12km XC adventure in Kulim High Tech Park, 2 Dec 2000

Mike and Viper Ong promised me that this would just be another easy ride. "12km under shade with easy ups and downs!". Sometimes I wonder if I should trust them for the claim they were making. Especially Mike Ooi. He just recovered from a terrible accident, and he was in the progress of getting himself back to shape. So I thought. In actual fact, the ride was never as easy as I thought!

We gathered at the Shell gas station of BKE(Butterworth-Kulim-Expressway) at 0800hrs with our guests from KL, the Silent Thunderers. Believe me, don't be fooled by the way the lady Silent Thunderers' look. They all looked sweet and innocent(Now I know why Paul of Cycleflex called them SYT!) but they rode like a pro! Thirty one riders, including the Silent Thunders showed up after the last two riders arrived half an hour later. We all headed towards the trail after a short briefing from Mike about the trail. "Nothing extreme. Just a normal undulating off-road single in the Oil Palm estate!"

Since I was forewarned by Sany that the lady riders from Silent Thunders were the really tough ones("They eat weak riders for breakfast!"), I decided to be the last rider to begin the "easy" 12km XC journey. At least, when I was questioned by the fellow riders why I was the last one to finish the ride, I always had an excuse that I was the last rider that began the journey! Leave some water face ma, or else how could I explain if I were beaten real bad by the sweet looking lady riders?

So I volunteered to be the sweeper("excuses, excuses, excuses!"). Took my own sweet time and enjoyed the scenic view along the way. The ride ended up that was not an easy 12km XC at all. The climb was surely taking the toll on physical less capable riders like yours truly. The climb was not as extreme as Batu Kawan or the Sungai Lembu trails. There were just a lot of them, one after another. Worst of all, there were no pit stops! Maybe the distance was short("12km only ma! You still want regroup ah?"). Maybe because of the presence of SYTs, everybody decided not to have pit stops! Even Fatt was squishing all his available energy to stay in the mid pack! Boy hadn't I seen him ridden in such a strong determination before! The distance between me and him was just getting further and further!

Okay I must admit, all the puffing and drinking had taken the toll on me("excuses, excuses, excuses!" I heard it again, ST and Azmi!). The usual magic wasn't there when I needed them. Was it one of the reason that I was eaten alive by the Rocketeer and Armageddon of Silent Thunderers and left way behind by Fatt and others? Hmm...

For those who did not join the 12 XC adventure this Sunday, boy you guys have to see the way they rode! Though I let Rocketeer ate dust when there was a DH (of course lar, or else what is the use of twin aft mount turbine for??), she just left me behind(way behind man!) when there was an uphill in front if she caught up with me.

Kudos to Adele for riding with us with her expertise in first aid. Paul you were right, she's DA Nightingale of mountain bikers! I wish I were the one who fell and a cut or two on my cheek("*muak*! your cheek is okay now!") but hey, as one of the fastest down hill bombs(ahem) in the over 30 category of the KOTRTs, think falling down during downhill is never in my dictionary!

This was an excellent MTB ride(Too bad my condition was not in the best form!). We all managed to finish the loop under one and the half hours. Is the trail worth another visit? Of course! Think I am going to do it again this coming Raya break. Maybe I should go solo this time!

Stay tuned!