Sg. Lembing Mtb Challenge

Cycling is an addictive hobby. If you're hooked, no place is too far to go, no mountain too high to cycle, etc. When I first heard of this mountain bike race held in Sg.Lembing, the first thing that came to mind is "Where is Sg. Lembing?". A quick search revealed it is almost 300 km away, about 4 1/2 hours drive from Melaka. I remember driving to Kuantan for our family holiday 2 years back and felt it was a long drive. Looks like another long trip to a place that is just 30 minutes away to Kuantan.

Come Labour day in May, it's another long drive to Kulim, Kedah to take part in their night ride jamboree.

Went for my first mountain bike challenge in Sg. Lembing, Pahang on 20 & 21 March.
My category was the Veteran B, 41 - 15 years age.

I have been to quite a number of mountain bike jamborees and this was a different experience but I gotta to admit that I didn't go for the experience but rather the jersey that is given that attracted my attention.

Didn't take many photos as I forgot to charge the camera battery before going. Got this few photos below from facebook posting by other participants and some taken with the phone camera. Note of thanks to the persons whose photos I used.


What a tranquil town that time forgot. A peaceful and scenic town.
Main street

Don't know the age of the tree but it is definitely very old. Good job by the local municipality in maintaining the trees when they develop the main street.

Something new among the old. A newer and modern lodging place to stay. The contact number if you are interested. Lembing Country View Inn 019-9126369 & 019-9176360

Road signs in English, something rare nowadays in Malaysia.

Our Malacca group stayed at Sg. Lembing Rest House, a coffeeshop cum resthouse. Large bedrooms at the back with domitery style double decker beds.

Food - did some research on food in Sg. Lembing found out that the roast fork and biscuits are good. There are 2 places to buy roast pork but we managed to find 1 that was close to our resthouse. I wish I can repeat the good reviews posted on travel sites but found nothing special about it. The biscuits shop that sold Sg. Lembing speciality, Sungai Lembing coconut biscuit and the tau sar piah with black tau sah fillings, did live up to it's reputation - Good stuff!
Don't forget to try the fried mee that is springy (like spaghetti) and cooked with sweet sour source.

The difference between taking part in a mtb jamboree and race is the level of intensity. You can take your time and plan your ride on a 40 km or more ride. A race of only 16 - 20 km requires fast pick up and a consistent energy to complete the race. The initial 3 laps were torturing as I was panting and gasping for oxygen to refresh the tired muscles. It became easier after that as the body warmed up and you paced the ride to a comfortable cycling level.

We were encouraged to test the track before the race. I remember cycling to the 1st steep downhill area and saying to myself that I must be crazy to cycle down. Then, after flag off, everything is forgotten and you just take the plunge.

Waiting for flag off

The photo below is one of the most challenging area of the race where you need nerves of steel to cycle, no...cycle is not right word...glide down the steep terrain. My category required us to cycle 8 laps which meant 8 times going through the same routes, obstacles and challenges like the one below. On my 7th lap, with much less energy and concentration, I fell off the bike after gliding down this area. Fortunately, it was also my last lap as the champion rider had already completed 8 laps and finished the race. No regrets of finishing 7 out of 8 laps.

A satisfied customer

Just trashed a very expensive bike

A sight for sore eyes. The finishing line.

Quotable Quotes

When you cycle with friends, you can get gems with the quotes that they make.
Will start with a few and reveal more as I hear them.

"It's not that I cannot cycle up, the terrain is not suitable"

On cycling up a steep terrain
"The back wheel is spinning because the legs are too powerful"
- Sifu Heng LH

"My bicycle won't move, so I had to push it up"
- Sifu Kalvin

If you have any cycling quotes or heard of any good ones, please share it by clicking on the comments button

January Hash Ride 2010

What a good ride it was! Made even better with a huge turnout of 51 guests and 20 members. Hare Cedric "The Swiss Connection" Bourquenee did a fine job of setting 31 km of nice cross country trail with a few hills thrown in to get the sweat glands working! He was kind enough to cut 7 km of the original plan to cater for the newbies.

Loi and Fairuz on the tandem bike going to the hash site

What is up in the sky? The paratroopers doing sky diving.

The huge turnout

Cedric doing the hearing

When we arrived at the start venue, I realised I only had the pair of slipper on and had left my cycling shoes at home. Luckily my wife was kind enough to bring them over and I started about 10 minutes late after flag off. It wasn't long before I caught up with some riders that were helping each other cross a ditch



Just a couple of kilometers ahead and we saw the front riders closing the loop and we decided to do a short cut and join them. That chicken trail cut short the distance of about 7 km. Just ahead was Cedric waiting with supply of fresh water, isotonic drinks and bananas. A sight for sore eyes.

Rudy in a Mac Gyver moment using what is available to tie the sole of his shoe

Got it!

After the water break, it was fast riding all the way to complete the 2nd part of the hash. Overall it was a good ride with varied terrain.

Thanks to guests from around Malacca, Mastana (Masjid Tanah), Batu Pahat's Nature Bikers Club and others that we may have left out, that made this hash ride successful and "meriah". Not to leave out the support of our own members, new and old.

The 1st recipient of the FRB Trophy goes to Sim Seng Chai. Congratulations on being January's Fast Riding Bastard!Sim Seng Chai

We now look forward to February's Hash Ride in Jasin which we heard will be another good ride as the Jasin Mtb group is giving us preliminary test ride of their coming Jamboree Ride.

Plus Mastanah Mtb group has volunteered to do the hash ride for March in the area of Masjid Tanah.

A very good start for 2010. Come and join us at the next ride on 28th February (Sunday). Location will be announced later.

Till then, Ride Safe!

On! On!

Advert

This has to be one of the best singles ads ever printed.

It was reported to have been listed in the Atlanta Journal:

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Over 15,000 men found themselves talking

to the Atlanta Humane Society about an

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Men are so thoughtful and caring.

Avatar

I recently went to watch the movie Avatar with my 2 older children.

I did not read much about it, but the very large outdoor poster hung at Mahkota Parade that looked so interesting that made me complied to watch it.

And then to find out it was in 3D made it even more interesting. Never mind the high ticket price of RM17.00 per person. It's not often we get to watch movies in 3D, let alone in Melaka.

What I want to say is that when it ended, I told my children it was the best movie I had ever watched in a long time.

Don't take my word for it. Go for it. The solid story line, the realistic computer generated images, the haunting soundtracks and best of all, the feel good feeling after the movie ended makes this movie one of my all time best.

Once again, watch it in 3D before it ends it's runs. Nothing beats watching a movie on the big screen.

Happy New Year 2010

Incredible Weight Loss story

I love a good story especially when it comes the determination of the human spirit.

Read this incredible story here by a cyclist who lost 331 pounds.