|
Our Guest Rider of the Week : Azlina Ariffin
Our typical introductory trail for our guest was done a day before the Semenyih Hash. For someone who has not ridden for 8 years, she bravely tried the trail and did not even stop to push the bike even uphill! With whatever leftover stamina she has through her twice-a-year-workout and once-a-year-tennis, this lady finally finished the trail and straight away decided to follow us on the Hash the next day, even though she has blistered her pinky. Bravo! and congratulations, Azlina!
SEMENYIH SCENIC RIDE : APPROX. 10KM
The word "Scenic" can be quite misleading when you do not even have the time to look around and enjoy the view but giving your full concentration on the A B C of how to ride a mountain bike on an undulating and sometimes slippery trail. The first 3km describe this and it was mostly uphill. A2W team was one of the last ones in the scenic group. Mum was especially excited as this is the time for her to try on her brand new light GT Pantera bike. Together with Azlina, they ride surely, slowly and full of determination until they encounter THE HILL. It was a breeze for the first hill, but not the second one which is continuously uphill until the end of the 3rd km. Sweeper Patrick and Ata tried their very best to encourage the ladies riding uphill but the ladies finally surrendered and decided that the push technology is the better option. Mum with the light GT had to push her bike! Suddenly, along came another lady rider with a heavy rigid frame riding uphill confidently and that really irks Mum. For Azlina, red-faced and full of sweat says that this is much better than aerobics. Definitely more sweat.
After the 3rd km, there were several downhills and gentle uphills which now you can call "scenic". For Mum who still has her downhill phobia managed to ride safely with Ata bellowing encouragement from the toe of the hill, but for our guest, she said, "Its slippery. It's bumpy. It's muddy! Pushing down the bike is still a much better idea." It is also unfortunate for her that the bike she rode had a bit of problem with the handle bar which we managed to tighten it. We continued the ride, occasionally taking pictures of the site. It was really beautiful. Beautifully lined tall towering and graceful oil palm trees with wide canopies occasionally letting the rays of sunlight in through the fingers of its fronds. Cool, shady, moist and the smell of mother earth (occasionally the sounds of bumble bees and mosquitoes) fill the atmosphere made us stop to enjoy, to appreciate and to wonder God's wonderful creation on earth. Clean and clear water brooks meandering and criss crossing the riders trail. Getting your shoes and bikes wet and muddy to cross the brooks feels as if you are really one with nature.
The team finally finished the trail smoothly and happily although occasionally trying to avoid fallen and falling spiky palm leaves along the last meters of the trail.
All in all, it was a wonderful ride. A bit taxing at the first 3km but rewarding at the end. For Ata, "I'll try the long ride next time, if I don't get my asthma attack." For Mum, "At least I improved on my uphill." For Azlina, "The bees love me!" But she's definitely going for the next ride.
P/S. Tiger Mongoose has graduated from A2W to A2W Extreme since he survived the long ride and ALIVE too.
|
