Cycling back to hometown
Date: 14-15 Apr 2012 (Sat/Sun)
As part of PCC Interstate 2012 training, I decided to cycle from Penang to Taiping and back the next day. I sent out invitation to some of the cycling kaki few weeks before hoping to get some company into doing this together. Due to everybody's busy schedule, in the end only Ewe Cheong joined me. And Chin Chin was so kind to offer support in car in case we encounter technical problems with our bike and also help to carry water, plus our clothes and basic things.
Ewe Cheong and I started our adventure in Bayan Lepas and we cycle to Penang Ferry Terminal. It was a beautiful Sat morning. I think we were very lucky as for the past 3 days, it has been raining in the morning. However, it was a very humid day.
Took us 20 mins to reach Ferry Terminal from my house. Ah Miow is so nice, she purposely come to Ferry terminal to bid us goodbye and wishes us a safe ride to Taiping.
At around 7.45am, we started from Butterworth Ferry Terminal. Taking the trunk road towards Taiping, we pass Bukit Tengah, Bukit Minyak, Simpang Ampat, Sungai Jawi, Nibong Tebal, Parit Buntar, Bagan Serai and lastly Kamunting.
We make a stop in Nibong Tebal for breakfast. Nibong Tebal is almost half way point of our ride. The first half of it was not very pleasant because there was a lot of traffic lights and the road was very dusty from road construction.
The journey after that was much better, there were less lorries, less traffic lights, road is flat and is much wider than previous roads. The only problem is strong headwind.
Next stop we make is the small town of Bagan Serai. Stop by this small kedai kopi to buy water. The uncle and aunty operating the shop was amazed when told where we were going. It was getting really hot by then, and I was really exhausted already. Another 25km+ to reach Taiping. Pheww...
Meet up with our support car 10km down from Bagan Serai and make another quick stop to further refill water then it was all the way to Taiping. I was all burnt out and keep feeling that left calf of mine twitching, warning that a cramp is coming. I have to ask Ewe Cheong to slow down and I drafted behind him from then onwards till we reach Econsave in Kamunting. We had another short break at Econsave before ending the ride at my mother's shop another 3km away.
Switching to car, I drove Ewe Cheong and Chin Chin to Larut Matang foodcourt for lunch then send them to hotel to shower. I book them into Cherry Inn which cost about RM30 per person for a night stay.
In the evening, I brought Ewe Cheong and Chin to Sepetang for curry mee. It was only so-so. Not as good as people claim it to be.
The next morning, we repeat the same route heading back to Penang. This time I am more tired than the day before. Legs felt heavy but I am determined to do it. Off we go at 7.30am.
We make the same stop as the day before, in Bagan Serai which is about 30km from our start point. 2nd stop was another 20km away which is not far before the town of Nibong Tebal. This time we stop for dim sum breakfast. The place was totally crowded and they keep running out of food. We had to wait for quite a while. Ewe Cheong and I, pushing our bike towards the restaurant and in our cycling clothes, had to endure people's curious look. I can't remember the restaurant's name, dim sum was not very good.
By the time we're done and ready to continue our journey, it was starting to get hot. My legs totally felt like jelly despite the food. That's what un-fit means. By then, we've only done about 50km. Less than 30km to reach Butterworth!
I need another stop when we were somewhere near Bkt Minyak. It was getting so hot and I was really tired. And this was 20km away from where we last stop. Sitting in the petrol station, I wanted to wrap up the ride and get into the support car already. I really wanted to end it so badly. The feeling of giving up is terrible I tell you, I am so reluctant to end it but at the same time was so tired. Checking the map, it seems to me it was just another 10km+ to go before we reach Butterworth. Hrmm...
After some thinking, I decided to die die also go for it. Ewe Cheong at that time was still strong, but he was very easy going, he let me decide. My decision was to ride until Butterworth and end there. We will both get onto the support car and cross into Penang Island coz it will save us more money...hehe. Our options are 2 bike + 1 car go onto ferry separately (cost RM9.80) vs. 1 car cross the bridge with 2 bikes in the car (cost RM5.60).
In the end, I manage to tahan till Butterworth before I call it a day and hop into support car ending the day's workout. In total, Ewe Cheong and I did 88.3km + 78.4km = 166.7km in 2 days.
It's a good start to my new bike, and a good start to PCC Interstate training. Thanks Ewe Cheong for the ride company and Chin Chin for the support. You guys rock!
Day 1 workout data: http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/113455993
Day 2 workout data: http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/113809207
*Go to Splits and Graphs tab for map and km-by-km info
As part of PCC Interstate 2012 training, I decided to cycle from Penang to Taiping and back the next day. I sent out invitation to some of the cycling kaki few weeks before hoping to get some company into doing this together. Due to everybody's busy schedule, in the end only Ewe Cheong joined me. And Chin Chin was so kind to offer support in car in case we encounter technical problems with our bike and also help to carry water, plus our clothes and basic things.
Ewe Cheong and I started our adventure in Bayan Lepas and we cycle to Penang Ferry Terminal. It was a beautiful Sat morning. I think we were very lucky as for the past 3 days, it has been raining in the morning. However, it was a very humid day.
The crew in this adventure (left-to-right): Ewe Cheong, Chin, and myself posing in front of the kastam building opposite ferry terminal
Took us 20 mins to reach Ferry Terminal from my house. Ah Miow is so nice, she purposely come to Ferry terminal to bid us goodbye and wishes us a safe ride to Taiping.
The sky at that time while we were on the ferry. Quality not bad at all. Taken from my new iPhone :)
At around 7.45am, we started from Butterworth Ferry Terminal. Taking the trunk road towards Taiping, we pass Bukit Tengah, Bukit Minyak, Simpang Ampat, Sungai Jawi, Nibong Tebal, Parit Buntar, Bagan Serai and lastly Kamunting.
We make a stop in Nibong Tebal for breakfast. Nibong Tebal is almost half way point of our ride. The first half of it was not very pleasant because there was a lot of traffic lights and the road was very dusty from road construction.
The journey after that was much better, there were less lorries, less traffic lights, road is flat and is much wider than previous roads. The only problem is strong headwind.
Next stop we make is the small town of Bagan Serai. Stop by this small kedai kopi to buy water. The uncle and aunty operating the shop was amazed when told where we were going. It was getting really hot by then, and I was really exhausted already. Another 25km+ to reach Taiping. Pheww...
Meet up with our support car 10km down from Bagan Serai and make another quick stop to further refill water then it was all the way to Taiping. I was all burnt out and keep feeling that left calf of mine twitching, warning that a cramp is coming. I have to ask Ewe Cheong to slow down and I drafted behind him from then onwards till we reach Econsave in Kamunting. We had another short break at Econsave before ending the ride at my mother's shop another 3km away.
More than happy to reach Econsave Kamunting
Switching to car, I drove Ewe Cheong and Chin Chin to Larut Matang foodcourt for lunch then send them to hotel to shower. I book them into Cherry Inn which cost about RM30 per person for a night stay.
In the evening, I brought Ewe Cheong and Chin to Sepetang for curry mee. It was only so-so. Not as good as people claim it to be.
Foreground is curry mee and background is laksa
The first railway in Malaya was built here
The next morning, we repeat the same route heading back to Penang. This time I am more tired than the day before. Legs felt heavy but I am determined to do it. Off we go at 7.30am.
We make the same stop as the day before, in Bagan Serai which is about 30km from our start point. 2nd stop was another 20km away which is not far before the town of Nibong Tebal. This time we stop for dim sum breakfast. The place was totally crowded and they keep running out of food. We had to wait for quite a while. Ewe Cheong and I, pushing our bike towards the restaurant and in our cycling clothes, had to endure people's curious look. I can't remember the restaurant's name, dim sum was not very good.
By the time we're done and ready to continue our journey, it was starting to get hot. My legs totally felt like jelly despite the food. That's what un-fit means. By then, we've only done about 50km. Less than 30km to reach Butterworth!
I need another stop when we were somewhere near Bkt Minyak. It was getting so hot and I was really tired. And this was 20km away from where we last stop. Sitting in the petrol station, I wanted to wrap up the ride and get into the support car already. I really wanted to end it so badly. The feeling of giving up is terrible I tell you, I am so reluctant to end it but at the same time was so tired. Checking the map, it seems to me it was just another 10km+ to go before we reach Butterworth. Hrmm...
After some thinking, I decided to die die also go for it. Ewe Cheong at that time was still strong, but he was very easy going, he let me decide. My decision was to ride until Butterworth and end there. We will both get onto the support car and cross into Penang Island coz it will save us more money...hehe. Our options are 2 bike + 1 car go onto ferry separately (cost RM9.80) vs. 1 car cross the bridge with 2 bikes in the car (cost RM5.60).
In the end, I manage to tahan till Butterworth before I call it a day and hop into support car ending the day's workout. In total, Ewe Cheong and I did 88.3km + 78.4km = 166.7km in 2 days.
It's a good start to my new bike, and a good start to PCC Interstate training. Thanks Ewe Cheong for the ride company and Chin Chin for the support. You guys rock!
Day 1 workout data: http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/113455993
Day 2 workout data: http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/113809207
*Go to Splits and Graphs tab for map and km-by-km info
Labels: Healthy living
posted by LieWei at 1:48 AM
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