MY FIRST MOUNTAIN BIKE JAMBOREE

There will be a few more mountain bike jamborees before 2013 comes to a close. I hope to participate in at least one or two more before the year ends.

In September, I managed to participate in a jamboree, the 'Hypertrax Rampage MTB Jamboree', in Dengkil, Selangor. Dengkil is a small town 41 kms south of Kuala Lumpur. And just last Saturday, I participated in another one, the 'Otai MTB Challenge Round 2', in Sungai Buaya also in Selangor. 'Otai' is short for old-timers or oldsters and the jamboree was specially organized to cater for bikers aged 40 and above. I wonder if it was actually a misnomer or otherwise to name the event such. After all, it's still moot whether being fortyish means being old. As some would want to believe, middle age occurs between the ages of 41 and 60 while others  feel that it actually only begins at 50 or slightly after. Middle age is defined as the period of age beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. This is a matter quite relative as well as subjective in nature I suppose, and one could go on debating about it without the benefit of a conclusive end.

Now that 2013 is coming to an end, it reminds me about ageing and of my very own age itself when I first started  biking and participating in jamborees.

When did I actually start mountain biking and when was the first time I participated in a mountain bike jamboree?

I wrote something about how I got myself involved with (hooked would be better word) mountain biking in one of my earlier posts and I don't intend to touch on it again. I started mountain biking sometime in late 2008 when I was advised by an orthopaedist  to do so in order to bring my left leg back to size and strength  after it went through  some surgery for some tear of my meniscus I suffered during a golf game. I have never looked back since getting involved with the activity.

As for my participation in jamborees, the first time I did was almost three years ago -- on the 5th of December 2010 to be exact.  It was in Bernam Jaya, a small township 85 kms north of Kuala Lumpur.

E.T.Riders at the Bernam Jaya Jamboree 2010 (BJJ10)

How old was I then when I participated in that first jamboree? 

I was just a day short of my 62nd birthday. How nice and how apt it was for me to welcome my 62nd birthday by mountain biking in a jamboree! I didn't even realize it until later. I don't celebrate my birthday much but I would have gladly celebrated it this way if I knew!

What was it like for someone my age going mountain biking in a jamboree on a trail 45 kms long 80 percent of which was going to be off-road?

I did realize it wasn't going to be all easy or all flat for.for me. I knew that I would have to pedal over uneven terrain and up and down hills on a trail that would be strewn with all kinds of impediments one would usually  find while mountain biking.

Other E.T.Riders at BJJ10

Somehow, it didn't really bother me much I would say. I was quite  fit then having started biking sometime in late 2008. By the time I decided to participate in the jamboree, I had already managed to tame the much dreaded -- by those less fit -- Steroid Hill of FRIM known for its notorious 250- metre heart- beating climb and the popular Bukit Dinding in our neighbourhood for its lung-busting 200- metre almost- 40-degree starting climb.  At my age then -- and now --, these two hills could easily push my heart to its maximal limit and my lungs close to the point of hyperventilation. There were times during the early stages of taming these two hills when my heart rate shot up beyond its maximum limit. But fortunately by then, my heart could already take a few more beats without causing me to hyperventilate or gasp for breath. I could still pass the conversation test, a way of determining whether my heart and lungs could take the beating beyond the limit or that I should immediately stop to avoid any possible complications. Thanks to the consistent biking I did which I believe was responsible for the extra heart beats and extra air in my lungs I had which I could use whenever I needed.

BJJ10 was a good and well organized jamboree. Not only did I find the trail challenging, it was also a joy to ride though I failed to record some impressions of it caused perhaps, by my new- found excitement and enthusiasm.

I was satisfied and happy with what I managed to achieve. To be able to mountain bike for the first time in a jamboree at my age as I did for 45 kms with very brief stops at only some of the check-points along the way was something to be thankful of. The fact that I had never at any one moment felt threatened by the trail nor the ride was itself another blessing. I was also happy that I did not end up as the last participant to arrive the finish line which also told me something about the state of my physical and mental wellness in relation to other bikers at the jamboree all of whom were younger than I was. Thanks to the almost daily cycling I did. I still do.

After the first jamboree, other jamborees came easy although some were much harder and tougher than the first . But the harder the rides, the more I wanted to challenge myself to know how far I could go. I guess the same spirit still remains in me albeit with the realization that I do need to take the ageing process into consideration. It's there no matter what you do or how hard you try to slow it down. Sooner ar later, it's bound to get at you. But then for me, biking is something that I just simply love to do and a way for me to keep myself fit and  healthy for as long as I can, God willing. While I do acknowledge that ageing does take a toll on performance, I would prefer to 'wear out' than simply 'rust out' out of disuse as some would choose to put it.

I am looking forward to my next jamboree this middle of December and perhaps one final one towards the end of the same month. One or two more from now and in between the two would be very welcome, if I could somehow manage. God willing, I will be there with you.

And about the old-timers jamboree and the one that I went to in September, I will have to leave that for later when I may decide to post another entry on this blog.

In the meantime, keep biking.

Regards.

THE PRISON JAMBOREE

                                2nd Simpang Renggam Prison MTB Jamboree -- 30 June 2013

I am yet to write something about the last mountain bike jamboree I went to last month -- the 2nd Simpang Renggam Prison Jamboree 2013. My participation in mountain bike jamborees has  been somewhat  less active this year compared with last year although my biking per se, has not. In fact, I have recently been exploring new areas in cycling, the latest being my attempt into road biking. I had always wanted to try a road bike before but found the need of having to do so on our roads too daunting for me to try. Our drivers are well known for their notoriety when they are behind the wheels.

Cycling continues to be my main daily physical activity. My day would not feel right if I didn't go out cycling. I would say cycling is now a habit and a part of me. As one cyclist has aptly put it, cycling gives one the opportunity to get out of the house, cycle with friends, smell the roses, and see the views. And when one does it for the love of it, a cyclist gets a high quality low impact exercise without even having to try. Like many others, I too believe it's the perfect activity for me after my retirement and as I get older.

                Participants at the 2nd Simpang Renggam Prison Jamboree...

                               1100 mountain bikers were there...

Although my participation in mountain bike jamborees might have slowed down a little this year, still I have managed to participate in at least one jamboree or organized ride each month since January. July however, is the month of Ramadan by the Muslim calendar and no jamborees are expected to be organized during this period. But some mountain bike jamborees and other cycling events have already been scheduled in the coming next few months and I am planning to participate in at least one or more events come August next month.

As I said, cycling is my main daily physical activity which I perform either  in the morning or sometime late afternoon. At times, I even go out cycling twice a day, morning and afternoon. I am glad that I am a 'want to' exerciser and not a 'need to' exerciser as some choose to describe it. I cycle because I love cycling and because I want to not because I have or I need to. It's true that I love cycling for the fun and challenge the activity offers me, but more importantly, I also love it for the health and fitness benefits it gives me and for the chance of avoiding becoming a 'need to' exerciser if I don't. So, it isn't just all fun for me. I believe that cycling can help keep me young physically. Sure it wont prevent you from getting older but it should help slow the biological process to help us remain fit, strong and healthy longer, in sha Allah.

And talking about mountain bike jamborees, everyone seems to be organizing one these days and doing so quite frequently. I am referring to the mountain bike gatherings and rides that are organized by the many cycling clubs or groups registered or otherwise each week that you see being broadcast via the online social network service such as facebook or blogs. These are apart from those cycling events organized from time to time by the national cycling federation or other recognized sports bodies in the country. Many mountain bike jamborees as they are referred to, are organized by these cycling clubs/groups each week at various venues all over the country. There are also jamborees organized by government agencies or departments such as the police or the army or even by such public institution as the prison other than those by the relevant ministries. I participated in two mountain bike jamborees organized by the police  last year and in May this year, I went to one organized by an army unit in Kluang, Johor. And end of last month, I went to this prison jamboree that I mentioned about earlier in Simpang Renggam, Johor. Mountain biking it seems, is catching up well with Malaysians and its popularity is steadily rising. If we look into the Malaysia cycling calendar or browse the online social network service, we will notice the number of mountain bike jamborees and other cycling events that are being organized weekly. But it's all a healthy sign and a wholesome development that should be encouraged and one that augurs well for the health and well-being of the country's population.

Like all other jamborees that I went to before this, I looked forward too to this prison jamboree. The jamboree did not let me down and I enjoyed the ride as well as the challenge it gave me. But there are certain aspects related to its organization and conduct which I feel should be looked into for the betterment and success of future jamborees.

As for the trail we rode, I haven't much to gripe about though I wish I had ridden on one that was set in a more pristine environment than what we had for the jamboree. But under the circumstances, I suppose that would only be wishful thinking considering the rapid social and economic development currently taking place in the country. But all is not lost though since there are still some assets of mother nature left for us to enjoy. Worth about 40 kilometres long, the trail passes through the usual topography you would expect to find in most mountain bike jamborees organized here in this part of the country: a mix of sealed and off-road double and single tracks and paths running through oil palm, rubber and secondary vegetation including some populated areas. There were a few hills that we had to deal with. One was quite stiff with a track quite long and deeply rutted and broken in some parts that no biker I believe, would have been able to pedal up to its top without being forced to dismount and push their bikes. Furthermore, any attempt to do so would have been rendered  impossible by bikers who were pushing their bikes up along the track obstructing the way to the top. I am not aware though of anyone who could have done it without any problem.

While I would rate the trail at the jamboree a decent one, I thought the safety arrangements should have been given a little more attention especially when some parts of the trail turned slippery after an unexpected shower fell half way through the ride. When I rode one of these slippery sections which happened to be a long and steep downhill stretch, I did not see anyone manning the trail to warn bikers of the potential danger such a trail could pose. I was lucky to have been able to save myself from possible injury when I fell off the bike while riding this slippery section. Experience gained from previous falls had taught me to be extra cautious of such trail. An inexperienced or unsuspecting biker could fall victim to the danger such a trail could pose. I believe some bikers did fall off their bikes while negotiating these slippery stretches although I am unaware of the nature or severity of the injuries suffered.

My reduced participation in mountain bike jamborees has however, been offset somewhat by some interesting and enjoyable bike outings I had with members of my biking group. There have been rides of close to or more than a hundred kilometres each to some selected destinations including a day spin up a hill resort more than a thousand metres high, some off-road rides on a local cross-country trail nearby,  and over several weekends, day and night rides on an old twisty road with little traffic that goes uphill with plenty of curves around hills through tropical forest to a mountain pass worth 20 kilometres long.

                                Fraser's Hill -- Jan 2012

                                Fraser's Hill -- May 2013

It never occurred to me that I would one day climb Fraser's Hill, one of a handful of hill resorts (formerly known as hill station under colonial rule) you find in the country  -- with a bike; what's more doing so at the age of 64 and again at 65. It isn't a lowly hill, biking-wise; it's about 1200 metres high and from where we started, 20 kilometres long. It's an attempt I am certain I wouldn't be able to make even when I was 30 if I didn't bike. But not so for a cyclist my age or past my age. Cycling can make one become so fit that one can continue to ride strong long into the golden years of one's life (remember centenarian Robert Marchand?). Many who are in the golden years of their lives today are still riding and competing. A hill higher than Fraser's would not appear to be a challenge that would seem impossible to take until it's tried. And that's what I did. I cycled up Cameron Highlands, another highland resort higher than Fraser's a few months after I climbed Fraser's. Cameron Highlands turned out to be just another challenge a hardened cyclist wouldn't  mind taking on.

                                Riding Cameron Highlands -- May 2012

                                          .......the home of BOH

I never really liked cycling that much in my childhood or younger days. I did have the chance to ride two of my late father's bikes for some spins as a kid but I wasn't really crazy about riding them. His first bike that I could remember was an old Raleigh he owned circa 57/58 which served him for some years that I can't really remember how long exactly;  while his second was of another make he owned sometime in the late 60's that I can't remember what its brand was. Still I thought his second bike was another good bike though not as good as a Raleigh. But all bicycles seemed to be good those days and made to last and many of them were Raleighs. I also remember those solid one-speed steel machines the village folks used to ride to work with to tap rubber, carry loads or perform their daily chores in the village; or, those that the roti, or ice cream or textile sellers rode to peddle their goods with.  But as I said, I never did really like cycling much those days and I can barely remember what the other makes or brands of bicycles were at that time other than those that really stood out which were mainly Raleighs. Raleigh was a British product and so its popularity during that period is quite understandable.

And that was it as far as cycling goes for me as a kid. Only once did I really try a long distance cycling when I got persuaded into biking to school which was twelve miles away by friends one particular day instead of riding the bus. And I didn't like what I did. I remember getting so burnt out at the end of the ride that I told myself I would never do it again. I guess twenty-four miles wasn't short for someone who didn't do much biking. Cycling back for the return journey under the glare and scorching heat of the tropical sun without proper hydration proved to be a real ordeal for me. We didn't have bidons on our bikes then; not the kind of bikes we rode. It wasn't the right thing to do. But I was only a kid and there were many things I didn't know about biking back then. And mind you, I was pedalling a single speed steel machine to boot!

And cycling just ended there; no more cycling for me after that, not even a slight thought about doing it again for whatever reasons and for many years after. Perhaps, cycling never appeared to be an attractive option for commuting back then. Driving a car was the dream to aspire for. But that has nothing to do with riding bicycles. So until then, enjoy your rides.

ARMY AIR AVIATION & SUTAMA CYCLO MTB JAMBOREES

                   Sutama Cyclo MTB Jamboree, Sg Buloh (19 May 2013)

I participated in the mountain bike jamboree at Saujana Utama last Sunday. It was a good jamboree I thought, and so was the trail. The day was bright and sunny and looked good for mountain biking. As it turned out, it proved to be a warm and dry day though there was still enough moisture in the ground left by a previous day's rainfall for the soil to remain a little tacky good for traction and for mountain biking.

               Sujana Utama - a thousand plus participants were there... 

            E.T.Riders at the Saujana Utama Jamboree - three of the six who were there...

As usual, the trail was a combination of paved and off-road tracks where the off-road portion took an 80% share of the 30-km overall trail length. We had double and single tracks for the off-road portion of the trail that ran through some cultivated and uncultivated areas grown with oil palm, some types of cash crops and scattered areas and clumps of thicket and secondary vegetation.

                               Taking on Bkt Nangka -- at Saujana Utama Jamboree

There were several hills we had to contend with -- which the organizers named as Bkt Sayur, Bkt Nangka, Bkt Babi and Bkt Penat -- with gradients stiff enough to provide us the challenge and our hearts the beating. These hills, however, are not really so steep as to be impossible for strong bikers to pedal on yet stiff enough to push our hearts to their maximal limits or beyond if we choose to. While some bikers succeeded  in doing so , many however, found the hills a bit too stiff for their strength. Some were forced to dismount by virtue of the presence  of other bikers standing or pushing their bikes ahead of them. With bikers blocking the way on an already tight trail going uphill, pedaling became impossible without losing balance or getting dismounted from their bikes.

Army Air Aviation (881 PUTD) MTB Jamboree, Kluang, Johore(7 Apr 2013)








The last jamboree that I went to before the one last Sunday was the Army Air Aviation MTB Race/Jamboree organized by the 881 PUTD (Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat) in Kluang, Johore. It's another jamboree in a series of mountain bike jamborees that I wish to keep record of while memories are still fresh in my mind. 

I note with interest on the recent development in mountain biking taking place in the Malaysian army. It's the second year that this particular unit had organized a mountain bike jamboree that was opened for participation by members of the public. I believe it's a good thing for them to do. Not only is the activity good for encouraging health and fitness, it's also good for fostering the spirit of goodwill and understanding between the army and members of the public. It's also an activity that fits in well with the profession and their lifestyle. Besides, the organization has all the expertise and resources needed to help bring the sport/activity up to greater heights. With the expertise and resources available to them, I can expect them to come up with the best of organization and the best of trail that I can think of when organizing jamborees. I have also been made to understand that one particular infantry brigade in the northern part of the peninsula has in fact been equipped with several bicycles -- I am uncertain of their type though -- to be used for carrying out operational tasks/ duties. I can imagine how these bikes would be used for these purposes especially for operational tasks/duties along our fenced off border with a neighbouring country to prevent say, any incursion or illegal entries or even cross-border illegal /criminal activities.. The use of bicycles for military purposes, at least in the army, is nothing new. It reminds me of the Japanese soldiers who had once used bicycles to assist them to advance southwards through the the peninsula after their successful landing in Kota Bahru during WW II.

                          E.T.Riders at the Army Air Aviation Jamboree

Like the jamboree in Saujana Utama, I enjoyed the one organized by the army in Kluang, Johore. You couldn't run away from the usual trail and terrain you would normally expect to see in most mountain bike jamborees organized here in this country just like those that I went to before this. So was the case with the Kluang jamboree -- bit of tarred trail at the beginning and end of the ride, plenty of oil palm tracks, with some through rubber and secondary vegetation plus the usual obstacles you would expect to meet along the way to provide you the challenge and the thrill you need during the ride. Not forgetting the hills, though I would say the ones in Kluang were however, not as stiff and challenging as those that I confronted in Saujana Utama. In Kluang, I remember that we received more than the share of the trail we were promised. We rode 44 kms instead of 40 which was fun actually. As for the organization of the jamboree and the ride itself, it was an effort worthy of commendation.  These people have all the resources and the expertise they need to run a successful jamboree. I wouldn't expect anything less; not at least from the military. Still, I look forward to a better and more interesting jamboree next year.

                                     
For the last three months, I had been unable to post any entry in my blog due to my very own appetite for cycling which appeared to have increased lately. My urge for biking has not waned a bit but continues to remain routinely and habitually, an important element in my daily life and forms a major part of my daily physical activities. The urge has grown so much stronger that I have now been drawn into exploring new grounds to find out more about what the pursuit and its related activities have in store they could offer me.                                          

                                               
The latest urge to try something new that seems to have caught up with me is cycle touring, a form of cycling not completely unlike mountain biking depending on the kind of touring you choose. For now however, I am more inclined to try the road type than the off-road one.

The first time that I had gotten any close to the subject of bicycle touring was when I met two senior cycle tourists touring Fraser's Hill sometime early last year. They were touring western Pahang and I was climbing Fraser's and biking the Thompson Trail as part of my own mountain biking group's activities. Their activity, however, did not at all appeal to me then for I was fully hooked on mountain biking and loved the challenge and the spirit of adventure the pursuit offered. I thought bicycle touring wasn't anywhere close to mountain biking and I wasn't attracted to the laid-back or easy-going style it seemed to reflect -- until I realized its true nature and the varied challenges it could pose. I am attracted to some statement made by someone who said that the type of cycling that had probably shaped him more than any other was touring! That's interesting and I want to know why or how. Now that I have had a taste of what it's like (only a bit though), I think I am beginning to understand why and I want to know more.

It's not all cycling though. But whatever little work that I do, it's done the way I like it: work a little and do what I love to do more and as much as I want. I love to cycle and I love to fish and I love to do these two things -- plus a few more  -- more than I love to work. That's the way I like my retired life to be, at least for now. I want to make the rest of my life the best of my life to borrow the words of some famous writers I read somewhere. But I want to live it the way I see it and the way I like it.

At 65, I have no intention of giving up my pursuit which I started almost five years ago; not just yet. I still feel strong and still feel up to it although I do need to be a little more cautious than if I were younger. I do realize that I am no spring chicken any more and that my body might have become a bit less flexible, my muscles a little less strong and my bones a little less dense. But this is to be expected. Today, I can easily tell how much my body has yielded to the ageing process biologically. I believe it would be worse if I didn't keep myself physically active or if I were to live a less than active or sedentary life. I am certain that I would not be able to do what I now can do and just as well as some of the younger ones if I didn't cycle or mountain bike, just to prove the point. But I guess I am lucky since I really like and love what I do and that helps a lot.  I know that I can't prevent the biological clock from ticking its time away but I do believe that I can slow it down a little so I could do some of those things younger people do. For how long I will be able to do so will depend on what I do with my life right now.

But for all that I do, I do not do it to compete with others more so with my younger counterparts. If I did compete though, it would only be against myself and within my own limits. I have always reminded myself to be always aware of those limits although things could still go wrong or out of control just like they did a couple of times before. But even if I did not mountain bike and did something else instead, such things could still happen to me no matter how careful or how good I could be. These are things beyond our control like believing that one day our luck might just run out no matter how careful or how good we are. If it's not due to your own doing, it could be due to someone else's instead. There will be a time when circumstances might just take you out. But then again, there's always a chance that they might not. So we just need to continue to be cautious. Hopefully, luck will always continue to be on our side, in sya Allah.

                                            Army Air Aviation Jamboree

                                          Saujana Utama MTB Jamboree

Whatever the case may be, I will still be going out biking tomorrow just like I did today. And, I will also be participating in my next mountain bike jamboree soon, in sya Allah. Until then, keep those wheels spinning!

Regards.

SAVE PALESTINE CHARITY RIDE, PARIT YAANI

It has been more than two months since my last post on 1st January although there hasn't been any lull in my biking activities during that period. Just like last year and the years before that since I started mountain biking, the activity has continued to remain until now, a major part of my daily physical activities. Other workouts that I do include some basic weight bearing, core strength and a bit of balance exercises. These I believe, are sufficient workouts for me to keep my cardiovascular health and overall physical fitness and strength in reasonably good order. I touched 65 by early December last year.

How do I feel about going mountain biking at this age? Well, I feel okay I must say; really okay. There's the heart monitor to help me gauge how I fare while biking. Besides, I always listen to my body; whether I should stop or whether I could continue. That's more important than relying totally on my monitor. Since the start of 2013, I have, on the average, been cycling almost daily. Like I said before, the times that I did not, continue to remain few and far between. Other than feeling good about it all and enjoying what I do , I also strongly believe that the workouts that I do are an important part of my daily life. They are necessary if I wish to keep fit, physically and mentally strong and healthy all through the golden years of my life; insya Allah.

So naturally, when 2013 came, I was looking forward to my first jamboree of the year. But I didn't get the chance to ride one in the first month though. Although there were some jamborees organized in January, I was however, unable to fit in my time into the events' schedule.The only organized ride about akin to a mountain bike jamboree that I could participate in was in the form of a fun ride held on 3rd February 2013 in Batu Caves, Selangor. The ride was twenty-five kilometres long and ridden wholly on tarmac. Still, it proved to be quite an enjoyable ride and a physically challenging one too. Although the ride was done wholly on sealed surface, there were hills long and steep enough sufficient to push our hearts up to and beyond their maximal limits if we tried.

                                  Fun Ride, Batu Caves, Selangor

Mountain biking is an activity that I simply love and like doing and one I feel, that fits in my life quite naturally. I do not view it as some kind of a physical investment that I feel forced to make to reap its benefits although it's an activity that not only takes away your time but also your energy. And now, after almost five years of carrying on with the activity, it seems to have become almost a habit and a part of me which I hope will stay with me for a lifetime though it may later take a different form than what it is today.

                                   Save Plestine Charity Ride

                                    Saad and Azman: two of the three Etees at Parit Yaani...
                                                 
The chance for my first jamboree came on 17 February 2013. It was in the form of a charity ride dubbed the 'Save Palestine Charity Ride' held in Parit Yaani, Johor. Besides organizing it as a mountain bike jamboree, it was also aimed at raising funds in support of  the Palestinian cause. Part of the fees paid by the bikers participating in the jamboree plus donations and contributions received by the organizers would be used to assist Palestinians in their struggle.

The charity ride turned out to be a well organized mountain bike jamboree which saw participation of 700 bikers from all over the country. Three bikers from E.T.Riders were there at the gathering. Nevertheless, the fun and enjoyment they had were never any less. We were still excited about the ride and were looking forward to the 35-kilometre trail the organizers promised. And as we hated but yet loved it, the ride turned out to be more than 35 kilometres long. There was a bonus of five extra kilometres (as I noted it on my cyclometer) when we finally hit the finish line.Swearing and cursing as we did while cranking the extra five, we said nothing nor griped about it on conclusion of the ride.

                                                       

                                    It was wet and slippery in Parit Yaani....

As we expected, we had all that we wanted from a good jamboree at Parit Yaani: a well organized ride over a trail which was a mix of tarmac, offroad single and double tracks, flats and hills -- not too arduous though even by my standards but challenging enough for me and for many, I believe -- oil palm, rubber, some orchards and secondary vegetation for its greenery including runs through some thinly populated areas and kampongs.The trail was far from dry as we had earlier expected. We thought that since we were already well into the dry and warm period of the year, we would be riding over some dry hardpack soil. We were wrong. Except for some relatively dry and tacky stretches good for rides, large sections of the offroad trail were wet and slippery such that yours truly had the unfortunate experience of tumbling over while negotiating over one of the many puddles peppering the track that had me ending myself up in a nearby clinic with three stitches on the elbow (right one, that is). The injury however, did not stop me from riding. With some quick bandaging procedure carried out on the wound at one of the check points, I managed to complete the ride till the end. Apparently, it had been raining in the townlet of Parit Yaani and the area surrounding it for the last one week just before the jamboree -- the unpredictable weather nowadays resulting from global warming or some other climatic changes the world is now experiencing..

Riding through rubber...

                                     A puddly section of the trail at Parit Yaani...

                                ....and some durian orchards along the way...

So, I am still at it and enjoying it and looking forward to it; either for any possible jamboree that I could participate in or some organized rides with friends over the week including those of my own. My passion for biking hasn't seemed to ebb but instead, has now overgrown itself into another kind of biking that seems to be equally tempting and exciting i.e. that of touring.

Since about a month ago, I have been thinking hard about bicycle touring. Although I had never given it more than just a passing thought previously -- because of what appeared to me to be too easygoing or too laid- back a style of riding for me not realizing the true challenge it could actually pose -- this time, however, the urge to find out more about it and to try it has been growing stronger with each passing day. With a touring bike that I managed to get hold of recently, I am now ready for another kind of cycling adventure. After some trial rides  that I did with the tourer, I now realize  there's a whole new world of another different kind of biking out there waiting to be tried and enjoyed by me.

I cannot really pinpoint the exact reason as to why there's this sudden urge in me to try bicycle touring. All this while, I was more into mountain biking over hills and rough terrain and still am. But then the more I got myself into the subject of bicycle touring, the more I realized that this is one type of biking that allows me not only the chance to go the distances, but to spend time seeing places longer and more closely. It also allows me the opportunity to spend time outdoors more and get close to nature. The thought about wild camping while on bicycle touring (less the couch surfing though) and the opportunity to see places longer and more closely are just too attractive a possibility for me to ignore.

As I said earlier, I am now ready and looking forward to bicycle touring.

Maybe I can write something about it in my future entries.