My Memories of PK Yeoh
The year was 2006. I was working in an ISP company but my mind was to quit. I was jobless, but was on the journey of regaining my health. I hang out most of the time in a quaint bikeshop owned by Mr Tan Boon Foo. It was during this time, that i decided to get myself a Road Bike. Having not much of an experience, and not wanting to invest too much, just in case of "Hot-hot chicken shit", I met a gentlemen who had a bike to offload which met my budget. His name is PK Yeoh.
At that time, PK (as he is commonly known in the cycling circle) had just started cycling 7 month earlier and had decided to upgrade. So, there I was about to be the owner of a SCOTT Speedster for just under RM1.5k. BoonFoo, who (oppurtunistic as he is) kept introducing and reminding me that PK is the ride director of PCC (he also did the same to me a year later). There I was, like a little puppy, following PK and his family to rides, where and when possible.
Our normal route at that time include Puncak Alam and Batu Arang. Mid week, we will be doing the KESAS ride on Wednesday nite. I was so hooked on riding that even when PK wanted to ride into the City during second Hari Raya, I would volunteer to attend. Nothing was too complicated, he was ever so thoughtful, always arranging for rides and training. He treated me like family, as he was picking up his training with L2A and the coach Joe (who is also the bike mechanic at BoonFoo), he use to make it a point for me to attend the training every Saturday morning at Kota Damansara. Joe and L2A use to do motorpacing on Saturday with the boys on that 4.2km loop.
PK will drag me to training and pace with the boys, averaging 30-32km/hr each loop and rising to 2 loops of 40km/hr. We will do about 10-15 loops on Saturday. In attendance together in that training was Mei(PK's wife) and Chin Hoe (PK's only son). Chin Hoe was 13 at that time. Imagine, I saw that boy grew up right in front of my eyes. The noble person that PK is, i was so indebted that I tried to emulate him as we ride in PCC often. If he leads the peloton, I would sweep. So strong that he was a cyclist, that he can drop down and play sweeper and in the next hour, go to the front and lead the peloton again.
He also threw in a gauntlet and challenge after just 3 month into my cycling. He and Joe decided to cycle from KL to Penang to participate in Pesta Pulau Pinang Race in middle to December. He said, if you seriously want to cycle, follow him and Joe to Penang. He said, "There is nothing to worry about, the L2A boys will pace and we will draft". I have never ever at that time cycle beyond 120km in day let alone 780km to and fro. But it was to be my most adventourous journey that help my mental to show that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. The 15 of us left for that journey and many friendship was forged out of that journey. L2A (Anuar Manan was still a boy) and me became tight, Kimbeley Yap became a close buddy and PK, William and me became close friends/family. Rides after that was always a "family"affair.
Coming back from Penang, I will always be on a look out for a PK lead ride. In the PCC group, PK is always known as the leader of long rides or the PK Special Ride. His ride once to Sungai Tenggi was originally published at 130km-140km, but most riders will remember the additional 30km since the halfway mark is already 85km. During Interstate rides, we will always ride with PK as the peloton ride leader. I remember his famous words of "tag" or encouraging words such as "Ah Mack ahh", "Tahannnnnn".
2007 was a memorable year for me for rides, I was active in PCC as sweeper and also for being actively involve in two most memorable ride with the PK clan. That was the year we did "Interstate" to Penang and "Ride for Life" to Melaka. In the year 2008 and 2009, I was hectically involve in running and cycling, which made my cycling days with PCC to be rescheduled. However, that did not stop me from riding with the PK clan where possible.
The next long ride was the Century ride in 2008, I was always looking for the PK peloton, though that year I was unfit, and I had to let the peloton go after 80km. However, during IS2008 to Rompin, we had a fun a memorable ride again with all the upsaddling and speeding up, trying to play catchup. Those were memorable times. Last year, he had not cycle much, choosing to focus more on Chin Hoe's education. Chin Hoe was taking SPM in 2010. I have not seen him much.
Recently, I had an accident and broke my collarbone. But the ever so thoughtful PK kept contacting me on the BlackBerry and also took me out for Teh Tarik. We chatted about Chin Hoe and how he has grown and was working part time now at Subways. I only felt that I should accept the recent invitation to have the teh tarik days before.....
Anyway, I have only good things to say about this man, since he is always and has always been good to me and to many others. Thats what he is...a good, humble and noble man. Yeoh PK, I will always remember you for all the contributions to the Cycling World , L2A , PCC and me.
