Another weekend, another miss...

'Salam. Isok sya ke tanjung karang survey route kampung sawah padi. Ada kayuhan bank 11 12 Julai. Jom ikut. Dewa pon ikut. Jam 5 sya gi umah sham. Subuh otw. Bole jumpa kat petronas sg besi jam 530' - Abg Man CIOCC

Messages from the sender is actually highly awaited and it frustrates me when I am unable to follow his group weekend ride due to work, family or some other commitment. The group rides are always fun and he always make sure that everyone, regardless of ability would enjoy the ride as much as he had (I think)

It has been quite some time since I have last ridden with him, but his blog entries never cease to tickle the funny bone (and he has this specially way to wax lyrical of the whole ride thing). If you have the time visit his blog at http://manciocc.blogspot.com and who knows, maybe you can join one of his weekly rides.

I know I visited the site often, just to know what have I missed the previous week. Sigh. For one, riding in Tg Karang this weekend would be a great change of scenery. Sigh. Sigh. And more sigh as I won't be able to join. Hmmm...

The 'Mendum' ride...

"Saya memang cuak jugak nak ride dengan grup ni. Diaorang semua ni kuat, kayuh beskal memang laju. Naik bukit pun laju. Makan apa la agaknya?" - Enche Bon

The ride this week was dominated by the Disco boys. One third of the riders are Disco boys. And one from Astana. That must be one of the reason why they ably gobble up the hills, even the formidable Mendum and then spits it out. Easy, peasy... for them that is.

Anyway, I was having two minds about joining this ride. There are some things needed to be done in office, but upon securing some help at the very last minute, decided to tag along. I do not fully understand it but the mere mention of 'bukit'/hills, make the whole ride so much more desireable. Could it be some psychosomatic manifestation of some sort? Or some unseen primal connection to conquering hill(s)?

I reach the RV just as they were rolling out. I haven't met a few of them for quite some time, like Suhaimi PPZ. Hey, even I was surprised I was there :) We rode slowly at first, catching up while I have the nagging feeling that my rear wheel sprung a tiny leak. Ayie catches up with us shortly before Teras Jernang, and we continued in a single file towards Semenyih.

Like I said, the Disco boys drive the pace quite high and before long one of us at the back of the peloton suffered a puncture. I chased the front riders to slow them down, and we stopped for a while. The ride to Semenyih was hazardous, negotiating potholes and fighting 'lori hantus'. Once Bro Syarul's wheels given extra air at Pekan Semenyih, we zipped thru the UNotts highway all the way to Broga.

My suspicion is stronger with each kilometers that my wheels sprung a leak as my wheels are getting heavier but maybe the leaden legs are caused by the 60km ride yesterday. I haven't really recover from my fever on Wednesday and Thursday, and maybe, just maybe, the dehydration/overtraining effects lingers. All of a sudden, I was alone. Left behind by the front pack, I decided to push on all the way to Lenggeng, when I temporarily got lost. Lost?

Have not been to Mendum before, so I do not know where to go. Retraced my route, yet failed to see any rider. Stopped and ask one pakcik, and he confirms a group of cyclist did ride thru just a few minutes ago. 'Macam mana boleh miss ni?'. There is only one other junction to try, towards Pantai/Kelawang. After a few kilos, I read a sign which says 'Kg Mendum'. Most probably I am at the right place. Then I saw the view...

As I slowly make my way up the incline, Wari, Ayie and the rest of the crew came zooming down. One corner sets you up for another corner. Once you exited that corner, up it goes another 20 degrees towards another corner. Just 25 meters before the third corner, I admit defeat. I almost unclipped myself. Bukit Mandum will have the last laugh, today...

Broken, I make my way back down, hitting 75kmh. Cycled slowly towards the nasi lemak ikan keli shop, where I joined the rest of the crew. I do not have appetite to eat, my mind were elsewhere. After the crew almost finished everything at the shop, we make our way back. My wheels are getting flatter by the minute and luckily for me, I was rescued 10 kilos into my ride back.

My mind were still on Bukit Mandum. And how I let it defeat me today. One fine day, I will climb all the way to the top, and conquer it... one day.

Pics courtesy of http://manciocc.blogspot.com (Thanks Abg Man!)

The cool tree lined roads...

Heard that Big plans to ride with Mursh in the morning, and sure enough, that was loosely the plan. Decided to join the ride, so I sent text messages to Wari to meet at the RV at 730am. After all, the two team rides planned on the 7th and the 10th did not materialise, so must make up for lost mileage eh?

I am late again in the morning and only reached the RV at almost 0750. Only Mursh was there, as Big and Wari were unreachable. As we discussed on our ride destination, we decided to run some errands in BBB first, and later ride some 40 odd kilometres to Semenyih. Mursh like the ideas, especially as the roads will be lined by nice shades.

We planned to ride a leisure 20-25kmh pace, and should be covering the whole distance and back in more or less two hours. I warned Mursh that there will be a few hills along the way, but nothing he would not be able to handle. He was up to the challenge all the way. Almaklumlah training selalu. We arrive at our destination after about an hour ride, and decided to stop for our break at a restaurant.

After the refreshing mandatory hydration stop, we make our way back. But not without teasing Big, about wanting to stop by at his house. The journey back feels a lot faster (ni mesti kesan milo ais dengan roti bom kot?) and we reached the RV in about 50 minutes. After planning our next ride, both of us part way, while I make my way back home. Leisurely that is.

From Peras to Labu?

I received a short text "We r ridin frm to PEREZ sunday 5 april. Surf http://manciocc.blogspot.com 100km 730 sharp gerak" from Abg Man. Well, I haven't been riding of late (almost two month), and to ride 100km without many miles in the legs remind me of what happen to CH a few months ago.

But then again, the lure of Perez is too much to ignore. Without the chance to scale Sempah yet, Perez remains my yardstick as I could compare this ride with the last. Try to coax the rest of the gang, but Big, Am, Megat and even CH declined due to lack of mileage, they said. I guess that will just leave me and Wari, then for this ride.

Ride day - I was late. The ride was supposed to start at 0730, and at 0725 I was still 9 km away. I contemplated using the shortcut, and meet the group somewhere in the middle, but decided to go the distance, even if I have to chase them for the first half. Luckily for me, as I ride thru the RV, I saw the group were just making their way out. Fuh!

And as luck would have it, they also decided to change their route. If not, I would be climbing Perez alone as they tackle different route. Memang nasib baik. As I catch my breath, we rode into Salak in one single line. The pace up front was furious, with Ayie, Wari, Riezal (on a single speeder some more) dictating. I tried to follow suit, but the my legs keep reminding me, what I have missed all this month.

Suddenly, I found myself in front of the peloton going up the long De Palma hill. Imagined myself charging forward not unlike George Hincapie up the Alps (as if la) riding for Discovery and Lance, just that I could only manage 27kph all the way to the top near De Palma. Riding down, letting gravity do its stuff, I hit 64kmh. At the junction, we regrouped before making our way.

We make our way to the junction towards Pekan Labu, when Ayie, Sham Dewa, Amir, Cik Puan Bola2api and me ride our way to the front and ride towards food(? what else? already?). Abg Zizan (who acts as our marshall), reminded us to stop at the Big Pumpkin, for the usual photo ops. We reached the place in no time, but apparently two sudden technical problems means Abg Man and the rest of the gang took a bit longer to arrive.

After the customary photo ops, we make our way towards Gadong Baru when another puncture, derailed the rest of the gang. The stomach rumbles louder, but it would take another 20km of riding before we will stop to eat. Once the puncture sorted out, we ride the dragonback towards Enstek, joined by Abg Zack (another marshall?) and take a shortcut to Salak for our sustenance. Apparently, the karaoke singer also doubles as the roti canai/telur/bawang maker...

After having some grub, its time to roll out with the dreaded short, sharp De Palma climb waiting. No casualty there. I decided to push on, without waiting for the others, maintaining 40kmh for as long as I can (konon2nya breakaway la ni, hehehe). I thought I can go all the way to Dengkil junction, alas my tired legs could only be flogged up til Jenderam, where I was caught by the fast approaching pursuivant .

Regrouped at the Dengkil junction, say goodbye and make my way back as I have a date with the bowling alley. Don't want to let my team mates down. Thanks to Abg Man and the rest of the guys for a great ride, looking forward to do it again...

The rim killer...

One of the things that we need to be aware of as we are cycling on the road is... drain covers. Drain cover is basically covering of the drain (duh!). As you were cycling on the road, you see them lining the road side, doing what else, covering the drain. 

Basically there wont be a problem, as the drain cover is put there to enable water on the road to be channeled rightly into the drain. The problem is when the orientation of the drain cover unfortunately posed some dangers to the users. The cyclist in general, roadies especially. Due to the small 700x20c tires.

Last weekend, it almost floored Mr Big. Eh, sejak bila plak Mr Big ada roadbike? His front wheel got stuck on his descent from a small hill. Mr Big's wheel became a casualty, and he need to walk a good kilometer to get home. Tu la, buat secret training lagi over the weekend...

Anyway, how many of you have 'near brushes' with the drain cover? 

The only constant in life is...

CHANGE.

In all our life, we change. From the time we are helpless bundle of joy, all the way to the (sometime hapless) individuals that we are, we undergo changes at every part of our life. We hope the changes that we make propel us to be better than we previously are.

So, we change on a daily basis. We even change clothes on a daily basis (kalau tak sure kena pulau dengan kawan-kawan). When I started to row, what starts as a recreational activities evolve to competing internationally. In cycling, from just as a mode of transport to school and the occasional foray to the hypermarket, after a few years graduated to competitive riding of sort, even if its only in duathlons.

So its only natural that my choice of ride evolve from a full-sus mountain bike to a road bike. And most of my riding friends evolve from a mountain bike to a road bike, from an alloy bike all the way to carbon bling-bling,from Sora all the way to Dura-Ace (I am leaning towards rodies). And some of my riding friend here at work, had changed from not riding a bike to riding. And jumped into the cycling bandwagon.

A few more friends are in the fray to join us, waiting to source for their bikes, like Mus and Am. So, the question is... bila BIG nak beli BASIKAL BARU ni? Roadbike! Roadbike! Roadbike!

The night we retire early...

Called Lei. No answer. Called Wari. No answer. I need to know how is the weather like in Putrajaya. CH won't be joining as he is not feeling well. Albert has a clean bill of health and promises to join the next session. Mr Big is still in Kuching for an official visit and won't be back until later tonight. Hardi is non-commital. So, it all depends on the weather tonight, whether we ride or not.

Make my way to the RV, and pleasantly surprise to meet not only Wari, but also Lei. Ayie is not around tonight and the weather is holding. Set-up our bikes, and off we go, just the three of us. We let Lei to choose the route and he suggested going of to P? and later came up to our usual route. Lei and Wari sped away, while I was having some problems with my rear tire. Nanti aku kejar korang, pi la speed dulu. Nanti letih la tu...

True enough, hehehe, Lei slow down just before the big roundabout. Dah lama tak sprint la katakan. Then we ride together towards Alamanda, and we sprinted up the incline. Lei suddenly have a technical problem, while me and Wari dance up the small hill. What goes up, must come down so we coasted down and Lei later sprints down the highway. I tried to follow suit, but Lei is too fast. Takpe, nanti aku training lagi, hehehe...

Before long we reached PICC and decided to ride back, up the Boulevard and later take a left turn toward P9. Playfully ride up the hill towards the Fire Station and then ride slowly to the RV. The ride tonight ended at 10pm and we have a short post ride refreshment just to catch our breath. Ayie joins us and he shares the fate of the Madone who involved in a crash on FT Day. Takpe, Trek kan ada lifetime warranty,

One thing funny is that we finished a 25km ride in an hour. We wonder why. Then the realisation hit us. We rode without Mr Big. Our usual 90 minutes ride became a 60 minutes ride. So, Mr Big, bila lagi nak dapatkan a roadbike. Hari tu kata its because of the bike... 

Trek? Merida? Fuji? Cannondale? Sora? Tiagra? 105? Ultegra? Take your pick Mr Big...

The (supposed) 75km weekend ride to KLIA...

Last weekend me and Wari planned a long ride together, but as it happens, the ride was not to be. Something came up in the morning, and we took a rain-check on that planned ride to KLIA. So when the opportunity presents itself on Saturday, and last night's PCM ride was easy so make new plans with Wari to meet at the RV at 730am. The rest of the crew? Most of them is not around, so its just the two of us.

I am late again (ya,ya, what else is new eh?) and Wari were already waiting. We set-up our bikes and suddenly we were chatted up by a guard, En.Nuar who took an interest in our bikes. By 830am, we rolled out planning for a 2-3 hour ride. Destination? Either Salak Tinggi or KLIA. I reckon it would be about 50-75km back and forth, so it could work out to an average of 25km/h. Not too bad, eh?

The first 20 minutes were easy, and we gradually upped the speed to 25kmh. Took a pit stip at one of the petrol station and off we roll again, after taking the route to Salak Tinggi thru De'Palma. The rolling highway allows us to hit high 20s, and I asked Wari if we wanted to go back already and turn towards Kota Warisan or all the way to KLIA. 'Weather sikit punya cantik, jalan pun OK jugak. Kita pi KLIA la', he suggested.

So the two of us, make our way towards KLIA and the open space means we manage to maintain an average of 28-30kmh for that stretch. Taking turns pulling in front, tried to maximise drafting effects. Nearing KLIA, we are undecided of going to Bunga Raya and later all the way to LCCT or just make a u-turn at PanPac. U-turn at PanPac it is. If we were to go to LCCT, it would mean an extra 22km, hehehe...

On the way back, we took the Dengkil route and roll in to the RV in Unikeb. I was too slow for Wari (I was wasted OK) so for a good 10km, he left me at the back, and he only slows down near Teras Jernang, where I manage to catch him. Then we spin to warm down to the RV point and our total for today, just 66km in 2.5hrs. Still a few kilometers short of our planned 75km. Sigh :(

Well, a good ride indeed. We should do this more often eh Wari?

On my, what a pleasant surprise...

One social event that I look forward to each month is the Putrajaya Critical Mass or fondly known as PCM. So, on the last Friday night of the month we'll have these gathering of riders of all kind of bikes, sizes, young and not so young anymore to engage in something that they love, riding bicycles.

Wari, Big and Lei had never been to one, so its only natural to extend the invitation to them. Make arrangements with Wari to meet earlier as parking is limited, and Big says he will be coming a little later as he just finished some testing in the afternoon. No worries as PCM only starts at 930pm. Called Lei in the afternoon, and teasing him on whether he will be clocking some secret training beforehand. Kantoi nanti, hehehe...

Call it instinct, at 825pm, I called Lei and true enough, he WAS preparing for that secret training ride. Siap gua suruh simpan je la tayar yang kat tangan tuh, hahaha. Its better for you to come and join us for a drink at the RV point. Caught redhanded, he obliged and meet me at the RV around 845pm. He asked about the others, and Wari called shortly saying that he's in the Mamak, waiting for us. Hehehe, so much for great timing.

After 9pm, car after cars with bike racks and riders jostle for parking spaces. Nasib baik datang awal, hehehe. Saw a lot of familiar faces (and I've only been to one PCM. Must be those blogs) and make small talk with Sis Sharifah whom I met last year. Big is late, and he managed to coaxed Hardi along (hehehe, Circle of Influence at work again). Told him, no worries, usually PCM wont start until 930pm.

The crowd swells, bike and riders are filling every available space. Saw Bro Zizan, Bang Man CIOCC, Aini bola2api, Kash and Rais, and made some new friends along the way. The ride proper(?) starts at almost 10pm and off we go. Decided to stay in the middle of the pack all the way till Hardi and Big cycle along us and sped playfully. Suddenly, we are near the front.

After Alamanda, chug along up the incline and then Wari and Hardi sped thru. Tak boleh jadi ni, kena kejar. It was fast (kononnya la) all the way to PICC, where we slowly wind down and take a breather. While waiting for the others, I suggested to Wari, Lei and Hardi to climb PICC. One climb. Two climb. By the time we finish the second climb, a lot of the riders are already at the pit stop in front of PICC.

Not long after, Big came and surprise, he found Cikgu Nasir among the riders. Big is more interested in C'gu Nasir's Merida. Apa lagi, bila nak sambar road bike nih? I worked with C'gu Nasir once in Johor, so planned to bring my bike next time we're working together as he always bring his bike along on those trips. 

We then ride to the Mosque as it was suggested earlier to meet-up there for photo ops. I guess there is a change in plans as apparently some of the riders went back to the RV point straightaway after PICC. Well, maybe next time then. Anyway, by the time I reached the RV, Big, Lei, Hardi and C'gu Nasir had already left as it was quite late. Grabbed my usual 'roti nan', and before long bid adieu to my friends and thank them for a good ride.. Its a pleasant surprise to meet old and new friends...

Thanks to Daoh, Bang Man CIOCC and those who tirelessly make this ride a safe, and accessible one. See you guys next month :)

Its a wash-out, ladies and gentlemen...

Just got back from outstation yesterday so the bike is still unassembled and its still in the bike bag. So when I finally got back from office, rushed to assembled it and to prepare for the planned ride tonight. It was postponed from last nights at Big's request, so after contacting the rest of the team(?), we decided to ride tonight.

The weather is cloudy throughout and we fear for the ride. Ada ke takde agaknya? As I was driving home, there is a glimmer of hope, as Putrajaya is clear. Weather update from Putrajaya was clear too. So once I finished assembling the bike, quickly put it in my car and make my way there. As I drive there, suddenly the rain starts falling down, getting heavier by the minute.

Alamak! Called the rest of the gang and inform them of the situation. Decided to meet first at RV and evaluate the situation. By the time I reached the RV, Wari, Big and Ayie were already there. The rain is heavy, and no chance of riding then. Proceeded to order something to eat, then I realise, none of them had any food in front of them.

"Geng, tak nak makan ke? Takkan kecewa sebab tak dapat ride sampai tak makan?" I asked them. 'Yup, aku tak nak makan sebab tak dapat ride malam ni. Jauh aku datang', quipped Big. Wari adds, 'Kitaorang minum je'. I admired my friends, sampai begitu sekali kekecewaan mereka krana tidak menunggang basikal malam ini.

That is until two plates of Mee Goreng Mamak arrived, complete with Telur Goreng Mata Kerbau. Ceh! Hahaha, so much for the sorrowful duo... we'll ride again some other time, right? HAHAHAHAHA!

And where is Mr Big?

After the recent 'brouhaha' with regards to the helmet and the shoes, I make it a point of preparing in advance for Friday ride #7. I was late again (what else is new?) and only reached RV at almost 9pm. Hey, a new addition to the group, and we welcome Azhar to the fold (Circle of Influence eh?)

We started off slowly in view of Azhar being a newbie and Mr Big who havent been riding diligently for the past few weeks (banyak urusan keluarga, hehe). Ayie is unable to join us for some emergency matters, so the four of us took the usual route towards PICC. 

Azhar seems OK, even if the bike is a bit big for him as we opined he should be riding a 50 or smaller rather than a 52 (its easier to make a small bike bigger than a big bike smaller). We decided to make a u-turn near PICC and go towards P16. To spice things up, me, Wari and Azhar decided to play catch-up and sprint. Mr Big? We keep him within distance, hehehe...

Nearing P16, Wari suggested Wisma Putra hill, to which I gamely accepted. Result? Of course he reaches the top first, he still is 30 kilos lighter than me. Azhar even followed suit, riding up the hill and then we gleefully descent down. But wait, something is wrong. I can't see him, he should be waiting for us here. Where in Putrajaya is Mr Big?

We decided to sweep the Boulevard all the way to PICC, looking for a guy riding on a DaBomb. We scour the area, but we could only find Kenari's and MyVi's lining up the road. Ada pesta Perodua ke? Tried calling on his cellphone but to no avail. Has he been kidnapped? Mana la tahu kena kidnap for ransom ke, Mr Big kan nampak macam tokoh korporat...

As we are going towards PICC, we suffered our first casualty. Azhar's leg refused to cycle anymore. He cramped. So what else to do? After letting him rest his legs for a while, we ride slowly towards the RV point, reminding him to keep the legs moving to pump blood in and to drink often. He survived, but I think its a case of trying to do too much too soon (dah lama tak exercise la katakan...)

Lo and behold, once we reached the RV, there he was, Mr Big, waiting for us. Apparently, he is in one piece. Takkan ambil shortcut plak Mr Big? I took a raincheck on the post ride rehydration session, and bade the three of them, goodnite. Good ride, good company = feelgood, no? We'll do this again, my friends...

The (first) ride into the clouds

I always have this fascination with climbers. Nope, not in the mountaineering sense, but in the cycling sense. KOM. Alpe de Huez. Angliru. Col d'Izard. Our own Genting. So when Abg Man SMSed us that the next ride will include the 8.8km ride up Perez, it was not to be missed.

I can't sleep actually. Saturday was resting day, other than the visit to KFine. Wash my bike and try to sleep as early as possible. Like a small boy who are anticipating the visit to the Lego shop :) I actually woke up at 5am, and force myself to sleep a bit more.

Woke up at 6am, call Lei but he's not answering. Cook breakfast and somehow only manage to go out of the house quite late. That is definitely for not putting my bike in the car the night before. Ha! Sikit punya kelam kabut, baru ko tahu. In my haste (it was already 650am), I left Garmin at home, and the thought of being left behind by the 730 roll out time, decided against turning back and get it. Kena buat manual training note la lepas ni for this particular ride...

On the way, Wari called. He's already at IKBN, and I told him I'll be there before the ride. Racing there (both my heart rate and the car) is stressful. Takut kena tinggal, dah la tak tahu jalan. Finally I reached the designated RV point a few minutes after 730. Cyclist in cars and bikes were lining the street. CH just arrived. I saw familiar faces, even some who their adventures were the staple of my bloghopping.

After everyone is ready (its almost 8am), we rode together to the first checkpoint. We have CH and Wari, the usual Sunday crew, bola2api, Kash and Rais, Nurina and a few other nice people that I have the pleasure of making acquaintance along the ride. It was a rolling route, thru a few kampungs, and the cool weather makes me thankful I was wearing the long sleeved tee. In all we have almost 20 cyclists in our group.

At the T junction, we made a pit stop. Kash had some problems with her RD. Apai swings into action, and the problem was solved in no time. After a breather and everyone is accounted for, the climb begins. The first few hundred meters are steep, but with the right gearing and companion it was made bearable. I rode with Abg Man and Cikgu Hisyam for a while until I became too slow for them :(

I reminded myself not to overexert myself. The secret they say is to set and follow your own pace. You know yourself better and I was thankful for the Polar loaned to me by Wari that allows me to keep a tab on my heart rate over the ride (and especially the climb). My strategy is to spin along and keep my soaring heart rate in check.

It was a refreshing ride, early in the morning and the sound of the chain gliding over the drivetrain hums a sense of purpose, the sight along the way is just awesome and the smell over dew on leaves is pure and invigorating. Then, reality sets in. My breathing is labored, my throat are dry, my lungs are screaming for air, my quads are bursting with lactic acid and with every spin, 'Bila la nak sampai nih!'

After struggling for 33 minutes up Perez, after a bend I saw, 'SELAMAT DATANG KE NEGERI SEMBILAN" and sure enough, I saw a few of the crew is already there. The climbers (light in weight, of course) are cheering everyone who are making it over the top. At that moment, it makes it all worthwhile. The pain disappeared and the endorphin rush envelops you.

After the customary UMNO Jelebu pics, we turn to cheer everyone who made it over Perez. Abg Man and a few other even rode down to make sure Zul ride safely to the top, cajoling, cheering, supporting even telling a few white lies, 'lepas ni ada satu selekoh je lagi, hehehe'. A big round of applause for all in the group. See, CH and Wari pun boleh survive. So Mr Big, bila nak join kami?

The descent was furious, especially the first few kilometers as the switchbacks are to my liking. I guess I averaged around 40+kmh only. Daoh suffered the first of our puncture on the descent. We waited for him at the junction and later makes our way to the RV point to regroup. Once we are there, we received news that CH suffers a puncture. Kash and Rais swings to the rescue while we waits for them.

Once the punctured party arrive (tayar saja yg pancit, orangnya OK lagi), the next leg of the journey was to Pangsoon, but as fate would have it, CH punctures again on the same front wheel. CH, agaknya wheels ko tu jinxed tak? We changed the tubes and the group decided to cut short the trip and go to Sg Congkak instead.

We had our breakfast there (basically taking everything in sight, these ravenous cyclist) and enjoyed the

company of fellow cyclist over food and drinks. Even Md Noor Ba

lung Merah and Zharin was there a while later. After the usual photo ops, with a filled tummy

(not yet full), we bid goodbye and make our way to the RV point.

Its great to be riding with friends (old and new) who makes it all the way to the top. For some of them, this is their first time, mine included. And the next time I am here, I will do my best to conquer it in a much shorter time. This climb up Perez makes a good weekend. Period.

Read other riders take on the ride and pics, pics and more pics... hehehe. Read the thoughts and writing of Bang Man, bola2api, Kash, Nurina.....

I was late...

...and my phone is ringing incessantly. Its Lei and Wari. Called Wari and asked him if everyone is already there. He says that  even Ayie Nexus is there. Hmm..

"Aku tengah cycle on the way ke sana. I am near JPM now. Err, CH ada tak?" I asked. "Belum call lagi" says Wari. "Call and check dia kat mana. Aku sampai kejap lagi", while continuing to spin and warm up all the way to RV.

True enough when I arrived there, Wari, Ayie and Lei is already waiting. Even CH is there, setting up his bike. Sorry guys, I'm late this time (macam last time jugak la, hehehe). Lets ride guys, its late already so off we go on the usual PCM route. All roadies today it seems as Big is away in JB.

We started slow, decided to maintain 20kmh for the first few kilometers. It does feels good, riding with buddies :) Lei can't resist the playful sprints chasing Ayie after every traffic light, ceh. The competitive nature in him is too great. Sabar bang, tak banyak mileage lagi in those legs.

We spin along the Alamanda incline, with CH, Ayie and Wari dancing up those incline. Lei is slowly finding his rhythm and setup on Scott XS. We zooms down the long descent and hitting 40+kmh and the sprinters are having a field day. Takpe, takpe, nanti aku brush up aku punya sprinting boleh la challenge korang...

I decided to spin along (slowly) before meeting the 'sprinters' near PICC. Decided against going back the long incline and instead go down the boulevard, where the cobbles is made bearable by our carbon forks (as if). From the Mosque, me and Wari cycled down to the RV chasing CH, Lei and Ayie in front. After the traffic light on the 9th, Ayie and Lei sprints it out all the way to the finish, reminiscence of the usual ride ending sprints after Asasi in UM.

Thanks guys for a good ride. We'll do this again next week. Maybe over two laps this time?

New Year Ride 2009 : The supposed ride that became a race...

Rumors of the ride first surfaced during the trip to search for the "new nasik lemak makan place" when I heard Apai and Bang Man talked about a planned New Year Ride on 1st January 2009 (duh! of course). I tried looking for it on JK, but it was nowhere to be seen. Hmm... maybe I got it wrong, I think. Anyway, talked to CH and Lei, informing them of the ride and they are game to do it, all the 80km of it.

Finally, a notice came up on 30th December on JK inviting MTBs and roadies to participate in the ride. Abg Man also forwarded me a SMS of the ride, and I duly passed my name to the organizers. I forward the same to CH and Lei, who both confirms of coming. Great guys, see you there.

The night before Lei asked me to call him early in the morning, while CH asks for directions. Ini betul2 nak kayuh ni, semangat sungguh... Anyway, on the day itself I got up early, make some breakfast and out of the house by 0700hrs. Will meet Lei somewhere near the meeting point. After making some calls, decided to wait at the mosque instead, and join the group when they cycle through.

Met Abg Man and the rest of the riders and decided to wait for the riders at Shell. Apparently, the ride starts 30 minutes later than planned so we wait and talk and do the necessary. At about 0845 the riders zooms in, and the first thing I realise is that the front riders are going really, really fast.

We tag along at the back and I make my way slowly to the middle of the pack. It seems that there are a few KOM competitions along the way, which explains the hurried pace. Jangan ikut orang punya pace, ride your own race. With that I ride with Hafiz (found him somewhere in the front of me) and stayed all the way till that first hill where he sped away.

No worries, just aim to maintain an average of high 20s up till the first stop after riding for 20km. We waited up for all the riders to regrouped to the next stop. It was a short wait, as it was still early in the ride (and the riders are still strong, hehe). It was a marshalled ride and it make the ride easier, as the marshalls stops traffic whenever necessary to enable us easy passage. Kudos to the organizers.

After a short drink break, work to maintain the speed of the previous sector. The undulating, flattish route enables me to consistently hits 30s. Not too bad for a starting again cyclist. But then, for all the high speed you have a price to pay. It almost kill me at the De Palma incline. I slowed down all the way to 10kmh, struggling along. Felt like pushing my bike, but I can't let Sham Dewa sees that, hehehe (I ride with him at De Palma)

At the second stop, I gawk at all the nice bikes and components around. You name it, you can see it there. Treks, Colnagos, Pinarellos, Specializeds, Meridas, Orbeas, Shimanos, SRAMs, Campags, C50s, carbon, alloys, scandiums... its all there. Be proud Scotty, you are in the company of nice bikes. Some of wheelset even costs more than you, but I do believe, its the rider that matters most. And in 6 months, we'll dance..

In the last 65km, managed to maintain an average of 28.4kmh. Hope to work more on that in the next few months. The last 5km was a warm down ride to the mosque where Lei is waiting, after he decided to "visit" Azman while cycling somewhere near Pekan Salak. CH got a puncture about 10km from the finish line and he has to menggendong his bicycle on one of the marshall motorbikes. This is the second flat that he had experienced this week.

Have some drinks with the "devils" before all of us "bertebaranlah kamu dimuka bumi ini..."

Word of "THANKS" to the organizer for a safe ride, complete with Marshals and support car. Good start to the year 2009 :)

The long holidays and the small sharp rock...

The long holidays have not been good to my cycling. The Christmas break on Thursday and the New Year on Monday does not mean that it is easier to go cycling. the holidays also means more weddings to attend, and more places to visit.  It is also the best time to visit immediate and distant family/friends/shopping complexes/etc... you get the drift.

It has been a week since I last cycled. So I planned (need/want) to put in a ride tonight, and invited the usual suspect. CH and Lei says yes, Big says maybe and Warimad is still on leave. No worries, even if its three people, we'll still ride. Tries to coax Big to commit, but he says he is still tired from the journey last night. Sure, no worries. Take a rest mate.

Go back home early and cook something to eat. CH asked if we could meet a bit later, while Lei is still on his way home and will confirm his coming later. In the end, Lei could not make it and I SMSed CH to meet at 915pm at the usual place. Felt heavy though. It could be the nasi goreng agaknya... malas betul rasanya nak kayuh!

Am not wearing my usual long cycling pants so I felt a bit 'exposed'. The night is cool, and my legs is cold, and it took such a long time to warm up. I only felt better after Alamanda, climbing that incline and continued to crank it up going down towards PICC. The new RD seems OK but there is still some problem with shifting. Nothing too big except for the fact that CH overtook me before the top. Must be my leaden leg.

Decided to do a double loop so before long we are away from PICC towards Alamanda sprinting away when disaster struck. I suffered a puncture. No bang, no sound, no fireworks whatsoever. Just a sudden wobble of the back tires and that spells the end of my ride. I was stopped by a small sharp rock. Ceh!

The problem tonight is that my rear tire is on a deep rim, and the tube that I brought along has a shorter valve. Not to mention I did not bring my patch kit lest I could have patch the offending tire there and then. thought that the front tire has a long valve, swapped the tubes but to no avail. So, after the futile attempt to repair the puncture, I asked CH to ride back to the RV point and get the car. 'Come rescue me'

The moral of the story is : Make sure you have the basic cycling survival skills. At least you preferably know how to change your tubes. Bring the right sized tubes. And patch kits (if needed). Or have the numbers of the taxi service hotlines, hehehe...  They could come and rescue the stranded cyclist. Like me. Or maybe you.

In search of another Nasi Lemak place?

Last Sunday, the usual crew planned a ride to Lenggeng (again?) but with a slight twist. This time it'll be using the newly paved Broga road (not that I know where it is, hehe). The route? Here. Unfortunately, I had something else to do that day, and also a wedding do to attend so with a heavy heart, would have to say 'nay!' to that ride.

Well, gatal punya pasal la katakan, that morning make my way to the usual RV point, and true enough they are preparing for the ride. There I met Abg Man, Amin and Acap, and also Apai. Tak dapek nak kayuh, hantar orang nak poie kayuh pun jadi la kan. Apparently they are waiting for Hafiz, who suffered a puncture earlier.

While Apai is setting up his bike, his front tire meletup! Luckily its the tube, rather than the tire. So, before the ride another one  puncture casualty. The first tube Apai puts in is not catching air, so they change into another tube. And a short while later, they are ready to roll. Meanwhile, thinking that the guys at the RV point have already left at 730am, Hafiz (I think) cycled straight to somewhere near Semenyih hoping to catch up with the rest. Abg Man then asked him to wait while they are ready to roll out now..

Finally the four of them roll out at a quarter after eight in search of another old skool nasi lemak stall in Lenggeng. Can't wait to read about all that I have missed this week. Sigh. Abg Man, cepat la update cerita baru...

Ride to the sea, eat a lot, and ride back (slowly)...

CAUTION: THIS POST IS LATE. REALLY LATE.

It was not the best of preparation. I could not really sleep. We had a somewhat heavy dinner, quite late yesterday. Before that we travelled almost 300km. Make a detour at the office to pick up Scotty. Slept late. Woken up a few times, fearing for being late at the RV.

At 7am, rushed to the RV, without breakfast and no water in my tank. None in my bottle too. Somehow managed to reach there with a few minutes to spare. The weather is clear, signaling it will be a really, really hot day, all the way to the sea. Greeted Abg Man, and were told that we are waiting for CH, who apparently woken up late.

Took the opportunity to grab some watered down isotonic drink to fill in my bottle, half of the fun will be lost if I 'died' before we reach the sea. Sneaked over to Petronas, and afterwards to the loo. Too much water in too little time wreaked havoc with me. Luckily I am done, just as CH and the rest of the party arrive. Consensus taken, with all saying 'aye' all the way to the sea, even if the sun threatens to bake us all.

The ride rolled out sometime after 8am, everybody working their legs in anticipation of the long, hot ride. The pace slowly picked up from 20kmh to 25kmh, then it became fast and furious, trying to make up lost time it seems. Like Abg Man's comment, Sham Dewa seems to be in a cycling trance (in the zone perhaps), pulling everyone along. Laju pulak tu.

The two km towards De Palma, the riders regrouped and make short change of the long climb. Then we fly towards Salak, where we negotiated the heavy traffic (to the market perhaps?) and after than raced towards Sepang. The undulating terrain posed some problem, but none too big. Working as a team, pulling everybody in, all the way to Sg Pelek town.

The last few kilos are flat and the 'sprinters' in the group have a field day, hitting high 30s. Tried to tag along but my tank is getting emptier by the minute and contended with being in the middle. Amin, like a true leader, falls back and rode as the sweeper to make sure everyone is accounted for. Caught up with Abg Man and the rest who slowed down after the entrance to The Gold Coast.

Cikgu Hisham goes all out to the sea, while we slowed down to regroup. Suddenly we heard a commotion behind us, and zoomed in a green Viva full of young girls cheering us on. Ni yang rasa macam nak kejar ni, hehehe. Cyclist groupie, perhaps? My mind wander back to uni where a group of cyclist going up the back hill is always full of admirers. Hehehe.

Reached the sea and sure enough we met with the cheer squad. Ha, dah dekat2 ni malu pulak, tadi siap sorak2 lagi... What else to do, photo ops for posterity. We then proceeded to the eating place, to refuel and lo and behold, the cheer squad is at the next shop. Nak buek apo, tengok yo la. The hungry crew could not wait no more, even if the one who takes our order is sweet. WE WANT OUR 100 PLUS! NOW!

At 1115 we finally make a move. The first few kilos our legs felt like lead, heavy. Just trudging along, forcing blood into the (whatever) jelly like muscle I have. The pace is good, in the high 20s. After Sg Pelek, follows Hafiz all the way to Sepang, trying to catch him. Apparently he want to distance himself as far away from Amin, 'Nanti dia potong saya bang, hehehe'. Such playful nature, these boys.

Hafiz sped in front, and Cikgu Hisham and Azam caught up with me in Pekan Salak, where nearly 'ditabrak mobil'. Tak reti pakai signal ke? Then I came face to face with the De Palma climb. Hard but still do-able. Wanted to stand all the way, but my jelly legs reminded me to sit in the saddle. Hafiz goes down and do the climb once again. Me? No thank you, once is enough.

Decided to wait for the rest, while Cikgu Hisham decided to press on. One by one, the rest of the crew passes up until finally we saw CH and Abg Man. Yaay! Great for you CH. Abg Man and Hafiz sped away, and I decided to keep CH company. Its torturous but I am sure we can do it. Caught up with Sham Dewa, buying drink at the roadside. As I chug along, saw a stall selling... coconut water. Ice cool coconut water. Kena berenti nih!

CH passed me, and when i caught up with him, pass him my last bottle. Hope it'll last the remaining few kilometers. Cycling alone was never fun, but made it to the RV point nonetheless. The rest have gone back except for Abg Man, Sham Dewa and Acap. Decided to look for CH, and caught up with him near Teras Jernang. He declined the assistance, and triumphantly rode into the RV point after a 100kilo ride.

'Not a man best moment', he says but we told him, one should be proud of finishing that distance, in the hot, humid weather. Especially this is his farthest ever. Now take a rest and feel good in a few days, hehehe.

Thanks to everyone for the torturous ride (borrowing Abg Man's word). Abg Man's note of the ride here

"Macam ni kena kayuh pi GS ni..."

I was late. I was supposed to be at RV at 8pm. But I am still at home. The phone is dead. I guess the crew must be trying to call me. Sorry guys! Lei must be calling me to confirm about tonight. Anyway, borrowed a phone and called Big and tell them to wait for me, as I am already on my way.

Sure enough, they are ready and just waiting for me. My GPS is half dead, so decided not to bring any gadgets today. I even took off my speedo. Today, just a 'feel' ride. No speed, no distance, just cycle away. We decided to take the PCM route as we welcome a new member, Warimad. His bike is repaired just in time for the ride tonight.

Apparently the problem I had from Bagan Lalang trip surfaced again. Both RD and FD refused to change easily, preferring to skip. No problem. I'll  just stay in my cadence gear. The ride started around 845pm (sorry guys for being late) and I am really taking it easy. As if on cue, we toyed around with Big, pulling away whenever he is near us. After the traffic lights, all of us sprinted away, leaving Big behind.

Me and Warimad kept a distance, while CH accompanies Big... that is up till after nearing PICC, when all of us sprinted away leaving Big to work hard on his bike to catch up. Out of the sudden, Warimad says that his crank wobbled. Its either the screws are not tight or the BB is problematic. We then rode slowly, just before a pee break, hehe.

After that unscheduled break, we continues toward the boulevard and the mosque, where Big breezes through cos he got suspension. We roll all the way to the RV point and manage to finish the ride in about 1:22. Not bad, which I think would be a bit faster that the previous time. Average speed should be about 19kmh, a jump from Big's previous 16.5kmh. Good for you, fren!

'Mesti sebab basikal. Kalau aku pun pakai road bike, sure boleh kejar korang punya la', that was Big's assessment of the whole ride. So, now its time to get a road bike, eh Big? Which one? The Merida or the Trek? He felt tonight's ride is easier the second time around. Most probably his body has started adapting to cycling. He added, 'Macam ni kena kayuh pi GS ni..."

Don't worry my friends, before the year 2009 ends, all of us will ride GS. All the way up. We'll make sure of it.

Jalan-jalan Cari Basikal

Warimad came over and asked me a question, 'Is Scott Scale 80 a good bike?', to which I suggested that I will check it out for him on the internet. I am not that familiar with MTBs (not that I am THAT familiar with roadbikes, hehe). Warimad is the latest victim of our MGM scheme, where we get friends to get interested with our cycling escapades.

Not long after that, Big came and says that lets go out for a drink. CH and Warimad is already waiting. Actually the group is hanging out to discuss about a friend's offer to sell Warimad the Scale. Me? Dunno much I guess. while eating, the discussion drifts to the disassembled Scott lying around. 'Lets send it over for repairs and maybe we could look at a few bikes too'.

We load the bike to his car and off we go to K-Fine, near Big's house. The Boss was nowhere to be seen. 'Macam mana nak bincang bisnes ni, Boss takde plak'. But we ogled a few new bike that has arrived since I last been there. As we are making our way back, suddenly The Boss arrived, and we talk what else, cogs la...hehehe. He promised it to be ready tonight. Just nice for our ride tomorrow night.

Its still early, so CH suggested that we visited a few more bike shops and look at the options that we have. Warimad actually is seriously thinking of acquiring a bike. Just that he is not sure whether to get a road bike or a MTB. I told him that me and CH only rides on tar, but Big has a MTB. 'Lets just see, tengok apa yang ada, then nanti buat keputusan'.

We ended up in BikePro. Sure enough, there are lots of choices but he carry mostly  mid to high end stuffs. I saw a bike that catches my fancy. Nice bike, good component and its in my size. The price? I do think its manageable. Most probably I'll get it before Powerman 2009 (if its still there la). We manage to check Scale 80 at the shop as it was in store. Hmm, Warimad is deep in thinking.

After BikePro, CH suggested the Merida shop nearby. Even Big was interested on one of the Merida road models. Warimad was looking at 901 and 903. Big was eyeing the 880 as his beginner road companion. Maybe the 904 could be the better option, with 105 grouppo. But for each increase in numbers, the prices increases as well. More choices make it more difficult to choose, right Warimad?

We then went over to DU for prayers and visit Edwin's shop. More high end products, and Edwin offered a carbon Schwinn with 105 groupset for a mere 4.5K, if I am not mistaken. Its the right size for Big. Me? I'll stick with alloy for the time being. I am not that careful a person, and a cracked carbon frame would mean a cracked bank account.

Its almost 5, when we finally finished our 'Bike Discovery Tour', but its a day well spent. At least we would know at what price point our bikes will be, and maybe I'll look for year-end 2008 bikes sales prior to the 2009 range are due to be in, hehehe. Who knows?

Either way, we will have our 'really slow' group ride tomorrow night.

What in the world actually happen to Mr Big?

Monday morning, when I reached the office, a few of the people I met asked me, 

'Apa kau dah buat dengan Big? Siap sakit kaki lagi...'

'Teruk kau belasah Big masa cycling, sampai siap MC hari ni pasal sakit kaki..'

' Takkan la cycling sampai MC kot?'

Aik, kenapa plak ni? What in the world actually happen to Big?

Later, I went to Big's office. True enough, he is not  in office. Jaja says that he is on MC. His staffs actually want to know what happen to him that caused him to be on medical leave today. From the little that they know, Big went to cycling on Friday night (read here), and voila, today he called in to inform them that he is on MC.

Going back to my office, a few of our colleagues continues to ask the same question. Ini tak boleh jadi ni, I dont think his injury is caused by cycling. So I gave him a call at noon. He answered groggily (he was actually sleeping then), then I proceeded to determine the cause of injury (cycling was at stake, my friends)..

He described the symptoms, which is 'sakit, berdenyut2 on the lateral side of the right foot. Sakit menyucuk pun ye jugak'. Hmm, doesnt seem like DOMS or fracture injury symptom. 'When do you starts to feel pain?' I probed. Big explains he felt pain around noon. 'So, pagi tu ko pergi la gotong-royong dengan ADUN pagi tu?, is my next question, to which he says 'yes'.

So my friends, its highly unlikely to be cycling injury. If its due to cycling, most probably he wont be able to walk to the 'mamak' after riding the night before. Given that last night it was his longest ride, there are possibilities of overuse injury, but the symptoms doesn't point to that. 

My two cents worth? He might have stepped on something (awkwardly) or bitten by some poisonous insects/bugs/snakes or even toyol during gotong-royong. Or it could be his gout acting up. Or he could just be dehydrated which exacerbates his gout. Or some spirit is angry with him for trespassing on their area, hahaha (this is the probable supernatural explanation).

Get on your bike Big, pronto!