I'm never a big fan of writing, let alone blog. The writing I done the most is creating my MTB website at "www.geocities.com/mtbezone", aiming to provide an inside view of mtbing in Malaysia (which I no longer update due to inactivity). Other than that I waste my time aiming gun at virtual people, which I find it quite tedious recently.
My sis, who is a "once-a-while" blogger, did not successfully convince me to start a blog. Too bad her article does not really captured my heart. However, she did recommend a blog site called "www.kennysia.com", which blew my brain apart. If you are not familiar with www.Kennysia.com I would recommend you to visit. With few of my friends starting blogging. I thought I gave blogging a try. To stir my brain-dead brain once more.
My first blog is nothing but an introduction. To let visitors know that this blog site is mostly dedicated to my view on cycling. Since it is still early stage of development, I will be brain-storming to improve the blogsite, while posting some past articles to make my demanding viwers happy. May the god of MTB gain wisdom on me to share it in the blog-world.
Safe Riding!!!
Rhys NG
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Saturday, September 14, 2002
One last time
** Written in 2006....... **
View Photo Collection
It was going to be a last ride for me before I end my summer holiday. So my last ride will be at Bukit Raja, our home trail. It was quite sad for me, for I know that the next time I returned, the trail will be gone, no thank to development. So whatever the case, it is fitting for me to ride the home trail for the last time, otherwise I would regret.
The ride was nothing out of extra-oridinary. The sky is clear and the sun is burning brighty, however for me it doesnt seem to be hot, in fact the weather was perfect for riding.
We rode across many familiar spots, which I had been memorising the trail by heart, and even bought a GPS one year ago to map as many waypoints and tracks as possible on my very dearly home trail. Not many incidents during our ride, but we have to hike across a trail full of fallen trees.
As the ride came to the end. I had an very sastifying ride.... no crying drama.... just knew in my heart that when I come back, the trail might not be there anymore...
View Photo Collection
Saturday, September 07, 2002
Nature still rules....
** Written in 2006...... **
That day I have no idea who is more angrier....
It was a rainy day, but we went ahead to RRIM, where Patrick had arranged to meet up with PCC. We parked our car, unpack our bike, did some warm-up. Then we cycled into the trail, and not too long before we met our first obstacle...
.
.
.
.
.
.
So I really don't know if I was more angry than the guy up there, or the other way round. One thing for sure, many mtbikers had a disrupted ride on that day on that particular trail.
View Photo Collection
That day I have no idea who is more angrier....
It was a rainy day, but we went ahead to RRIM, where Patrick had arranged to meet up with PCC. We parked our car, unpack our bike, did some warm-up. Then we cycled into the trail, and not too long before we met our first obstacle...
.
.
.
.
.
.
So I really don't know if I was more angry than the guy up there, or the other way round. One thing for sure, many mtbikers had a disrupted ride on that day on that particular trail.
View Photo Collection
Sunday, September 01, 2002
Fantastic Ride at KKB
Not many people are available to go for a ride at Kuala Kubu Baru, especially on post-Merdeka day. Well, cannot blame them, for they are celebrating the National Day, with beers, wine and party till the late hour of the night. So only 4 of us were able to make it, but with some noisy encouragement for those who find it hard to wake up before six.
It was an hour and a half drive to reach the KKB town, where it was a fantastic country drive with traffic-less road and peaceful scenery. Once we reached the KKB town, we made a quick tour at the local market to finish stocking our food supply.
We are ahead of schedule by an hour when we reached the trail-head. But unfortunately, we had to turn back when a security-person stopped us at the check-point, telling us to turn back as there was an development going on and we were forbid to go in. Just as we are to ponder on next course of action, one "smart" guy suggested to return back and ride at Bukit Raja on the talkie! What the.... where is my knife? An hour and half hour drive to here and go back without a ride!
Luckily, Patrick saved his ass when he bought us to another trail-head near the forbidden entrance. We parked our cars and our mean machines at the small parking space, overlook by the houses of orang alis, whom might be affected by the development of the dam and had to be relocated. We started the ride at 9am, just right on schedule.
It was one of the heavier back-pack I have to carry on this ride! 3 litres of water, GPS, digital camera with front-bag and water-proof case, food-supply, extra tools and some small stuffs on my newly-bought CamelBak H.A.W.G. And the best thing coming of our guide's mouth is: "we go uphill ALL the way to reach the waterfall....." Ai-seh, I was worried whether I will "die" first before I reached the water-fall. Moreover, it is the mountainous area, so..... just hope of the best, I thought
It was a nice ride toward our destination, with the sound of flowing waterfall accompanied you throughout the ride. And we are surrounded of primary forest, bamboo forest and DURIAN trees! Durian is the king of the fruit, but they grow high on tree, so hopefully, they fall where suppose to fall, and not on our head with their spiky core!
It is an excellent singletrack, but weeks of heavy downpour has turn it into muddy trail, with plenty of mud-pond to trap your bike in. Beside having a heavy back-pack to go up , Patrick's heavy downhill bike slow our climb toward the top. And those sticky mud will cling onto our bike like leech! And I think we spent half of the time taking short break and walk upward.
We spent 2.5hr to reach to the top, from 200m to 560m above sea-level, at a distance of 6.5km (issit?). With a little bit of careful descent to the base of the waterfall, we finally reached our destination. With scenic forest surrounding the waterfall, it was easily the best retreat spot for adventurous people like us. With delicious nasi-lemak right in front of us, we couldn't find a better place to relax and enjoy the nature. And the water has never been so clean and cold.
We finished the ride around 1.30am, which was surprising fast when we descend. But not without some trouble along the way. Without any proper skill to tackle the long muddy trail, I had my fair share of crashing down, which were not serious (Phew). There were mud flying everywhere whether we flew by, that I'm proud to show that our bike is almost completely covered with mud. Lucky, near toward the end of the ride, we came across a clear river stream, where all of us took advantage of it and washed our bike to sparkling clean bike!
View Photo Collection
It was an hour and a half drive to reach the KKB town, where it was a fantastic country drive with traffic-less road and peaceful scenery. Once we reached the KKB town, we made a quick tour at the local market to finish stocking our food supply.
We are ahead of schedule by an hour when we reached the trail-head. But unfortunately, we had to turn back when a security-person stopped us at the check-point, telling us to turn back as there was an development going on and we were forbid to go in. Just as we are to ponder on next course of action, one "smart" guy suggested to return back and ride at Bukit Raja on the talkie! What the.... where is my knife? An hour and half hour drive to here and go back without a ride!
Luckily, Patrick saved his ass when he bought us to another trail-head near the forbidden entrance. We parked our cars and our mean machines at the small parking space, overlook by the houses of orang alis, whom might be affected by the development of the dam and had to be relocated. We started the ride at 9am, just right on schedule.
It was one of the heavier back-pack I have to carry on this ride! 3 litres of water, GPS, digital camera with front-bag and water-proof case, food-supply, extra tools and some small stuffs on my newly-bought CamelBak H.A.W.G. And the best thing coming of our guide's mouth is: "we go uphill ALL the way to reach the waterfall....." Ai-seh, I was worried whether I will "die" first before I reached the water-fall. Moreover, it is the mountainous area, so..... just hope of the best, I thought
It was a nice ride toward our destination, with the sound of flowing waterfall accompanied you throughout the ride. And we are surrounded of primary forest, bamboo forest and DURIAN trees! Durian is the king of the fruit, but they grow high on tree, so hopefully, they fall where suppose to fall, and not on our head with their spiky core!
It is an excellent singletrack, but weeks of heavy downpour has turn it into muddy trail, with plenty of mud-pond to trap your bike in. Beside having a heavy back-pack to go up , Patrick's heavy downhill bike slow our climb toward the top. And those sticky mud will cling onto our bike like leech! And I think we spent half of the time taking short break and walk upward.
We spent 2.5hr to reach to the top, from 200m to 560m above sea-level, at a distance of 6.5km (issit?). With a little bit of careful descent to the base of the waterfall, we finally reached our destination. With scenic forest surrounding the waterfall, it was easily the best retreat spot for adventurous people like us. With delicious nasi-lemak right in front of us, we couldn't find a better place to relax and enjoy the nature. And the water has never been so clean and cold.
We finished the ride around 1.30am, which was surprising fast when we descend. But not without some trouble along the way. Without any proper skill to tackle the long muddy trail, I had my fair share of crashing down, which were not serious (Phew). There were mud flying everywhere whether we flew by, that I'm proud to show that our bike is almost completely covered with mud. Lucky, near toward the end of the ride, we came across a clear river stream, where all of us took advantage of it and washed our bike to sparkling clean bike!
View Photo Collection
Sunday, August 18, 2002
It was not a Bike Day!!!
Due to some unforeseen circumstance, the trip to KKB (Kuala Kubu Baru) has to be cancelled in the last minute. This was deeply regret as I was actually looking forward to it. So for a quick ride, we will ride at the Bukit Raja, third time this year... Damn, September is getting nearer and nearer.
The attendance was good on Sunday. 8 riders were ready to explore the best of Bukit Raja, which was quite a distance to ride into it. But just as we were good to go, we had our first Time-Killer. One of our riders (Yikai), has problem with his aging SPD. Apparently he hardly maintain his SPD component well that his shoe wouldn't eject, no matter how much force we applied to. It was a good scratching time, as we pondered our head and use any tools we can find to get that damn shoe out. A good 30 minute is wasted.
Just as we could enjoy our ride, we had another Time-Killer. The same rider who got his SPD stuck, has problem with his loosing headset. This problem is interesting, as we do not have the tool to fix it, and there was a visible crack from his head-tube. It was certainly not his day and he was already thinking to quit it, but we have a good idea. To ride to the nearest kampung and check our luck if we can borrow a spanner. Sure he will have problem riding with stability, but at least it's better than quiting it and we get to enjoy it. We had our luck checked as we get to borrowed a tool from the local living inside the plantation. Sure, a crack from the head-tube doesn't solve all the problem, least it can endure to the end of the ride.
It was a pretty smooth ride afterward. But we had to make a de-tour when a particular trail was blocked by a herd of cow. While we have many experience by-passing the herd without any problem, this herd offers new style of defence! A new fierce moaning style like we never encountered before. Sure we are harmless, but the herd doesn't think so. Either way, both parties doesn't move or make way for each other, so the next smart move is to detour, before the herd calls in more backup!
Just as the de-tour wasn't bad enough, we came to a cross junction where all direction lead to nowhere! The last direction we went was blocked by large and long V-shape drain. It was certainly very hard to jump across it. Our patience has become so thin that someone has the crazy idea. To get down to the drain and ride, hope to get somewhere else. This is new to me..... While we have the fun mood to ride in this slippery trail, sadly it ended in a very short distance. And have to climb out to get back on the singletrack.
As we approached to the cleared hill where they spotted and wanted to try, we have another bike problem. Another rider has suffered a crack on the downhill frame, potentially can broke the bike into two, when force applied. So 3 of 8 decided to sit out the new descent trail while the rest of us proceed to head for heaven and come down fast.
Just on our way back, another devil hit the bike. This time, the BB-cover has loosen out and has a long french kiss with the crank-arm, rendering it impossible to peddle. Not only that, I left my helmet on the last descent spot, and had to cycle back to claim my 3 weeks old helmet! Moreover, my energy level was low and in need of food supply. Therefore I was separated with them, hope to meet them at the car-park.
Luckily, I was able to meet them at the near exit of the trail, and I was amused that our strongest rider had to tow the un-peddle-able bike out of the trail, while waiting for the rescue car to pick them up. What an idea!
It was an interesting ride. Despite having 3 bikes problem, we are able to overcome it and able to complete the whole loop. And the weather was just nice, mainly thank to the mixture of clouds and haze. It is one kind of the ride that is hard to come by, that I was lucky enough to join this ride!
The attendance was good on Sunday. 8 riders were ready to explore the best of Bukit Raja, which was quite a distance to ride into it. But just as we were good to go, we had our first Time-Killer. One of our riders (Yikai), has problem with his aging SPD. Apparently he hardly maintain his SPD component well that his shoe wouldn't eject, no matter how much force we applied to. It was a good scratching time, as we pondered our head and use any tools we can find to get that damn shoe out. A good 30 minute is wasted.
Just as we could enjoy our ride, we had another Time-Killer. The same rider who got his SPD stuck, has problem with his loosing headset. This problem is interesting, as we do not have the tool to fix it, and there was a visible crack from his head-tube. It was certainly not his day and he was already thinking to quit it, but we have a good idea. To ride to the nearest kampung and check our luck if we can borrow a spanner. Sure he will have problem riding with stability, but at least it's better than quiting it and we get to enjoy it. We had our luck checked as we get to borrowed a tool from the local living inside the plantation. Sure, a crack from the head-tube doesn't solve all the problem, least it can endure to the end of the ride.
It was a pretty smooth ride afterward. But we had to make a de-tour when a particular trail was blocked by a herd of cow. While we have many experience by-passing the herd without any problem, this herd offers new style of defence! A new fierce moaning style like we never encountered before. Sure we are harmless, but the herd doesn't think so. Either way, both parties doesn't move or make way for each other, so the next smart move is to detour, before the herd calls in more backup!
Just as the de-tour wasn't bad enough, we came to a cross junction where all direction lead to nowhere! The last direction we went was blocked by large and long V-shape drain. It was certainly very hard to jump across it. Our patience has become so thin that someone has the crazy idea. To get down to the drain and ride, hope to get somewhere else. This is new to me..... While we have the fun mood to ride in this slippery trail, sadly it ended in a very short distance. And have to climb out to get back on the singletrack.
As we approached to the cleared hill where they spotted and wanted to try, we have another bike problem. Another rider has suffered a crack on the downhill frame, potentially can broke the bike into two, when force applied. So 3 of 8 decided to sit out the new descent trail while the rest of us proceed to head for heaven and come down fast.
Just on our way back, another devil hit the bike. This time, the BB-cover has loosen out and has a long french kiss with the crank-arm, rendering it impossible to peddle. Not only that, I left my helmet on the last descent spot, and had to cycle back to claim my 3 weeks old helmet! Moreover, my energy level was low and in need of food supply. Therefore I was separated with them, hope to meet them at the car-park.
Luckily, I was able to meet them at the near exit of the trail, and I was amused that our strongest rider had to tow the un-peddle-able bike out of the trail, while waiting for the rescue car to pick them up. What an idea!
It was an interesting ride. Despite having 3 bikes problem, we are able to overcome it and able to complete the whole loop. And the weather was just nice, mainly thank to the mixture of clouds and haze. It is one kind of the ride that is hard to come by, that I was lucky enough to join this ride!
View Photo Collection
Sunday, August 11, 2002
This way... or that way???
Been suffered once before in Bukit Kiara, that I been traumatise by it. Yes, it was that time when I was just recovering my fitness when someone bring me over and took me to "HOLLAN" (means hell in chinese dialect). Nice trail I would say, but definitely it was too tough for me. So when Patrick suggested to go there again, I was kinda have mixed emotion. On one hand, I like the single track there. On the other, I'm not the tough rider....yet. However, with 5 rides behind me this year, I wanted to know how much I have improved. So Bukit Kiara is "a go".
We roughly arrived there at 7.30am, and 30 minutes late behind schedule. So we wasted no time to prepare our bike and start riding. We are going the same path as we have gone before, so nothing much to report, except that I'm enjoying the trail, rather than suffering, which is a good thing. Along the way, we met up with two French riders who decided to follow us as we know the route better. I was quite impressed with the French riders, for once, they were riding on the norm steel bike.
We roughly arrived there at 7.30am, and 30 minutes late behind schedule. So we wasted no time to prepare our bike and start riding. We are going the same path as we have gone before, so nothing much to report, except that I'm enjoying the trail, rather than suffering, which is a good thing. Along the way, we met up with two French riders who decided to follow us as we know the route better. I was quite impressed with the French riders, for once, they were riding on the norm steel bike.
After the short break at a junction, we proceed for the descent via the lengthy ascent. Not difficult, but not quite easy. But when it's time for the downhill, it was the photo-snapping section. Haven't really take an action photo for a long time, but standing at a position a little while and those pack of suckers (mosquito) swarming all over my body for a blood taste. Damn....
At the downhill, the last 3 of us were stuck at the junction, wondering which way to go. Although I been here before, the trail look so identical everywhere. Since Patrick mentioned that it is downhill all the way, I ignored that the trail at going upward and go for the descent direction. Hahaha... Guess what, we chose the wrong way. After passing through the super-rocky trail, and had to contend with 2 fallen trees that blocked our path, we managed to get out and arrived at the Taman Tun. Oh shit... the car-park is way over the other side of Damasara, and we hold the car-keys, rendering our rescue cars useless to pick us. So having no choice, we had to cycle back via the shadeless roads.
It was a good ride, especially after I recovered some fitness to enjoy it. Just too bad some of us went the wrong way, missing out the nice river-side singletrack. Hahaha....... next time may the luck be with me.....
View Photo Collection
Sunday, August 04, 2002
A Ride at Batu Dam
"Tomorrow's ride at Bukit Raja AGAIN, to Klang Genting. Okay with you?" asked Ah-Keong, the senior organiser. I was kinda pessistive of the choice. While I wasn't too particularly unhappy to ride for a third time consecutive. But for your reminder I have now only one and a half month left to enjoy riding in hot, tropical weather. Therefore it is my best interest to ride every different trail as much as possible, especially those I haven't ride yet. Luckily, with a good number of MTB website, it is great to have a number of groups to join for a ride. No reason to keep riding the same trail till you can ride blind-folded inside the home-trail. Anyway, sooner or later many trails will disappear thanks to the magic wands of the urban development. So enjoy now while you still have chance. In the end I chose to ride with D&P (Dragon & Phoenix) and PCC to Batu Dam.
I read about the Batu Dam many times before. Easy ride with scenic view, with plenty of excellent trail and plenty of shade under the canopy of primary forest. And I viewed quite a number of album. But the black & white plus the colour picture doesn't really translate well into experience. So I'm determined to ride there and experience what the previous riders have done before.
Only 4 (out of 8) of us have the determination to wake up and meet up at 6am at a local makan store. Beside Patrick, all of us has never been to Batu Dam before. So as obedient as a school-boy, I followed the leading car closely, which otherwise I would stray away from the pack and enjoy high-speed cruising on the traffic-less road.
We start the ride at 8am (I think...) and immediately after the short climb to the actual trail-head, I was greeted by the breath-taking view of the large water catchment area, surrounded by forested hill. Not only that, the single-track is curve along the river-side, making the ride closely to nature. hahaha...please forgive a kampong (A Malay term for country) boy like me who hardly get out from town.
The uphill was a killer climb right after the single-track of short distance. And pushing was the only option. But lucky, after the 5~8 min of pushing, the rest of the climb was rideable. Just as we were about to speed up, one of our rider broke his chain. Luckily for him, I recently brought a brand new tool-kit, so fixing it should be easy. However, all of us was inexperience when come to repair. Sure we can fix it, just take time to do it. But lucky, KSH Leong was at the back of the pack, came along and response to the distress call immediately.
The first stop was already occupied by the early birds, and the top-spot for tipping into cold water was already occupied. So I occupied myself to get acquittance with my new camera with it's water-proof case. By the way, the weather today was not hot, with strong over-cloud covering up the whole sky. Another blessing...
After the first stop, the ride was just getting interesting. Few fallen bamboo stem make our ride more difficult create kinda like height-limit, and one particularly bamboo stem stood firmly at the centre of the narrow single-track! And few wooden crossing look so threatening, especially when you are the heavy rider. Other than that, I'm happy to come here and have a nice time blasting on the lengthy descent.
As the sky brighten up, more people have come for a nice ride, in the opposite direction as I approach the second rest-stop. This time, I have plenty of space to have a nice cool tip in the crystal clear water. In fact, I stayed in the cold water too long that I actually caught a running nose immediately. Hahahaha....look like my body need refuel of vitamin.
In conclusion, it was pretty a fast ride, not because of the short distance, but rather the route we took have more descent than climb. If we were to take the opposite route, as told by Patrick, we will take more time to finish, especially with lengthy climb, but will be reward with steep downhill route. Overall, with impressive scenery and interesting trail, I'll be back...
I read about the Batu Dam many times before. Easy ride with scenic view, with plenty of excellent trail and plenty of shade under the canopy of primary forest. And I viewed quite a number of album. But the black & white plus the colour picture doesn't really translate well into experience. So I'm determined to ride there and experience what the previous riders have done before.
Only 4 (out of 8) of us have the determination to wake up and meet up at 6am at a local makan store. Beside Patrick, all of us has never been to Batu Dam before. So as obedient as a school-boy, I followed the leading car closely, which otherwise I would stray away from the pack and enjoy high-speed cruising on the traffic-less road.
We start the ride at 8am (I think...) and immediately after the short climb to the actual trail-head, I was greeted by the breath-taking view of the large water catchment area, surrounded by forested hill. Not only that, the single-track is curve along the river-side, making the ride closely to nature. hahaha...please forgive a kampong (A Malay term for country) boy like me who hardly get out from town.
The uphill was a killer climb right after the single-track of short distance. And pushing was the only option. But lucky, after the 5~8 min of pushing, the rest of the climb was rideable. Just as we were about to speed up, one of our rider broke his chain. Luckily for him, I recently brought a brand new tool-kit, so fixing it should be easy. However, all of us was inexperience when come to repair. Sure we can fix it, just take time to do it. But lucky, KSH Leong was at the back of the pack, came along and response to the distress call immediately.
The first stop was already occupied by the early birds, and the top-spot for tipping into cold water was already occupied. So I occupied myself to get acquittance with my new camera with it's water-proof case. By the way, the weather today was not hot, with strong over-cloud covering up the whole sky. Another blessing...
After the first stop, the ride was just getting interesting. Few fallen bamboo stem make our ride more difficult create kinda like height-limit, and one particularly bamboo stem stood firmly at the centre of the narrow single-track! And few wooden crossing look so threatening, especially when you are the heavy rider. Other than that, I'm happy to come here and have a nice time blasting on the lengthy descent.
As the sky brighten up, more people have come for a nice ride, in the opposite direction as I approach the second rest-stop. This time, I have plenty of space to have a nice cool tip in the crystal clear water. In fact, I stayed in the cold water too long that I actually caught a running nose immediately. Hahahaha....look like my body need refuel of vitamin.
In conclusion, it was pretty a fast ride, not because of the short distance, but rather the route we took have more descent than climb. If we were to take the opposite route, as told by Patrick, we will take more time to finish, especially with lengthy climb, but will be reward with steep downhill route. Overall, with impressive scenery and interesting trail, I'll be back...
View Photo Collection
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