West-East Presidential Ride...

"Like the ride taken on an uncharted road, life is full of sharp turns . And very often we wonder whether we would beat the odds again... "

(Tyres ready to roll...)

Day 01: Friday, 24 June 2011

Route: KL - Cameron Highland - Penang

Hotel: Bayu Emas Apartment, Penang 

Five couples and 3 single riders met at BHP gombak for the West-East Presidential ride. After breakfast, tayar golek sharp at 9.30am and we took the Karak Highway and rode through the Bentong and Raub trunk road. We stopped at pekan Sg Koyan for a short rest and a round of drinks.

(Snack break at Ringlet)

(Fuel break and a short rest)

The winding mountainous road from Sg Koyan to Ringlet is free of traffic and beautifully scenic. With the weather clear and sunny, the ride across the mountainous road was a real bliss to the mind.

(Tea and ice-cream break)

(Bharat tea plantation)

From Ringlet, on the way to Brinchang, we stopped at Bharat tea shop for some photo shots. It was Friday, so the men went to perform solat jumaat at the masjid while the ladies rested and went to pray after. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant then later continued riding and entered the North-South highway from Sg Pulai Interchange.

(Riders taking a sharp corner)

We rode north and exited at Changkat Jering Interchange and headed to Kampung Menteri, Kuala Sepetang for the famous Mee Udang at Restoran Mak Jah.

(Everyone was on the phone @ Mak Jah Restaurant)

(The famous mee udang)

It was dusk when we reached Penang bridge. The sun was at the horizon and the beautiful sunset reflecting on the clear water. After we checked-in at Bayu Emas Apartment at Batu Ferringhi, we went out to have dinner at a nearby warong. Later we split from the rest of the group and strolled along Batu Ferringhi night market and bought us some hard-rock cafe t-shirts.

Day 02: Saturday, 25 June 2011

Route: Penang - East West highway - Terengganu

Hotel: Seri Indah Resort, Kuala Terengganu

(A group photo before the ride)

(One of the booths at Penang Bike Week Expo)

We started to roll at 8.30am sharp and had breakfast at one nearby mamak restaurant. We decided to stop by the Sg Nibong Expo Centre to check out the Penang Bikers Week event. The stalls were not as many as when it was held in JB and we missed the flag-off for the bikers convoy. We bought some tees and pouches and later took the highway and headed to Grik through Kulim and Baling with a short stop at the roadside stall on the way for a durian and mangosteen feast.

(Durian and mangosteen feast...)

(Taking the West-East highway from Grik to Jeli)

We continued riding through the winding road of the East-West highway and stopped for lunch and solat at Pulau Banding. It started to pour when we reached Jeli. Even though it was raining heavily on the way from Jeli to Tanah Merah, we still continued riding with extra caution as there was heavy traffic and the visibility was near zero.

(Dark clouds in the sky...)

(Lunch break at Tasik Banding)

The weather was sunnier when we reached Pasir Puteh. From Jerteh we took the Tok Bali coastal road to Kuala Terengganu and stopped for drinks at a keropok lekor stall by the beach.

(Keropok lekor stall by the beach)

(Mus and Mun)

We checked-in at Sri Indah Resort at Pantai Batu Buruk just before Maghrib. We had ample time to rest and some had a dip in the swimming pool before we had dinner at a nearby Tom Yam restaurant, a short walking distance from the resort.

Day 03: Sunday, 26 June 2011

Route: Kuala Terengganu - Kuala Lumpur

(8 bikes docking for the night)

After breakfast we started our ride sharp at 10am and headed to Paka where we were joined by another biker. At Pantai Mok Nik we took a short break for drinks and mee goreng at a stall by the beach. And later we made another stop to buy keropok lekor.

(Mee goreng stop @ Pantai Mok Nik)

(A group photo @ Monica Beach)

(Bikers learning to make keropok lekor...)

In Kuantan we stopped for lunch by the river side. Many years ago the esplanade was all hussle and bussle but now it looked forlorn and run-down. We rode on and stopped for solat at Masjid Maran. It started to rain heavily when we started off again on the old trunk road. At dusk we entered the Karak highway and stopped for a Musang King durian feast. The group broke off after a dinner stop at Gombak R&R. We reached our Putramas apartment around 10.30 pm, feeling tired but happy.

(Sham and Aishah)

(Nazeli and Shamsiah)

(Din and Yati)

(Sazali and Azim)

(Keef and Nelsa)

(Fazli)

Total mileage: 1,500 km
Route taken: KL - Bentong - Raub - Sg Koyan - Ringlet - Tanah Rata - Brinchang - Simpang Pulai - Changkat Jering - Kuala Sepetang - Penang - Kulim - Baling - Grik - Banding - Jeli - Tanah Merah - Pasir Puteh - Jertih - Tok Bali - K Terengganu - Dungun - Paka - Kuantan - Maran - Karak - KL
Riders gang: Mus & Mun, Din & Yati, Sham & Aisyah, Keef & Nelsa, Nazeli & Sham, Azim, Fazli, Zali

My emak...

“I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life...” ~Abraham Lincoln

(My beloved emak, in a coma)

It has been exactly 2 weeks since my emak suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. She was brought to Melaka Hospital unconscious. It was a miracle when she opened her eyes on the 3rd day and able to move her left hand and leg.

For a week, my emak stayed in the hospital under close observation. The stroke had left half her body paralyzed and impaired her speech and swallowing totally but her hearing and eyesight is still alert and she is able to acknowledge when called.

The doctor allowed my emak to be brought home when she showed improvement and her blood pressure stabled. She may be bed-ridden and still on nasogastric tube feeding but being in her own home and nearer to my Abah and being taken care by her beloved children, hopefully will make her feel comfortable and at peace.



The sky is clear and cloudless tonight,

I watch you sleep, peaceful and quiet

Recalling so many memories of me and you

I sit here in my silence praying for you…

Hundreds of stars in the sky together,

But you are my only mother to have forever…

Bikers night with the tahfiz...

“And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged...” (Al-Quran 2:272)

(What is left of the Rumah Anak Yatim Hidayah)

After the landslide tragedy that wrecked Rumah Anak Yatim Hidayah in Hulu Langat on May 21, some orphans who were among the survivors of the landslide that killed 16 people were staying temporarily at the Islamic Missionary Foundation of Malaysia (Yadim) training centre in Kampung Sungai Semungkis, Hulu Langat.

(15 superbikes and 4 police escorts gathered at YADIM)

(A briefing on the mechanics of Superbikes)

(Waiting their turn for a 5 km joyride)

Last Saturday, a group of superbikers came together to join more than 100 children and orphans from the nearby tahfiz schools for a solat jemaah, tahlil and tazkirah followed by a sumptuous dinner of home-cooked Nasi Arab and grilled lamb sponsored by one company. May Allah accept their good deeds and accept their charity and generosity.

(Delicious grilled lamb)

(Preparing and serving food)

Earlier, some of the children had the opportunity to go for a 5 km joyride with the brother bikers on their superbikes.

(Dinner is served...)

Hopefully, what little time spent together, would bring smiles and helped to ease the pain of losing their friends and family in the recent landslide tragedy…

A showroom grand opening…

"I keep trying to lose weight... but food keeps finding me..."

(Lion dance, agile and energetic...)

Yesterday, after the flying session at the Royal Selangor Flying Club, we went to Sri Gombak to attend the opening of a new showroom owned by one of the brother bikers.

(A lunch after a heavy brunch?)

Although we already had brunch earlier, we could not resist the spread of food served while being entertained by a lion dance show to commemorate the auspicious occasion.

(Nasi bryani for the main dish)

Congratulations…

Flying without wings…

“Flying is the second greatest thrill known to man.... Landing is the first!...”

This morning, we decided to join the BNM photography Club for an aerial photo shoot of KL and surrounding areas and had the opportunity to fly a small 4-seater plane from Sungai Besi TUDM Airport. The flight was not just about admiring scenery but also a test of our mental and physical endurance and it is classified as an extreme sport.

(A few choices of the 4-seater planes)

We had a choice of a Cessna 172 Skyhawk or a Piper PA28-180 Cherokee. And we decided to fly the Piper Cherokee instead as it is more stable than the Cessna. Cessna has always designed an airplane that is lighter than Piper. But being heavier, Piper is somewhat easier to handle in adverse conditions.

(Bright and sunny day during take-off)

(First aerial shot of the city skyline)

But for the purpose of aerial photography, many prefer the high wing Cessna compare to the low wing Piper as one can see up and to the side better in the low wing, but you can't see down so much because the wing is obstructing your view.

(Clear view with dark clouds in the horizon)

(Hazy aerial view of KL city)

(View from inside the plane)

At 0900 we were off the ground and flying over KL, The plane flew 1500 feet above sea level. We could see KL and parts of Selangor from an angle which we have never seen before.

(Twin towers and KL tower)

(KL tower and twin towers from different angle)

Today we had Mr. Mann to pilot the plane and the co-pilot was allowed to fly the plane for a while, but not during takeoff and landing of course. The back seats were quite comfortable for two people. Because it was a small plane, the noise was not well insulated and it felt like a sauna on the hot tarmac. But once the plane was flying high in the sky it was quite cooling and breezy.

(Closer shot of the twin towers)

(Zooming to catch a glimpse of our Putramas Apartment on the far right)

It cost us RM600 per hour per plane but the experience of flying a plane is really worth the money.