Clan of CIOCC

05-071210 Kuala Kangsar - Pangkor, Day 2

2010-12-09T21:39:00.010+08:00

Day 02 - Monday, 061210

We had breakfast by the sea accompanied by the shrills of children playing by the beach. The clanging of woks by the busy cook & her high pitched chattering made me smile. What irony. Pangkorians speak the native Malay lingo with a Northern twang much like Kedah & Perlis even though they're nearer to Lumut.
The usual slang for Lumut folks & most of Perakians uses the Kuale intonation. I have a stong belief their forefathers - the seafaring people, originated from the North. As close as they can be, they speak a different tongue.

Besides that, she cooks one hellova delicious fried noodles topped with fried Buffalo's Eyed Eggs / "Telur Mata Kobau".

We didn't wanna gobble too much in the mornin coz there's lotta tough climbs. Its horror watching someone puke noodles...yikes!

Teluk Nipah and Coral Bay on the north west of the island is extremely popular with travelers from Europe. Teluk Nipah is "Indah khabar dari rupa" / The beauty is exaggerated & so misleading. The seafront littered with haphazard constructions & messy beach profiteers making a fast bucks. Food & souvenirs are rather high as it's a cutthroat business. Too many operators spoils these pristine beaches. Looks like a third world country coz they have this third world mentality.

Teluk Dalam boasts a very nice view but is not a place for you to swim as the are is muddy but there are other treasures here. You can indulge yourself with the locals to for clams. I think it's a great place to get away for the din of Pasir Bogak. Laid back & laze around is the perfect word for this place.

Passing by Kampung Teluk Dalam we to a dead end where there is a small jetty & a lookout point overseeing the kampong. It's riddled with plots of houses which bears resemblance to any kampong in Penang or Kedah. For once, I thought that I have gone back 40 years into the past.

It's compact, cute & beautifully crafted. Wouldn't mind spending my last days here... Well do you know that these sea fearing people are descendants of Kedahans & the Nothernites?

Pangkor hills are meant for MTBs or road bikes which are fitted with triple cranks. For someone as old as me, riding a RB in Pangkor is a no no. Way too steep for roadies. The gradient is somewhere beyond 15 - 20%! It's more Contandor's or Sherpa's terrain compared to armatures like us. Don't wanna burst my lungs & pop my heart.

Turn after turn from Teluk Dalam, the climb was so unbearable. Oh man, If I've had my 10kg's of luggage on the back wheel, I'll be beyond hell tackling these hills.
its simply breathtaking - the view is breathtaking & the hill took my breath away! Simply awesome. Even the vans, taxis & motorbikes engines were pressed to the limit. We riders were screaming our lungs out & the motorised bikes were shrieking their engines!

Full of sharp corners, hairpins, loop de loops, uphills & downhills - U name it, Pangkor has it. Not meant for the fainthearted but it's definitely worthwhile with lush greenery - beautiful fresh air.

A couple of haphazardly build shipyards dots the shoreline before Pangkor town. Blocks of used wood lay scattered by the rosdside inviting the dogs to poo-poo on it. This area is plain filthy.

One over-exited boy overtook us in town, showing off that he could ride faster than we old folks as two "Rempit Morons" cuts across us @ a junction. One km before the Duth fort you'll pass by the tranquil looking Kampong Teluk Kecik. One could see traditional kampong houses all the way. There is a homestay by within the kampong facing the beating surf. The Kampong Guest House - Cellphone : 012-5082227 Jue/012-4172227 Zam.

You can also try this lodge by the Malay Kampong

Dutch Fort

Its set a short distance from the ocean and consists of three brick walls with round windows at regular intervals. The ruins of the Dutch Fort on Pangkor Island are the remnants of an outpost of Dutch attempts to control trade in the Malay peninsula. In the Malay language, the fort is called Kota Belanda.

It was built by the Dutch in 1670 for storage and protection of tin supplies from the sultanate of Perak and later destroyed in 1690 by the Malays who were discontent with the methods used by the Dutch in obtaining minerals.

Plunder, plunder, plunder. Thats the only thing these colonials knew. They rebuild it again in 1743 and a force of 60 soldiers was placed to guard the fort until 1748, when the force was disbanded and the fort abandoned.

A mommy who was grilling fish for her daughter. It looks so inviting. Oh momma, ketchup with chili padi & onions would be just right. Fresh produce from the sea. No wonder these seafaring people rarely gets sick like us townsfolk.

I donno. My two cents worth - Pangkor needs a revival or so. beautiful beaches but not many tourist. It's a year end public holiday & yet humans are scare in Planet Pangkor. It's bad for business. The resort in Telok Dalam is fit for haunting.

The round island trip is lest than 20km, but if you're touring like us, who cares. You can take as long as you like. It took us almost 2 full hours. Next time, I would like to spend a nite in Kamponng Teluk Dalam.

We came to end of the round trip of Pangkor. 17km of tar road, climbing up was crazy, riding down mas sheer madness or probably suicidal!
Mad - Bad - but it's fun.

If you're the adventurous type, you can also take a short trip to Damar Laut @ a cost of RM5 to & fro, roughly 25km to the next populated area - Pantai Remis.

I'll try it one fine day. Probably dropping by my father's kampong house in Panchor, 30km away & getmy cousin to cook some crabs for lunch, then sleep & ride back to Lumut later in the afternoon.

We bid adieu to Vikri Beach Resort. Thank yu brudder for the great room & nice discounts.

3 boys & a bike

*Tip - leave Pangkor early & get the earliest boat out. Latest by 11 am or you'll get stuck with the hundreds or not thousand of jammed packed humans @ the jetty. It'll be beyond hell.

Best - ride a bike, you'll be given VIP treatment again. While hundreds wait for ages, you get to go home first! That's the beauty of being a bike bloke.

After settling down & all cleaned up, we cruised by the Lumut seafront for a shoort tour, courtesy of Tuan Azhar.

Tuan Aji Estima belanja us the "Special ABC"

Later that nite we were again summoned to Mie & Chot's Restaurat for some delicious fried noodles. Thanks Mie. Pak Hamid, Toki, Wak & the rest of the clan was there to help us the wok-full noodles. Yummy, we filled our tummy & our eyes grew droopy...

We later bunked in a small motel. Enuff to fit 2 bikes measuring 8.5 feet x 10.5 feet. RM39 - air conditioned, miniature TV & a common bathroom. Good enuff for a quickie... A-ha, ha! (Take on me).

Tn. Aji resting those tired pair of feet.

05-071210 Kuala Kangsar - Pangkor

2010-12-08T20:12:00.021+08:00

Day 01 - Sunday, 051210

The endurance Xplorace took a toll on me, even though the Hulu Langat is a stone's throw away from my pod. To make matter's worse, I haven't packed anything for this 200 ++km trip. Worse still, it’s gonna be 20 years since I took this touring bike for a spin.

Thank you A. Rahman Ujang Brava & son Izat for refurbising my "Old faithful" to its glory & servicing it till top notch. Dumped the necessities into the compact-car & whizzed towards the PLUS highway. It was just barely an hours drive till Kuala Kangsar (Locals fondly call it Kuale) but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't lift up my eyelids.

Stopped for a cuppa in Simpang Pulai but my body was tellin me to go find a pillow. And so for the rest of 50km or so, I drove snail-paced & hellowed Hj. Farid to rendezvou somewhere in Kuale's town. Circled twice & finally stopped by this ghostly looking Petronas petrol station. A couple of minutes passed by & all of a sudden a black figure passed me...I was in a shock. Oh! It was Hj Farid hunching on a scrambler, looking rather menacing & batty like batman in a black leather jacket & helmet.

The ol' faithful Schwinn circa 1986

Day 1 - Sunday, 051210

It feels rather odd humping a new horse especially when you had let it idle, gather a ton of dust, covered with cobwebs & made a home for the mud-daubers.
With about 10 kilos my private things (Underwear’s, t-shirts, jerseys, toiletries, perfume, talc powder & not to mention spare tubes & tyres) felt like a ton of bricks.
Being heavy it could make a one wheel wheelie!

The air is so fresh, you can smell the trees. The morning smell, the best smell that you ever get. Not like some putrid & corrupt black diesel cloud. Hj. Farid said that there are thirteen (13) glorious hills along the route to Beruas.

22.3 kilos from Kuala Kangsar we had to stop for oil. Not petrol but to oil Hj. Farid's rattling chain. This small quaint town looks so dead in the mornin. We could see the kampong folk’s havin their breakfast. The "Happy Ling" bike shop was still closed so we stopped by "Aik Seng" which reminded me of a similar named bike shop in Carnarvon Street, Penang which I used to frequent in the early 80's.

Aik Seng means A Great One in the Hokkien dialect. "Ada baik punya" said the uncle. A cheapo RM1.50 a bottle of Singer sewing machine oil did the trick. Wrapped it up in a small plastic courtesy of the Manong bike shop owner.

We rode ahead with beautiful 3D sceneries fit to be painted on canvas & arrived in Beruas @ half past eleven/11:30 am - now @ 50km ++. Circled the tiny town a couple of times & decided to venture its market area. We could see traders paddling their wares even though it’s almost noon.

Now we're gonna rest a while & take our actual breakfast, even though I had whallop 2 plates of fried vermicelli / meehoon prepared by the beloved wife of Hj. Farid.

The last shop lot looks inviting - the girl in the stall looks inviting...And so we parted our butts from the saddle & gobbled the newly fried noodles. We came all the way to Beruas to have our proper breakfast or brunch as you might say.
To my surprise, the mini restaurant was run by my father’s 2nd cousin, Faridah. Her elder sister Gee lives twenty (20) paces from my house! I called up Aunty Gee & passed the cell phone to Faridah, Aunty Gee shrieked " What the hell is Azman doin there?!!!"
Aster knowing that we're related, Aunty Faridah gave us free lunch but I paid for it. C'mon lads, she’s not rich...moreover, it's just not right to eat for free.
I waved the cute helper goodbye whilst telling Aunty Faridah that I would be back in 2 days time with a clan of cyclist. Get ready with your best fried noodles.

Do you know that Beruas used to be the capital of a huge & revered civilization more than ten (10) centuries ago?

Beruas Fruit/Seashore mangosteen (Garcinia hombroniana)
Identical to the usual mangosteen fruit eh?

Beruas' name is derived from mangosteen-like tree that bear fruits, known as Pokok Bruas in local Malay, Seashore mangosteen or by its scientific name, Garcinia hombroniana.
In ancient times, before the area was known as Perak, it was a kingdom named Gangga Negara with its capital in Beruas. Gangga Negara is mentioned by the Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu) and the kingdom covered present day Beruas, Dinding and Manjung in Perak. The kingdom was believed to be founded by Raja Ganjil Sarjuna of Kedah or the Khmer royalties around the second century AD. Raja Gangga Shah Johan was among the kings. The kingdom collapsed after an attack by King Rajendra Chola I of the southern Indian Chola empire around year 1025.

Besides being flat like a mat, the road form Beruas heading to Setiawan were riddled with potholes & uneven tarmac. It's nothing compared to the route from Kuala kangsar to Beruas. It's bliss, full of ecstasy - spiritually...

Crossing over to the highway, the bike lanes were huge. Big enuff for us to ride side by side.

Ayer Tawar - It's quite a big town. Roughly stretching one & a half (1 & 1/2) km. Old new shop lots sandwich this upgraded trunk road. Called up Tuan Azhar Detec for conformation & we shall meet up by the Monkeys of the Mangrove Wetlands (Paya Bakau).
Monkeys of the Mangrove Wetlands? What the heck is that? 10 km till Setiawan is like a waiting for your wife in labour. We don't need clues for treasure hunting.
It was a guessing game but as we thought we arrived in monkey land we actually rode all the way till The Venice Silk road. I don't see any river here but a big longkang got lah....

We were greeted by Tuan Azhar from the Lumut base & were later joined by a couple of others. Sat down for a cuppa & took the saddle again for another ride by Pasir Panjang to the Lumut Port.

Riding by the sea side is just cool. Car lined up from one end to another - Lover's haunt for a midnight quickie!

Lumut is jammed packed on weekends. No hassle for us rides as we zipped pass the other heavy vehicles & mad our way to the ferry ticket booth. It only cost RM10 for a to & fro trip to Pangkor & RM2 for the bike to be hauled up the ferry - tightly secured making sure the bags are covered to protect the valuables fro the sea elements.

Cyclists to Pangkor are given VIP treatment. We get aboard the ferry first before anyone else. That’s the kind of respect we get! With our tight gear, odd shaped looking safety head covers & clunking shoes - to everyone’s' amusement, we rest a while in the air conditioned cabin.

Zul was gladly enuff to follow as the rest of the fathers had house chores to do. Zul could be out tour guide but to our surprise he hasn’t been to Pangkor for all the years he has been in Lumut.
Apparently he takes the sampan every other day to look for shrimps but hasn’t set foot on this famous island. What a joke! Went hurriedly took to the back of the ferry for a better view & caught a glimpse of the busy waterways littered with shipyards & ship building facilities. The rumbling engine & diesel smoke prevented us from standing there too long but long enuff for us to savior vast seas. Half an hour was all it took from Lumut to Pangkor but this time we let the folks disembark ahead of us.

Leaving the ferries behind, we had to find a place to stay quick as the nite is approaching fast.

Pasir Bogak - The swaying trees & soft winds was so unbelievably enchanting, it still haunts my memory.

We climbed the first hill - like hell it was, but couldn’t find the chalet we booked.
Made a u-turn & cursed the burger boy who we thought had given us the wrong direction. Sorry, we were the one who got lost...Tired bodies can't think straight & so we rode back snail-paced to Pasir Bogak & retreated to Vikri Beach Resort. It wasn't a resort in a true sense but for RM150 a day, it was a bargain. RM50 per person with cable TV, hot bath, huge double & a single bed. What more can you ask?
Since it was a Sunday evening, we got a discount from the usual rate of RM180.
You just need to cross the main road to access Pasir Bogak beach. No pool or what so ever but the guy who runs this place is friendly & approachable.

We lay by the front porch & filled the beach air into our lungs.
Dinner never felt better that nite...cheap with huge portions.
Oh what a journey....

Kuala Kangsar - Lumut

Google route

Pulau Pangkor

281110 Ride 4 Grace

2010-11-29T22:11:00.022+08:00

I didn't hesitate one moment when Steven contacted me for his plans to ride from Penang to Kelang, Selangor. Moreover his brother Chan Leng was my classmate since 1972. We had known each other since the dinosaur period.

Advised him to use the trunk roads as the PLUS highway is out of bounds for cyclists. Plotted in my mind a rough route for him & he later made a round trip by car & recce the route a couple of weeks b4 the ride.

They started riding on 26 November (My 45th Birthday) but I was caught up with a lot of other things. It would have been a perfect birthday ride.

Frankly I celebrated my birthday with the family in KB & took the flight back to KL barely having enuff sleep before the ride. Asaari & Sungai was very kind to pick me up at the cheapo terminal & whizzed me back home. Hurriedly packed some clothes & hung 2 bikes on his car.
My tummy growled as the only thing I took was some light lunch. To perk-up my physique, I slurped a bowl of eel soup & gobbled up 2 plates of rice.

Ashaari was veering right to left & immediately I took over the wheel even though I was damn tired. Luckily I wasn't sleepy. Tailed a Saga & took a left turn to Sg. Sembilang, Jeram & lodged with them @ the Kapar Seaview Resort.

Hj Farid was caught by surprise. He didn't know that I knew Steven's & his plan coz I had told Steven to keep mum over my appearance. Not wanting to chat too much as we're gonna ride 2moro we slept like logs with Ashaari snoring & snorting like a baby piglet.

Early next mornin, we clicked like a band of long lost brothers & rode together. After the customary group photograph, we rode along the canals admiring the placid tranquility of the outskirts. We rendezvoused with Daniel Shee @ DShee in Kapar & the group single filed throughout the ride for safety reasons. As usual, I went ahead at times to video & photograph their antics.

We were given an unexpected rousing welcome @ Grace Home with nasi minyak to boot! Later we were treated with a sumptuous dinner & forced upstage with our blushed cheeks.

We rendezvoused with Daniel Shee @ DShee in Kapar

Hj. Farid with Cikgu Rodzi @ the back

Who are the guys -
Thay are your regular "Joe's" who share a passion for cycling and have come together for a cause. Seven (7) of them comprising Thommy Saw, Winfred Ng, Michael Yeoh, Tuan Haji Ahmad Faridun, Cikgu Mohd Rodzi, Jimmy Tan and Steven Heong rode on a mission to raise funds for Grace Home hence our theme "Ride for Grace". The ride took them through 3 states beginning from their home state of Penang (my home state too) and ending in Grace Home in Klang, Selangor.
They rode in the wee hours of the mornings sticking mostly to coastal trunk roads and rest during the afternoons. At the end of this ride, they have covered approx. a distance of 400km.
This ride is self funded and all donations and love offerings will go to Grace Home.
We hope that the funds we raise from this ride will help to provide the folks at Grace Home a place that they can truly call their own, permanently.

The vest says, Don't run the red lights or you'll be sorry! Aint the scribbling scary?

Jimmy brought along his baby girl

Sue, Ang, me & my old La Sallian classmate Chan Leng

"If you're doin something good - I'll give you the fullest support" quoted Cikgu Mohd Rodzi who hails from Teluk Kumbar, Penang. An avid rider who pedals around the island on almost every free day. Rodzi had earlier planned a similar leisure ride to KL but he decided to team up and share our mission.

The old & destitute made me ponder a while. We have too much and yet we forget about those in need. I'm glad that I made this ride with Steven & the gang. (Even though not all the way from Penang) A ride that left a lump in my throat & tears to my eyes...

It's a great feeling...
We rode together as one - regardless of colour & creed.

Pastor Roy with Steven

Penang - Kelang, Selangor

Google route

*2 days later, Hj. Farid & Cikgu Mohd Rodzi rode back to Kuala Kangsar & arrived @ his home at 2am in the pouring rain. They rolled non stop from KL to Kuala Kangsar & just took a short nap due to a heavy downpour 20km to the end.
Apparently, they were already delirious for the last 50km or so. That's hardcore!

Da Vid

Daniel Shee @ DShee, Ashaari & me. Tompang sekaki!

211110 HOA Gombak - Genting Sempah

2010-11-23T23:11:00.003+08:00

Hospital Orang Asli (Orang Asli Centre), Gombak - Genting Sempah

Never over-row your boat beyond your ability a nite before a long hilly ride. I'll weaken your climb. Avoid allowing your partner to tickle you or you're just be looking for trouble. The Otai's like Wak Jali, Rahman, Rizal Single Speedo can vouch for that.

Ensure that you carbo-load humongously or you'll suffer like I did. Wak Jali, Baby, Dr. Taufiq & Sharul looped the Janda's trail. Instead of meeting-up with Mak Janda, I had to settle with some aunty in Genting Sempah.

Even 4 pieces of bread & 3 pieces of cheese couldn't help...

Me, Ashaari, Sungai, Baby, Wak Jali, Dr. Taufik, my clone & Shahrul

Route HOA-Janda Baik (The Janda's Trail)

Route via Google

Elevation

Asahaari & Sungai got lost OTW to HOA & looped with me to Genting Sempah. Later, both of them left the car & rode home to Sg. Buloh. I had to leave my car too. Not becoz I wanna rode back to Bangi - hell no!

Took the wrong key & padlocked the Kancil. Unknowingly I had took the spares & left the original keys @ home! Damn & double damn. Lucky for me, Wak Jali & Baby was still around. After lunch, we stuffed three (3) bikes into his sports car (Sorry Baby, u had to squeeze yourself on the back seat all the way home).

River boy, Sungai

Ashaari, Sungai & Ashaari's twin

071110 Broga Loop-Hole

2010-11-09T23:10:00.004+08:00

Sum ol' frens & sum new ones. Big ones, small ones...

Pick a tush & ring d extensions...

We were really looking forward for the Broga loop ride as there will be hundreds of riders ridin side by side. Moreover, certain areas are kind of dull & devoid of anything but eerie sounds of cicadas mating.

Like a dark cloud of swarming angry bees, we took off with such frenzy to a point that most of the others were out of breath. To make matters worse, the Semenyih dam was waitin to kill-off anyone who tried to conquer it.
Most had to succumb to muscle cramps, unused to the terrain & unsure of the route.

The clan took the usual steps & brushed it aside. This route has been our staple for the last few months & it was no big deal to us. At the junction of Batu 18 & foothills of Perez, we noticed blocks of riders turning back & quite a number already clinging to dear life lumped into dirt trucks.

With d Ipoh clan

Clicked with a few riders from Ipoh & reached the peak of Perez hounded with helpers handing out bananas. Arief can’t help but take a few customary shots here for this is the first time that he rode around this area.

Arief, Ashaari, Rahman EM & me

Arief's 1st. climb @ Perez, he didn't even blink!

We gobbled as much as we can & rolled down the near empty landscape.
Since we had climbed much of Perez, the roll-down was swift with sharp & hidden corners.

This fella fell, but made it thru the hellish route. Respect babe!

Smell of raw rubber stenches the air as we swiftly pounded the straights of Kuala Kelawang towards Jelebu. By now there were less than thirty (30) riders that we crossed path. It kept me wondering how so many others disappeared into thin air.

Took a breather at a petrol kiosk & left some more behind us as we rode towards the killer hills of Jeram Toi/Bukit Tangga. A bloke overtook me but succumbed to the torturous hill ahead. I knew it was a long climb but Arief & Ashaari hopped like a wild bunny up the incline.
I was doin 10-8-7 & at time 6 kph per hour but I persevered as I knew I'm mentally strong enuff to withstand it. Rahman EM was breathing hard behind my back and seem ages to the top. Alas! We were greeted with ice showers & more bananas.

Ice cool shower @ the peak

Fortunately that was the last hill but we need another miracle to finish the last 30km or so. I was already on my reserve tank. We turned from Pantai towards Mendum, Arief's tyre blew apart. Luckily each of us carried spares.

"I get really pissed when riding with someone without spares. To me they have no respect for the other person".

Pulled off the tubes & bang! Out of nowhere Rahman Ujang Brava appeared. Apparently he trailed behind some hundreds of invisible finishers & caught up with us. He helped Arief with the tubes as some other whipped lcrooked like the road-sign lookin like a beaten snake. They clamored towards the almost never ending twist & turns that blurred our minds.

D beaten snake climb with Rahman Ujang Brava givin a hand to Arief.

One fella who trailed us was wobbling left to right. What a sight. I sniggered as he cursed the moon, the stars & all the planets in the universe. Sniggering? I was lamenting at the last 20km to finish. Fortunately Mendum Hill is easier climbed from the reversed. If you ride to Mendum from Lenggeng, you're hell doomed!

From Lenggeng onwards, gears were at the lightest - spinning at every mile. The strong wind wasn't much help either - it just made the ending more dreadful.
On a high note, I had neither cramps nor mishaps. I'm very proud of Arief to have achieved so much without much training. Kids, can’t expect to match tem eh?

When we arrived in Nottingham Univ, there we only a few souls around & some workers tearing down the flag-off arch. There were no more lunch & to add insult...all medals promised to the finishers of the loop were all gone! WTF?

Don't tell me after all the grueling hills & overtaking a few hundred other cyclists there were nothing & no one left? We paid our entries didn't we?

Where are the marshals who are supposed to do their job? In a race, if u made a u turn, your numbers will be marked or torn-off. If we can't professional about this, don't act like one please.

One girl @ a desk even had the cheek to say..."Finish lah, what to do".

I came to know later that those who took a U turn & hitched a ride on the sweeper lorries were given medals. Even heard those who illegally entered the race got it!

"I WAS FAST ENUFF TO WIN A MEDAL but TOO SLOW AGAINST THE CHEATERS"

Some people would just go down so low, for a few measly bucks.
What a F***ed-up ending.

Broga loop race

Google route

Arief d young warrior with a "Borrowed medal"...enuff said

CIOCC bidding Chiao!

Meaning of tush - the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on. Your ass lah...

311010 Rodalink Putrajaya Grand Opening

2010-10-31T15:10:00.007+08:00

On the dot I waited-up for the guys but all I could find was Rahman EM. We were supposed to ride to Nilai & do the 80km loop but then I remembered that Rodalink was doin a grand opening in Precinct 14 Putrajaya. I said let's go & everyone seems to agree.

Since it still too early for Rodalink to roll-up the rolling shutter, we decided unanimously to take the long way to Putrajaya via the hellish hills of Kampung Limau Manis.

Loads of cyclists were already at the gates of Rodalink upon our arrival. What luck. If we had gone to Nilai, we would have missed the free water bottles & bike jerseys. Arrived in the nick of time as the last 10 pieces were given away.

An old friend Hj. Mie of Tri-Paku

As the horns were blared signaling the Rodalink fun ride, we relinked with our usual clan members Rizal, Wak Jali, Baby, Syarul, Cikgu Hisyam & the usual recognizable faces. Tri-Paku led the noisy group around the beautiful scapes of Putrajaya. We did a 10km loop from Presint 14 & made a u turn @ the Jabatan Akauntan Negara - not forgettin a grouppo shot right in front of Perdana Putra.

Syarul caught-up with his long lost twin. The separation had made him bigger than his elder brother due to unchecked volume of bottle feeding.

Thank you Rodalink for the gifts, great discounts & friendly staff awaits you!

Rodalink Putrajaya No 22, Jalan Diplomatik Presint 15 Putrajaya.

People, check out Rodalink here.

Map: Unikeb-Kampung Limau Manis-Rodalink-Unikeb

Google route
Rodalink @ D&G points

ManCIOCC with his plastic pet giraffe.

23-241010 MAD Charity Ride, PJ - Keluang

2010-10-27T19:27:00.043+08:00

Barely four months we were invited again to ride for another cause. All the loonies out there converged for the MAD (Make a Difference) ride where donations will be given to several charity homes around Keluang in hope that the donations will make a difference in their lives. It is also a chance for us to give back to the society and help them by lessening their burdens financially.

6.30am After a sumptuous breakfast (My usual breakfast would be 4 pcs of bread, 3 sheets of cheese, a mug of cereal & energy drink) I can last 50km on these.No odd rubbish like nasik lemak or anything spicy even though I'm a chili freak. For 3 days I'll absence my gut from the hot items.

7.30am The day started with an unusual morning exercise where I had worn a sarong. I knew that the TV3 guys would look for an eccentric figure & it just did the trick. Me & the sarong was later featured on TV3's Scoreboard midnight magazine.

Pak Berahim passin' by his office sweet office which sponsored his jersey

Flagged off from the lush Tropicana & exited thru the busting city traffic chocked in smoke! Not until we reached Dengkil then the intoxicating fumes ebbed. 50km later we were treated with buns minus the bunnies. Nevertheless, it was a sight for sore eyes.Refreshed with more isotonic water & rolled ahead.

Juliana so coy & cool

The pace was a usual steady 28kph as set by the organizer. It came to frenzy toward Salak & as I screamed to some of the rides to avoid the pebbles, I was hit! Wobbled steadily & 2 seconds the support car scooped up my rims & replaced them with another. By then, the pack had already left 1k ahead of me. Pushed hard to a 40kph & caught them at the Bandar Enstek junction - nearly out of breath.

Azmar, Aini & The threesome groupies.

From then, I hid myself between the swarm of skin-tights homo sapiens & let the flow pull me. Then came the crunch. Didn't feel much of a drag until we approached the famous piglet's home - "Bukit Pelandok". All of a sudden I had to put an extra effort to the peak.Whoa! The mechanic had fixed me an ancient Mavic wheels with stainless steel spokes. No wonder I was struggling like hell. It weighs a ton!

Alas, we reached Port Dickson & gobbled-up as much carbo as we could. Sol was almost up & takin a toll on the riders.

Next long stretch took us to the beautiful but windy Pengkalan Balak. The gale was so strong that it blew-off some of the parked bikes.Worse, those like me who rode on high profiles wheels. From the C50's to the ever boastful looking C88mm's suffered the most. I recalled Tuan Azhar, the Warrant Officer from Lumut veering to the left & right - trying to his best to avoid the ferocious gust.Me & Tuan raced forward & tucked ourselves between the bunch. Fuh, that's one cyclonic condition.

MAPLAY boys

It rained heavily after the short stop in Pengkalan Balak & I took the opportunity to test my new Sony waterproof camera. Captured the riders drenched to the bone, body bathed in the porous liquid, saliva mixed with sand & mud. It was all great from the beginning of the ride but as we reached the gates of A Formosa Resort, the camera went kaput!No matter what I did, it just wouldn’t work. The damn thing just seized-up & I gritted my teeth. Got into a fit & flew into purple rage. The thought of smashing the cam onto the hard cement was so tempting but after thinking that I had spent a fortune on it, I refrained from doin so. Hard earned cash was about to go down the drain.

In all I could only salvage 5 shots after extracting the images from a card recovery program. Some pix of the mornin exercise & shots of Pak Berahim donning his WD sponsored jersey ridin past his Western Digital plant in Kelana Jaya. All the other images & videos were corrupted. I frowned & sigh in displeasure of my misfortune....All the fun, sweat & tears washed by the frigid rain.

Wild wet & dirty, we soiled the carpet

We spend the night here before continuing on the second day, makin sure I had the usual Apple Vinegar & recovery drink to avoid cramps.

Not enuff vinegar, pity this fellow

The almost never ending AMJ ended with a pit stop 10km away from the original plan. The long straight stretch was just not tiring to the physique but made my eyes tired too. I hate highways. That's why I rarely ride The MAX, LEKAS or any highways for that matter. They bore me to death. Mind you, I'd rather do the 100km Bangi-Tekala-Perez-Bt18 loop or even the killer Broga. Ridin to Bentong is the horniest; you'll get pleasurably excited by the sound of the cicadas mating.

Linin' up is the most boring part.

One rider just couldn't control his bowel & had to "Let-go" by the banana trunk.

Thru Bakri, we came across some familiar places in Muar which is the best pod for "Mee Bandung". Overheard some lady-riders yapping about wanting to stop-over Yong Peng to shop for the ceramic/clay ornamental vases but were scoffed by the marshals. Lucky for the men, we zoomed past the shops with the dejected faces from the girls. Ha ha.The bunch got soaked again. The mushy socks were makin a squelching sound. It was uncomfortable for the feet but great for the head after the much dull but humid conditions.

Stalls selling "Dokong" fruits & coconut water drooled us but only after 95.7 km on the 2nda day that we stop for the deliciously cooked asam pedas & Masak Lemak Tempoyak (Fish cooked with coconut milk & fermented durians). I had 4 helpings of "Patin" & the fermented durian made us fart & belch like stuffed pigs. What a scene.While waitin for the rest of the guests to clean up the plates, Juliana & I decided to help the grocer to clean up his store. As Juliana swept the cement & I rearranged the turnips.

Juliana & me had to work to get food

I hooked to the main group as not to loose momentum but Keluang seems sooooooo faraway. The rolling hills didn't help either. We were pushin hard & nerve wrecking.

At the one hundred & thirty fifth kilometers (135km), the heard we ushered to a playground to feast & quench ourselves with red big melons.

Some eased themselves by the bushes as me the TV3 fellas went for a few rounds of kiddies-sliding. It was sheer fun. A big break from the monotonous cadence.

Che Din Kumis Hitam & me playing hide 'n' seek

Team MAPLAY & MAPEI roadie. Yazid - the tallest guy in the centre

25km later we regrouped again for the last time in Zenxin Organic Farm. Some of us took the opportunity to get drunk with the sourly Roselle drink. Others especially the MAPLAY boys were lazily lying on the benches & swings sucking up the beautiful surrounding view of the water fountain within the farm. Little boy Zul just couldn’t resist the temptation.

This young man is still a kid. Zul Lumut

Jack giving some tip of how not to get drunk from Roselle.

Wak Kamsani (Centre) & the troupe of Keluang

Some riders from Keluang led by Wak Kamsani led us to Keluang town. It was great to see Wak Kamsani & the gang. He recognized me eventhough 2 years ago we rode to Gunung Belumut.

Bedul, Hanafy & me congratulating one another. The reception, me again & Mr. Won

We were given a grand reception. Big bang of confetti’s sprinkled from the sky like colorful raindrops. Close to a thousand spectators from every corner of Keluang came out to see us. The carnival like atmosphere & boisterous crowd was so was ecstatic, we felt like some pros who had finished a race stage.
RM100 from every registered cyclist, were given to the charity homes as a contribution from the cyclists besides the contribution from various organizations. Miriam Home, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Anak-anak Yatim Damo, Che Luan Khor Haemodialysis Centre, Kelab Kiwanis Kluang Mandarin & to OKU Sembrong benefited from this.

I'm so elated when we were given to ride with the privileged few & do a little bit in helping the needy & displaced.

Stolling with cleats in Keluang Mall

After settling the certification ceremony, we met up with two female fans & had another cuppa-tea with MAPLAY the blokes.

Early next morning we had breakfast in Keluang KTM Station & chilled out with rest of the boys. The Lumut people invited me to ride in Pangkor & as they can't wait to see me there, especially arwah Hj. Isa - the traithlete. Allah loves him more & he left us barely a week before I could meet up with him again. AlFatihah. We will miss you Hj. Isa.

Zul, me, Rashin, Tuan Azhar havin a cuppa with the late Hj. Isa (Back facing camera).
Pak Berahim, Rashin, Bedul & arwah again (Xtreme right with aero-bar) featured in the ridin pix.

Back home, I remembered that I had left my blue sarong used during the mornin workout in Shahril's Malakoff's 4WD bound for Manjung. I wonder why...

Map - Tropicana Resort - Keluang, Johor

Google route

Thank you Yazid (MAPLAY Cycling Club), Juliana & some others for these pix, I ripped it off from your FBs. Without your pix, this tale will never be told...

*Moral of the story - As I have always carried a spare battery for the camera, one should also gat a spare SD card. Losing an entire images of the ride is like losing ones mind, hence - MAD

171010 Bike Lane Campaign, Penang

2010-10-18T10:18:00.001+08:00

Sunday 17 October 2010 - The Ride Round The Island

To say that I'm not excited is an understatement. I was hypo, but not over the moon as Arief or Ashaari. 10 months back I did the round island under the Malakoff Interstate Last Day & New Year Ride banner & so? I'm just excited to be back in Penang.

Sprung out of bed @ 5am & after a light breakfast. We arrived @ the City Hall around 6am & already the parking bays are taken. Looped the Light & King Street & got a spot within Penang Street. 250 meters away from the commotion near the padang, I spread the prayer mat & solat subuh by the five foot way.

The pounding loudspeakers made us agitated & right on the dot @ 7am, the brass band blared goodbye to the riders as the old clock tower in Gurney Drive ding-donged 7 times, we rolled towards Weld Quay.

It was sun seaside & surf all the way till Queen's Bay until we got caught up with a local council bus which was belching diesel black smoke. Pulled back & let it go. I hate the suffocating diesel fumes.

The Balik Pulau flat stretched was a welcomed sight. Clung with a group of riders from Butterworth & sped 35ers.

This will be the 2nd time this year riding round island after the Malakoff Interstate on 1st January. The organizers skipped the hellish steep hills of Jalan Paya Terubong - Jalan Tun Sardon (A short cut to Balik Pulau town), as it could prove fatal to the physique of some.
Never the less, from Jalan Teluk Kumbar thru Jalan Balik Pulau, the long stretch of Kampung Genting Dalam wrecked the inexperienced.

Me & the boys took it with stride & just rode like we used to. Of course, Arief being a young & impatient boy, left us behind.This will be the 2nd time this year riding round island after the Malakoff Interstate on 1st January.

The organinizers skipped the hellish steep hills of Jalan Paya Terubong - Jalan Tun Sardon (A short cut to Balik Pulau town), as it could prove fatal to the physique of some. Never the less, from Jalan Teluk Kumbar thru Jalan Balik Pulau, the long stretch of Kampung Genting Dalam wrecked the inexperienced. Me & the boys took it with stride & just rode like we used to. Of course, Arief being a young & impatient boy, left us behind.

Arief, me, Ashaari & Hanafy

After hitting 45km, Arief kept telling me that this was nothing for him. He wasn't feeling the slightest bit tired. Good boy for listening to his daddy. For this ride he clocked 2-3 hours on the rollers every day.
Then again, a boy is just a boy, ever so eager to try-out something new. As a father, I'm glad he's following his grandfather's footsteps or more like his fathers cadence.
Yeah, his grand daddy would be proud of his grandson, for he was once a cyclist who roamed the Malayan roads during his youth. He had a posse too, riding beaches of Pantai Remis to the prairies & rain trees of Taiping.
I rather see him puffing up the hills & than some others who would just puff away their lives.
Kids nowadays needs a father figure & the correct guide. You'll be trouble if they hang around the bad hats.

One rider rode too close for comfort & slipped down the ravine 5 meters below. Luckily there were some bushes that broke his fall. Nothin broken, except his pride. Some light bruises with a little nose-bleed.

me, Hanafy, Ashaari & my twin was there too.

Hanafy enjoying the cool breeze slapping his over-burned red cheeks.

On how I wish, I wish I could be this guy. Having 4 mistresses caressing you. Seeing all the girls around, I think he is faking his cramps...

This year's event had two categories of rides; 1) Fun ride; 20 Km from Esplanade via Jalan Kelawai passing through Kelawai, then along Jalan Tanjong Tokong before looping into EO housing project at the Island Plaza and finally back to Esplanade. The round island route was longer than last year route as we looped around Pulau Betong, instead of turning into Jalan Sungai Nipah and out to Jalan Bahru, We detoured to Pulau Betong and looped around at Pulau Betong Mosque to join Jalan Bahru.

This was truly a road round Penang island ride. Distance noted on the Cateye was 84 km.

My young hero

Friends from Ipoh & Eijall

Map - Round island of Penang

Google route

161010 Changkat Jering to Penang

2010-10-16T00:00:00.021+08:00

Saturday 16 October 2010

It's been a while since I went back to Penang, having spent the Raya celebrations in Bangi. So when we heard that the Penang State Govt was having another ride, we signed up without any thought.

We left early & left the hustle & bustle of city life behind. Throughout the PLUS highway, our thoughts were just about the ride. Ashaari was excited & so was Arief. I believe even Hanafi had sleepless nights. Three stooges, without the knowledge & skill of what's in store for them. Are they gonna enjoy it or suffer? Only they can judge & gauge their own feelings.

After about 100km, the bike wobbled on the roof. Stopped & swapped the C50 to a normal low profile ones & the shaking stopped. I'm a virgin when it comes to this. Never used THULE roof rack before lah, what do you expect? Huh! Remembering that it was a Saturday, I kept telling myself to exit at Cangkat Jering. Changkat Jering is a small town in Perak, Malaysia. It is near the larger town of Taiping.

Map - Changkat Jering, Perak

Google route

It connects Taiping to the North-South Expressway via the southern exit, located near the junction of Federal Route 1, the old trunk road, with Jalan Air Kuning. Changkat Jering is famed for its big weekly evening market on Saturdays. Cangkat Jering brought back fond memories of my father. He was born in Kampung Panchor, Pantai Remis, Perak which is 30km or half an hour drive from Cangkat Jering.

Gado-gado / Pechal

Every possible time, he'd would stop at this small junction town after passing Kamunting, Taiping & the family would have kampung style "Laksa Buyong" cooked in a earth pot. You'd also find Dangai, Cok Peneram & 101 variety of kampung fare. Af far as I could remember, these simple folks would sell their wares particularly on Staurday, here only.

Dangai

Chok/Cucur Peneram

"Lokan" was my favourite clam but since it isn't their season, none can be found. Instead, we took home one hellova big salted Ikan Parang & ten packets of Ikan Pekasam (Pickled fish with grated rice).

Salted river fish & Pekasam

We arrived @ my mom's pod around lunch & she cooked the best fish curry in the world! Got up after Asar prayers & went over to Padang Kota Lama (Fort Cornwallis) to meet up with my old friend the Tauke Mee Sotong. Caught up with Pak Piee of the famous Boria troupe as he was acting for a drama on a trishaw. Ariefr can't resist a pix with the legend.

Boria troupe. Pak Piee & Arief

After the nose watery threat, we headed towards Feringghi where Hanafi, Bedul & the rest of the gang looped a soft ride around Teluk Bahang.

That nite, we gobbled a hefty plate of carbohydrate fatty Nasi Kandar @ our regular Deen's Nasik Kandar Restaurant in Jelutong & with an unsteady daze, groggily drove 10 minutes back to the awaiting pillow.

Jering - = Archidendron Jiringa.

Changkit Jering - A hill full of Jering trees
Changkat = Low Hill/slightly elevated platform of earth, Jering/Jengkol. Dont eat too much of jering, you might get "Kapit" / difficulty when peeing! The beans are mildly toxic due to the presence of djenkolic acid, an amino acid, which causes djenkolism (Jering/Jengkol bean poisoning). It can cause "spasmodic pain, gout, urinary obstruction and acute renal failure". Even though it has a bitter taste and foul smell, the large brown legumes can be eaten raw, are very popular and cooked with coconut milk & chili (Masak lemak). It's best boiled till soft and eaten with sprinkled sugar & grated coconut.

Growing to about 21 metres, the Jering (Archidendron Jiringa), as it is known locally, has smooth, pale grey bark, originated in Southeast Asia, it grows wild and also cultivated in Southeast Asia. The most striking feature of this tree is the massive purplish-brown pods that suspend coiled from its branches. The pods, that measure 20 to 25 cm long and 5 cm wide, are used to extract purple dyes to colour silk.
As part of traditional medicinal usage, the Jering seeds are extolled for preventive diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure. And as a remedy to eliminate stones from the bladder, a decoction of finely pounded ginger, Jering seeds and water, is consumed.

The leaves can be pounded and applied in chest pains, pains, skin ailments. Ashes obtained by burning the old leaves can also be applied on itch, cuts & wounds. Its bark powder are sometimes applied on to one's body for treating chest pains, skin ailments, made into a gargle for treating gum pains & toothache.

*Warning! Never go into a lavatory knowing a person who has consumed Jering.

Boria
Boria is a traditional song and dance sketch or dance drama, found mainly in Penang, believed to have originated from Persia & India. Boria made its appearance in Penang in the later decades of the nineteenth century It is described as a traditional quatrain song form or pantun which is performed in a fusion of traditional & western music style and with dance forms such as quick-step, rhumba or soul juxtaposed with inang, zapin & other classic dance steps.
Although it was probably brought in by Indian Muslim traders of long ago, it has today come to be identified mainly with the Penang Malay community.
Boria incorporates the elements of dance, music and comic sketches. The troupe has a leader, a chorus, comedians and musicians.

A Boria performance begins with a comic sketch, followed by a song and dance featuring a juxtaposition of choral and solo parts. The lyrics amplify the gist of the comic sketch. The violin, maracas and tabla are used to accompany the singing, although the western pop band may also be used.

"Hangpa ni semua borialah..." Translation "You guys are so "Boria"". Meaning - To wear something similar / same costume / same outfit.
Surf http://warisanboria.blogspot.com

Lokan - Polymesoda expansa / Marsh/Mud/Swamp Clam
(Is a kind of clam/mollusks mainly found within the mangrove forest). This large, heavy bivalve formerly known as Geloina expansa is found buried in the stiff mud of the landward fringe of mangroves. Shell length is mostly around 9 cm in diametres almost as huge as your fist, with thicker and heavier shells. In the thick black mud of the mangroves, its well-adapted to this habitat, being able to tolerate long periods of low tide, and has the ability to resume filter-feeding rapidly when inundated.
As an important adjunct source of protein. this mollusks presents a healthy relief from the normal meal monotony in coastal villages. .
It's really a bivalve mollusk, tasting (to me) like a sweet, delicious oyster.
Best cooked with lemongrass as a soup or fried with chilies. My late grandma's & uncle recipe. Locals claim that this mollusk improves general health as well as enhancing s**ual performance!

Don't confuse yourself with Kristanna Loken's clams

Behind my granny's house in Kampung Panchor lay a huge mangrove area. During Lokan season, we would scour the swamp at low-tide & get a gunny sacks full!
Lokan is huge compared to the tiny "Remis"/a dime sized clam, me & my cousins loves getting soaked in the black mud ala Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie "Predator" "& catch the cute Silver Leaf monkey's babies ("Lotong" not Lontong ok?).

Recipe - Lokan fried in chili

Ingredients:
Enuff for me & my clone.

1 kilo of lokan
12 red chili
10 red onions
1 bolb of garlic
2 slices of tamarind
2 sticks of lemon grass
1 teaspoon of sugar or none at all
A pinch of salt
1 piece of Curcuma Longa leaf (Daun kunyit)
1 bowl of water

How to go about cookin it:
Soak briefly & clean the clams thoroughly in cold water. Remove the excess membrane/loose skin around the Lokan & discard the shell (Unless u wanna break your teeth). Pound all the condiments into a paste & fry it on a slow fire in a wok. Make it to a boil & as the gravy thickens, throw in the lokans & make sure it's properly cooked. Serve to the glutton! Best eaten with soft rice & soy sauce. That's it baby!

Achtung! Never over-cook Lokan, it’ll be too tough & taste like rubber!

*Indemnity clause - The author shall not be made responsible for your health, that could result in death or permanent disabilities for the consumption of the concoction, remedies, potions & recipes detailed in this blog.

131010 THULE, BBB to Kpg Sg Kembong, Ulu Bangi

2010-10-14T16:10:00.004+08:00

A wonderful friend gave me a used THULE car rack as I was looking for a bargain.

It came with ProRide, OutRide, FreeRide bike clamps, cobwebs minus the spiders & over a dozen wasp mud/Mud Dauber's nests lodged within the bars tubes! (Which scared the wits out of the THULE technicians)

At this current economic clamite, I can't affort spending 3K for these. For the new clamps, kit, lock & keys set me back at a total amount of RM880. Less than 1/3 of the actual costs! Without the aero bars of course. Aero no aero, I had saved a huge chunk of money.

We later took a short ride from BBB to Kpg. Sg. Kembong as Ashaari was bugging me for the pre-Penang ride. Arief was even more excited as this weekend will be his maiden ride outstation. I was extremely windy but what really bothered me was the smell of rotting rubbish that came along with it. We stopped for a pix under the LEKAS highway & headed back home. Nevertheless it was fun going through the back roads & kampong houses.

Ashaari - the so ever eager cyclist.

Arief & Ashaari

my twin, Arief, Ashaari & me

Warm sunset looms under the train tracks

BBB - Kpg Sg Kembong, Ulu Bangi

Google route

Mud Dauber or locally known as "Penyengat" - derived from the word "Sengat" = Sting, not to be confused with the lead singer from the 80's band, The Police.

Mud dauber (sometimes called "dirt dauber," "dirt digger," "dirt dobber," "dirt diver", or "mud wasp") is a name commonly applied to a number of wasps from either the family Sphecidae or Crabronidae that build their nests from mud.
Black-and-yellow mud-dauber build a simple, one-cell, urn-shaped nest that is attached to crevices, cracks, corners & sometimes THULE's bar tubes. Each nest contains one egg. Usually, they clump several nests together and plaster more mud over them.

101010 BBB to Perez

2010-10-11T23:10:00.002+08:00

We left Bandar Baru Bangi slightly after 7am & 7km down the road, the cellphone gave out an ear piercing noise - disrupting the frantic rhythm. Slowed down the cadence & heard Rizal howling that he shall rendezvous with the riders in Sg Tekala.
Half way up the Semenyih Dam, I noticed that he was rather slow than his usual self - citing that he had to do some "Servicing" before the ride. Need no explaining on that. I get excited & smirk with delight just thinking about the torture my friend is gonna endure. He doesn't know what he's gettin into.

Wak Jali & Baby tagged along but veered-off at the junction of Jalan Sg. Lalang/Semenyih Town. Auspicious day it is 101010. Too many wedding ceremonies to attend. Some couples happily rubbing one another belly buttons, we get all sweaty lining up for the oily-rice (Nasik Minyak). I'll leave them with their physical activity.

Many months later the stork will arrive with a bundle of joy.
Nephew No. 1 came into this world. A whooping baby boy.

Addean Hazriq Azril

Welcome Ashaari to the clan. This tennis player was so excited to ride with the clan & arrived so early that particular mornin. 1km to Sg. Tekala he smiled & said "I'm poofed, when are we gonna stop..."

We regrouped in Tekala where we caught a glimpse of a gal on a bike. But her riding style was particularly unique & attire so familiar. Who would ride on a big chain ring? Wendy would. She's training for the Ironman. They started off from Bt. 18 Ulu Langat & re looped the Tekala stretch & back. What a gusty couple. Admiral Alauddin tagged along on his trusty Toyota Corolla. perched on the roof was a simple touring bike. It's been a while since I met this two lovebirds. Wonder when I'll be able to join this simple folks for a road tour...

Admiral 60++ & Wendy 50++

It was no big deal riding up Semenyih Dam coz we had done it one too many times. Reminded Ashaari not to push too hard as we had 3/4 of the ride left. Kept him in sight & gave him support that he's doin OK.

Two Rahmans, Unidentical clones.

At the foothill of Perez a dozen or so cyclist congregated & oogled at one others bikes. Cyclist are normally a friendly bunch & this group acknowledge us upon arrival. One bloke even howled up my blogs nickname! There were some great old school bikes & some mean looking ones too.

With eyes almost popping out, some gasped when when they took noticed of a newbie who was part of the clan that rode all the way from Bandar Baru Bangi to Perez. As the chief of the clan, I invited them to scale the Perez peak but they gracefully obliged us to proceed first. 2 km up, I had to leave Ashaari behind & left him in the hands of Rahman UB.

Rahman EM looks stronger this time, fully prepared for the assault & made it with flying colours. Zaza partnered by Rahman Ujang Brava reached the peak with ease, smiling from ear to ear as one unknown rider grimaces & veered uncontrollably - legs quivering like jelly.

After 10 minutes Ashaari was still nowhere to be seen. my thoughts were thinking of a worst case scenario. Will he be eaten by the monkeys or gobbled up by the hills? I dropped down a kilo, waited up & a rider who was almost out of breath said that Ashaari is just right behind him. How many donkey years ago he isn't sure.
I looped down a second time & all of a sudden my cellphone vibrated. At this very moment, right at the second last corner of the peak, Ashaari stopped on his tracks. He lamented that he wasn't sure if he could make it as the end seems so vague & drank the whole two water bottles. 300 meters was all that's left for him to climb.
Made him tag me for a few meters & he struggled slightly but made it despite the torture. Alas! Hail to the new conqueror of Perez.

Sweat dripping thru his tongue like a thirsty puppy.

Like a drunken driver he veered from left to ride but he triumph!

me, Ashaari, Zaza, Rahman UB, Rizal, Rahman EM & my clone

The new champion!

Stop monkeying around cousins.

Undulating terrain didn't stop Asaari & Zaza. We regrouped in Sg. Tekala & wallop everything available. We had Sprayed Chicken/"Ayam Perchik" (Barbecued Chicken with thick coconut milk & gravy), rice with deep fried squid in chili & a pails of water.

I smiled watching these kids playing & havin fun. Oh how I missed those years but cycling has made me feel younger & returned my youthful spirit.

Jalan Reko - Semenyih - Tekala - Perez (Genting Peras)

Google route

Déjà Vu 12&190910 Unikeb-LBJ, Arief & the Clan

2010-09-20T02:09:00.022+08:00

How would you feel if you're stuck in the same loop?
You'd probably go bonkers finding yourself repeating the same day over and over again. After attempting the same route the following weekend, I began to reexamine my life and my priorities.

You feel a sense of Déjà vu (Meaning "already seen" in French) is the experience of feeling sure that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously (an individual feels as though an event has already happened or has happened in the recent past), although the exact circumstances of the previous encounter are uncertain.

Who wouldn't feel Déjà Vu if you had to repeat the route over again in the following week?

120910 Unikeb -LBJ with Arief

There was no one in sight. What do you expect bro, riding on the 3rd day of Eid? 10km to the end, I shivered coz we had too little for breakfast & fast paced the 61.6km loop without stopping.

Tn. Haji Zamani with loafers.

Don't be fooled by his looks nor his bike. Looks can be deceiving. Dream on, coz you can never catch him.

190910 Unikeb - LBJ with the Clan

me, Bujal, Rahman EM, Bulek, Najib, Norman, Zharin, Baby & my clone.

Unikeb-Salak-LBJ-Kampong Jijan

Google route

Ciao !

20/270810 & 030910 Ramadhan Nite Rides

2010-09-04T21:04:00.023+08:00

We did an adventurous ride every Friday nite after Tarawih at 11:00pm during Ramadhan. Started off from Mamak Double Trouble, Precinct 9 & for those who rode with us , it was full of surprises or not curses!

One weekend it rained cats & dogs but the all riders kept kool & humped up the Bukit Limau Manis in TOTAL DARKNESS! Repeated the route again for the 2nd & 3rd week - Made some crawl up the notorious incline!

Climbing Limau Manis Hill

Daoh had an itchy foot & Rizal had to follow suit!

The 29 souls

Fixie pixies doing their thingy.

Crawling up...or whatever you call it.

More stories, pix, routes & links here:- 1st / 2nd nite ride rides & the 3rd ride

210801 Goodbye dinner with John

2010-08-21T22:09:00.001+08:00

Time flies when you're havin fun.

6 months ago the clan got its first "Foreign" rider.
But this foreigner was more local than the locals that I've come across.

An adventurous man he is,

1) He's not afraid to wallop anything on the plate, let it be the king of fruits - durian or petai.
2) He'd scour the backwaters of Selangor without a blink.
3) He didn't care what people think of him or his preferences.
4) He's straightforward, practical & plain simple.

No fancy bikes nor flashy attire but he's one hellova rider. Barely two weeks after his feet got operated had he done the Port Dickson Triathlon.
Look at the scar.

I would remember this man - a gentleman who brought back some goodies for my kids while in San Francisco. - Great kiddies books for my little son & daughter. If not for some empty promises by certain quarters, he would have stayed here longer & teach more of us about tolerance, respect & diversity.
He made me rekindle old memories during the 70's while in Penang. I had an Amerasian neighbor - American white father & a Vietnamese mother.

We rode quite a bit with him & here are the pix of the clan's adventures together. Click on each title for the tales.

070310 Port Imperata Cylindrica

040310 Steaming Hot Cicada

210310 Labu, Underrated

110410 Hunchback of Notre Dame

190410 Spoinking Port Dickson

300410 Cyc PCM 2nd Bday

25 & 280510 Kpg Jijan & Just to Beranang

280710 "San Francisco" storybooks for my kids

300710 PCM for Ibrahim

Adios amigo - The clan shall miss you.

me, Arief, Baby, Md Nor, John, Zharin, Wak jali & my twin

Amerasian - A person of American and Asian descent, especially one whose mother is Asian and whose father is American. The word dates to the early 1950s and has been used primarily with reference to children fathered in Asia by American servicemen presence in East and Southeast Asia.

080810 Unikeb - Lenggeng - Mendum, N9

2010-08-09T21:08:00.038+08:00

Anna & Zaza

Anna lead the clan so gracefully on her new BMC.

Since Anna & Zaza rode with us, we decided not to burn the tarmac today. We let the gurls lead.

Barely 10km onto the ride, the skies turned grey. I was so dull-looking & it looks as if we're teleported to another realm. The ride up Semenyih Hill never looked so eerie before. The beauty of it is - It was so cool, misty - So surreal...

Surreal - riding into another dimension...

Broga Town

Took a breather in Broga tiny lovable town & later caught an uncle on an old motorbike. I sprinted others followed suit for about 5km & all of the sudden the old man & his bike made an unexpected turn into a lane by the rubber plantation. Damn, he was doin 35kph & what a fun tailing behind him.

Abang Zainuddin Harun offering his banana to Wak Jali.
"Mine are bigger & longer than yours" he said.

We regrouped in Lenggeng & met up with a couple of riders form the Perpatih Cycling Community but Baby, Sharul Hulk, Rahman & Zaza decided not to hit the Mendum Hill. Baby wasn't feelin too well & Sharul Hulk had a bad knee problem - as usual.

Abang Zainuddin Harun from Paroi, N9 was kind enuff to offer us some bananas to top-up our potassium intake. Zainuddin Haron who is 50 years of age & a father of five, completed the 1 Malaysia solo ride across the country. The 2100km trek took 15 days. More news on him here & here.

A couple of guys went ahead & left me & Anna. let's see if Anna can survive this hellova mount. Told her not too hit hard as you'd bonk early if you did. Overtook her & passed by Rahman EM who was so determined to conquer this hill. He puffed hard & let out a couple of "Oooh & Arrgh".

Cikgu Hisyam veered form left to right & finally succumbed to the terrain. "After five (5) tries, I could only reach the top once" he said later at the regular Nasik Lemak Ikan Keli stall. That made some squirm even thinking about it.

With Rahman EM's breath right behind my back I tried to catch up with Wak Jali but to no avail. This 50 ++ year otai is a force to be reckoned with.

Rahman EM - ever so determined

Look @ the gradient. What the *$@&!

Anna rode up Mendum Hill without a huff - putting some of us to shame. Didn't even smudge her lip-gloss with her make-up still intact!

Azam's pores were all wet & really slippery, if u know what I mean. ;P

me, Rahman EM, Nuri, Anna, Wak Jali, Azam, my twin, Dr. Taufik & my clone

The hardcore ones reached to the top all right with the bikes all so light. But what really surprises me most was when Nuri's cousins - with regular MTBs, placed themselves amongst the conquerors of Mendum's mount.

me, Wak Jali, my twin, Zaza, Dr. Taufik, Azam, Nuri & his cousins
Anna, Rahman Ujang Brava, Cikgi Hisyam, Suarul Hulk, Baby & Rahman EM

After the gluttony of catfish in hot chili gravy, we rode home almost peacefully. Until the barren untarred road shook my bony physique. We were damn lucky not to pop any tyres but 2km of unevenness scarred my lovable ride.

Unikeb UKM - Semenyih - Lenggeng - Mendum

Google Route

Teleported / Teleportation
Is the transfer of matter from one point to another, more or less instantaneously. Teleportation has been widely utilized in works of science fiction. The word is a combination of the Greek prefix tele- (meaning "distant") to the Latin verb portare (meaning "to carry"). One means of teleportation proposed in fiction (e.g., The Fly, Heroes, Star Trek) is the transmission of data which is used to precisely reconstruct an object or organism at its destination. However, to travel from one point to another instantaneously (faster than light travel) is, as of today, believed to be impossible.

In the Malay kingdom, teleportation does exist. It has been told that a Bomoh/Shaman have the ability to teleport. It was reported tht during the old days, a period where doctors are scarse. Deep within the fringe of a jungle, there is a kampong - as there usually are. A young mother was about to give birth will need assistance form a traditional midwives (known as bidan kampung or "village midwife"). Story goes, one nite as the husband seeked her help, this village midwife
asked him to returned home instead. Baffled, he then walked home in darkness many miles away. Upon reaching his house hours later, to his surprise - the midwife had already helped deliver his baby!
As the story goes, most of these midwives have command over tigers & other beastly creatures. They'd summoned these animals & ride them to their destinations. Sometimes using them as their beast of burden. Thats teleportation!

Being an esoteric knowledge by nature, it is not known how exactly it takes place, but theories and explanations have been abound. The most prevalent theory has to do with the concept of consciousness and will. The person wills to be some place, and he is then simply there an instant later.

The Arabic phrase perhaps best translates to "traversing the earth without moving". Some have termed it "moving by the earth being displaced under ones feet". It is a concept widely familiar to both Sufis, Sunnis, and Shias. Each group has a different interpretation on it. This concept has been around for centuries, and was in debate, long before its western contemporary counterparts surfaced in scientific and science fiction movies and circles.

Surreal
Bizarre or dreamlike. When you take acid, it can be pretty bizarre as you hallucinate.

010810 Bdr Baru Bangi - Perez

2010-08-02T20:21:00.020+08:00

010810 Bandar Baru Bangi - Genting Peras (Perez)

Talk about levin @ 7:30 am. Hmmm, it was not until almost 8 am that finally we rolled off from my pod.

Waited up for Rizal & Rahman Eddy Mercks got lost on the old road to Semenyih. Luckily he didn't follow Mr. Won & ended up dazed in Kajang Market! And so we rendezvoused with Rahman EM by Billion supermarket Semenyih & spun through Jalan Sungai Lalang. If you're wonderin who Rahman EM is, lemme explain. He just transferred him & his family from Ipoh & immediately clicked with the clan afterwards.

Probably half way thru Jlan Sg. Lalang, Iskandar, with thick Kedahan accent blurted "Geghek aku panchat woi, hangpa kena stop no..." as his bike wobbled under the punctured C50 wheelies.

Lookin at the watch, I knew we're gonna be really2 late & someone gonna get whipped by the glarin sun.

Rahman Ujang Brava popped out the tube & the tube-head gave way. A senior guard from the TNB sub station peeped thru his small guard house & curiously come over to us, wonderin what's the commotion all about. One small puncture but the noise we made woke up this weary eyed old man from his snooze.

The dam looms ahead but I dare not tell them the steepness of the incline. Afraid they might chicken-off or give up too early. But they took it in their stride & caught Rahman Ujang Brava yapping under the Orang Asli/Indigenous People's hut.

Rahman Ujang Brava yapping away...

The seniors kept mum all the while till the junction of Bt 18 & Perez & told them not to press too hard up the 10 km climb.

Rahman EM pressed hard & made it the 1st time but Mr. Won & Iskandar had to call it a day.

Rahman EM with his Eddy Mercks

Wak Jali, Baby, Cikgu Hisyam, Rahman UB
Rahman EM, me, my twin & Rizal single speedo

Rollin down was easy but I felt rather nauseous due to the fact that I ate too little b4 the ride. Rollin up & down to Tekala was so critical this time as I felt so weak. Parking in the usual stall, we wallop a few kilos of fried Cempedak & quite a few packets of nasi lemak. Drinks aside. I think we drank the water well dry!

Iskandar took a tumble

These two new boys have are tuff.
Eventhough Rahman EM almost wanted his wife to pick him up - he rode all the way back with us till BBB but succumbed to cramps for five (5) days!
I got to know Iskandar durin last year's Putrajaya Critical Mass - the monthly last Friday nite of the month community ride. This was probably the furthest ride he had ever tried. He had cramps 25 km till the end & fell off the bike with the shoe clips on.

I know, both of you were cursing the terrain & the mess I got you people into. Torture it was but you will thank me for the mileage had made you tougher & wiser.

Jalan Reko - Semenyih - Tekala - Perez (Genting Peras)

Google route

Translation

Geghek - Bicycle
Panchat - Puncture
Hangpa - You guys

180710 Unikeb - Port Dickson

2010-07-19T19:19:00.015+08:00

I'm not saying that PD is easy, but over the years - it gets easier. I remember the first time I took up...actually took back cycling. Didn't know that I'm gonna be this serious!

Even Putrajaya was an achievement. But after the long trek across Kelantan - Terengganu & back, my confidence level is at a all time high. It suddenly sky-rocketed! No distance is too far - no terrain impossible.

To that, I'd like to thank Cikgu Ali (Who is currently in Keluang, Johor) & Zharin sort off introduced me back into cycling.

Cikgu Ali & me, TM Blue Ride 220106

Look at my puffy cheeks & round belly!

Zharin, Hasif & me 180206 Putrajaya

Without his perseverance & words of comfort that I could do whatever I want (At 40 then now pusing 45) Ha ha! I have come quite a long way I would say since scooldays - be in strength, endurance & what I am right now. Come to think of it, I feel stronger than ever. Hmm...bikes are a ton lighter than those days.

1983 Balik Pulau - Teluk Bahang

The clan rolled-off from Unikeb close to 8:00am, destination unsure. One kept questioning the other, but to a blur. We should ride to PD deep down my heart, I murmur.

10 km after we were joined by another group lead by Bachin Bucuk, Nana Alwin, Jai, Anchik & Jaja Shah (who just came back from maternity leave/confinement).
Gilp! The time I met Jaja was probably a year plus ago. Sheer luck! They're heading for PD too, maybe till Teluk Kemang/Bloo Lagoon.
I could see that they're a fast paced pack. Makin the clan push to a 30+++kph than our usual 28kph. If you cant beat them-join them instead. Jaja trailed but was anchored by Nana Alwin.

Syarul Hulk had to take a rain-cheque & U turned in Salak old town.

We rendezvoused at every planned junction & proceeded towards out goal, PD

15 minutes it was, the time we took to scour PD town looking for a place to fill our growling tummy. Eventually we stumbled by a nice small "Warung"/stall by the train tracks that sat right in front of a huge rain tree. It's not really about the location but the "Extras" that came with it. The food is simple but it was the "Makchik's" daughter that made the food seemed better!

We chatted quite a bit & moved on albeit the oogling by some people who are unused to the company of humans with tight crotches. I hope I'm not gonna succumb to any stomach churning problems on the trek back to base.
As the skies slowly began showed her dark side, we stopped awhile by the seafront & posed beneath the rumbling sky.

As there were too many red, yellow & green lights along Jalan Lukut we had no choice but to just follow the traffic flow. Not until we reach the last left turn towards Bukit Pelandok, someone started a blistering pace. One began trying to outdo one another as we scrapped the tarmac. 200 meters to the top of Bukit Pelandok I was totally out of breath & rolled down the peak left alone by the leaders.

Wak Jali, Nana Alwin, Jai, Najib & baby

Anchik, Jaja Shah, Wak Rozaili, & Bulek

me, Norman, Bachin Bucuk & Anchik

Regrouped at a gas station in Pekan Sepang Lama/Old Sepang Town & waited up for the rest. Some just passed us by without blinking & rode straight even as we howled for them to stop. Of course they cant hear. Thunder had drowned our cries.

Wak Jali arrived with Jaja & Nana Alwin. After some pee weeing & more rejuvenating drinks, we clipped & returned onto the saddle. Then it poured so hard that it was so impossible to see without sunshades. At that particular moment, how I wish I had glasses like Elton John...

Shud have bought these.

Elton John with his wiper sunglasses, happy & gay...

Route: Bandar Baru Bangi - Port Dickson

Google map

110710 Unikeb - LBJ, Won, Bee & Me

2010-07-12T12:07:00.001+08:00

Supposed to roll to Bagan Lalang which is by the sea
No one else was around accept Won & me
But the soup in Labu is nicer with labi-labi

I had a nasty encounter with a bee
Which stung my neck oh so you see

Siamese girl's peck my wife thot if was thee
Across seberang was it she?
No no no,

SMSed all the blokes for today's ride but there's no attendee
Non are any committee
So we're short of riders like a one legged amputee
I screamed hysterically
Louder then the lost longing banshee

But we rolled on by another, coz we're one big devotee!

Took this shot whil I had to pee.

Unikeb-Salak-LBJ-Kampong Jijan

Google route

What the *&#$! This is the 3rd time in my entire ridin life That I got stung. On the 160109 Cycle Friday was my 2nd encounter with the unfortunate bee coz bees die when it stings something or someone. What a pity. The 160109 wheelin to work story & pix here.

I remembered vividly of a similar incident I went thru 33 years ago. On my way to my aunty's house in Bukit Gelugor for tuition one unfortunate morning, I had a bee stung me right at the pinnacle of speed at a "Gon" (Penang lingo for a steep hill.) This puny bee sank it's barbed & it got lodged at my neck with it's sack full of venom still pumping! My aunt quickly applied vinegar, but the pain was too unbearable. I didn't go to school the next day I think.

Here's the exact location of the incident when I was 10 (at point B) in Jalan Lembah, Bukit Gelugor , Penang. Later in 1984, my Form 6 classmate who was ridin a scrambler, smashed his legs after kissing a lamp post at the same spot. He celebrated his birthday in GH!

The nostalgic sting route

040710 Unikeb - Lenggeng

2010-07-05T22:57:00.011+08:00

Cikgu Hisyam humping his new love, SOMEC

25 km dwn the road, Faris began to feel lethargic. No Power bar nor Ali's Cane/Tongkat Ali/Power Root could help. You can munch the whole trunk if you will but without enuff mileage, you'll suffer.

I'm sorry brother Faris. We didn't meant to kill you. No doubt the terrain got the better of you, you survived the ordeal. Be proud of that coz the Clan is proud of you!

In these parts, humans can be rather ingenious. Never knew that this guzzler could run on chlorophyll. As far as my brain-mass is concerned, only cows or other large domesticated ungulates could digest these greens. I was wrong.

me, Cikgu Hisyam, Faris, Rahman, Baby, Wak Jali & my reflection

Coffee shop reflection

Zoom-in of the reflection

Wak Jali had too much of Nasik Lemak Ikan Keli,
All Makchik could do was smile with a glee.
"Why r u guys tailing me?"
Coz we had too much as if it was free!

Never knew that after the "Mendom" shot, the sky got really "Mendung"/Cloudy. It wasn't just cloudy. It was as if the sky gonna crash on us at any moment.

We rolled on within the calamity,

Hoping that the darkness would go away
It clouded or minds as we hoped & pray
By the wind, it took us faraway
But who am I to say
Don't ever lead us astray
Coz we ain't gonna betray
Mere words are just hearsay,
that made my day.

Took a shelter beside a barn
Felt so cold as if we're without yarn

Unikeb-Kajang SILK-Semenyih-Lenggeng

Google route

Start at: Jalan Bangi

1. Head northeast on Jalan Bangi toward Persiaran Universiti - 1.4 km
2. Continue on Jalan Reko - 5.0 km
3. Turn left toward Lebuhraya Silk - 0.6 km
4. Slight left at Lebuhraya Silk - 2.8 km
5. Slight left to stay on Lebuhraya Silk - 0.7 km
6. Take the ramp to Jalan Semenyih - 0.4 km
7. Turn right at Jalan Semenyih - 4.8 km
8. Turn left to stay on Jalan Semenyih - 0.6 km
9. Turn left at B34 - 9.2 km
10. Continue on N34 - 6.9 km
11. Turn left to stay on N34 - 0.6 km

Arrive at: Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan Malaysia

12. Head northwest on N34 - 0.6 km
13. Continue on N144 - 2.6 km

Arrive at: N144

14. Head west on N144 - 1.7 km
15. Turn left toward Jalan Sungai Jai - 1.8 km
16. Turn right at Jalan Sungai Jai - 1.4 km
17. Turn left to stay on Jalan Sungai Jai - 0.2 km
18. Turn left at Jalan Semenyih - 1.1 km
19. Turn right at Jalan Enam Kaki - 0.1 km

Arrive at: Jalan Enam Kaki

20. Head west on Jalan Enam Kaki - 3.3 km
21. Continue on B24 - 6.6 km
22. Turn left at B18 - 1.6 km
23. Turn left to stay on B18 - 2.2 km
24. Turn left to stay on B18 - 0.5 km

Arrive at: B18

25. Head west on B18 - 1.5 km
26. Continue on B17 - 4.6 km

Arrive at: Jalan Bangi

200610 Unikeb - Kpg Jijan

2010-06-21T18:21:00.005+08:00

After the mêlée 2 days ago, me - self-proclaim Chief of the Clan decided to ride a much-much safer route this Sunday. I know, it's kinda boring rolling on the same route every other weekend but what choice do we have?

To just ride the Salak route has become somewhat of a "No big deal" kind of thing - No sweatlah, Kacang/peanuts - Close one eye also can lah...you know. It has just gotten too easy for us & for me in particular.

As time progressed, you'll get tougher & the minimum distance for the clan has risen from a meager 25km to an at least 70 - 130 km on a normal weekend.

Loved the minimal downhill from LBJ till Kampong Jijan. A smooth 35kph till we end up in the cross junction where we had a cuppa with Hulk's friend, humping his gleaming-virgin new bike.

me, Wak Jali, ,Bulek, Ijal, Norman, Baby, my "Hantu Raya" & Syarul Hulk

Unikeb-Salak-LBJ-Jijan

Google route

Ciao!

ManCIOCC

180610 Never Again, KL-BBB

2010-06-19T21:06:00.009+08:00

It's been 2 weeks since I humped the bike. 2 weeks passed - I'm supposed to take her home tonite. Rumbling Balls of Fire pestered that I take it back immediately, as someone was eying my C50.

KL Sentral, Dayabumi & the river stinks

Without further delay, the time was booked on a Friday,
Thot that it might be an easy day,
not like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
As these times it can be a bit of a mêlée.

Oh, on what a wrong side I could be.
28 km of road morons barking up my tree.

Roads were congested beyond compare.
So much that I regretted, I just could not repair
Every junctions & turns I had to beware.
My life & limbs were at stake, that rose my hair.

Damaged done, I just had to accept the fact.
That I would never ever ride that route again.
Unless I wanna end up in a box - compact!

Route: Plaza Sentral - Bandar Baru Bangi

Google route

Mêlée - Encounter or to struggle amongst something/people. = Confusion
"The mêlée of Hari Raya shopping..."
A confused tumultuous mingling, as noisy of a crowd: the rush-hour melee.
[French mêlée , from Old French meslee , past participle of mesler , to mix ; see meddle .]
Origin: 1910–15

Confusion - Not be confused with Confucius "孔夫子"

CONFUSION
A poem by: Alphonsus

I watch the morning sun arise
and bring forth new that day
a sense of hopeless loss and fear
and watching all that lay

about my mind in tangled mess
and muddy thoughts profound.
No simple loss of innocence
could ease that scentless hound.

The morning sun, it never changes
yet never is the same.
The ice of frozen memories
melt little with its flame.

How, and who, and why, and what
the questions all abound–
the rock tied to the rope of thought
tossed random all around.

No home in thee. No home for me.
My unbound thoughts no rest.
No glassy lake of mirrored sheen
to help my mind do best.

The morning sun now in the noon.
The time goes back and forth.
Scrambled eggs of lunchtime sup
and Eastward goes the North.

And so my face goes upside-down
to match my state of brain,
and the morning sun now rise to night
to fall up-down again.

Confucius "孔夫子"

Teacher & Philosopher - Values & philosophies that emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity.

060610 Malakoff Charity Ride - Siam

2010-06-06T18:06:00.062+08:00

Day 3 - Siam Day

“Doa” was recited to ensure the well being of all riders. Praise to “Him”, the last trek will be soundly safe.

D TV3 guys & some other roadies

The back roads of Kelantan will normally be the last thing on anyone’s mind. To venture there is like walking into the unknown, more like crawling into a dark cave totally blind. Hidden treasures await you though.

Oh, you wouldn’t know what’s in store in these backwaters.

This time we rode right next to the a river separating Malaysia & Thailand. & every 4 kilos or so, there will be an army post to keep a lookout for illegal aliens & their non legal activities. I doubt they’ll even get out today. They rather go into hiding as the blaring sirens of the entourage smears the tranquility.

Shhhhh…At times it’s almost deserted & you can hear the rolling tyres sounds skimming over the tarmac.

Zafry Fauzi & Yazid Ismail leadin d pack

Firstly, the roadies were pampered with shades, smooth terrain & spectacular kampong scenery. We’re riding on the dark grey ribbon of tree lined rod that sits right beside Thailand.

I had always wanted to roll on the biggest chaining & the endless path was just too inviting to pass. Technically I rode substantial kilometers on the 53-11 rings & cassette. A BIG feat for an OTAI like me I must say. Well, the route was pancake-flat topped with an icing of cool tree canopies over our heads. After 2 days of mind boggling distance, the body began to acclimatize to the regime. We moved on like a heard of cattle - mowing everything in front of us.

Apai, Anuar Manan, Aini, Yazid, A Rahim Anuar & Pak Berahim

We rest awhile in Rantau Panjang….The three lady riders wanted to go shopping here but stop short as the other howled their dissatisfactions. The small townsfolk gathered in amazement of the brouhaha. We were ticked pink by the attention.

Haji Rahim & Jack

We emerged from the shadows of the canopies to be greeted by the biggest statue within these parts of our country.

Its as it time stood still. A behemoth statue of the sleeping Buddha awaits you at Wat Phothivihan in Cabang Empat, Tumpat. This statue is known as the longest sleeping Buddha in South East Asia. It is almost 40m long. There is also a sizable Thai community here. That comes to show that the Islamic state of Kelantan is tolerant to other cultures & religions, contrary to some belief. See with your own eyes…
For the tired body, the sight of the reclining body, cool relax facial expression & droopy eyed statute is enuff to make you yawn too. Probably dozing-off for a spell will do some good but time is not on our side. Tok Janggut & Apai just couldn’t resist a catnap for a couple of minutes

Finally my twin arrived!

Apai, u gotta elongate your ear. Similarities are there!

As I shot these riders mimicking the laid back statue, shrills of laughter filled the air broke the silent lucidity. I hobbled towards the commotion with my clunky SIDI’s which is definitely not made for running. To my amusement, I caught Shaharom & Anuar Manan making a clown of themselves to the delight of the Siamese foster kids.

Sleeping beauties

How heart warmed I felt after seeing young parent-less innocent faces filled with joy & beaming with at our presence. It melted my soul & made my eyes teary. As I smiled, a tear rolled down my already charred baby faced cheeks…

"Ceria" Siamese orphans

These two buffoons were jumping “Jump Rope” with frenzied clapping kids in the background. Their silly antics brightened the usually mundane life of the foster home.

“Jump Rope” - A children game of physical perseverance & not for the bulky physique. It requires a string of about 7-8 feet long. Requires good timing of the player between the act of jumping and the movement of the rope. The trick is not to get entangled within the chains of rubber bands, but nowadays they use a commercially manufactured semi rubber-plastic material with is less elasticity. Lately there has been talk that these artificial rubber bands are made from used condoms!

We left the sleeping beauty to his own devices. We’ve more kilos to cover - can’t even blink!

When we were kids, our parents couldn't afford these

On arrival at the duck restaurant, we dropped our butts to the awaiting chairs, ready to be served the best duck curry in town. Duck curry in Tumpat. Some of the guys ate without knowing it was duck’s flesh & they felt nauseous. Some even went to extend of expelling the contents of their stomach. What a waste. They don’t know what they’re missing. Duck is tastier than chicken even though ducks loves scouring the muddies. Duck? Yuck!

Lost in transit & confused

Ciannnnnnnnnnnnn...

Rolled by the seafront in Pantai Seri Tujuh & like a wizard on wheels, Anuar Manan halted the train on its tracks & stopped the speeding train from chugging over us.

3km to go, everyone got really excited & sprayed water at one another. Gone were the pain & agony of the journey. We were chucking merrily as we approached the end of our adventure.

Young old man & young boy

Malakoff's clan

We screamed with delight – arms raised in triumph as if we’ve won the World Bike Tour.

Daoh, me, Aini, Farid & Apai

I must thank everyone in Malakoff 4 such an excellently organized bike ride. The monies that we personally contributed so small & nothing compared to the sheer hard work & noble cause that you guys did. Bearing in mind, it’s our responsibility to help the less fortunate.

May the “Almighty” bless you people for the good deeds & for the successful event.

For me, I made it even though I was rather worried, skeptical & unsure of my capabilities. If not for Aini - Rambling Balls of Fire’s assurance (Kalau aku tak abis malu weh, coz she completed it!) I’d probably think twice. The distance really scared the s*** out of me.

On a normal weekend, I’d normally do an 80-100 or 130km the most but doin a 160km? You gotta be nuts! And at 3pm with the blistering afternoon sol & the entire extreme seaside wind conditions…phew. What the #$%@?!

With high spirits, we concluded the three seemable hard days into one big triumph.

Black is Beautiful!

I had fun getting sun burned & not to mentioned, eggs fried & the sausages barbecued. A dream came thru after all the sweat n tears.

KB - KT - Tanah Merah - KB

Google route - click here

Njoi da video... ManCIOCC

TV3 Scoreboard vid

050610 Malakoff Charity Ride - Rollin

2010-06-05T17:06:00.027+08:00

Day 2 - Rollin Day

Woke up fresh. Not a single strain felt.
Was it a dream that I did the 160km yesterday? Oh yeah, you made the 1/3 brudder. Today is the crunch. The dreaded 190km. I was mentally prepared all right for the onslaught. I aint gonna torment myself with silly & uninspiring thoughts. I’ll tackle it a kilo at a time.

On this cool wet morning & some feelin stiff from last nite - Shahrom powerman made sure that we stretched ourselves to the max for this tuff route.

Mornin surf was beatin lazily onto the beach. The sun peeked & winked to the riders between the trees as we rolled by & bid adieu to Kuala Terengganu. Don’t be fooled by her cynical expressions, coz I know her too well. She’ll fry us to kingdom come.

50 km & at out first refuel area, the soreness on my left shoulder just wouldn’t go away. And so I had no choice but to morph myself into the Hunchback of Notre Dame yet again. Being half horse half human (Sagittarius), within a blink of an eye – I shoved 2 ice packs up my shoulders. It felt numb almost immediately by the stinging ice but I’d rather be frostbitten than be crooked-headed for the rest of the ride.

The Ice packs of Not so Dame...

AJ & Anuar Manan leadin the clan

Rollin it was. Much of a roller coaster I would say the terrain was. As times it seems unthinkable to be able to keep up with the pace. The mounts were almost endless but the down hills were merciful too.

"I made it so far..." Farid Reds Payed

Roughly 20 km before lunch we were told to stop even though there was much fuel left in our muscles. We came to an abrupt stop – the aroma of driying "keropok" was too inviting. Apparently lunch isn’t ready as yet so we had to settle for some finger food.
Fiesta came to town & the air was alive with sweaty humanoids jostled for the "Keropok lekor". This power stick was the talk of the town.
The phallic resembling crackers were snapped up within minutes but I don’t wanna spoil my appetite. I had a hunch that lunch is gonna be special. So I liquidated myself wit 2 helpings of ice-cooled Len Chi Kang. RM1.50 a bowl – so bloody cheap.

This ol' skool was too cool to let by...

Barely an hour in our ride, we were ushered into this “E-Rup E-Sup” loosely meaning “To drink the soup”.

My predictions & premonition was true. We were served with the best soup in town. Never mind the slightly late lunch. I was well earned. Belief me people I always had great precognition. My future sight is always right. What a glutton we had become. A mountain of rice & uncountable bowls of soup. I can still taste it in my buds.

So "Gelojoh" we were...

Some of us even had “Tuak” - The sap derived from incising the flower clusters of the coconut is drunk as “Tuak/Nira”, or fermented to produce palm wine, also known as "Toddy" or, in Malaysia, the sap can be reduced by boiling to create a sweet syrup or candy, too. A by-product, sweet honey-like syrup used as a creamy sugar for desserts.
Do you know that coconut nectar is an extract from the young bud is reputed to have energetic powers? Believe me, too much of it can also make you high & woozy - just like toddy!

Stylo-mylo babe...He he he

We were all geared up for the uphill task to reach our destination – Red Earth = Tanah Merah. As red as the earth, our sweat shall be drenched with blood…but I wasn’t meant to be. Sensing the tough terrain, the organizers decided to take us thru shorter & less steep hills.

Already we had endless rolling ones all the way from Pasir Putih. Its kinda ok for the legs coz you get to rest a little while goin downhill but some bloke made a sprint up the hills & whatdayya expect huh? We made a dash & followed the leaders. No doubt we were maintaining the 28kph regime but sometimes. It just felt good to have some KOM sprints once in a while. Psyche you up a bit as it might get too monotonous at certain times.

We ended up stopping again for another much needed break. Bikes sandwiched into one another. Not even a camel on this parched landscape can tolerate the arid surface, but it produced such intriguing shots.

Hunched "Camels" on two wheels.

A small reflection of me is a big part of you.

You now know why I wore white today. With a dark reddish tan, spotted cumulus clouds & deep blue sky, we refueled with more eye popping melons & juices. Some even had time to skin a cow, probably for the BBQ tonite. Be patient boys, we aint carnivores.

Fresh meat anyone? Ah..I could sip the dripping blood...Take a number & wait till your turn comes please.

Otai's - Pak Hamid & A Rahim Anuar

View from the bridge.

Even then, sol didn’t give any leeway to us. She kept shining & a mirage of deep cool oasis was playing tricks to my squinting eyes. We were herded again for the last 20km or so. No frenzy & fancy ridin but just paced enuff to get everybody excited as we entered Tanah Merah.

040610 Malakoff Charity Ride - Beach

2010-06-04T16:06:00.004+08:00

The last five days b4 the BIG ride was really traumatizing. Traumatized by the fact that I never had ridden beyond the 130km at one go. Worse, we’re starting off with a mind boggling 160km beach front! The thought of sea wind slapping my silky complexion terrified my hapless soul…

As the ride became closer, I kept questioning my own reflection in the mirror. “Mirror-mirror on the wall, Lets hope I’m strong enuff & not crawl…” I had to endure Great Balls with a lotta calls. Ridin 530km is an order tall.

It’s no laughing matter & I don’t wanna be the laughing stock as there gonna be ladies & oldies within the entire motley crew. The 3 days will test my endurance & put my insecurity to rest but before that, I gotta go thru the acid test, hope for the best with jest & hopefully put me up there - amongst the BEST!

Day 1 – Beach Day

Daoh, A Rahim Anuar, Bahari & your goodself

After much pomp & grandeur, we were released with sirens blaring escort which made such a ruckus & woke up the whole neighborhood.

Nizar, me & Doc RockCheetong

112 humans - With skin tight attires, bulging crotches, gaudy attires & glaring shiny sun shades, rolled on the tarmac across the plains, in unison for a common goal.

Every rider was ultra exited. Trilled by the fact that we were the kings of the road. Guzzlers were shoved aside, thanks to the outriders – the marshals who did an excellent job sweeping the vehicles to the road shoulders.

The first 50km was a breeze. It felt like nothing. We arrived in Kuala Besut with much gusto, not wanting to think about the next 110km. We all knew one thing, it aint gonna be pretty. We just went nuts Kuala Besut as cool coconuts quenched our coarse throats as the sun shone so bright, it could melt the tyres.

Pity Rashin. Apparenty he had a puncture & was left hi & lo without help. Being a tuff nut, he rode 50km alone & nearly got kidnapped by the local girls...

Mustaqim Kamel (Centre)

Azhar, Apai & Zafry Fauzi

Kampung Penarik seemed so far as the wind pounded my wheels. I wobbled & hid behind the peloton. The merciless heat was unforgiving too but the group pressed on. Ho yonder, the cloudless sky made some woozy & the sound of bike crashing confirmed my fears that some bloke had hit the tarmac. Whipped out the cam & plodded back to the melee. Some 10 odd riders had rammed into one another. Not all but one had to be rushed to the hospital. Chills ran down my spine. I prayed “Allah Almighty, keep us safe…”

A Rahim Anuar, Hj Rahim, Pak Berahim & AJ

Slightly after noon, we arrived in Masjid Kampong Penarik & stopped for lunch & the Friday prayers. Walloping 2 plates of rice, 10 ladies fingers & 3 pieces of chicken, I can’t help but go for a shower. Left my hair & body dripping with water & bewildered some onlooker. Strong sea breeze enticed me for a short nap but somehow the hard hitting sermon was not to be missed.

Pak Berahim

Someone said we’re starting half an hour earlier. I made a long sigh…Riding at 2:30 pm was a first for me as I’d normally be dosing-off by now during the usual weekends. Who would be loony enuff to ride at this time? Duh, I believe many were cursing the blaring heat during the last 30 km or so. It was damn bloody hot, over 40 degrees.

60km to Kuala Terengganu, I still felt ok. Even though we had passed the 100 km mark, I could still talk - laugh with the guys & shout at baffled bystanders. That’s a good sign…

The Malakoff wheelers

Yazid Maplay

Ol' skool Kelantanese rider, Zulhaimi & Daoh

Lucky us, 20 km to go, there was juicy melons threat waiting for us. My eyes ogling with delight! What a sight for sore eyes. I ended up mixing a concoction for Anuar Manan – Iced tea with some aphrodisiac to enhance his already tuff physique. I stuffed a mouthful of cakes & downed half a dozen glasses of isotonic fluid.

Azmang servin' Anuar Manang

Rashin, Daoh, me, A rahim Anuar, Pak Berahim & Yazid

Half an hour later we were off. Thank you pace car, for handing out water. Riders were passing the water bottle like passing the baton. We rolled onto the bridge across Pulau Duyong captured the tranquility of Masjid Kristal. We knew, the end was in sight.

But tragedy strikes twice. 3 km to go & someone looked at his water bottle & another crash occurred. This time my friend, Pak Berahim tumbled. Lucky for him, he escaped without a scratch. He was more concerned about his LOOK!

I just tell you the kind of funny feelin I had when I saw Sumai Apartment. Smiling ear to ear, I knew I’ll make it for the rest of the days. I dunno, I just knew it. After washing the pee of his bike, one loud local Italiano wanna be screamed with delight! We kinda made it louder.

The MAN

The TAN!

Some of us dipped our limbs into the pool as some digged deep into slumber.

300510 Disaster Strikes

2010-05-31T00:12:00.003+08:00

What was supposed to be a long ride on the saddle to Port Dickson became a marathon nightmare on the toilet seat. By 7 am, I was dehydrated like the "Resurrection Fern" (Polypodium polypodioides) which looks dead most of the time, but springs back to life when remoisturised.
Well, I'm not like the plant which can survive extreme measures of water loss.

Resurrection Fern.
Not 2 b confused with Alien Resurrection

No amount isotonic drink can replace the important blood salts like potassium (K+) and sodium (Na+). Like a leaked water fountain, may body spurted fluids as if I'm a squid. I became an octopus out of water, unable to wiggle even the tiniest toe. I was squished, wringed to pulp. Without this much training, Malakoff 530 km might just be another dream... I hope not.

BBB to PD that fizzled out.

Google map

25 & 280510 Kpg Jijan & Just to Beranang

2010-05-29T23:11:00.030+08:00

Took a day off just to get some mileage for the upcoming Malakoff Charity Ride 2010. Its just round the corner & I'm not what I am. I'll be damned if I don't do something 'bout it.

Tuesday, 250510 Cyc - Unikeb Salak LBJ Jijan
Who else can you count on, on a working day?
Brother John was available & he obliged for a spin through the regular route.
Nothin spectacular, just a white guy gettin blurred by 3 clones.

R you pening Bro. John? 3 clones messin you...

Cycling Directions Unikeb-Salak-LBJ-Jijan 62km

Friday 280510 Cyc - Unikeb Beranang
Some public holiday. Since Arief hasn't ridden with me for quite some time, helloed Fhami to join us.
Half past seven & still no sign of him at the rendezvous spot - Bangi Lama KTM station. Ahhhh... he sprang a leak. Me & me son spotted him huffing as he removed the inner tube within the thick tall grasses.

We left the pebbled riddled unmaintained road & headed towards Rinching Ulu thru Kampong 6 kaki. Since it's a leisure roll, stopped by the deserted Beranang old town. Nested between the Beranang police station & school here lies the small nasi lemak stall.

Growls of buses makin u-turns to return back to KL dimmed our voxes but not loud enuff to match the rumbles of our tummy. We stuffed 2 packets each. Fhami even "Tapaued" 3 more packs for his other half.

This was supposed to be a recovery ride for the next distance Port Dickson trip.
Arief Zain - my son, didn't even blink, puff or huffed. It was just a stroll in the park for this young lad.

Arief Zain - 15

A shadow of me is a reflection of my son

020510 Rollin with a weak body & soul

2010-05-03T03:10:00.035+08:00

We were all created from dust & earth.

Remember, as invincible as we think we are - we all vulnerable to HIS forces.

"HE is the One Who has made perfectly everything He has created: HE began the creation of human beings with clay, And made HIS progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: But HE fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of HIS spirit…” Quran 32:7-9 (As-Sajdah, the Prostration)
“Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!” (Quran 23:14) (Surat Al-Mu’minun, The Believers)
“We have indeed created humankind in the best of molds.” Quran 95:4 (Surat At-Tin, The Fig)

“The work of Allah who has perfected everything (He created). Qur’an 27:88 (An-Naml, The Ant)

Of course that doesn’t mean that everything YOU do is perfect. It refers to your abilities, your potential. You are perfectly capable of fulfilling every obligation that Allah has laid on you; of bearing any burden that is laid on your shoulders; and of achieving any noble dream that Allah has placed in your heart. You were created without flaw, with a pure soul imbued with fitrah, a powerful mind, and strength in a body whose magic is still not understood by modern science.

Ever wonder why a Muslim is allowed by ALLAH to get sick? Abu Sa'id al-Khudri R.A. reported that the Prophet said: Whenever a Muslim is afflicted with a hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression - even a thorn's prick; Allah expiates his sins because of it. (Hadith - Muslim & Bukhari)

It's been a while since I got sick. Never in my deepest soul that I think I'd never get ill. But as mere humans, we sometimes forget who we are. And so that particular morning and a few days before the ride, I actually felt horrible. My mind was cluttered & body subconsciously weak.

Dull grey - my soul, a total wreck.

me, Najib, Izwan, Mr. Won, Amin, Bulek, John,
Suhaimi, Acap, Syaruk Hulk & my dull grey clone

All smiles but deep down I was dull grey & hangin on a thread.

Welcome Izwan to our clan

Not cycling shall make me feel worse and create havoc to my well being.

The Maplay boys enticed us to follow them to KLIA, but even Dr. Pauzi & Wak Jali had to take a rain cheque. The route wasn’t set as I'm not gonna kill myself with the unforgivable kilos. We just looped a usual route.Even for the last 10km, I was a mess. Could only do 20kph. The leaders slowed down, probably sensing my incapability to exert anymore. My taps ran dry. I was weak to the core.

Better safe than sorry

Why should you indulge yourself with such strenuous activity when you know you can’t do it? I know for a fact that some people would torture themselves for the sake of glory. Vainglory I would say. They know that their body can’t take the punishment & yet for showmanship or for status wise - they would rather die. For what? That's plain stupidity...

Count your blessings while you are sick, using the opportunity to seek forgiveness of sins and remaining patient during the affliction.

Unikeb-Salak-LBJ-Jijan

Google map

240410 Ridin d Surf with Mermaids

2010-04-26T15:33:00.109+08:00

Pit Stop Island/Pulau Perhentian

When a friend invited me to tag along to Perhentian Island, I couldn't resist the temptation as an 'Escape' from the modern world. (Even though I had to drive like 4am in the morning). Lemme drive the first leg or u're gonna regret it. I did drive all right but after 2am my eyelids began to feel like Gates of steel. So cumbersome they are, I even had to prop them up with my fingers aka Mr. Bean.

Pulau Perhentian Kecil & Besar

A bottle of some root power tonic did help...for an hour - the most, besides the stiff side effect afterwards albeit the wrong timing. By the 61st minute drowsiness starts to kick in & nothing in this world can make me eyeball. My delusioned brain-mass started counting sheep pigs jumping across the moon & stars with the cows.
Half way down the 543km route thru Kuantan , my co-driver, tried massaging my stressed neck & shoulder muscles to no avail. Veering right nor left, the 4WD began to slow down...almost to a snail pace. We did stop a couple of times to put out some fires but our hoses were either too stubby or too short to reach the interior. The forest were too thick - leave it to the firefighters. Pity the parched flower bed. Not a single drop of rain in these part for almost a month. There were no ladies on board so no one would water the plants.

Finally after what it seems endless hours of monotonous line driving, finally destinantion arrived. Break of dawn prayers at Kuala Besut & off to the jetty for some morning Nasi Dagang & Wood Fish/"Ikan Tongkol/Kayu = Tuna.

Nasi Dagang recipe
Literally meaning "Trading Rice", this signature East Coast dish has become a well-known breakfast food of Peninsular Malaysia,made by steaming rice and glutinous rice together, to which is then added coconut cream once it is cooked. Tuna fish curry is the main gravy with extra condiments such as fried shaved coconut, hard-boiled eggs and vegetable pickles.

Ingredients (Enuff to serve 3-4 hantu raya)
4 cups of Nasi Dagang or fragrant long grain
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) thick coconut milk
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) thin coconut milk
10 shallots, sliced
2 cm ginger, cut into thin strips
5g fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon salt

How to go about doing it.
Wash rice, drain it well and soak overnight in water. Next day, drain the water and steam the rice for half an hour. Remove from steam and stir in the thin coconut milk and re-steam for 15 minutes until the rice is almost cooked.
Mix the thick coconut milk with the ginger, fenugreek seeds and salt and then mix well into the cooked rice. Re-steam for another 15 minutes until the rice is completely cooked. Serve there & then.

The Wood Fish/Tuna curry
Ingredients (Enuff to serve 3-4 clueless clones)
2 medium sized Tuna (Max length 1 feet)
*too big it's gonna taste like a piece of plank
20 shallots, pounded or blended
3 cm turmeric, pounded once to get the aroma
2 cm galangal, pounded or blended
4 table spoons of grated & toasted coconut
2 bowls of coconut milk from 1 coconut
1 bulb of garlic
2 cm ginger, pounded once to get the aroma
20 pounded dried chilies
A bit of tamarind
Cooking oil
5 green chilies

How to go about doing it.
Clean up the Tuna & cut into desired slices. Sprinkle a little salt, tamarind.
Chuck everythin into a pot & get the fish to boil on a medium fire till the water is all dried up.
Simmer the oil & sauté the garlic, shallots, pounded dried chilies, turmeric, ginger, galangal (Lengkuas) & the thick coconut milk.
When it has come to a boil, submerge the Tuna, green chilies, salt & sugar with the grated & toasted coconut.
Serve when it’s thoroughly cooked.

Ohhhhhh... never tasted better with Kopi O/Black thick hot local coffee "Chap Hang Tuah" to perk you up. This kick-ass coffee will launch you like a pocket rocket. Two packets pliz makckik/aunty. Life wouldnt be perfect if you have only one. Two mounts of rice makes a perfect combination & the right "Balance". I give it a Bo Derek score of 1 - regarded as the most perfect of numbers.

Kuala Besut minaret during the golden hour/twilight

40 minutes that what it takes from Kuala Besut to the main Island with 400hp of power that pulverized the calm salty water. Skimming the waves & wobbling out of sinc, you get delirious - overwhelmed by the vast seas & deep abyss.

You'll start seeing things. You hallucinate... silky waving mane but her hidden shadows seems to disappear into the vast open... Well I believe, mermaids are actually manatees or dugongs. Conjured by the the spirits of the seas, searching for lost souls who long for the mystique.

Manatees are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. Bcoz of their friendly nature, men confused them with mermaids.

Pulau Perhentian is located in the South China Sea 19 km/10 nautical miles from the coast of Kuala Besut. It consists of two islands, Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Both islands are surrounded by beautiful palm-fringed sandy beaches andcrystal-clear turquoise-blue sea.

How they got their names.

The two main islands are Perhentian Besar /"Big Perhentian" and Perhentian Kecil /"Small Perhentian". The small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara/Virgin Milk, Serenggeh and Rawa lie off Kecil. The Perhentians belong to Pulau Redang National Marine Park, which means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly prohibited. Like Besut, people here generally speak Kelantanese Malay dialect.
Why? A few generations back, Besut was part of the Kelantan state. The name "Perhentian" means "Stopping point" in Malay, referring to their longstanding role as a pit-stop/way-point for traders during the turn of the century & have been sparsely inhabited by fishermen for centuries. The Perhentian Islands appear on many maps of the nineteenth and twentieth century as 'The Station Islands'.

Aha, do you know that Virgin's milk is used to cure Pink/Red Eye infection / Conjunctivitis? "When you have goopy eyes, followed by redness & mucous; Virgin breast milk expressed directly on the eye area immediately dissolves the mucous painlessly. Rather than using a warm wet cloth (as recommended by many). This is a well-known cure for eye infections, whether its pink eye or the clogged tear ducts so common in humans. "Breast milk is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. I followed an old folk remedy and it worked beautifully!" This is truly a natural cure.

Ingredients
1 or a pair of breast
A bowl of warm water (Wash them up thoroughly)
Pat to dry

How you go about doing it.
Have your eyes wide open - with a glee
Ask your partner or you to squeeze/squirt a few drops of her milk directly into his/her eyeballs.
Blink a hundred times.
Do it a frequently within the 24-hour period and the results will be truly amazing.
I bet its pain free and red eye free for over a year.

Oh here comes a stingray, there goes a manta ray. In walked a jelly fish. There goes a dogfish, chased by a catfish.
Plodded along the beach hoping to catch a glimpse of the two ABBA looking dames who hitched the same boat with up but to no avail. Instead I came across lots of narwhals and bikini whales. Tanning on the white sand in the glarin sun, darkened from the usual pale.
One thing I noticed when we were at the beach. Everybody had matching towels. Then somebody went under a dock. And there they saw a rock. It wasn't a rock. Looks like a croc covered by a frock. It was a rock...lobster.

100 meters to the beach, the boat stopped & we're forced to hop on a small sampan that charges us 2 ringgit per bloke to ferry us to the white sands of Long Beach. There you have a newly build jetty splitting the waves & these buggers tell you that the water is too shallow to dock? I'm no cheapskate but fleecing tourist in broad daylight is uncalled for.Another paradise going to the dumps.

To add salt to the wound, this place is hounded with cut-throat entrepreneurs. Bowelless readiness to take advantage of harmless poor souls like us. A plate of fried rice would come to a hefty 16 ringgit with a glass of tea. The so called chief waiter needs a bath & some lesson in manners. This place needs some sprucing up too. Run-down-semi-haunted chalets, creepers clinging to the balconies, unswept leaves & rubbish strewn all over the place. Not to mention the "Everlasting" plastic materials.

Threading on plastic, the bartender had an overblown chest & manly nip**es ready to pierce your eyes. Oh yeah, this fella was happily bouncing his artificial over-blown assets, as if we care. Runnin away from civilization & you encounter with "Unnatural things", leaves a bad lingering taste in your already bitter tongue. Duh...
Bad enuff? I regret wearin the bike tights. Unlucky me, this place acts as a pod for the transgenders aka "Sotong" - Lost souls in limbo. I mean, I don’t really care what their preference are but you'll never get this kind of treatment like I had in The Land of Make Believe.
I dunno about the others but if you ever go Long Beach, Perhentian Island don’t ever go to this so called paradise corner - Moonlight Chalet & Cafe. Looks, first impression & recommendation by the tour agency was seemingly-beaming with incomparable beauty was a BIG MAJOR let down. Clean water is only available every other day. Can’t even get a decent bath, let alone a proper tooth brushing. Shampoo? You must be kidding!!! And yet the proprietor had the cheek to ask me to come back again.
I'd never - EVER! Shame on you, you bloody moron - your place is a mess.

Went wading late in the evening & caught a glimpse of two imported mermaids submerged by the corals. The fishes in the ever-clear water were dodging playfully among the seaweeds, scavenging the remnants of biscuits strewn by eager yuppies.

I then took charge of the stern & skimmed the waves. Manoeuvering a boat is not like driving a car with a slight difference. Even it may look the same; you gotta like turn it half way round the globe before you get the rudder to turn left or right. There’s no red, yellow or green light to guide you as long as you follow your six senses & hope for the best not run aground.

After some provisions of burgers, fried rice & nice cool soda in Perhentian Besar tiny island town, I ventured within the fridge of the kampong & chatted with an old lady who was born in Redang Island which is about 20.5 nautical miles away & met his late husband in Perhantian.This quaint town in the middle of the ocean offers cheap, clean food & accommodation. No fancy restaurants, nice humble-simple local folks making a living. Food costs the same here like the 2 ringgit burger. Could even fry on your own - they'll obliged with a smile. I would take my family here.

Old man of the sea

We were then taken to the middle of the ocean & hours were spent lying on the upper deck, lazing & gazing the darkness of the evening, watching the clouds go by - waiting for the sun to go down on the Milky Way. The disappearance of the sun below the horizon engulfed my conscience. I felt eerie & somber...It was a priceless encounter.

We were rolled by the sea, churned upside down as we fish for "Sotong"/squids - I've had too much to chew of "Sotong" for the day. Bobbling up & down made my nauseous & choose to lie on the upper deck & gaze the empty parallel universe.

Fried squid with brown sugar & soy sauce

Early the next morning we were awakened by crows banter. Where's the droning sound of hum from the diesel motorboat engine? It got stalled as we docked by Perhentin Kecil Island & marooned us for 3 hours. The rough seas wouldn't about to let up & we're caught off-guard without food. Finally the skies shone bright again. Far beyond the horizon, small speedy boats came to our rescue & took us back to civilization.

Trekking across the island from Long Beach to Coral Beach took 20 minutes through some light undergrowth. 2 years from now, I bet this place gonna be swarmed with too many humanoids & wreck this heaven. Makes me wonder who gave these landowners the right to encroach the jungle like nobody's business.
Since the tidal were huge in Long Beach, there's no way that any motor powered dingy would ferry us back to Kuala Besut. With infants shrills & loads of frustrations, we squeezed through sweaty armpits & clamored to our waiting boat.

Saw a croc with a frock under the dock

Rumbling skies made the journey back treacherous & made worse by the "Couldn't care less" attitude of the young looking lad who tried hard to look like a seasoned seaman. I could have smacked his toothless sneer but as a "foreigner", I could be thrown overboard.

Rumbling seas & the seasoned sea-man

Fresh cool "Land water" never felt better. After all the salted attire it was a relief to be on safe land, I mean four wheels. Rolled on towards Kelulut Beach which is the gateway to Kapas & Gemia Island, another paradise.

Oh... so droopy eyed & most demure

These tired eyes were suddenly affixed to this dame on two feet. Waving us with such beauty - We parted our ringgit & sens (senses too). She hypnotized us with her lovely flawless features that melted our souls, which seduced & altered our state of consciousness into buying 4 packets of "Keropok"/local crackers.

Keropok = fish / prawn / dried & fried crackers.
Not to be confused with cream or firecrackers.

Keropok Lekor - Tail-like crackers. Boiled, soft & uncut

By late evening we filled our tummy with some stuffed crabs in Maran. Couldn't stomach anymore as the fried "Keropok lekor"/Tail-like crackers have expended.

In all. It's a time well spent even though we had to work the following day. It was definitely a short pit-stop but it's not gonna stop me from stoppin by again.

I shall savior the moments I had, underneath the waves - with the mermaids...

Ridin d waves with Swedish mermaids

Mermaids calls are hard to resist...

10 - Derives from a rating system used by people to rank members of the opposite sex based upon beauty, with a 10 being the epitome of attractiveness.
Bowelless - Ruthless in competition; "cutthroat competition"
Sotong - Squid or queer, tranny, transgender, transvestite or Pondan, Ponen, Bapok, Daghai (Nothern slang)
Nasi Dagang - Literally meaning "Trading Rice", this signature East Coast dish has become a well-known breakfast food of Peninsular Malaysia, made by steaming rice, fenugreek seeds and glutinous rice together, to which is then added coconut cream once it is cooked. Tuna fish curry is the main gravy with extra condiments such as fried shaved coconut, hard-boiled eggs and vegetable pickles.
Tongkol - A piece of wood hence Ikan Tongkol/Wood like fish.
Keropok - Crackers. They are made by mixing prawns/fish/squids/seafood or from exotic fruits like Belinjau (Gnetum Gnemon), bananas, jackfruit & tapioca flour and of course water. The mixture is rolled out, steamed, sliced and sun dried. Once dry, they are deep-fried in oil (which must be at high heat before cooking). In only a few seconds they expand from thumb-sized translucent chips to white fluffy crackers.
Lekor - Spiral, like a mosquito coil/Similar to a coiled ropes or a spring
Keropok Lekor - Uncut crackers/Tail-like crackers. Kept in spiral. Keropok are deep fried crackers made from starch and other ingredients that usually give the taste. Keropok Lekok is also prepared from fish meat grounded with sago and salt; these are then rolled and made into the shape of long tubes similar to sausages/dildos/phallic in appearance. They are then boiled or fried & dipped in chilly sauce.

190410 Spoinking Port Dickson

2010-04-20T19:22:00.076+08:00

Wet & dirty, it soiled our polished "Wheelies".

John John - This 31-year-old with the diesel physique pushed & pulled me tirelessly on a gritty stretch from Sepang up Deer Hill/Bukit Pelandok, dotted with piglets running around uncontrollably across the plains. Nah...I'm pullin your leg, can't find a single "Babe". Apparently all of them had been shipped to the destination unknown since the outbreak of swine-flu = H1N1.

Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, or pig flu) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. A person who mingles around "Kerbau Katik"/Midget Buffalos increased risk of swine flu infection. This infectious influenza produces fever, lethargy, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing and decreased appetite. In some cases the infection can cause abortion. Yeah...scores of people died during the Nipah virus outbreak in 1999. Send chills down my spine...

Electron microscope image of the re-assorted H1N1 influenza virus

I thought of venturing thru Bukit Pelandok (U think I gila ka? Pass by should be good enuff lah) & use the coastal route N9/N159 Jalan Kuala Lukut but there are no bridge or ferry available to cross Sungai Lukut. What a shame.

D' shortcut that never was

Take a "Ferry across the Mersey" & "Don't pay the ferryman"

I wasn't expecting this huge ferry, at least a "Penambang" would do.

To keep cancer at bay, JJ applied some diaper rash cream to his charred lips & pointed nose. A baby's bottom is soft but a 31 yr old has thick rough skin like a komodo lizard. Zinc or no zinc oxide, has no effect what so ever. He has no choice. Either apply bum cream or get frostbite from the sun. Can we get frostbite from over-exposure to the sun? Nah, it's just my way of expressing the seriousness of sun burn. You can only get frostbite if you stuffed your parts too long in ice. Then it'll get stiff!

Strike 4 D, big or small

An ardent follower

Cam whored for a while & watched the boats go by.

Wish I could go on a long-long trip. Around the world and back & won't have to move. You just sit still. Let your mind do the walking. I'll take you to the highest mountain. To the depths of the deepest sea & we won't need a map, believe me. Let me show you the World In My Eyes -DM

They don't make bike jerseys here

JJ, I & my twin

Picture perfect, modern & dated...

We just rode as we like. No pressure - no issues...UNTIL 3 km from the rest stop my stomach felt queasy. That unsettling feeling in the pit of your gut which makes you feel woozy & worried. The cocktail of 100 plus, Coke, H20 & mushroom soup added more misery. Blame it on the cockles & chili paste I had a day earlier - lesson learned.

4 km from PD we had to do emergency stop by the petrol station. The volcano was about to erupt & some banking had to be done. Thought that I have flushed away my woes, I was dead wrong. The belly rolled & made funny noises. Lukut stretch was bearable but the slight climb up Bukit Pelandok was nerve wreaking. Had to spin lightly on low gears. Heavy gearing strained the belly & groin. Damn, I could only do a 20kph!

A cure for stomach acne.

An old friend, Cikgu Khairul from Ipoh gave some tips to ease the pain. His grandmother's potion.

Ingredients (Enuff to serve a clone)
3 young Ciku shoots

2 Buds (If available)

1 Sprouting fruit (Small like a match-head, if available)

How to go about doing it:

Take some shoots of the Ciku plant (Manilkara Achras). Buds & tiny sprouting fruits (Small like a match-head). Wash thoroughly & put them to a boil with a cup of plain water. Mind the mild sap, it's not gonna kill you. Boil the materials for about 10 minutes till the concoction turns greenish. Let it cool & when it's slightly warm & drinkable - drink it. God willing - the ache will subside & you'll be ready to pound the tarmac.

Ciku plant, buds, fruits & yummies

Ciku, is a native of Central America, Mexico and the West Indies, Also known as sapodilla, belongs to the family Sapotaceae. Various species of Manilkara are grown and used worldwide for different purposes. The species most popular in Malaysia is the Manilkara zapota. This was also called Manilkara achras, Achras zapota or Nispero achras, a derivative of the Greek word achras for the Pear tree, because of the fruit's resemblance to a pear. Hmmmmm...
3 main varieties of Ciku fruits in Malaysia: Betawi, Subang & Jantung. It is known as chikoo or sapota in India, sofeda in Bangladesh, chikoo (also spelled "chikku," "chiku," or "ciku") in South Asia and Pakistan, chico in the Philippines, sawo in Indonesia, ciku in Malaysia, sapodilla or rata-mi in Sri Lanka, lamoot in Thailand and Cambodia, níspero in Venezuela, dilly in the Bahamas, naseberry in the rest of the West Indies, sapoti in Brazil, and sapote in Nicaragua. In Jamaica, its called naseberry.
The flesh of the fine textured fruit has a deep-brownish hue. Looks like a brown egg, sweet brown flesh inside.Distinctively sweet making it especially suitable as dressing for dessert. Nutritionally, Ciku fruit contains high vitamin and mineral contents. Ciku looks similar to a kiwi fruit except it has rusty skin. The fruit is yellowish to pinkish brown in colour when it is ripe. The shape is oblong or round depends on species. Mmmmmm....I like mine slightly curved.A well grown ciku can be in a size of 5 to 10cm long. Unripe fruit has milky sap.

Song - CIKU TREE

(Sing to the tune of Lemon Tree)

When I was just a lad of ten, my father said to me,

"Come here and take a lesson from the lovely ciku tree."
"Don't put your faith in love, my boy", my father said to me,
"I fear you'll find that love is like the lovely ciku tree."

Ciku tree very pretty and the ciku fruit is sweet
But the leaves of the poor ciku is impossible to eat. (2X)

One day beneath the ciku tree, my love and I did lie

A girl so sweet that when she smiled the stars rose in the sky.

We passed that summer lost in love beneath the ciku tree

The music of her laughter hid my father's words from me:

Ciku tree very pretty and the ciku fruit is sweet

But the leaves of the poor ciku is impossible to eat. (2X)

One day she left without a word. She took away the sun.

And in the dark she left behind, I knew what she had done.

She'd left me for another, it's a common tale but true.

A sadder man but wiser now I sing these words to you:

Ciku tree very pretty and the ciku fruit is sweet
But the leaves of the poor ciku is impossible to eat. (2X)

The Sheep-Pig - A novel by British author Dick King-Smith where he spent twenty years as a farmer. The book won the Guardian Children's Fiction Award in 1984. It took film producer and co-writer George Miller ten years to take the book from paperback to big screen.

Babe - A 1995 family film that tells the story of a pig who wants to be a sheep dog & later went to a city. (A sequel, Pig in the city). Due to its title and subject matter not being "Halal", the film was initially banned in Malaysia, although the ruling was overturned almost a year later and the film was released direct-to-VHS. It was later released on Video CD and even later on DVD, and as of 2009, has aired on Terrestrial TV and pay-per-view movie channels. Such a cute animal in the movie & it contains a wonderful object lesson on leadership. Among the best that I have seen.

Unfortunately I can't cuddle them let alone eat it but me & my kids love Babe.

Pokémons, famous Pikachu & Spoink!

I remember some bloke wrote in a local paper to get the cartoon banned coz he confused himself. Pork in some slang is pronounced as "Poke". Silly fella...
This term should also not be confused with the real world definition of species, since it has nothing to do with it. Pokémon are able to breed and produce fertile offspring; in fact, breeding among Pokémon can easily occur between species since it is controlled by egg groups. Whereas pigs are mammals which deliver their offspring. But if you still insist on having a pig like Pokémon - Spoink is your pet. This cuddly thing is a psychic, gray-colored, pig like Pokémon with dark, circular eyes, stubby arms, a large gray nose, and small ears.

More Pokémons

In 2001, Pokémon fatwa that started in Saudi was supported by U.A.E. scholars and condoned by the Mexican Catholic Church as work of Satan. They banned the game of Pokemon as a Zionist plot; Qaradawi issued a fatwa endorsing this in December 2003, saying that Pokemon not only uses Jewish and Masonic symbols, but teaches evolution. Not only do Pokemon evolve, they do so "In battles where the survivors are those who adapt better to the environment; another of Darwin's dogmas." In addition, both depiction of imaginary animals and card-games are contrary to the Koran. Qaradawi also notes that some Japanese expressions squeaked and gibbered by Pokemon may mean "I am a Jew" and "Become a Jew," but admits the matter is controversial and he isn't certain.

Muslims are forbidden by God to eat the meat of the pig (pork).
This is detailed in verses 2:173, 5:3, 6:145, and 16:115 of the Qur'an. An exemplary verse is quoted here: "He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Kindness to animals

Every creature was created by Allah for a purpose. The Prophet always encouraged being kind to animals. Although we should not eat the meat of the pig, it doesn't mean that we should hate pigs. We should show them the same kindness as any other animal, and not abuse or torture them. Pigs score high on tests devised to determine animal intelligence; in other words, they are very smart.

After all those tummy troubles, we got home safely all right but had to stop twice to wet our dry throats. I'm glad I survived the distance. That's the main thing. This aint Oz.

I leave you with a pantun...njoi

Kayuh ke Nilai sehari suntuk,
Singgah sebentar di Bukit Pelandok,
Borong karpet penuh berhabok,
Punya la lotih sampai ngantok,

Tapi masa amatlah suntok,
U kata nak nak buat daging kerutuk?
Kau tak tahu kang aku tunjok,
Google kan ada bole kau rujuk,

Freshpun ada juga yang jeruk,
Manis berlemak makan sure berkeruk,
Lebih-lebih kang terus mabuk!

Translation:

Cycled to Nilai the whole day,

Dropped by Deer Hill a short trip away,

Bought all the dusty carpets

& made me extremely tired

Felt sleepy but time is so short

U said u "Wanna get spicy!" & serve meat

If u dunno I could show you how to heat

You can also refer from Google

Fresh & pickled are also available

Sweet & full of fat you'll definately frown

Too much can make you drunk & drown!

Kerbau Katik/Kerbau Pendek/Midget Buffalo = Pig

Penambang = A sampan big enough to ferry humanoids, sun baked imported produce, animals & road bikes

Potion (from latin potionis, meaning beverage, potion, poison) is a consumable medicine or poison. = Traditional, folk & indigenous medicine.

*Definition of traditional medicine = "The health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral-based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being."

*Indemnity clause - The author shall not be made responsible for your health, that could result in death or permanent disabilities for the consumption of the concoction, remedies, potions & recipes detailed in this blog.

Route: Bandar Baru Bangi - Port Dickson

Google map

110410 Hunchback of Notre Dame

2010-04-12T12:04:00.056+08:00

110410 Bandar Baru Bangi - Genting Peras (Perez)

I wasn’t perturbed of the last ride in Lenggeng. Even though some of us nearly "Bonked" towards the last quarter of the ride, we had to move on. No point crying over spilled milk. One BIG lesson learned. Dontcha mess around with the "Lady boys". They'll drain your stamina dry...

Bonk - The term "bonk" for cycling fatigue is presumably derived from the original meaning "to hit". In endurance sports, particularly cycling and running, hitting the wall or the bonk describes a condition caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles, which manifests itself by precipitous fatigue and loss of energy. It's actually a bodily form of sedition.
In some form or another, it becomes a collapse of the entire system: body and form, brains, spirit and soul. If you bonked thoroughly enough, how you began to see beings that belong in Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, demons from another realm going in a trance from lactic acid build-up.
Aha, you remember how your strength held until you hit 140 km and your feet turned into jellyfish. After about 150km, I began hallucinate minute orange "Toyols" jerking up and down the alloy wheels.

Holotropic breath-work is a great technique for accessing inner experience which could lead to altered states of consciousness & images. But if you "Konk"/trip yourself out, you can unleash some pretty powerful unconscious material & you should be psychologically and emotionally prepared for it. You're a wacko if you want to induce hallucination on yourself because any means of doing it is likely to be detrimental to your health. Hallucinating is not your brain's normal function, so inducing your brain to hallucinate involves causing it to malfunction.
I thought of hallucinating for my own sake but it felt odd...

By sun-break, I had already gulped down a mug of cocoa & cereal. Only after 70km mark we will stop & refuel our empty belly. Choking fumes filled the air as guzzlers lined up in chains all the way in Jalan Sungai Lalang. I see, many were still offering the lost spirits. They're still seen wandering around hungrily in limbo, as the gates of hell are yet to close.

Normally I'd get stressed by the sight of the Semenyih Dam but I just smiled at her & composed myself. Most of the others took-off & left me, Fhami & Bokat behind. As my momentum was slightly faster (Coz I'm light!) I waited-up at the peak & caught their gestures of triumph on film, uh... I mean digitally. Rolling looooong hills deprived us from beating up the incline too much. By the time I rolled down on the back end of the dam, Bokat & Fahmi trailed behind not so far away in the distance.

An "Orang Asli"/indigenous boy was so engrossed catapulting some birds & the pebble missed me by mere inches. How can he not see this "South African" gaudy lookin ol' man in tights? He just smiled shyly & continued playing with his green friendly toys. What a carefree life, I'm so jealous.

D "South African" Cape Malay rider

Here in the urban concrete jungle, we slog days & endless nites to put bread on the table. Why can't we just slow down a little bit & enjoy the "Real" life? Work never ends - life WILL end. I do not want to end up like a walking zombie all my life. To be waken up later to attend my own funeral.
At the end of the day, what are we really chasin after? Does it add more value in our life? What value do we have when we can't even free ourselves form the brunt of this current demanding civilization? How I wish sometimes we never ever evolved into modern man. Life was much2 simpler those days.
I felt regret for not being born a hundred years ago.

It's a first for Bokat, ridin this distance. Though he did suffer a bit at the Semenyih Dam & Perez climb. Overall he did pretty well. Smiling ear to ear & sniggering like a hyena. I know how it feels bro. The sense of accomplishment. Hey dude, we've got another 50% to go. So don't smile too much. I & Rizal paced each other till the top of Perez even though my right "Anak anjing"/calf was feeling a bit stretched, hope it can last the journey.

Rays of Light

Najib chucked these away as the heat got the better of him.

At the usual congregation area, we met up with Bob Saiful, his two friends Loke & Zim, which they obliged later with a conquering shot of the Selangor & N9 border. A peeping tom was spotted lurking behind the scene. Apparently it escaped from Akma's Costume Zoo. No wonder I could hear ruffling sounds within the Imperata Cylindrica.

Me, Bokat, Najib, Loke, Fahmi, Wak Jali, Rizal, my twin, Bob, John John & Zam.

The rest zoomed passed me. I'm not as young & a thrill seeker as used to be - let the wind flow over my head & roll down gently. Don't wanna get skinned by the tarmac. It was pretty easy from Perez to Tekala but by now, the belly had started to growl. We had burgers, coconut water, bottles of isotonic fluid to clench our thirst & drench our dry gear.

Beggars banquet

I had morphed/evolved into the Hunchback of Notre Dame @ Iceback of Not so Dame. Stuffed some ice atop my shoulders to subside the burning sensation & stiffness coz I made a silly a mistake rubbing Deep Heat to sweaty pores. The result was stinging unbearable pain!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame @ The Iceback of Not so Dame

On top of that, we doused ourselves with a chemical substance that is composed of hydrogen and oxygen = Water! It's vital for the survival of all known forms of life - Especially weekend warriors like us...

Ciao raggazi!

Bandar Baru Bangi - Perez

Google route

Bonked - Hitting something hard, to strike or cause to come into contact: She bonked her head going through the low doorway
Bonking - Creating more humanoids/Gettin physical with your partner/To make luv: Shagging
Konk - Kong/Knock out/Dead/Mati/Sih, sounds like the word "Death," = No. 4
Green friendly toys - Made from Wood or something natural. Not from plastic which will never decompose nor recyclable even after a thousand years.
Toyol - A small mischievous child spirit who steals. Has a big head, small hands, clouded eyes and usually grey skin. More accurately, it resembles a goblin.
Holotropic means "Moving toward wholeness" (from the Greek "holos" = whole and "trepein" = moving in the direction of something).