Kuala Lumpur-Selangor : NENGH Super Loop Pt.1

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AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures

NENGH Super Loop Pt.1

Kuala Lumpur-Selangor : 22nd February 2014

Small Group Ride: Titiwangsa>Dato Keramat>Setiawangsa>Wangsa Maju>Gombak>Sentul>Jinjang>Kepong>Sri Damansara>Damansara Perdana>Bandar Utama>Taman Tun Dr Ismail>SS2 Petaling Jaya>Section 17>Federal Highway>Titiwangsa

Distance Covered: 83.37 km.
Time: 7:15 am to 5:45 pm
Duration: 10.5 hours (Including stops for breakfast, lunch, tea, toilet breaks, rests and photos)

Route Recommendations :
1. Although the distance was one that many of us did before, due to the heat it did become taxing. Rehydration is important and we did a few stops for topping up water.
2. Cutting through Pulapol will require special permission.
2. The beef noodles at Argyle Cafe, Jalan Ipoh is pretty good.
3. Do take a short stop to view the army vehicles depot at Batu Cantonment.

PRELUDE

Tailim having fun on a small bicycle with an exhaust pipe.

A CHALLENGE HAVE BEEN ISSUED!

Our friend Tailim (of the hApPy HaPpY blogs) has invited us to an event which he called "No Eighty No Go Home!" (in short NENGH). Meaning that we have to cycle at least eighty kilometres before we can head home! By coincidence, NENGH (pronounced nerngh) means soften or tired in Teochew. True enough most of us were exhausted after the ride.

We had done some rides looping the Kuala Lumpur and the Selangor areas before. A memorable one was the Songkran Double Loop where we all got wet with blessings (so named as it fell on the Thai New Year Songkran festival). That covered a good 75 km.

Later we did another loop - the Durian Treks - riding around Kuala Lumpur and up to Petaling Jaya. just to eat durians (Yes, we are a crazy lot!). This prickly one covered 63 km.
So doing a distance of at least 80 km. should not be a problem for us, until we hit the afternoon and the heat took it's toll on us.

THE RIDE

NENGH Super Loop Cycling Route Map (click for Map Link)

Ride Route: Titiwangsa>Dato Keramat>Setiawangsa>Wangsa Maju>Gombak>Sentul>Jinjang>Kepong>Sri Damansara>Damansara Perdana>Bandar Utama>Taman Tun Dr Ismail>SS2 Petaling Jaya>Section 17>Federal Highway>Titiwangsa

As can be seen from the route summary above, we did really cover a lot. We rode through many major suburbs of Kuala Lumpur and punched into Selangor a few times. The map above does not show a complete loop, as I had completed more than eighty kilometres and headed home for another appointment. My strong friends continued on and rode all the way back to Titiwangsa.

Lest this blog will become as long as the ride, I will simplify this blog and capture some moments of our ride at the suburbs. *grins*

TITIWANGSA & KERAMAT

L-R: Harry, Jason, Crystal, Fenn, Sussana, Wee, Alex, Garkean, Chris, Tailim, AhPek

A group photo at the Titiwangsa Golf Club before we kicked off. There were eleven of us, Anne joined us later at Sri Damansara.

Breakfast at "Under The Big Trees". This is our favourite place, a secluded place off Jalan Maran in the midst of big rain forest trees - and it's right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur - like an oasis of green lying amidst busy main roads.

The owner of the place is an enthusiast of Siamese Fighting Fish. The above is one of many beautiful ones in his collection.

We cut through Pulapol for a shorter route to the Jalan Semarak area, waving to the guard as we exited.

The Keramat LRT Station is ahead, a left and we are into Setiawangsa.

SETIAWANGSA & WANGSA MAJU

Crystal the ISUZU Girl! Or is she trading her bike for one of those 4X4?

Cycling pass this building with colourful stylized patterns, I thought we were passing by a art gallery. No, this is the AEON Big hypermarket which was formerly a TESCO outlet. How things have changed since I last rode here.

Aiks! Showing off their sexy legs? Odd... Alex seems to be wearing his underwear as an outerwear!

Coasting downs the shady gentle slopes, the a gentle morning breeze was blowing onto our faces. Wow! This is a wonderful ride, we should do it more often (that's what I thought until later on when the afternoon heat scorched us).

Posing here cheekily in front of another of 'secret spots. The sign on the wall set me wondering, perhaps is that a side-line business of his? Is the hApPy HaPpY blogs branching into the massage business too? Hah! It's a tempting idea as blogging doesn't pay that well.

GOMBAK & BATU CAVES

Crossing over the Jalan Genting Klang, we are heading for the Gombak area. To our left is the Wardieburn Camp and to the right is Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman.

9:30 am - Weaving through narrow kampong roads, we arrive at Gombak. Most of the traditional kampong houses are gone now. Ahead is Batu Caves Hill.

The sun is now shining stronger. It's getting hot but is still manageable as the cool breeze is till blowing.

Harry recommends this good Ujang Corner Nasi Lemak. The stall is at a street side food court at Taman Greenwood.

We have turned off from the main roads and are heading for Sentul via the narrow roads of the outlying kampongs of Gombak.

From those narrow roads, we cycled a zig-zag routes that took us through back lanes...

... and even through narrower gaps between the kampong houses!

SENTUL & JALAN IPOH

Yahoo! We have arrived at Sentul, approaching through the fringe area of Sentul Pasar.

It has been very hot weather in Malaysia these past few weeks, even the road-side grass have turned brown!

Passed by this beautiful Chinese temple. We would have loved to go in and admire the place, but then we still have a long way to go on our 80 km. journey.

Further along, at the fringe of some housing area is the army depot; with armoured cars, trucks and the likes stored there.

We had been here before during our "Ushering the Chinese New Year Ride". That was during the evening, now in the morning the vehicles can be seen much clearer.

Then under the DUKE Highway we went, along off track roads...

... then up & down across the tall bridge over the Sentul railway tracks.

FIRST PIT STOP!

No, we are not stopping for aromatherapy treatment. We are heading for an early lunch at the coffee shop below - Restoran Argyle.

Some of the delicious yummies that we had:

Beef Keow Teow Noodles Soup. Slurp! (.... see more).

A large plate of BBQ pork, roast pork belly, steamed chicken and chicken liver. Best!

I will let you in on a secret: nearby is another good foodie join called Laomazis, we went there a couple of times during our regular Wednesday night rides. It is secluded at the basement of the office building shown above.

Recharged, we continued our adventure cutting below the fly-over at the Jalan Kuching-Jalan Kepong round-a-bout. The weather was getting very hot, so most of us covered up more. Arm & legs sleeves went up and sun-block lotion applied.

Or next destination - Jinjang & Kepong!

Continued in Part 2...

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