Jim Thomson Trail, Cameron Highland, 21/22/23 January 2000
The drive up 2 Tanah Rata was traffic free, with the occasional transport lorry giving way 4 our mtb convoy till we reached Ringlet where there were some Thaipusum festivities going on. After some of us refuelled we continued our journey 2 Tanah Rata where we would all b staying. We finally got 2 our apartment at Tanah Rata after a short drive from Ringlet.
Others had already arrived ahead of us by the time we got in. We were pleasently greeted by 2 Cannondales F2000s mounted on a car roof rack & a Klein Mantra at the entrance 2 our apartment. It belonged 2 our other S'porean mtb counterparts. After a brief intro we decided 2 do the trail recce while our tengkah from K.L. Mr Michael Khor had Gunung Brinchang in his sights 4 tea. He managed 2 con our poor S'porean friends( Datuk Kenny, Dave & Elias ) & one very gung-ho & eager Jin boy 2 join him on his brisk climb. The poor sods! They don't know what they're getting in2!
Self & ST we in one car while Francis & Crew were in another 4 our recce on the Lembah Bertam trails. The drive 2 Lembah Bertam took a little longer than expected but there were 2 b further disappointment...having driven no further than even 2km inwards of the trail we were greeted by Land-Rover drivers who advised us NOT 2 proceed any further as the trail conditions were very bad, even they had difficulty traversing the mud bogged trails! Not satisfied, we tried 2 continue walking but we turned back after seeing/experiencing 1st hand what the Land-Rover drivers meant when they said it was bad. O.k, it's back 2 our contingency plans now...but 1st let's fill up our hungry stomachs!
Michael & Brinchang crew were also back by the time we got 2 the apartment from our muddy recce trip. As everyone were way hungry, we decided 2 discuss the ride after our steam-boat dinner at a restaurant called Grasshopper. We had set steam-boat & the food was a plenty. Incidentally this was one occasion I noticed everyone was rather quiet at the makan table...too hungry & busy eating 2 talk I suppose!
The original plan was 2 start the ride at the trail-head at Lembah Bertam & ending on the other side of Habu just off the Boh Plantations Estate. However after our muddy recce we thought we'd try the trail from the trail end of Habu instead...initially we thought the majority would go along with this idea but much 2 ST's & my surprise our very gung-ho & optimistic crew decided 2 stick with the original trail-head & ride from Lembah Bertam. In the end there were only the four of us, self, ST, Jin & Michael doing the ride from Habu.
The ride was 2 start at 8.00a.m but we had a quickie breakfast & a little food replenishing 4 the long trails ahead 1st. After the usual unloading of bikes & gearing up we were on our way 5km of uphill warm-up 2 the Boh tea-house b4 plunging 2wards Pos Mensun & finally ( unknown 2 us at that time! ) the loo-oong climb ( all 7-8km of it too! )back 2 Lembah Bertam. Jin boy being his usual exhuberant & testosterone pumped self was whizzing by the three old-men & occasionally taunting/egging Michael 2 smoke him. Oh did I mention Jin also had( yea...past tense, more of this later ) a nick-name; "Smoking Jin"? The ride from Pos Mensun onwards was fantastic with a long & winding descend with the occasional river flowing along by the trail-side. The view, flora & fauna was breath taking 2 say the least & we even took snap-shots & checked with the orang asli settlement along the trails if we were on the right way.
As we rode further inwards we were really glad we took the trail the way we did! As we were descending technical fire-roads with deep ruts contributed no doubt by the previous rainfall & erosion...we were thinking of the gruelling/technical ride up-hill that the others ( poor sods ) would have 2 do on the very same trails we're descending! There was even on one occasion while negotiating a technical drop, ST provided us with a little suspense! He & his bike almost went their saparate ways BUT what a ride it was 2 be! He saved self( & family jewels if I might add! ), pride & bike of course being the cOOL kNIGHT that he is! We covered the trails in good time & it wasn't long b4 we met up with the other group. There were some slight asualties...though nothing serious, just some bruises & minor cuts as the guys were going pretty fast on the descends. We thought we had a fun ride but the other group would argue otherwise! They felt their route was just as good if not better! We did agree on one thing though...it was a BLAST! After our usual group photo session we parted way & continued 2 our respective trail ends.
It was 2 b one of the most agonising ascends I've ever done as the climbs seemed never 2 end only 2 get steeper as it snaked it's way 2 the top on our way back 2 Lembah Bertam. Remember Smoking Jin? It was at this very fateful place/climb that he was dethroned by three old men thus relegating him 2 a new nick-name; "SMOKED JIN"! <GRIN> Just playing folks! Actually it was very entertaining 2 have him riding in our company & he repeatedly waited up 4 us...I wonder if it was b'cos he's afraid of getting lost in unfamiliar territory! Anyway, it was good 2 have u with us Jin!
We finally ended the ride after much carrying of our bikes over muddy & unassailable terrain. We were fortunate we ended at the trail head as we could wash our bikes, courtesy of the hill water pipes provided 4! After picking up the vehicles we returned 2 Habu & enjoyed Vanilla Tea with Short-Bread made by the Boh Estate Manager's wife! We thought it was 2 b an uneventful ride but alas! Someone's gone missing! I could see the concern growing in ST's face when we found out it was Ah Leong, one of our residental teng-khars. Anyway, alls well ends well as our lost hero found his way back on the trails & joined up with the sweepers in our group! Apparently Ah Leong was chased by not ONE BUT SEVEN wild hogs! He probably stumbled in2 them & provoked the otherwise very shy creatures who normally run away at the very smell of human-kind! A very BIG THANK-U should go out 2 Azmil, Francis & crew who were the recovery team that waited up patiently 4 Ah Leong 2 show up!
Saturday nite was makan & nite market vege shopping at Brinchang with Michael's missus as our guide. I must say thank-u Mrs Michael Khor 4 helping me choose/buy the vege. U were a big help. The vege sold in the nite market were a bargain & pretty fresh! We had our late tea & satay 4 supper b4 calling it a nite back at the apartment. Some of us were still up & talking till the wee hours of the morning whilst the rest snored right in2 la-la land!
Sunday morning...4 the lucky few who got up early, they had their shower...as 4 the rest of us we had 2 go mandi kerbau as the mains burst a leak & the apartment management had 2 shut off the water supply! Luckily 4 us Michael's missus had rationed some water or else we won't even get 2 brush our teeth! What would we do without the women folk guys? Alan, Roslan, Mark & family came over 2 our place & we had our group photo-shoot. We then adjourned 2 Tanah Rata 4 a hearty breakfast b4 saying TA-TA 2 Cameron Highlands.
I would like 2 thank everyone 4 making this a fun filled, memorable & successful outing! To ST, Alan, Francis & crew 4 sticking 2 their guns & having the optimism 2 carry this through...let's have more of this type of get together trips in future people!
Regards.
Azmi