My night's sleep wasn't a pleasant one. Having only slept for only just 2 hours I was already awaken by the shivering coldness~! Unforunately there's no remote...so i had no other choice but to curl myself into a ball but ended up sometime later turning the aircond off instead. *brrrrrrrrr
A few ticks-tocks and shivers, it's finally 6! Emerging from winter's hibernation, we hastily prep our bikes and jump into our cycling gears...for it's RACE DAY!
I went off with the gang to meetup a colleague of mine who also came down to Penang for the ride but wasn't with us on the first day. As we approach the starting point, we should see Penang City Hall lighting up the twilight! It's a lovely sight!
Behold!!
Here's a side shot while I await in line to collect my race number and tee.
Soon after having breakfast, daylight now looms the skies. By now, we can see most of the riders at the starting line but to my dismay, it looks alot lesser than the amount of riders during the AIDS awareness ride in KL the other day. =\
Here's some pics prior before the start of the ride...
Tada! Here's us, four in a line from KL!
Everyone's still waiting, in case your wondering...acrobatic dancers are in front asking everyone to do warmups but the mass just ignored them and mingled away :D
It's not a very well taken picture but take a good look at it. This oldpa registered for the ride only with intents to show off his old bicycles! Vintageeeee! 5 bikes in all! Take note of that dude far left looking at the small-small bike.
Naturally, like him and the many others. They all went yeeha!!!! :D
What a speech? Ok ok, i guess i have time for this. Race number 312, thats me!
No, it's not me taking the snapshot of my final moments before crossing the finish line! I've not even started yet!
Unlike most events, this one started on schedule. Right on the dot at 8...the horn blows away and wer' off!!!!!!!!!!!! I stayed somewhere at the back since I dint want to be a burden and block the rest who is really into this for the race! Furthermore, there's always risk starting out in a big group, since it's such a mess! You'll have riders cutting in from the left, right, back and just about everywhere! But eventually everyone will space out. Thus it's crucial at the start to be extra careful even when your starting at the back. So slowly line by line, I watch the riders take off.
As I carefully make my way through the crowd, just merely reaching a kilometer...here's what happened...
A crash...
Moving on ahead, the first few kilometers takes us past turns and traffic in the heart of georgetown as we made our way past Gurney Drive. In a co-joint effort by marshall on motors with the poilce, they blocked juntures allowing us to break the laws! You definitely wont get this royalty treatment often! ;p
It din't take long before we finally arrive at the road that takes us all the way to Batu Feringghi and to the checkpoint at Teluk Bahang but somehow there is no longer proper escorts. We had to stop for red lights and we had to cycle in single file. It's clear that the road isnt closed at all so we had to cycle by the side of the road inches away from passing vehicles as we took the bends by the coastal pavements! Well, I cant blame them since this is the one and only road, one that stretches for 15km. Closing the road means it had to remain close till noon. Clearly not something they can afford.
Well at least there's the many crazy cyclist on this road and perhaps that's obvious enough for the motorist to be extra careful knowingly that there's a cycling event going on! The hardest stretch along the coast would be the one towards Tanjung Bungah. It's an uphill ride from here and further more the roads are winding; neither us nor the cars from the opposite site can see us taking the corners.. However it eases off once your at BatuFeringghi since the roads are wider.
BUT its not over yet... I still have to paddle paddle paddle...My eyes were focus on the cyclometer, impatiently counting down the KM's before the checkpoint. 3......2......1......Hooray! i finally made it! Reaching the checkpoint in 1hr20mins.
The entrance of the checkpoint at Taman Rimba, Teluk Bahang
Not too long after, Kenan Bible arrives!
The marshall tagging his number to mark his arrival at the checkpoint.
Others awaiting for their friend at the arriaval hall...heh
Time to replenish!
Areeee you readyyy?
Group pic!
Hey unfair! The marshall's cheated...just look at their ride... ;p
Taking a break!
That's the route for those taking the long distance. It's depressing since your greeted with an uphill ride.
And that's the route for those taking the short distance...
Took a detour to the beach on the way back considering that there's alot of time to spare before the cutoff time
Here's one of the shots taken along the coastal stretch. Although this isn't one of the best but it's one of the only few places we could safetly make a stop at the side.
Some more shots...
After taking a few more stops, we finally made our way back; passing by Gurney Drive and then lastly towards Penang City Hall where we crossed the finish line and collected our goodie bags. Inside, there is a medal, certification of participation ,waterbottle, an isotonic drink...nothing much interesting.
We feasted there while waiting for the lucky draw. But sadly we had to wait for two hours since the organizers decided that the lucky draw should only start once the sweepers picked up all the cyclists that did not meet the cutoff time. Since we were all hopeful to win something, we waited. (I was eyeing for the camelbak!) Among the other prizes was 2 bicycles, gloves and tons of helemts...a total of 60 to giveout but i would consider them junk since they are all XL!!!! I doubt anyone there that day could nicely fit in them! It took sooo damm long just to giveout the helmets. The 'winners' dint even felt happy winning the helmet at all! haha
As numbers after numbers was called, none of our lucky numbers was called and we had to resort going back without a prize. It dint matter anyway since we had lotsa fun.
The organizers mentioned that they will do it again next year...will I be coming? Errrr, perhaps. =)
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