This post was supposed to be yesterday's. However, suddenly the hours were packedly consumed with unplanned schedules till the wee hours of 28-October 2007.
28-October...the most important date which reflects the existence of me. Hehe...my birth date la dude, which I have gained 36 years of my wonderful life. Alhamdullillah I am grateful for all the achievements and the rise and fall.
My day started off with a no activity day when I lazily decided to call off my running morning schedule with Saiful. The whole morning was spent on the couch, be it the Bicycling mag or the tv or the kids. Due afternoon, it was more of the ziarah thing again.
The adrenalins raced in came evening. The existence of my new significant other. I swapped my first best, hardworking, excelful Scott bike for a caad4 Cannondale. A crucial and most important decision which was made with deep thoughts. To cut it short, I consider it as a gift for myself.
The last gift for the day was when Gunners managed to prove their existence after equalizing with the Reds in the Super Sunday match, claiming back from the Red Devils for less than a day...sorry Mr Fergy.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Getting the gu...
Despite my lack of sleep the night before due to clogging son's nose, the spirit to breath the smell of tarmac drove me to end my 3 hours sleep. Saiful drove in to my place a quarter to 7 and we rushed away hoping to rendevous with Jami & co. along the way to Batu 14. Traffic along the way was heavy at this hour, maybe sebab ada jamuan hari raya at the local school. The unconsiderate ones were the lorry drivers...dang. This stretch is getting busier by the day & more dangerous to the locals when these construction lorries zooming in and out chasing trips transporting earth for a few more housing development. Not a good sign.
We reached Batu 14 and found the rest of the parties. Jami & co and the triats. Alwin planned to tag along with the triats to Kuala Klawang craving for his long ride since raya. The ride took the normal route towards Batu 18, on to Sungai Lui route to the junction and up to Genting Peres. My last ride up here was a few months back. Climate remained unchanged, nice. A few resurfaced premix along the climb. Never felt better to sweat oneselves dragging the grannies and later rewarded with a cool 48km/hr descent back down to the junction. We carted away from the Kuala Klawang attemptees.
As I worked my back through Sg Lui, having Saiful drafting, we managed to consistantly paced ourselves an average of 30km/hr which was something of an achievement for me. Something that was impossible when I first start riding a roadie. The cool and awesome cruise were struck by a strong smell of warm & spicy laksa buyong as we passed the stall. Pergh! The drivetrains were disturbed when the mind sent signal to the tummy to sprint all the way to Batu 18 for roti canai...hahaha.
We sloppily gulped away our breakfast and cruised back through the mid-morning traffic towards home. It was an awesome ride.
Facts:
Route: BTHO - Bt14 - BT18 - Sg. Lui - Genting Peres - BTHO
Jauh : 80km
Masa : 3hrs26min
We reached Batu 14 and found the rest of the parties. Jami & co and the triats. Alwin planned to tag along with the triats to Kuala Klawang craving for his long ride since raya. The ride took the normal route towards Batu 18, on to Sungai Lui route to the junction and up to Genting Peres. My last ride up here was a few months back. Climate remained unchanged, nice. A few resurfaced premix along the climb. Never felt better to sweat oneselves dragging the grannies and later rewarded with a cool 48km/hr descent back down to the junction. We carted away from the Kuala Klawang attemptees.
As I worked my back through Sg Lui, having Saiful drafting, we managed to consistantly paced ourselves an average of 30km/hr which was something of an achievement for me. Something that was impossible when I first start riding a roadie. The cool and awesome cruise were struck by a strong smell of warm & spicy laksa buyong as we passed the stall. Pergh! The drivetrains were disturbed when the mind sent signal to the tummy to sprint all the way to Batu 18 for roti canai...hahaha.
We sloppily gulped away our breakfast and cruised back through the mid-morning traffic towards home. It was an awesome ride.
Facts:
Route: BTHO - Bt14 - BT18 - Sg. Lui - Genting Peres - BTHO
Jauh : 80km
Masa : 3hrs26min
Sunday, October 21, 2007
2 days in a row
Then came Sunday dilemma. After yesterday's awesome climbs up GS, I was expecting some flat routes on Sunday for some cadence training. PCC is riding 100km to Batang Berjuntai from Centrepoint. I was looking forward for a shorter one like the 76km Semenyih loop. 100km is way too much for me considering the initial ride after almost 2 weeks raya holiday.
A few of us decided for the Semenyih then...three of us. However the plan didn't work after Azahari and me got Saiful's msg at 4.30am telling he's bailing out. Son's sick. We concluded Sunday ride by joining Jami & company from my place to Genting Peres junction. Ride was packed with some speedworks and cadence exercises.
Ride facts:
A few of us decided for the Semenyih then...three of us. However the plan didn't work after Azahari and me got Saiful's msg at 4.30am telling he's bailing out. Son's sick. We concluded Sunday ride by joining Jami & company from my place to Genting Peres junction. Ride was packed with some speedworks and cadence exercises.
Ride facts:
- Route : btho - bt9 - bt14 - bt18 - Peres junction - back
- Distance : 62km
- Time : 2:14
It's riding time...
Waaa...it felt so long since my last ride, well actually it's 14 days to be exact equivalent to 2 weeks...yeah...that's long enough to have difficulty finding back my seating position on the fizik.
Finally, it is time for a Saturday early morning rush for a ride after a month of Ramadhan. I trust it's freedom for most of us muslim cyclists. Won't be the same compared to the night rides we've been doing. The first obstacle was to wake up as early as 5.30am. As expected, I failed. Twice the alarm went off and I was tight snuggly on the bed. 6.10am! ooo...man! I was late for the rendevouz time at 6.35am with Saiful. A quick sms to him to delay the meet as soon as I slammed the throttle.
As I let the cold morning breeze through my side windscreens, the sight of fellow cyclists appeared one by one along my way to Sri Gombak. Two riders were seen pedalling through Batu 9 toll plaza which definitely doing the Langat route. Then cars with bikes are visible as day turned in.
We parked at Azahari's place and made way to meet Mukhlis by the MRR2 before we headed off to old Jalan Gombak. Yes, it was a revisit to Genting Sempah as a treat for Syawal ride...hehe.All four of us shifting between grannies and 16 throughout the climb that took us about an hour. Weather was great. We saw a few other cyclists either climbing or rolling back down. Legs felt great throughout the ride.
Ride facts :
· Route : Genting Sempah
· Ride distance : 60km
· Ride time : 2:48
Finally, it is time for a Saturday early morning rush for a ride after a month of Ramadhan. I trust it's freedom for most of us muslim cyclists. Won't be the same compared to the night rides we've been doing. The first obstacle was to wake up as early as 5.30am. As expected, I failed. Twice the alarm went off and I was tight snuggly on the bed. 6.10am! ooo...man! I was late for the rendevouz time at 6.35am with Saiful. A quick sms to him to delay the meet as soon as I slammed the throttle.
As I let the cold morning breeze through my side windscreens, the sight of fellow cyclists appeared one by one along my way to Sri Gombak. Two riders were seen pedalling through Batu 9 toll plaza which definitely doing the Langat route. Then cars with bikes are visible as day turned in.
We parked at Azahari's place and made way to meet Mukhlis by the MRR2 before we headed off to old Jalan Gombak. Yes, it was a revisit to Genting Sempah as a treat for Syawal ride...hehe.All four of us shifting between grannies and 16 throughout the climb that took us about an hour. Weather was great. We saw a few other cyclists either climbing or rolling back down. Legs felt great throughout the ride.
The drive back home passed through the nightmare of hari raya weekends. It's an every year nightmare actually. Every inch of Klang Valley roads were crawling with vehicles. Yes, these are our fellow muslims performing their ziarah responsibilities. I've noticed that this year the ziarah concept has been accepted and applied quite impressively. Alhamdullillah that we have realised it. Ever since Syawal started a week ago, the ziarah was awesome. Hope to see the next Ramadhan and Syawal again in good heath.
Ride facts :
· Route : Genting Sempah
· Ride distance : 60km
· Ride time : 2:48
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Road back thru time
I was on assignment yesterday to KKB, all by myself. Left the office at 11.00 and took the Jalan Sungai Tua road through Ulu Yam. Light traffic all the way, the opposite if I took the Rawang route. Weather was great for a focused drive on the empty trunk road. As soon as I reached Batang Kali and passed through Rasa and finally reaching Kuala Kubu Bharu, the nostalgia of previous and old days' trips came into my half conscious mind at mid-afternoon.
This route was the usual route for a few of my passed activities. Yes, been using it for quite a while now, even on my last ride at Pertak a month ago. I can still remember my first drive here was a recce trip to Sungai Chilling. It was somewhere in the 90's when nature was a place in mind during weekends. Even the Sungai Selangor Dam was still under construction at that time, and definitely under the full observation of the public, especially the environment lovers.
Ever since, I was wondering what was it like to be going further up to the Gap and all the way to Fraser's Hill. The day came when instead of driving up, I cycled up to Fraser's! It was total awesome. End of the day, on top of my interest cycle trips to KKB, I had an assignment with the local authorities.
The cruising road from Batang Kali all the way either to Fraser's or the more civilised destination towards Tanjung Malim is definitely a road to look forward when I want to kill time driving.
This route was the usual route for a few of my passed activities. Yes, been using it for quite a while now, even on my last ride at Pertak a month ago. I can still remember my first drive here was a recce trip to Sungai Chilling. It was somewhere in the 90's when nature was a place in mind during weekends. Even the Sungai Selangor Dam was still under construction at that time, and definitely under the full observation of the public, especially the environment lovers.
Ever since, I was wondering what was it like to be going further up to the Gap and all the way to Fraser's Hill. The day came when instead of driving up, I cycled up to Fraser's! It was total awesome. End of the day, on top of my interest cycle trips to KKB, I had an assignment with the local authorities.
The cruising road from Batang Kali all the way either to Fraser's or the more civilised destination towards Tanjung Malim is definitely a road to look forward when I want to kill time driving.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Third week Ramadhan
It's nearing end of Ramadhan and this time around, the night rides were kind of successful. This week itself, the rides gathered quite a large group of people with familiar and some unfamiliar faces.
The Tuesday city ride attracted 11 cyclists on mountainbikes. Definitely there were those normal Tuesday members and a few long lost friends. The get together at Titiwangsa lake that night reminded me of old times when the mountainbikers' jokes and laughters filled the air. True enough, everytime we meet, the casual yet trusty friendship always around. A true 38km disctance was clocked that night which seemed endless through the undulating lung busting hills of Bukit Damansara. It was Alwin's suggestion as part of the last workout for PCC Pres ride after raya, the one that everbody is looking forward to.
Last night was another story. The usual Taman Warisan Pertanian, Putrajaya hubbed the largest gathering of road cyclists compared to previous Friday nights. The imaginary sound of fast train charging forward has already felt in my leg muscles. I am determined to be riding in it.
The train left at 10.45pm making way for about 20 cyclists. Most of them were seen around rides but not a few which I hardly know. The usual route were taken leaving Putrajaya towards Cyberjaya maintaining an average 30km/hr. Upon reaching the stretch to the toll plaza, the crazy horses were tide up with a safety car in front, just to make sure that the peloton didn't break and survive the 8km stretch in one piece. The ride formation was maintain taking turn working in front. The enthusiasm can be felt in the mid-night air as we charged towards the remaining 200 meter mark. Yes, all hell broke loose as surpassed the 200 meter signboard before the toll plaza but only a handful succeeded to burst out. However, from the work done, an average of 40km/hr was kept throughout. Awesome.
We pedalled back the 8km towards Cyberjaya in a leisurely pace recovering from the labour. But not until the climb back into Cyberjaya. Everybody started attacking all the hills along our way back combining with a few speedworks. That was where the train losed it's remaining coaches...hehe. I managed to survive with the loco all the way. An unpressured stroke of pedal brought Alwin & me to the Petronas at Precinct 16 for a can of thirst quenching soya bean & mineral water.
Riding facts:
The Tuesday city ride attracted 11 cyclists on mountainbikes. Definitely there were those normal Tuesday members and a few long lost friends. The get together at Titiwangsa lake that night reminded me of old times when the mountainbikers' jokes and laughters filled the air. True enough, everytime we meet, the casual yet trusty friendship always around. A true 38km disctance was clocked that night which seemed endless through the undulating lung busting hills of Bukit Damansara. It was Alwin's suggestion as part of the last workout for PCC Pres ride after raya, the one that everbody is looking forward to.
Last night was another story. The usual Taman Warisan Pertanian, Putrajaya hubbed the largest gathering of road cyclists compared to previous Friday nights. The imaginary sound of fast train charging forward has already felt in my leg muscles. I am determined to be riding in it.
The train left at 10.45pm making way for about 20 cyclists. Most of them were seen around rides but not a few which I hardly know. The usual route were taken leaving Putrajaya towards Cyberjaya maintaining an average 30km/hr. Upon reaching the stretch to the toll plaza, the crazy horses were tide up with a safety car in front, just to make sure that the peloton didn't break and survive the 8km stretch in one piece. The ride formation was maintain taking turn working in front. The enthusiasm can be felt in the mid-night air as we charged towards the remaining 200 meter mark. Yes, all hell broke loose as surpassed the 200 meter signboard before the toll plaza but only a handful succeeded to burst out. However, from the work done, an average of 40km/hr was kept throughout. Awesome.
We pedalled back the 8km towards Cyberjaya in a leisurely pace recovering from the labour. But not until the climb back into Cyberjaya. Everybody started attacking all the hills along our way back combining with a few speedworks. That was where the train losed it's remaining coaches...hehe. I managed to survive with the loco all the way. An unpressured stroke of pedal brought Alwin & me to the Petronas at Precinct 16 for a can of thirst quenching soya bean & mineral water.
Riding facts:
- Distance 49
- Time 1:47
- Average 27
- Max 50
- Overall - one hell of a Ramadhan ride
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