It started off when a few of us got together at our KOTRT's booth at the Penang International MTB race a couple of weeks ago. We had a few young talents taking part in this race and got some encouraging results and were slated to compete again at the SIMBO race in Selangor. Azmi, Derek, Alan and I talked about it and confirmed our plans during Fatt's wedding dinner. Yeah, our Rubber Knight has finally tied the knot, but not sure where the other end is tied to, judging from his absence from our usual weekend rides. Maybe he's discovering new trails to ride on with his partner...wink, wink!

Azmi and Sany graciously offered to accommodate us in his house in KL, and that took care of some of the logistics. So on Fri evening, immediately after work, we shot off to KL with Rin, Turbo Snail and I in my Ranger. Ju Lian was going back for his regular audit and took along our guest knight, Mark from California. Derek and the Queen of KOTRTs were already in KL with Pak Man, and we met up with them upon arrival in KL at the Mamak shop in Taman Tun to discuss our ride plans for Sat. It was to be the new Kiara GP racetrack and Joe and Fuji had very kindly offered to show us the way.

Sat morning dawned bright and sunny, and after a quick breakfast at Devi's Corner, we were off to the racetrack at Kiara, led by Joe, and I mean led by Joe. Man! That guy is real fast and seems to know all the twist and turns and the racing lines as he powered his way around the maze of rubber trees and secondary jungle. This Kiara GP race track is one killer track, I tell you, with climbs so steep you can only push up, and descents so steep and twisty that for the less technically inclined and faint of heart, it meant another push down. There were roots, tree trunks, tree stumps and overhanging branches everywhere to catch the unsuspecting rider. You should ask Derek who got bumped on his face from one such booby trap. The best thing about this track though was plenty of shade and the absence of rocks and ruts, so you can afford to fall and not get too badly hurt, as the leaves and soft gravel will cushion the fall. Crashes were aplenty, as we tried to tackle the twisty downhills. My bike and I have never parted company so many times in a single ride as I did, on this Kiara track. There was one occasion when a mysterious branch sneaked out and grabbed my front brake cable and tore it out of its bracket, and I could see all the tree trunks suddenly looming ahead. It was "George of the Jungle" all over again, as I tried to save myself. I tell you, its no joke coming down a steep technical descent and you suddenly lose your front brakes.

This track is so tough that one of our rider's turbo unit got overheated and his twin pistons got jammed, as usual. BUT, this is MY idea of a fun ride....lots of shade, breath taking climbs and technical descents, though I'm not quite sure the rest of the KOTRTs agree. This was also the maiden ride in Kiara for our Queen of KOTRT's on her Lady Juliana, which drew much attention and admiration from fellow riders we met on the trail....not sure they were admiring the queen or the lady!

After the ride, it was back to Sany's to clean up, bikes and bodies, lunch at Taman Tun and off to the SIMBO to check out our KOTRT junior riders Zel and Cheng who were competing in the D/H race. Earlier on, Azmi had received a frantic call from Annuar telling us about Zel's crash and injury during the prelims, but luckily, when we checked him out, found that he had only suffered a minor sprain on his ankle and big dent on his ego. As for the Centerfold which was loaned by Sup for the race, she survived the crash better than the rider. We arrived late for the D/H race and only managed to catch the tail end of the juniors and senior ladies race.

After the race, we made our customary rounds of the bike shops, picking up gears and accessories, meeting old friends and making new acquaintances and then it was dinnertime at Jakes. We met up with Mark and Julian who brought along his auditor Julie (Hi Julie, nice to have met you) and her 3 gorgeous friends. Since there were 15 of us for dinner, we split into 2 tables, and Alan, Mark and JuLian had the privilege of keeping the gorgeous ladies company while we batangs concentrated on the BBQ ribs and nachos....mmmm yum, yum. And it only cost RM60.

Despite a late night, we all got up early for our ride with the KL bike hash at Batu Arang, a good 1 hour drive from KL. We managed to find the meeting point inside a rubber estate, and started unloading the bikes. There were much oohs and aahs again when the other riders met the Lady Juliana. Derek, you surely have got your money's worth. After a quick briefing at 9.30am, we were off with the rest on the long ride, 23km on offroad and another 8km on tarmac. The distinct difference between our KOTRT rides and the bike hash is the abundance of Mat Sallehs and lady riders. There were lots of cool looking chicks on cooler looking bikes, so it presented a big problem for us Penang kampung riders, to check out the chicks or the bikes. I'll bet even Einstein would have a problem figuring out this problem!

The ride itself was over shaded single track through rubber plantations and secondary jungle in a forest reserve. The trail was nice and easy, well shaded with no killer climbs or technical descents, so we took it easy and rode together as a team. What a contrast after the tortuous ride in Kiara on Sat. The ride back on tarmac, started out quite promisingly when the KOTRTs agreed to convoy back, drafting each other. I started out leading the pack, but after a few kms, the riders began to string out and could not keep formation. Must be the late nights and hot weather. We arrived back at the trail-end after noon, and got a surprise invitation from Sup to have lunch at his sister's place in Subang Jaya.

After a quick wash and pack up, we proceeded to Subang Jaya, tired and ravenous, since we only had a small piece of roti canai at 8.00am, and it was already past 2.30pm when we reach there. After a quick round of intro to his sister and brother in law, we left our table manners behind and tucked in to the ravishing buffet spread on the table. Man! I could wax lyrical all day about the food fit for a king. In fact, IT IS fit for a king as Sup's mother-in-law used to cook for the Sultan of Kedah. There was machang sambal and another type of Kedah sambal belachan, and mutton curry and dalca and fried chicken, fish and prawns and......wait.... while I wipe the saliva drooling from the memory of the food. We all had seconds and thirds and even Mark, an All-American Californian kid could resist a second helping. We really lived up to our motto, "Ride to eat, and eat to ride". My kind of weekend! Good food, good rides and great company. What more can we ask for....???

Wait, did I tell you about the virgin race of our fellow Knight, Derek who kept Pak Man company for the XC race. Pak Man did us proud by coming out 6^th in the senior veteran race and Derek who was too young had to compete with the junior veterans. He did well to keep the front pack from his back until the end of the 2^nd lap. He really earned his T-shirt, which he was so proud to show us, and wore all the way back to Penang. Our junior riders Zel and Cheng also had a good outing though they were unplaced.

In appreciation, I would like to record our thanks to Joe and Fuji for sacrificing their Sat morning to show us the Kiara GP race track, and to Fuji for allowing us to join the Sun Bike Hash, and not forgetting Sany and Azmi for accommodating us in their house. Of course special thanks also goes to Sup and his relatives for the sumptuous banquet.

One week end gone, and another one coming up. Anyone for DURIANS, the branded type with fancy names from the famous Balik Pulau district?? That's where we will be this coming Sun (5-Aug-01) after the ride at the nice Pulau Betong < -- > Gertak Sanggul trail. Feel free to join us.