(Photo by Andy Yuen)
After attending the Pacesetters Club annual dinner on Saturday, 22nd March 2008, I had to rush home to pack my luggage for the Ipoh trip. The ride would be starting at 7.00a.m, this mean that I had to reach Ipoh as early as 6.00am. After loading my Santa Cruz Blur in my car boot, it was already closed to midnight. I was thinking to myself, shall I travelled straight or shall I slept and wake up at 3.00 am, both options would only allow me to sleep for three and a half hours the most. Since I was a bit tired then, went to sleep and set the alarm to 3.30 am.
Since I had already loaded everything to the car the previous night, I drove off at around 4.00am in the morning. It was a breeze to drive at this early hour as there was not much traffic. I saw a Ford Storm carrying 2 bikes at the back along the North South Highway and I had to presume they were heading to the same destination, hey, I was not the only one that is so crazy!
After attending the Pacesetters Club annual dinner on Saturday, 22nd March 2008, I had to rush home to pack my luggage for the Ipoh trip. The ride would be starting at 7.00a.m, this mean that I had to reach Ipoh as early as 6.00am. After loading my Santa Cruz Blur in my car boot, it was already closed to midnight. I was thinking to myself, shall I travelled straight or shall I slept and wake up at 3.00 am, both options would only allow me to sleep for three and a half hours the most. Since I was a bit tired then, went to sleep and set the alarm to 3.30 am.
Since I had already loaded everything to the car the previous night, I drove off at around 4.00am in the morning. It was a breeze to drive at this early hour as there was not much traffic. I saw a Ford Storm carrying 2 bikes at the back along the North South Highway and I had to presume they were heading to the same destination, hey, I was not the only one that is so crazy!
Met my nephew at the start point, and had breakfast at the kedai kopi opposite. Before the start, found the hydration bag's bladdder was leaking at the joint. What an unlucky (or lucky that it was no leaking half way). Threw away the bladder and stuck a 1.5 litre and a 500 ml water bottles into my hydration bag.
The ride was flagged off at around 7.15 am., slightly late due to the amount of traffic flowing into the car parks. The organizer, KRI, was doing a great job guiding all vehicles to the designated parking area.
I was at the back watching the riders slowing moving forward, it was such a great view looking at 600 plus bikers forming a very long queue.
The traffic eased up slightly once we were off road, most of us had to push all the way up the 1st hill because of the crowd and the terrain. Everybody was commenting that this will be the perfect downhill ride if we take the reverse direction.
After the 1st uphill, the downhill is very technical and should be very interesting if not because of the over-crowding. Almost everyone had to get down and push, only the front riders would be enjoying this downhill, I guess.
The only feeling in this ride was “up, up & up” The hills were killing and it seems no ending. The downhill was steep and muddy, I could hear the mud scratching between the bike frame and the back wheel, the back wheel was somehow stuck and instead of rolling, it skid most of the time. There was hardly any flat trail along the journey.
I was back at the starting point around 12:20 p.m. after completing the ride. The start point was still very quiet and I think most of the riders are still struggling with the uphill trails inside.
A long wait to wash my bike before loading it back to the car, the lunch provided taste delicious. After resting for 1 more hours after the lunch, straight drove home to KL.
Feeling quite tire after the torturous 5 hours ride off road and I was worried whether I could recover fully the following week for the KL International Marathon, I really feel that I am crazy to come here alone (My nephew met me at the start point) for this ride. Overall, it is a good and enjoyable ride and will be back next year.
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