East Coast Ride (19-31 March 2018), Day 3 : Kuala Rompin to Pekan

At the informal truck stop by the beach

With Lee at Hotel Vogue, Kuala Rompin. Lee is also a cyclist!

Breakfast

At Kekunang Tering

At Agrobazaar

At My Mama

Pekan

Treasured moments with Mr Lim

Claustrophobic?

Leaving Kuala Rompin

Crossing the Pahang River

Pekan

Pekan

Pekan

Pekan

Arriving at our breakfast stop this morning, a Honda CRV cruised past us at low speed with its window down. Smiling to us shyly from the driver seat was non other than Lee, Isaac’s brother and co-owner of Hotel Vogue. It was so heartwarming to know he had secretly tailed after us, making sure we find the recommended breakfast stop!

Without a signboard and tucked away in an enclave with only Tunas Manja Supermarket as a landmark, this food haven is indeed a local secret, passed on by word of mouth.

Auntie with her stylish hairstyle serves fantastic prawn noodle, curry mee and yong tau foo, paying a justified tribute to a town famous for fishing. Everything had tasted so fresh!

The ride out of town on coastal route 3 was a mundane one. Settlements were sparse and vegetations were low lying. There were little protection from the sun and the wind.

Spinning along the bare countryside, Claudine soon spotted basic shelters to her left. Comprising 4 poles and a simple zinc roof, she was surprised they were built to protect new graves from the elements!

The hot morning took a sudden turn when cloud covers began to blow in. We were thrilled with the sudden coolness it offered. Shrouded in semi darkness, we were eerily going through a small forest with bee infested trees. Hives were spotted on many trees!

Closing in on the junction to Muadzam, a line of food shops decked the road. A popular stop amongst lorry drivers, it also taps on visitors to Menchali Recreational Forest.

As the weather was still cloudy, we did not stop for long to enjoy the well managed forest which fringed the coastal road. Instead, we pushed on for Pekan with KC, still holding on to a lighted cigarette!!!

Soon, we began rolling past stalls after stalls selling wooden chopping boards. Once in a while, more refined woodwork of ladle, bowls and toys were spotted.

Sometimes, a whole family can be seen, sprawled over wooden sheds with mengkuang leaves for roof. Looking hopelessly bored most of the time, these Orang Asli from Kampung Orang Asli Sembayan were trading in sea coconut and mussels.

Tea and traditional kuih at Mercung. Strangely, there was a short power failure in the area. Power returned as we were preparing to leave!

As we approached the river estuary of Sungai Mercung, the inlet provided the sea water necessary for fish farming. Passing by the man made ponds, we saw many paddle wheel aerator at work; churning water to allow the transfer of oxygen through air-water contact.

In an open area like this, we were subjected to the full fledged sun. Gone were the rain clouds, blown away by the strong wind.

It was also along this route that we came upon truck cabins together with chassis and wheels stored in an opened fenced up area. All brand new, we wondered where they will be heading to!

Classic way of selling groundnuts

We were left dry for a long time, but soon spotted our first refuge. The old Caltex petrol station in Nenasi, hailing from the heydays, was in dire need for upgrading.

Turning in, Claudine’s disappointment soon turned to relief when she found out cold drinks were sold from a refrigerator in their non-air conditioned office! A deja-vu feeling swept over her as she recalled making the same stop with her family in 2015.

Making our way out of the old petrol station, one man on a scrambler was speeding on counter traffic towards us. Coming to a screech, Pak Yus introduced himself as the owner of Kekunang Tering Chalet.

Even though we had confessed to our pre bookings at Pekan, we still received invitations to view the place. Delighted, we had a go at it as it helps to kill boredom and the road ahead was pretty much a dreary one!

Tube Capsule

Tree house

Campsite with hammocks

Toilet with open skylight

Open shower area

The chalets at Kekunang Tering are built amongst nature with minimal environmental damage. Shrouded in trees, the whole area is cool even at midday, making it possible to sit by the beach on a hot sunny afternoon. Offering alternative accommodations such as tube capsules and a tree house, a campsite with proper shower facilities is also made available to those who prefer a closer contact with nature. Another family chalet with ensuite bathroom was going through it’s final touches of construction when we were there. 

After bidding farewell to the caretaker of Kekunang Tering, we collected Jenny from the road junction and continued our journey to Pekan. She had decided to stay on high ground after yesterday’s play on the beach which had weighed her shoe down with fine sand!

On the move once more, the midday sun was getting unbearable. Unmotivated, Claudine soon gave up her chase on KC and Jenny. Riding alone with no signs of VT and Mr Lim, every shade across the road was like a temptress, luring her to take refuge.

Literally sitting by the roadside!

Finally buckling to temptations, she crossed the road to take cover from the sun. Under the cool shades of trees, she munched her dates as waited for the rest.

A few kilometers down the road, KC and Jenny were also taking a break. An informal truck stop by a beachfront, the casuarina trees in the area offered the much needed shade. Sadly littered with rubbish it was disheartening to note the nonchalant attitudes of the traders and truckers alike!

Regrouped at the truck stop, we continued our pursue for Pekan. Faced with hot sun and strong headwinds, the ladies were drafting behind VT. This time, KC took a backseat preferring to sweep Mr Lim.

An hour later, we made a break at the first fruit stall we saw along the road. An agrobazaar selling local produce, we hydrated on fresh pineapples and guava.

The last 20 km was a daze. We knew we had to fight on and so we did! Getting to the finish line in a string of clouds, Claudine could hardly remember anything. But it was a day of many river crossings and when the road finally runs parallel with the majestic Pahang River, familiar landmarks began popping up.

Eager to return to her family’s favourite restaurant in Pekan, Claudine led the team to My Mama Nasi Kukus. A fast food chain that originally sells fried chicken in spices, they have ventured further to rendangs and curries.

Coincidentally, the owner and his wife were on their rounds, visiting their chain of outlets when we were there. Taken to us, we started a conversation which led to some photo takings. Unfortunately, while we graced their albums and likewise, we were never offered any freebies! Not even a cold glass of water!!!!

After lunch, we did a little bit of sightseeing around town. Covering the river promenade, the muzium and the old mosque, a better sight awaits us at the bottleneck along Jalan Sultan Ahmad. Scores of Le Tour de Langkawi 2018 team and crew members, enroute to Bentong were caught in Pekan’s famous traffic jam. At a standstill sometimes, it was easy for us, fans, to meet and greet them.

Bike friendly hotel allows their guests to park in the store. However, amenities need to be requested.

When we were done feasting on the eye candies, we headed for our hotel. Located 8 km away from town and on the other side of the river bank, we got there in no time, spurred on by more and more sightings of the international bike race community.

Meanwhile, another eye candy had approached Claudine at the hotel lobby. A cyclist himself but non pro, Tom Cheng was one of Claudine’s earliest riding buddies. Like most family man, responsibilities has taken over hobby and he is now rarely seen in the riding community.

That night, we had a simple dinner of fried rice, tomyam soup and the likes at a food court in front of Hotel Bajet Warisan. A Wednesday night market across the street was drawing in the crowds. Next to it was a local hypermarket. But it was McDonald’s that we honoured, delighting ourselves to their sundaes before calling it a night.


Photo Credit :
KC

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Pekan Auto City Budget Hotel

East Coast Ride (19-31 March 2018), Day 2 : Mersing to Kuala Rompin

Air Papan rice fields

Dimsum breakfast

Jenny, thanking the kind stall owner who gave each of us 2 pau for the road

Mural at Mersing

Dabbing in the middle of the rice fields

Long walk

Picnic at Pulau Mawar

Picnic at Pulau Mawar

Bak Kut Teh lunch at Endau

Dinner

Born the same year???

After yesterday’s hard labour of slogging under the hot sun, we were in no hurry to rush off. Besides, the expected 80 km distance to Kuala Rompin will be a far cry in comparison to the previous day’s feat.

Starting the day on a right note with old school dimsum dished out by the handsome stall owner of Kedai Makanan Thai, we returned to Embassy hotel to collect our bikes and bags. A bike friendly enterprise, the staff had allowed us to park in their empty store at the old wing which also comes with a water cooler on the first floor.

Making our way up the mosaic stairs from the 1950’s one could understand the haunted stories that plagues the place. Word of mouth is shared that one particular room remain vacant no matter what. Looking on as we filled our water bottles, non of the housekeeping staff looked the wee bit worried as they pottered away in the dingy rooms.

Riding out of town, we circled the town’s busy roundabout, rode across the bridge that traversed the Mersing river and connected with J80. A quiet coastal road with a beachfront, it was strategically planted with trees that offer the much needed shade on a hot morning! 

Soon, we crossed yet another river and turned right for Air Papan. Here, golden rice fields greeted us. A breathtaking sight, we could not resist a photo stop, hence upsetting a flock of geese that could very well have honked till they were hoarse!

Leaving the rice fields, we turned left and followed J78, cutting through the hills. After a good 8-10 km climb, we came across a lone monkey, an alpha male that might have been cast off by its troop!

Not long after, we began cruising downhill. Approaching the junction ahead, Claudine wrinkled her nose at the sight of a bus stop filled with goat droppings! In fact, all bus stops along the beach front were filled with animal droppings!

Hoping to have a picnic by the beach, KC had already made plans for us. Familiar with the route, he called for a stop at the first gerai on Teluk Resang as drink stops are far to come by as we venture further down.

Chatting with the village folks we gained knowledge of the various meat farms in the area. Sheep, goats and cows are reared primarily for their meat, hence grooming takes a back seat! This explains the dirty, raggedy looks of the sheep in the area.

Our much anticipated picnic took place in the most unassuming place. Turning off the main road and heading for Zul Penyabung Chalet, we rode to the edge of the sea. A tidal isle stood proudly from the waters, connected to the mainland by a tiny strip of sandbank.

At 11 am, the sun was almost at its zenith. The calm sea and white sands acted as mirrors, reflecting the sun’s ray! We were double baked as we made our way to our picnic spot. 

Walking along the soft sand was tough work. Pushing our bikes made it worse!

Look, Ma! I am walking on water!!!

Soon we “disappeared” off the grid altogether! As this tiny strip of land is submerged during high tide, it is not visible on any maps.

View of the tidal isle from the bridge

View of the old bridge

After our nice little picnic, we made our way back to the coastal road. Crossing the bridge that traverse Sungai Mawar, we could not help but stop to take a second glance of our little enclave.

Soon, we left the coastal road as well, for a short respite from the sun. Joining J69 which runs parallel to the coast, it was embowered in trees. Quaint kampung houses decked with floral gardens tantalized our senses.

Emerging out of Kampung Teriang and back on course later, again we suffered the afternoon sun. Far from the beachfront with only shrubs and bushes as vegetation, we were doomed to a hot and boring time.

Thus, when we spotted a roadside stall much later, we behaved like castaways on a desert island. Almost akin to discovering an oasis, we rushed in to take cover from the sun.

Supposedly, an ais kacang stall, they were out of this shaved ice concoction. Nevertheless, we were happy with their 100 Plus and Revive to which 100 Plus gets the full score after a taste test!

Dousing our clothes with water, we braved the sun and heat for Endau. Some went to the extremes of using iced water! Unfortunately, this cooling ritual did not last the whole 7 km journey and within 10 minutes, we were back to square one!

Arriving in Endau, we headed for a Bak Kut Teh lunch despite the terrible heat. Located on Jalan Besar, this famous outlet drew in a large crowd, even on a weekday!

Armed with a great recipe, their business model was even better! Treating weary cyclists to a bunch of bananas almost guarantee a good review!

After lunch, we crossed the Endau River and entered the State of Pahang. Fishing boats from each respective state were parked on their respective embankments with the river acting as a border.

On Pahang’s side of Tanjung Gemok, the marina saw a number of passenger ferries heading for famous dive islands. An alternative ferry terminal to Tioman Island, it is fast gaining popularity as its sailing times are not subjected to the tides, unlike Mersing.

Beyond the river mouth, the rest of the journey to Kuala Rompin was a boring one. Traveling on the trunk road, buses and lorries were aplenty. There was nothing much to see besides the occasional road side stall.

Not motivated to ride, we made a stop after a mere 15 km. Taking a break at a bus stop which seems to be in the middle of nowhere, it actually caters to the students of SMK Pontian Jaya which was tucked away behind the trees.

Rolling into Hotel Vogue at Kuala Rompin after our final 8 clicks, we were delighted to find it almost brand new! Only slightly more than one month old, the towels and beddings were still plush. Making up for the lack of room space, the young owners allowed us to park our bikes in the lobby!

In fact, we received the highest hospitality from these folks when they offered to drive us to town for dinner and back, not in one but two cars! In order not to take advantage of their kindness, we squeezed ourselves into one car and chose to walk back so as not to trouble them.

That night, we had dinner in a restaurant recommended by them. While the hot plate squid received tremendous ratings, the rest of the dinner soon fell apart. The tipping point was the gigantic fish head which arrived late and was not quite what we had expected! We had wanted a whole sea bass and not a monster head at that!

Looking over our table, a threesome were enjoying the meat from our same fish. After a friendly conversation with them, we discovered a homecoming of sorts for a school principal who has been teaching in Brunei for almost 20 years. Much to our surprise, we learnt from these avid anglers that the more coveted part of the fish is actually the HEAD!!!

After dinner, we took a slow walk back to our hotel. A small town famous for Marlin fishing, Claudine discovered the town’s pharmacy was all ready to dispense motion sickness pills. Choosing Veloxin, a non sleepy medication over the other pills on the shelf, she was all ready for her up and coming boat trip to Pulau Perhentian.

Our 2 km walk back to the hotel turned out to be longer than anticipated. An unpleasant walk in pitch darkness except for the occasional lorries screaming past, we regretted our decision.

Finally arriving at the hotel, the desire to compensate for a bad dinner made us make a beeline to the opposite roadside stall. Well, let’s just say our dreams that night were fueled by mee hailam and keropok lekor!!! 


Photo Credit :
KC

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Hotel Vogue, Kuala Rompin

 

 

East Coast Ride (19-31 March 2018), Day 1 : Long and Winding Road

At the WW2 bunker

Permas Bridge

Viaduct

Puteri Wangsa

Enroute to Kota Tinggi

Cheese U Bistro, Kota Tinggi

Right after Restoran Soon Huat

Jemaluang - Endau junction

Mersing by night

Riding out from home when it was still pitch dark and catching the sunrise as they were approaching Danga Bay, VT and Claudine finally made it to the city when it was all bright. Arriving at the meet up point, KC was found perched over the silver iconic Jawi alphabets of Johor. Greeting them instead, while he took his final photo shots was Jenny, who was still nursing a bad cough.

After a short greeting, the four of us hurried off, riding towards Stulang Laut. On a Saturday and the first day of school break, the road hugging the coastline was quiet. Passing by Foon Yew High School, a popular private institution, famous for churning out great scholars, it was devoid of any human activity.

Right before The Zon Duty Free and Ferry Terminal, we turned left, weaving their way past Stulang Laut flats. The famous Foon Yew Laksa stood amongst the bright stalls at the food promenade along the road.

Turning right at the end of the junction, we rode under the elevated highway of Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL), enjoying the shades it offers while marveling at the art exhibits displayed along its concrete pillars. Far away, to our extreme right are the palace gardens of Istana Pasir Putih and the Equestrian Park.

As we ventured further along the road, Restaurant Ah Meng, a strong contender to the famous San Low noodles, lay hidden amongst a short row of shop houses. It should be easier to spot the place during operating hours, judging by the number of cars that are usually parked close to its vicinity.

Crossing the Permas Bridge, traffic began to pile up long before the structure itself. At the junction turnoff for highway 35, VT fell as his front wheel touched Jenny’s rear tyres. She had halted over cleats and a confusion of revving motorcycles!

Once over the bridge, we took Jalan Permas Utara, skirting past the west wing of Aeon Permas Jaya. Traffic here was low until Jalan Masai Lama which saw pot holes, a collapsed bridge and a temporary bypass, giving rise to a bottleneck congestion.

Leaving the chaos at Giant Plentong and weaving our way through Taman Johor Jaya and Taman Desa Jaya, we came to an abrupt stop at the junction to Jalan Kota Tinggi. Dumbfounded, the route recommended by Andy only allows traffic heading to the city!

Enquiring with a motorcyclist at the traffic lights just before the junction, he led them through the inner roads to BHP petrol station. Thereon, he pointed out the viaduct to them, saving the day!

On another side of JB, Mr Lim had been whisked to Taman Puteri Wangsa by friend, Jeffrey Kok. Over there, he was met by Irene and Mr Tan who had come to bid the expedition a great success. Thus when we finally rolled into the suburb, we were given a warm welcome by the waiting group.

We are now complete as a team. Leaving for Kota Tinggi after a quick breakfast, compliments of Mr Tan, traffic was manageable though noisy. We enjoyed a four lane highway with wide road shoulders throughout the way.

Arriving at Kota Tinggi, KC brought us to Cheese U Bistro, a cafe and dessert joint he recently visited whilst on a short LTF tour. Serving mainly cakes and sandwiches, we were still heavy from breakfast and thus settled for drinks only. The staff there were surprisingly nice, filling up our water bottles with ice cold water for free!

Connecting with Highway 3 again, the road towards Mersing downgraded to a narrow 2 lane trunk road. Rolling along, we past the gateway to Panti Forest Reserve, famed for their spectacular waterfalls and leeches. Meanwhile, all was quiet at Kiang Kee Bak Kut Teh which was closed on a Monday.

Soon, we passed the familiar saw mills which posed as landmarks for the turnoff to Tg Sedili. Not far after this junction, we made a stop for lunch at Restoran Soon Huat, a popular haunt with truck drivers. A Chinese “chap fun” shop, the braised pig trotters was a big draw, even pulling in some orang Asli patronage.

Lunch was surprisingly delicious. Not only did it appeal to the blue collared workers, it also brought in many flies. While the proprietor was efficient, he was more crude than his customers, slapping us with extra 50 cents for Chinese tea top ups, no charities here!

Wheeling out from the shop, we discovered yet another saw mill directly opposite the eatery. The total count was actually 5; 3 before the Tg Sedili junction and 2 after!

Not far ahead WW2 pill boxes decked the road. Built by the British Army to slow down the imperial Japanese soldier’s advances to the south, they now serve as relics from the past.

Not motivated to ride in the hot sun after lunch, we were making stops almost every hour. The famed rolling hills of Jemaluang began right after our first stop at R&R Felcra Berhad Dusun Panti.

Initially gradual, the climbs became more punishing right after our second stop. The hills preceding our wooden kedai runcit stop, appear like a mirage of a 4 storied building .... 4 continuous climbs with 4 plateaus!!!

At our third hourly stop, the sun had become very intense. Claudine refused to budge for a full half hour while a confused Mr Lim entered a prayers room, mistaking it for a washroom! While both individuals could have been suffering from mild dehydration for all we know, Jenny was swinging arms and legs from the bus stop below, ushering everyone to get moving!

Move along we did but only on our own terms. And when our next set of hills looked unlikely to flatten out, Claudine decided to chill by the roadside, egged on by VT and Mr Lim. They replenished on dates while she rested her back for the second time; lying on prickly grass by the roadside. By then, the sun had tilted slightly towards the horizon, casting shadows over the hill slopes.

Rolling out after a good break, the trio found KC and Jenny waiting by the other side of the hill slope. As everyone had rested, we moved out immediately, chasing after Jemaluang town which came quite soon.

A small Chinese town, the row of shophouses with a road frontage looked almost deserted at 5.30 pm. KC cleverly took us to the corner coffee shop, tucked away behind where we slurped up red bean soup as the proprietors cleaned up for the day.

With only 22 km more to Mersing, we were in good spirits when we left the old folks of Jemaluang. Found chatting away under the cool shades of a rain tree, right next to a Taoist altar, they looked at us with deep curiosity.

Rolling out of town, we past the primary school and village settlements. Then, we came to a new row of shop lots, marveling at its non existing developments. Instead, many new units have been converted into high class boarding for swallows!

Next to a hill-slope, 3 km away, lies the great ancestors of the town. A young man was spotted, throwing joss papers over a grave, one of the intricate rituals observed during Ching Ming prayers.

After the collapse on 14 January 2018

Repair almost completed

Soon we witnessed the fury of nature as we rolled past the ongoing roadworks on a collapsed section. 3 persons had narrowly escaped death on 14 January 2018, when their vehicle skidded and plunged into a ravine near the cave in.

Approaching Mersing, the young cadets at Institute Latihan Police were enjoying a nice game of football on their lush fields. With yet another cemetery spotted, the town was stubbornly elusive. Every bus stop taunted Claudine to take a break.

Finally, the archway to Mersing was spotted! At the end of it stood KC and Jenny, rooting for her to cross the finish line. When she did, she threw her bike aside, walked to the school’s bus stop and took a well deserved rest.

It took another 20 minutes for VT and Mr Lim to arrive. By then, we had been informed via WhatsApp on his leg cramps, doing away with any speculations.

United again, we rode the last 3 km to Mersing Hotel. Taken aback by its non existent frontage, we decided to recce for a room at Embassy Hotel. Supposedly haunted on the older wing, we booked ourselves into the new wing, at a rate lower than the former. As Mersing Hotel had goofed up the room reservations twice, giving us 2 rooms instead of 3, we did not habour any guilt when we called to cancel on them.

After checking in, we decided to go directly for dinner. Dusk was settling in by then and the birds were returning to roost on the electric cables. 

Planning to dine at Margaret’s initially, she was fully booked for the night. Instead, we settled down at Ee Lo which was equally satisfying, especially after a century ride distance!!!