Awana Ride & James Cendol - 1 May 2013

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Its Labour's day and what do labours do? They ride!!! Hehehehe....

Today, we rode to Awana, Genting Highlands via Batu Caves >>> Hulu Yam >>> Awana. I've joined Rocker57 on this ride thrice. However, Rocker57 and his gang ride here frequently as with many other superbikers. The route is apt for bikers due to its many twists and turns & best of all, lesser traffic! This route is the old trunk road to Genting Highlands way back in the 70's & early 80's. When you reach Goh Tong Jaya roundabout, turn left at 10 o'clock and that will lead to an old abandon cable car station just about 300 meters from the roundabout. Here, you will see many many superbikers gathering to enjoy the cool clear air. There is a muslim restaurant to cater to your tummy needs.

Most bikers will take the Karak Highway to return to their base. At most times, Rocker57 and his gang (the rest of the other bikers too) will split ways after the Karak Toll. However, this time...Ryan & partner Shirley, Alex, Sam and us decided to do late lunch.

We headed to James Cendol at Old Klang Road. James Cendol is situated next to Lee Chong Wei Sri Sentosa Sports complex and behind BHP Petrol station just 300 meters away from the police station & junction to Puchong Kinrara.

See what you get when you go to www.jameschendol.com.....this is what you get!!! jameschendol.com webpage!

(L) : R57, Alex, Shirley, Ryan (partially hidden) & Sam

 So, why are we here? To sample reasonably good food at very affordable prices. Check menu below :

  

By the way, the cover picture with coconut shell & dessicated coconut is actually an eco friendly ashtray!!! Way to go James Chendol!!!
 

This 'lady's plate' of nasi lemak is RM2.00. Why I say lady's plate? Because it is just nice for a lady and certainly insufficient for a man! The santan rice is cooked just right and aromatic. The sambal condiment is a tad too watery. It would taste even better had it been a bit more dry and with more bombay onions for the extra 'oomph'. For a mere RM2.00 is was GOOD!

We decided to order a plate of rojak (pix below) to fill our hungry tummies : (also to taste more variety)

This plate of rojak costs RM4.00  Don't be deceived by its looks. Its quite tasty except that the peanut gravy is too fine. If they had some crunchy peanuts that would make the dish even more commendable. Of course, it can't be compared to the great rojak in SS15, Subang Jaya. The ingredients would be more palatable if they had julienned it more finely. Apart from that...taste-wise...OK!

Errr....did I forget something? Me? Nope! Leaving the best for last....James Cendol! Despite leaving 2 reminders that I wanted less sweet and no glutinous rice/pulut, everyone had the same! I guess for them is one size fits ALL!!

Above, my 'bowl' of James Cendol. I liked the cendol (green stuff) very much, fresh and bite-able unlike many that are served frozen or partially thawed! I am not one to like Lima beans and this is without exception. I much prefer red beans, anytime. The pulut/glutinous rice is bland and flat. Overall, it is average but I'll give an extra mark for the fresh cendol & another point for the unique presentation.

Sated and happy, we bade our goodbyes with a promise to meet here again on Saturday before we go shopping for biking apparels, gloves, protective gears, etc.

Well...that's another story altogether. I won't blog about it except to share that all 7 of us were trapped in the lift on Saturday; 4 May for over 35mins!! What an experience! Come to think of it, I've experienced many 1st encounters this year alone....great! 

Wait for my next ride where we go in search for Harley Davidson....cool!

Until then....Live to Ride....Vrrrroooom!!!  

Asia Bike, Sepang ~ 21 April 2013

At 8.45am, a group of over 20 bikers left Tesco in Taman Seremban Jaya; Seremban for Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to participate in the Asia Bike. It was an 11th hour decision as one of our biker friend; Johnnie called us to join in the night before. We re-grouped at the Petronas Petrol Station opposite the SIC as we waited for other bikers. About 30-40mins later....Vrooom Vrooom...all the bikers headed into SIC.

Waiting at Sepang Petronas for other bikers to arrive

Outside entrance to Sepang Internation Circuit (SIC)

View of SIC entrance.

Facade of SIC entrance

I took pix while bikers were waiting for group photo.

 This is my first & successful attempt to download video from my mobile!!! YAY!!! This old dog is still learning new tricks and proud to acknowledge that I am not IT savvy BUT am still willing to learn, albeit at a slower pace. Obviously, you'll see more of it in the near future.

Below are pictures inside the SIC. FYI, it's the first time I am setting foot in SIC compared to Rocker57 who has been there many times and was our unofficial guide :)

motorbike team in their respective assigned pit area

Starting point...participants walking towards grid positions.

Today is a memorable day for me. Nope! Not the Asia bike because quite frankly, we were there to 'create' the 'extra' crowd for the big bikes but basically to collect free T-shirt from the sponsor. Period. Women collect shoes & handbags while bikers collect T-shirts to 'show off' which event they've attended. hehehehe.... The event did not create much publicity hence the reason why the stands were bare. We left the scene after half an hour.

Picture below : This is the place where the late Italian superbiker Marco Simoncelli  passed away on 23 October 2011 during the MotoGP race. An erected monument was placed near the place the tragic accident occurred to commemorate the lost of a great biker and a good friend to many in the MotoGP world. I too like his affable nature and his afro-styled hair! Personally, I always thought to myself that a spider will certainly get lost for good in his huge bushy 'mane'!! Hehehee...

The late Marco Simoncelli.

 
Simoncelli was only 24. He will be missed by many. Incidentally, Misano World Circuit in Italy has been renamed in honour of the late Italian superbiker. Click here to learn more..   Misano renamed
(psssst...if you had been following my blogs, you'll realised that today I have uploaded videos and now able to link to other URLs....hehehehe...at 51, it's still great to learn something new daily, and continue I must says Yoda!)

The spot where the late Marco Simoncelli was honoured.

But the memorable part of today is that I was taken to a special site to witness where the planes land in KLIA!! YES, YES, YES...those huge planes were plying just 2-3 stories over our heads!! It was AWESOME to the max!!!

It was an awesome experience and one I'll remember for life because I'd always liked to watch planes land while Rocker57 prefers to watch them take off. Rocker57 and I are like cheese & chalk, remember? 

It was extremely hot and I wasn't able to see well in the intense heat. So, I only managed to capture a few shots plus we weren't allowed to be in the vicinity in the first place. Thanks to a certain friend, I see true action so close above me....exhilaration to the "ultra" maximum!! I can't reveal my source lest he gets arrested for trespassing and me for abetting. But seriously, we did not harm. Only harm was putting our lives at risk in case any untoward thing should happen. For the record, we did not trespass as we did ask the security guard guarding the area for permission to enter. We may be adventurous but we ain't trespassers....uh-uh..we ain't no trespassers. Period.

  
My amateur video of a plane landing at one of the landing strips in KLIA. The heat was so intense I couldn't see nor able to counter check if I actually caught it in film. Only much later I realised I did!! Only 8 seconds of it...sigh.

All pictures and videos were taken from my smartphone. My only regret is that they fly so fast and my slow fingers ain't no match to those mean machines. But the experience is.....*speechless*. And they come in to land every few minutes...hope I get to go again so I can catch better videos and snapshots.

You really have to be there to experience the euphoria I felt then. Just like the time I witnessed a rainbow in the sky enroute home from Osaka.....

Nice right? Do remember to catch me again when I share with you our May 1st - Labour's day ride. Stay tuned, folks.

Until the next blog....Fly high, Ride fast but always safety first! See you soon!
  

BEWARE what the sign says!!!

"Do keep all parts of your body within the vehicle"

Errr...well hello, does it look like I am about to hang out my intestines for all to see? DUH! 

At first, I presumed the vehicle was ferrying people in a game safari or such. But if you scrutinize the vehicle properly, it ain't the kind that they use in the game safari. Also, this place has a well groomed landscaping. 

So now, can't I even wave goodbye???

" Be carefully slip"

I like this signage very much. Yes, I would very much like to slip carefully. What? Do you think I am nuts to want to slip carefully? Obviously, I do NOT want to slip at all, thank you!

But I kinda like the cute tiger holding the placard :) 

 "Do not drop the thing of in the pocket into the toilet bowl"
I took this when I was in Japan recently. Excuse me, what exactly do you mean NEXCO or Suwako SA?

What thing of in the pocket? 

Soooo, this is "powderful England"

 "Car Parking No More 3 Minutes"

I took this when I visited Danang, Vietnam last year. Sighted at the entrance of the airport.

"Oh...do you mean now I can park for more than 3 minutes? Well, thank you...you are so kind".

Arrr...I see, you mean I can't park for more than 3 minutes! Please be specific, then. 

 

 "Pull out please"
Spotted this at Danang Airport, again!

Hercules, Iron Man...where are you? I need you to help pull out the door for me!!!

HELP!!! 

 "Disabled toilet"
This was taken from Subang Jaya's Giant outlet a few days after their reopening.

Err *scratching my head*.... I wonder how a disabled toilet would look like...hmmm...perhaps without the toilet bowl or maybe the toilet bowl is distorted? hmmmm.... or perhaps instead of flushing...it pees!!!

 "She's Bar" "  "Free Drink 2,000Yen"  "All staff is Ladys only"

I took this from the red light district in Osaka, Japan.

She's Bar? Hmmm... She is a bar? or She's in the bar or She's barred from the bar? So, which bar is she, now???

OK, is the drink free or 2,000 Yen??? Or are you going to give me 2,000 Yen if I refuse the free drink? Please stop confusing me!!!

And yes..1 lady...2 ladys, likewise 1 wife, 2 wifes...  

 "Jalan Sehala" (One way)

Taken from USJ2, Subang Jaya. 

Soooo, which way is it???

If I get summoned, is MPSJ (Subang Jaya Town council) going to pay for giving me misinformed direction?

Thank you for removing all those loan shark aka Ah Long stickers but pluzzzz do something to put up proper signage after you are done with removing the stickers!

 "NOT AN EXIT"

Hmm...OK...its a door. Period!

 "NO TRESSPASSING WITHOUT PERMISSION"

My question is "Well Sir/Ma'am, if I had asked your permission, would I be trespassing now, would I??"












Look what I found when I googled for "weird signages"....
  

 

 "Please don't smoke in all seats, because we want to keep the fragrance of coffee and bread"

All this while, I thought we sat on top of the seats...apparently now people sit IN their seats....hmmm... this is something new!

Also, now it is possible to 'store' the aromatic smell of fresh coffee and bread in a cafe. WOW!!! 

Wouldn't it be easier to just put a sign "Please smoke outside"???

 "Go Ahead, Drink & Drive - 
~~~ Jail
~~~ Hospital
~~~ Morque
 I like this very much, straight to the point! Kudos!!

 "Today's Special - Buy one Fish & Chips for the price of two and receive a second Fish & Chips ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!"

Oiiii.... it' PAID and NOT free!!!! Lucky I didn't drink and drive! Phew!!!

 "Please! Please don't put the toilet paper into the toilet bowl. Thanks Mgt."

May I ask, if not in the toilet bowl, then where? The kitchen?

"Keep ---> Left"


*silence*

 Well....this little birdie didn't attend school, obviously. And you can't blame it because the drawing does look a lot like the bird itself! So....go figure.

 "Please...do not bring non-gender children into bathrooms. See the on-duty manager to arrange for a changing area for parents with non-gender children"

Hmmmmm.....hmmmm.....*perplexed*

 "This is the back door the front door is around the back"

Why are you confusing me!!!!

 "SOTP"

Oh, oh...I'm in trouble...

 "Any persons (except players) caught collecting golf balls on this course will be prosecuted and have their balls removed"


"OUCH!!!!"

 "PLEASE - Don't throw your cigarette ends on the floor. The cockroaches are getting cancer"

Now...this is a eco-friendly place. They seriously care for nature to the max!!! Hehehheee.....

 By the way, it is cigarette butt and not ends, hehehe....








Hope you had a good laugh and enjoyed the read. Have a good week ahead and a fabulous weekend.

Stay Happy!!! Ciao!
   

Kuala Klawang Ride : 14 April 2013

Today, the sky was gloomy and it decided to cry somewhat.... Yet, a group of ardent bikers waited patiently at Petronas (opposite the former Phoenix mall in Cheras) trying to double guess if it would rain or shine. After waiting over half an hour for the sky to smile (which it didn't) & also for another biker who'd overslept, we decided to vrooom vroooom vroooom!!! As we were leaving the petrol station, I saw a few separate groups of superbikers, either waiting for sunshine or other bikers, reminding me the quote "birds of a feather flock together". Hehehehehe...

Today, we are heading south to a quaint town in Negeri Sembilan called Titi. Titi means a small path/route in Bahasa Malaysia but if you search it in tagalog english dictionary, you'll be surprise what titi means :

titi meaning: Tagalog English definition of titi - Tagalog Translator

translate.sandayong.com/tagalog/english/titi‎

In tagalog english dictionary, "titi" is "cock". ...   
Keh, Keh, Keh!!! 

If you use https://maps.google.com.my/ it indicates that it's about 58.3km & takes approximately 1hr and 4 mins from Cheras Perdana Batu 9. But, we were on an adventure trip, so we did not follow the normal trail. We went off-trail. A trail that I was not familiar with but was interesting as we rode along "a long and winding road" (like the song sung by the Beatles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6AuKENgmLQ (psst....remember to return to my blog after viewing the music clip ya...don't get side-tracked...LOL)

We encountered many kilometers of winding road. Bikers LOVE winding roads, so they can bend low and show their prowess on "how low can you go?" thingy. MEN! Show off! But with a heavy set pillion like me....Alas, poor Rocker57. His right palm was in pain after the treacherous route up & down many hill slopes....poor thing. 

I've never heard of Jeram Gading until today....but it was worth the ride....mother nature untainted.

notice the hanging bridge?

snapshot from the bridge.

gushing sounds of the stream... a refreshing change from 'honk, honk, honk'

(L) : Ah Yat, R57, Ryan, Shirley, Ravi, Aravind & Alex

(L) : R57, Ah Yat, Shirley, Ravi, David & partner, Aravind & Alex

A short rest and off we went on another round of long and winding road to Titi. Below, Titi township taken from entrance of the coffeeshop we stopped for breakfast.

We had breakfast here!!!

Bikes parked opposite Woon Yi Enterprise aka coffeeshop :)

Strange but true...Titi-styled Hakka mee which looks like pan mee!

My rich cuppa - thick & aromatic, my bowl of noodles. Solo fishball from R57.

We each tried a piece of traditional toast with Kaya & margarin....NICE!

I deduce that Woon Yi Enterprise & its neigbouring coffeeshop are not in good terms as we have to go over and place our order for the toast or the fact that Woon Yi Enterprise couldn't cope with the streams of patrons patronizing the shop...oh well. Noodle-wise, good but nothing spectacular. The toast was good with generous spread of margarin and kaya (local jam made from coconut milk, sugar, pandan leaf (screwpine) & eggs stirred over low fire until brown. I like the crunchy sound of the bread when you bite into it. Yet the bread is soft from the inside...getting me nostalgic. Ahhh...my younger happier days....

After breakfast, some went to ease themselves while I held back as the I can somewhat guess the kind of toilets they would have behind the shoplot. Alex (the brave one) went to 'check it out and said "OK". So Rocker57 followed suit. When he came out....he said "err...Ok-lah...no smell". His facial expression doesn't give me any confidence at all. So I told him to take a photo. Ladies...this IS the toilet that men say "OK-lah"....
 

  
 Needless to say, I held on to my "baggage"!!!! DUH!

On the way down to Seremban, the group broke into two teams. Alex, Ravi, Ah Yat followed us via PLUS highway while Ryan, Aravind & David went back via LEKAS highway.

Until the next blog....Vrrrroooom....Vrrrrooomm....Ride safe, Ride On!