Photo-story - Where my bike’s been

[StreetCowboy]

I’be been sat here on the Brexit threads four hours and it’s still not raining. And My phone battery is almost flat.

[StreetCowboy]

Sunday’s ride took us almost to the seaside again, to Jugra, where they’ve found another ridiculous little on which to build a lighthouse

It’s tough little hill, and I couldn’t even walk up without stopping.

 

I’d found a couple of lovely roads on the way there

And passed by Gotham City on the way

As usual, it rained on the way home through Shah Alam, and I was glad to get safely back to the pub.

[StreetCowboy]

This week's going to be quieter.  I managed to meet my "cycling twice a month into the office" target for September, and so far once in October.

 

Today was a local hills day, over the hill behind the village, up past the office, through the golf course, up past the Science Centre, almost past Sid's on the hill - that's where I lost the New Boy, down past the client's offices, that's where I'd realised I'd lost him, but he turned up a few minutes later.

 

It was my fault, really.  He'd been waiting at the top of Science Centre Hill, but I was too tired to apply the brakes, and my momentum took me past him, then down a gentle slope, gathering momentum and into traffic, concentrating on keeping pace with the cars and not running into them at the speed bumps, down to the next junction, clear of the traffic, looked over my shoulder ... empty road!

 

Anyway, he turned up a few minutes later, past the client's offices, past the Sultan's back entrance, Strava says 70 kph down towards the highway, but my odometer said more like 65, up to the front entrance of the National Palace (I should've  stopped for a photo there - that's the only bit of the ride you've not seen before), over the flyover, back up the hill we'd just come down - it's slightly steeper and higher on the way back due to a fly-over to get across the road, back to the Sultan's back entrance, down Science Centre Hill, up the Sprint Highway, through the Time Tunnel, and back to Devi's Corner for roti.

 

That's where  I took a tumble.  We'd cycled across the road, using a pedestrian crossing, I'd put my foot down to get up the kerb, didn't need to on the other side of the path, had to wait for cars to clear - they took longer than I expected due to double parking, and I over-balanced.  And I didn't even have the excuse of being clipped in.

 

Other than that, a lovely ride, plenty of variety, and over 60 kph down from the Sultan's Back Entrance, down Science Centre Hill but couldn't get 60 through the Time Tunnel.  Now the bike is going into the shop for a mid-life overhaul.

[StreetCowboy]

Today’s ride was a solo adventure, exploring some short-cuts I’d had in mind for a while.  I started off by taking a non-short cut through the village behind my condo, then I remembered that the reason I didn’t know how I was going to get from home to the first short cut was because I was supposed to be starting from the station at 1000. I got there almost dead on 10 o clock, almost literally. No-one else turned up.

 

So back through the suburb, back through the village, through the construction, almost past the office and onwards and upwards.  There’s a fancy housing estate at the top of the hill, and the entrance has been remodelled so that if you go in through the out lane you don’t need to banter with the guard to get him to lift the barrier.  I suppose, strictly speaking, it’s the exit that has been remodelled, but for me, today, it was an entrance.

 

It’s a steep hill up, and I was glad it was sufficiently photogenic to justify a stop.

There’s a lot of construction going on nearby

some of it for some time, apparently.

 

Anyway, you get up to where the path should be, but it’s not. So you carry on up, past the development show house, and the road ends.  Left and right there are card-controlled entrance barriers with watchful security guards, and straight ahead, a footpath and stair marked “strictly for residents only”. I studied the map carefully, and retraced my steps, studying the roadside for gaps that might be a short cut, but there were none.  The barrier where the road had been cut was well built, with no visible gaps. Except ... except it was two overlapping barriers with a gap deliberately left for motorbike access.

 

The road beyond was lovely

But ended facing another barrier, and beyond, a drainage ditch wider than I would happily step across, carrying my bike. A little exploring and I found a little track, which took me to this Jerry-bridge

And Off! Into Sri Damansara, a suburb more easily reached via the highway, but that route might be useful in the homeward direction.

I knew the road from there; over the highway, round the spiral ramp and stopping abruptly to go through the gravel behind the furniture showroom, and into the back streets, which eventually take you to a quiet Chinese kampung

I took the opportunity, while I was passing, to check on one of our stations, which seems to be progressing nicely

Then, while looking for my second short-cuts, found my self in one of our construction sites

It’s not often you lean your bike on a metro viaduct parapet.

I soon found the right road, which, as expected, ended in a dead end, again with a little dirt track through the bushes.

Another useful shortcut traced.

 

And then it was back home; the New Boy would have loved the last 5 km on the highway with traffic merging from all directions.  The Chinese Children’s Pub have stopped their “three for the price of two” offer on Magners, but until Silly Billy starts serving food at lunchtime he’s going to struggle for afternoon business.

[StreetCowboy]

My apologies for the lack of photos this weekend; not that the rides were unphotogenic, but Saturday was a breakfast in Brickfields ride that you've seen before, just me and Big G. The New Boy, who's older than any of us, and Young D who'd lied about his age to race with the Crumblies, were at the Selangor Criterium.  I'd have gone myself, but I'd have looked a right raj on the shopping bike, unless I'd taken off the basket and the rack, and maybe even the mudguards.  If you can't keep up in the best of circumstances, you shouldn't turn up on the shopping bike.  The road bike is in the shop for its mid-life refurbishment.

 

Anyway, me and Big G went in to the Sentral Chapatti Shop, and it's definitely changed hands in the last year or so.  Still top chapattis, though, and I was able to put six samosas in the basket to take home.  Big G managed up Science Centre Hill for the first time, I think.

 

I had to go out to the hardware shop, and checked to see if my cycling buddy was enjoying an afternoon pint upstairs; he wasn't, but unfortunately I got rained in - eventually.

Not rained in - yet

 

On Sunday my buddy and I rode down to where Sungei Damansara meets Sungei Klang; back in the day, this was the limit of steamship navigation, and goods were transhipped there for the long cart ride to Kuala Lumpur.  It's an industrial suburb of Shah Alam now.  My buddy was suffering from a charity Saturday night out, and I found him dozing peacefully outside the station, but I think he'd been home first, as nobody goes to a formal dinner in their cycling kit.  Nobody else does that, do they?.   Anyway, later with sixty kilometres in his legs he was feeling fit enough to stop in the pub on the way home.  The Kesas Highway has a lovely motorcycle lane, and the Federal Highway motorbike lane is OK as well.  We did have to do a U-turn across the highway, but we could do that at the toll gates, and we could ride carefully across, lane by lane, without dismounting, until we got to the central divider barriers.  I'd not be so keen to do that during the week, though.

[StreetCowboy]

As you may know, my brother’s lawnmower is pretty tech-savvy, like his father (not the lawnmower’s father, my brother’s father, our father, but I was frightened that might be auto-capitalised) (They’re about the same age, the lawnmower and our father, but my brother has refurbished and repainted the lawnmower; I think he expects me to do the same for our father) (let’s face it, who knows their lawnmower-in-law’s father?) but not so social-media-paranoid, so I was not surprised to receive a Strava notification “Your brother’s lawnmower is following you”.  Surprised? No.  Humiliated - yes; I’m forever looking over my shoulder but I’m pedalling faster now.  Threatened - maybe. Getting followed by a bloke with a blade is one thing, but 30 cuts per yard? That’s frightening.  I might set up a Strava privacy zone - I don’t want the next message to be “Your brother’s lawnmower knows where you live”.

[MrTrip]

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[StreetCowboy]

As you know, the cyclocross is in the shop for a mid-life refurbishment; hoping that will improve my performance is a bit like fitting a spoiler on a Massey Ferguson...

Anyway, I called up last week to enquire on progress.

”Ah, Cowboy, it’s not quite ready; Shimano sent the wrong part”.  I happened to be passing, so I went into check progress.

”D’you remember that wheelset I offered at the special price of 200 ringgit? Well they’re through-axle, and your frame is quick-release”

”Oh ... well how are the old wheel bearings?”  

“They’re fine, don’t worry, but your brake discs are quite worn, see?”

”Is there not brake discs in the groupset?”

”Yeah, yeah, don’t worry, only they’re 140 mm and you need 160 mm, so I’m going to put these ones on, and some mountain bike callipers, because the groupset ones are direct-mount; don’t worry, they’re still Shimano. I’ve put all the spare bits in a box, in case you get another frame in the future”

So if anyone’s got a derelict road bike frame that takes 140 mm disc brakes, we’re half-way to another bike for the boys at the orphanage.  While I was there, Johnny gave this customer trade-in to pass onto them.

“But that’s not the problem,” he explained. “They’ve sent two left shifters”

I was explaining this on Sunday to my buddy. “So they only got one part right, and they sent two of them?”

”Stick to what you’re good at, eh?”

 

[Vietem]

The new track round Mabprachan is great. Hardly anyone there in the mornings, but loads in the evenings, both cycling and running/walking. The circuit is about 10 kms if you go round and across the dam. Or just go up one side, then back and up the other side and back, making about 16 kms. The surface across the dam isn't as smooth as the track - it is okay though even for a road bike.

[StreetCowboy]

That looks like a really nice path with plenty of shade and none of those unpleasant gradients.

 

Not like our Sunday ride.  I'd been wanting to take some pictures of rumble strips

 

We were on a route check for the charity pub ride on 1st December, but the rumble strips were just a personal interest.

 

The back road through the construction camp behind Desa Park City was a bit soft, and I got bogged down going too slowly; I think if there's been rain in the last 24 hours for the pub ride we'll maybe have to come back down the highway.

 

They've cleared the weeds off the tarmac part of the road - I'm sure you remember this view when the creepers came almost to the dashed lane divider. 

The labyrinth turnstile on the way into the village road has been removed.  As I mentioned when I went highway viaduct spotting, they seem to be cutting a road over to Mont Kiara; maybe they'll link Mont Kiara to Desa Park City.  That would make sense, as it would not bypass the tolls on Penchala Tunnel or the LDP, but they would need to block off access to the village from DPC.

 

 

[Vietem]

On 10/21/2019 at 11:08 AM, Vietem said:

The new track round Mabprachan is great. Hardly anyone there in the mornings, but loads in the evenings, both cycling and running/walking. The circuit is about 10 kms if you go round and across the dam. Or just go up one side, then back and up the other side and back, making about 16 kms. The surface across the dam isn't as smooth as the track - it is okay though even for a road bike.

I went round last night just before dusk, with it being very dark by the time I finished up. Whilst it was great to see so many people out on the track, it was actually dangerous to go round at speed. Folks were taking selfies, wobbling two on a bike, walking the dog, kids doing u-turns in the middle of the track, and so on. No problem with all of that - it is marvellous to see so many exercising - but best choose a different time if you want to push yourself. There is also one 100 metre section coming down the hill, that has no lighting at all - watch out for that!

[Edwrd]

Started rural biking w/ hardtail 29er... 

just a  beginner here...

...and stumbled on local delicacy along the way... 

 

Loc; Khao Ngu Ratchaburi

Distance; 44.6 km

 

[Vietem]

Nice, easy run in Chiang Mai

 

From Promenada Mall (South East of city) out on the road to Mae On. 20kms out and 20kms back. So 40 kms at an average of 30kph - not bad for someone nearer 70 than 60! It is fairly flat, just a couple of kms incline going and then down coming back. Time for a new pair of shoes, mind!

[Vietem]

How to keep the sun off

 

One of us is tanned enough already, the other does a fair impression of a beetroot. Round Lake Mabprachan, up to Siam Country Club then back down to Nong Plalai. About an hour and a half, with some steep bits.

[Vietem]

On 10/5/2019 at 1:15 PM, StreetCowboy said:

This week's going to be quieter.  I managed to meet my "cycling twice a month into the office" target for September, and so far once in October.

 

Today was a local hills day, over the hill behind the village, up past the office, through the golf course, up past the Science Centre, almost past Sid's on the hill - that's where I lost the New Boy, down past the client's offices, that's where I'd realised I'd lost him, but he turned up a few minutes later.

 

It was my fault, really.  He'd been waiting at the top of Science Centre Hill, but I was too tired to apply the brakes, and my momentum took me past him, then down a gentle slope, gathering momentum and into traffic, concentrating on keeping pace with the cars and not running into them at the speed bumps, down to the next junction, clear of the traffic, looked over my shoulder ... empty road!

 

Anyway, he turned up a few minutes later, past the client's offices, past the Sultan's back entrance, Strava says 70 kph down towards the highway, but my odometer said more like 65, up to the front entrance of the National Palace (I should've  stopped for a photo there - that's the only bit of the ride you've not seen before), over the flyover, back up the hill we'd just come down - it's slightly steeper and higher on the way back due to a fly-over to get across the road, back to the Sultan's back entrance, down Science Centre Hill, up the Sprint Highway, through the Time Tunnel, and back to Devi's Corner for roti.

 

That's where  I took a tumble.  We'd cycled across the road, using a pedestrian crossing, I'd put my foot down to get up the kerb, didn't need to on the other side of the path, had to wait for cars to clear - they took longer than I expected due to double parking, and I over-balanced.  And I didn't even have the excuse of being clipped in.

 

Other than that, a lovely ride, plenty of variety, and over 60 kph down from the Sultan's Back Entrance, down Science Centre Hill but couldn't get 60 through the Time Tunnel.  Now the bike is going into the shop for a mid-life overhaul.

I’ve only reached 70kph coming downhill once. It was on Highway 13, cycling from Luang Prabang to Vientiane - I was riding a Scott hybrid, 700c, 25mm tyres. Anyway, as much as it was an absolute thrill, it occurred to me that I’d have been total minced meat if I’d have come off. It was in the middle of nowhere too. I doubt my three sticking plasters and mini-iodine would have got me going again either. I tend to apply the brakes now, as a matter of course. Narrow, slick tyres don’t leave much margin for for error. A lizard sunning itself is all it takes. Highway 13, if you get the chance, it’s very picturesque.

[StreetCowboy]

1 hour ago, Vietem said:

I’ve only reached 70kph coming downhill once. It was on Highway 13, cycling from Luang Prabang to Vientiane - I was riding a Scott hybrid, 700c, 25mm tyres. Anyway, as much as it was an absolute thrill, it occurred to me that I’d have been total minced meat if I’d have come off. It was in the middle of nowhere too. I doubt my three sticking plasters and mini-iodine would have got me going again either. I tend to apply the brakes now, as a matter of course. Narrow, slick tyres don’t leave much margin for for error. A lizard sunning itself is all it takes. Highway 13, if you get the chance, it’s very picturesque.

That looks really dramatic.  I'm sceptical that I've ever actually reached 70 kph - Strava says that I have, but I am not sure I have ever seen 70 on the speedometer. At Jalan Semantan, the traffic is doing 60 - 80 kph, generally.

 

I ride 28 mm rain slicks, but I don't think the light tread makes much difference.

[StreetCowboy]

I think I may have mentioned that four of the regular stops on our charity Pubcycle route have been closed or sold; I knew Highlander was no good as they no longer stock cider, and they’re not open on a Sunday afternoon; last week we confirmed the other sold pub would still welcome us. So today I was checking out other pubs to add to the route, based on a list of Strongbow venues provided by the brewery.

GravyBaby is a local chain; this shop is on the Indian Country side of Bangsar Village; cider, good bike parking, and best of all, the road layout means it will be complicated to get to.

This branch of Healy Mac’s is in a shopping centre with several other pubs. You can’t get up to the podium circulation road from the underground car park, which may have been what the security guard was trying to tell us as we cycled past him.

From the podium, you get a nice view over the Immigration Offices

[StreetCowboy]

I went to pick the shopping bike up from Johnny’s, and while I was there, it started to rain.  But I had to get back to the pub for the rugby.  It was tipping down stair-rods, I was in no mood to stop for a photo, and <deleted>-wet through by the time I got to the pub.

”Let me give you a dry t-shirt”, the bar manager said.  I think everyone was glad Guinness marketing doesn’t stretch to boxer shorts.

Anyway, it’s half-time, and I think trenchfoot is setting in.

[Isaanbiker]

My last trip was amazing and we almost run out of oxygen.

[StreetCowboy]

1 hour ago, Isaanbiker said:

My last trip was amazing and we almost run out of oxygen.

Rawang bypass is so high you need oxygen, but there’s no way I’m cycling up there in a spacesuit; especially not a Lycra spacesuit

 

Edit: Did you end up sucking the air out of your tyres? TV, your first stop for top tips

[StreetCowboy]

3 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

My last trip was amazing and we almost run out of oxygen.

Taking a slightly more pragmatic point of view:

1: Before you go, remember to pump your tyres up to 15 psi less than usual, as there is no atmosphere on the moon - just like the pubs in Sri Hartemas.

2: Gravity is less on the moon, so adjust your gear ratios accordingly.  You may also be able to let some air out of your tyres (see 4 below)

3: Make sure your space suit does not get nicked between the chainwheel and the chain.  You might want wider platform pedals, rather than being clipped in.

4: If you go to the moons of Mars, where gravity is substantially lower, be careful of your speed - once you cycle yourself into orbit, it is almost impossible to get back down unless you let some air out of your tyres in a carefully-directed stream.

The surface of the moon is not as smoothly weathered as you are used to; be careful of your speed, and also don't let too much air put of your tyres (see 1 & 2 above).

I'm sure others with more experience can give us more top tips on extra-terrestrial cycling

[Vietem]

This is quite a while ago. Cycled from HCMC to Thailand, via Cambodia (and PP to HCMC a couple of years before). The main highway to-from Phnom Penh wasn't metalled the first time, so it was a bit of a slog; second time round there was a road, as opposed to compacted and pot-holed shale. The crowd pictured below is for the ferry across the Mekong at Neak Loung. The hovercraft from Sihanoukville to Trat was dreadful, with summer monsoon seas ensuring that everyone was sick as a dog. The old rust-bucket stank or diesel, which didn't help - not sure if it still runs? It was also scary to think that even twenty years before this trip, foreigners had disappeared on the trip between Phnom Penh and Kompot - even being abducted from the train.

[StreetCowboy]

The New Boy had booked a trip back to Blighty to avoid yesterday's ride, and M that used to work in Klang claimed that he had to pack up for repatriating.  And I'm not sure I have much confidence in M with the Model Son's story about debilitating illness either.

"I feel guilty about this", I said to my mate as we set off; "We should've really saved this ride till someone was with us that liked hills"

"Are there hills on today's ride? Now you tell me..."

We took a detour he'd never ridden before, and a lovely road it was too, till subsequently we went over the climb from Selayang to Rawang - a hill that always seems much longer on the descent than on the climb, whichever way you go.  You might remember last time we almost went to Rawang there was a bit of confusion regarding the turn-off to the Bypass; today there was no confusion, but it's a struggle getting into the third lane to take the bypass.  No confusion on our part - there was a car stopped at the point of the split, trying to figure out which way he should go.  But we knew - onwards and upwards.  You get a great view from the top of the bypass, looking over the valley for miles to ...

"Is that the cement works?"
"Yes - so that must be the hill with the road to nowhere and the Great Wall of Rawang"

"From here, it looks pitifully small"

"I'm sure we've all be told that".

Anyway, we made it over the bypass without stopping for oxygen, and comfortably breached 70 kph on the descent towards Serendah.  So that was two out of four hills out the way, but the greatest horrors were yet to come.  We stopped for curried noodles from a one-eyed chinaman in Ulu Yam Kampung Baru before setting off.  Last time we'd had to stop twice on the way up, but this time I felt moved to stop for a pee, and subsequently twice more with no excuse whatsoever bar exhaustion.  I was not sure how much further we had to go, but I was reassuring myself that we'd rest again after another kilometre.  980 metres... 970 ... I can't remember how far I counted - not far - before I thought "just a minute, those cars coming towards us are appearing roof-first; that means they must be coming uphill... that means ... Wohoa!" and we were off down the other side already.  We'd managed to beat the rain, which had been loitering menacingly ahead; then we stopped at a roadside van selling drinks and pineapple, and admired the view through the anti-photography fence.

"They really know how to hide their natural beauty"
"I suppose its the only way to stop people dumping rubbish".

There's one final exceptionally steep climb, but its only short; my buddy reckoned we could take it without stopping, but I said I'd prefer to stop and then enjoy the crest of the hill conscious, rather than in oxygen-starved black and white.  But he was right - it was too short a hill to stop on, and if I'd wanted to stop after 600 m, I'd have had to start counting 100 m before we could see the start of the hill.  The rain
probably made it a bit easier as well, but the descent was slightly nerve-wracking; its a longer hill coming down into town, but luckily it was only a gentle shower, not a torrential downpour.  From there, it was a simple left, right, right, left, left, right and we were onto familiar roads.  We did an extra loop of Desa Park City to be sure of getting 100+ km, and the whole ride was one kilometre and four minutes longer than last time.

Strava says that we were quicker than last time on most segments, I think due to shorter stops; my apologies for the lack of photos; instead here is one from the village behind my condo, while I was looking for a shortcut to the office

 

 

[StreetCowboy]

The power’s gone off in the condo Chez Cowboy, but I’m not missing the television

[StreetCowboy]

I missed Saturday’s ride through the same ailment that laid M low for the Ulu Yam ride, so I’m giving him a bit more credibility now.  
Sunday saw us dropping off posters at each of the pub stops on the charity Pubcycle 2019, and confirming their support.

1st December, if you want to join us.

[StreetCowboy]

I’m sat in the Chinese Children’s Pub grinning like Eddie Jones after the semi-final, filled with such smug satisfaction it’s burbling out in little chuckles.

We took two unnecessary hills to get to Brickfields for breakfast, and that was where the adventures began.

Last time we’d turned South out of Brickfields we’d found ourselves on the Federal Highway a kilometre and two major junctions the wrong side of where the motorcycle lane begins, and I was in no mood to repeat the experience.

Instead, we turned South-west, into Seputeh, past the railway station and into the houses. I’d planned to go as far as the station, but the loop through the houses was completely ad lib, but the most meticulous plan could not have given a better route; back to the station to confirm an underpass towards Jalan Kuchai Lama, should we ever pass that way again, and then back to the main destination of the day.

Almost.

We stopped for a detour up to the Tin Hau Temple, where we should have performed three figures of eight to protect ourselves from shipwreck. If only we’d known.  I’m not going to ride to the seaside again till we’ve been back to correct the omission.

 

The hill to get there was less intimidating than it seems in the car.

And then to the main destination of the day

There’s a large and ancient Chinese cemetery and in the cemetery

There is a Tiger pub.

Contrary to what I’d read on the internet, it does not open at 10 am, and the guys were not enthusiastic about waiting till it did.

So we set off, past the Alice Smith International Primary School, past the UN High Commission for Refugees, replete with armed guards, past a military gentleman out for a jog, through a little hawker stall market, past ...

“Are you SURE this is the right way?”

”No.  Through there...”

... past the primary school, down a little lane that became a path, into the bushes, so far just rideable, then the slope fell away towards the highway. There were concrete steps, but I was wishing for a carbon racing frame as I shouldered the cyclocross bike. Down the steps, over the footbridge and Back To Brickfields.

”Careful, lads, that’s the Malaysian Association For The Blind”

”I can see lots of people with white sticks”

”That’s the pedestrians. You can’t see if they’ve got a white stick when they’re inside their car”

We checked out the end of the dedicated bicycle route where it passes through a construction site, but opted to return home through Federal Hill, which is a lovely leafy area of KL between Brickfields, Bangsar and Bukit Damansara.

 

The lift on the West side of Semantan Station has been out of use for weeks, if you are planning on passing that way, and there’s no escalators on that side either. And from there, it was a short ride through the Time Tunnel to home, and more relevantly, the pub where I am writing this.

 

[StreetCowboy]

I 

Oh No! Where’s my bike? I’ve been robbed !

You can imagine my relief when I noticed the umbrella and remembered that I’d walked to the pub.

[StreetCowboy]

I was on my lonesome this morning, so took the opportunity of a gentle ride through the village to check on the construction works.

I’m hoping this link to Mont Kiara won’t be opening soon; I think this is just a construction road - maybe there will be a short tunnel, as it looks too steep. Too steep for me, anyway, though maybe not now I’ve got two extra teeth at the back, after the mid-life refurbishment.  Though 34-30 compared to 34-28doesn’t seem to make as much difference as I’d hoped.

The labyrinth stile was removed a while back, so you can drive a motor car through, but the back gate to Damansara Country Heights is still most definetly not open

 

If you carry on up this road, it ends under the Edinburgh Viaduct

where it is blocked by a drainage ditch and a fence. The construction road beyond is getting rougher, but there were three likely lads on motorbikes, so I carried on past without stopping for a photo.

I cycled up the steep little hill to to the water tower overlooking Desa Park City

and as I turned onto the private road, I dropped down a gear and chortled to myself “ha ha, Two extra teeth”; but when I got to the top, it was more like “whhhnzzgggrrahhhzzz”, and when the old lady Walker I’d passed got to the top I could see she was concerned.  
“Fine! I’m fine; fine, don’t worry...”

”9 9 9, thank you, I’d forgotten the ambulance number” and she took out her phone.

But I regained my feet, to show I was OK, and she carried on her way. I sat down again once she was round the corner.

[StreetCowboy]

Sunday’s ride was a navigational curate’s egg. I stalled and suddenly dismounted on the first muddy section, and also on the steepest of the small hills, despite my two extra teeth.

A wrong turning saw us heading down the motorway - to be fair, it was the road that took the wrong turning, not me.  I foolishly imagined that the left lane would turn left, and the right two lanes turn right; oh, the naivety! The left lane flew over to go right, while two lanes merged on to the highway heading leftwards. We could have carried on, and branched off for a loop of Sri Damansara, but that would take us along the start of Jalan Kuala Selangor - a bit of road I’ve driven enough to know I don’t want to cycle it.

Some imaginative routing through the junction soon took us back onto the planned route, and we were cycling backwards to Sungai Buloh.  I posted a picture of the Chinese kampung a couple of weeks back, and the muddy shortcut that takes you into Sungai Buloh.

 

From there, it’s a short ride to the leper colony, which would be nicer without the weekend garden nursery traffic. A short kampung detour took us through the planned underpass under the highway, and thence to Kuang, where we could’ve gone through the railway cottages, and on to the road that doesn’t go to Rawang any more. But instead, we took the local road back towards Jalan Kuala  Selangor. A bit. Then quickly turned onto the back roads; lovely single-track roads serving the smallholdings; that’s where the steep hills are - the same ones I mentioned last week.

We stopped when we got back to Jalan K Selangor; “Right, lads - we’ve got a choice of three roads home; the long way, via Guthrie and Federal Highways stoping for a pint in Richfield Corner; the muddy way, along Jalan Montfort construction road, or the short way, past Kwasa Land”.  All pleasant rides, and I was looking forward to them all.

 

My idle complacency was cruelly punished when I mis-recognised our turning, and we found ourselves inadvertently riding along Jln K Selangor again towards Sungai Buloh. It’s a busy, rough road, made all the worse by the anticipation of the junction turning on to Jalan Sungai Buloh.  The navigational errors, the traffic, the rough roads had me woefully demoralised, and as we settled into our usual seats at Silly Billy’s, I had to apologise. “I have to apologise, lads, that was woeful navigation today”

”You got us to the pub; that’s all we ask”.  Anyway, like kittens, my sorrows were soon drowned, and before I knew it, Monday arrived, and another 5 days of planning the weekend’s rides

[StreetCowboy]

I’d offered a choice of two routes this morning; breakfast in Brickfields or the Highland Route. A quarter of the way into the route, Big G wheezed desperately “This is not the way we normally go to Brickfields”

Despite being aware of the risk, I got caught out stopping waiting for Big G before completing the Strava segments a couple of times.  
 

I went out again in the afternoon for a  dander round my suburb, and now I’m rained in at Silly Billy’s

 
Or maybe they’ve installed a sprinkler on the roof. If not, I’ll put it in the Suggestion Box.