Amoi rides in the kampungs: October 2022

The day after with most of the team members

Early morning of Day 1 with Chief KC and Secretary Wawa

A true inspiration, Maggie is 71 years of age. She ran her first full marathon when she was 50. Photographed beside her is Ivy

Pushing up the slope after the boomgate

Long buffalo grass in the background

Rejoining dirt tracks

Henry approaching the midway point with a cleared land area. This marks the beginning of dirt tracks again

Returning to greener flora

The log bridge

Not far from the log bridge

Just before the landslide, there's a deep ditch where Claudine got stuck until rescued by Kenny

Chief KC as he approaches the campsite. Note the scorpion checking him out before allowing him passage through

The guardian of the campsite

The river by the campsite

A small cascading waterfall which becomes the source of water for the campsite. Note the black hose used to siphon the water

James and Ee-Lin at the Salur Gajah Waterfalls

Boiling bak chang and ketupat palas for lunch by the largest dwelling at the campsite...a 3 men tent!

Having lunch by the most expensive bungalows at the campsite

While everyone had set up their campsite and most taken their lunch, Julian, Caryn and another lady have yet to arrive. Worried sick, Wawa and Wind returned to the route to look for them. They managed to contact them by handphone to confirm they were not lost. Wawa and Wind then returned to the campsite but not before putting up trail signs. Photographed here is Julian with one of the signs.

The men with their camping food

Camping food

After dinner snacks

Almost made into somtam but thankfully released back into nature the next morning!

The weather was good in the morning. In fact, it was a sunny day with blue skies! During our morning briefing, Chief KC advised us to be extra careful on the terrain as it had rained the whole night.

Looking up Weather.com, a doomsday apocalypse is forecasted with a 80-90% chance of rain every single hour of the day! Accuweather though preaches the powers of prayers with a 50% chance of rain in the evening.

Salur Gajah Waterfalls has been around for years. Located only 11 km from Kampung Tenang, it is the playground of the locals though access to it has always been on foot and much later, by 4WD extreme. According to the locals, it used to take them at least 1.5 hours to hike to the Falls.

A campsite equipped with shower rooms and toilets opened to public only recently with an improved dirt trails for 4WD. Having said that, we were told the journey on dirt is about 2 hours long!

Knowing Chief KC, we were indeed in for an epic adventure! Instead of approaching the campsite via the official 4WD way which is easier but longer, he chose for us to follow the hiking trails taken by Cikgu Tan Lang Seng and Annette who recce the place only 2 months ago! Well put by Annette, we were taking the unofficial route!

The first 4.5 km into the campsite was a breeze. We were riding on a well tarred single carriageway; riding past durian orchards, rubber and palm oil plantations.

Regrouping at the fork of the road

Where the road forks into two, we took the dirt tracks on the left. The tarmac on the right, continues all the way to Taka Melor waterfalls.

The dirt tracks was easy initially. There was a gated farm to our left at the onset of the trail.

Soon, we came upon a boomgate. This should be a foreboding sign not to cross over to the other side. But nobody heeded the purpose of the gate and went through via the side. With that simple act, we have entered the abyss!

The transition was almost immediate. Gone are the dirt tracks. What greeted us instead were gravels!

A few hundred meters later, our paths were blocked by a fallen tree. This could have happened overnight as the leaves were still freshly green. Yet again, we had to side stepped to get through.

A little ahead, long buffalo grass drooped down from the side of the slopes. Initially, we tried to duck but after awhile we just allowed some to slap and tease us!

The gradient was gradual initially but increases as we ventured further in. This ascent coupled by a track made out of sharp granite rocks at times the size of golf balls makes it difficult to ride. The ground shifts everytime time the tyres rotate as it tries to find traction.

The sure footed mountain bikers like KC, Wind, Wawa and Catherine breezed through the trails easily. But the most inspiring were the power couple of James and Ee-Lin on tandem bikes. James steered the bike magnificently while Ee-Lin as stoker, helped to give extra power to the bike during the climbs.

It was a joy to see them work together. At the peak of every climb, James will call out "Up" and Ee-Lin will follow suit, bum up from saddle, standing on the pedals as they whizzed downhill.

Midway through, we left the gravels and rejoined dirt. Pushing our bikes uphill became even tougher as we maneuvered deep ruts caused by erosion from the rain.

There was a point when things became easier with milder slopes. This time, the route became greener, lined by trees. Where there's a lush canopy, the ground is strewn with dried leaves. Claudine was feeling at one with nature and then....she noticed a moving leaflet on the ground....

Yes! Only one foot away, a leech was making a leap for her foot. Tired as she was, she took a BIG step and managed to avoid its projection.

Another time, the blood thirsty vermin was moving on her arm sleeve trying hard to find contact with skin. Luckily, Simon helped to flick it away.

Most of the time pushing her bike but sometimes cycling, Claudine found herself alone many times. Once in awhile, she caught up with fellow riders taking a rest or slowed down by some difficulties. After lengthy intervals, sure enough she will see the familiar faces of Henry and Kenny waiting to check on her.

Smiling for the camera...

...Shh! Don't tell anyone!

The biggest get together would be at the log bridge! While everyone slowed down to get their photos taken, Claudine needed help. She tried pushing her bike across the bridge but lost her confidence midway. She could feel the bridge move every time she pushed her bike. In the end, Henry had to help her while she crawled the rest of the way through!

Deep ruts left by vehicles

Double platform for 4 wheeled vehicles

Landslide

A simple bridge made out of logs felled across the small stream and held together with chains, this was intentionally built for vehicle crossings. Deep mud ruts caused by tyres just before the bridge and a cleared forest with a landslide not far after the bridge are evidences of human tampering.

The landslide area proved tricky for Claudine. It was a steep downhill slide which most of everyone enjoyed. As the right side of the path is a sheer drop, she preferred to push her bike down. It was non the safer either as the sand above the laterite soil gave little traction for her sandals and bike. Meanwhile, as she treaded carefully, Henry waiting at the bottom of the slope had a loooooong wait!

The day after, at the same area with deep ruts

After that, it was another series of deep ruts and switching the bike from one rail to another. Then, as we reached a corner, Kenny peered over and exclaimed, "5 more km!!!"

We were all swept by a feeling of euphoria when we reached the point of "5 more km!!!"..... for beyond and down below is Salur Gajah Campsite. Wahoooooooo!!!

Shame caught on camera as Claudine picked her bike up

...and then Claudine had to fall just 20 m from the campsite! No bruises but a bruised ego and a few scratches on her bike.

2 toilets and shower for both men and women

Note Chief KC's special set up by the signboard!

The couples preferred the quieter side of the campsite which is also cooler for nocturnal activities

Proper campsite with raised platform on which to pitch a tent

The campsite was more than expected. There were 2 large toilets with showers and sink inside, a common shower room and an outside kitchen sink for both men and women. Tapped water is piped in from a waterfall across the river and processed through a simple filter before it is stored in an elevated water tank for good water pressure. We had clear tapped water on our first day but it turned murky the next day due to continuous rain.

In the evenings, the area is lighted by solar powered lamps, some of which continue to shine until morning. The toilets', though shining bright at 8 pm was already pitched dark by 6.30 am the next day.

Despite the rain, these crazies can still get together for a beer session

We were certainly stroked by the Hands of God for he blessed us with good weather the entire Saturday. It only started to rain at 8 pm when we had finished dinner and washed up. While most of us turned in early, some crazy guys continued their weight exercises till 10.30 pm....lifting cans of beer!!!

Ready to roll, the morning after

One more for the road!

It rained for 10 whole hours and only stopped at 6.30 am the next day. Again blessings from the Almighty, we managed to wash up and cook our breakfasts before it started to drizzle again. Even though we had to pack in light drizzle, the rain stopped completely when we were about to roll out.

Taking extra caution, we reached base with no injuries besides a few leech bites! The warung on the right of the multipurpose Hall where we parked our cars allowed us to use their toilet to change and shower. They refused payments but a token sum to show our appreciation is necessary and so we insisted.

We parted ways after a sumptuous lunch at G&D Restaurant in Labis. An amazing group of RnC kakis from KL, Selangor, Muar, Melaka, Batu Pahat and JB!!!