Memories of Happier Times

I wish.....

I was most happiest when I was in Pulau Kapas, playing with Kites in Kuala Terengganu or riding a trishaw in Melaka town..........

I wish those day are back, really miss them. What to do, water under the bridge. Bye-bye happiness, hello loneliness.

Tuesday Nite Route

Testing out my new toy for the second time round, brought it out during the Tuesday Nite Route. Very interesting statistics though. At the end of the day, its the company of joyful bikers that brings joy to ride around the TTDI area.


The usual suspect of Arif, May Senn, Adrian, Patrick and Sons, Adeline, Chau, Jaja and myself were there to take some other new riders around the hills of Damansara Heights.

Ironically the Garmin was not sensitive enough as we go through the Pencala Link Tunnel. U can see a gap in the route. Total distance is 26 km, Highest speed 56km/hr and highest peak about 120m with difference in climb of about 70m. roller coaster ride though.

Interstate2007 - A preview to Fun (Part 1)

What can we expect to Interstate2007 this year round.? Well, for full report and what to expect, u can visit this website specific for the PCC - Interstate2007.

Khabar Bike, Janda Bike!!

Never be to overzealous and over confident. That what the trip to Janda Baik with the PCC taught me. When cramps chose to visit me just 20 m before the peak of the climb from Mc Donald near Genting Sempah, what do u do, choose to kiss the tarmac and lie flat on the road. This way, u can protect your ever precious bike while using your body to break the fall.

Lie down flat on the road for 3 minutes while catching your breath and get up lest the passing cars think that u are dead on the road side.

Ah well, was pushing myself too hard with the PCC group. I don't usually do climbs from Orang Asli Hospital in less then an hour to reach Genting Sempah and I dont usually climb from Janda Baik to Genting Sempah in less then 30 minutes, but in the spirit of stroking ones ego, serve me right for not listening to your body. Today, I am walking like a crab, with both thigh harden.
All this after a "gentle 40km ride" the day before in Kota Damansara to evaluate wheelsets. Well, at least the conclusion that I manage to get out of this is that the MAVIC Ksyrium Elite is a better wheel set then the Campy Scirroco though the latter is lighter. Lighter rims does not guarantee a better performance.

PCC Interstate - Registered and Prep

PCC generally organize to major rides every year, the PCC Interstate and the Presidential Ride for Mountain Biking. The Presidential ride last year was the most memorable for me, as that was the introduction for long distance mountain biking that I was first involved in. 60km of sheer torture in Semenyih jungle area.

Now, PCC is organizing this Interstate Biking Road Ride which will allow most of us 360+ km of road riding thru the most scenic area of Perak and Penang. More importantly, this is one of the few times, a whole bunch of rider will get to cross the Penang Bridge. As the highway authority is highly skeptic on gatecrashers, we have to register early and will be issued tags to pass thru the toll gate and we will have to cross the bridge within one hour window on that Sunday morning. Even support vehicles will have to be preregistered. LLM is so strict.

We will be pushing off on 31st August from Ipoh and will finish in Penang on the Sunday and come back on Monday 3rd Spetember. As we will be bringing support car, we will not depend on the bus to shuttle us back to Ipoh. Looking at the pictures of hotels booked along the way, it does look nice. So is the rolling hills of Perak !!!

I look at this ride as a biking adventure cum holiday and look forward to catch up with friends and cycling colleagues all over Malaysia. It will also rekindle my thoughts in my first cycling race that I had in Penang as we will be cycling round island starting with Balik Pulau and ending in Gurney Drive. For RM350, I think this 3 day Holiday on Bike looks like a steal.

Going through the checklist with my cycling buddies last Saturday:-

Registration - Check
Thule Roof Rack - Check
GPS - Check
Walkie Talkie - Not Check
Support Car Registration - Check

Tired and Confuse

....from attending RPM class at MAXIS last nite.......

Did two rounds of RPM, back to back. Logic, if instructor Joanne can do it, and summore, the other superstar triathlete like Azwar and Adzim are there to do back to back, why can't i try?. They are superstar and you are not, remind ur self that.....next time. Pahhh...burn only 1120 calories only.

Confuse......to go Mountain Biking HASH in Bandar Tasik Puteri or go road to Janda Baik?

Of Number Plates and Fetishes

Malaysian must have certain fetishes on number plates and its significance. An old friend of mine passed me this and asked me what do I see? Told him, looks like a Honda Accord to me.

Can U imagine the words that can be coined from number plates such as PAN 747 or BU 8? The things that tickle our minds.

Being Tagged or Pass the batton

I was hesitant in doing this meme as I considered the person tagging me is considered disqualified as I am the 7th person and the tagging is only limited to 5. But since I am in joyous mood after getting news that my daughter has scored a perfect 180 on her MENSA IQ test, I will finish this meme. Pardon the weird answer tho.

Layer One:
On the Outside
Name: Mxxxxxxx Mxxx Fxxxxx Casual name Mac
Birth date: 31 October
Current status: Alive
Eye color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Righty or Lefty: Sometimes I am right but commonly I am left (out)

Layer Two:
On the Inside
My heritage: Malay, Dad from Kedah, Mother from Perak.
My fears: Heights, Water and being tagged
My weaknesses: Don't know how to say No
My perfect pizza: In my stomach

Layer Three:
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
My thoughts first thing when I wake up: I hope I am beside my wife!!!
My bedtime: Everytime I switch on the TV
My most missed memory: Best left missing and forgotten. Where is it again?

Layer Four:
My picks
Pepsi or Coke: 100Plus
McDonald's or Burger King: Wimpey!!!
Single or Group Dates: Packed Kurma
Adidas or Nike: La Sportiva
Tea or Nestea: Moccha
Chocolate or Vanilla: Ice cream???
Cappucino or Coffee: Kopitiam

Layer Five:
Do I
Curse: No, but I am learning!!! Voodoo helps!!
Take a shower: Everytime it rains.
Have a crush: Yeah, everytime I wear my undies.
Think I've Been In love: Second hand Emotions...Nah
Go to school: Cannot remember, that was 35-40 years ago (refer to missed memories)
Want to get married: Are you kidding me? Go through the suffering again?
Believe in myself: Have to, nobody else will?
Think I'm a health freak: Does Superman wear his undies on the outside?

Layer Six:
In the past month
Drank alcohol: Never. Methylated Spirit is too strong !!!
Gone to the mall: Yeah, thats where we congregated to start our Sunday bicycle Ride!
Been on stage: Nope, never will
Eaten Sushi: No, I dont't go for Japenese girls.
Dyed your hair: Which hair?

Layer Seven:
Have I ever
Played a stripping game: Every nite, when I am pretending to shower
Changed who I am to fit in: That will be easy in a crowd of monkeys

Layer Eight:
Age
I am hoping to be married: 24, 47, 53, 60 (hang on, this are part of my secret bank account)

Layer Nine:
What was I doing
1 min ago: Doing this
1 hour ago: Blogging
4.5 hours ago: Stripping.
1 month ago: Playing with my blubber/fat
1 year ago: Breathless doing excercise!

Layer Ten:
Finish The Sentence
I love: blogging.
I feel: my nuts when my hand is in pocket.
I hate: to have to go during long distance cycling.
I hide: my intelligence until I cannot find it.
I need: change my job

Layer Eleven:
Dowant to tag, reminds me of chain letters

Stephanie Chok - Crossing the Straits

Was having dinner with Stephanie Chok last nite to celebrate her 26th birthday. What a colorful life this young lass has gone through. I find it truly amazing and highly motivational to have a short chat with her. This picture really does not do her justice, but I took it to capture the moment.
I know her to be a very athletic and sportful person, but to what extent, it was about to be revealed during the conversation. In that short chat, she was relating to me her experience recently (last Saturday) of swimming the Malacca Straits to Riau, Indonesia and back. She did it all in the name of fun.

Stephanie who has done a continous 96km swim before this was convinced that this swim from PD to Riau which is a 45km each leg should be fairly easy. The way she related to me, was that she wanted to see how much shipping traffic was there in the Malacca straits ;-). They started the swim at 8:45 am and reached Riau at 10:30 pm much to the chagrin of the Indonesian passport Authority, who expected them at 2pm. She jokingly quipped, they expect us on jet ski or what?

What was also fun, she said was to swim behind a net which had captured the biggest jelly fish she has ever seen, almost as big as a racing bicycle wheel, she chuckled. It was hilarious the way she said she needs to keep up with the boat captain who had set the speed of boat and net at 3.3 knots, which was almost competition speed.

So, what else do you want to do, I asked her?. I said, she has done skateboarding, triathlon is her passion, mountaineering and now swimming across the straits of Malacca. There was a gleam in her eyes and she gave me hints on her next project. I grinned and just sat there dumbfounded but in admiration of what she had plans and also the fact this girls is so humble and down to earth. Thats the Steph that I know and like.

Till next time, i bid her goodnight, we parted - me to my next appointment.

Up Hill Time trial - 1st FAK UP (for me that is)

I think i call it the race of truth. Its where u find out whether u can climb this hill or not and relative to the other person. I also think that many people just didn't want to enter becoz of the fear that you may really find out where u stand and it may bother your ego. Well, i for one did it for no other reason but in the spirit of community assistance. Originally, I went there to help out with the race, but upon seeing that the race organizers have enough assistance and not to project the image that there are more race organizers then participant, I enrolled for the race.

Its roughly an 8 km climb with an elevation of merely 250m (in the last 3 km) .

The results are as posted in the Fakawi Website and I did horrendously. Knowing the results as I was climbing up, I decided to end the day by going for a spin ride to Batu 18 with Boon Foo. Met a few way2ride riders and the Malaysian squad training as they were climbing the reverse side.

Went back at 11 am after a 30km spin ride. What a Father's day celebration!!! Got a few dadly wishes from some close frens, thanks guys n gals.

FRIM - Revisiting

Its been quite sometime that I have been to FRIM. Last Saturday went to accompany pals from Quick Release Adventure and a newbie into an initiation ceremony into the MTB cult. The route we took was Rover and Steroid Hill.
My conclusion of FRIM, its getting easier and there is a whole lots of pacat. Got bitten left and right. The waterfall near canopy is still as tranquil as before, notice that there is a girl in pink there meditating by the stream of water. So peaceful....
As most of the guys have not been to FRIM for ages, here I was briefing on the difficulties of coming down steroids, only to find out that it was levelled and there are no more gulleys and rocks. Urrrgghhh...
Ah well, some things are still the same, food , lack of stamina, not bringing in water for the ride and lastly for me not to be able to climb steroids in one go.

Tough Love

I have been mentoring this guy for the past few months and last Friday was the pits and it really kinda spoil my weekend (I think). He cares for this person/confidant so much that off all things (and I keep reminding him this), he uses technology indiscriminately. He was communicating with his friend and it seems he went overboard and over stated his intent and by using SMS and YM/Instant messaging, communication between him and his friends broke down and now he has lost everything that is so dear to him.

The ironic and tiring part of this is now he is bugging me with his glum and trying to talk to me non stop and its causing me distress and I am not being able to enjoy my weekend. Sheessshh, talk about being an idiot. I keep reminding him that not to be so emotional and don't use SMS and he blews it, some people will never learn - I say. I know it sounds kinda cruel but all I can say to him is go and listen to the lyrics of Frey...Hahahahah. Serve him right.

Indecisions - This is getting finicky

I hate this. There is so much things to do this weekend and the next. Okay, tomoro is clear, its Mountain Biking in FRIM, but come Sunday, there is the 120km ride from Bangi to PD or the Fakawi Time Trial in Langat or the recovery run. This is a tough decision.

Okay I have already registered for the Kajang HASH for next month but I totally forgot about the month ending HASH in Tasik Puteri which is supposedly to be nice in view. PCC is arranging for a joint Mountain Bike and Road Bike ride up to Frasers. The HASH trail is new but I may have to contribute RM50, but the PCC ride is free but the route is quite familiar. Most prolly I will go with Frasers before tackling the Subang Jaya 10k.

Climbing Jalan Tun Saadon

At the request of Aini, I thot I might as well publish the video of the race climb up Jalan Tun Saadon. This is one of the toughest hill climb in Penang Road Race. It has an incline of 14% average. I can't remember who the guys in red but maybe its the team from Singapore.



Enjoy Aini

Penang Bike Race

was rummaging through my archives (sounds sophisticated, but actually cleaning up the files in my phone) and came about this movie file of the Penang Round Island race during Pesta Pulau Pinang. I was driving the support car for feeding. Anyhow for nostalgic purposes and also to try out YouTube, u can enjoy this uphill climb by one of the LeTua boys.

Brazilian Cusine

Its been quite sometime that I had good foreign food. A group of friends (Melody, Hafiz, Bernard, Azira and myself) went out to celebrate Adli (IceCube) birthday party. We chose a quaint little Brazilian Restaurant in Damansara Kim by the name Carnaval.

The setting
The restaurant has this arrangement where u can go and pick your side dishes like vegetable, gravy, rice, spaghetti etc from a buffet bar. The main dishes which consist of roast beef, lamb are served by their chefs and carved out freshly in front of you. The chef (one actually is from Brazil) will come out with endless selection one after another starting with Beef, Lamb, Fish, prawn, chicken and lastly pineapple. Its so mouth watering to watch as the cutlets are soft and tender.

I would like to really recommend this restaurant to those who have really big appetite.

Note to self: Work out tonite to burn at least 1000 calories

Recovery Ride - A new definition

It started with Ariff reminding me that I have not done the Tuesday nite ride for quite sometime. So, Tuesday morning, I packed my bike in the car and was ready and raring to go to the Tuesday ride which Ariff takes the lead. Having just recovered from the PCC Batu arang ride, I was not in the mood to go for aggressive pace and was looking at a more leisurely pace. Knowing that Ariff might wanna go fast, I look for company and this was my conversation with my learned friend :-

[15:37] Mac: wanna cycle tonite?
[15:37] Mac: ttdi
[15:38] bernard: i am
[15:38] Mac: cool
[15:38] Mac: cya tonite
[15:43] bernard: i think i am going ot be slow
[15:43] bernard: today ler.
[15:44] Mac: so am I, please keep me company
[15:44] bernard: yeah no prbs.

Huh, when I arrived there, the usual suspects were already there, Adrian, Ariff, May Senn, Jaja, Karen, Willie, Bernard, Patrick and Jason. But the moral of story is that when a triathlete says that he or she is on recovery ride, what they mean is that you'll see his/her butt in ur face. The moment we hit the Pencala Link tunnel, Bernard was already sprinting ahead and leaving us minions behind.

Damn, even Jaja and May Senn was faster then me in most part of the hill climb. I am still trying to recover from that recovery ride. Note to self: Careful in interpreting when triathlete is having a conversation.

Recovery of Body and Mind

What do you do after a good bike ride? Carbo loading, recovery ride, laze about....no..u go and watch movie. Since there wasn't much people at the cinema, went to Cine Leisure and got tickets to see Shrek 3 and not having enough movies to wash over you, buy another ticket to watch Pirates of the Caribbean.

Shrek 3, .....not much of a fan of this one. Seems to loose a bit of zest when compared to the Shrek 1 and 2. The stroryline is abit tame and more like a love story fairy tale rather then the witty film that it was in Shrek 1 & 2. Maybe I just could't connect with the happy ending in this story. I wouldn't recommend to see it though

Pirates, now this is a different ball game altogether. Though, u sense the fact that the film maker is loosing ideas of how this movie is to be run, and the fact that having pirates from all areas of the world to cater for the different international audience, the movie is much more watchable then Shrek. Though I am not much of a Johnny Depp, i do find that his character being very witty and helps the movie where there is too much serious overtones.

I would recommend for viewers to see the movie if not for the character, storyline and special effects

Sweeping from the Rear - Batu Arang Ride

Its a call to duty. Since there were few newbies doing the PCC Batu Arang 90km ride and also some of the newbies are freinds of mine, so it is only fair that I volunteer to become the sweeper. Master Don, who also volunteered to be the sweeper gave in eventually to take the middle of the group where the lead was to be taken by Lim from Bike Pro.

As we exit Center Point at 7:35, we made of to Kota Damansara and as we pass IKEA, we were joined by the P2K group who happen to be heading the same direction. As we head off towards Sungai Buloh, the peloton got spread and I was accompanying Annie who was brave enough to use a MTB for the 90km ride. We made it to Kuang safely to meet up with the group before pushing of towards Batu Arang. At this point, the gang decide to attack and me being selfish decide to join in the fun and proceeded on at breakneck speed up towards housing estate near Kuang.

Master Don gave me a friendly reminder, "Eh, sweeper role like this ahhh?", I sheepishly backed off and went back looking for the rear of the peloton. I accompanied the last rider into Batu Arang and we had nasi lemak there. Shout out to Alwin who was nice enough to keep me company into Batu Arang.

We pushed off for Kuala Selangor road after refuelling and the team is back to its usual breakneck speed. I lost sight of the peloton at the junction of Kuala Selangor Road back to KL. I accompanied the last rider until she had got the cramps twice, once at about 200m before the Guthrie entrance and again just after we entered Guthrie Highway. Not wanting to take chances, I hail a taxi and pack her bike and the rider back to Centerpoint. It was starting to get hot at about 11:35 am.

Realizing that I had neither a handphone or a pump, I quickly pushed off quickly back to Centerpoint. Somehow that recovery ride did me good and I was able to ride continuously and speedily without feeling lethargic and was averaging 32km/h on the Guthrie corridor. Managed to reached Centerpoint at 12:35 while every body else had packed their bikes. Silently, I felt relieve after getting back to my car and managed to contact the rider and found her to be safe and sound at the Mamak. However, I did feel guilty of not spending time with some of my friends though...ah well, till next ride. No more sweeping duties for me, I hope ;-).

Good to see new faces to the cycling family.

Fakawi Up Hill - MTB Race

Was helping out Melody and Edele of Quick Release with the Fakawi (FAK UP) Mountain Bike Race. The race is up from Cross Road in Kiara to TWin Peak. The race distance is slightly more then 1 km and the elevation is 100m from Cross Roads.

12 contender was brave enough to go through the motion of climbing the hill inclusive of one brave German in a recumbent. The eventual winners were Lim Yew Meng (pic) from Bike Pro with an astonishing time of 4 min 15 seconds. Second was Pat Brundson and third was Adli Dahlan.