AhPek Biker - Old Dog Rides Again: December 2012

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Kuala Lumpur : A Joyful Christmas Ride - Bukit Kiara

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AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures
Kuala Lumpur - A Joyful Christmas Ride
Bukit Kiara>Desa Parkcity : 24th-25th December 2012

Medium-size Group Ride : Royal Selangor Club, Bukit Kiara > Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club > Taman Tun Dr. Ismail > Kampong Sg Pencala > Desa Parkcity & back

Distance covered : 20.7 km.
Time : 8:30 pm - 12:30 pm
Time Taken : 4 hrs. (including stops for photo, caroling & ushering in Christmas)

Note : for a better mood click here to run the Jingle Bells song. It will open in another window, click this tab to return here.

PRELUDE

The Head Elf - YongSin Ng

It's that time of the year for merry-making, and what can be merrier than riding AND caroling at the same time.
That was Yong Sin's idea, as usual our fun guy can come out with these wonderful ideas.

With that he posted a FaceBook event called "X'MAS EVE CAROLING NIGHT RIDE".
And we were expected to sing carols during the ride.
Anticipating that many of us could only croak, he even posted Christmas Carols for us to download and practice (probably in our showers!)

Sg Pencala Exploratory Ride Map (click for Map Link)

The ride route would be the same as our earlier Sungei Pencala Exploratory Ride. So it's the same map then. Except to usher in the Xmas, we made a detour to one of the watering holes at Plaza TTDI.
Ho! Ho! Ho!

THE RIDE

Bikers arriving at Changkat Abang Haji Openg from Royal Selangor Club Bukit Kiara

The group would be starting from the Royal Selangor Club.
However, me & a couple of other bikers would be cycling from our nearby homes to meet them at Changkat Abang Haji Openg, i.e. just about 15 minutes from the start point.
We had to wait a while as I did not realize that they were singing their hearts out, caroling at the Royal Selangor Club.

And they came...
But wearing red Santa's caps under their helmets and with blinking red lights too.

Great!
This will really kick off the joyful mood for Christmas. It's a first too - a rare sight seeing elf-like bikers riding in the night.

The guys were sporting those elf-hats.
Wee here with his cap - with his stout build he could make a good Santa; perhaps next year?

YongSin was most considerate; knowing that the three of us missed the earlier caroling, he had all of us caroling again.
There in front of Wisma Bakit, we were singing our hearts away; luckily the residential area was some distance away as some of us were actually croaking.

The twenty-three of us happily posed for a group photo.

In a joyful and cheery mood, we rode off through Taman Tun Dr. Ismail & Kampong Sungei Pencala.
The resident must have thought us a crazy lot, cycling in the middle of the night AND with red Santa's caps with blinking lights!

Stopped for a quick regroup at Sungei Pencala.

Going through the Sg. Pencala kampong and passing a short off-road stretch, we soon hit Desa Parkcity.

And then the Waterfront @ Desa Parkcity.

Where we stopped for a while and mingled with the Christmas crowd there.

A High-5 here with a Reindeer cyclist!

But all too soon we had to head back.
We needed to be at one of the watering holes at Taman Tun Dr. Ismail to usher in the Christmas.

Santarinas with the odd elf.

At the watering hole, we started our fun.....

and revelry.....

..... and caroling.

We were sitting outside, while inside the pub singers were belting out joyful numbers.
The time is near, I quickly rushed outside to be with my fellow bikers.

Three..... Two.... One...

MEEEEEEEERRRRYYYYYY CHRISTMAS!

Phweeee... Peee.... Pheeee....

Clap.... clap..... clap

The santarinas and the elves partied on for a while and then rode off.....

... Restoran Devis Corner at Taman Tun Dr. Ismail also.

We parked our bikes in a nice row.

And had a simple, nice and badly needed supper - cycling does zaps one energy.

Even elves and Santarinas have to pay for supper.
Ho! Ho! Hoh!
**MERRY CHRISTMAS**

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Selangor : The Light Riders - Bukit Cahaya / Bukit Ceraka Agri Park

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AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures

Selangor - The Light Riders

Bukit Cahaya / Bukit Ceraka Agricultural Park, Shah Alam : 22nd December 2012

Medium-size Group Ride : Bukit Cahaya Botanical Gardens

Distance covered : 20 km.
Time : 8:30 am - 11:30
Time Taken : 3 hrs. (including stops for photo shoots & a fun time)

PRELUDE

A colorful Rivern with his new Fuji bicycle.

It has been quite a while since I have rode a ride organized by Rivern, the leader of My Cyclist Friends group. When I started cycling, one of the first group ride was that organized by him (see Kuala Lumpur : Setiawangsa Bike Ride).
It was a busy year-end for me and I had not been riding much in group events and when Rivern contacted me about a ride to Bukit Cahaya, I was worried about being able to attend due to my tight schedule. But he was most kind to make it on a date that I would be free.
Thanks Rivern!

The Bukit Cahaya Botanical Gardens is a park nestled at the foothills of Bukit Ceraka in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
It is a real tropical botanical gardens with various fruit trees planted within it's grounds.
To get there use the Federal Highway to head towards Klang, turn off at Exit 202 and head towards the two twin towers of Shah Alam - Plaza Perangsan & Wisma MBSA. Drive all the way to the end, that's where the park is.

"Cahaya" is the Malay word for "light".
But this ride was not light in terms of toughness, certain stretches was taxing.
But it was light too, in terms of the fun that we had.

Read on to find out!

THE RIDE

We have a new addition to our group, newbie Wong Siew Kheong.
Actually he is not a newbie in the real sense, he has been riding - but alone around his housing area. But he is a newbie to group riding.
Let's see if he meets the mettle.

Before starting, we took the cursory group photo...

... and headed for the entrance.

Some of us were older bikers, like the two AhPeks above.
But conniving AhPeks we were, although some years short of "Senior Citizen" status, we managed to get in as senior citizens.

The normal ticket cost for adults is RM3-00. For senior citizens it was RM1-00.
But they don't print tickets for seniors, and use Childrens' tickets for such.
But it's alright...
we are into our second childhood already. Heh... heh!

The park offers coach tours to take visitors round the park. Those poor things riding on the bus, they don't realize how much that they will miss.
- the cooling air blowing against our faces will riding.
- the many sites that one will miss on a faster paced guided tour.

And off we went riding easily along the cool roads, with shades provided by the tall trees of the park.
No need for sun-block lotion here.

But soon we hit the slopes, some effort required here.
But it was okay for us seniors, as cycling has kept us fit.

A map of the park, interestingly in the shape of a cut-off tree trunk.
Many of these are placed at strategic locations within the park, one shouldn't get lost here.

And further along, a "Porcupine Crossing" sign.
I have seen many crossing signs before - Pedestrian Crossing, Deer Crossing, even Cow Crossing.
But no, this is the first time I saw a "Porcupine Crossing"
The park rangers here must really care for the wild.
Oh... BTW bikers be careful not to run over one of these, not only will you hurt them; you may get a punctured tire too!

We reached the "Welcome" arch of the park, but what are we waiting for?
Hooo! We are waiting for another fellow biker who was running late as he got lost driving his way here.
The group photo would not be complete without him.

He came, panting as he had rode furiously in.
The group complete, we took this memorable photo.

In the park is this Skytrex Adventure, what do they offer?

ADVENTURE OF COURSE!
- in the form of an obstacle course, like this single pipe bridge.

OR this bridge consisting of swinging pipes.
WHOA! STEADY THERE!
And many other extreme challenges.

Riding on, we are now into the more open area of the park, where the natural flora has been replaced by man-planted ones. This is the planting area of the park where there are orchards and...

..... a Cactus Garden!

The Cactus garden is on one face of a small hill, and we rode up the steep cobbled rode to the top.

But struggling up that hill was worth it as the view from the top was panoramic.

Took a nice group photo there; this one less formal and more relaxed.

And also had a competition to imitate "The Thinker" pose.
Here's Rivern giving his best.

And Chuah doing a female version of the pose.
Guess who won?
Do let me know your opinion in the comments below.

The ride down the steep, rough cobbled road took its toll on one of our fellow bikers bicycle. His pedal broke!

Somehow, our friend with the broken pedal still managed to continue, and we rode pass this cactus farm. Do they harvest it?

L-R : Rambutan, Mangosteen, Durian & Mango

Now we are entering the Tropical Fruit Garden - this entrance sign says it.

Rode past this star-fruit (caramblola) orchard; sorry too young and not fruiting yet.

And this Mango orchard; also no luck as not fruiting.

Saw this Nangka (Jack-fruit) tree among many in an orchard. Fruiting but the fruits were not ripe enough.

Jackpot!
A rambutan orchard with ripe fruits!
We stopped and hurriedly went to pluck these hairy fruits with gusto.

The branches of the rambutan trees were not very high up and our newbie friend Wong made good use of himself by pulling down the branches while others plucked the fruits.
Well, he has made good use of himself AND have proven his mettle riding with us & taking on those slopes with ease.

Bountiful fruits of our harvest.

Close-up of a peeled rambutan fruit. Looks succulent; and indeed they were & sweet too!

Oh...oh! Seems like those fruits had been sprayed with pesticide as indicated by this sign.
But we were careful, they previous day's heavy rain should have washed the fruits and we peeled the fruit and ate the insides without mouth contact to the outside.
One twist of the skin and it opens up, bite with the mouth to extract the fruit!

A mini goal accomplished, we rode off out of the orchard area and towards the hills.
The slopes were getting steeper and many cyclists just got down and pushed.

Some valiantly pushed on, one stroke of the pedal at a time.

Along the way, we met this group of cyclist and helped them take their group photos. We bikers have to stick together.

An meeting even steeper slopes and more pushing.
By the way, on the right is an entrance to one of many camping sites within the park.

We are at the top of one of the hills within the park.
An archway to the left marks the entrance down to the Yellow Water Dam.

Damn! The road down to the dam is the steepest that we are facing.
Should we take it on?

Going down was a breeze. But coming up most of us could not hack it and just pushed..... again!

Continuing on, we rode by the Mushroom Gardens, too bad we did not stop to have a look. Perhaps next time.

A little further on, we hit a snag.
Flooded roads.

The water at it's deepest was slightly more than a foot deep.

Many just took off their shoes and rode through the water.

But the fact is, we rode up and down through the water a few times, enjoying the water rustling through our feet.
So it was no snag after all; and it turned out to be a fun area -
Wheee!!! We became little kids again playing in the water.

AND WHAT FUN WE HAD!

AhPek's Bike at My Bicycle Shop

AND WHAT A FOLLY IT WAS!!
Treating my bicycle like a boat/submarine had it consequences: One of my pedal was damaged and was making all sorts of squeaky noises.
After the ride, I immediately sent my bike for servicing at My Bicycle Shop.
Damage: Change one pair of pedals, 1 set of brake cables and cable sheath connectors, service the hub, etc. approx. RM120.
A lesson learnt, I was riding a bicycle and not a boat. But it was worth it - for the memories!

With the squeaky pedal, I rode on with the rest past this bridge and onwards to...

... this small waterfall where we took a serious looking group photo.

Sin is on top of the dam, about to throw his bike down, a frantic Wong rushing to prevent him from doing so?
No, actually Sin was posing while holding his bike up high, and Wong was running to join him.

Here's the two of them posing together.
No worries, no regrets - the bike is still intact.

That little dam hold back a small lake, a lake of nice emerald green color.

We rode back down from the dam, and happily passed the flooded road again.

At another bridge, we posed as a group "peeing" down the stream.
Interesting, a lady peeing standing up and,
Rivern can do it without holding. "Look! No hands!!"

We are now riding back out to the entrance.
Seems like Rivern is not the only one who like colors, this lady next to him is also very colorful.

Back at the entrance, these Kelantanese Kites seems to be waving goodbye to us.

Finished with the ride, some of us drove over to MC Curry Noodles to have lunch.

Where we had large bowls of very good curry noodles, and at a cheap price too.
(for more read YummY! - Scottish Curry Mee @ MC Curry Noodles)

It had been a beautiful ride in a beautiful park.
A shady park, with flooded roads, nice orchards, a interesting dam and lake.
And us bikers adding to the atmosphere of the place!

Till we ride again, Adios!

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Kuala Lumpur : Setiawangsa Bike Ride