MountainTorq - via ferrata mount kk - kinabalu
We climb from mesilau, mesilau resort is nice enough to give us guys the suite. ( includes a room heater ) unlike the ladies whom got the bunker. however it goes vice verse in laban rata we guys will get the bunker. :) Steam boat dinner was excellent. We had scramble up from mesilau to laban rate in sub5 hours..Everyone got in by 2 pm. Free flow of coffee and tea is highly sought after. On to Mountain Torq briefing and training. Safety and procedural technique is attended to. No drama there , except some ladies whom isn't to sure about the equipments. Dinner is served @ 5.30 . the food there ain't that bad. Everyone started to disperse after dinner to get some much needed rest after the hike up. Assault to Summit starts at 2 am.. (too early for people like us ). the climb in the dark is therapeutic , only glimmer of headlights forming daisy chain as far as it glows forms the route. Some rested the summit too early and some just in time. but most of all ( the fast ones ) suffered the cold from the storm up there for 2 hours. No sunrise, sunshine. (our luck) On to via ferrata, looks pretty normal..untill one comes to the edge. the the fear factor starts creeping in. i myself can feel fear creep. Being a climber before, maybe its the cold magnifiying it. Safety factor is 3 level. cant think of what can happen there unless it gets really slippery. And slippery it was when it started raining on the way down @ 40%. Ferrata abort was called. Had to climb back up. morale was on a all time low. Suggestion was taken for consideration for waiting on this passing rain. Fear of water fall occuring is in most of our mind.Mountain gods is smiling. Weather is clear with no rain. we proceeded. Its nice. reommended to go with a team you know. you will be more patient and forgivin instead of people whom can or will slow you down. climbing up from mesilau , assault to summit , doing the via ferrata and going back down to timpuhan within 36 hour can be daunting. ur warned. i felt its tougher than ironman. 3 ironman agreed. well depending on how fast you climb. ;) 
Time to climb some more granite step up on cold steel rails....and non-Teflon coated cables. Gonna try the air up there. May 28. "Must be cleansing"
"Climb the mountain and get their good tidings . Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The wind will blow their own Freshness into you and the storms their energy , while care will drop off like autumn leaves. " John Muir.
Minor Update:
Just got back from it.Not bad at all. can be pretty scary/repetitive for some.Pounding headache. Freezing nuts and finger..busted knees on the climb down to timpohan. 16 hours of sex-like euphoria and depleted energy.
Meanwhile check these guys out they were "here" just last month . Borneo Big wall check video 6# @ 1.10 ... gnarly 
Major update comes next :
at Monday, May 04, 2009 0 comments
Labels: Event, Mind Body Soul
It began in Afrikaaa....KAAa...kAaaa...
Okay so i have been a lil sloppy on the updates, putting on lot's of kilometer for IM this February .
What i am trying to post up now is the fact i have missed something that was spreading through the internet like wild fire.
its about these duo...one shoe shiner and one biker taxi...its about time..cycling has some heroes from the ghetto and because you can't bullshit your way up a mountain..
at Friday, January 02, 2009 0 comments
Presidential Ride 2007 : Post Ride Analysis
As i made the U-turn , WOw..the amount of cars which are already parked at 7am , just astonishes me..the row of cars just grows longer every year...
Went there , found a parking lot. got the bike and stuff out , uh.... where's my bottle? crap! (your just never prepared enough..being sick makes it freaking worst.)
Anyway , easily 850++ riders + gatecrashers by the side of the road waiting for the horn to blow@8.00am, well some waited further ahead to beat the crowd. And GO!!!!!!!...
man,if this is a road event everyone will take it easy thats for sure...thanks to the hole shot in off road biking ,everyone is hammering for it else get stuck in the backlog.
Stage 1
Fairly manageable , as everyone is still fresh, (yeah it aint that tough alright) but i thank the PCC M&D for not making it any worst.
Stage 2
I take back what i said about M&D @ stage 1, the sickos knows how to smile when they see us suffer..... now this aint easy even after some hard climb , the requirement to pull of some technicals manoeuvre in fluidity in these wet condition is seriously difficult. Quite number of rider were dehydrated.
stage 3
pretty much similar like stage 2 but with less single track,more pushing i think..
( huh ? izit? no meh ? ehh gimme a break , i cant remember every puddle of mud la.)but i know water melon is a good thing !!!!so is bananas... but i was pissed at few things that my bottom bracket screwed it self out... ( picture later ) thus cant hammer as much and some idiotic rider just showered himself with a full bottle of mineral water...
Stage 4
the last 14 km to break all 4 loops. not easy. in fact to make it worst are small gradual hills that turns into mountains. and ladder climbs?? ughh which's sickos idea is that?
I'd say this year is tough in terms of technical and focus. heard of plenty of crashes and falls going around stage 2 ( even stage 4 , at the resident's ditch single track!) Gonna catch some rest.
10 min clip of stage 2
Thanks again to the PCC community for this excellent event.
Post Ride Checkup:
Post ride check up:Right BB screwed out.. :) had to tighten it back with fingers.
Broke brand New Profile plastic water bottle.
and my missing cateye Enduro...
at Monday, November 19, 2007 0 comments
Labels: Event, Rides, Thoughts
BANTUS CAPOIERA @ LAUNDRY 8th October 07
These guy can throw some serious moves... was there to support some friends on the event... the brazilians, the samba the bantusian, the crowd are all pretty cool not to mention pretty hot too..the ladies i mean... check out the 3 min clip...the moves are just awesome..
at Tuesday, October 09, 2007 0 comments
Labels: Event
Bukit Timah@SG
A lil stupid to videocap this while steering with one hand..but hey its insanely fun... a good trip there to sg hiting the trails and meeting the natives there..
Update:
Ohh heck,after only being on a mtb for 3 times in 8 months and now hitting the trial in Sg i'd say its fun being on a mountain bike again.... there..i updated already....Aiyaa, DAMM IT if i say its fun,its fun ler...IF YOU WANT to know more on how its like , go register Presidential ride. BeLIEve me...
Here are some pics fromthe ride.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bbrtan/SingaporeWithPCCBTPUBIN
at Tuesday, October 02, 2007 0 comments
Labels: Event, Rides, Training
INTERSTATE 2007 Pcc Cycling - Feel the love yet?
How does one start writing-up an epical bicycling adventure that starts in the suburbs of Ipoh and traverses to the coastal town of Penang in 80 hours? It is difficult enough to remember exactly what happened right before, during and after those 80 hours, the whole ride seemed a blur.With the knowledge of knowing that this Interstate sets the bar in terms of luxury accommodation,ballroom presentations and not forgetting the food.... Here's what left a lasting impression.
Everyone wakes up,fill up ,gear up,jeered up and meet up at the lounge of casturina hotel.I'd said i'd promised to stay with the group. (which i did not manage to,either too fast or too bonked ).Then blame it on the ever uncertain dynamics of the whole peloton with the rider's personality mixed up with their bikes personality and the exchange of energy between them, i'd swear they are half people , half bicycle .Which in results i came to an epiphany of realizing that every trial and tribulation in a long distance event is root caused by knowingly being there on the bike and "gives'ing it "
And yep folks - it's all in the mind, especially in a cyclist mind riding Interstate 2007.
"When you're out there on the bike, you've got a lot of time to think. And what goes through your mind has the power to get you that extra 50ks or bring you down and make cycling seem impossible."
"when you're out there on the bike , knowingly push on with the fact there is 30 riders following , what goes through your mind to power on for the next 30mins to make the pull"
"when you're out there on the bike , knowingly pushin on with the fact there is 10 riders is catching up on you , what goes through your mind to catch them when they pass by while having limited or no reserves left within to hook on "
I'd says there's no rules for good and bad days.
Sometimes you do 150ks and you feel like you could go on for another 50 more - it might be a beautiful day or you might have a good tailwind. But when you're sun-stroked and burnt and there's another 40 ks to go, sometimes you do want to stop. You have to be able to imagine the friend that's waiting for you , the nice cold shower or the nice cold drink to take you through the last k's .. otherwise you couldn't do it. Knowingly there is an untapped reserve within that guides you thru an autopilot of zen like nature which pushes and says "its alright, you'll make it"
The memories of motion still lingers in the muscles of the legs and round and round they seem to goes.( i'd swear i still feel it now)
Feeling satisfied in life is a matter of finding the right perspective from which to view it. At least that's the conclusion I came to after finishing this year's Interstate 2007.
In epilog,
i'd say its job well done to the PCC committee..i'd thank the collective effort of everyone ( including sponsors,support, camera dudes & dudettes ) in which this will never be able to materialized. i'd say thanks to those extra 110++ rider to make up the amount from last years 150 to 260 this year ( whom dared to register) . i'd say thank for the awesome weather.
and i'd say thanks that everything went well...and no bike were harmed. ;)
at Wednesday, September 05, 2007 0 comments
Labels: Event, Race, Rides, Training
