Serdang Downhill Kamikaze, 9 Jan 2000
This was supposed to be a fun ride cum picnic at the waterfall of foothill. Instead, Viper Ong, the organizer of this ride decided to cancel the picnic thing in the last minute. I thought I was going to enjoy the popular Chai Koay from Sungai Bakap. Look like I would have to wait for the next time!
22 riders showed up in Viper Cycles and Showroom at the time indicated, 0730 hours. Fairly big group I would say. Maybe they responded late, that was why Viper Ong decided to cancel the picnic thing. I think this is the problem that organizers have to face every time they decide to organize a ride and help by providing refreshment and something to fill up the stomach. It really reminds me of my previous experience in getting places to stay for some late comers of our coming Cameron Highland ride. Spending so much time to get apartment booked. At the end 50% of the riders decided they couldn't do it due to their other commitments! Now I understand why some of my fellow riders gave cynical remarks when I told them I would like to help them to arrange places for them to stay. I really felt pity for the rest when I told them that I might have to strike them out because I couldn't find enough persons to share the rent. Luckily I managed to get them alternate places to stay in Tanah Rata! Lesson learnt: Get deposit on the spot when they say they are interested. No deposit means no place for them!
As usual, I decided to be the last rider to start the climb. Surprisingly, I already started overtook couple of riders after a mere 100 meters. Was the climb terrible? Tougher than my routine Batu Kawan uphill? I don't think so. It was easier than Batu Kawan. Still, I started seeing riders leaving behind as Ong's group teng kahs started trying to "provoke" me by saying something that might make me decided to exhaust my energy prematurely before the last uphill! In fact, they were successfully "provoking" me! I lost my patient and started to pedal faster as the first climb came to the end. Big mistake! By the time I finished the first climb, I already half dead! Boy could I see their devilish smiles! They had better watch out next time. I would see to it that I would smoke them real good!
The fun began after we had the last rider reaching the peak. I was the first one to go downhill at the back hill followed by Tom, the official troublemaker of the KOTRT. Compare to the last time I rode, the condition of the trail was no better! Erosions were visible all over the trail! I made a big mistake by wrongly picking a bumpy side, and I was easily overtaken by Mike the kamikaze kid after the first slope! What a shame! The track was quite slippery due to raining a day before. Kenny, one of the teng kahs from the KOTRT who overtook me in the first uphill(didn't manage to change lighter gear! Shit I should stick to my 42-17 combo!), became the first victim who kissed the ground after his daring feat in one sharp corner. Luckily nothing happened to him except few bruises!
We finished the ride quite early. Initial plan was to have lunch together but since some of riders of Viper Ong's group decided to check out the bike shop in Parit Buntar, we decided to have a quick lunch in Bukit Tambun.
It was a fun ride. Especially the down hill part. It always a thrilling sensation in downhilling. I think this is one of the reason why we keep on coming back to this trail!
Stay tuned!