Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Ride to Work. New perspective.

Coming to work on Saturday was always a turn off. Can't rationalize the reason working for 3 hours on Saturday but still have to do it as long as I work here. Until recently I find how I can enjoy it.

It is more or less 35km from home to office in Subang. Cycling via MRR2 is a bit dangerous especially from Kepong to Sungai Buloh stretch. That stretch has many junction and that emergency lane is narrow (some as narrow as 2 feet). It also filled with rubbish and pieces of glass which may cause tyre puncture.

I always have a thought of taking an alternate route via FRIM, i.e. enter thru the Main Gate and exit at Hospital Sungai Buloh. According to calculation that would be 5KM if I took the main road in FRIM, proceed to Bukit Hari's trailhead and further up to Sg Buloh. It would be great if I do Dream, Rover's then resume Bukit Hari but it is a bit risky to do Dream without company.

So from a thought to a game plan, I did that route on the way to office and completed in 1 hour 40 minutes.
1. Home to Main Gate, FRIM. 13KM, 30 minutes.
2. Main Gate, FRIM to Hospital Sungai Buloh. 5KM, 35 minutes,
3. Hospital Sungai Buloh to Pinggiran Subang. 15km, 35 minutes.

On my way back, same route except the second part (Hospital Sungai Buloh to Main Gate, FRIM). I need to push my Shogun up the hill on Sungai Buloh trail due to road cassette that I fitted on it. From Bukit Hari, I exited via 501 trail and finished it with Aromatica Trail. A reward for after a mid-day hot sun for first part (Pinggiran Subang to Hospital Sungai Buloh). I completed the return trip in 2 hours. That was for longer route in FRIM, taking photos and meal break.

And that's how I'll enjoy my working Saturday!

4 comments:

akmalhizam said...

One of the commuting stories that triggered my initial RTW was that a guy blend in a multi-modal human powered vehicles. He bike, kayak, and resume biking for his RTW. Another guy's route includes a ride along his town's scenic riverside.

Yours is one of those stories. Glad that you share with the world. Hopefully there'll be souls out there who are inspired by this. I would be so.

Keep crankin', man!

Unknown said...

I love biking, only at slower than before speed nowadays. Age really catching up on me ;)

sach said...

Main gate FRIM to Hospital sg buloh is only 5km? u sure? i thought of going off Bukit Hari trail and trek to sg buloh thought it would be awfully far but u're saying its only 5km...hmm...where do i exit frm the bukit hari trail?

Unknown said...

Mr YB Sahib,
Based on the tracklog, yes only 5km. Though this was not my usual route for weekend cycling activity. At average, offroad cycling is at 10km/h, while onroad cycling is at 20km/h (commuting pace, not race mood) for an old man like me :)

Bukit Hari to Sungai Buloh trail is directly connected. Bukit Hari starts from Malay Tea House near Perah campsite. Keep on the main track ends you at junction with proper signage to Sungai Buloh.