Morib Annual

Almost seemed like an annual affair about this ride to Morib. About a year ago, almost the same date and month, we were trailing our butts for Morbid Morib. This time of year, the plan was set a month ago. At least one long ride per month. Konon. But I didn’t realize that it will take the pleasure out of it, which turned out to be…torment!

When the miles have piled up from months of long rides, mostly in endurance pace, the heart is jumping for joy for the treat of testing the strength. Little did I know that I paid the price for it. Well, at least I knew…in a hard way of course. As always.

Our pace was slightly a bit on the high side throughout the ride. We paid our price there and then. The culminating weather for the past few days added salt to the wound. There was always the weather factor but don’t blame it. Just some analysis.

Despite some technical glitch with punctures and chain misled, we still managed to reach Morib at 11.00 a.m. which was faster than a year ago. Told you we were fast. The break was also short with quick meals and top ups. In 20 minutes we were off for the final battle.

As we started to leave Morib, the group of 18 was already divided when few of us decided to keep the pace to their own mandatory safe zone. Too bad we can’t wait and had to decide what was best for the majority.

The flat Morib-Bagan Lalang road never played a joyful note. The war tune was mostly from the gusting wind and scorching sun with a bit of smell from a nearby plantation. Euwww!

From Sepang onwards, it was live or die pace. Nobody bothered or willing to control the pace anymore. I was cranking my own sweet and sour 53-16 ratio, holding on to the pace as long as I could. Somewhere deep inside the pain, I was also a bit surprised that the sustainable threshold was manageable.

Since it was now already an own expense, I tried repeating the same mode for a few more times with recoveries in between. The remaining stretch of rolling, through Salak Tinggi and Kampung Jenderam was bantered with more ‘5 big-3small’ menu.

The last regrouping was 5km away from the carpark. I was sure dehydrating was waiting for me. Both bottles were empty by then. Quads were in pain, waiting nervously for the cramp to strike at anytime. I chugged down a 100plus before the final push.

Each time it cramped, I just kept on striking the heavy gearing to strain out the pain. It went on a few times but I had to live with it and none panic situation required, as long as it was manageable.

We wrapped it up in 5 hours closed to a century distance which was also almost the same kind of ride to Kuantan Century Ride 2012. Coastal simulation perhaps. With the building blocks getting into the intensity stage, I would expect more pain coming.

Morbid Morib 156

Come on try a little

Nothing is forever

There's got to be something better than

In the middle

- Wallflowers

Those were the words that kept playing for the whole 5 hours 25 minutes gasping air and gritting teeth trying to hold on a minute longer. It was a bold idea to cycle from UKM to Morib. Though we realised that the distance will eat us and the weather will have no mercy, we fought on.

21 of us rolled off from the usual carpark at UKM a quarter to eight. Pace for the first 20km was sane enough thinking the miles that would pile up in the legs. It was supposedly to be the final endurance training prior to Kuantan Century Ride two weeks from now. Hence, the plan was to stay in 'safe' zone all the way.

This is my second Morib ride. The first was love and hate. Well, mostly hate, because I flunked on the way back. My legs can't take it anymore. My mind can't stand the invite from the 'cursed' support van Perodua Rusa.

We reached Bagan Lalang junction, a point of no turning back but 2 budak hitam decided to bail out. Either they were not up to the challenge due to personal reasons or they are just plain smart for not to get themselves bored to death.

The stretch from Bagan Lalang junction to Pantai Morib counts 30km. It's flat as capati and straight like ayam tandoori on an iron skewer. If not for the 19 of us, we could have turned back and join the fiesta at Bagan Lalang. If there were 5 of us, I would rather not try my luck.

OK. Google say it's 34.2km. No wonder la berjanggut nak sampai...

We have actually covered 50km from Bangi but the remaining 30km was killing us...slowly. I don't know why but the milestones on the roadside were like tombstones smiling back each time we passed . Though we took turn driving the peloton, each pair of us can't live up to the boredom of the endless skyline and headwinds. Reaching halfway was a torment. Getting to the remaining 15km was double the mental to the bone.

I had the idea that Morib had a facelift recently, hence it should be something of an escape from the killing miles. But, I was misled. Somewhere, I guess. True that the infrastructure facilities were brand new. New toilets, new food stalls, new garden. But there were something amiss. First, the maggi soup was a bit 'potong kepala' chopping me off at RM4.50 per bowl. I've tasted better i.e. Bagan Lalang & Lenggeng. Second, the place seems...dead. You can play football on the beach during low tide where you have to walk almost a mile to reach the water. And the smell...it just doesn't feel right.

Oh! And a courteous reminder from a Majlis Perbandaran Sepang officer, "Err...kalau boleh jangan naik basikal dalam taman ye. Tolak aje." 


...baik lah abang long. Takut pavement baru tu rosak ke? Tapi bukan ke taman untuk aktiviti riadah instead of buat konsert terkinja-kinja panggil artis separuh abad tu?

Cenggitu lah Pantai Morib yang diberi nafas baru

Dan yang cenggini.
Kedai mamak hujung ni hati-hati...sembelih sikit

OK, we were desperate to cycle back, hence there were no time to think what the government have to think. That killing 30km stretch would be double the challenge at 12.00 noon and yet we don't have to think anything. Just pedal. But there comes to a point where pedalling alone was helpless, mainly due to the monotonous of the environment. We still had our legs though.

For the first time in my life, be it as a motorist or a cyclist, we were praying that the next traffic light would turn red halfway into 15km. Everybody was shouting and pray...please turn red! We want red! Please red! Have mercy! And for the first time, when it turned yellow, everyone was braking...100 meters away. Berhemah betul kami. And we were offered with a minute of gratitude for not pedalling. Phew.

Too bad the second traffic light doesn't seemed to care of our demands, hence we had to make it through Bagan Lalang and in search of the nearest fuelling spot. That was about 40km non-stop from Morib with 120km clocked.

Drebar siam mau isi minyak cross sempadan

The old skool Esso seemed luxurious enough to accommodate our hunger for shade and hydrate. The hospitality was great, hence you can find 19 desperate cyclist sitting all over the floor between the goods shelves. Just like in the Second World War movies when soldiers hide between crates and boxes lying helplessly crying for mercy. The sight of it was horrific! Some genius even decided to splendour on a Magnum ice cream!

Cuba cari barang tersembunyi

The ride had to move on once the puak-puak berkecai caught up. It was mathematics from that point onwards. We calculated the next fuelling stop and that would be Petronas at Sepang town, about another hour. The rest of the ride was more of determination to survive and finish...of course without regrets. It was the basic practice of pull and rotate. The bunch was separated by strength. The strength was separated by the position in the bunch. It was an obvious scene of survival instinct. We were the beast. Unwilling to be tamed by the challenge. We carved our way and charged on.

Due to familiarity to the remaining route, we managed to pace ourselves together back again. A strung out of 19 cyclists charging like a speed train 32-33kph through winding Kampung Jenderam Hilir. When we are into 4 hours of endurance stuff, the heart rate starts to labour even at a moderate pace. So, we kasi hantam kaw-kaw. It was now or never. I did the honour part of it before I went kebaboom! and slowly joint the back 'splinters'. Lucky me regrouping was just meters away. And a stone throw away eventually, we conquered the 156km in a scary 5hr26min ride.

It was an awesome sufferfest. Truely a fest because we enjoyed the sufferings due to awesome ride buddies. Despite different driven ideas and school of thoughts, we put aside sentiments and shared the same wave length, ride ethic and trust, sharing the common goal to tame the distance together. Or else, we don't call it a group ride, right?

Er...apa dia bang long? Taper? 

The best ride are the ones where you bite off much
more than you can chew - and live through it
- Doug Bradbury

Ada pulak kenduri gotong royong

Beyond the peloton

Ooops! Ada trailer sikit