Monday, February 07, 2011

Kiara#2 Feb2011

With today's Kiara#2 ride, i officially covered 65%, if not 70% of Bukit Kiara. Many knows that Kiara Trails is amongst the best in this region and it is just 4km max from where i stay. I have been staying off Kiara for a reason...i am afraid of pain and falling into deep ravine/ridges...or get myself entangled in between rubber trees with my bike flow 20 feet away...and today's ride just proved why i should had considered staying away and go for the lesser (or easier) XC trail in FRIM.
Started off at 0645hours from home and reached Kiara Park by 0710hours. RoLance (Yes, the same Roland) just reached and the park was already buzzing with early joggers around the park. Geared up and i was excited as i had the chance to try out the mosquitoe coil holder that RoLance gave to me. Goes to show just how little can make me happy.
The plan was no plan. I told Wifey i will be back home by 0930hours. After all, an hour or two in Kiara is more than sufficient like how i did the first Kiara#1. Many Kiara hardcore might laugh at my obsession about their playground and how i am going to dramatized my rides in this "Bermuda Triangle" like trail - where things that will go wrong, WILL go wrong kinda situation. I believe everyone, from beginners to experts have their own tales of woes, or victories.
Rolance thinking of ways to torture me
As a human being, we are always sucker for pain, and more pain. I know what can happen in Kiara, and i know very well i have to ride it to tame it.
So, the morning ride started with going up from the park's carpark and up towards the hills. Went into Twin Peak and RoLance suggested to head to Kampung Trails. This meant i will be riding over Pencala and the tunnel. Things were pretty well and good with my heartrate racing at a good 90% Max most of the time. Recovery was brief with the varying technical downhills which i had more guts and agility to manoeuvre out. In short things were looking fine.
Pushing was kept to minimum and i managed to clean more switchbacks and i was actually feeling happy. Then i was at a portion over the tunnel, which was a ridge in Kiara. No problems with side-stepping (like Rugby) the rubber trees along the route. No problem riding the singletrack next to the river at the Kampung.
Then RoLance told me about how people can just slip and fall if they were not careful.
RoLance waiting at Kampung Trail. I was way behind, as usual.
I rode right on a tubing and went over the bar as i see my bike slide under me in split second. Doing about 15km/h on the singletrack as i was pushing and blazing (in my own superlative comparison, no less) through the trails.
I heard myself crashing through the undergrowth as i came to a halt, stopped only by some trees/bamboo that prevented me from sliding further down the ravine...
OUCH. Ego bruised. I was baptised again in Kiara.
The black pipe was my downfall. The tree/bamboo (out of pic) stopped me from rolling down further. I might had cut off the water supply when i bended the grey water pipe that supply water to the Kampung...
I was shaken. Bike was ok. I was escaped with minor scratches on hands and forearms. Yay.
Laughed it off and RoLance told me he saw how i went off and crashed. Not too bad as i can still talk and not maimed.
The rest of Kampung was tread carefully and i was extra cautious. Just when i thought i had build enough confidence again and grew my balls size by another 1cm diameter this had to happen.
How Kiara is losing it's green lung with developers inching their way nearer. Soon, Kampung trail will disappear.
We exited Kiara and came out of Jalan Kiara 3. This is where the Garden International School situated. We rode on the road while chatted about how developers are taking over Kiara and them not realising the potential of this place to be a perfect trail within a city. Many others in foreign countries are hoping that a trail such as Kiara exist and here we are, in the name of development (and greed), destroy what is already there for us. Don't even let me go on about how Kiara is being "modified" to allow horses to go through...
After lamenting about that, we were back in action as we rode behind the school to a trail known as Wasteland trail. Simply because the whole place is wasted i supposed - with developments of unneeded proportion (just how many more luxury condos need to be build?).
There, multiple switchbacks and climbs await me and RoLance and more technical downhills that tested my guts. Trust me, with one fall, it sort of level all your balls to marble size. Needless to say, the rest of the ride through Wasteland was wasted as i ended up pushing up and over rideable trails.
We slowly found our way back to one of the Pondok Trail and RoLance suggest that we do part of the 2K loop.
"You want uphill training?", RoLance asked.
How can i say no? I labelled myself King of Climbs years ago. I hungrily power up on big cranks on Genting Peras. I only use middle crank in Kemensah. Granny Gears are for wussies.
Truth to be told - i am a total wuss now. Those road riding has turned me into a Pondan In Trails.
I lost my balls.
Trying not to be too hard on myself i survived (pushing) up 2K and exiting next to the pumphouse near the Hill entrance. End of ride is near. RoLance proudly said i covered 3/4 Of Kiara, in just two outing. That is more than what i collectively done since i was introduced to Kiara years ago!
We exited the trail to the park where more fun fast downhills that aren't technical awaits. I bash through it, with my balls growing bigger with each turn.
Then as we neared the final descent - where there are laid large stones before a bridge that exits the trail to the park...i was controlling the bike VERY well.
RoLance cleared it. I followed his line.
"Don't Pok-Kai", I told myself.
"It's just a bridge", I reassured myself.
And it happened.
I took the turn too wide to the right, got onto a void between the stones. Flew. Smashed myself against the jagged rock. Second crash. Balls shrunked again as i see myself falling in slow-motion.
Over.Under.Shoulder to sand. Butt to stone. Pedal to Body.
"Craaakkkkk".
Damn, was it the iPhone or company issued BB?
First thing i did was opened the pouch to check. Neither. Phew!
RoLance raced to me by foot to check on me.
OK, knee bruised and blood started trickling down. No broken bones. Double Phew!
Lucky no where near where i want to place my tattoo...
The impact of the fall broke my hydraulic brake lever. Dang! There goes RM200 at least!
I should not had tighten the lever the night before or it might survive if it was allowed to twist upwards or downwards on impact. Expensive lessen learnt.
Rode home, got wifey worried as i only came home almost an hour late. Showed her the bruises...and well...what can she say?
I live another day for Kiara.
The "Craak" sound, it was the mozzie coil holder. It was smashed by my fat-arse when i fell. Have to go get new one soon.
And one more thing, Dettol do not sting your wound, OpSite clear dressing does. It bites harder than the fall and it felt like it is melting your flesh as it dries up. Don't try it if you are not man enough.
Week 6 : Feb 7, 2011
Distance : 24.49km (home - Kiara trails somewhere inside and everywhere - Home)
Time: 3:00minshours
HR range :90%~95% maxHR.
Average pace : 9.5km/h
Max Speed : 34.5km/h...must be somewhere downhill where my balls was larger than a golf ball.

2011 Mileage so far:
Run: 20.6km
Bike:134.02km

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