JMFR2010 : Janamanjung Friendship Ride 2010

Drove up 650km just for this event! We completed the event safely and with good speed as well.

The drive started on Saturday morning 6.30am (supposedly 6am but someone forgot to set alarm clock!). Nice smooth ride into Malaysia and we took turns at the wheel. I took over from Air Keroh until PJ where we met up with Keith and his wife (Ben's friends) for lunch around SS2 area. At one point I forgot that we had bikes mounted on top and tried to park under a tree. God knows what would have happened had Ben not shouted hehehehehe....anyway minor damage on this bike. So I owe him one handlebar tape I guess (get him a pink one)!

Getting to Sitiawan was a little bit slower as we went into the 2-lane minor highway from Bidor onwards. We headed for the power station at Manjung first to collect our goodie bags (got lost a bit) and there we met the famed Toki, the cycling enthusiast from TNB (Tenaga Nasional Bhd - Malaysia's Power Company) Manjung who organized the event. We collected the stuff, hang for a while and made our way.

Thanks to our GPS, we arrived safely at Kristal Hotel. Rooms were reasonable priced and we got what we paid for (read BASIC). Mark's room had a used condom wrapper lying around! Still, no complaints for the price and closeness to all the action that Sitiawan had to offer!

Stocked up on Bananas, bought some snacks from The Store (which we did not consume until much later during the drive home!) and had a really carbo packed dinner at a local cher char place. Mark had his car washed for RM3 (!) and by maybe 10 Bangladeshi workers! Talk about manpower extreme! Right after dinner, we visited a local massage joint for a foot massage to prep our legs up for the ride to come. The place were run by China workers...yup, guess they are everywhere! even in Sitiawan, Perak!

Sunday morning - woke up 5+ am and set off from the the hotel at 6am; Got a bit lost but eventually found the power station. 220+ riders already raring to go! The ride will be supported by 2-3 police bikes, 1 police car, and about 20+ TNB volunteers on cubs. We are allowed to take up one lane, no more and the police will ensure smooth pass through every traffic light we encounter.

7.10am - we set off! This is a 'friendly' ride, not a race. There are a total of 3 stops in-between, and at every stop, everyone will re-group, rest, do their business and then move again. Perhaps its due to this that everyone seems to have a go at every 'stage'! Below are a 'stage by stage' review of the ride (based on my Sportracks view).

"Stage 1" - Manjung Power Station - Beruas

Ave Speed : 32km/h

Max Speed : 63km/h

Ave HR : 156bpm

Max HR : 186bpm

Distance : 58km

Ride Time : ~1hr 50mins

Rest Time : ~40mins

The ride started off tame and leisurely, we even had time to chit chat and enjoyed going through traffic lights with the police blocking off traffic. At some points the 'peloton' wanted to go faster but the police car controlled the speed and traffic. After around 25km, we were more or less out of town limits and into the plantation areas, the police car let us loose and all hell break lose. I was tailing Ben at about 40km/h. We were at that point in the 2nd group. Mark was in the front group. Another 10-15km of this speed, I was dropped by this group and went alone for quite a while going at the hills. I tried to catch up at one of the downhills going >60km/h but they were going right about the same speed, so no chance!

Anyway, I slowed down to get picked up by the 3rd group.....we had a nice time chatting too! but going 30+ km/h. We stopped right outside a school literally, probably serving the plantation area. A table was set out filled with mineral water, 100 plus and bananas and volunteers were doing a great job offering the stuff to tired riders. When I reached the stop point, it was 'high-tide' for me (in fact I tahan for almost 1.5 hrs!) and I quickly made my way and relieved at a pokok kelapa sawit!

"Stage 2" - Beruas - Pantai Remis

Ave Speed : 37km/h

Max Speed : 48km/h

Ave HR : 168bpm

Max HR : 187bpm

Distance : 19km

Ride Time : ~30mins

Rest Time : ~30mins

For this 'stage' I did my best to stay with the front group. We started out in the middle from the school so I really had to snake my way through to get to the front of the mess (it was even messier in front!). Had it not been the police car controlling the speed, I think it would be madness. Quite dangerous up front as guys were constantly modulating their brakes and swaying quite a bit. For the first time (and only time) I reached the stop point with the front group and gave thanks as it was quite a short and quick stage.

"Stage 3" - Pantai Remis - Sg. Manjung

Ave Speed : 32km/h

Max Speed : 48km/h

Ave HR : 174bpm

Max HR : 192bpm

Distance : 28km

Ride Time : ~50mins

Rest Time : ~30mins

I tried to keep up with Ben on this stage but he went berserk and went with the front group. I could not catch up with the front group. It was weird as I was ok for the first 15km or so and then suddenly I found myself at the tail of the front group, and seems like no matter how hard I tried to pedal I could not match the speed of the group (~35km/h only!!). Moments later I could see Ben and Mark about 100-150m ahead of me with the front group and I was left alone. The sun was getting higher in the sky and temperatures were rising fast, I stayed on by myself going at 32-33km/h with headwind (no thanks!). Saw a small group of riders coming up so I slowed down to catch their draft. We worked together a bit and also had a nice chat with a Sitiawan rider on the way to the next stop point.

I asked him how long more to the next rest point, he said "not far, maybe 3km, but there is a Jambatan, quite steep"....and there it was; a long straight road leading up to a bridge right up front with quite a 'rise'! (4% gradient I estimate). Everyone in the group hanged back and dropped the speed to slightly below 30km/h, in anticipation of the 800m or so slope. I did not even bother grinding up the slope like I always try to do, I just dropped to my 39 x 19 and spinned up, maintaining a cadence of 80+rpm or so. Managed to maintain an average speed of 21-22km/h going up doing so and in the process passed about 10-15 riders. Soon after the down slope, we reached the 3rd point. Saw Ben and Mark already sitting down enjoying their drink!

"Stage 4" - Sg. Manjung - Manjung Power Station

Ave Speed : 29km/h

Max Speed : 41km/h

Ave HR : 170bpm

Max HR : 185bpm

Distance : 21km

Ride Time : ~40mins

The heat was at its maximum for the day. Started at the tail end from the stop point. Ben went on to chase the front group and I hanged at the tail end and made my way up to the middle. I think Mark went in front as well, but I can't remember. Towards the last 10km, a lot of riders were slowing down, passed quite a few and picked up a few for a cooperative ride too against the headwind. I was trying to join up our small group into the one ahead and did so, to minimize the 'suffering'. First picked up Mark, then then 2-3km on saw Ben alone and picked him up as well into the group. This was the slowest part of the ride. No one was interested to speed up and this was good for me so I totally enjoyed the ride back to the station.

We reached the finish line, greeted by applause and general announcements. They even had people putting finishing medals over our heads as we passed the finish line. I was tired but not as bad as the Desaru ride from last week where I got grouchy in the end. I was in high spirits, thirsty and hungry!! We sat down with a coconut each, enjoying the nice not-s0-sweet coconut water!

We didn't stay around for the provided lunch and 'lucky draw'. At the hotel we freshened up packed and drove to Telok Intan. We had lunch there (yummy mamak food at the famed Gulam Rasul) and even had some time to take some photos at the leaning tower of Teluk Intan. We switched drivers on the ride back. Had dinner at Tangkak, initially searching for the famed Beef Noodles but it was closed at night so we settled for a streetside cher char which was quite honestly, pretty good too!

Ben and I reached Marine Crescent at 11.30pm. Did a quite pack up + shower at home and slept like a baby!

Special mention and thanks to Toki and the organizing committee of JMFR2010 for the well planned event! Great Job!

TOTALS (from me only!)

Ave Speed : 31.2km/h

Max Speed : 63km/h

Ave HR : 164bpm

Max HR : 192bpm

Distance : ~126km

Trip Pictures

(Courtesy of Mark, using his tok-kong Canon G-something)