Adventure Cycling for Humanity 2011 – Indonesia
Pre-ride Information: Indonesia routes, stops and distance
By the time you read this, I would already be on my way to Penang to get ready and warm myself up to start the second leg of Adventure Cycling for Humanity 2011 – Indonesia. It has been a good two weeks of rest and I believe I’m now about 90% fit again.
In this pre-ride report, I will write about the Indonesia leg of my cycling adventure, the routes, the stops and the distances. This way, if any of you would like to join me at any stage for a short ride, you would have a rough guide on when and where I will be. It’s also best to follow this blog for updates, our editor has been working very hard to get this up each night, so the next time you see him in Singapore or KL, give him a hug.
Ok! As per tradition, we will answer 5 questions before we start and 5 more at the end. Please keep sending your question to fluidrider@gmail.com
The First Five Questions:
Question 01: (Face2Face Question):
Ever thought of giving up while you were riding in Malaysia?
Answer:
*laugh* Thrice! First was from Malacca to Port Dickson. I thought, “Screw it, I’m going back to Malacca to stay another night”. The initial plan was I would rest one day in Malacca but I didn’t. Second was in Seremban heading to Kuala Lumpur, also the same thought of going back to Seremban and staying for another night. Last was in Kampar, Perak heading to Ipoh. To me, anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing to do. But I managed to hold it together and tell myself that I’ve been training for this and I’m strong. So far I never thought of giving up this whole adventure. We will see how far my body and mind will take me.
Question 02: (Face2Face Question):
Will there be a guided Adventure Cycling by fluidrider and friends when this is done? And what can we expect?
Answer:
*laugh* well, there are now leisure weekly rides happening every Wednesday night – rain or shine. (FaceBook page: Wednesday Nite Riders). One of the worlds’ most well organized cycling group. It’s so leisurely, that sometimes you don’t feel like you’re cycling and I must warn you, this group is so laid back, that sometimes we will only cycle 10kmh.
Yes, we do guided Adventure Cycling in Singapore and nearby islands (Batam and Tanjung Pinang) too, mainly for corporate and social groups. There will be one when I return. It is happening on the 14th January 2012. I will post more detaisl when the date is nearer. For the guided adventure cycling, we will try to bring participants to places not many Singaporean has set foot on before. We will cycle mostly the paths less traveled. This of course can be customized towards group preferences for their cycling adventure outing.
Question 03: (FaceBook Question):
My leg starts to cramp up after riding almost every day. Any tips to ease the pain?
Answer:
I’ve seen marathon runner cramping 10-15km before the finishing line. I’ve seen mountain bikers cramping in the middle of their race. I ask this question very often,“why and how to avoid getting cramps.”
On day two of my trip, I got a cramp so bad, I thought it was because of poor pre-ride preparation – stretching and warming up. A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. Almost everyone experiences a muscle cramp at some time in their life. There are a variety of types and causes of muscle cramps. Numerous medicines can cause muscle cramps. Most muscle cramps can be stopped if the muscle can be stretched.
Can muscle cramps be prevented? Yes!
How can muscle cramp be prevented?
A good pre-ride and post ride stretching, along with an adequate warm-up and cool down, prevents cramps that are caused by vigorous pedaling (especially if yours is a fixie). The other is good hydration before your ride, during your ride and after your ride session. It is important, especially if the duration of your ride exceeds two hours or more, and replacement of lost *electrolytes (especially sodium and potassium, which are major components of perspiration) can also be helpful. Excessive ride in hot weather should be avoided if possible.
For my pre-ride hydration, I drink about 0.5 liter an hour or two before I start my day ride. (I try not to eat anything within the first hour of cycling just to keep my fuel tank going and warm) Consuming beverages with sodium and/or small amounts of salted snacks or sodium-containing foods at meal times will help to stimulate thirst and retain the consumed fluids.
During rides, I try to drink a 0.5 liter per hour, but again, this should be individualized based on body weight loss. There should be no more than 10% carbohydrate in the beverage, and 7% has generally been considered close to optimal. Carbohydrate consumption is generally recommended only after one hour of exertion.
Electrolyte repletion (sodium and potassium) can help sustain electrolyte balance during exercise. Chemically, electrolytes are substances that become ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity. Electrolytes are present in the human body, and the balance of the electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs.
* From now until the end of my adventure, you can get 30% off electrolyte from Keypower International office. Mention Rahim Resad (fluidrider)
Question 04: (Face2Face Question):
Do you feel safe riding alone in Malaysia? Ever thought of getting robbed?
Answer:
*laugh* I get this question a lot. I’m not prepared for this question, next! *joking* I never thought of that really. I want to believe that people are nice everywhere I go. I was brought up not to think of such things. The places I have ridden so far are mostly villages and I feel safe to see villagers. The place I’m more cautious would be the endless oil palm plantations. I tell you one experience on this warm up leg in Malaysia. This was on the 2nd day of my trip on a Sunday, from Skudai to Pekan Nenas and I was riding northwest towards Pekan Nenas on Route No.5. I was somewhere in Pulai and this is in the middle of nowhere. The weather was perfect (read: super hot) and I saw a Chendol shop by the roadside and made a stop. I got to know the owner’s son and he became friendly and all. About 30 minutes later, he came close to me and spoke so softly to me (in malay), “bang, later when you go, be very careful, in front at the oil palm plantation, there is this group that always rob people. There are usually three of them.”
I am like, “what? In a broad daylight?!?”
I will save the story for another day. Overall, I feel safe riding in Malaysia, good roads and with motorcycle lanes. As for getting robbed, I will continue the story some other time.
Question 05: (Face2Face Question):
What stuff don’t we see in your blog, your photo album and that you seldom talk about?
Answer:
*laugh* I think there’s a lot that I didn’t have the chance to share! For example the pre- trip preparation. The hard training, planning, looking for sponsorships and many more. Also my pre-ride, stuff like getting the bike set, panniers secured, final route check, warming up, stretching and just riding the bike around to get myself ready and warm. Post ride cooling down, getting the load off from the bike, getting the bike checked. Every little hole that appears on the pannier, every loose nut on the bike is considered serious and must be attended to immediately. Yes, those are some of the behind the scene moments. There are many more which I will document it in a video at later stage of this adventure, hopefully.
Pre-Ride Information: Indonesia route and distances
Unlike my warm up leg in Malaysia, my route in Sumatra, Indonesia will be mostly mountain roads and through the vast rainforest of Sumatra. I will write more on my destinations as I go along, but for now I will share with you my major destinations, routes, the distances and my estimated time that it will take me from one main city to another.
Medan – Padang, 790km (15 days)
Padang – Bengkulu, 555km (10 days)
* the original destination is Palembang, in view of the weather and tight schedule now, it has been changed to Bengkulu
Benkulu – Bandar Lampung, 590km (10 days)
Bandar Lampung – Jakarta, 200km (05 days)
Jakarta – Bandung, 150km (05 days)
Bandung – Yogyakarta, 405km (10 days)
Yogyakarta – Surabaya, 425km (10 days)
Surabaya – Bayuwangi, 455km (10 days
Bayuwangi – Denpasar, Bali 150km (05 days)
Estimated total distance: 3265km (if I follow the MSR. Excluding the village trails)
As many will know by now, my adventure cycling can be at the mercy of the weather, terrain, roads, local info and difficulty of the whole route, so things can change, my route is just a guide and won’t be set in stone. I also want the flexibility to change my route in case if I am told of a new place / village school or I discover new places I want to visit or hear of other interesting things to see. (or avoiding trouble).
I intend to cycle to as many new places as possible and will only stop if it is necessary, like taking pictures, visiting schools, talking to locals, meals and sleeping time. Adventure Cycling for Humanity 2011 – Indonesia is about giving something to the village school kids; about me exploring; experience doing new things; exploring new places, sounds and smells; meeting interesting people and seeing other cultures. Adventure Cycling for Humanity 2011 - Indonesia isn’t a race from A to B but it’s a travelling adventure and charity by bike event, where I can learn about the places I am at and by myself.
Before ending this Medan – Padang pre-trip report, I will write a short intro of my first checkpoint – Brastagi. It’s some 70km away southwest from Medan. It’s about 1300meter above sea level (just to give you an idea of scale, Genting / Cameron Highlands is at 1800meter above sea level). It’s a hill resort town on the Karo Plateau. The town itself is like a stop between other more important places. The good thing is that the locals there do not rely on tourism to generate their economy so I am actually looking forward not to be hustled like certain touristy places! From Medan, I will be heading towards Lake Toba and begin the slow climb up into Sumatra’s mountainous spine. The road I will be on will wind its way upwards through a succession of hairpin bends for about 70km or so. Since Brastagi is my first checkpoint and I will be going up, up and up, I will take my time to acclimatize and get myself use to the roads and the motorist behaviour on the roads.
Background - Brastagi
Brastagi, or Berastagi is said to be taken from the Karo Batak words beras (rice) tagi (asking) or ‘asking for rice’. At the altitude of 1300meters, it is hard to grow rice, so the Karo Batak would descend to lower levels to barter upland crops and other products for rice. Brastagi was actually established by the Dutch as a retreat town in the 20th century up until slightly after World War 2, to cool down from the heat of the then bustling port, Medan. The Dutch from other parts of Indonesia, planters and businessmen would frequent Brastagi for a retreat. Sometime in the 1930s, it became not only a resort town but also a retirement town for the Dutch. This was not to last as the Japanese imprisoned most Europeans during World War 2 and after the war, most of the villas were burnt down during the fight for independence between the Indonesians and the East Indies.
Now, Berastagi is a quiet backpackers attraction. People go there for their two active volcanoes, Sibayak and Sinabung. The latter recently erupted in 2010. For more of Berastagi and the two volcanoes, see the link here: http://www.dharssi.org.uk/travel/indonesia/berastagi.html
To read more on Brastagi and find out how I do at this first checkpoint, follow my blog. We promise there will be regular updates. Till then, take care and always remember to love and care for one another. I am signing out with the next 5 questions.
The Last Five Questions:
Question 06: (Face2Face Question):
You mentioned somewhere that you started to train full time in June this year onwards, can tell us why full time?
Answer:
I remember in 2003, a school principal once told me, “if I teach my pupils part time, they will get part time results…” I thought the only best way to train for Indonesia is to make the training as realistic as it can be. Getting up early, preparing my bike, breakfast and set off to ride daily. Ride the way I am going to ride in Indonesia. I am not doing only Bali, I am doing from Medan to Bali and to be able to achieve that, I decided to cycle from morning to about 2pm. My work wasn’t affected at all as I sleept early to get enough rest for the daily ride, and if I had to be in school in the morning, I will ride to school and after my school session.
Question 07: (Face2Face Question):
Where is your favorite training route in Singapore and why?
Answer:
There are two training routes for me. The Eastern Loop and the Western Loop. For easy active recovery ride, I would ride on the Eastern Loop, 60 km long with a combination of flat straights and easy climbs (I am sorry I am not able to post the map here). For speed, strength and endurance training, I would be on the Western Loop. Super hardcore and I call it ‘Suicide Loop’ – combination of a series of long climbs, even when I am near the end, there will be 4 more climbs. That really puts my mental strength to the test. I like them both because one gives me an easy Active Recovery ride and the other gives me the distance and a balance of flat and climb throughout the entire 120km.
Eastern Loop, Active Recovery (60km)
IKEA Tampines – Pasir Ris – Loyang Road – Commando Camp – Old Changi Hospital – Changi Village – Changi Coastal Road – NSRCC – ECP – Fort Road – Upper East Coast Road – Siglap Hill – Kembangan – Bedok Reservoir – IKEA Tampines (60km)
Active recovery ride
Western Loop, or known as ‘Suicide Loop’ - Hardcore (120km)
IKEA Tampines – Pasir Ris Farmway – Lorong Halus – Ponggol – Jalan Kayu – Seletar Airbase – Yishun Dam – Yishum – Sembawang – Admiralty – Woodland Waterfront – Bukit Timah – Rifle Range Road – Swiss Club Road – Bukittinggi – Clementi Road – Pasir Panjang – Kent Ridge Park – Alexandra Road – Preston Hill – Alexandra Road – Telok Blangah Hill – Mount Faber (at least 5 sets) – City – Mt Sophia (at least 5 sets – Mountbatten – Siglap Hill (5 sets) – Kembangan – Bedok Reservoir – IKEA Tampines
* Finish it by lunch. Have a lunch break and repeat it again for another session. It will become your ‘suicide route’.
Question 08: (Face2Face Question):
Share with us one experience you cannot forget while training in Singapore and why?
Answer:
Whenever I do the Western Loop, just at the tail end of the route, I will be on Upper East Coast Road en-route to hit Siglap Hill. I never fail to see an old uncle pushing his tricycle there about 12-12.30pm. So one day, on a really hot day I decided to slow down and take a cruise behind the uncle and his heavily loaded cardboards on his tricycle. The first impression was, ‘karung guni’ uncle. My heart softened, I rode slowly to the right side of the handle bar (the uncle was pushing the tricycle from the left as the handle bar is long) and reach for it and started to help the uncle to push using my pedal power. It happened, just like that. We talked and from there I saw his ‘very tired’ expression. I coaxed him to take a break under the shade from the big tree along Upper East Coast Road. We spoke at length, me finding out how long he has been pushing his tricycle, from what time to what time, what his typical breakfast was like and more. What broke my heart was not what he is doing but to know he has grown son and daughters but no one ever returns home to see if he and the wife were doing alright. There are more after a few visits to his home but I will leave it at that. That is one experience until today I won’t forget. Simple thing like slowing down can lead you to something else. Until today I will remind myself to slow down, drink the coffee and chat with people more…
Question 09: (Face2Face Question):
Are you ready for the second leg?
Answer:
Mentally, I am set for this. Physically I am 90% when I wrote this report. Yes, I am ready to do this second leg. I am so ready for it.
Question 10: (Face2Face Question):
Name one person you wish could come to join you for this cycling adventure? No matter where he or she starts from…
Answer:
Anyone from the “Slackers”! And there is this one girl I know for quiet sometime now, a cyclist. She has been cycling for a while. She cycles to work, cycles to meet friends etc. We were having lunch the other day and she told me she bought a touring bicycle. That is the kind of rider I would love to see riding with me into Bali.
