Roads and Routes

You can view the route maps and detail about the rides on: https://www.strava.com/athletes/elred_lawrence

I’ve not had much to say about the cycling or the roads I’ve traveled. Mostly because there was not much to say.  When I planned this adventure, I put pins on a map of all the places I wanted to visit and then basically joined the dots with the most direct routes. The result is that I have mostly ridden on highways and very busy secondary roads.  Some of it really unpleasant, the 105 kms from Klang to Sungai was built up all the way, highly industrialised, lots of smoke and pollution, terrible road conditions, road works for over 50kms which serves to concentrate the traffic and narrow the road so cycling is an effort. At times, on that road, I wondered what I was doing there as I was not having fun.

However, all of that changed on the road from Tapah to Tanah Rata leading into the Cameron Highlands.  This was, for me, the most daunting road.  It’s 60kms of uphill with a height gain of over 1500m.  I was anticipating a very long, hard cycle and I was anxious about whether I’d make it to the top.  I even had a back-up plan if it became too arduous, I’d return to Tapah and take a bus – but of course I’d have been very unhappy if that was the case.

Yes it was long and hard but it was beautiful.  The road was fairly busy with big trucks and buses but not an issue.  All the way I rode through jungle, passing small villages with traditional wooden huts, the air was fresh and cool, I could hear bird-song and the sound of rushing water.  My spirits lifted and I realised that this is the Malaysia I had come to cycle through.  I’m joyous.

I’ve not taken pictures on any of the other roads but here is a selection from my ride