PCC Interstate Ride 2011

April 29th - May 1st 2011 - The longest bike ride I've ever did in my life! 456km in 3 continuous days

Another event come and go...
After completing this one I must say, I admire myself...
No, this is not trying to do any self-praise. If you know me personally, you'd have know that I almost always never give enough credit to myself. But indeed until today, I cannot believe that I actually completed it. The more I think about it, the more impossible it seems.

What is PCC Interstate Ride?
PCC is a cycling club. It stands for Pedalholics Cycling Club and is based in KL. Every year, they organize this event called the Interstate Ride, which in the cycling community, it is a very big and popular event which only opens to a few hundred cyclist. The Interstate Ride is a continuous 3 days road cycling event, cycling in and around Malaysia across states. Each year, they have a new and different route which start and end at different location, this makes it logistically difficult especially if you're traveling with a bicycle. i.e. if you drive to start point with your bicycle, and after 3 days you end in a totally different place, how you go back to the start point to get your car? Not only this, there's many many other logistic things that needs to be taken into consideration.

This year, the route takes us from Raub, Pahang and ends at Damai Laut, Perak.

The route provided by PCC with their short description:
Day 1 Raub- Brinchang (145km): Freakishly hilly
Day 2 Brinchang- Bukit Merah (200km)- Grindingly long & undulating
Day 3 Bukit Merah- Damai Laut (120km)- Enjoyably Flat & short

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Day 1: Raub Rest House to Star Regency Hotel, Cameron Highlands

The day starts early. Had a breakfast of maggi goreng and teh tarik at mamak before gathering up with others at Raub Rest House. Started that day's ride fresh and strong.

A group photo with Penang group before the ride

Started with the Penang group and lots of other riders. We were going at around 25 to 30km/hr in a group of 30 to 40 cyclist. I can't remember how long we go but I was guessing about 40mins when a group of cyclist with their P2K jersey overtake the peloton and then leading the peloton at a faster speed. The group's speed went from 30 to 32 to 35 and that was when I dropped off. It was really tiring to keep up with them. I decided to give up chasing and save energy for later up hill climb.

I do not know when exactly the Cameron Highlands uphill climb begins. It started gradually and before I know it, I needed more and more energy to move forward. I cycle alone most of the time because I cannot keep up with anyone at all when it comes to cycling uphill. I have to admit I am very bad at hills.

Stopping for sponge cake bought the day before in Raub

The road up to Cameron Highlands from Raub was very quiet, very few vehicles and it was nice for cycling. You get to absorb the nature, the environment. The weather that day was just nice...cloudy and misty, which at later time turns to rain.

Lots of greenery, which I have a lot of time to appreciate

It was rather demotivating when I was slowly climbing and when I look up, there it was, the road where I will be at when I turn that long winding road up ahead. It looks so high up, and so far away.

I almost break-down and give up around km100 to km120. Was getting grumpy and upset because my support car wasn't waiting for me at the pre-agreed distance of 120km. The strong wind does not help with the climbing at all, and around this time, it started to drizzle and then rain. As I continue to pedal painfully up the hill, my grumpiness slowly fades. Maybe the rain cool me down, outside and inside. My support car was actually not far ahead, still in the 120km range, but you know, when you consistently cycles at an elevation gain, a few km feels like forever.

At the car, I have all the intention to hop into the car and end that day's cycling already. Was really exhausted. But thanks to my kiasu-ness, and encouragement from some cyclist from Miri, I discarded that thought and continue my journey of pain.

Thanks guys for the encouragement along the way. Unfortunately, didn't manage to get a proper group photo with them in the end

After some refill into my tank (food!!), I continue to cycle. At one point, I look back down the hill and I thought to myself, "OMG, look at where I came from. The slope was so steep and I manage to conquer it". I was amazed at what I can do. From then onwards, I've got a mantra to chant every time I hit a tough slope. And that gets me going for the next 2 days.

"I've seen it all, nothing I have not climb before. This is nothing compared to what I did earlier"

This may look like a normal road to anybody, but it is a very long and tough journey to my destination

Stop for lunch somewhere along the way at some shophouses. It was really cold because of the temperature at higher altitude, plus I was completely soaked from the rain and sweat.

Despite the cold, I felt much better after a proper lunch. By then, cyclist were spread out far apart, some fast ones were already at the hotel and slow ones were still struggling somewhere along the way.

The last stretch to the hotel was the worst part of the ride. There was a traffic jam leading to the hotel, and it was quite a steep slope, fumes from all the old diesel jeep and car trying to get their way up that slope is really terrible. But at that time, I was so eager to end that day's long journey I just don't give a damn to anything anymore.

I finally reached the hotel at 3pm after 8.5hrs on the road.

The face of a tired happy cyclist

Had a long long wait for check-in at Star Regency Apartment. It's a very dingy hotel, not very clean. I wasn't very impress. After a long wait, manage to check-in. So many things to clean up; the wet gloves, wet shoes, cycling jersey with dirt splashes at the back, muddy bike, sweaty helmet and etc etc. Phewww, let me tell you ar, cycling is one the most troublesome sports!

Data from bike computer for DAY1

Total moving time: 7:20:15
Total time: 8:30:00
Total distance: 148.07km
Average speed: 20.1km/hr
Max speed: 57.5km/hr

Dinner is included with the registration package together with accommodation. So that night after clean-up, we had a buffet dinner and at the same time, there's a briefing on 2nd day ride and some sharing of photos of the day. Food was bad, bluek :(

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Day 2: Star Regency Hotel, Cameron Highlands to Bukit Merah Laketown Resort

At 6.30am on the morning of second day...this is how I look...

Waiting for the start, utilizing all the time I can get to catch some extra sleep

It was cold in the morning. To add to the discomfort, I had to wear the same shoes which are still wet from yesterday's rain. And I don't get to wear my glove because they are also still wet.

The 2nd day ride started with yet another climb towards Equatorial Hotel. The feel of the butt on the saddle gives a HIGH feeling to everyone that morning. After having your butt sitting on a small bike saddle for 140+km the day before, this would be the most painful thing everyone has to endure that morning on top of the climb to Equatorial. It was hard to get my engine started, and once started, it still was not easy. I thought it will be downhill all the way from Cameron to Simpang Pulai, but I was very wrong. I remember after the Equatorial Hotel hill, there's a short downhill but after that, there were a lot of uphill yet to be conquer.

The reward came after all the hills. It was really downhill after that, but don't you think downhill is easy. It was NOT!! My fingers were so numb from pressing on the brake all the way down, I had to stop half way down to give my fingers a rest...LoL.

Reached Simpang Pulai at about 9am and we had our breakfast stop here. Gather the Penang group and Team Independent Racers (IR) from KL so that we can form a peloton together.

There's really not many photos from the second day. What I can say is that it was a hot and long long long ride of 200km to Bkt Merah passing through Tambun, Tanjung Rambutan, Kuala Kangsar, Padang Rengas and Changkat Jering.

The second day ride was more of a group ride. We stayed together in a peloton because it makes cycling so much easier if we work together. The weather was very unforgiving. It was so hot that most of my tan lines were from this day. We had to take a break quite often, every 20 to 30km, if not we may just faint.

The road from Bkt Merah Laketown Resort entrance to the Suria Service Apartment where we stay was another tough section. The section after the entrance was really really steep, I had to come down to push my bike :P

Finished the day's ride around 5-ish pm. Was really glad the longest ride of PCC Interstate is over. I was so relieved.

Data from bike computer for DAY2

Total moving time: 7:39:25
Total time: 10:30:00
Total distance: 198.96km
Average speed: 25.9km/hr

See the big difference between moving time and total time? We took a lot of break due to the heat.

Since we reach quite late, this time we don't have to wait too long for our room. After clean up and shower, we headed down for yet another buffet dinner. This time, the food was a little better than the day before, but still wasn't fantastic. As usual, dinner was accompanied by briefing and photo sharing of the day.

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Day 3: Bkt Merah to Swiss Garden Damai Laut Resort, Lumut

This is the only morning that we weren't provided breakfast before the ride. Chin and I decided to drive out of the resort to look for food. We were lucky because there was this nasi lemak stall and a warung just outside of the Bkt Merah Main Entrance. We had nasi lemak and teh tarik/kopi which was cheap and nice...yummm, love the nasi lemak.

Since today's ride is a shorter one compared to the past few days, 120km, the start time was set at 8am.

The route brings us into some small kampung near Sepetang, the road was bumpy and in pretty bad condition. There was also a crash, and that poor guy had to be admitted to hospital. After the kampung is the flat trunk road passing Terong, Pantai and towards Segari/Damai Laut.

Today's ride is also peloton-based, staying together in a group. Very little stops on this day, we aim to finish it fast with minimal rest stops.

I don't know why, but all 3 of our hotels have to have a very tough access road. The road into Damai Laut is very far from the main road, and it comes with a gradient. Quite a torture when you are so near yet so far to the finishing. Ended my third day ride around 12noon.

A group photo with Team IR. Thanks for looking out for me along the way.

The third day is D BEST!! Besides having NO MORE ride the next day, Damai Laut is the BEST-est hotel of all 3 days. Good buffet dinner, fantastic buffet breakfast, nice swimming pool, free kayak session, and flat screen TV in the room with Discovery channel (my fav channel). What a way to pamper oneself after 3 days of long hour cycling.

Beautiful swimming pool, and the blue sea in the background

Data from bike computer for DAY3

Total moving time: 3:51'09
Total time: 4:30:00
Total distance: 107.55km
Average speed: 27.9km/hr
Max speed: 46.5km/hr

As I completed the third day ride, I was overwhelmed with satisfaction and I felt really proud of myself...haha. I'd have to say, the first day is the toughest of all 3 days because I am bad in hills. Hmm, maybe what I need is a better bike ;)

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To sum it up, I am glad I take up the challenge signing myself up for PCC Interstate Ride 2011 despite the scarily long distance. I had a lot of fun being out on the road, traveling across states on the road bike.

It wouldn't have been easy if not for my support car out there looking out for me throughout the 3 days duration. Chin Chin and her black shiny car --which is not so shiny after the 3 days :P -- had been providing water and food support. It gives a sense of comfort knowing that help will be around when you need it.

The aftermath of 3 days under the sun? Plenty of obvious tan lines on the hand and thigh. Fortunately, I don't have any on my face :-)

The dot thanks to the hole on glove, and the tan line around the wrist is result of not wearing the sleeve properly. It's the opening between glove and sleeve

The tan line on the thigh are more obvious than any other place. But sorry lar, not going to show photos of my big fat thighs :P

Given a chance, I'd like to sign up for PCC again next year. Hopefully by then, I have a better bike already.