CFAL8 - Cycle Round Penang Island for the Fifth Time

7.30am - we were flagged off by Ahbee. I thought I would not be able to take part in the event as my right foot was hurting the night before and has actually given up. Thanks to Kuan Sum for rescuing me with 2 small magical black pills, Ahbee called them the bowling balls. Initially I was skeptical about it but it really works the following morning, The pain has disappeared and I can cycle. I then told Jo to go for the ride. 

7:55am - Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway. We did not start from the official starting point at Youth Park instead we started from our hostel at Muntri Street. We joined the crowd at Penang Road.

8:10am - We were at Hammer Bay roundabout.

The weather was excellent and as usual there were lots of cyclists in this prestigious event clad with red jersey.

8:50am - Meetup with the group from Kuching at Teluk Kumbar Petron petrol station (GPS : 5.283029, 100.257437) after having cycled 22km.

9:10am - Still along at Jalan Teluk Kumbar getting prepared mentally for the first ascend.

9:30am - Jo experiencing the first climb with two stops. The first climb is less than 3km on an elevated highway Route 6.

9:56am - Kg. Genting with a lovely kampong setting, fresh air and birds chirping.

10:00am - Drink station at Sekolah Menengah Tan Sri Awang Had Salleh, Pulau Betong (GPS : 5.307538, 100.202804) after a distance of 37km.

Outside the school Jo had an iced pack from the St John Ambulance to ease her leg muscle.

10:38am - 42km we were at the neighbourhood of  Sg. Rusa. 50% of the ride completed.

10:50am - we stopped at a small town for noodle, most of the food were sold out we had to take instant noodle Wan Tan Mee. We met Johnny here.

A photo with friends from Kuala Lumpur.

11:09am - After the meal we continued the ride with an immediate climb and the most difficult one. Met more friends from KL as we moved on. 

11:19am - Jo did pretty well climbing this 5km stretch though with a few brief stops.

11:30am - Slow and steady we seemed to be able to conquer it.

Thanks to MH Chye for this photo during this climb.

11:36am - I quite like this climb with big shading trees, lively atmosphere with fruit stalls and a good place to rest too. 

We stopped at this corner to have a good panoramic from the top.

12:00 noon - we were at Teluk Bahang Dam having covered a distance of 57km.

1:17pm - High 5 - Campaign for a lane at Jalan Tanjung Bungah @ 72km distance.

1:44pm - We got ourselves a bit wet and stopped twice because of the rain.

1:52pm - at 79km we were at the vicinity of Youth park and heading for our medals & tee shirts.

Finally arriving at the finishing line.

1:56pm - One for the record and a great achievement indeed. I am glad to be her sweeper.

As we rode out off Youth Park a sweeper truck was seen still busy ferrying cyclists back to the finishing line. But our finishing line wasn't here, we have to continue and complete it at Muntri Street which we eventually did it.

The design for 2016.

We took more than 6 hours to complete the route, I am sure Jo will remember this day and I am proud that she was managed to do it.

A clip of our ride on a beautiful Sunday.

What a Memorable Ride to Gohtong Jaya 2015

First and for most I wish to say "Thank You" to the organisers for an excellent event these are people like Cik Gu Chin, Cik Gu Liliana Lee and Lead Rider Jason Lim and of course not forgetting PDRM, the Police Force that made this event so special and safe for us to cycle in this adventure. Cheers to all these people. Ribuan Terima Kasih!!!

I like these two Supermen, Supra and Subra and they are none other than Tuan Superintendent Supramaniam Ramasamy, Chief Police of Hulu Selangor District who took the trouble to flag off the ride and Tuan S.I. Subramaniam Veeriah Chief of Gohtong Jaya Police Station who was instrumental to this wonderful occasion.

And off we rolled to Gohtong Jaya cutting through the inner roads of the neighbourhood at Batang Kali.

It is approximately 7 kilometres from Batang Kali KTM Train Station where we started to the junction of Jalan Batang Kali - Genting Highlands and another 15 km to Gohtong Jaya. The weather was excellent, I have no idea how the ride was going to be but I just pedalled as much as I can to reach the destination.

After about 7 km of easy cycling at a beautiful country side we reached a junction where the craziness was about to begin. 

It was climb climb climb all the way to Gohtong Jaya there wasn't any platform that is level that is good enough to rest our muscle therefore one has to plan and manage brilliantly to go up.

At the bridge over Sungei Batang Kali.

I could see the second pit stop and it was a lovely sight indeed as I was crossing the bridge.

Refreshment at Lata Kedongdong rest area and that was a great relief for us.

The climb continued, time and again some of us repeatedly dismount, push and cycle up the hills. Twice there were big group of bikes zooming passed us, guess it is another popular route for the super bikes.

It is another 9 km from this milestone to reach Balai Polis Gohtong Jaya I decided to take the easy way up with the support vehicle and it's a rare chance to get a lift from a police car.

They say the going is tough but the tough gets going ..... hehehehe.

Here we were happily in a Police Land Rover.

While Cik Gu Chin and the ambulance van were tailing on us.

We came down from the support trucks and continued the ride for the last 1 kilometre up to the Police Station. This was at a Police road block where we resumed the ride.

Concentration was on everyone's mind as we pushed ourselves up to the hills and the air was getting cooler as we ascend, by the way most of us were on small wheels and of folding type we actually amazed ourselves with this achievement and my respect for those who have reached the destination without dismounting. You are the best and keep it up.

The landscape at Genting Highlands is always beautiful and together with the cooling temperature it was fun and lovely breezing around the vicinity with our two wheels.

At last, we arrived at the destination, Balai Polis Gohtong Jaya and the reception was warm and welcoming. We love it.

Representatives from Happy Cycling and My Cyclist Friends were seated at the VIP table including the organsiers.

And lunch was served.

I did not expect such formality where speeches delivered by Tuan Superintendent Supramaniam and followed by Cik Gu Liliana Lee. She was well prepared and gave a good speech on behalf of us and we wish to thank her for this surprise moment. You are the awesome, Cik Gu!

A group picture for this memorable event and once again our sincere thank you to PDRM, we were very impressed by your good work and what was a great way to foster good relationship between the public and the Police force. What more can we say you gave us a full and complete support team for the ride 2 patrol cars, an ambulance, a truck and a Land Rover. And also the permission to allow us to cycle in the restricted zone in Genting. We hope we can come back here again with our bicycles.

Genting Strawberry Leisure Farm, apparently is the biggest strawberry farm in country comprising of strawberry farm, lavender farm, vegetable farm, mushroom farm and a shopping arcade. We were escorted in style from the police station to this place and I guessed everyone of us love it.

We were surely a bunch of lucky cyclists and looking like tourists on wheels entering the farm.

You can pick the strawberry for RM8.00 per 100 grams.

These strawberries are grown on hydroponic and are easily reachable for picking.

The lavender farm together with other produce such as rose were looking beautifully and the fragrant of these flowers could be nicely sensed.

For those who are tired and wish to rest they are cafes and eating places for you too.

Our bicycles were safely parked in the compound at the farm and I wish to take this opportunity to thank Strawberry Leisure Farm for allowing us to park our bicycles inside the compound and the complimentary entrance into the park.

Re-grouping at a round-a-bout before we flow down toward Batang Kali in a group.

Coming back from the highlands was fast and at time scary, I heard one of us clocked more than 70km/hr and some have numbness in their fingers pressing on the brake levers.

Mostly importantly all of us have safely completed the ride and have enjoyed themselves in this incredible cycling event. Salute to SC Chin & Liliana Lee once again. We will be looking forward participating more of this sort of ride in the near future. Cheers and we shall meet again soon. Hip hip hooray!!!