トモエスガのお別れライド *

* The Farewell Ride for Tomoe Suga

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

The R@SKLs have been delighted, and privileged, to have had Tomoe ride with us.  Her ready smile and infectious enthusiasm brightened every ride she did with us.

Tomoe is a very accomplished cyclist.  Basking in her reflected glory is the closest most of us got to being a podium finisher!

Photograph courtesy of Tomoe Suga

It is a measure of the friendships Tomoe has developed during her time in Kuala Lumpur that 47 cyclists participated in the farewell ride the R@SKLs organised for her.

We started from Restoran BR Maju in Kota Kemuning.  As usual, Alfred was early.  Very early!

Photograph courtesy of Alfred Chan

By 7.10am we were on the road toward Bukit Jugra.

Photograph courtesy of Pai Hsing Chou

This was the largest group ride many of us had ever been on.

It turned out to be a day of a few firsts.  The ride from the base of Bukit Jugra to the lighthouse is just 1km / 0.6mi long, but the road rises 111 meters / 364 feet in that distance.  That is an average gradient of 10%.

For some, this was their first ride up to the lighthouse and the Jugra sign.

Photograph courtesy of Pai Tsing Chou

For first-timer and regular alike, getting up that hill is an achievement.

Photograph courtesy of Chew Wee Giap

Photograph courtesy of Lee Heng Keng

Photograph courtesy of Leonard Yee

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

Photograph courtesy of Lee Heng Keng

Danial won the prize for Most Daring Cameraman.

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Some thought better of sweating and grunting up the climb.

Photograph courtesy of Leonard Yee

Photograph courtesy of Leonard Yee

From Bukit Jugra we rode the 13km / 8mi to the beachfront at Morib for breakfast.

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

Photograph courtesy of Danial Lim

And some posing with the Straits of Melaka behind us.

About 45 minutes later we were back on the road, retracing our route.

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Japan may be the Land of the Rising Sun, but Malaysia has its share of sun as well.

The temperature was 19°C / 66°F when we started the ride in Kota Kemuning.  When we left Morib it was 34°C / 93°F.  By the time we got to our regular cendol stop 23km / 14mi later, it was 37°C / 99°F.  We needed that ice-cold cendol.

The proprietor of Cendol & ABC Santa Sawit Mak Lang was taken aback when I ordered 60 bowls of cendol.  He didn’t think that he heard me right.  It took a few repetitions of the order, helped by the sight of more and more overheated cyclists streaming into the stall’s seating area, to convince him that I was serious.

Photograph courtesy of Martin Lee

The return ride from Morib had turned into a hot one.  That meant a touch of sunburn, and some cramps, within the group.  But that didn’t stop everyone from completing the ride.  For some it was their first metric century ride.  Another milestone achieved!

Fortunately there were no falls or crashes.  The worst mechanical issues were one dropped chain, and one slow leak.  An excellent result for a group of 48 riders.

The R@SKLs wish Tomoe much success and happiness back in Japan.  And of course, many enjoyable kilometers on her bicycle.

Jepun Boleh!