Atok cycles to... Sungai Besar

Some Statistics

• Started: 5 November 2023 
• Ended: 6 November 2023 
• Days: 2 
• From: Jeram, Kuala Selangor 
• To: Sungai Besar, Sabak Bernam
• Distance: 169 km 
• Transport: Joyah, the happy bicycle 
• Fuel: Sorry, forgot to record all my meal costs 😊 

Day 1

Breakfast is compulsory

Breakfast is fuel since Atok is the engine on this trip. Yes, Atok is riding his touring bike again. Going solo since Mbah had classes to teach. It had been a while, around a year and a half since the last tour. So this was going to be a short one to ease the body back into the pain. 😂

Roti kahwin for Atok and roti kosong with ceker for Mbah. Sometimes I wonder who, in their wisdom, came up with all these creative food inventions. This is what makes Malaysia such a food heaven. 

But surely Malaysia is not the only country blessed with abundant herbs and spices to amaze any food. Having travelled to other countries I realised that it was the creativity of the people plus certain cultural traits, which I don’t know what, that make the food marvellous. 

For example Indonesia and the Indian subcontinent have lots of spices but the variety is missing there. Cambodia and Laos are other instances where they had lots of herbs but again the variety of menus is not there. Maybe because Malaysia, before which was Malaya, and even before that was Tanah Melayu, had had an infusion of immigrants from east and west over hundreds of years, making the food what it is today? 

Whatever it is, Alhamdulillah I'm grateful to be living in what has now became a wonderful country. 

Break no 1

Petronas' toilet was shut - water supply issue. Tak bayar bil kot. Kalau tak ada duit bayar jer lah dengan minyak. 😂 

Cycled on a couple hundred metres more to a Petron instead. Bought some drinks and snacks. The girl behind the counter was very chatty. Reminded me of the one I left at home. Hmmm… Baru 20 kilometer dah homesick. 

Onwards for another 60 kilometres! 

The engine was faltering - I needed refuelling

I had done 40 kilometres so was due for break no 2 anyway. Found a row of shops typical of a kampung crossroad. There was a "kedai kopi" where I sat myself in. Men were meeting friends over teh tarik here. At the grocery next door some ladies were gossiping while selecting ingredients for the family lunch. This kind of rural village scenario had changed little over the years since as far back as I remember in the 1970s. 

A couple other shops were closed, maybe because it was a Sunday today or maybe these were the only shops needed here. I suspected the latter as rural folks had simple needs. Any similar shops numbering two or more in villages like these would not have survived. 

The food served was simple. Just like everything else in a kampung. Everything has a place and a place for everything. Any surplus will be rid off. 

Maybe I should've just cycled through

Because of the WCE Highway construction I was forced to a detour (the red dotted arrowed route above was closed to normal traffic). At least it took me through a new place so that was quite interesting. But later did I found out that it added 18.2 kilometres to today's distance. Not much in a motor vehicle. But on bicycles every metre is earned with sweaty effort. 

My bums were hurting. My muscles were burning. My stamina was depleting. And my throat was tingling. I left home with Mbah recovering from fever. Had her bug migrated to me? 

Getting an Insta fix

I couldn't resist. I had to join in. As much as I sometimes loathe the idea of prancing in front of a camera in public. The hypocrite side of me reared its ugly head. So I rode few additional kilometres for the sake of an Insta moment.

When it was still work in progress

Mbah and I were here July last year when we were testing our motorcycle touring idea. We came across this aircraft which was being assembled at that time. Reckoned it was going to be a restaurant or a hotel. Apparently it became a billboard. The advertiser must be smiling looking at the crowd that came flocking now. 

Took a few pix from afar as I wanted to move on as quick as I can. It was boiling out here. 

When will this end? 😭

As I got nearer to 90 kilometres I felt increasingly worse. There was still 10 kilometres to go before I could end today's cycling. Agoda came up with a last minute deal in Sungai Besar. As it was three kilometres shorter there than to Sabak Bernam I took the offer. 

After cleaning myself up I called Mbah to give her a sitrep then took a short recovery nap. But afterwards I didn't feel much better either. Something wasn't right. 

Off to dinner then downed a couple of paracetamols with some rehydration salt in water, hoping all would be better in the morning, insyaAllah. 

Day 2

If it's not to be then it's not going to be

This morning the tonsils felt raw and swollen (it probably was). And maybe I had a slight fever. 

The original plan was to cycle to Seri Manjung, Perak to meet with Afiq the Little Man (though he's the largest in the family now 😁). But with my worsening condition I wasn’t sure of continuing on. Maybe the more than 90 kilometres distance cycled in blistering heat yesterday aggravated my condition too (I try to stick to a daily average of 80 kilometres). 

The thing is, Mbah and I had planned a nine-day motorcycling trip in Cambodia starting this Saturday. Meaning I'd only have two days of rest before that journey if I were to carry on with this tour. Turning back home today would give me two more days to recover from whatever bug was attacking me now. So with a heavy heart turned back I did. 

Having ridden this route several times I knew it almost like the back of my hand. In my condition I decided to stick to the coast instead of inland like yesterday. It is shadier but I might have to battle with more wind. I hope Windy was right in predicting that it would blow more towards the South East, in favour of my southerly direction. 

But it was probably one of the hardest 70 kilometres of my life. 

Despite everything there'd always be something to smile about

Somehow I was more disciplined today. Maybe the determination to get home or get to somewhere I could rest before my condition worsened was strong. I stuck with the regimen of stopping every 10 kilometres for water (mixed with rehydration salt) and a longer break after every 20 kilometres. 

Except just before Kuala Selangor where there was a sugarcane truck by the roadside. Those who had followed me cycle touring would know my penchant for sugarcane juice. It's a nitrox booster. 

Then seven kilometres on I paused in Kuala Selangor supposedly for lunch but decided for something light. I didn't think the food wasn't appetising since of the three outlets here this was the busiest. The aroma of ayam goreng rempah was certainly tantalising and looked very popular among the patrons. 

But I was more spent than hungry. I forced myself to eat something light since I knew I’d need the fuel. Imagining being on tour on some distant land hence come what may I had to make it to the destination so eat up I did. 

Just 20 kilometres to go anyway. But being closer to the destination didn't make it any easier. Often it was harder. 

Home at last

What a struggle today had been. After slightly over 76 kilometres I reached Mbah, in a shade as red as a prawn on the barbecue and feeling as hot as being on one. If it wasn’t for the endorphins I’d probably had felt even worse. 

This was the first time I cycled in a feverish condition. Luckily home wasn’t far away. But it taught me that when things went to pieces  just pull yourself together to better the odds. Do it early. Do it as best as you can. Just do it. Then leave the rest to the Almighty. 

Salty grime me

Of some of the things learnt from previous cycling tour was to make sure the body had enough salt, especially when doing strenuous physical activity under a blazing sun. Regular nursing of rehydration slat infused water throughout the day is a must (I "overdosed" on 10 packets over these two days). Then make sure to take in some protein-rich food for your body needs it to repair the stressed muscles. Plus carbohydrate for the Energizer bunny in me to keep going. Good to know I still remembered even after a long hiatus from tour cycling. 

There were other on-the-road observations to compare how things have changed since I last went bike touring. But as the mind wasn't really into it I'll reserve them for the next time I ride these routes again. 

Next adventure coming up soon so now rest I must.