K5, Hai Teik Garden - Midway station - 168(Penang Hill) - Tiger Hill, 5 March 2000
What can I say? I was not in the mood to ride. My hangover was still bothering me after one full day of rest, and the recent office works had been my nightmare. I should not have come to this ride. It was one of the most difficult ride I had ever had especially when I did not have the determination and "form" to continue at all! Maybe it is time for me to stop for a while. I mean, get myself away from saddle and do something else. Maybe I have to consider my idea of forming another group a serious thought! This has become too much for me. It is not like the trail is so tough that it need tough guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger to finish it. No, it is not. I have been to K5 before and it is not the toughest trail I have ever encountered. It is not like Sungai Ular that I will have to cry for mercy to finish. It just like all of sudden I started question myself: "Why should I get up so early in the morning and torture myself under the hot scotching sun and come back with a pair of sore knees?" The question made me not having a spirit to continue at all, and it was painful to see that. My fellow riders were very disappointed when I told them that I had decided to turn back after we all reached 168. I really felt bad for my decision but I had to do what I thought was a right decision at that moment. Sorry knights, maybe it's time for me to take a rest. My fiancée starts making noise about me spending too much time on mountainbiking and trips. "Why don't you sleep with your Diamondback at night?" is not a joke anymore. It does sound like a retreat. In fact it is. I'd like to take a short break before I continue.
We had 15 riders showed up to this ride this morning. Micheal Ooi the king of tengkahs was supposed to join us but I did not know what happen, he did not show up. Maybe he was having a terrible hangover due to the Saturday party? Well, life is not just mountainbiking right? Sometimes we will have to consider to have some free time with our family, or our love ones! Anyway, Viper Ong showed up with four of his riders. Azmi was still in his dreamland(yeah, he has been busy since the beginning of the month. Poor thing has to spend sleepless nights to get his project complete), and finally after one month of absence, Fatt showed up! One thing I have to say about him is he is always an unlucky folk that always shows up in the hardest ride. Maybe he thinks easy rides like Hilton loop and others are not his favorite cup of tea. So guys, take note! Any hardcore rides you guys are organizing don't forget my high school buddy okay?
We all started the ride without having breakfast. I thought some of riders would make noise about that. To my surprise, no one made any noise. Of course, we bought something to eat on the way since we all anticipated that there was going to be lots of pit stop. With three liters of water at my back and dark mood, I started to feel like this was not my day again. I don't know why, since a week before I started to have this kind of weird feeling that I should not continue cycling. Is that because I have gone over my limit? Hmm....
Trouble showed when I did not see the pit stop that was supposed to be. I started going panic and my mind started wondering somewhere else. The climb seemed like endless. I was already showing sign of retreat in front of everyone, including Fatt at the second pit stop. I raised my hands, told the group that they should continue and not to bother about me. As usual, all the cursing and threatening spilled out from their mouths. I already turned back and started to go down but was stopped by Fatt and ST. Thanks to their concern, this was not my day again. I insisted to go down, they insisted me to continue! Even Fatt volunteered to be my babysitter! Finally, I agreed to continue because of their insistence. I did not know why. Maybe my heart still wanted to finish the ride. Maybe the devil in my heart did not yet have the power to overcome my desire to continue.
The dark feeling started growing stronger and stronger as I was struggling to reach the third pit stop. I started questioning myself why did I get up so early in the morning and do this "stupid" thing? I should have stayed in my cozy air-con bedroom and enjoyed reading instead of tortured myself under the hot scotching sun. The feeling even grew stronger when I reached the fourth pit stop as the last rider! All of the sudden, my anger raised and I was tempted to yell at everybody and stormed back to the foothill! When I saw all the concern faces, I started to calm down a little bit. Of course, not to the point that I would joke with as usual. Something was wrong with me!
I finally gave up when we all reached 168. My order of fried Koay Teow did not come and my ais kacang came late. That was it! I gave up. Since Fatt developed a cramp on his right leg and he could not continue. I took this opportunity to skip the last leg of the ride and went down with him via the Jeep track!
It was the worst ride I have ever had. The feeling was not right and my condition was not up to the stage that I am supposed to be. Maybe I have had too much MTB-ing and really need a rest. Maybe my recent office work loads bother me too much. I don't know. What I know is my mind starts to tell me that I need a break. Will I ride in next week? Maybe, maybe not. If I ride, I might go solo and do some very easy ride in Juru. A man gotta do what a man gotta do. Lets see what happen next week. Fatt, are you game for Ulu Paip? Let me know!
Stay tuned!