Morib was the destination this morning. It is a route I have ridden a few times already. An Epic Ride describes one of those prior jaunts to the seaside at Morib.
Alvin, Liang, Mark and I got rolling at about 6.45am. Avoiding the midday heat on the way back was our primary objective. All looked good as we made our way down the motorcycle path beside the KESAS Highway, through Kota Kemuning and on to Bandar Botanik. It was an overcast morning, and we had cool conditions as we rode through Telok Panglima Garang and onward to the coast and Morib.
The road along the Langat River to Tanjung Tongkah Lighthouse, previously a section of road in disrepair, has been resurfaced. Cool weather and smooth tarmac makes for fun riding.
The first order of business once we got to Morib was breakfast. We stopped at the aptly named Delicious Bread Coffee Shop.
The bread was as advertised. We had ours toasted, with butter and kaya. Along with nasi lemak, soft-boiled eggs, and iced Milo or coffee.
Photograph courtesy of Alvin
Yummy yummy!
Photograph courtesy of Alvin
Then it was time for a bit of fun. Photographs further down the road at the Morib Gold Coast Resort, for no other reason than it has a sign that reads “Morib.”
Photograph courtesy of Mark
More photographs on the sea wall at the beach at the end of Persiaran Mestika.
Photograph courtesy of Alvin
And another picture just to prove that we had really ridden to Morib beach.
Photograph courtesy of Alvin
The overcast skies cleared just as we started on the 70km / 44mi ride back to Bandar Sunway.
It was less and less fun as the temperature and humidity ramped up. By the time we were 15km / 9mi from home, it was properly hot. So much for an early start to avoid getting toasted on the way back.
We were only 12km / 7.5mi away from Morib when we made a hydration stop. The first of a few such stops. We pulled up to a small sundry shop near Kampong Kathong and bought litres of water, some iced tea and other flavoured waters.
About 20km / 12mi from Morib we had made what in hindsight was an ill-advised detour toward Pulau Carey. The realisation after 4km / 2.5mi of the detour that it was still a long way to Pulau Carey, coupled with the rising temperature, prompted the smart decision to turn around.
Our next hydration stop was at Cendol Santan Sawit Mak Lang. A mere 20km / 12mi from the sundry shop.
We didn’t know that there was such a thing as santan sawit. Santan is the Malay word for coconut milk. Made, as the name makes clear, with the flesh from the nut of the coconut palm tree. Kelapa sawit is the Malay term for oil palm. At the time it didn’t make sense to us that santan could be made from the nut of the oil palm tree. We figured the term “santan sawit” referred to santan made from coconuts that grew amongst the oil palm trees.
I now know that palm oil is used to make a coconut milk substitute. The aforementioned santan sawit.
Which, despite the complete lack of coconut milk in it, makes a delicious cendol. Made even better, in this case, by lots and lots of shaved ice. We even got an extra bowl of shaved ice.
Photograph courtesy of Alvin
We made two more hydration stops in the 37km / 23mi between the cendol stall and Bandar Sunway. Both times at petrol stations.
At the Petronas station 10km / 6mi from Bandar Sunway we met up with some friends who had ridden to Morib as well. They rode a slightly different route, including a climb to this lookout spot at Jugra.
Photograph courtesy of Cindy
By the time they pulled up at the Petronas station they were looking just as hot and sweaty as we were.
It was 1.45pm by the time we got to our cars. More drinks, and lunch, were on our minds once we had cleaned up and stuck our bicycles into our vehicles. Mark led us to Lim Fried Chicken in SS15, Subang Jaya.
Fried chicken, a fried egg, green beans and curry rice, with extra curry gravy and sambal on the side.
Photograph courtesy of Alvin
Chased with ice-cold homemade soya milk.
The ride to Morib and back was suddenly fun again.
On the way we stopped a few times for some shade and a breather. Including at the R&R Seri Kembangan on the MEX Highway, where we could get food and icy drinks, and sit under a fan in the shade.
Old Roots, New Routes 