Overnight experience in Sungai Sedim Forest Reserve, 29/30 July 2000

We have been trying to do an overnighter in Sungai Sedim. Unfortunately, there's always something coming up. Either we don't have enough headcount to get the ball rolling, or the major players have some other commitments. Finally, under the careful plan of Azmi, Gary, ST and Sup, the trip materialized on 29 July 2000. They really put a lot of effort to make it happens. Especially the beautifully drawn site plan done by Sup! This is a pro job. Many people mistakenly takes it as a siteplan for some bungalow projects or stuffs like that. I think KOTRT is the first MTB in Malaysia really put the effort to make thing happens, which also makes KOTRT unique.

We have more than 30 riders join the fun, the largest KOTRT gathering done so far! I was late to the site since I would have to wait for Fatt and another kid that can't get off until 1700 hours! By the time we got to the site, time was already late. People there were already set up their campsites and got themselves for the big event of the night, the BBQ that was professionally catered by our new member, Encik Annuar. I was heard that the groups who arrived at noon had already done one ride to a secret waterfall, which I had been mentioning since I "discovered" the trail that led to this waterfall in my last visit to Sungai Sedim. Anyway, without wasting any time, we quickly fixed our machines for the next event of the day, the nite ride on tarmac after the BBQ feast!

It was the darkest nite ride I had ever ridden! There were no street lights, nothing! It was so dark that I couldn't see anyone when I turned my head to look back. The only thing I saw was the tiny emitting light from riders that brought theirs. Only light source I had was my newly bought Cat eye Kryton, which unfortunately did not work to my expectation. Maybe I should change the bulb to the halogen one. Hmm... Since we also had riders with no light source, I was warned not to go fast. Yeah, my first time in my mountainbiking career to be the leader of the team. How did it feel? Different lah. Never had this kind of feeling since I quit road racing ten years ago(due to a terrible accident that cost me an Alan Carbonio with Dura Ace groupset and me in coma for a week!). Although I went really slowly, well, during the downhill I mean, riders at the back were still complaining that I was going too fast! Man, I squished the levels with all my might and they were still complaining I was going too fast. What can I do? Change my SCRAM turbo unit to a normal one? Sheesh! Anyway, the ride ended rather quickly. Since we only did the tarmac, there wasn't a long ride. I adjourned my day by walloping all six packs of icy cold Carlsberg I brought over!

With a terrible hangover and a pair of raccoon eyes due to the difficulty to sleep on hard and uneven surface, I got up at 0730 hours and got myself ready for the actual purpose of our camping here, to conquer the trail that was claimed to be the toughest one in the forest! Putting my new Shimano jersey and a silk cycling short(I don't know it is really made of silk or not but it sure looks like one!), I was again(!) assigned to be the leader of the ride! Boy, what an honor!!! Oh yeah, did I tell you I forgot to bring my dehydration pack with me? No? Right, I forgot to bring mine! I did not realize until I arrived at Sungai Sedim!!! Although Azmi and ST assured me that I would not need to drink much water, I was kind of skeptic. Luckily, my high school buddy came to the rescue when I needed it. I owe you one buddy! You are really a life saver! We started the ride with an easy ride on a logging trail that we used to ride on and then proceed to the one that will lead to the claimed tougher trail. It helped a magic without having to carry my usual 3 liter water and other stuffs. I felt like I was flying at the trail! Maybe other tengkahs were not joining us. The kids who joined in the ride were having tough time to keep up with me! I felt so light and it was tempting to go faster and faster! I had to control myself since there was another unknown distance ahead that we were going to cover!

We proceeded to the unknown trail after we covered the usual one in half an hour loop. The ride started at a junction of the tarmac that would lead to a recreational center of Sungai Sedim. The initial ride was a moderate and easy ride crossing durian orchard and wet, shady single track before the trail ended at a junction, which at the right would be a log bridge leading back to the campsite and at the left would be leading to a native village, which was 17km away on undulating trail. We were not going to ride to the village since there were newbies and physically less capable riders. Instead, we would cut off to a riverside to enjoy a cold dip at the kilometer five. I had been to the first portion of the track before. It was my first real MTB outing on my Claud Butler, which I never forgot the first sensation of doing a real XC. The track was still wet and shady since my last visit two years ago except there was a bridge built at the place that was no bridge when I first rode the track. It was a moderately easy ride. Funny though, when I first rode the trail two years ago, it was not that easy. I was riding a rigid. A rigid was supposed to help a lot in climbing but it wasn't. I had tough time to follow the group. It was different now. All the sudden, it was not that tough anymore. Maybe my secret training in Batu Kawan helped me to conquer this!

The ride at the 5km trail to the cold dip proved to be worth visiting. The trail was an undulating with two steep climbs. There were a short one but steep. If I had ridden the trail with my dehydration pack on my back, I don't I could get it done! They were not only steep, but also technical! I was leading the pack. At first, there were couple of riders with me. As I was trying my best to tackle the climbs, the number started to drop until the second climb, I was only on attacking the hill. Others were no where to be seen! Boy it was taxing. I was actually struggling to reach to the top on the second one already. Finally we reached to the branch out at the right that would lead to the riverbank at kilometer five. I don't I was going to be fit enough to tackle the third climb, which was just at right before the branch off!

It was a fantastic MTB outing. Also, it was successful one. Thanks to Azmi, Gary, ST and Sup. Without their commitments to make it happen, this ride will remain merely a KOTRT proposal. Although they claim it was my effort, I think I have to be fair. They do all the job, and I am just a postman to tell people that we are going to have this ride soon. I think they are really the one who make keep KOTRT alive, not me. So guys, give them an applause for getting the job done, and it was a fantastic one! So what are we going to do next?

Stay tuned!