawan 02 |
Just before Mambang Diawan village, I came across a Shell service station and decided to stop to inflate by bicycle tyres. I had been busy recently and didn't find time to bring the bicycle out to the petrol station in Kampar new town to pump it up to standard pressure of 50 psi.
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| 0730hr Inflated tyres at Mambang Diawan Shell |
We continued our journey, passed through the main road of Mambang Diawan, and by about a quarter to eight we were approaching Air Kuning town.
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| 0742hr Towards Air Kuning |
It was about eight o'clock when we arrived at our usual breakfast stop: a road-side shop in Air Kuning, where I had my second cup of black coffee and a small bean paste dumpling.
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| 0809hr Breakfast at Air Kuning 02 15.83km |
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| 0813hr Breakfast in Air Kuning 15.83km |
At 8:18 am, we resumed our ride towards Banir Village, on our way to Tapah. It was a straight and quiet road most of the way, with gentle gradients. The cool morning weather with cloudy skies made it a pleasant ride.
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| 0823hr Road to Banir |
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| 0829hr Road to Banir 02 |
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| 0851hr Banir almost there |
Banir came and went with stopping at about nine o'clock. It was about 26km into our ride and we cruised onwards to Tapah.
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| 0902hr Just passing Banir 26.01km |
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| 0904hr Junction Banir to Tapah After 26km |
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| 0910hr Reached Banir - Tapah junction 26.01km |
There's a new park on the main approach to Tapah town that I haven't visited before. It's called Dataran Amanjaya Temoh, named after Temoh, a small town nearby. Adrian and I decided to detour into the park and look around. There were a few families and young people around, some walking, some jogging and some just sitting down looking at their children run around in the park.
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| 0909hr Drop by Dataran Amanjaya Temoh |
After exploring Dataran Amanjaya Temoh briefly, we resumed our journey southwards, arriving on the northern fringe of Tapah town at about 9:45 am. We have cycled a distance of 34.61km.
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| 0934hr Road to Tapah 02 |
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| 0945hr Reached Tapah 34.61km |
It was Thaipusam day this 31st January, and the Hindu temple near the junction of the road leading uphill was crowded with people. There were many stalls selling souvenirs and religious items and there was loud religious music too. It was indeed a joyous occasion.
We started our first hill-climb of the morning at about 9:51 am, heading for Chenderiang town on the other side.
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| 0951hr Climbing the hill behind the Hindu temple in Tapah |
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| 0952hr Climbing the hill behind Tapah |
We reached the peak and began our downhill roll at about a quarter past ten. It was 40.06km into our journey and we were eagerly looking forward to our ice-kacang break in Chenderiang town ahead.
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| 1022hr The happy downhill roll towards Chenderiang town |
We arrived in Chenderiang about half an hour later at 1035hr
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| 1034hr Yay! The ice-water stall is just a stone throw ahead. |
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| 1034hr This has become our customary way of announcing our arrival in Chenderiang |
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| Tucking in to our refreshments eagerly |
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| At the ice and fruit stall, just dismounted and looking rather dazed from the gravity of the earth. |
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| This shot was taken before the fruits and drinks arrived |
We finished our refreshments resumed our ride at a quarter past eleven, moving onwards to our second hill-climb of the morning.
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| 1114hr Chenderiang hill and beyond, here we come |
After having climbed this small hill for about half a dozen times, I didn't expect it to be difficult. I underestimated my level of fitness this time, for I soon became somewhat fatigued and had to take a break under a bridge, with the North-South Highway and its roaring vehicles above me.
It was just about five km from the Lata Kinjang waterfalls junction, and a couple of km more to the peak. We had covered 51.47km so far.
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| 1154hr Rest stop under the NS Highway, 51.47km |
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| 1237hr The climb continues |
At about one o'clock, we reached Sahom village at the foothills. It was 61.90 km of our ride.
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| 1256hr At Sahom. Taking a break under the shade of some trees. |
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| A momento from our stop at Sahom |
We carried on our ride towards Kuala Dipang, with its junction leading to the main trunk road. It was very hot and I was getting both thirsty and tired.
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| 1314hr Approaching the Kuala Dipang junction with the trunk road from Kampar |
"Getting very hot now, tired?" my wife asked in a message on my phone.
It was 1327hr and I had almost made up my mind to return to Kampar instead of carrying on the journey with the rest to Gopeng and beyond.
"Yea hot", I replied from the road side, "Reached K. Dipang junction. Coming back on my own by main road to Bandar Baru. Not joining them to Gopeng and beyond."
That was at the 67.87km point. I broke away from Ganesan, Adrian and Thanes to head southwards back to Kampar town while they continued north to meet up with Fabian and Lee Lean Wylie in Gopeng in their quest to complete their 100 km target.
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| It was 75km, taking into account my 4 km unrecorded ride to Ganesan's house. |
Arriving home at about 2.40 pm, it was a 75km ride for this final day of January 2018. My legs were quite well tanned and I nicknamed today's ride, "The Sun Tan Ride".
