Cycling is taxing on the stomach. We were almost constantly hungry and my breakfast (bread with sardines @ 2.30am) was quickly diminished within an hour! Fortunately, we always had a stockpile of biscuits, sweets and bread for these occasions. Nonetheless, a proper breakfast was a relief. The roti telur (prata with egg) was big, filling and gave me strength to pedal till lunch.
We failed to meet our target of reaching Tapah before lunch. The weather was incredibly hot and Dad had slowed quite a bit. Also, very unexpectedly, my Navigator phone died. There went the GPS and camera which was a real pity because the most beautiful sights up Cameron Highlands (the Lata Iskandar waterfalls and the Senoi tribe “Orang Asli” settlements) remained un-captured. The last couple of shots I managed to take were probably that of Slim River (of historical importance during World War II when the British failed to stop advancing Japanese tanks).
Lunch, comprising Nasi Ayam, was good but I had to replace Dad’s rear inner tube before leaving. It had been slowly leaking air. We finally reached Tapah around 2pm and after refilling our water supply, we commenced the 60km climb up Cameron Highlands. I had hoped to reach Brinchang before dusk but we weren’t about to make it. Dad was exhausted from the 150km leg (KL – Tapah) and the 60km climb proved to be more than a match for his fitness.
I pedaled ahead, stopping every few kilometers to wait for him. I waited around 15min each time and by the time we hit the 20km mark, it had started to pour heavily. We rested under a makeshift hut before continuing the agonizing climb. Dad was already walking his bike up steep climbs and cycling only the less steep sections. I pulled ahead of him, cycling till my body protested for a rest.
I bought more water from the stalls at the foot of the Lata Iskandar falls. My backpack felt so heavy as I maintained a steady cadence and the weight effectively drained my energy, slowing me down tremendously. In the end, in a bid to lighten the load on my back, I ended up tying water bottles to my handlebar. It sure provided some relief to my shoulders. We passed the Senoi tribe settlements along the way and I couldn’t help but marvel at the simplicity of the lives they led. They sat by the roadside watching vehicles, ran through incredibly steep jungle terrain barefooted and did not seem the least affected by the cold wind and rain.
It was getting dark. I waited at least 30min for Dad and he came up panting, totally exhausted, frustrated and not thinking straight. I saw the source of his frustration. A punctured front tire. I quickly changed the tube (using the final 700cc tube we had) while trying to talk sense into him. Many times I have seen people do silly things when they are totally worn out and demoralized. Throughout the years, I have realized that impregnable mental strength is crucial for survival. I was feeling very weak, hungry and cold. But I told myself to push on. I challenged the remaining 20km to take me down. I wasn’t about to give up and I didn’t want Dad to succumb to his mental weakness too.
We reached Ringlet (around 1200m above sea level) late. It was already close to 8pm. The town was bustling with life (the pasar malam was on every Tuesday night). We had dinner at a zi-char restaurant before deciding to move on to Tanah Rata. In pitch black conditions, the 13km to the higher-elevated town was a nightmare. Even walking up the slopes were torturous to Dad. He had reached his limits.
We took forever to get to Tanah Rata (roughly around 1500m above sea level). I checked several hotels out but they weren’t available. Dad was disheartened when he learnt we had to push on to Brinchang but Hobson’s choice, we had to move. I carried his backpack. With two loads on my back for the final 6km to Brinchang, I felt as if I was cycling with full FBO load! I was just relieved to see Brinchang within sight and gave a last burst of speed up the climb past the KFC.
Hotel Jasmine was available and we checked in, totally tired. I felt a grim sense of satisfaction – at completing the longest climb in my life.
Total distance: 210km
Money spent: RM199
Participants: LSH, Dad
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