Huff and Puff at Cherengin Hills

Low morning clouds at the hills in front of the resort.

One of the many types of flowers found at the resort.

A tranquil place, deep amongst the lush green hills, but only an hour's drive from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. That was where my department had organised it's team building this year, at the Cherengin Hills Convention & Spa Resort, Janda Baik, Pahang.

Breakfast with a cool ambiance.

Perched on top of a hill, the resort overlooked the small village of Kampung Janda Baik. It is a somewhat medium sized resort with air conditioned clean modern rooms for stay, having adequate free WIFI, adult and kiddies swimming pools, spa and even wild forest in it's ground for jungle trekking activities. However, despite being on high ground, the temperature at the resort is much warmer compared to nearby Genting Highlands or Bukit Tinggi, to the extent a jacket is not even needed at night. The food at the resort has also limited range, only 3 main dishes, mostly traditional Malay, and a variety of snack food. But what it lacks in variety, it succeeds in taste. Except for the nasi lemak (a Malay traditional food) which I find the sambal (a component of the nasi lemak) only mediocre, other offerings were majorly superb.

Building the base of a tent strong enough to support
the weight of an adult, all within 15 minutes. 

The first day at the resort was being free and easy, followed by 2 days of collaborative activities which was tiring but weirdly fun. Well, it was team building after all. But I did not expect to go hiking in the jungle again so soon after my climb at Bukit Kutu (in a previous blog post here) :P

Jungle hiking again?!

In summary, I had a great time. Yes, I missed my wifey and kids, and even missed the annual Hari Tenaga Pengajar (translated as "Instructors Day") for PSSCPUHM (Persatuan Seni Silat Cekak Pusaka Hanafi Malaysia, a society dedicated in the teachings of a Malay traditional martial art) which I am a member of. All that, unfortunately, cannot be avoided at the moment :P

Hashtags: #cyborg #cherenginhills #jandabaik #pahang #saibog #teambuilding

The Putrajaya Main Island Lakeside Loop

On the way to the Putrajaya
main island lakeside loop.

An incredibly scenic route, the Putrajaya main island lakeside loop is touted to be one of the best path for cyclist in Malaysia. The 10.5km stretch of relatively flat pedestrian road can be covered well within 1-3 hours of cycling.

My entry point to the loop.

I first learnt of the circular route from Google Maps and then from a cyclist blog (here). Several minutes later, armed with a 100 Plus 500ml energy drink and a foldable umbrella, all tucked in a small bag hung between my bicycle handles, I straight away took off from my MIL's (Mother-In-Law) house in Presint 9 Putrajaya at 2:30pm. Roughly 20 minutes later, I arrived at the loop.

My entire 17.7 km journey inclusive of from my MIL's place. The Putrajaya main island shoreline loop, 10.5 km long, is the larger closed blue loop on the right.

A sight to behold. A view of
the famous pink mosque.

Oh boy, the Putrajaya main island lakeside loop was indeed beautiful. I entered the route at Presint 2 near the kids paddling pool in front of the Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia, Bahagian Kewangan (translated as "Ministry of Finance Malaysia, Financial Section") building and slowly made my way through the pathway, stopping several times to take photos of the gorgeous scenes. I reached back at my MIL's place at 5:30pm, a total duration of 3 hours for riding a total of 17.7 km (including stops for rest and photo shoots).

Entering Taman Wawasan. 

Some advice if you intend to follow the loop. At times, certain parts of the route are void of people and obscure from public roads, especially at Taman Wawasan and Presint 4. So ladies, please do not travel alone. And although the cicuit is 95% flat, it is best to follow the loop in a clockwise manner, that is, the lake should always be on your left handside. Otherwise, you will face a decent climb, especially at Presint 4.

Please enjoy some of my photos taken during my journey via the Putrajaya main island lakeside loop. And for those who want to try the route, good luck :)

In Taman Wawasan. Yep, still
Putrajaya's best kept secret garden.

A view of the famous pink mosque from
Taman Wawasan. The actual name of the mosque
is "Masjid Putra", translated as "Putra's Mosque".

Pebble beach.

Flowers in Taman Wawasan.

The bridge marking the
end of Taman Wawasan.

Some nice houses found along the way.

Resting for a bit.

Found a car park building which
reminded me of a similar design
back in the United Kingdom. 

The Putrajaya Convention Centre.

It was a hot afternoon. Good
thing sunblock was used. 

So relaxing.

Some of the bridges linking the main isle.

Next to the mosque known to locals as "Masjid
Besi" (translated as "Metal Mosque"). It's real
name is Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin. 

The starting bridge in view.
Nearly there to complete the loop. 

Millenium Monument in the background.

At the loop's end

Back at my MIL's place. It still amazes me
how such a small bike could carry me so far.

Hashtags: #bicycle #bicycleroutes #bike #cyborg #cycling #cyclingroutes #foldablebike #foldie #foldingbicycle #foldingbike #putrajaya #routes #saibog #xds #xdsfa20

The Path To More Gear Inches

My bicycle at the Titiwangsa Lake Garden with
the Kuala Lumpur city skyline, in mid noon :P

A window opened in the mid noon and I dove in. Weaved my way from Bandar Baru Sentul, through the traffic, then straight into the Titiwangsa Lake Garden. On the XDS FA-20 bicycle, the usual jogging time of 30 minutes around that huge puddle was easily halved. Awesome :D

The Shimano MF-TZ21 7 speed freewheel
on my XDS FA-20 bicycle. 

Anyway, I still felt I needed a wider gear inches range. The lower the gear inches, the better the bike could climb slopes, the higher the gear inches, the faster the bike could go on a level road; calculated by (size of chainring / smallest sprocket for top gear inches or biggest sprocket for bottom gear inches) x (the size if the bicycle wheel in inches). My current rear hub setup is a 7 speed 14-28T, giving me a low of 27 gear inches and a tops of 55 gear inches. I require somewhat of a 11-34T. Since most probably I am using a freewheel rather than a freehub with cassettes, that is going to pose a problem (note: a freewheel is a you screw the gears cluster onto the hub, a freehub cassettes is you can just take out the single 14T sprocket and replace it with a 9T sprocket). There are several options to upgrade my current gear setup.

The Sunlite 7 speed 11-34T
cassettes cluster.

The first option is to replace the current freewheel with a 7 speed 11-34T freewheel / freehub cassette cluster. This is the cheapest option. However, Shimano no longer manufactures 11-34T freewheels, so I have to replace them with a Sunlite 7 speed 11-34T cassettes. This is the cheapest choice since I do not have to change the rear 7-speed derailleur and gear shifter.

A bicycle using the Shimano
Capreo gearing set.

The second option is to change the entire gearing system - hub, derailleur and shifter to a Shimano Capreo. Shimano Capreos were designed for small wheeled bikes such as a my 16" so that it's gear inches could even match a full sized 26" bike. However, this move could cost even more than my bike itself. It is a good thing that my entire bike in factory setup is well below the MYR $1000 (USD $300) mark to begin with. And as far as I know at the time of writing this post, there are not many stock bicycles in Malaysia using Shimano Capreo gear set with a price tag below MYR $3000 (USD $900).

The Shimano Nexus gear hub.

The third option is also changing the entire gearing system - hub and shifter but to a Shimano Nexus 8 internal hub. Provided that this option is a cheaper alternative compared to opting the Capreo.

Hmm. Will be phoning bike shops around Kuala Lumpur for price quotations soon. I think my Outdooritis is getting worse :P

Hashtags: bicycle #bike #capreo #cyborg #cycling #foldablebike #foldie #foldingbicycle #foldingbike #nexus #saibog #shimano #shimanonexus #sunlite #xds #xdsfa20

The Bukit Kutu Aftermath

After the hell on earth expedition at Bukit Kutu yesterday (you can read it in a previous post here), there was a lot of cleaning up to do. From the condition of my beloved Casio G-Shock GW-9400-1DR watch in the photos below after I got home, one can easily imagine the ordeal I went through. However, for the G-Shock watch, this is relatively an easy thing do by just running it under running tap water and brushing the mud off with a small brush.

A muddy mess.

Yup, sure is messy.

Really need of a clean up. For the G-Shock
watch, this is relatively an easy thing to do.

My favourite Deuter Futura Vario 50+10L backpack also badly needed some cleaning. With God's guidance, I found an easy way to clean it up.

1. Unzip and open all compartments. Take out the rain cover if there is one.
    

   

   Open all compartments.

2. Put the bag into a kain sarong (a traditional Malay outfit). If you do not have any kain sarong, you could use a large netting or plain cloth to cover the entire bag. The purpose of this is so that there are no dangling straps, zips, etc and to also protect the bag's fabric from knocks and scrapes.
    

   

   Put the bag into a kain sarong.

3. Securely tie the ends of the kain sarong or net or plain cloth.
    

   

   Securely tie the ends of the kain sarong.

4. Put the bag into a washing machine (if it fits, especially for bags with internal frames), or visit the self-service laundry shop. Put also some dirty clothes (clothes worn during the expedition) below and above the enclosed bag to provide some cushioning, regardless if the washing machine is a top loader or a front loader. Put also some nice light detergent with anti-bacterial properties (special note: only put a small amount of detergent or use light soap, too much detergent may deteriorate the bag's waterproof lining; please read your backpack's manufacturer's FAQ on how to wash your bag first). Wait for the wash and rinse to complete, and you're done :)

Hashtags: #backpacking #bukitkutu #cyborg #deuter #deuterbag #futuravario #gshock #kutu #rangeman #saibog #washing

The Unforgettable Bukit Kutu Expedition

Resting half-way at the side
of the Bukit Kutu mountain.

Yup, it was a mad crazy decision that I've made. A spur of the moment kind of thing. I participated in an expedition organized by PSSCPUHM (Persatuan Seni Silat Cekak Pusaka Ustaz Hanafi Malaysia, a society dedicated to the teachings of a traditional Malay martial art) of INTEC (International Education College) - climbing Bukit Kutu (bukit means hill, so translated as Kutu Hill). I sometimes do hike, and have even climbed Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Southeast Asia. But to do so with little preparation and literally no heavy hiking nor training for months beforehand? And since Bukit Kutu is more than 1000 MASL (Metres Above Sea Level), it is technically a mountain and not a hill - climbing a mountain during raining season in the tropics and without being fit? That ultimately spelt for a personal disaster.

In mountain climbing, experience counts little as compared to endurance. Due to circumstances, I did not get some sleep at all before the 4am climb. The trail was extremely muddy and slippery, and I slipped several times despite wearing a good pair of Adidas Kampung (an extremely cheap pair of shoes 100% made of rubber for waterproofness as well as grip, usually used by climbers in the tropical climate). What made the trail more difficult is the huge number of bamboo trees which fell on the trail, and we had to go sometimes on all fours just to get by the thorn-laced bamboos. As I expected, without having a good physique, I was the last person in the expedition.

Looking up from half-way
up the Bukit Kutu mountain.

Anyway, that did not mean I cowered in front of the mountain. With severe leg cramps, cuts, bruises and extreme tiredness, I dragged on in the darkness up the mountain. I smiled when recalling what my mom had said to me several years ago when I phoned her from Laban Rata, half-way up Mount Kinabalu: "Kenapa cari penyakit dengan panjat gunung?" (translated as: "Why are you looking for trouble by climbing up a mountain?). There was no moon nor stars to shine the trail at Bukit Kutu that night, only the narrow beams of my small headlamp and one or two person's lamps several meters in front of me which illuminated the blackness. Because with God's permission, I can do it, Mom. With His permission, I can.

Some of the team members on
top of Bukit Kutu mountain.

After 6 grueling hours covered in mud, sweat and blood, I, the rearmost person in the expedition, at last reached the summit of Bukit Kutu mountain. In the end, with God's consent, I conquered my own inner self, and made it to the top!

Many thanks to my friends who organised, participated and helped my struggle during the expedition, namely Ting, Siddiq, Nik, Haziq, Adnan, Stan, Shamsul, Arep, and the rest of the team.

Resting half-way up the mountain. I could not capture a
lot of photos due to bad weather and my phone not being
waterproof. And of course, being too tired to do so.

Resting. What a relief.

We had to climb some set of stairs to get to the top
of the boulders at the summit of Bukit Kutu.

View from the top of boulders at the summit.

Hashtags: #backpacking #bukitkutu #cyborg #hiking #kutu #letih #saibog #sangatletih #supertired #tired #trekking

The Grind To The Top

The chance to test the XDS FA-20 to it's limits came. A road near my house. Only 600m from the bottom of the road to the it's highest point, but with an average of 10% elevation. Meaning, for every 100m of road, there is a climb of 10m, which is pretty steep.

Waiting for the rainfall to subside at the bus stop.

I had a good rest at a bus stop at the low end of the road while waiting for some sunbeams to appear amidst the heavy rainfall. Then I made the move, grinding my way up the dreaded hill. Though less then 1 KM, I had to stop several times to catch my breath, obviously I'm out of shape :P

Anyway, I found that the XDS FA-20's Shimano Tourney 7 speed gears with standard Shimano 14T-28T freewheel (yeah, freewheel unfortunately, not cassettes) worked well, though I felt that the 4th and 5th gear were a little too close together. I also wished that there are 1 or 2 more lower gears (since I am out of shape), not to mention several more higher gears (the bike has only a max of 55 gear inches). As expected, the XDS FA-20 bicycle's 7 speed gears is suitable for normal road use with lower slope gradients (lower than 10% gradient). However, I was surprised on how well the small 16" wheels were able to carve up the steep road, the steering was delightfully light and quick. Maybe because of the small wheels being much smaller and lighter than the standard 20" wheels I had several years ago and lower center of gravity? Perhaps. But despite the sweaty ordeal, riding the bike up that steep road was weirdly fun. And that awesome sense of accomplishment when reaching the top :)

The road uphill; the starting point is at
left in front of the red coloured house.

From the right, up to the left.

From the right, up to the left.

From the left, up to the right.

From the left, up to the right.

From the left, up to the right.

From the right to this corner in the middle of the photo. This is the highest
point of the road at the hill. On the left is the guard house.

Hashtags: #bicycle #bike #climbuphill #climbinguphill #cyborg #cycling #cyclinguphill #foldablebike #foldie #foldingbicycle #foldingbike #saibog #uphill #uphillclimb #uphillclimbing #uphillcycling #xds #xdsfa20