gunung pulai hash-25/10/2009

At last...the much awaited hash is finally here...me and Boboy was the only Celcom riders participating....doesn't matter....we anticipated less people to join in due to the ECC ride held the night earlier....none of the Tamago5 guys participates in this hash....am sure they're still sleeping somewhere in Malacca..hehehe

Reached the park entrance at 8.10am....after having breakfast at the usual mamak at Pekan Nanas...the weather was perfect....it's 8 something but you can still feel the cool morning air...just love the cool atmosphere...refreshing!

mist covered morning...what a sight!

We began unloading our bikes and gears as soon as I parked my car at the open space car park...quite a number of riders turned up that morning...mostly were Cyclemotion guys and the Singapore Bike Hash and Singapore Rideables club members....there were quite a number of local riders too...Shaari and a couple of Gerekers were there....Hafizi and Anuar from Mat Noor Perling group too....Mat Noor couldn't make it though...

everybody's busy unloading their bikes..

It was still early....the organizers announced that the event will start at 9.30am....we decided to go for a drinks at the warung to kill time...met Ah Fan and his group....they didn't join the ride though....they've other plans that morning....too bad.....

breakfast at the nearby warung...not provided ahhh?

Nearing 10am...we were instructed to group at the car park for briefing...judging from the crowd size, I estimated less than 100 riders participating in this ride...

waiting for the briefing session

briefing by the organizer..safety first!

gettin' restless...

We finally starts pedalling at 10.15-10.20am...after getting seriously restless due to the long wait....I was the last rider in the group....the entry point was at the usual exit point for my routine offroad Gunung Pulai ride...familiar trail...only counter clock wise...meaning instead of going downhill...we were heading uphill...

starts riding....the last rider in the pack!

single trail...hot on Boboy's tail..

Since it was raining heavily the night earlier...the track was wet and muddy...I anticipated wet and slipery trail ahead of us...but surprisingly it wasn't too muddy...still rideable.....

MTB...mari tolak beskal!..1st obstacles for the day..

binatang apa yg ko tunggang itu?....=p

The trail went on passing the usual entry point....heading towards some new unfamiliar route....quite technical with lots of obstacles in the forms of logs, tree trunks, cramped in between trees trail and riding besides some steep cliffs....there were lots of riders and so the ride was not as smooth as it should be....everyone was being extra cautious navigating thru the obstacles....

1st water check point...

We finally reached a kampung and soon after that reached the main road...we took another turn after crossing it and heads towards another hill climb...after which we entered an oil palm plantation before exiting somewhere (don't ask me where-I don't know!)...and reached the first water stop...we stopped for a breather...and drinks...and bananas...hehehe..

Boboy eager to start the ride...haven't finished my bananas yet..

It wasn't long before me and Boboy starts pedalling again....as he was too eager to get his adrenaline pumping hard...since I've already used to this long distance off road riding (chewah!!)...the first stage of the ride was nearly effortless....couldn't say it's the same with Boboy....few kilometers after the water stop, signs of fatigue already shown on his face...breathing becomes irregular....hands shaking....he was gasping for air....(exegerating...heheh)...the group took a wrong turn...and so we double back to the junction some 500 meters away....I urged Boboy to ride on...slowly if possible to not to be left behind....

Reaching the Hilang Akal Hill (hehehe-good one Najib!)...the group starts to  break up...some with stronger legs and will power....keeps on pedalling to the top (none succeeded!)...while the not-so-strong ones like me....begins MTB~ing our bikes uphill.....if you're wondering why the hill was named in such way....you have to ride it to understand...the hill comprising of 4 stages....with each climb will saw you hiking up to 45 degrees slopes....pedalling up is virtually impossible....according to Najib...from all the participants...only 2 managed to successfully conquered the hill!...that also with much difficulty...

 scaling the "bukit hilang akal"

what's infront of me...

and behind me...Boboy's panting hard...

Reaching stage 2....Boboy, Anuar and Hafizi stopped for a breather....feeling that I still have some strength left to continue the feat, I continued hiking....telling Boboy that I'll be waiting for him at the top, I left him with the rest of the guys.....the climb was torturous...but I managed to get to the top..one step at a time....even lend a hand to a kid-seperated from his freinds by pushing his bike up....clearly he was left behind....poor kid....

hiking uphill...much more tiring than padelling...

with sweeper Najib on top of the "insane" hill...last photo from my N70 moments before the rain

I was greeted by Najib on top of the hill....acting as the sweeper...he has to wait till all participants had passed his check point before he could proceed cycling to the next check point....we waited for about half an hour before there were no more riders passing us....I was puzzled as Boboy, Anuar and Hafizi has yet to reach us....so I left my bike with Najib and walks down the hill to look for those guys....it was drizzling and so I've to carefully walk down the steep surface....

Reaching to the spot where I left Boboy and the other guys...I found that the place was deserted....which could only means that they've turned back to the main road.....feeling frustrated, I dragged myself uphill again to rejoin Najib...

gone down to look for the back marker's

only to realised they're missing..

It had already started to rain heavily. Both me and Najib saddled up and starts climbing another 100 meters or so before the 300 meters downhill......on grassy surface.....we have to carefully manoeuvre our bikes on the slippery surface...

It wasn't long before we catch up with the other guys....we were drenched and attempting to cross a trench....Najib stayed behind with his comrades while I went riding alone...climbing hills again...this time on saddles....it was taxing....with cold weather nearly making my legs cramped...drenched, blurry vision due to the heavy rain and fogging formed on my riding glasses...not to mention the extra slippery terrain..making it difficult to advance further....on several occasions, I nearly got lost due to the paper marking got washed away by the rain...and at one time I couldn't decide which way to go as there were multiple intersections to choose from....luckily enough there were others catched up with me and I decided  to join them...there were 6-7 guys and 2 females in the group, majority riding full suspension bikes....compared to my hard tail...their bikes are 100 times better...and more expensive!....but I managed to blend in...

The ride went on for another 10-15km thru the platation before reaching the second water stop beside the main road.....

I was not surprised to meet Boboy and the other guys at the stop....as expected earlier, they turned back heading towards the main road at the previous water stop before cruising the road towards the second stop....

We took a 10 minutes break for me to catch my breath before we continue riding. We re-entered the plantation and faced the first obstacles...another hill climb...though not as steep as the Hilang Akal Hill....it was also tiring.....reached the top and then starts downhilling towards the exit...some 300-400 meters away.....I pushed the bike as fast as I could and began to overtake all the riders there....don't have any meters with me but I guess I was going insanely fast.....the terrain were bumpy on some parts and I ended up bouncing up and down the hill....wish I could repeat it again someday!hehehe....

We exited the plantation and ride alongside the main road before entering a kampung....the tarmac ride lasted for another 200-300 meters before we went off road again...this time thru some woods and orchard....

The off road ride ends after some 500-600 meters and we were on tarmac again...this time till the finish line....we went on riding the kampung road before reaching the Gunung Pulai Park entrance at about 2pm....

I was quite exhausted....and a bit hungry after the long ride....went on to clean myself at the nearby rest room and began loading my bike to the rear carrier...

org tak serupa org....

beskal tak serupa beskal!

We had our lunch (provided by the organizer)...each participants were given a ticket which can be exchange with 2 boxes of fried mee and rice with meat rendang and fried vege (tasty!), 4 stick of satays and free flow of Iced Sirap Limau....nice!!...after a long and exhausting ride...such meal are most welcomed......

The ride was carefully planned, well managed and brilliantly executed...kudos to the organizers....it was fun and challenging...and I'm sure that I'll return to the same trail in another months or so...right now...I'm preparing myself for another off road ride...the Plentong Epic Ride next 15th.....I'll be joining the organizer in their ride to the trail on 1st November....not sure whether Boboy would be intersted or not...but I guess the other guys would....

Till my next entry.....ride on guys....ride safe....=)