Tag Archives: Bukit Genting

TCCP 2019

Posted on October 21, 2019 by alchemyrider

A weekend trip to Penang for the annual round island ride has been a R@SKLs tradition since 2016. Over the past decade, this ride was known as the Campaign for a Lane Ride and was approximately 80km / 50mi long.

This year the ride had a new name. Toward Cycling City Penang. And the distance was extended to 100km / 62mi. The two out-and-back stretches at the lower left and middle left of the route accounted for the additional 20km.

The ride started right on time at 7:00 am. Kudos to the organisers.

The R@SKLs rode as a group for the entire ride. Speeds were kept to below 30kph so that everyone could stay together. Despite best intentions, a couple of riders did fall off the back of the group because of a mechanical problem.

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Malaysia Magazine

In the past, we stopped near the Penang Bridge. This time we didn’t so photographs of the bridge were taken on the go.

Our first brief stop was after 18km.

Not long after that we turned right and rode along the southern end of the runway at Penang International Airport.

In another departure from past practice, we did not stop for a restroom break at the Caltex station near Kampung Binjai.

😳Bladder control On.

The first extension to the route came at Taman Cahaya after 29km. In past years we turned right to tackle the climb up Bukit Genting.

This time we continued straight along the southwestern tip of the island for about 5km before retracing our route back to Taman Cahaya.

I had reached the limit of my bladder control at the U-turn and had to stop.

As I neared Bukit Genting I got a telephone call from Simon. He had stopped to help Eugene with his mechanical. As did Marvin. I thought they were behind me but I was wrong.

I was speaking to Simon via my Aftershokz Aeropex headphones. I took my hands off the bar and cupped them over my ears to reduce the wind noise as I spoke.

Simon: Eugene, Marvin and I are at the top of the first climb. Where are you?
Me: I am at the bottom of the first climb. Everyone is at the bottom of the climb.
Simon: OK. Wait for us. We will ride down now.
Me: NO. Stay there. I am still at the bottom of the climb.
Simon: OK. You stay there. We are coming.
Me: NO NO NO. You stay where you are. We are all still climbing up to you.

Having my hands over my ears didn’t make me very intelligible to Simon. Fortunately, he understood enough to stay put while the rest of us rode up to the three of them.

How did Eugene, Marvin and Simon get ahead of us? They skipped the extra 10km loop.

The first water stop was at the top of Bukit Genting. Despite the threat from the organizers of no service for riders who weren’t wearing the official event jersey, we all got water. In a nice move to reduce the use of plastics the organizers did not provide individual bottles of water. Instead, they filled each cyclist’s bottles from a water dispenser.

It is a high-speed descent (unless you are stuck behind traffic) to Taman Simpang Jaya and the sharp turn to the left that leads to a flat 15km through several kampungs (villages).

After 10km of flat riding, some of us stopped at Mysara Café for a drink. The others continued to the sundry shops next to the Chinese temple at the foot of the second climb of the day.

Immediately before the Chinese temple, we discovered the second extension to the route. A 7km loop to Pantai Aceh and back.

The Mysara Café contingent finished the loop and rode past the rest of the R@SKLs just as they were remounting their bikes for the 5km and 200 metre / 656 foot climb.

After the climb and descent, most of us regrouped at the rest hut overlooking the lake beside the Teluk Bahang Dam. Some had to get back to their hotels early to check-out so they went ahead.

There were 30km left to ride through Teluk Bahang, Batu Ferringhi, Tanjung Bungah, Tanjung Tokoh and Gurney Drive to the finish.

We collected our Finisher’s medals and rode straight back to our hotels. It was too hot to linger and many had to shower and check-out of hotels.

Or indulge in a celebratory cold one!

The final act for five of the seven who rode to Penang was to load our bikes into Amy’s truck for the drive back to KL.

Until 2020 then.

Graphic courtesy of Tien Hotel + Residence

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Posted in Cycling in Malaysia and tagged Batu Ferringhi, Bukit Genting, Mysara Café, Teluk Bahang Dam, Toward Cycling City Penang. Bookmark the permalink.

CFAL 2018: Round Island Ride

Posted on August 14, 2018 by alchemyrider

Photograph courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

Sunday morning, woke up yawning; did my alarm really ring?
Pulled on my bibs and sprayed that sun screen all over my skin.
Went down the stairs and kissed my bike to make it come alive.
‘Cause with 22 gears and the R@SKLs all in pink,
I got to go for a Round Island ride.

With apologies to The Bee Gees

The half dozen or so R@SKLs who needed breakfast before the Round Island Ride met in front of the Tien Hotel at 6.00am. Lebuh Chulia and the surrounding streets were becoming filled with blinking bike lights as cyclists emptied out of the many hostels, backpacker inns and boutique hotels which have opened in old Georgetown since it was accorded UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site status in 2008.

Old Georgetown is now even more of a tourist draw. Most tourists don’t look for breakfast at 6.00am on a Sunday morning. So we were greeted with rows of dark shop fronts as we rode around looking for breakfast.

The first open place we found was the Restoran Liyaqatali Nasi Kandar Beratur. Open from 10.00pm to 8.30am. As its name suggests, you queue (beratur) for your food, and then try to find somewhere to sit on the sidewalk outside.

We wanted roti canai. We were directed to Restoran Dalcha Kassim Mustafa. That was open, but the roti man only starts doing his thing at 7.00am. So we settled for rice and curry and hard-boiled eggs.

We were back in front of Tien Hotel at 6.30am where a cloud of pink was already gathering.

Photograph courtesy of Billy

There were more than twenty-five of us. As is always the case, the larger the group, the more likely that at least one rider will have a flat tire. Mark, who seems to have become our designated mechanic whenever Danial or CK is not around, was called into action to help Kieren with his flat. Which ultimately required a change of tire to fix. Henry, thank goodness, had a spare tire to loan to Kieren.

Kevin also had a flat tire outside the Tien Hotel. He took it as a sign that he should skip the ride. A decision no doubt helped by the after-effects of the beach party.

The Penang City Hall on the Esplanade is a little more than 1km away from the Tien Hotel. We took up our customary position right at the back of the estimated 3,500 participants in this, the 10^th edition of CFAL.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

We were flagged off a bit after 7.00am by Malaysia’s Finance Minister Mr Lim Guan Eng. Mr Lim has a long-standing relationship with CFAL, having served as the Chief Minister of Penang between 2008 and 2018.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Lim Guan Eng Cycling Plus Mag

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Plus Magazine

The start was slow as the exit from the Esplanade is narrow. That gave us the opportunity to enjoy the sunrise.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

We made a short photo stop opposite Pulau Jerejak, where you have a view of both bridges between the island and the mainland.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 2nd Bridge

The next stop was at Teluk Kumbar. We were 28km / 17mi into the ride and 1km from the first of the two climbs on the route.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Route Map event howei com

Map courtesy of event.howei.com

Nasi lemak, teh tarik and a restroom. This place ticked all the boxes.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Up, up and away.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Climb 1 Cycling Plus Mag

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Plus Magazine

Working.

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

Resting.

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

In past years the CFAL route took a sharp left turn at the bottom of the rapid descent from Bukit Genting. I was behind a group of a dozen riders as we approached that corner at speed. All of us were looking at the RELA man at the junction for directions.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Rela Cycling Plus Mag

Except our man was not indicating anything. He wasn’t even looking our way. So everyone ahead of me continued straight down the road.

4km /2.5mi later I started thinking “This can’t be right.” I looked back and saw Martin Lee and Ralf. They had followed me. Oops!

Map courtesy of Ride With GPS

Now I know we could have turned left at Jalan Sungai ‘Pinang and rejoined the official route about 4km from the second climb. Oh well. An extra 8km / 5mi never hurt anyone. Ha ha ha!

The rest of the R@SKLs had no such problems. Except for Kieren, who suffered a second cut tire and had to Grab Car it back to town.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Riders 1 Cycling Plus Mag

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Plus Magazine

The second climb up Jalan Teluk Bahang is more than twice as long as the Bukit Genting climb, but the average gradient is the same.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Riders 3 Cycling Plus Mag

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Plus Magazine

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Riders 2 Cycling Plus Mag

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Plus Magazine

Our next regrouping point was at the Teluk Bahang Dam.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Reservoir

While we were larking and monkeying about (SOP for the R@SKLs at rest stops) this young man, Danial Asyraf, pulled up. He was riding with his grandfather, Bakar Noordin. Bakar Noordin is one of six friends who in 2012 rode from Lebuh Downing in Penang to Downing Street in London.

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Six year old and Grandfather Mark Lim

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

His six-year-old grandson is no slouch on a bicycle either. If it took you more than four hours to complete the Round Island Ride, please do not look the next photograph.

Photograph courtesy of Penang Mountain Bike Association

You looked! Repeat after me . . .

Emoji courtesy of Bitmoji

We let Danial and his grandfather ride off ahead of us. I for one had no need to be embarrassed by a six-year-old spinning past me on the slopes of Jalan Batu Ferringhi.

A final water and restroom stop at the Caltex station at the bottom of the descent from the Teluk Bahang Dam, and we were on the last 22km / 13.5mi to the finish. The traffic on Jalan Batu Ferringhi was challenging, but we all got through that section okay.

Plain sailing from then on, until . . . . This time Mark had a flat of his own to fix.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

With lots of onlookers. Who knew changing an inner tube could be a spectator sport?

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

In less than 10km / 6mi we were collecting our medals at the finish line.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Posing for selfies.

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Plus Magazine

CFAL 2018 Day 2 Finish 2 Cycling Plus Mag

Photograph courtesy of Cycling Plus Magazine

And sprawling on the grass.

Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai

Where TH started yelping in pain. We all thought he had a cramp. Turns out having your hand stood on by someone wearing cycling cleats hurts just as much as a cramp.

Another fantastic weekend trip with the R@SKLs. Thank you, everyone, for making it so enjoyable.

Photograph courtesy of Lee Heng Keng

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Posted in Cycling in Malaysia and tagged Batu Ferringhi, Bukit Genting, CFAL, Teluk Bahang, Tien Hotel Residence. Bookmark the permalink.

CFAL 2018: Food Hunt

Posted on August 13, 2018 by alchemyrider

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Hawker Food www misstamchiak com

Photographs courtesy of http://www.misstamchiak.com

Penang is noted for its street food. Forget the air-conditioned restaurants with slow service. Food in Penang is all about hawker centres and roadside stalls, with dirt-cheap dishes packed with flavour.

The R@SKLs were in Penang for the CFAL ride. That was the story anyway. I think the Saturday food hunt is really the main event for the R@SKLs.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

We were guided by these young men from PKKT Pulau Pinang. They provided escort service for us last year. This time they rode scooters upgraded with blue and red flashing lights and what sounded like an ambulance siren and an emergency vehicle horn. The first time I heard the siren I thought there was an ambulance behind me.

Photograph courtesy of Leonard Yee

We didn’t have to ride far for breakfast. Cecil Street Market is 2km / 1.2mi from the Tien Hotel.

Photograph courtesy of Jake Sow

We were joined on the ride by friends who live in Penang.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis HS Tan

We each put RM50 / USD12 into a communal pot to pay for food and drinks during the ride. Marvin was in charge of doling out money when required. He figured no one would suspect he was carrying RM1,500 / USD365 around with him in that orange plastic bag.

Photograph courtesy of Lai Voon Kiat

Our next stop was at the recently completed Spiral Bridge which allows cyclists to cross the Bayan Lepas Expressway.

Photograph courtesy of Billy

The spiral bridge is opposite the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge which is one of two bridges joining the island to the mainland.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

We did two climbs. The first was the same one we would do during the CFAL ride. Along Jalan Teluk Kumbar from the PUSPAKOM centre to the top of Bukit Genting.

All smiles so far! We particularly enjoyed the PKKT guys bossing the traffic with their siren, horn and whistle so that we could ride through intersections and roundabouts unimpeded.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

We regrouped at the top of Bukit Genting before the rapid descent toward Balik Pulau.

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Top of Climb 1 Lai Voon Kiat

Photograph courtesy of Lai Voon Kiat

We stopped at the Balik Pulau Food Court for drinks. Including amra juice. Amra is a contraction of ambarella, which is this fruit’s English name. The Malay name for this fruit is buah kedondong.

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Ambarella Juice Dilmah Conservation

Photograph courtesy of Dilmah Conservation

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Balik Pulau Stop Martin Lee

Photograph courtesy of Martin Lee

Immediately after exiting the Balik Pulau Food Court car park we started the second climb of the day, rising up Jalan Tun Sardon. 325 metres / 1,066 feet of elevation over 4.5km / 2.8mi, at an average grade of 7.4% with a maximum grade of 17.5%.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis HS Tan

This blog has young readers, so I can’t repeat what the fellow below and on the left said when he got to the top of the climb. It was something like this . . .

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Swearing

Photograph courtesy of Dennis HS Tan

Photograph courtesy of Billy

Marvin won the Star R@SKL Of The Day award for riding his Brompton up Jalan Tun Sardon and wearing a pair of Crocs while doing it.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis HS Tan

How tough was the climb? Leonard’s “during” and “just about to die” faces tell the story.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis HS Tan

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Tough Climb up Tun Sardon Dennis HS Tan

Photograph courtesy of Dennis HS Tan

Wake me up before you go go!

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Tough Climb up Tun Sardon TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

You can’t keep a smile of Kelin’s and Kevin’s faces for long.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

After everyone but Leonard’s heart rates had returned to near-normal levels, we unrolled our R@SKLs banner.

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Top of Tun Sardon Climb TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

Jalan Tun Sardon is steep going up, and just as steep going down. 60kph / 37mph plus where the traffic allowed.

We regrouped at the PETRONAS station at the bottom of the hill before the PKKT boys shepherded us across a busy Jalan Paya Terubong to Serrena’s business premises in Taman Seri Rambai. She had laid on a much-appreciated supply of Carlsberg, 100 Plus and fresh fruit.

Thank you Serrena!

Anyone else getting the impression that Thomas needed some rest?

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

It was noon when we left Serrena’s. Time for lunch. We went to Sin Yong Wah Coffee Shop in Air Itam. The same place where we spent more than an hour during last year’s CFAL Food Hunt, waiting in vain for the torrential rain to stop.

This time it was pushing 36° C / 97° F with not a drop of rain in sight.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of Jake Sow

Last year we rode up to the Kek Lok Si Temple before lunch. This time we just took pictures from the coffee shop.

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Kek Lok Si Temple Kenix Chiang

Photograph courtesy of Kenix Chiang

It was about 9km / 5.5mi from Air Itam to the Penang Town Hall. We went there to collect our CFAL ride packs. We would be there again first thing in the morning to start the CFAL round island ride.

In the meantime, it was back to the Tien for a shower and a rest before the evening beach party.

It’s a good thing the hotel rules do not bar hanging cycling kit out to dry on the roof.

CFAL 2018 Day 1 Bespoiling the View Eugene Lee

Photograph courtesy of Eugene Lee

Or was the rule just ignored?

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Posted in Cycling in Malaysia and tagged Air Itam, Balik Pulau, Bukit Genting, Cecil Street, CFAL, Jalan Tun Sardon, Tien Hotel Residence. Bookmark the permalink.

R@SKLs Do Penang – Day Two

Posted on June 5, 2017 by alchemyrider

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Banner.png

After the santai (relaxed) turned bantai (thrashed) ride of the day before, some of us were dubious about attempting a round-the-island ride. Following the CFAL route to the south-east, south-west, and north-west corners of the island, before heading east back to George Town, had been the original plan when this Tien Hotel Residence getaway to Penang was first mooted. Now we wondered if it would be a bit more than we could handle, given the exertions of the previous day.

However, the die was cast. We had invited some Penangites to ride with us, and they were on the doorstep at 7.45am, expecting to replicate the 80km / 50mi CFAL route. So nine R@SKLs and six Penangites posed in front of the Tien hotel before following our three guardian angels – we had retained the same three young men from the day before – out to Pengkalan Weld and then to Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu highway.

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Start 366 via TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

This time we covered 12km / 7.5mi before having to stop for a mechanical problem. This time to reseat Simon’s rear tire. It is a mystery how, but a section of the bead had separated from the rim. Fortunately we had CK with us. The man from Pegasus Cycles soon had Simon’s wheel sorted out.

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Lifesaver Hsing C Pai

Photograph courtesy of Hsing C Pai

Our next stop was intentional. Kampung Tengah was 25km / 15.5mi into our ride. We stopped to regroup there because Kampung Tengah is at the base of Bukit Genting.

Photograph courtesy of Hsing C Pai

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

Everyone agreed that the 2km / 1 mi climb up Bukit Genting was easier than we had anticipated.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 First Climb View Simon Soo Hu

Photograph courtesy of Simon Soo Hu

As we came off the relatively fast descent – more than 50kph / 31mph in places – we had to drop anchors and cut speed in time for the sharp left turn at the bottom of the hill onto Jalan Sungai Nipah. The day before, we had continued north, straight on Jalan Balik Pulau to the food court.

This time we headed south to Kampung Bakar Kapur and the coast. That was the closest we would come to the sea until we got to Teluk Bahang, in the north-west of the island, about 25km / 15.5mi away.

Photograph courtesy of Hsing C Pai

But that would be later. It was first time for some food. I wouldn’t have known this was a restaurant. It is a good thing we had locals riding with us.

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Food before Second Climb Lee Heng Keng

Photograph courtesy of Lee Heng Keng

Highlights of this meal, apart from the noodles, were the home-made soya bean milk and nutmeg juice drinks. Nutmeg juice is a unique Penang speciality.

Fed and watered, we made the straight run northward to Sungai Pinang in quick time.

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

We regrouped at the 玄龙双祝宫 temple, which Google translates as Xuanlong Double Wish Palace.

Photograph courtesy of Hsing C Pai

As you may have guessed, our local guides stopped at the temple because it is at the base of the climb up Jalan Teluk Bahang. A 5km / 3mi winding route that rises 255 meters / 837 feet.

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Route

We got ourselves to the top of the climb, which wasn’t as bad as we had anticipated.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis HS Tan

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Climb 2 At The Top CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

The run down to the Teluk Bahang Dam would have been much more fun if the road hadn’t been littered with leaves, small branches, sand and mud. It had rained very hard the previous night, and a lot of debris had been washed onto the road. Descending with extra care was required.

We wanted to take our bikes with us through the security post at the dam, but that was a non no. So it was just us at the water’s edge, showing off our better sides.

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Reservoir View 1 Lee Heng Keng

Photograph courtesy of Lee Heng Keng

We made our last stop at Restoran K-Haleel, just after the roundabout at the bottom of the descent from the dam. It was a good place to stop for a drink, and to thank our newfound local friends for their hospitality and guidance. Most of them were not going all the way back into town. Instead heading their own ways to get home.

There were just over 20km / 12.5mi to go. Most of it rolling terrain as we hugged the coast through Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Tokong. Once we got to Gurney Drive we had a flat 5km / 3mi to the Tien hotel.

Six of us were 3 km / 1.8mi from the hotel when word came through, via walkie-talkie to the guardian angel with us, that Pai had suffered a puncture. Once again, it was CK to the rescue.

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Lifesaver 2 Hsing C Pai

Photograph courtesy of Hsing C Pai

Waiting.

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Where Are They Pai Flat Leonard Yee

Photograph courtesy of Leonard Yee

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 First Flat Waiting Lee Heng Keng

Photograph courtesy of Lee Heng Keng

Inner tube replaced, Pai and the rest soon rolled around the corner where we were waiting, and we had no further interruptions as we wound our way through town to the hotel.

It was then a case of replaying the post ride activities of the previous day. Showers, hanging kit up to dry, napping, and eating and drinking. Plus loading bicycles and bags into the repaired van for the trip back to Pegasus Cycles.

All too soon, our boutique hotel / cycling getaway was over. We owe a large debt of gratitude to TH and the staff at the Tien Hotel Residence for making our stay such a nice one. We are already planning to stay there again during our next Penang trip. CFAL 9 is on 13th August.

Book those seats fellas!

R@SKLs Penang Day 2 Homeward Bound TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

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Posted in Cycling in Malaysia and tagged Batu Ferringhi, Bukit Genting, Pegasus Cycles, Penang, Teluk Bahang, Tien Hotel Residence. Bookmark the permalink.

R@SKLs Do Penang – Day One

Posted on June 5, 2017 by alchemyrider

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Shoes Not Allowed.png

The R@SKLs crawled or bounced out of bed, depending on how much wine and beer had been consumed the night before. Freshly-baked bread, jam, juice, yogurt, fresh fruit, and coffee were waiting in the communal kitchen / dining area.

The plan for the day was a gentle ride of between 30 to 40km / 18 to 25mi, interrupted at regular intervals for food and drink. The estimated time of arrival back at the hotel was 11am. What transpired was a little different.

We were all ready to roll at about 8am.

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

Lay was in town, so he joined us

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

I mentioned in the Prelude post that we would do this ride in style. We hired these three fine young men to accompany us on their scooters and motorbikes. Armed with whistles, flags, and walkie-talkies, they stopped traffic at junctions and intersections, and rode between the traffic and us on multi-lane highways, so ensuring that we were safe during our ride. They were our guardian angels over the weekend. Thank you gentlemen.

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

We spent the first kilometer of the ride looking for somewhere to have a second breakfast. Clearly, the breakfast at the hotel was merely a snack to tide us over whilst we searched for a proper breakfast.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

We didn’t get far after the roti canais and teh tariks. Simon had a puncture within the next kilometer. Some of us were up the road, so there were only Leonard, Kevin and Kelin to stand around and watch Simon and CK replace an inner tube.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 First Flat Spectators Lee Heng Keng

Photograph courtesy of Lee Heng Keng

We got an early taste of Penang’s bike paths. There is an annual cycling event organized by the Campaign For A Lane (CFAL), that raises funds for the creation of bike paths and bike lanes. CFAL has been running for about a decade, and the results are visible all around the island.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 366 via 4 TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 9 366 via TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 8 366 via TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 7 366 via TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 6 366 via TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 5 366 via TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 3 366 via TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 2 366 via TH Lee

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Bike Path 1 366 via TH Lee

After our stint on the bike path we were on the Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu highway, riding toward the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge. This bridge, Malaysia’s longest, opened in early 2014. It is the second bridge linking Penang to the mainland.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Penang Bridge Simon Soo Hu

Photograph courtesy of Simon Soo Hu

If we had known better, we would have retraced our track from here, and been back at the hotel, and out of the sun, by 11am. As most of us expected.

Instead we continued on to Bayan Lepas airport, and beyond. We all agreed that Kapitan Simon was to blame for this. We are sure he misled our guardian angels into thinking that we all wanted to ride further. So they took us on a longer route.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Route

Just after the right turn onto Jalan Permatang Damar Laut, at the southern tip of the island, TH had a puncture. It was about 10am. The sun was bright and it was already 32°C / 90°F. A group of us waited in the only shade we could find as TH replaced his inner tube.

Fifteen minutes later we were all rolling again toward Teluk Kumbar, where we turned right. We were now cycling north and starting to climb up Bukit Genting. Those of us who had ridden CFAL in the past were familiar with this climb.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

Once down the other side, it was time for more food. A stall in the Balik Pulau Food Court is famous for its asam laksa.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Balik Pulau Food Court 5 366 via TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

“What’s that? No asam laksa?”

The guys had to settle for koay teow soup instead.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Balik Pulau Food Court 4 CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

“But wait!” There is more asam laksa being made.”

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Balik Pulau Food Court Asam Laksa TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

So some of the guys had seconds. Asam laksa on top of the koay teow soup. A decision that would rise up, so to speak, to haunt at least one person.

All smiles at this point, as we left the Balik Pulau Food Court.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Balik Pulau Food Court 6 366 via TH Lim

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

Literally 500 meters from where we took the photo above, the road started tilting up, and up, and up. It was 5km / 5mi to Anjung Indah, with gradients touching 10% and more. This was allegedly a shortcut back to the hotel. Give me the longer way next time!

This was the last 20 meters of what is one of the hardest climbs any of us have done.

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

We stopped where the junction with a side road offered some extra tarmac where we could safely get off our bikes. As you can see from the photos, the sun was directly overhead. So we sought refuge in some shade across the road. Pretty much in a drain.

Which would have been convenient if that asam laksa had erupted up and out of someone’s stomach!

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Anjung Indah Climb 7 CK Lim

Photograph courtesy of CK Lim

If we had known that there were fruit and drinks stalls 300 meters up the road, we would have kept going, rather than stop where we did. Although I must admit, that is easy to say now. We were on the limit at the time.

After all the cursing about the climb while recovered beside the drain, smiles were restored when we discovered durian at the fruit stalls.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Anjung Indah Park 1 Kevin Chin

Photograph courtesy of Kevin Chin

Treasurer Heng Keng thought that he might have to make a cash call, given the amount of durian consumed. Especially by some guy in pink from Taiwan!

Photograph courtesy of TH Lee

We still had 23km / 14mi to get back to the Tien hotel. With 8km / 5mi of that along the unshaded Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu highway.

By the time we got back into George Town it was about 2pm. We were boiling. Cendol was called for. There is a very well-known cendol stall on Lebuh Keng Kwee, which goes by the less-than-modest name of Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol. The queue for their cendol is always long – see below.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Cendol 1 Simon Soo Hu

Photograph courtesy of Simon Soo Hu

Some locals say that the cendol from the stall across the road is, in fact, better. We opted for that much less-crowded stall. Some of us had two bowls of cendol, and we were on our way before the people at the end of the queue for the “Famous” cendol had been able to place their orders.

Just one more kilometer, and we were back in the air-conditioned comfort of the Tien hotel. Most of us jumped into showers. Some took another option.

Photograph courtesy of TH Lim

All of us did turn the rooftop pool deck into a dobi, or laundry. Open dividers, which had obviously been designed with considerable thought and care, became excellent places to hang wet cycling kit.

Some of us took naps. Some went for a massage. Some indulged in the nyonya cakes and bubur kacang merah (red bean soup) that were laid out in the hotel dining area.

R@SKLs Penang Day 1 Tien Hotel Tea

Cyclists that we are, we had all done the maths, and had determined that, despite all we had eaten already, there were still calories to be replaced – see I Am Sure I’ve Earned That Second Roti Canai. We were ready for more food.

Dinner was at Yi Bing Qing Fish Head Steamboat. Yi Bing Qing is a big name when it comes to steamboat restaurants in Penang. So good that Leonard paused to give thanks at the altar of the steamboat chimney.