23-241010 MAD Charity Ride, PJ - Keluang

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

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

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.