Cendol to Cendol Ride!!! (26 February 2017)

The team with Saito

Chin Po with the Madcats

Emulating JKR's SOP, one person does the job while the rest look on!!

.....but when the camera is flicked out, he gave the thumbs up!

"The hills are alive...."

Choo Choo and Moo Moo!!!

Springy wantan mee with a shiny coat that could only be lard from Layang Layang

Cendol from Renggam ... tastes almost like Taiping's

JKR finally caught up!!! The 50 m gravel road is now yesterday's story

It was embarrassing to be late. Everyone were geared up and all ready when Claudine and VT pulled up at the car park. They tried their best to make up for the delay, one to unload and the other to set up. Thankfully, Foldies made it easier!

In less than 5 minutes, we started rolling. However, 1 km later, Claudine stopped to turn on her Strava! This was a new route which she MUST record for keepsakes!!!

Chasing the group, she spotted Thomas Tai by the side of the road, waiting. No ladies are to be left behind after last Wednesday night's attack on Sue! It was a nice and welcomed gesture.

The first 20 km route was on flat terrain going through Kg Sri Gambut. We suffered a 50m stretch of gravel road but beyond that was the perfect "bike path" that only saw 3 cars passing us. We traversed through quiet palm oil estates, rolled past a swab of cow dungs, went under the PLUS highway and even crossed Sungai Pontian Besar twice!!! Along the way we rolled alongside irrigation canals and watergates.

Exiting Kampung Rahmat, we joined the federal trunk road 1 of Jalan Kulai-Sedenak for a short while before turning to the quieter road of Jalan Sedenak. The climb began immediately and will continue for the next 23 km to Layang Layang.

After our first climb, we made our first pitstop at the Hua Guo Shan Temple. Saito who gave us a friendly honk at the junction below came out of his car to exchange greetings with us. This is his favourite playground, coming here often with the Madcats. Today, his 2 other friends were with him.

While we rode mostly in clusters and within sights of each other on the flat road earlier, the hills eventually separated us. The roadbikers had an advantage and sped ahead. VT was the first foldie to arrive at Layang Layang while Claudine who rode mostly alone was overtaken by Desmond on the last 500 meters!

Somewhere in the midst of the palm oil estate, Ah Ping had a puncture. Wong turned back to check on him while Tan and Suzie eventually caught up to give assistance. The poor souls arrived after everyone had finished breakfast!

Most of everyone elected to continue on as planned to Renggam. Even Yan Lin who arrived at Layang Layang alone and ahead of the tyre rescue team was all roaring to go. All except VT who elected to return to Hua Guo Shan to wait for the returning party.

There are only 3 hills to Renggam. Gradual but long, the climb seems never ending! Still in good spirits, we arrived to iced cold Cendol, courtesy of Ah Ping! 

 

Just as before, we were separated again on our return to Layang Layang. This cannot be avoided as everyone have different climbing abilities. 

Arriving back at Guang Fatt Wantan Mee shop, Bernie called quits. Yan Lin and Tan who feared the next set of hills, jumped on the support car. They dropped off at Hua Guo Shan to finish the last leg home.

Chin Po, who was part of the remaining 6 riders was first to arrive at the temple. He was followed closely by Claudine. However, Ah Ping had another puncture midway which held back Thomas, Wong and Desmond, lending a helping hand.

As the group had planned for a lunch break of Ham Cha, a healthy concoction of tea and mint soup taken mostly with vegetarian rice, VT and Claudine left for base on their own. Even with Hakka blood running in his blood stream, VT had not acquired the mint taste! Thomas too, skipped lunch and rode back to base alone!

Everyone suffered the scorching afternoon sun but some unlucky ones like VT and Claudine were trapped by hot tar at Kg Sri Gambut! The road was so narrow, there was no escape route! They suffered the last few kilometers riding on wheels laden with tar, adding extra weight and extra rolling resistance!!! As Claudine rolled back to base at the Cendol stall at Jalan Melayu Raya, it is indeed "food' for thoughts that our route has 2 ends of Cendol, the other one at the Renggam railway station!!