The Samosaurus Chronicles

Wenger Ranger S55 Official World Scout Knife

2012-02-09T07:06:00.000-08:00

A decent find..
Last year, I made a trip to Singapore.
While combing the shelves at a popular shopping mall in Orchard Road, I came across a Wenger S18 Official World Scout knife.
Its also one of the latest design by Wenger, the other official contractor for the Swiss Army, featuring an evo-grip design.
Unlike its predecessors, which are mainly plain looking, the World Scout knife is very appealing.
What made it even more endearing, was a gift box that comes with the knife.
And with a little discount thrown-in, I paid about $45 Singapore Dollars for the find.
Ironically, there is a smaller version which was more expensive.
I've been keeping the S18 ever since..

Little boy and big guy: The Ranger 55 and S18

Some recent development..
I found out that there is a dealer selling Wengers in Kuala Lumpur.
Its been a while since these knives are actually seen on the shelves.
To add to my collection, I was searching for the Ranger S55, a larger version of the official World Scout Knife which is also offered on the World Scout Movement's on-line store.
This knife retails for USD67 from a retailer on Ebay. Shipping it to Malaysia, is a different story...
So, after doing some homework, I traced the distributor of Wenger Swiss Army Knives to a phone number somewhere in the city centre.
I managed to get hold of the guy who is responsible for bringing in the knife and was told that the S55 was available..

The waiting game..
So, I told the guy, who is a very nice person and also passionate about his product, about the official World Scout Knife.
"I have it somewhere.."
His assurance was its availability and a decent price.
I waited and finally, an email came.
Its ready for pick-up and we set a place to meet for the deal.
After inspecting the Ranger S55, which is in pristine condition, I cut the deal with the seller.
And my collection is complete!

Gallery

First impressions: Olympus OM-D

2012-02-08T23:21:00.000-08:00

Is it worth it?
I attended a product launch today at a fancy restaurant in Damansara.
Well, my main intention was to hand back the Olympus EP-3 loan camera which I had used for a couple of weeks.
Other than that, it was to touch-base with my contact who represented Olympus Malaysia in Public Relations.
The guy was pushing for me to purchase the new Olympus OM-D.
I sat through an hour of presentation of the entire Olympus product for 2012 and the place was really crowded.
Since the geek from our tech page was in attendance, I was just scouring in the background.

Olympus camera's OM-D complements its micro four-third system

Changing the game...
I kinda lost interest in all the jibba jabba given by the Olympus product manager on their new OM-D camera.
Big words like: "Changing the game" was used repeatedly throughout the session.
As far as I am concerned, there are many choices when it comes to an interchangeable lens system to cover the serious amateur market.
For the OM-D, Olympus is pushing its five-axis image stabilizer and electronic viewfinder.
And all the marketing and sales jargon was thrown-in by the Olympus dude to draw the crowd.
I kinda dig the weather-sealing, but with a pricetag of RM4K for the camera body with the 12-50mm F3.5 - 6.3 kit lens, I think this camera is way overpriced.
Kit lenses, even with a motorised zoom and weather-sealed protection, does not impress me.
At the end of the day, its a coke bottle lens.
And for my kind of work, even though the camera is rugged and compact, the sheer looks of it could be just too 'intrusive'

Conclusion
It would take a lot to sway my views on purchasing this camera.
No, I don't need a micro four-third, not when I still have my reliable G-system from Canon.
The factor that would sink the OM-D is the price. Too expensive, too much for so little. So, better luck with the next OM camera..

The OM returns..

2012-02-07T23:28:00.000-08:00

It's back!
After making an exit in the early 90s, the Olympus OM system is back.
Re-incarnated as a micro four-third system, the new OM boasts of weather-sealing while it maintains its compact size.

A noteworthy camera..
I remember the OM system when I was a kid.
A camera shop at the Koperasi Supermarket in Jalan Raja Bot, Kuala Lumpur used to sell a full-range of the OM system.
As a matter of fact, the OM-1 was a favourite camera among students in the 70s and 80s.
The most sought-after OM was the OM-4ti, which was complemented with a full-range of Zuiko lenses.
Sadly, when film was outdated, so did the entire OM system.

The Olympus OM-D

A new beginning..
There's a lot of excitement about this new camera and it will be launched in Malaysia on Feb 09 (tomorrow).
This new SLR-styled camera will be competing directly with the micro four-thirds from Panasonic.

Sayonara G-12...

2012-02-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

Good to the last pixel..
I have had no regrets getting the Powershot G12.
It was a replacement for my ageing G10 'enthusiast' camera and had proven to be a reliable asset.
As far as Ringgit and Sen is concerned, the G12 was worth every bit of blood, sweat and tears I've put in.
It was my primary camera used for work as well as leisure.

Problems
Of late, I noticed that all the function buttons on its back panel could not be activated.
Even the zoom feature was disabled.
I sent this to the Canon service centre and received an SMS from them the very day it was sent in for service.
Relieved and elated, I was hoping to use this camera for at least another six months before retiring it.
But to my utter disappointment, the problems were still apparent even though the technicians at Canon had cleaned up the camera.
A watermark on the panel had indicated that moisture had seeped-in.
This is true as sweat from my body had trickled down into the camera each time I bring the G12 out for my ride.
To prove his point, the technician even showed me the rusted panel which can be seen only when the camera is disassembled.

Well-used, the G12

Replacement
Right now, I am seriously looking at the Powershot G1X.
This is not scheduled to be released here in Malaysia until late March or early April.
It has an estimated pricetag of RM2.4K (from USD$799 on most on-line retail outlets) and I am sure that it will serve very well as the G12's replacement..

Pooch portraiture: Queenie

2012-02-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

My favourite pup
Queenie has bee with us for six years.
I never get bored taking snapshots of my female Siberian Husky and she's pretty capable of some natural poses with a range of expressions.

Gallery

Settings
Most of the shots were taken in natural light. Shutter speed at 1/60 and aperture F2.5. I set the picture mode on Monochrome and adjusted the contrast a bit to bring out the rich grey tones. Portrait shots work very well with a vertical framing and this never fails. All you need, is patience to capture a range of expression on your subject.

First impressions: Olympus EP-3

2012-02-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

A good impression..
I managed to meet up with the public relations people for Olympus Camera Malaysia and talked them into loaning one of their micro four-third system for my food walkabout.
To test it out, I brought the Olympus Pen EP-3 for a spin.
It was my second century ride to Bagan Lalang and I tested this camera which was equipped with a 14-42mm lens.
Now, unlike Panasonic and Samsung, the Olympus micro four-third system is well-backed.
You don't have to worry about lenses and accessories.
Compared to the Pana-retard's Lumix series cameras, the Pen series cameras are never short of surprises. Which is impressive.

My loan camera: the Olympus EP-3

Image quality
On a scale of 1-10, the picture quality on an Olympus Pen would rate at 5.5.
The lens that came with my loan camera is an entry-level piece.
In short, its a coke-bottle lens.
I don't have high expectations on the 14-42mm lens, which makes a really cool 'walkabout' lens on the compact EP-3.
Truth to be told, there are high-quality lenses made by third-party manufacturers that you can use to snap better images with the EP-3.
But the 14-42mm lens is a good start.
With a price tag of RM3.19K, the EP-3 is not for the beginner.
It complements your D-SLR system on sets that don't require all the extra bells and whistles.
Most of the shots taken on the EP-3 was point-and-shoot. So, I don't really expect a lot.
Its a departure from using an 'enthusiast' compact camera like the Canon Powershot G12 which I've gotten so used to.

One tough mutha!
All good things said and done, I am pretty impressed with the overall built quality of the EP-3. Even though its made entire in China.
The QC on the body was really good.
I am not used to the controls and could not find an exposure lock and many of the self-timed shots were underexposed.
The pop-up flash on this camera is also too weak to fill-in for simple snapshot images.
Compared to the G12, the EP3 is flawed with its built-in flash.
Other than that, I don't have much to complain about the overall image quality as 70% of the captured shots were decent.
With the zoom lens, you can actually shoot with dept-of-field.
There are eight shooting mode including movie, I only used three at the most.
The preset shooting mode was some funky art filter. I had to re-set the camera to its factory settings to get the most out of it.
And when it comes to testing this baby, I took it out for two trips.
First was to Bagan Lalang and the second outing was to Tanjung Piai.
The battery life on the EP-3 exceeded my expectations and I must say that it pretty much held up to the continous shooting and review on the LCD screen. It took some effort to wear down the battery.

Sample shots

Summary
The EP-3 is a fun and pretty nippy camera to play with.
It has a range of lens you can acquire to enhance your range of photographic angles. From landscape to portraiture, the possibilities are endless.
My only beef with this camera is the touch-screen snapshots, which is unnecessary (it clicks when it comes to contact with your body).
Otherwise, the Olympus Pen EP-3 is a worthwhile system to consider if you want something small and un-intrusive for your work.
As for shooting food photos for my Food Trail column, the Pen cameras are a good choice.

Journey to Land's End - Part 4

2012-01-29T22:44:00.000-08:00

This is it!
The alarm rang at 05:00am.
We got up, and the first thing that came to mind, was the last 38km push.
Michelle and I had done at least 135km from Muar to Pontian and there's little left to our imagination.
The only thing left to do, is the road down Land's End.
Breakfast was included in the hotel's room charge, so, we wasted no time in filling up.
After the meal, we headed straight for the road to Kukup, some 20km away from Pontian Kechil.
Traffic was light and the sky was rather gloomy.

The smooth ride..

Bananas, Bikes, Rock & Roll
We packed some light food for this ride and riding without the panniers actually helped.
The night before, we re-packed our stuff and left some of the non-essential stuff at the hotel room.
Earlier, I asked the front desk guy about a late check-out and was told that an extra charge of RM12.60 an hour will be imposed.
Michelle was rather pissed off with that, so, we let it be.
I didn't sleep well the night before and had been carrying a flu bug since we left for Muar from Subang Jaya.
Sleeping underneath the air-cond duct didn't help either.
Before the ride, I downed some medication and it held up as I swept the ride.
The road to Tanjung Piai is actually hazardous to small vehicles. Especially bicycles.
Even the locals here are afraid to use the road.
This was one of Michelle's primary fear - getting whacked by a trailer.
The heavy vehicles don't really care. They zoomed past with barely inches missing our bikes.
With the lighter load, we've made good progress.
It took us about one and a-half hours to reach Kukup.
This town has changed tremendously since my last visit in 1997.
I did make a follow-up visit with Michelle in early 2002, the development here has been amazing!
Spare the seafood restaurants, there's really nothing much to see in this town.

The slow road to Kukup

Land's End in sight..
The terrain in Kukup is pretty much flat.
Our destination is Serkat, which is about 5km away from this town.
We rode backwards and headed to a right turn towards Tg Piai.
Our destination was the state park in this area and plenty of surprises lurks ahead.
After cycling for nearly 45-minutes, we reached Serkat.
There are a couple of homestay facilities here that are catered to tourists.
We had no plans to stay in Tg Piai and its purely a hit-and-run visit.
And as usual, we took a shot at the signboard in town before heading down to the Southernmost tip of Asia.

The Samos in Serkat

Tg Piai at last!

What a rip-off!
We cycled towards a fisherman's village at the end of the cape.
Found a resort on stilts and asked a lady about the 'globe' monument that made this place famous.
She told me that its one kilometre down the road and its situated at the state park.
After snapping a couple of shots, we made our way towards the directions given.
On a Thursday, this place is dead.
I can see a few local tourists, possibly lost and don't have a clue where they were.
Since the roads here are pretty well-maintained, we cycled towards the Tg Piai state park.
An entrance fee of RM3 is charged for adult visitors.
We cycled towards a signboard that says: "Dataran Tg Piai" but was stumped to see a dead-end.
There is a huge sculpture at the park entrance with a map of Southeast Asia.
We snapped some pictures there and called it a day.
A man came out of the visitor's centre and asked how many cyclists were in my group.
I told him that there only two of us and we were well on our way.
He wanted to collect RM3, but I told him that we weren't even in the park at all.
All I saw, was a crappy place that was falling apart.
We rode off towards pekan Permas where we had an early lunch before riding back to Pontian.

The monument..

And now, 'plan B'...
We had set our target to reach Pontian by 12noon.
A couple of stops meant that the timing had went off by half an hour.
By the time we reached the hotel in Pontian, we were well into mid-day.
So, I discussed with Michelle and told her that rather than wasting another day on the road to Batu Pahat, risking a night ride climbing Bukit Kelichap, we toss everything into a chartered car and head straight back to Muar.
Initially, I planned to get dropped at Parit Jawa and continue to ride for at least 20km towards Sungai Abong.
But with the flu bug creeping in, I decided to scrap it.
We loaded our bikes and gear onto the chartered car at 02:00pm and shot straight for Muar which is roughly about two hours drive from Pontian.
Our ride was terminated in this town and we are happy to report that we made it all the way from Muar.
A return trip of 382km meant spending more time on the road and an increase in expenses.
We decided to spend more time in Muar having some good food before heading back to KL.
One of the beauty of conducting a self-supported trip is that we don't have to decide for others and manage them.
Its our call and we made a damn good judgement on this.

Summary
The ride would have been more fun if we had broken it into shorter distances (60 - 70km intervals).
But, seeing as it is, there are no proper accommodation in towns like Senggarang and Benut.
So, if we are to head back down this road, we would have to pack our tarp, sleeping pad and bags.
Heavy vehicle traffic: Maniac express bus drivers, renegade trailers and mad passenger cars made it a challenge to get from point to point.
And if you are thinking of cycling a folding bike to Tg Piai, be prepared to average at speeds of 15km/h. You can't go any faster than that without straining yourself.
As a pre-departure precaution: be sure that your bike is in top condition where moving parts are concerned.

Journey to Land's End - Part 3

2012-01-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

A late lunch..
Senggarang was a big upset.
Basically, its a cowboy town with rows of wooden shops and I guess nothing has changed in this neck of the woods for some time...
We pushed as far as we could and reached the town on Rengit about 15km away from Senggarang.
Here, a bunch of bananas cost RM1 a piece. Now, that's cheaper than dirt!
Later, we found a chicken rice store and had our late lunch there.
I can see the sigh of relief on Michelle's face as she down's the food.
Two plates of rice costs RM9.50 with drinks.
We also ate satay and had a small chat with one of the boys who asked us about the folding bikes.
He told me that there is a shortcut from Parit Botak to Batu Pahat, bypassing the Bukit Kelichap area.
During the conversation, the guy also said that the coastal route is also a popular place for long-distance cyclists.
As a matter of fact, we came across a solo touring rider outside Batu Pahat.
With a decent lunch, some good advice, we moved on towards Benut in the horizon...

Bananas in pyjamas: a fruit stall in Rengit

A decent fare: The chicken rice

Used up the entire day..
We left Rengit at about 4:00pm and there's still a long way to go before hitting Pontian town.
The plan is to ride as far as we could - suffer the first day of the tour and have an easy ride to Tg Piai, which is another 38km away.
So far, things had worked out fine.
There were no punctures, mechanical problems along the way.
We were glad to have cycled more than 100km without any major issues.
My concern was Michelle.
She hasn't been cycling over the last couple of months and I can see that she was lagging behind.
Its no joke when you have to lug your panniers and all the extra weight.
Her Dahon Speed TR was built for this purpose.
Its an all-rounder bike and we specifically got it for our long-distance rides.
Michelle and I had done two Century rides together and she's pretty comfortable with the bike..
We entered Pontian district by 5:30pm and had to cycle through at least three more counties before entering Pontian Kechil..

Entering Land's End territory..

A test of teamwork, will power and relationship...
The woman I married has an iron will.
But the stress on the road, fatigue and saddle sore had slowly taken its toll.
I can see from my rear view mirror that she was lagging behind.
By the time we crossed Benut, I was trying to look for a place to bunk-in.
Sadly, there are not hotels along this route.
The only way is the hard way.
Make it or break it, we had to cycle to Pontian.
This is another 35km from Benut.
As the day slowly fades in the horizon, we cycled through a small town called Sanglang and made a stop outside Ayer Baloi.
With the failing light, the rear lights and head lights were deployed.
Our vests were set on flashing mode.
We rode in the dark and in this final push, I can see the face of agony, especially on my wife.
The 135km journey was as tough as it gets, morale was low as we rode in near pitch-dark conditions.
At this point, the twin Sigma Powerleds were doing its job, illuminating the path.
Its even brighter that the motorcycle headlights that rode past us.

Pontian at last!
We kept on pushing as far as we could.
And on the horizon, I can see the bright lights of an Esso petrol station, indicating that we are very near civilization.
I radioed Michelle to pull over and got ourselves a bottle of isotonic drink and refilled our near empty bottles.
After nearly an hour cycling in darkness, I can see her face glowing.
Having worked in this region, I think she knew that Pontian is just down the road.
I had a chat with the petrol station worker who told me that there were ample accommodation in Pontian Kechil town.
For a soft bed and a hot shower, I didn't mind cycling for another 5km.
Slowly, but surely, we progressed towards the Pontian Business Centre and rode into an entirely new area.
My last visit to this town was in 1997 and much has changed.
Michelle went up to the check-in counter at Hotel Pontian and managed to secure a room.
I hauled the bikes into the room and felt relieved after completing the long ride from Muar.
We later had a late dinner across our hotel and were glad that everything went well.

The bikes, stowed in our room..

Journey to Land's End - Part 2

2012-01-28T05:44:00.000-08:00

The path less-travelled..
We were well into our third hour of cycling and progress was slow.
Averaging at 16km/h, my projection was reaching Pontian town by nightfall.
We rode past small towns like Semerah and Simpang Lima before hitting Batu Pahat in the afternoon.
The road down South was quite boring.
Nothing much to see except for oil palm estates along the way.
We rode past these and managed to reach a small village outside Batu Pahat.
The sun was scorching hot as it slowly sapped our energy..

Cockpit view from the bike along the route..

Leaving Muar district...

Coping with the heat..
I must say that after doing the Century ride to Bagan Lalang, I handled the heat pretty well.
When you cycle under the sun, the heat coming up from the tarmac and surface reflection can burn you.
Like most long-distance cyclists, I took precaution.
Before the ride, I downed two Endurolite capsules. No cramps all the way!
The clothing that we wore, Race Ready long sleeved runner's jerseys actually kept our body cool.
While on the road, we kept our distance at 10 -15km intervals before taking a break.

Gear factor
We've had very good experience with the Dahon Speed series bikes.
I love the Speed P8 that is virtually no-frills and can be rigged to carry panniers on its front and back.
For this ride, we used our trusty Ortlieb frontrollers.
We packed essentials like clothing, personal grooming kits, clothing, recovery kit for the bikes, a netbook and other electronics to stay in touch with the world.
I also revived my Icom V-85 VHF transciever which is capable of delivering 7watt of radio power.
These proved to be useful for staying in touch with Michelle..

Batu Pahat in plain sight..
It turned out that Batu Pahat was a huge town.
We took about 20 minutes to round the area and managed to find a stall that sells bananas.
The night before, we gave up our search for this natural source of energy.
Later in the ride, we were literally running on bananas before reaching our destination...

Crossing the Batu Pahat bridge..

Dessert break..

My plan was to bypass Batu Pahat.
Too much time is wasted in this town since the distance is only 58km.
We pushed for at least 135km towards Pontian.
From Batu Pahat, we slowly made our way towards Senggarang.
Half-way negotiating the traffic, my chain got jammed on the last cogwheel.
This was down-time and it took me about 10-minutes to fix the problem.
The ride out of Batu Pahat town was a gradual climb towards Bukit Kelichap.
This is at least 12km of hills before a village called Koris.
We climbed under the heat, slowly but gradually made our way towards a short roll.
At Koris, we took a break.

Fuel for power and energy: Banana!

Senggarang sucks!
The Southern coastline of Johor is pretty boring.
Nothing much but oil palm after oil palm estates.
We reached Senggarang during mid-day and sought refuge at a petrol station.
There, we had a round of isotonic drinks and as Michelle rested, I spoke to a local.
I was told that there are more choices when it comes to good food in Rengit, another 10 to 15km away..
So, from there, we pushed on as the odometer began to clock-in a higher mileage..

Journey to Land's End - Part 1

2012-01-28T05:05:00.000-08:00

Realizing a plan..
We were pretty bummed.
This is one Chinese New Year where we were pretty much left on our own.
I had something mapped out for a tour of the far South and the plan is to ride to Tanjung Piai, the Southernmost tip of Asia.
Initially, I thought of cycling from our home towards Tg Piai.
But this would take at least two weeks to complete on our little folding bikes.
Michelle came up with a revised and improvised schedule.
Its also very simple.
We drive to Muar, spend a night there and ride the next day.

Cruising through the streets of Muar in the morning...

At Muar, we bunked-in at Michelle's Uncle's place.
There, we were able to take a rest before setting out at 6:30am the next day.
Our routine began with setting up the bikes and loading our panniers.
We rode towards Parit Jawa before day break.
With the load, I have forgotten how slow it can get moving along.
We hauled at least 30kgs of gear and equipment in the self-supported ride.
The goal was to reach Batu Pahat and have lunch there.
Our first stop was Parit Jawa, some 16km away from Muar town...

Hitting the road at warp-speed..

Parit Jawa, home of Assam Pedas fish...

Riding under the sun..
The meteorologist had predicted a dry and hot day.
It was true.
We rode under the sun and kept hydrated along the way with our water and constantly refilled our bottles.
From Parit Jawa, the ride towards Batu Pahat would take at least three hours.
We were prepared to take as many breaks as possible to avoid health hazards such as sun and heat stroke.
Once down, its very hard to recover.
But so far, the journey has been really smooth..

Leaving Parit Jawa..

Rogue Ride - projek Bagan Lalang, part 4

2012-01-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

The point of no return
I reached Bagan Lalang at 06:00pm.
It was getting late and the usual thing to do, is to get a snapshot.
The Olympus EP-3 is not as compact as my G12. I can't figure out this camera especially its exposure lock button.
Most of the shots I had set up earlier had turned out underexposed.

Bagan Lalang at last!

By the time I cycled out of Bagan Lalang, the sun was setting fast.
I found a stall and set up my Sigma Powerled Black lights.
For the journey home, I knew that I would be riding in the dark.
A million things can go wrong.

Riding into the abyss..
When you are all alone, cycling down a dark road, its important to remain and stay focused.
Beyond 100km, your mind would begin to deteriorate.
Fatigue, sore muscles, busted seat bones, these are as real as it gets.
I covered the 16km void towards Tg Sepat and stopped at a Petrol station.
The plan was simple, if I couldn't continue, I will hop onto a truck and head towards Klang.
Or better still, Banting where hired car services are aplenty.
I was ready to fork out a heavy sum to transport the Jetstream back to USJ 26.
While I was cycling, my motivation was a hot plate of char koay teow in Banting.
And there, with the pain setting in on my butt, I slowly cycled towards Morib.
The Sigma lights were even brighter than any motorcycle headlight that zipped past me.
I knew that at this point in time, if anything should happen, like a burst tire or mechanical problem, its gonna be hard.
With char koay teow as my motivation, I slowly cycled towards Banting...

My dinner

The mid-way point: Banting

Char Koay Teow for the soul..
Slowly,but surely, I reached Banting.
I made my way to Jipun Char Koay Teow and found them closing up.
Having seen that, I wasn't disappointed.
I made my way towards a hawker centre and found 'Banting Char Koay Teow'.
Without hesitation, I placed an order for a plate of fried noodles.
It was Heaven on Earth as I savoured my dinner. It made my day as I prepare for the final push towards home.
The next thing that came to mind after a hearty meal, was climbing the Banting bridge.
I made my way up and rolled down towards Jenjarom.
There were several 'Death Zones' in this area and after cycling for 166km, I reached a Shell petrol station in this town and took a break.

The final push..
I spent more than 8 hours on the road, mostly cycling with very few stops.
After Jenjarom, there's Teluk Panglima Garang and Sijangkang before hitting the KESAS motorcycle lane.
This is a ride in the dark. And there's about 35km or more to cover.
With each crank on the pedal, I slowly rode past the small towns.
Everything had worked as planned.
And as I rode past Sijangkang, I was relieved to know that the home-stretch is getting nearer..
With every bit of strength on my body, I rode up the ramp towards the bike lane and rolled down.
The KESAS motorcycle lane was dark.
After two hours of burn-time, the Sigmas didn't show any signs of wear on its low setting.
This helped me work my way towards the Puchong junction.
After cycling for nearly 17km, I made a turn towards the Proton car factory.
There, I rested at a bus stop.
Home is on my mind and I am nearing the completion of my ride...
For one final break, I mounted and slowly pedaled my way towards the end of the LPD highway.
At this point, despite the padded shorts, my butt was really getting sore.
As I slowly made my way, the Putra Heights signboard was within sight.
I decided to snap some photos there before climbing the ramp towards USJ 26.
I rolled towards the guardhouse and made it home. My dogs were waiting.
I checked my Garmin EDGE800 cycling GPS.
It clocked-in about 194.1km.
I was short of 6km in achieving my first double-century ride.
It didn't matter to me at all as I have successfully completed the ride. Another attempt is in place, but that would have to wait. I need to train harder.

Mission accomplished!

Total mileage clocked

The route

Summary
If you ever plan to ride 200km in a day, better plan it well.
Timing is essential and if you can find a ride buddy, it will be much easier.
When it comes to solo-riding, one has to be able to take on the stress of doing things alone.
I was lucky as there were no untoward incidents along the way.
My mistake was timing.
I rode later in the morning. By right, I should have started at 6am, taking advantage of the cooler morning.
The bike too was in a bad shape. Having experienced this, well, I guess that in the next attempt, I would be riding my Speed P8 instead.

Rogue Rider - projek Bagan Lalang, part 3

2012-01-20T18:35:00.000-08:00

Getting there is half the fun..
Single-handed cyclist Master Meng Fook Cheun once told me: "Don't fear the hills, and getting there is half the fun.."
Meng is one of the leading recumbent cyclist in Malaysia and has a large following especially among newbies.
So, after riding for 10km, I reached Morib.
The sun was scorching and the first thing on my mind was to get my water supply replenished.
Its important to stay hydrated and I always made sure that my water bottle was filled.
I was packing my Ortlieb flight 27 backpack.
This was the first time I hauled such a pack on the road.
Its waterproof, but a bit heavy to lug.
It contained my much-needed spares as the ride was solo and self-supported.
For this, I relied heavily on my Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires. It performed flawlessly, hardly a single puncture since I procured the Jetstream in July this year.

Refreshment break in Morib, Selangor

On this ride, I was also testing the Olympus EP-3 micro four-third camera.
I was issued an EP-3 body with a 14-42mm zoom lens.
Earlier, I communicated with a PR consultant for Olympus and managed to secure a review for the camera.
My Canon Powershot G12 is reaching the end of its lifespan.
So far, so good, the EP-3 performed well. I've gained respect for the camera although its made entirely in China.
After a short break in Morib, I cycled towards Batu Laut and Tg Sepat..

The phone, it kept ringing and ringing and ringing...
I've had a sackload of missed calls on my cellphone.
Its mostly work-related.
The slave-drivers at the office are still pressing for work to be done.
As far as I am concerned, I'm out of the office.
But, there were pressing issues, especially on my upcoming book project.
I made a few calls and had it sorted out.
From Batu Laut, Tg Sepat is around the corner.
My initial plan, was to have a glass of iced-cold coffee and Mui Choy pau.
But time was not on my side.
Instead of stopping, I pushed on to Bagan Lalang.
Now, the point-to-point travel is roughly about 100km.
I still have to ride home from there.
And its no fun as the short 16km stretch from Tg Sepat to Bagan Lalang is mostly a void..
I rode as far as I could, reaching a small break area before the junction towards kg Sg Rawang.
There, I sat down, and refilled my empty drinking bottle.
Just as I was getting comfortable, a man rode into the area on his motorcycle.
We chat a bit and he kept telling me how fast the heavy vehicles were zooming past the Federal road along Selangor's coastline.
I was not deterred by this.
Bagan Lalang, is just around the corner. Its either death, or victory..

There's no turning back

Peat fire at Bagan Lalang

I rode along this path before and the last few kilometres ain't gonna hurt.
The evening sun was slowly setting as I made my way towards the Bagan Lalang beach.
There was smoke billowing from an area near the village.
A fire truck rushed by and as I rode towards the location, I can see the vegetation catching fire from the heat.
The coastal area in West Selangor is known for peat fires..

Rogue Rider - projek Bagan Lalang, part 2

2012-01-20T18:11:00.000-08:00

The journey continues...
After getting the rear brake problem fixed, I decided to ride to Bagan Lalang.
Its more than 83km away and by the time I hit the road, the sun was already above my head.
Earlier in the day, I couldn't decide.
I spent the first few hours after daybreak watching 'Fright Night' on ASTRO.
Then, a thought came into mind.
If I don't do this, I will regret it for the rest of my life.
I will never know my true potential.. ahhahaha!
So, fast-foward to mid-day, I was heading out towards Banting.
There were a group of cops manning a routine roadblock underneath a flyover.
One of them stopped me.
I knew that the Dahon Jetstream had attracted his attention.
He flagged me down and as I pulled over, I was bombarded with plenty of questions.
The cop wanted to know if my ride was a folding bike.
I said yes.
He told me that he read about it on the newspapers.
Folding bikes are now growing in popularity. Thanks to the media and the 'representatives' of the community.
We chat a bit and after a couple of minutes, I pushed on...

The friendly traffic cop and my Jetstream

A fellow cyclist, waving for the camera...

Feeling the heat..
I knew what I was getting myself into.
The afternoon heat was punishing.
But this was not the first time I cycled under the sun, my focus was reaching Morib.
This means I have to cycle past Sijangkang, Teluk Panglima Garang, Jenjarom and Banting before getting to Morib.
The SRAM DDII on the Jetstream wasn't 100% restored.
Despite the tune-up, the rear cogwheels were still 'skipping'.
I've pushed this bike to the brink and I think it will get me there and back..
It took me about another 45-minutes to reach the Banting bridge where the DDII was put to its test.
Despite the loss in torque and the constant skipping, I managed to get up to the mid-section of the bridge and roll down towards Banting town.
There, I took a short break at a petrol station before pushing off to Morib..

Rogue Rider - projek Bagan Lalang, part 1

2012-01-20T17:53:00.000-08:00

Is it possible?

Commuting guru and Brompton God Ng Chor Guan told me that he had done a 200km ride..

I'm not sure whether his attempt was a one-way ride or a return trip.

I've done 150km, it wasn't easy.

Seeing that it was feasible, I gave it a shot.

It was a cool morning, I started late (which proved to be a grave mistake) and headed out towards my planned route.

I was to ride from my home in USJ 26 to Bagan Lalang and back.

When I plotted the route on Google maps, it was a clean 100km single-journey ride.

If you have a GPS log to track your ride, then its verifiable.

I am not sure if Guan had logged his on a cyclometer, which is inaccurate at most times. But I would never doubt his sincerity on this.

Ride hard, Ride far, or Die..

This was to be my second solo ride.

I did it the first time from my home to Jugra Lama. It was enjoyable.

The road to Banting was paved with danger.

There are inconsiderate drivers on the road, trailers that could sweep you up and make a pile of minced meat out of you.

So, its either you, or the trailer.

I set out at 9am in the morning. The sky was gloomy. It was a good day to ride.

Half-way reaching Kota Kemuning, I noticed that my Ashima PCB disk brake was dragging.

Even after bleeding it, the problem was apparent.

In our weather, the Ashimas are useless.

The road to Banting

A detour

I had a decision to be made.

Either scrap the journey, or head to Bandar Botanic to get the bike fixed.

The option was clear.

Even with the brake drag, I can't get home without losing lots of energy.

So, I picked the option of getting the bike fixed.

I knew the store supervisor EK at Rodalink Klang. He's good.

So, to get the bike on the road, I had to first remedy the brake problem.

I am not sure if the guys at Rodalink are capable of doing it, but hey, no risk, no gain...

While the boys were tending to my bike, I had the chance to fill up my tummy.

Its the wantan mee at a corner coffee shop behind Rodalink that made my day!

Wantan mee for the soul...

Catching up...

I utilised the down-time in Klang to chat up with EK.

He told me that since the Tern bicycles were launched at the Rodalink in Bandar Botanic, they have been receiving plenty of requests for the Verge P18.

Seems that my 'first impression' preview had generated some interest.

Its a shame that Le Run or K2 Asia depends solely on their customers to do their work.

If the marketing people there have half the brains, they would be aggressively selling their Tern bicycles instead of using the local cycling magazines...

I hope that they will deliver when the Terns arrive in March this year.
Yeah, I am still sore about being used, abused and conned into helping these buggers!

We talked a bit, and I wished EK all the best..

PIPR series 13

2012-01-18T06:23:00.000-08:00

First cycling event of the year..
We've been laying off cycling events a bit.
Michelle's been traveling on her job and she hasn't been riding for at least two months.
She got back from Taiwan last week and I've planned to take part at the Putrajaya Interparks Ride which was held for the 13th time...

Michelle on the road

Mr CS Wee and SK Yeong

Team Jetstream

Old friends...
While I was mingling with a bunch of people at the flag-off area, I met Mr CS Wee, one of the pioneer folding bike owners who rode a Dahon Speed P8.
I met Mr Wee in 2010 at the Dahon Folding Bike Club launch (Well, sadly, this club is as good as dead..) where we spent some time discussing about folding bicycles.
Mr Wee, a veteran cyclist, lives in Butterworth and Kota Kemuning. He cycles a lot in the North and the East Coast.
Another person whom I met at the event was Mr SK Yeong.
A long-distance cyclist, Yeong is one of the organizer of the "Smell the Roses" tri-state tour that will take place on February 4.

Newbies...
The folding bike crowd at the PIPR ride was amazing.
There were at least 40 bikes, twice as many compared to previous events.
We met a few people who are new to folding bikes.
At the event, I also caught up with some Tern bike owners...

The ride...
Spare the poor sods who crashed their fixies along the way, the course was really smooth.
Having rode most of the easy and moderate courses in the PIPR series, I must say that the organizers had done a good job.
Basically, the PIPR is a social ride and also an avenue for me and Michelle to catch up with some old friends.
After completing the 25km ride, we shot off to Broga for lunch..

G-Zilla!

2012-01-10T00:17:00.000-08:00

Canon's frontal assault...
Canon Cameras announced their new flagship compact camera: the Powershot G1x.
As far as high-end compact cameras are concerned (I am not comparing this with micro four-thirds). Canon is way ahead in the pack.
And with the large-sensor G1x, its clear that Canon is leading the way in this category.
Having said that, its current contender: the Nikon P7100 is nowhere compared to the G1x in terms of features and design.

Monster compact camera: The G1x and its predecessor, the G12

Better image quality, top-notched features
People would have high expectations on the G1x.
Unlike the previous model, this one has a 4x zoom lens which roughly gives you the focal lengths of 28mm - 115mm.
This is enough to cover all my basic needs of having a walkabout camera without sacrifcing weight and bulk.
But, having said that, the G1x is slightly larger than the G12.
This is apparent in its larger image sensor, said to be able to produce better quality shots.
In this case, its enough to fulfil my needs when it comes to getting some good pictures for my food articles.

Gallery

Summary
Well, I guess that its still too early to tell how this baby will perform.
I can definitely look forward to its debut here in Kuala Lumpur in the months to come as it is a timely replacement for my battered and used Powershot G12!

Bernds Touring Foldie

2012-01-08T23:25:00.000-08:00

And I thought I've seen them all...
Some guy from BikeForums.com made reference to Bernds Bicycle from Germany.
I clicked on the URL link he posted and found something really interesting.
The Bernds Folding Bike has an asking price of I,302.52 Euros (RM5.3K) for an 8-speed Shimano Nexus internal hub gear model with premium parts.
I am not a fan of the Nexus as its slow and unresponsive.
What caught my attention: was the 14-speed Rohloff hub gear model at 2,436.97 Euros (RM9.8K) and there is an option to outfit this bike with a belt drive at 270 Euros (RM1,084).

A German-made foldie: The Bernds Folding Bike

Crazy prices, but worth taking a look...
German engineering is something that you can rely on.
You can use this bicycle and hand it down to your grand children.
But, all good things said and done, I don't think the cost of shipping the Bernds folding bike into Malaysia would be cheap.
Freight charges would go into the thousands and sales tax including duty is 35%.
The only way to solve this issue is to go to Germany, crash there for a month and get the bike ordered..

While the Bernds may be solid, it doesn't fold that well compared to the Dahons, Terns and other folding bike brands...

Best money can buy?
What I love about this bike, is the customisable options.
You can add a front-suspension fork, hydraulic disk brakes and touring racks for the bike.
And all these will jack up the price to at least RM15K to get it on the road..
So, I guess when it comes to the crunch, its 'how deep is your pockets' that matter..

Melvin's Mission

2012-01-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

Passion...
Sal Glesser, owner of Spyderco Knives which is based in Colorado, USA, once said: "Where's the passion?"
I spent my afternoon having lunch with this icon in the US knife manufacturing community and learned plenty about his philosphies and practices.
Till today, the word: "passion" is deeply ingrained in my soul..
So, fast-forward to late 2011.
A buddy of mine in Kota Kinabalu had asked me to check out the Strida Bicycle showroom in KL.
I traced it to an address in Bandar Puteri in Puchong through an article in BaikBike.com
It was there where I met Melvin or Toh (I am not sure who is who) and spoke to him about his products.
Compared to the big boys of the folding bicycle circuit, Strida's dealer here is a smally fry.
But I was really impressed with the way Melvin is doing his work.
He literally appears in every social ride there is around the country.
I even rode with him from Morib to Bagan Lalang where he had sincerely admitted that the single-speed Stridas were not meant for long-hauls.
I seldom meet people who are humble and sincere.
There's noting fake about this guy as his intent is purely to sell his Strida bikes.
To me, the Stridas are a novelty.

The right stuff: When it comes to Strida bikes, Melvin is there!

Spreading the word
Now, unlike some marketing people I know, Melvin had taken the initiative to cycle with his customers as well as meeting new contacts through social rides.
He is taking the right step.
I am not trying to kiss his ass and carry his balls, what I say here, is purely out of my observation and if the guy keeps it up, Strida bike are gonna make some headway here in Malaysia.
To enlighten people and raise awareness, he had engaged an ultra-long distance cyclist called 'Kamo' to ride the Strida SX in an attempt to cycle in Sabah and Sarawak.
The Trans-Borneo expedition will set Strida bikes in the national stage. I wish Kamo the best in completing his mission and fulfilling his sponsor's wishes.

Heading in the right direction...
I see a good future in Strida Bikes.
They are backed-up pretty well in terms of parts and accessories.
The least I can say is that Melvin is willing to listen to the seasoned cyclists on how to improve his products. That is a good move and a step towards securing the brand in the top placing of who's who in folding bikes here in Malaysia..

The rising stars of 2012

2012-01-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

Where's the excitement?
Is it too early to tell, or there is already a glut in the folding bike scene here in Malaysia.
You can forget about Dahon as there aren't many exciting products coming from them.
The situation is so stale, some China Domestic Model bikes are slowly seeping into the country.
Dahon's sale in the Klang Valley will reach rock-bottom after the 2011 models are completely purged out of the system.
If you inherit the high-end bikes, you are set for life.
Like I said before, Tern bicycles will continue to make inroads in Malaysia with their impressive line-up for 2012.
The good bikes will be shipped-in by March, so, its up to the retards who market them to make good of the surge of interest in high-end folding bikes.
If the guys behind Tern bikes in Malaysia continue to sit on their ass and hope that the brand would sell by itself, they might as well pack up and call it a day...

Rising stars..
I must say that 2011 saw a big interest in folding bikes especially in large towns and cities in the Central and Northern Peninsula.
Penang, for that matter, had a growing number of folding bike cyclists.
Thanks to the internet and media, their population is increasing.
In a market that is dominated by Dahon, I am particularly impressed with the high-sales of entry-level bikes like the Dahon ECO-7.
To take a crack at the market, brands like Oyama from Taiwan is also making an impact.
They became very aggressive as new models for 2012 had hit the streets.
Oyama had taken the initiative to improvise their bikes.
But still, brands like Oyama will never measure up to Dahon who has more than half a century of experience in developing and manufacturing folding bikes.

A decent effort: The Oyama Skyline

Copycat gone clean...
Having seen the Brompton copies, I must say that I was never impressed by Flamingo bikes.
Even at a fraction of what Brompton had to offer, the Flamingoes are inferior.
But one of their mid-range bike, the HS-F1 20/27 had captured my imagination.
This affordable bike has the best components one can imagine and with mechanical disk brakes, its a throw-around bike that you can rig for touring and long-distance ride.
The only flaw on this bike, is the downtube that collects water if you ride in heavy rain.
Other than a minor flaw, the Flamingo HS-F1 20/27 is s direct contender to the Dahon Speed P8 and Tern Link D8.
Pound for pound, the Flamingo bike is worth every consideration of you want an all-rounder folding bike.
A scuba diver dude in Bandar Utama Centrepoint is selling this bike, but I don't really know its actual pricing.

Flamingo HS-F1 20/27

The new guy..
KSH bicycles has added 'Java' under their folding bike range.
These 'designed in Italy', made in China bikes are selling like hot cakes.
Why? At RM1.4k a pop, its a bang for your buck.
Eager to please, the Java brand is throwing in a wide range of gear including mechanical disk brakes. So, its no surprise why the Java Fit is so hot!

The Java Fit

Now, the real winner is...
Hasa bikes were introduced by the Yong brothers of Tukang Basikal Fook Sang in Sungai Way, Petaling Jaya.
One of the brothers said he never expected his customers to ask for high-end folding bike and are willing to pay for it.
What impressed me the most, is the effort being put into the quality control which gave the HASA M-2 Minimax a fine fit and finish.
Also eager to please as a first-timer folding bike manufacturer, the HASA folks had also thrown-in some really good components.
My only displeasure on the M-2 Minimax is the handlebar stem that looks like crap.
But, the clear advantage here is the fact that you can upgrade the components.. *phew!*
I think the HASA bikes are going to do quite well throughout 2012..

The HASA M-2 Minimax, good value for money..

Conclusion..
I doubt that the retail scene is going to be really exciting this year.
My only hope is to see some new stuff coming out of Josh Hon's team at Tern Bicycles.
With so many choices now, I think the boys at KSH Bikes and Tukang Basikal Fook Sang are going to do okay.
To maintain the lead, the guys who are selling the Dahons must put their feet down, get a feel of things and see what the customer wants.
As for Tern here in Malaysia, well, they must emphasize in pre-delivery QC to avoid another handlebar failure incident..

Kamo-edition Strida SX

2012-01-04T05:59:00.000-08:00

Going places: this customized Kamo-edition Strida will travel in Borneo this year

An honour...
You don't get to see a folding bicycle that is named after an ultra long-distance cyclist everyday.
This is precisely what Strida Bike Malaysia has in mind to market their 'triangular' foldie.
The Strida SX 18" foldie was customised for Ah Kam @ Kamo who was featured by Sin Chew Jit Poh in their 'Bicycle Heroes' series last year.
Kamo, an ultra long-distance cyclist, had been touring the East coast in Peninsular Malaysia and organizes regular excursions for the touring cyclist.
It is a real big deal to get your name mentioned in the Strida roll of honour and I think that Kamo will do great in his 2,000km quest from Kuching to Tawau.
You will get a chance to see this bike at Strida's showroom in Bandar Puteri, Puchong.
And I guess that with the bike now ready and in place, Kamo will make his appearance in cycling events near you.. So, watch out for the Kamo-edition Strida!

The Fighting Spider

2012-01-01T22:39:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, the memories...
When I was a kid growing up in Kuala Lumpur, I remember spending my afternoons trying to catch the fighting spider (Thiania bhamoensis) or Phau Foo in Cantonese from overgrown shrubs and creepers in abandoned buildings.
I followed my childhood friends Wah Chai and his brothers Ah Nor and Ah Nong around the Jalan Raja Bot area and spent our time in spider derbies at a Chinese Temple in Jalan Haji Hussein.
It takes some skills to spot the jumper that made its lair in between leaves.
The spider skilfully constructs its habitat with its silk and can be spooked easily when startled.
One way of looking for it is by placing the leaf under the sunlight.
Once a shadow is casted, the leaf is carefully removed and kept in a matchbox or a cough lozenges tin.
With a life expetancy of anywhere between three weeks to a month, the spider is fed water and 'live' food like ants and houseflies.
Spider derbies would take place during the short term holidays.
Two spiders, mostly males, would be pitted against each other.
A display of prowess and strength is shown as both arachnicds locks in battle.
In the short display of aggression, the victor will vanquish the loser that runs away for cover..
Well, what I am telling you, is a tale that is three decades old.
Nowadays, the fighting spider remains as a memory from a distant past...

A full body shot of the Thiania bhamonensis

Capture on camera
I must say that the Thiania is one of the hardest specimen to photograph.
Unlike most jumpers, this one has a flat head and a very low-profile abdomen.
Its hard to spot in the wild and if you can score a shot of the jungle-dwelling Thiania, its a bonus because its marking is just amazing!
So far, I've only been able to capture a few set and my recent visit to the Sungai Tua nature park in Selangor, I managed to get a close-up shot of the Thiania.

Face to face with a warrior

I think there's still plenty room for improvement when it comes to capturing the Thiania in its full glory...
Hopefully, I would be able to catalog more fighting spiders as I intensify my hunt for them...

Gallery

Found this little fellah around my office (taken in February 2010)

Shot with my MR14EX ringflash in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang

My most recent capture in December 2011, Sg Tua nature park, Selangor

2011 Parting shots..

2012-01-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

Last photography outing for 2011
We had some overseas guests at our home.
My wife hosted them and her best friend's hubby had wanted to give macro photography a try.
Since we had the weekend off (No cycling), I decided to bring him to the Sungai Tua nature park near Hulu Selangor.
This is my old hunting ground and I've made at least two record finds in this place.
I led Mr Eric Yee from Melbourne, Australia on a hunt for some bugs in this nature trail.
The bug population at this time of the year was really small, but despite that, Mr Yee said he had enjoyed himself with the colourful bugs he found along the trail.
I gave him my Canon EF50mm F2.5 compact macro and the EF100mm F2.8L IS macro lenses to try out.
He also had the chance to utilise my Canon MR14EX ring flash.

Samo (right) and Mr Yee on the bug hunt at the Sg Tua nature park in Hulu Selangor

Some cool finds..
Sungai Tua has never been disappointing.
We found plenty of beetles, jumping spiders and the surprise find here was a gliding lizard.
I've had a blast photographing the lizard and some extreme close-up of the jumping spiders along the trail.
My hope of finding a portia faded in the distance as time ran out. After spending a few hours on the trial, we, packed up and headed off to Batang Kali for a sumptous lunch...

Gallery

Gliding lizard

Fighting spider

Face-to-face with a jumping spider

Crab spider with prey

A female jumper

Slow shutter shots done right

2012-01-01T19:49:00.000-08:00

Underutilised feature...
I must say that I've only used about 5% of my Canon Powershot G12 digital camera's features.
This enthusiast-level pocket camera is feature-packed and unlike its predecessor, the G11, it has yet to be dropped from Canon's powershot line-up.
In the past, I've been strugging with the slow-shutter settings on the G12, usually ending up with overexposed shots.
Now, I know that there is a Neutral Density (ND) filter which is built-in on the camera's retractable zoom lens.

Taking the shot: A tripod steadies the camera for the slow shutter technique on this stream at the Sungai Tua nature park in Selangor

Got it!
After fiddling with it, I realised that the feature can be activated under the 'Function' button.
All I need to do, is to scroll down the functions and activate the ND filter.
With this feature, I can step down the shutter speed without overexposing the shot in the frame.

Results..
I must say that I am pretty impressed with the results.
Some shots that were taken with a slower shutter speed like 1/8sec did provide some promising results.
I placed a tripod and pointed the camera on a stream.
The effect of slow shutter speed is a soft flow of water.
And if you control the aperture and shutter speed, the results are just amazing...

ND and slow shutter gallery..

HDR shot of the stream

Slow-shutter shot with ND filter feature

'Miniature' effect

Projek 200

2011-12-27T23:13:00.000-08:00

An inspiration...
I was chatting on the messenger with Ng Chor Guan last night.
Braddah Guan is one of the few folding bike cyclists who is a member of the 'Foldie Century Club'.
For starters, folding bicyclists who had ridden more than 100km in a single day are far and few in between.
Guan told me that his record is 200km in a day and I believe everything he said.
From a Polygon Urbano to a Rallyart F1-27 and now, a Brompton P6R, the music composer is one of the most respected foldie in the country.
For the record, Guan has been featured in Sin Chew Jit Poh as a 'Bicycle Hero' together with Kamo @ Ah Kam, Strida Bike Malaysia's brand ambassador..
And for a moment, I reflected on Guan's achievements.
Now, the furthest I've gone was 153km with my wife Michelle.
Taking the bike to 200km wouldn't be a problem at all.
All I need to do, is to train and build up my stamina.

Guan, seen here at the OCBC Cycle Malaysia event in October. He's an inspiration to many new folding bicycle owners especially among the Chinese speaking community...

The Plan...
Well, having done the USJ 26 - Tg Sepat - USJ 26 ride, I am pretty sure that a 100km single journey ride to Bagan Lalang is possible.
This means, lesser stops and maintaining a constant speed and cadence throughout the ride.
I've mapped out the route which seems right and will do this sometime in late February or early March next year.
From here, I will proceed with my plan to cycle to 'Land's end' in Tg Piai, Johor.

The 200km route..

Seeing as it is, I won't be doing much cycling in the last days of 2011.
My wife is having an overseas guest at home, so, its mostly Public Relations work well until the first week of 2012...

Mr Yellow..

2011-12-26T23:44:00.000-08:00

Lynx spiders are fascinating creatures.
They make fantastic insect macro photography subjects and I don't have to travel far to find them.
Just outside my house, there is a Jasmine tree planted by my wife.
And on the leaves, I can find some small Lynx spiders (measuring about 4mm) prowling for its prey.
The spiders keep its domain free from pests and also guards the Jasmine tree from being gobbled up by destructive bugs.
Here's set I took recently at Gasing Hill...