Recce ride to Charcoal Factories (31 December 2016)

A working kiln with vapour coming out from the chimney

Burning firewood to smoke the wood in the kiln

With Pak Dollah

Mangrove trunks, some debarked in the background

Low tide

River scenes

Kg Orang Asli

Kg Orang Asli

Pet or cruelty?

Pet or food?

Jackfruit, the largest fruit in the world

Charcoal

Kg Simpang Arang had always fascinated Claudine. Back in 2015, some of her riding friends had visited the place a few times but somehow she always missed those trips! The low downs, reports from the returning convoy were "dirty environment", "bumpy roads" and "a long way in from the main road". While they returned with beautiful shots of a riverside filled with logs, there were no photos of burning charcoal kilns.

Thanks to social media, Claudine's interest was stirred once again, when she saw her friend's FB post. Checking with her to confirm the location, she even went on to give a status update of the work in progress.

Meanwhile, TH who did not make this ride, had once, driven into the kampung. He gave a good description of the place and even charted a possible route to a few more kilns around Gelang Patah.

Thus on the morning of the ride, our small group of 6 riders set off from Horizon Hills heading for Gelang Patah. We kept the ride low keyed as none of us knows the exact way and what to expect.

Following TH's route, we rode to Kg Jelutong Tengah, turning left into Jalan Jelutong 2. We were pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful, narrow road that cuts right through a palm oil estate. Where the road turned right, a small little brook runs alongside.

We were all in good mood, excited about the discoveries we will make today. Unfortunately, Jalan Jelutong 2 only leads to a dead end! After a few enquiries with the local folks and a double check on Google Maps, we realized there were no through road to Kg Melayu Dapur Arang, one of our destination today.

Passing the helm to Paul, he led us to Jalan Jelutong 1 with one hand on the handlebar and the other on Google Maps! This narrow road runs parallel to the perimeter fence of a construction site. On the other side of the road are old rubber trees, overgrown with shrubs.

We rode along this straight road which led us up a shady slope. At the end of the road, we turned left at a tiny T-junction with a signage, Jalan Damai. Immediately after this, we started on a 50 m dirt road, filled with rocks and pot holes. Then, we entered Kg Melayu Gelang Patah.

We were merely passing through the kampung. We spotted a school, some wooden shops and then, we crossed a monsoon drain. Here on, Paul told us we were already in the heart of Gelang Patah!

Passing by what looked like new village homes, a Briggs' plan to segregate the predominantly Chinese villagers from the communist party during the Malayan Emergency, Paul led us to Kg Melayu Dapur Arang. It was fascinating to see our first 2 kilns right at the edge of Gelang Patah! Even the road had to wind itself around the kilns, a clear oversight on the town planner!

Crossing the bridge and riding alongside the river with the mangrove swamp, the landscape was dotted with charcoal kilns. We stopped to chat with a lady at work who was filling up a lorry with bags of charcoal. She confirmed there are more kilns around the area but sadly some of hers' were no longer in use.

Government quarters at FRI

Heading out of Gelang Patah, we passed the market place, then circled the bus station. Heading towards Pendas, we did a short detour to the Fishery Research Institute (FRI). 

Riding out, a private taxi from Mersing stopped us for directions to Puteri Harbour Ferry Terminal. His Indonesian passenger was bound for Karimon Island but our taxi man had assumed FRI stood for FERI in malay!!!!!

Setting his directions right, we finally headed for Kg Simpang Arang. The road in was just as interesting as the kampung itself. We cut through palm oil estates and a nursery. Then we rode under a railway bridge before arriving at the orang asli village. 

The natives with curly hair and unwashed faces greeted us with smiles and waves. Little children wandered on the street, many with bare bottoms! Even dogs were running wild!! Be careful where you step as there were excrement every where!!!

At what looked like the epicenter of the village, a queer red urn with jossticks and altar stood! Passing the village and just before the charcoal kilns was a small Chinese burial ground. This gives hindsight to the Chinese ethnicity.

The charcoal kiln we visited was right at the river banks. Beyond was a mangrove swamp that provides wood to the kilns. A few wooden jetties with small sampans dotted the river scenes.

At the charcoal kiln, Pak Dollah explained to us that the wood for charcoal is smoked close to one month to remove all water content. After that a cooling down period of another month is required before the kiln can be opened to remove the charcoal.

Pak Dollah showing us the boat he repaired

Pak Dollah is a knowledgeable man telling us about the other kilns around the area. He even knows about the charcoal kilns in Taiping and the different methods applied. Hailing from Endau Rompin, he has been in this industry since 1967! He can even build boats!!!

We left the village feeling accomplished. Riding out, 2 squirrels crossed Claudine's path as if to say au revoir. We had had an educational tour, discovered new places and even made a new friend. It was a great morning spent with good friends that ended with a nice breakfast of seafood noodle at Restoran Xing Ho.

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Fun facts about the kilns :

1. There are several kilns in Kg Simpang Arang (KSA). The one we visited is owned by a Singaporean residing in JB. Next door, is another kiln owned by an orang asli with mixed Chinese parentage.

2. The logs at KSA are stacked horizontal; whereas the ones in Taiping are stacked vertical with each log measuring 1.6 meters.

3. While the fireplace in KSA are jutting out like an igloo entrance, the ones in Taiping are part of the doorway. The igloo types are easier to manage i.e. less risk of getting the wood in the kiln burnt.

4. The doorway of the kilns at KSA are semi circled at the top while the ones in Taiping are slightly triangular at the top, for ease of construction.

5. The kilns at KSA requires 1 month of smoking and another month of cooling down period whereas in Taiping, the process requires 10 days of big fire, 14 days of small fire and 8 days of cooling down period.

6. The kilns currently used for production at KSA are made out of bricks. Adjacent to it are 2 abandoned kilns made out of earth which takes longer to heat and longer to cool hence a longer period of time required before production is complete.

Kilns made from earth, abandoned