On the road again....

Finally I'm back in Malaysia again. And next week will be riding in Kedah & Langkawi.
checklist:
1) Panniers - brand new Ortlieb to replace the one I gave away in India.
2) Waterproof gears - ditto
3) Sleeping bag - ditto. Ultralite!!! wooohooo!!
4) Bicycle - need to lube!

Can't wait to explore Langkawi as this will be my 1st visit to the beautiful Island.

Till next week.

Tour de Ben II (October 2008)

Last October 2008, cycling buddies of mine- Steve, Ben & Azmar (in support car as photographer) embarked on a bicycle tour known as Tour de Ben (named after our friend 'Biriani' Ben). I did the 1st one back in Dec 2006 as a farewell tour for Ben who was returning to UK for good but this time it was specially arranged for him during his short visit to Malaysia by Steve. Unfortunately, I have to miss this one because it was done during the month of Ramadan (Fasting Month). And the tour was covering KL~Ipoh~Penang (approx. 400km++) riding through some beautiful and less busy roads of Perak.

Here are some photos from the tour:

steve & ben

ben trying to catch up with steve

lata kinjang waterfall near gua tempurung, perak

bridge at kuala kangsar, perak

ben, steve & azmar

Photos courtesy of steve

Cycling in Malaysia

‘BABU’ Muscarella is new to Kuala Lumpur but instead of familiarising himself with the public transportation system, he cycles everywhere.The 28-year-old Mexican belongs to Cyclown Circus, a group of westerners who has made the city its base for several weeks and commutes on their trusty and showy bicycles.

You might think they are foreigners on a shoestring holiday with lots of time on their hands, hence they cycle everywhere. Indeed, Cyclown members lead a carefree lifestyle but they try to convey a strong ecological warning: human addiction to petroleum. So, everywhere they go, they promote cycling as a sustainable means of transportation.

It started when its founding member Channing “Dr Durak” decided to see the world on his bicycle upon finishing high school in Texas. He first criss-crossed the United States and Mexico, then hopped over to Europe and Asia. He was soon joined by other like-minded individuals. Covering some 40,000km over six years, the informal group has attracted close to 150 people who travel with it for an unspecified time period.

Muscarella joined the group in Bangkok, Thailand, early this year after completing his master's degree at the University of Miami. From Bangkok, the group cycled south into Malaysia and travelled along the west coast, making stops in villages and small towns.

“Wherever possible, we hitch a ride with lorries. It will take us longer if we depend solely on the bicycle. We cycle about 30km a day but we don’t move every day. If we like a place, we might stay longer,” explained Muscarella.

The group perform circus tricks and play their brand of jazz music to generate income to pay for meals and essentials like bicycle parts and medical aid. Each member carries his own tent and they camp in parks or open spaces. They also accept free lodging from acquaintances. In Kuala Lumpur, they got connected with the arts community of Central Market and helped out at art exhibitions and performances, engaging the crowd with tips on juggling and music from home-made instruments.

The group also initiated the first Critical Mass event in Malaysia. Critical Mass is a global movement which originated in San Francisco in September 1992 when 48 cyclists got together on the last Friday of the month to cycle home en masse in response to the growing traffic gridlock. From then on, the group kept growing and the idea spread to other parts of the world.

On July 27, 40 people rode their bicycles into Kuala Lumpur city centre to raise awareness on the growing number of cars on the roads. Muscarella believe the inaugural ride inspired many and is optimistic that the motion for change has been set.

“Cyclists are often scoffed at by motorists as a traffic nuisance but we want to send out the message that cyclists are the traffic,” said Muscarella, who participated in his first Critical Mass ride 10 years ago in Mexico.

He added that mass cycling grabs public attention and creates awareness that cycling is a sensible choice and gets motorists caught in jams to ponder the benefits of cycling.

“For me, the enjoyment of driving is outweighed by the frustration of getting stuck in a traffic jam. The bicycle is non-polluting. You don’t have to pay for parking, fuel, costly maintenance and insurance.”

Many think the humid weather and poor cycling infrastructure discourage cycling in the city but Muscarella actually finds Kuala Lumpur a promising city for cycling.

“It is small and the terrain is mostly flat. The traffic is generally slow, hence it’s not that dangerous. Bangkok, with its four-lane roads, is a worse place for cycling. Of course, it will really help if there are dedicated lanes for bicycles,” he said, adding that when a critical mass is reached, there will be no excuse for authorities to ignore the need for such basic infrastructure.

Chi Too participated in the cycling event to find out if it is feasible to cycle in the city.

“I live in a part of Cheras that is only 7km from the city centre and I am seriously considering cycling over other forms of public transportation. The Critical Mass event provided the chance to experiment whether urban cycling could work for me,” he said.

“We may have come across as a nuisance but that was the only way to raise the visibility of cyclists as another road user,” he said.

He admitted that negotiating the traffic was dangerous but hoped that the event would gain momentum and lead to reforms, such as the inclusion of cycling as part of the city’s transportation system.

Source: The Star Online : Lifestyle - by Hilary Chiew

Fly MAS...the cycling-friendly airlines!

Bicycle

Non-motorised touring or racing bicycles with single seats for carriage are accepted as checked baggage with certain limitations.

Any bicycle presented for carriage must be packaged in one of the following ways:

• Handlebars are fixed sideways and pedals removed and enclosed in a cardboard container
• Pedals and handlebars encased in plastic, styrofoam, or other similar material

Any bicycle presented in a box with overall dimensions not exceeding 62" and checked in lieu of one bag is accepted. In addition, 2 baggage systems with 2 conditions each, will apply accordingly:

1. Weight System for passengers travelling between Europe & Asia

Bicycle will be accepted as free checked baggage provided that handlebars are fixed sideways and the pedals are removed. It will be treated as any other piece of baggage, subject to excess baggage charge if weight exceeds free baggage allowance.

2. Piece System for passengers travelling across the Atlantic or Pacific

Bicycle will be accepted as 2 pieces of free baggage at 32kgs each. It will be treated as any other piece of baggage of up to 32kgs each and are charged an excess baggage rate of USD100 per piece.

Note: Some connection carriers and aircraft may not accept bicycles as checked baggage, and may have different limitations.

Source: MAS Website- Baggage Information

Beijing2Paris

Cheers to our friend...Ming who is having the best time of his 'bike touring' life by riding a recumbent from Beijing to Paris.

Do visit his blog to check out his interesting stories & photos at http://beijing2paris.blogspot.com/.

Malaysia Boleh!!!

Bikes Are Not Allowed!!

I saw this sign on the glass panel near the entrance to the KLIA Express..... what a bummer! I know the aisle is narrow and the storage space is small but why don't they just provide an 'empty' standing carriage or simply for bulk/ oversize item storage? After all, the train is NEVER full, right?!!

Bicycling through the camera lens

view from MNS chalet at Habu, Cameron Highlands

Bicycling through the camera lens

Paddy field at Yan, Kedah

Tour de Ben (15-17 Dec 2006)

On the 15 Dec 2006, Me, Ben & Steve took an early morning AirAsia flight to Senai Airport. It took us 3 days to complete the tour which started from Senai Airport and finished at LCCT, Sepang. The total riding distance is 385km.

• Day 1 - Senai Airport - Pontian Kechil - Batu Pahat = 137km
• Day 2 - Batu Pahat - Muar - Melaka - Port Dickson = 200km
• Day 3 - Port Dickson - Lukut - Sepang - LCCT = 48km

Here are some photos from the tour:

Waiting for check-in at LCCT.Re-assemblying bicycle at outside of Senai AirportSomewhere near PontianStopping at the Bus Stand for a short break
Preparing the bike before ride at Batu Pahat hotelLeaving Batu PahatTaking a break at Tanjung, Muar
Crossing the Muar Bridge
Ben changing tube near Bandar MelakaRiding at Bukit Pelanduk
On the way back to LCCT...it's getting near dude!Check out the map on my handlebar bagFinally, arrived at LCCT!Yes, it's time to go home!!!