Melaka Heritage Mountain Bike Jamboree 2008

" Survive the Sahara "
aka ECC Environmental Ride

Ring…Ring…Ring… Halo, huh! I am still sleeping ler. No shit, its 5.22am and I am still in bed. Choy had just called from the Sg Besi toll informing that they are meeting the rest of the PCC Mud & Dirt crew at Seremban rest area for breakfast.

Mozzies had disturbed my beauty sleep and thus had me missing my wake up call. It was 23 minutes before LimYM arrives at my house. Luckily I had packed and prepared the night before, I just need to take a shower and a dump, have the Hornet juice which Bernard had sold me and be ready for drive to A Formosa. Thanks for the wake up call Choy.

Lim was 5 minutes late and off we left for Melaka. Once we were on our way, Tycoon had messaged that he was leaving home and we to have his fried beehoon at the Nilai rest area instead. No problem, both Lim and myself planned to have powerbar for breakfast anyway.

6.20am. we were almost to Seremban rest area and Shang had called that he had just left TTDI and would be speeding to convoy with us. Soon after, Cheng too called and informed that he would be joining the ride too. It was going to be his first ride and he had not registered before this. Damn. The organizers better accept his last minute registration.

Just as we entered the rest area, I had remembered that I have left my hydration bag in the fridge. Early preparation had me prepare the special concoction in advance, thus me forgetting the entire bag. Fuck, how am I to survive 60km without my Camelbak? And without recovery drinks? How? Fortunately, Tycoon and Lim had spare bottles which I could use and it was 100Plus which I would carry with me this time. Having met both Kenny and Debbie here, we were on our way again and were joined on the highway by both Shang and Cheng.

We had arrived at Cowboy Town, A Formosa at 7.20am and the entire car park was already bustling with riders and organizers. Zafrul had ridden up to our cars and I borrowed his bottle cage. OK, with 2 bottles I had decided to ride without the bag. Removed my spare tube and the mozzie repellant from my saddlebag and replaced it with 1 powergel, some salts and a packet of raisins. In my pockets, I had a bottle, wallet, handpump and another pack of raisins. Ready to go, I thought.

Start of event

The YB, or whoever the VIP was flagged off the event. There were a few hundred bikers there easily. Oh-oh! That familiar feeling again…don’t tell me that I needed to go now, I thought. Yes, I needed to take a dump and I needed to go urgently. What a timing this was. Riders were rolling out, Tycoon, Kenny, Cheng and the rest were rolling out. And me? I was busy looking for the freaking gents! And I needed someone to look after my bike. Ya, Lim, Lim was to be the chosen one to look after my bike. He’s quick mah, super quick. Surely he is able to catch up and overtake everyone even if he started late. Haha.

Found the toilet and 15-20 minutes later, we were on our way finally. I am drafting you, I told Lim. There was 10km of road before offroad, so drafting Lim would help me make up some lost grounds. Pedal, pedal we would and we had passed the first familiar face, it was Mike P. Apparently he was late too.

We pulled the pack in once we entered offoad, the first was Choy with a mechanical and Lim had stopped to help so I carried on. Pete and Rob came soon after but my target was to catch up with the other Tofus.

The one with the Lefty

More pedal and passing and I had caught up with Shang and Debbie. It was here that we began riding together we were to finish this ride together. We were middle pack and had come up to the first crawl. It was the first uphill and quickly Mike P caught up. Long queue and we had to push. Suddenly, came Lim and he kept calling “rider coming, rider coming, give way”, the 3 of us took opportunity to climb on our bike and follow suit. Tough but tahan la. No chance also, Lim slowly pulled away climbing and we were soon stuck in the uphill push again.

100 meters ahead, we had the first view of the very interesting course ECC had set for us. It was bike n hike, it was a steep slope totally non rideable, we had to carry our bike and climb the 2 story high slope with the help of a rope. With the torn tendon not fully healed, it left me wondering if I should carry my bike with my left shoulder or right shoulder?

After making it up and panting heavily, the marshals were there with the CP 1 stickers. We had arrived finally at the first checkpoint, it seemed like a long time. Well, just eight more to go I told myself. The first downhill was a little sketchy, loose gravel and pretty steep so a lot and I mean a LOT of front braking with very little back brakes. Phew, I made it without stopping or putting my foot down.

Short while later, another moderate hill another checkpoint; CP 2. Hmmm, simple I thought. Filling up with 100 Plus was a big mistake; every gulp I took, it felt like I needed 2 more gulps to quench my thirst! Damn drink makers, it was just too sweet. The first water stop is at CP 3 and by the way it is going, there’s 1 more hill climb.

Rolling hills it was and CP 3 came fast but not before a makeshift bridge over a 5’ drain. It was 4 trunks put together and it was quite elastic as it wobbled with every step. Memories of MUDD flashed. Huh, while this was easy meat compared to MUDD but I was very cautious and slow across.

At CP 3, I had 2 bananas and a full 1.5 litres of water. Boy, was I full. Really felt like puking. 5 minutes rest and Shang was pressing to ride again when Mike P was busy filling up. ‘No prob. Ride on first’ Mike said to us. So we left him and he never caught up.

We had left the rubber plantations and into oil palm estate, fire roads it was still and suddenly we came across Kenny and Tycoon at the side. Kenny had a puncture, how unfortunate. Or was it fortunate? If not, we wouldn’t have caught up with Kenny. With Tycoon maybe but not Kenny. He was fast and he had great skills. ‘Go first’ both said so Shang and I didn’t stop. On the next climb, we had caught up with Cheng. Not bad for a first timer; a person who probably can count the number of rides he had done with fingers on both his hands. Respect, I always had for Cheng.

CP 4 was on tarmac in a kampong, bananas again but no water this time. Just as I reach this stop, the rider in front slammed on his brakes and I nearly hit him. Screamed I did and there was an apology from him. While I was having my banana, he came along and apologized again. Apparently his shades had dropped off thus causing him to jam up his brakes. No problem.

Botak Hill; The Sahara awaits

Before CP 5 it was a slightly harder climb with a short hike-a-bike; we had to carry our bikes across a trench. Smart thinking ECC had put a couple of pellets which we could use as steps, really handy I must say. But it was all rideable; both up and down. Down into an open area, a very vast area and we were riding into the sun.

It was a slow climb which turned steeper; the sun was also getting hotter. It went on and on, after every corner, there was another steeper climb. Just as it felt as if it was never ending, a marshal under an umbrella came into view. Is this CP 6? I thought to myself. Nevermind, water and rest was more important. It was powergel time and I only had 1 packet. Eat now or save it? There’s another 50 meters of pushing, I thought. ‘Eat’

‘How come the checkpoint is not at the top of the hill? You guys should put it there’ I said to the marshal while pointing 100 meters in front. ‘It is on top’ he replied. Shit, this is not CP 6, it was just a water stop but why here? The top is only 50 meters ahead, I thought to myself. OK, time to go.

Now I know why they needed a water stop earlier; after 50 meters of pushing, the trail turned right and there was another 50 meters and after that another 50 meters. Totally unrideable. Damn, I thought I was going to get cramps while pushing. It must have felt like eternity under the scorching sun. Sahara…very befitting. Finally, we were at the top and there was another marshal there. ‘Highest point here, come get your stickers’ he said.

Out came the state of art Nokia from Shang’s bag for some pictures but alas, the freaking thing hung on us. So no pictures, no shade meant we had to go without much rest. Downhill awaits, hooray.

We reached the edge before descending and to our dismay, it was steep and the terrain was loose. Way too risky to ride even if we could manage to. Damn, push up and push down? I said to Shang. No other choice, it was not a very nice place to crash and hurt oneself.

Meanwhile, a gung-ho rider on a Merida HT coupled with an adjustable fork actually rode the entire way down. Damn, that bugga’s got both skill and guts. Mid-way down, it was rideable and both of us got on our bikes and carried on. At the based of the hill, we turned back and was amazed of the size of the hill. The riders pushing down seemed like ants!

At the end of the downhill, we had to pass a stream and then some single track. Soon after it was CP 7, refill time again. While refilling, Kenny had caught up and we were told by the marshals there that there were no more hills and we were on our way home. No way, I said. There’s supposed to be 2 more check points and maybe close to 20km to go.

True enough, it was rolling hills and we were riding in familiar territory; rubber estate fireroads then a broken bridge came into view and yes, we did pass this on our way in. we are riding the trail in reverse, it was CP 2 in reverse and we are heading to CP 8. Knowing this, the rolling hills were somehow easier to ride and CP 8 was a breeze and we were back to the trunk roads in no time. Another 10km of road and we are home, what an easy 60km, I thought.

CP 9?

Riding on the tarmac seemed tougher this time as the sun was directly over our heads but we knew we were going home so it was OK. Where’s CP 9? I thought. I had remembered in the write up that after CP 9, we will be making it home. Usually it meant that there’s more riding after the last checkpoint. But they way we are riding makes us believe that CP 9 is right at the end; at A Formosa. Hmmm….

Well, just ride la. We will be home in a few clicks, I thought to myself while maintaining cadence. Then we had arrived at the traffic lights and I knew we were very near so I used up the remaining water to douse myself and to my horror, the traffic police started to signal for me to turn left instead of heading straight. The roadsigns clearly stated that A Formosa is straight ahead! Damn, there’s more to go? The heat is killing and I had just finished my bottle on my head!

Well, another 2 km or so was CP 9; the final checkpoint and the girls there mentioned that there was another 7 km of mixed tar and offroad before the end. Shang and I took another 5 before making our way back.

12.30pm we had arrived at the start/end point and another ride done. Signed out and collected our stuffs, I proceeded to look for Lim as he had the keys to the car.

Kenny the reluctant rescuer

As Lim was asking if we’ve seen Tycoon, his cell rang. It was Tycoon calling for help. He had smashed his RD and he needed to be ferried back. He was at CP 9. As Kenny had a roof rack, he was sent to the rescue. Wait a minute, what a coincidence. Kenny the rescuer again, as in MUDD!

After washing up, we decided to travel to Malacca for the famed chicken rice balls but due to the very bad traffic, we had to turn back and have our chicken rice in KFC instead. Just as tasty I would say in such conditions.

Tycoon had to turn back without eating, Kenny and Debbie drove home after KFC and both Lim and I returned to A Formosa to try our luck at the lucky draws at the dinner. But no chance la and it was a long drive home. The only consolation was we did not have to drive home in the heat.

Overall, it was a good ride, easy though (compared to MUDD at least, haha) but a well organized ride in a nice area indeed. Well done, ECC and I will definitely be back next year.

Now, for BM Mountain Cross at Bukit Mertajam in 2 weeks time. Ciao.