Destinations of Adventure Cycling for Humanity 2011 - Johor

The first Malaysian state that RA peddled to leaving Singapore was Johor, where he made 3 overnight stops in the towns of Pontian Besar, Batu Pahat, and Muar before he crossed the border into the state of Malacca.

Johor is the southern most state of Peninsular Malaysia. Its capital and royal city is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri (Malay for Princess' Cape). Johor is also known by its Arabic Honorific name, Darul Ta'zim (meaning Abode of Dignity).

This state has a border with Pahang state to the North and North East, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan in the North West, and in the South, the Straits of Johor which separates Johor from Singapore.

Location of Johor in Penisular Malaysia

Johor state

The major towns in the state of Johor are Pontian, Batu Pahat, Muar, Kota Tinggi and Kluang.

Pontian is a district in the South West corner of Johor, located 62km North West of the Johor's capital city Johor Bahru. There are 2 major towns in the district which uses the name Pontian as well, they are Pontian Besar and Pontian Kechil, the latter being the destrict capital. RA's stop for the first night was Pontian Besar.

Pontian began as a fishing village and hence is well known for its reasonably priced seafood. The seaside fishing village of Kukup, approximately 20km from Pontian Kechil is regularly visited by residents from neighbouring towns and Singapore for its seafood.

This location is also the site for observing the moon to mark the beginning of Ramadan (the Muslim fasting month), the beginning of the Muslim New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitiri, and Hari Raya Aidiladha (which is the Muslim Hajj celebration).

River mouth at Pontian Besar

Batu Pahat, the second nights stop for RA, is a Johor district which lies North of Pontian, on the Western side of Johor state. Its capital town is Bandar Penggaram Batu Pahat, more commonly referred to by Malaysians as just Batu Pahat or BP by Johorians.

Batu Pahat translated from Malay means, "chiselled rock or stone". It is known for its salted fish, hence its old name was Bandar Penggaram, meaning the town of salt-makers in Malay. There are a couple of stories which explains the origins of the name Batu Pahat. The first traces back to a legend in the 15th century, where the invading troops from Siam (now Thailand) retreated to when chased by Malacca troops after their failed attempt to capture the city. The Siamese troops, were chiselling rocks near a coastal village to find water after their retreat from Malacca. The other story is that after the Portugese captured Malacca, they built the "A Formosa" fort using granite chiselled from the quarries near the mouth of Sungai Batu Pahat, hence the name "chiselled stone".

Chiselled Rock Fountain in Batu Pahat

Muar, also known as the Emperor's town in Malay, Bandar Maharani, was RA's stop for the third night of his expedition. It was also the final stop in Johor state before heading into Malacca state. It is the main town of the district with the same name. The district lies in the North Western corner of Johor state, and borders with the states of Malacca and Negeri Sembilan.

Rich in history and mentioned in many historical records and archeological works, Muar is believe to have started before the Sultanate of Malacca. One account claims Muar was part of the Majapahit empire (an old Indonesian empire based in Java) in 1361. Another claims that before Parameswara (Malay-Hindu Prince from Temasik, formely Singapore) founded Malacca, he established a settlement here.

Muar is well known for its Southern Malay and Chinese cuisine. Dishes such as Mee Bandung, Rojak Petis, Lontong, Assam Pedas, Nasi Ambeng, Goreng Tempeh, Otak-otak, Or-Chien (Fried Oyster Omlette) and Hainanese Steam Chicken Rice Ball Rice just to name a few.

Muar clock tower

RA's Journal Day 06, Thurs, Oct 13, 2011

Before I start, I would like to share with all of you on something that happened to me today. I'm sure that most of you would know by now that I will stop at fruit stalls to stock up on bananas. It has been working out so far, and today I felt like splashing out a little and so bought the best banana the stall had. This was on the road from Malacca to Port Dickson, about 30km out of Malacca. I was tired, drained, and was told that there would still be more hills ahead. The guy said, "sampai besok pun awak tak boleh sampai". Loosely translated from Malay, it meant, I would not even get to my destination tomorrow. Hearing this really demoralized me.

So, at the next rest stop, I parked at a shady spot and found a big concrete drain crossing ledge to sit on. I grabbed a banana, which I always keep in the back pocket of my riding jersey, and proceeded to peel it slowly. Just as I was about to take a bite out of it, I felt someone or something next to me, turning to my left I saw a big alpha male monkey (or perhaps a female) staring at me with the look that said, "dude, you wanna share that banana with me"?.

Ok, here is my report and answer to todays question.

Today's Question:

Question (sms question):

How is everything coming along? Where are you now?

Answer:

Hi..... firstly, thanks for the sms, the prayers, and the push. I am as good as before I left. A little tired but feeling great here at Port Dickson. I hope to meet you before I cross to Medan. Please send my best to your best friend.

Day 06, Malacca - Port Dickson (98km)

Accumulated distance travelled: 431km

It's 0500hrs (5am Malaysian time), I did not manage to get a good rest last night, between the noise of the loud television from the room next door and the karaoke near by I didn't sleep well. I am now getting accustomed to a daily routine. Rise and shine, wash up, clear up work, pack up, suit up, stretch, and check out. It now only takes me 30mins to pack up and be ready to go. I'm really getting it down well.

I am down with all my gear and bike at 0645hrs (6.45am Malaysian time), ready to get on the way. Today, I am expecting a tough day. My route check, research and map check revealed that the routes would either be long or hilly. The day was meant to be my "active recovery" day, meaning a day of easy riding. Distance for today according to google map was only 75km, but now taking Route No. 5 up north would mean a tough day. Getting lost today is not an option, hence the reason why I want to get out of Malacca town early.

At 0700hrs (7am Malaysian time) I was at the coffee shop across from Hotel Best One. I had promised the hotel manageress, whom was a nice lady, that I would have a quick coffee with her. I noticed that most of them are nice to cyclist. A quick coffee with 2 roti telur and 2 roti kosong, and I was on my way.

I moved slowly out of Malacca town at 0730hrs (7.30am Malaysian time), with a stop to stock up on water, rice balls and bananas. My mind was set, for a hard ride today, easy one can come tomorrow, but today I am ready for the battle that lies ahead on the road. A quick tour of the historical part of Malacca city and then off I went. Sorry that there weren't many photos of these parts as most of the sites were full of bus loads of tourist from China. I stopped a few times and made a few turns in the city to make sure I covered it all, as well as to get myself familiarized with the city. I just have something for old buildings and small lanes/streets.

A Famosa, Portugese fort in historical Malacca town

At 0830hrs (8.30am Malaysian time) I passed the Kelabang Beach Resort. A place some of my cycling brothers and sisters are very familiar with.

* Slackers, next time you come to Malacca, screw this place. Drive another 5km up and you will find Shah's Resort. It has beautiful chalets facing the sea for RM130 per night.*

My first check point today would be Sungei Udang, 20km north of Malacca town on Route No.5. My marker for this stretch would be Shah's Resort. When I came up on the resort, I turned in to say a quick hello to the owner. She invited me over yesterday, since I declined her offer, I felt it would be nice to say hello, the least I could do for her great gesture. That done, it was battle time.

Shah's Resort

My progress along Route No.5 was slow, the poorly maintained roads made slowed me down. I think Malacca is a place where time stood still, the city didn't seem to have moved on since 1735. It is actually moving, but at a very slow pace, even the roads in the towns haven't been re-surfaced for quite sometime. Well, it didn't really bother me that much, I just peddled along slowly.

Half an hour on, at 0930hrs (9.30am Malaysian time) I was starting my battle with the hills. It was hot and I was inhaling smoke from the rubbish which the villagers were burning (doesn't Malacca have proper rubbish removal).

At 1000hrs (10am Malaysian time) the battle with the hills were still going on. I thought to myself, if this carries on much more I'm gonna throw in the towel, and hop onto a cab to Port Dickson. It was endless, reaching my next 20km rest spot, I began searching for a place to stop for a break. What a bonus, I spotted an old provisions shop. This means, I could replenish my water supply. I quickly signal to make my intentions known to the other road users, "this cyclist is officially out of steam".

"out of steam cyclist" having a break at old provision shop

The owner of the shop was an ex-Singaporean Baba/Nonya. Chatting with her, she told me stories of old Malacca, her life in Singapore, and so on. She told me to get off Route No.5 and get onto the old coastal road. Wait a minute, "an old coastal road", I asked her. And her answer, "Yes la".

A stretch of the old coastal road

I whipped out my map and asked her to kindly show me the old coastal road, I highlighted it, thanked her and got on my bike to back track for about 5km, turned onto a small kampong lane, and BINGO!, the old coastal road. I smiled as I rode through all sorts of villages, saying "Hi", stopping for coffee, got invited to visit a cattle farm, got to see the original Malacca atap house, and much more. I was so excited that I made a wrong turn and was back on Route No.5. I battled it for a while, then thought that this was crazy. So I asked around, studied my map, set the GPS, and I was on the old kampong road again, all through Kampong Sungei Udang, Kampong Parujas, Kampong Bahru and Kampong Sungei Tuang, (this was where I ran away from the Alpha Male which I mentioned before the start of this journal, leaving my bike behind), occasionally hiting back onto Route No.5 to do battle with it again, head on, then it was back on the kampong road again and out onto Route No.5 to fight somemore. It was in and out of Route No.5 until I saw the sign for Alor Gajah, but the battle wasn't over yet, I was still in the state of Malacca. The battle was to continue along the older Route No. M143 untill I reached the Malacca and Negeri Semibilan state border into Kampong Agas.

Mr. Zul's cattle farm

The border crossing from Malacca state into Negeri Sembilan state took place at 1300hrs (1.30pm Malaysian time). I stopped for a photograph on the bridge before continuing onto Kampong Agas, where I stopped for a delicious home cooked lunch at 1400hrs (2pm Malaysian time). With the weather getting hotter, I departed at 1430hrs (2.30pm), peddled for 15km before seeking some shade to rest at the Kampong Pasir Panjang Caltex Station. I stayed there till 1600hrs (4pm Malaysian time) before I continued on Route No.5 into Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

The Malacca-Negeri Sembilan border

At 1700hrs (5pm Malaysian time) I made it to Port Dickson, and checked into PD Motel. Overall it was a very tough day of riding for me.

My reward at Port Dickson

The 3 things that made me smile today:

1. Meeting and playing with some kampong kids on the beach before handing out some Singapore souvenirs to them.
2. Finding the old Malacca kampong which I was looking for.
3. Received a nice SMS from a dear friend.

RA's Journal Day 05, Wed, Oct 12, 2011

Today's Question:

Question:

I noticed you weren't wearing your 2XU riding gear when you rode from Singapore to Pontian. Was there a reason?

Answer:

Very observant. I like. I woke up on Sunday (9 Oct), was suppose to be ready by 0500hrs (5am Singapore time), but because there was some last minute gearing up to do, so I decided to ride with whatever I had on and see how far can those casual wear take me. The furthest I could go was a mere 40km, it was really difficult to cycle long distances without the proper cycling attire. A stop to change into proper cycling gear helped my performance, I also felt more aerodynamic. I didn't put on my 2XU cycling attire until the third day of my ride from Batu Pahat to Muar. The conclusion, casual gear is no go for me if hard riding is required.

Day 05, Muar to Malacca (77km)

Accumulated distance travelled: 333km

Last night before going to bed, I went searching on youtube for some videos that could help me fix my pulled thigh muscle. I managed to find a Javanese massage video and followed it. The only difference was that I had to do the rubbing myself. I woke up this morning in pain, and was hoping that it wouldn't last throughout my ride to Malacca.

It was a fantastic day. I woke to the sounds of birds chirping at 0500hrs (5am Malaysian time). I quickly washed up, finished off some work for today, and then serviced my bike.Checked the tires, oiled the chain and tightened anything that was loose from yesterday's ride. All packed up and with my gear loaded, I headed downstairs for my breakfast of black coffee and lontong Muar. Continued with my work while I ate breakfast.

My Muar breakfast

Time check: 0845hrs (8.45am Malaysian time). I have learnt not to rush things and take my time from my past three days of riding. Learnt to take my time to check my bike and gear, but most importantly, I must feel calm and focused. One more thing I did before going to bed last night was to study the route that I would take the next day. Looking for alternative routes that would give me a combination of long flat routes that would give me the endurance training needed, and endless rolling hills that I need for strength training. After studying the Muar to Malacca route, I knew that this would be the kind of route that I would enjoy. It was a combination of 15 to 20km of flat straights, and another 25k's of rolling hills before entering the kampong roads that would take me to Malacca.

Time check: 0915hrs (9.15am Malaysian time), I was ready to roll. All gear secured on my bike, a final check of the room, then everything was brought down. Five bags, a handle bar bag, three water bottles and my bike was all in my room with me last night. A final photo with Ms. See, the owner of My Budget Inn, for memory. Ms. See was a very nice person, I promised her that I would be back to stay in Muar for two nights.

Photo with owner of My Budget Inn Muar, Ms.See

I took my time leaving Muar, with a detour to my late mother's home on Jalan Bakri, Muar, and a last look around Muar town before I rode across the famous Muar Town Bridge heading towards my next destination. I hit route 5, flat and straight, I flew along on my 50kg loaded bike (as in tested my bike at speeds) averaging speeds of 25 to 30kmh for about 20km (that's why there are no rest stop photos in today's journal). I only stopped upon seeing the Johor/Malacca state border crossing and remembering that after the last 20km of flat would be 25km of rolling hilly roads. I loaded myself with a banana and two salted rice balls to provide me with a quick burst of energy before hitting the hilly terrain to Malacca, pushing myself to 80% of my limit. I did great, my right thigh holding up and my bicycle was rolling along as it should.

Muar Town Bridge

I was so into my cycling that I missed my turn to Umbai Pekan Ikan Bakar, as well as the turn to Serkam Ikan Bakar stops. Not wanting to make my Malacca leg a waste, I stopped to check my map to see if there were any turns a head which I could take to get some of the famous Ikan Bakar (Malay for BBQ grilled fish). Tanjung Mas would be the next best exit to get off route 5 to enter Malacca via the kampong roads.Travelling the path less travelled is indeed an experience in itself. This is where you get to see kampong houses, savour authentic Malay kampong cuisine, and meet people that enjoys the simple life.

Tanjung Mas

A stop at a village food stall, I met Alias, a local mountain bike guide. He so happened to be bringing 5 guys off-roading in Malacca (guys do look for him when you are next in Malacca. He will bring you to the best off-road biking spots in Malacca).

Alias - Lonely Planet endorsed MTB guide with his guests

Time check: 1300hrs (1pm Malaysia time). I remembered the old Malacca, where kids would be running around their kampong houses, but I couldn't remember where the place was exactly. Since I wanted to see the less seen parts of Malacca, I switched off my navigation, kept my route map, and decided to get lost in the kampongs. Many people think of Malacca as only Bandar Hilir, the UNESCO site and the Portuguese settlement, but today I went to places that I had never seen after the many times that I have visited Malacca. On one stretch of the road I was chased by kids shouting "Abang, Abang ....... Hello". I stopped intending to give them some souvenirs, but instead they brought me to their home where I was welcomed by their dad. The kids showed me their pets (see picture below), Yes, it's cows.

The kampong kids with their pet cow in the background

I stayed awhile playing and chatting with them. I totally love them!

Time check: 1400hrs (2pm Malaysian time). It was getting too for getting lost anymore. I looked up at the sun and since I was heading north, I re-oriented myself to get my bearings for any place which I could stay for a night that would be cheap and had wifi. Before I ended my day of riding, I went to a place where I could get a picture of the Straits of Malacca (see picture below).

The Straits of Malacca - left to Singapore, right to Penang

Three things that made me smile today:

1. My thigh is good now.
2. My bike is performing as it should be.
3. Meeting the kampong kids and their "pet"

RA's Journal Day 04, Tuesday, Oct 11

Today's Question:

Question:

What is the road condition like in the Southern part of Malaysia? Do you think it is safe to cycle there?

Answer:

Safety is always my foremost concern. No matter how safe a country is, it is still the skills, common sense and instincts in us that determines our ultimate safety. I was so lucky to have bros that were willing to drive me around the West Coast route of Malaysia 3 weeks ago to survey the conditions prior to my solo journey. I must say that the Johor State Government has done a great job in providing motorcycle lanes on most part of the old highways. I rode many miles on it yesterday and today. Read about it and check out the photos to get a clearer picture of what I'm describing.

The motorcycle lane which I have been cycling on

Day 04, Batu Pahat - Muar (60km)

Accumulated distance travelled: 256km

I think the weather these days is really screwed up and often difficult to predict. It doesn't even seem to rain much during the monsoon season, it is sometimes even scorching hot. And then during the non-monsoon season the rain comes pelting down at you mercilessly, uprooting trees, causing floods and generally disrupting the lives of the affected people. Like the rains that I have been experiencing the last couple of days of riding, it really disrupted my riding plans.

Again today, my 3rd day on the road, I woke up to pounding rain. No, in fact, I fell asleep listen to the rainfall and blowing winds which uprooted trees. It was fortunate that I was sleeping in a hotel again and not camping out. The main reason for the hotel stays wasn't because of the rain but rather an issue of safety. I was told that the late night crowd are a different bunch, which I shall talk about later.

I managed to get a cheap hotel (Setia Hotel, Batu Pahat) for RM30 through my Batu Pahat contact. There is not much to complain about, I get to clean up, wash my clothes and get a good safe nights rest. It's cheap and so doesn't come with wifi. That explains why David hasn't been receiving timely reports from me. This hotel is apparently popular with cyclist from all over the world. And guys, you must come and stay here to find out more.

Today, I woke up early as usual, like when I was preparing myself for this adventure back in Singapore. Wake up at 0430hrs (4.30am Singapore time), make coffee, water my plants, get warm and suited up, then leave between 0500-0530hrs (5-5.30am Singapore time). Although the rhythm has stayed with me, the rains have been stopping and delaying me, today being no exception. Not to waste precious time, I rubbed my injured thigh with a special medicated oil from my late mum (not sure if the expiry date on the oil has passed) in the hope that this will help my thigh recover. Then it was onto yoga, followed by a review of my route for today. Yes! Great! there will be no climbing today, it's pretty much a long flat 60km ride to Muar. I also noted the sites that I needed to check out and the places that I needed try the local dishes.

By 0830hrs (8.30am Malaysian time) I was ready to leave and was standing in front of the hotel, but the weather had other plans, and allowing me to leave wasn't it. Whilst waiting for the rain to stop I was chatting with the hotel staff about bicycles, Singapore and food, but the rain didn't seemed to be stopping anytime soon. So, I went off to a nearby coffee shop for "roti canai" (Malaysian/Singaporean Indian kind of crepe) and "teh tarik" (pulled milk tea). A place I believe some of my riding buddies would be familiar with. We stopped there on the way to Malacca 3 weeks ago.

Since the rain seem to be continuing on, and time was running out for me to reach Muar in good time, I got my rain gear on and set off sharp at 0930hrs (9.30am Malaysian time). It was very demoralizing to ride in the rain, but I soon realized that I probably would be going to get this pretty frequently throughout my entire trip, so I might as well make the most of it and enjoy it. I actually opened my mouth to drink some of the rain water along the way ..... laugh ..... removed my rain jacket and rode without it in the rain. What else can I do right?

Editor's note: Yes bradder RA. Make the most of it. Carpe Diem. But make sure you take care of your health too mate!

Leaving Batu Pahat behind me, peddling away, there wasn't a drop of rain outside of Batu Pahat. Was I glad that there was no rain. I managed to cycle a little faster with my rain gear off and the road conditions improving. The other road users so far were generally nice, I get friendly honks, waves and cheers on a daily basis, and bananas were on the house at every fruit stall that I stopped.

At around 1130hrs (11.30am Malaysian time) I reached the town of Semerah at the district border of Batu Pahat and Muar, and the first fruit stall, which I stopped at, manned by 2 sisters had no bananas, so I just had a chat with them. The younger sister, Farah, was good looking and single. She loves Singaporean men, but not one that cycles to his destinations. This means I am technically out. All these stalls/shops that you see along the roadside, most of them own the land behind it or the land which it is on. They would build houses on it and rent it out. The cost of the land? RM1,000...... 30 years ago..... jaw drops.

My first rest stop for the day

As I was leaving, Farah told me to lookout for another fruit stall 12 clicks (km) down the road. Look for it I did, a fantastic suggestion. Farah if you are reading this, THANK YOU!.

Stopping at the suggested fruit stall with the intention of purchasing 2 bananas, I was handed a whole bunch by the owner with a smile before I could even open my mouth to say anything. The communication around the towns here are pretty modern ..... laugh ..... Seeing that I was given an entire bunch of bananas for free it was only right that I had lunch at his "warung", which was exactly what I did. I just love the kampong style of cooking, the fried chicken beats the red and white chicken anytime. At the "warung" I chatted with Mr. Mustafa, a local, who was so kind to buy me lunch. Mr. Mustafa if you are reading this blog, THANK YOU!

My banana loading and lunch stop

The next town I was heading for was Kampong Parit Jawa, known for its Assam Pedas (Malay style of cooking that's spicy and tamarind) style of cooking, in particular seafood or fish. But riding at noon to get there before it closed made the road feel like a sizzling hot frypan! Kampong Parit Jawa is a small fishing town that lies approximately 20km away from Muar. The crowds will tell you how delicious and popular the Muar Medan Assam Pedas is, but since I don't take spicy food, all I could do was enjoy the aroma of the assam pedas that was being cooked. Now, I know why my late mum's assam pedas was awesome, she's from Muar.

Just outside Medan Assam Pedas

While I was there, I visited the fishing village and chatted with the fishermen and watched them repair their boats, then headed straight to Tanjung Emas before I headed into Muar town. Tanjung Emas is where the town's Chief Judge and the who's who of Muar actually live, even the Sultan of Johor has an Istana (Malay for palace) there.

The fishing village

Tanjung Emas, Muar

Arriving Muar, I rode around to see if there was anything that would catch my attention and attracted me. If you are looking for a Bali like town, Muar is the place to be. Nice hotel, clean and lively town with friendly people to boot.

I was told in Pontian and Batu Pahat never to camp in Johor alone overnight. The teenagers here gets carried away. To be safe, I heeded the advice and searched for cheap hotel to call home for the night. I was almost ripped off by one of the el-cheepo hotels. When I got to the hotel a guy came out to welcome me and asked me to register. I enquired if they had wifi as I needed to update stuff to David. The guy told me yes, the room comes with air conditioning and wifi, but not television for RM30. Agreeing on the price I pushed my bike in, handed him RM50 and so expecting RM20 in change to be returned to me. Instead I was told that RM50 was not enough, the room I wanted would cost RM55, he went on to explain that the price he gave me was a special price, so no wifi.

I told him thanks and left. HOTEL LEEWA, Muar, No,75 Jalan Arab

Heading off to search for another hotel, I met a Canadian couple touring on their sailboat for the past 12 years. John and Lily, if you are reading this, lets hook up again somewhere in Penang. Leaving John and Lily, I met another couple that told me all about the delicious Tanjung Emas Mee Rojak!

John and Lily from Canada

This journal email was written in Muar's coolest budget hotel - My Budget Inn. Nice and clean rooms with a cafe to boot, plus a damn cool owner. Having dinner and drinking A&W root beer at her cafe ..... Nice!

Work and dinner at My Budget Inn Cafe

The three things that made smile today:

1. Riding in the rain and enjoying it.
2. Met John and Lily from Canada who has been sailing around the world for 12 years.
3. Got directed to My Budget Inn by a Muar couple.

RA's Journal Day 03, Monday, Oct 10, 2011

Note:

I think from now on, before I write my journal email, I will reply a question each day. Yes, it can only be one as I need to get on with post riding chores, like unpacking and checking my bike, sorting out photos, write my journal email, and some "alone time" just to reflect on my day's riding so that I can ride better the next day.

Please bear in mind that I've had a full and hard day of riding. So, apologies in advance again, if my answers don't make sense.

Question:

What is the difference between driving or flying to your destination as compared to cycling there?

Answer:

Babes and Guys! My preferred mode of transport to any destination would of course be drive or fly, but a bicycle adventure is something that you can only do maybe once in your lifetime. Driving and flying would definitely get me to my destination faster, however, there will be alot of things that may be missed along the way. Like today for example, out of nowhere I saw many beautiful Malaysian original atap (is that what it's called) houses. I have never seen these before on my countless drive up and down the Malaysian North South Highway.I enjoyed and was able to stop at places which I felt had some history or story behind it. Although it takes me longer to get to my destination, but cycling allows me to see more things in my lifetime.

Day 03: Pontian Besar - Batu Pahat (76km):

Distance covered todate: 192km

The ride today was a tough and probably the longest 76km ride of my life. I had a good rest last night, but my mind was constantly on a certain someone faraway from me now. I felt good although a tad tired when I woke up. The morning greeted me with a massive thunderstorm at 0600hrs (6am Malaysian time), I didn't get back to sleep as I wanted to leave Pontian Besar early with the aim of getting to Muar, Johor, Malaysia today (Can someone please call me and shout at me to take my time? I am obsessed to recover the one day that I lost when I decided to leave Singapore a day later). After packing my panniers (bicycle tour bags, for those who's gonna ask me what are panniers), I checked my bike. There was a small creaking sound coming from the front pannier rack. The check revealed that there was a loose nut and a problem with my saddle height which caused me to pull the muscle of my right thigh. Tightening the loose nut solved the creaking problem, and adjusting the saddle height down a few millimeters made it comfortable.

Time check: 0800hrs (8am Malaysian time) and the rain was still pouring down. What else to do but some Yoga (Thanks June Koh) and a cat nap to rest.

Time check: 0830hrs (8.30am Malaysian time) and the rain hasn't stopped. I was ready to get on with it, so I got down to loading my bike with rain covers on all the panniers, put on my rain gear and headed off, but not before a quick coffee at the coffee shop opposite the hotel (Alif 24hr coffee shop - hey we have that in Singapore too).

Time check: 0900hrs (9am Malaysian time), the rain looked like stopping so I took the opportunity to move off. However, 7km out of Pontian Besar the thunderstorm got worse and so I had to quickly find shelter. This came from a place called "Pontian Roti" (Pontian Bread), which wasn't your everyday kind of bakery. Pontian Roti supplies breads of all kinds to hospitals and prisons in Johor. The owner Mr. Johari was very kind to give me a personal tour of his bakery.

My bakery rain shelter

What a fantastic rain shelter

Mr. Johari, owner of Pontian Roti

Time check: 10:00hrs (10am Malaysian time), I had to get going if I wanted to catch up on the lost day to make it to Muar. Rain gear on again and I was off riding into the heavy rain. The storm made my going tough, the rain was like small stones hitting my face, I thought that I would never make it to Batu Pahat. With the hard rain I took an early rest stop 10km out of Pontian at Sanglang (about 45km from Batu Pahat), at a "warung" (Malay for stall). I had a great break chatting a while with a cyclist that had also sheltered at the stall. Setting off again at 1200hrs (12noon Malaysian time) I stopped for a quick lunch at Rengit at around 1215hrs (12.15pm Malaysian time) for their well known "Nasi Ayam" (Chicken Rice). If you do get to Rengit give "Nasi Ayam Pak Ali" (Pak Ali used to work in a restaurant in Singapore many years ago) or "Nasi Ayam Rengit" a try, was a good lunch.

The other purposes of this trip through Peninsular Malaysia besides warming up and training for the Indonesian leg of Adventure Cycling for Humanity, it was also about meeting people, learning about the history of the areas and the geography. So, I try to stop as often as I can without affecting my daily targets too much, to chat and meet as many people as possible along the way. Doing this gets addictive, I'm already hooked just after 2 days of doing this. Whilst still in Rengit I got to meet Harun, a young entrepreneur, who treated me to bananas. Harun also used to work in Singapore, at the Simpang Bedok Spize Restaurant. After earning and saving up enough money, he headed back to his kampong (Malay for village) to chill, relax and take a slower pace of life by starting his own small fruits business. I left Harun's stall at 1400hrs (2pm Malaysian time), with Harun telling me to take it easy and enjoy my ride.

Harun, the fruit businessman

A point which I forgot to highlight was the superb road and traffic conditons from Pekan Nenas, Pontian right up to Rengit. The "motorcycle lane" throughout this stretch of road made me feel like a kid again, smiling and singing as I rode my bicycle on the motorcycle lane. Even, where there was no motorcycle lane, the vehicles on the road gave me enough space to ride safely. I felt that Malaysian drivers respected bicycle touring.

Back to my day, my heart suddenly skip a beat when I saw the Senggarang sign. The words of warning/advice from the fellow cyclist I met earlier in the day came back to me, "S-bends and rolling hills, just when you think you are done with them, there are more, one after another, they keep coming". Those hills that I faced in Pulai a day ago were well spaced out, I had time to catch my breathe and curse again before the next one came up. The ones at Senggarang hits you one after another without hardly letting up, you had no time to curse let alone catch a breathe. When the bends and hills were done, the last 7km before Batu Pahat almost ...... never mind. Lets just say it was along stretch of climbing, I had to tell myself that it was ok, the down hill part is coming, but NO! it was just up and up.

The big climb before Batu Pahat

Time check: 1700hrs (5pm Malaysian time), I entered Batu Pahat, Johor completely drained and knackered. It was time to call it a day and rest up for the day. The consolation was, Batu Pahat was one of the most beautiful town that I have seen in Malaysia and in particular Johor. Very well organized compared to Mersing, Desaru or Kota Tinggi in Johor. I rode around town to meet my local contact who managed to arrange accommodation for me at a budget hotel without internet connection. This is the reason that my day 03 journal is late. But if you are ever in Batu Pahat, do not miss the Briyani rice and Asam Pedas, a must try, absolutely "Sedap" (Malay for delicious).

My break at Dataran Batu Pahat... thinking of my darling

It was another great day of riding and training. The 3 things that made me smile today were:

1. The moment I saw the Batu Pahat sign, I knew my training and riding today was a success.
2. Cycling safely on the motorcycle lane, while vehicles gave space when there was no lane.
3. Got cheers from school kids, "Selamat Berjaya" (Malay that means All The Best), whilst some cycled with me for about 4 to 5km.

The fantastic motorcycle lane

my cheer squad

Day 03, Monday, Oct 10, 2011: The Warm Up Continues

Day 03, Pontian Besar - Batu Pahat (80km):

After starting off in a peaceful mindset & in a great mood on the first day of riding (Day02), RA made it to Pontian Besar, Johor, Malaysia safe & sound. It was a great first day of the Warm-up stage, meeting kind & friendly people along the way. The highlights being, many "Selamat Pagi" (Malay for Good Morning) from cyclist in Johor Bahru, generous diners at Skudai, friendly & generous banana grower/seller (all the bananas that RA could eat) at Pekan Nenas, plus delicious yummy food along the way. Overall great first day for Adventure Cycling for Humanity Warm-up stage (with exception of RA picking up a Fan/Supporter for a short while .... hehehe).

The second day of riding (Day03) was a challenging one. The Warm-up stage went up a notch higher in difficulty. RA had to battle with a storm for 2 hours in the morning as he was leaving Pontian, as well as, what seemed like endless energy sapping snaking long hill climbs 20km before Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. It was a tiring day for RA indeed, however, he was very glad that he had this Warm-up/training stage through Peninsular Malaysia. RA was totally knackered but still in high spirits after his second day on the road, as well as being safe & in one piece.

GoRAGo!! Godspeed Bradder!!

RA's Journal Day 02, Sunday, Oct 9, 2011

Note:

Before I begin my journal on how my first day of peddling went, I would like to answer a text message (sms) that I received today whilst I was riding. Please kindly bear in mind that I have just cycled 120km under the intense heat of the day, so if my answer doesn't sound right or make any sense, my sincere apologies in advance.

Text question:

Why must you take your training (Warm-up Stage) to Malaysia? Wouldn't it be cheaper to remain and train in Singapore, then fly direct to Medan?

Answer:

I would love to remain in Singapore to train and save money. This Warm-up Stage wasn't in my initial plan. However, after my research on Sumatra and Java, Indonesia, I realised that I need to be realistic and well prepared for the huge journey ahead. My training needed to include cycling my bike with a 50kg load in conditions and terrains as close to Indonesia as possible. There is no terrain in Singapore that can give me rolling hills that last for 1 to 2 hours. So, this was when I decided that cycling from Singapore to Penang, Malaysia would give me the training and preparation that I required to take on Sumatra and Java. This would also allow me to test out all my equipment, meet some friends along the way, and discover some new way out places.

Day 02, Singapore - Pontian Besar (120km):

Today I am calm, composed and focused. I woke up at 4am, did some yoga (I learnt this from June Koh), made coffee, and then got myself ready. I felt good today. At 0530hrs (5.30am Singapore time) I left for some warm up rounds and last minute checks. I crossed the Causeway from Singapore to Johor, Malaysia at 0730hrs (7.30am Singapore time) sharp, accompanied by the Fuji Roadie Riders. Everything when well, immigrations at the crossing was short, sharp and hassle free. Across in Johor Bahru, Johor, I noticed there were more cyclist than I realised. I believe I actually may have gotten a "Selamat Pagi" (Malaysian for Good Morning) from all the riders.

After parting ways with the Fuji Roadies, I was all alone. It is something which doesn't bother me and I am ready to take it on, as most of my adventure is meant to be a solo journey.

My riding plan for this Warm-up Stage was simple, a 10min break after every 20km of peddling. My 40km stop today was a small town called Skudai in Johor, Malaysia. Here I enjoyed a "Nasi Goreng Kampung" (Fried rice village style) and to my surprise the group of people that sat in front of me paid for my brunch without my knowledge. All they did was ask me where I was from and where I was heading. I only knew of their wonderful gesture when I got up to pay and was told by the stall owner that the group had paid for my meal. (see the delicious, "sedap" fried rice in the picture below).

With the nice sumptuous meal, I set my GPS and started peddling the next 20km on the old Skudai road. The shortest route to Pekan Nenas, Johor, Malaysia (Malaysian meaning Pineapple Town) that my GPS plotted for me would take me on an old hilly and undulating road, with a headwind all the way, I was in for a heck of a peddle. I was screwed, but it would be a good start for my Warm-up stage. The challenging conditions restricted my speed to only 15kmh, but my determination kept me focused on the task at hand. In fact, I was so focused that I missed my next 20km rest stop and pulled a muscle. The effects of which I am still feeling when I stopped for the day and started writing my journal email. The rest of the cycling today was practically all done with only my good left leg. My next rest stop would be the appearance of a sign that read "Mak Siti Chendol" in the middle of nowhere, actually somewhere near Pulai. The early nasi lemak and chendol lunch was bliss, it tasted even more heavenly after peddling so hard. Tummy filled, now ready to push off at the 71km mark of my journey for today, the time was only 11ish in the morning, but the blazing hot sun got me thinking and asking myself, "RA what's the rush? Enjoy the ride, smell the coffee". Hell yeah! I was so engrossed and focused on my mission that I forgot to have fun.

With my mindset back on the right track. The fun began, courtesy of the Johor Road Department. On the endless road of rolling hills I came up on a big sign with the words "Kurangkan Laju" (Malaysian for Slow Down). I'm like, what the.... Slow Down? I am huffing and puffing my lungs out and you are asking me to slow down?

Editor's comment: Well looks like the fun has started RA..... hehehehe!

The intense heat today made me decide to take a 1 hour rest stop at Pekan Nenas, Johor, the 80km mark. It was a good stop at the home of a banana plantation owner. I learnt a great deal about Pekan Nenas. Do you all know that there is no big or major pineapple plantations in Pekan Nenas? But bananas, yes. Can anyone guess why this is so? The winner will get to have a dinner date with me.

Editor's comment: RA, I don't think you are gonna be getting many participants, unless you can come up with a better gift.

Free bananas, as much as I could eat, courtesy of the stall owner

The next aim was all the way to Pontian, my 100km mark. Then when I saw the Batu Pahat 76km sign I automatically set that as my target, just then my inner voice popped up and said "Slow down, enjoy the coffee...." I made it to Pontian and continued peddling with only another 50km to Batu Pahat, but at this point my injured right thigh was hurting and the pain was bothering me. I knew I couldn't go any further and should stop, but I wanted to continue. Just then I checked my mirrors and noticed that this dude on a motorbike that has been following me for about 10mins outside of Pontian was there again. Is he my supporter? I wasn't sure but my gut instinct told me stop and find a place to rest for the day. With that I turned back to Pontian Besar and headed to the seaside to search for my camping spot for the night. It certainly wasn't East Coast Park. Mr. Man in Blue told me no camping and something like "you won't like it at night".

Heeding his advice, I rode around Pontian Besar to search for alternatives. I found a cheap RM30 (RM=Ringgit Malaysia, Malaysian Currency) motel and took it. I needed a good rest and to recover for tomorrow. After checking in and cleaning up, I headed out in search for food but then right before my very eyes I saw a kid on a bike got hit by a car because he crossed the junction ignoring the traffic lights which wasn't in his favour. BANG!! and he flew. With that I turned back to the motel, cooked myself some Maggi noodles and decided to go to bed. I am tired.

Pontian, known for its seafood and fishing village

Three things that made me smile today:

1. The generous guys at Skudai that paid for my brunch. I am touched.
2. The big "Kurangkan Laju" sign after a 1 to 2 hour climb along the road to Pulai. I'm like WTF ... still catching my breathe.
3. Getting the low down on the history of Pekan Nenas and the offer to eat as much bananas as I want for energy after the banana stall owner heard that I was cycling to Penang and beyond.