Genting Peres group photo

Route: Pekan Batu 18 - Genting Peres - Jln Sg. Tekali (Bukit Hantu) - Pekan Bt. 14 - Pekan Batu 18.
Distance: 49KM +-
RV: Pekan Batu 18
Roda Golek: 8.15am


The prologue:

There wasn't much excitement (Cycling) last weekend even tough Monday was a holiday. For me it's was primarily the gloomy condition most of the time except for Sunday.

Did a "baisa" Sungai Long on Saturday morning with Saipol and Shamsul (though the road was mostly wet). On Sunday Saipol and I cycled through Sungai Long in the afternoon, we skipped the morning ride due to "domestic" matters. We started at around 6.00PM and reached home at 7.15PM.

The afternoon ride was not that bad. Traffic was okay and the heat was bearable. It was a bit windy at Sg Long's peak but nothing like the Lekas Hell.



While at the usual pit stop on the last hill after the toll plaza, Saipol and I were contemplating on either to do the Lenggeng Ride or Back-2-Back Bukit Antu-Genting Peres on Monday. After a short discussion with Zaha over the phone we decided to scale down the ride plan to just conquering Bukit Antu. We made some invitation calls and smses to a few about the ride and we got a confirmed total of 4 people, impressive?.... but then the ride goes on.


Monday March 9th 2009

Took a quick peek at the sky and the weather was not that promising. Loads of dark clouds hovering over Hulu Langat area promising rain either in the noon or later.

The Ride Goes On:
I reached our RV point at the parking area besides the hall nearby a field at about 7.45am (so much of 7.30am Roda Golek). There was an L driver on the double lane on the way to Batu 14. After that a slow Makcik who drove at 40KM/h all the way right until the RV point. Zaha was already there. While waiting for Saipol, we unpacked our bikes hastily. Little that we knew Saipol's friend, Razak together with Mie Setan had already started cycling. Can't blame them for being on the dot though.

Saipol called and planned for Ajak (Razak) to meet us at the peak of Bukit Antu because they were riding from Bt. 14 to Bt 18 and Bukit Antu while we were taking on Bukit Antu from Bt. 14.


The Quest to Conquer Bukit Antu:
The road from Bt 14 via Sungai Tekali was not so bad. There wasn't much dreadful rolling hills and road condition was okay. Gearing for probably one of the many tortures climbs, we warmed up using light gears, conditioning the legs for the ultimate test. We stopped by at a Masjid right before the "foothill" to get a breather and to prepare our minds, again, on what we're about to climb.


The humility of Bukit Antu, an afterthought:
True enough...the constant climbing nature of Bukit Antu was indeed tortures. It was mostly a non-stop climbing all the from the foothill until the peak. Even though it was just 5-6 Km climb to the peak but the elevation was horrendous. Personally I think it's tougher then Genting Peres and I doubt Saipol and Zaha had a different opinion about it.

The Rendezvous:
As planned earlier, we rendezvous-ed with Mie Satan (Suhaimi) and Razak at the peak of Bukit Antu. We couldn't make our up minds on what the next route going to be so we decided to cycle to Genting Peres foothill and decide there and then.

Along the way to the foothill we came across a few pockets of riders cycling through the kampung Orang Asli.

We stopped by the foothill near the T junction for a breather. There were a few familiar faces there and after a short chit-chat we decided to climb Genting Peres. We'd figure while we were here already, why not just do the Tour Raja Bukit that we had planned earlier and the weather was a bit cloudy but nice. Even though it looked like it was going to rain real soon but at least we didn't have to worry about being "over-heated".

The Rain :
While on our way to Pekan Batu 18, we were hit by rain. Lucky for us it was not a heavy one. We kept pedaling until we reached the Mee Udang restaurant nearby. We stopped there and had a couple of nice hot plates of Laksa and Mee Goreng coupled by Teh 'O panas, Cendol and ABC.

As soon as the rain stopped (at about 12.00PM) we continued our journey back to the RV point at Batu 14.

The rain a side, it was a fulfilling ride. We definitely going to come back and redo Bukit Antu. A ride to the top is not going to stop.
Thank you to Razak and Mie Setan for the company.

Video


Photos

Zaha, gearing up









Somewhere in Sg. Tekali


At the foothill of Bukit Antu


View from a far


Solo ride


Saipol pushing the limits




Lonely pass


The reunion at Bukit Antu's peak


Enroute to Genting Peres


Reunion at Genting Peres's foothill...A bunch of folks clad in Subaru's jersey


Taking a break at the peak


Indiscriminate parking....especially the white bike...Mie Setan's bike


Razak and Mie Setan


Saipol reached the peak...finally


The Rain break...nice...


Zaha, "sipping" until the last drop of Laksa...