Bukit Hantu | Old Roots, New Routes

The R@SKLs Birthday Ride for TH

Posted on June 11, 2018 by alchemyrider

The word went out one month ago. There would be a special santai (relaxed) ride followed by lunch to celebrate TH’s birthday.

Then the route was revealed. We ride from the Veg Fish Farm Thai Restaurant car park through Batu 14 and over Bukit Hantu to the Sungai Tekala Recreation Forest. We would then retrace our route back over Bukit Hantu and up 3km / 1.9mi of the climb to Lookout Point back to the restaurant. So much for a santai ride.

Map courtesy of Ride With GPS

The day before the ride I was asked to map an alternate route for the “less strong” riders who didn’t want to climb Bukit Hantu.

There was really only one option. Ride from Batu 14 to Batu 18, and then along Jalan Sungai Lui and Jalan Sungai Lalang to the Jalan Sungai Tekali junction. Then turn around and ride the same route in reverse.

Map courtesy of Ride With GPS

The alternate route prompted lots of chatter about where to start the ride. The thought of 140 meters / 460 feet of climbing to get back to the restaurant with Bukit Hantu in our legs didn’t appeal to many. So we decided to park at the Gou Lou Chicken Rice shop on Jalan Sungai Tekali.

That turned out to be a good choice not just because it eliminated that final climb. We discovered that the road from the restaurant car park to Jalan Hulu Langat was not only bumpy and heavily patched, it was also steep. 70 meters / 230 feet of elevation over 0.6km / 0.4mi.

Twenty-five of us turned up for TH’s birthday ride. A discussion in the Gou Lou Chicken Rice shop car park on the relative merits of each of the proposed routes ended with everyone deciding to do the Bukit Hantu climb.

We regrouped at the top of the climb, and again after the descent.

Photograph courtesy of Johan Sopiee

And when everyone got to the Sungai Tekala Recreation Forest, we decided to continue on to the Fatt Hwa Gong Temple in Semenyih.

Map courtesy of Ride With GPS

Two riders chose to wait at the Sungai Tekala Recreation Forest while the rest of us rode to the temple.

“The temple is only 5km from here,” said a few in the group.

Yeah right. It was 12km / 7.5mi later that we were on the steps of the temple.

Photograph courtesy of Marvin Tan

The jaunt to the temple added 25km / 15.5mi to our ride. When we got back to the Sungai Tekala Recreation Forest we all decided that we would tackle to climb back over Bukit Hantu rather than ride the flatter but longer route to Batu 18 and then back to Batu 14.

It was a challenge going up the steeper side, but everyone got over Bukit Hantu for the second time that morning. It felt warmer than the thermometer temperature of 29°C / 84°F. Cold drinks were required before we drove to the Veg Fish Farm Thai Restaurant.

We had some time to burn anyway as lunch wasn’t until 11.00am.

Photograph courtesy of Luanne Sieh

The restaurant is built around a large fish pond. The food is delivered from the kitchen to various sections of the restaurant by a small motorboat.

Photograph courtesy of Luanne Sieh

And food there was aplenty.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

Of course there was cake too.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

Naely and Kevin also have birthdays in June.

Photograph courtesy of Kenix Chiang

Everyone was stuffed to the gills (pardon the seafood pun!)

Thank you TH for inviting us to a fabulous lunch after a tough but enjoyable ride. And an especially big thank you to Alison for the behind-the-scenes organisation.

Photograph courtesy of Kenix Chiang

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Posted in Cycling in Malaysia and tagged Batu 14, Batu 18, Birthday, Bukit Hantu, Fatt Hwa Gong Temple, Gou Lou Chicken Rice, Semenyih, Sungai Tekala, Veg Fish Farm Thai Restaurant. Bookmark the permalink.

Bicycle Out, Train Home

Posted on March 13, 2017 by alchemyrider

I wrote about taking road bicycles onto KTM Komuter trains in Bikes on Trains in Kuala Lumpur. Since then I have incorporated a train into my ride a few more times.

Once was over the Chinese New Year holiday in early February. In the last week I’ve done two more bike and train rides.

The KTM Komuter network operates on two lines. The Port Klang line runs east to west, from Batu Caves to Port Klang. Batu Caves is less than 15km / 10mi from home, so a train ride from there doesn’t make sense. Port Klang, at 50km / 31mi away, is further, but not far enough away to make a one-way ride to that station seem worth it. And the ride to Port Klang through an entirely urban landscape is boring anyway.

The Seremban line runs from Tanjung Malim in the north to Rembau in the south. Tanjung Malim is about 90km / 56mi from Kuala Lumpur. Rembau is more than 120km / 75mi from Kuala Lumpur. Those are reasonable distances to cover during a morning’s ride. Much of the riding in either direction is through countryside and villages, so the views from the bike are pleasant.

KTM Map

We covered both directions last week.

Map courtesy of Ride With GPS

Five of us did a mid-week ride to Rasa station in the north. The destination was meant to be the railway station in Kuala Kubu Bharu. Afternoon plans meant that we had to be on the train by noon. A series of flat tires in Rawang and Bukit Beruntung slowed us down. We were at risk of missing the train at Kuala Kubu Bharu.

Photograph courtesy of Leslie Tong

So we had something to drink in Rasa town, and were in the station with plenty of time to spare.

Photograph courtesy of Evelyn Bird

Photograph courtesy of Leslie Tong

Eight of us rode out on Friday morning, bound for Seremban. The early challenges were to get over the Ampang Lookout Point and Bukit Hantu climbs.

It was a clear morning, so it was worth stopping halfway up Lookout point for a photograph. The Twin Towers are just about visible to the left of Liang’s head.

Photograph courtesy of Leslie Tong

We needed a bit of sustenance after the 200 meters / 650 feet or so up climb to Lookout Point, and before the 259 meters / 820 feet up Bukit Hantu.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

Coming off the descent of Bukit Hantu, it was nice to see the Semenyih Dam full again after such a long time.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

25km / 15.5mi later we were in the town of Broga, and desperate for a drink. It was turning into a hot day.

This caught our attention.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

Waiting for our coconut shakes and pineapple shakes to arrive.

Photograph courtesy of Evelyn Bird

Delicious!

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

Seremban was 30km / 18.5mi away. Unlike Wednesday’s ride, we all got there with only one flat tire between us. Which happened, unfortunately, just seven kilometers from Seremban. Or to put a positive spin on things, fortunately, because the flat came just after a 150 meter / 490 feet climb. Which gave everyone the opportunity for a rest.

Photograph courtesy of Leslie Tong

We got to Seremban in time for food and drinks at the Pasar Besar Seremban, which is the main wet market in the city. The fresh vegetables, meat and fish are sold on the first floor, and part of the second floor. The rest of the second floor is occupied by food stalls.

There are ramps leading up to the second floor, so we rode our bicycles right up the the food stalls.

Photograph courtesy of Evelyn Bird

The railway station is a short ride from the market. Marvin forgot his cycling shoes, but his sandals were a good stand-in.

Photograph courtesy of Mark Lim

We discovered that Fridays are not the best day to ride the train with our bikes. There were a lot of people waiting on the platform for the 2.15pm train. Luckily there was space in the last carriage for us and our bikes.

Seremban Train

More people with luggage got on at each successive station, and before long it was standing room only, with people squeezed in between our bikes. Friday afternoons must be a popular time for people to start their weekend trips.

Quite a lot of people got off at the Bandar Tasik Selatan station, which is linked to the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, KL’s main long distance bus terminal. Some people got on at that station too though. So it wasn’t until the train had passed through KL Sentral station that seats became available again.

Lay and I got off the train at Bank Negara station. The others in our ride group got off one stop later, at Putra station.

We needed food and drink en route to home from the station. League of Captains provided the coffee, and Souled Out on Jalan Ampang provided the satay.