Adhoc Recce Ride to Forest City Golf Resort (16 June 2018)

The recce team

Stairs to hotel lobby

Gardens

Lobby

Reception

Poolview and one of the three18 hole golf courses

Lotus flower, Chinese influences

Restaurant

Buggy

Possibly inspired by The Hanging Gardens of  Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of Ancient World

This morning, while we were congregating at Pan Kobo Cafe, Horizon Hills, the sky was a dull grey. The sun’s feeble attempt to break through the thick blanket of clouds mildly illuminated our surroundings.

Looking up, we willed the sky to start pouring before the ride begins or not at all! Nobody wants to be caught in mid shower especially Paul, who had just gone through a wet Hari Raya, finishing the ride with a bike wash! As for Kai, he was sporting a pair of sunnies at twilight, not sure if the sun will do a peekaboo!

We were all roaring to roll out when Philip arrived but his requests to fill up his water bottle took a lot longer than that! We waited...and waited...and waited for him. Peering into Pan Kobo, we saw him filling his bottle, picking a bun, going to the toilet......When he finally emerged, he was still bargaining for time to eat his bun which we most naturally did not allow!!!!

Riding out, we bumped into Kim Chong Chin near the eco botanics roundabout and later, Wai and Koma near Mydin. Then, we hit a few bumps with Paul’s rear tyre performing a hara kiri near the CIQ housing and the sky deciding to bleed as we approached PTP. Merely “molehills”, the tube was quickly replaced and the sky took a turn for the better in no time!

We found Forest City Golf Resort to be as inviting as Forest City. While complimentary drinks were likewise, dispensed at the Golf Resort, it aces further with free to use Nivea Sunblock!!!

After a good recharge on coffee, tea and carbonated drinks, we left the Golf resort, riding towards the mothership on newly paved roads. However, as we were not hard up for another free drink, we did not venture beyond the exit to Route 177. Instead, we took a short cut, carrying our bikes over the barrier and wheeling down the grassy knoll that was still soft from recent replanting!

Once on J4’s Jalan Tanjung Kupang, we connected with Jalan Bukit Kucing, rode past the service gates of Gelang Patah’s R&R before heading back via Sunway Iskandar. On familiar grounds again, some of us decided to refuel on pratas at Anjung. Bidding TH and Kai farewell, we parted ways, ending another exhilarating ride!

Gravel Galore - NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED (3 June 2018)

World Bicycle Day

Breakfast at Restaurant Xing Ho

Metal truss bridge

New highway to Forest City

At Forest City

Enroute to Kg Simpang Arang

Vincent with his brand new bike

Forest City Golf Resort was in sight but there's no path leading to it!

Jimmy tested out the waters and suggested a detour!

Walking on soft sand

Sinking!!!

Definitely a few hundred grams heavier!

Giants!

Closing in on the resort

Deer by the resort

Train tracks

“Eeeeeeeekkkkkk!!!” squealed Claudine as soon as her left foot sank into the soft sand. Ankle deep, she tried to reverse but got her other foot in as well. Bursting with laughter, she thought she was the only one in trouble as she had tried to pave her way, refusing to follow the others.

Almost in synchrony, Jimmy was in trouble as well. Unlike a woman, all he said was, “I need help” as his leg went into the sand.....knee deep!!!

Earlier, we had rattled our way through a 5 km stretch of gravels and pot holes which also saw Vincent’s water bottle jumping out of its cage in an escape attempt! The vibrations on the road were so intense for Claudine, she suffered a short bout of itchiness caused by Vibratory urticaria. Topping her discomfort was the bowl of noodles with generous helpings of bird eye chilies from Restaurant Xing Ho!!!

Thankfully, our ordeal ended at the “quicksands” and Forest City Golf Resort was just right ahead. Coming up to the posh resort, the gardeners at work were kind enough to give us a good hose down!

Feeling lighter after shedding off the few hundred grams of sand and mud, we found ourselves riding out on brand new roads. Surrounded by mangrove swamps, we crossed the 2 metal truss bridges that traversed the river tributaries of Pulai before connecting with the grand highway to Forest City.

The ride into Forest City was interesting as the highway was decorated with mock figurines and playhouses. Sometimes, we caught familiar landmarks of Kampung Pendas. Once, Bernie almost turned into the North-South Highway!

Getting into the Complex was a breeze this time unlike our previous encounters. Just a short salute and before we knew it, we had arrived at the reception area.

As usual, we were not greeted by the sound play of kompang unlike the bus loads of investors that thronged in after us. No offense taken as we merely wanted the free drinks by the showroom and the possible use of toilet. Above all, we had not brought our cheque books with us!

While we were ecstatic with our freebies, the guards were not too happy our bikes had remained at the reception area. It was not our fault they had waved us into the reception area instead of the carpark which was a clear miscommunication on their side. Anyways, we were not to stay longer than a cup of tea which soon had us bidding our farewells.

Realizing we must have missed a turn in our earlier plotted route, our return trip had to be improvised by using the drain stairs on the flyover to Jalan Tanjung Kupang. Thereon, we made our way past Forest City’s site office and Warong Poyot.

Connecting with Jalan Kampung Ladang Darat, we met Joseph, a Forest City employee. A cyclist himself, he was heading back to Forest City where he now resides.

School was in session as we weaved our way through the staff’s residences of Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar. Thereafter, we made our way through a small hamlet, cut through a small segment of palm oil estate before arriving at Sunway Iskandar.

Then, it was home run!

Not quite what it seems as Vincent came to an abrupt stop once in Horizon Hills. It was his maiden ride on his new bike and the last slope was too daunting for a newbie. Pushing his bike up, he finally went back on the saddle when we hit flat ground. Garnering the respect from all, he finally touched base at Pan Kobo, clocking 58 km!


Photo courtesy :
KC

Ad Hoc Ride to Charcoal Factory (19 May 2018)

Happy to arrive safely with only screams from Eva and Claudine when they flew over a hole while Jolin merely dropped his bottle!

Philip was all smiles even though he was suffering from stomach upset

Peter "inviting" everyone to his new home!

TH's cunning grin is wider than his 700c wheelset as he gave the small wheelers a good chase!

Rina flying in her high profile wheels

Frankie opted for Dura ace, a lighter groupset

The route

The steam wafting out from the kiln

Burning logs to smoke the wood

A kiln going through a cooling down process

An empty kiln waiting to be loaded with logs

Logs that are debarked are ready to be stacked inside the kiln

The early morning shower had stopped long before our ride began. Unlike the main roads, the narrow passageways to the kampung were still wet with the occasional puddles. Droplets of moisture gathered on leaves gave an ethereal feel against the sunlight.

It was all rustic and beautiful at the charcoal kilns except for the wet, soggy ground. The tide has gone out, grounding the 2 boats filled with logs. Evidently, without a bobbing boat, unloading the logs becomes an easier task.

While we breathed in the air reeking in vinegar, the occasional sound of chainsaw biting into wood muffled our small talk. Nearer to us, the random thudding sound of a rubber mallet coming into contact with wood saw a primitive way of debarking a log.

As we ogled over the activities before us, a strange creature had followed us all the way from Gelang Patah. Falling from an angsana tree near KFC, it had landed on Claudine’s shoulder before taking refuge in her helmet.

The praying mantis had stayed on Claudine's helmet throughout the journey!

The praying mantis had deftly crawled up Henry's neck before it was released onto the grass

Assuming it to be crow’s droppings, she had come face to face with the insect before brushing it aside with a shriek, startling Henry at the same time. Perhaps it was good to have harboured it, for its incessant “prayers” must have helped us escape the huge hole in the palm oil estate with only screams and a fallen water bottle!

Convinced that we will bump into Philip, Peter and Richard as we head out of the Charcoal Factory, we left the little village. The trio were caught in an unusually long queue at the Woodlands CIQ this morning, a probable indirect cause to Malaysia’s GE14. Quipped as the mother of all elections which saw Pakatan Harapan coming into power, many Singaporeans had avoided coming into Malaysia in fear of unrest during the transition period. Perhaps, after lying in wait for 10 days, they are now, back with a vengeance!

We did meet them midway out of the palm oil estate. By then, we were hungry and decided to rendezvous at Restaurant Xing Ho, Gelang Patah for seafood noodles instead.

When our Singapore friends were finally seated down for breakfast with us, Richard was all excited over his little Malaysian souvenir. Picking up a blue Barisan National flag left unwanted in the kampung, he could very well be holding on to a little piece of fortune. Just as modern scales had replaced beam scales, the party logo could be a piece of heritage one day and the flag’s value will surely sky rocket!

Photo credits :
1. Ang Yee Ling
2. Richard Toh

For more information on how charcoal is made, please read :

http://amoithekampunggirl.blogspot.my/2017/01/recce-ride-to-charcoal-factories-31.html