Wow... it's been a long 3 months since the last Penang trip, what with work and family commitments using up more bandwidth towards the end of 2009. Weather also played a factor, as I wasn't too keen on sloshing down muddy steeps during the peak of the year-end Monsoon season. But the biggest factor for date selection was Ron's work schedule - as his leave would only be approved in the Jan timeframe. BK wasn't able to make it for this trip, even though he wasn't flying (dayjob). Had to do reservist or something like that... which consists of going into the airbase and looking busy during office hours...
The drive up was good (again). We didn't get stuck behind super slow traffic when the N-S highway occasionally narrowed to 1 lane due to roadworks. Most of the roadworks in the N direction seems to be completed, but we could see some jams on the S bound side, but that's to be endured on the way back. This drive up, we only stopped once to get a bit of diesel and grab a quick lunch. We made such good time that we managed to check into the hotel just a bit after 3pm.
1st Day: Due to a bit of miscommunication with the lorry driver, he didn't have a suitable vehicle to carry us up, so we quickly made our way to the cable car station and YES! this time we made the 4.30 tram. ************FYI - the cable car will be shut down after the Chinese New Year (projected 28th Feb'10) and undergo upgrading for 10 months. Hopefully it will result in more reliable and frequent uplift services for rider nuts like us. Even then, most of the best trails end up either at the Youth Park or close to the Botanical Gardens. A 7km slog on a DH bike from that area back to the cable car... is a serious slog. I'm just saying. Anyways, it would be so super cool if we could requisition a dismantled ski lift from one of the western or Japanese ski resorts and install the base at Youth Park.. ok ok I'm digressing************
The trail was super dry. Prior to reaching 84, there was a nice fast singletrack section which had Ron gushing - "Singapore's Woodcutter is the freebie lite version, this one is woodcutter deluxe".
HA! By the end of 5 days of riding, I had subsequently exposed Ron to - Woodcutter Super Deluxe, Woodcutter Premium Deluxe, and Woodcutter Hors Categorie....
As per normal for Penang hill trail newbies, we took the easiest way down (via the 39 switchbacks). Since we were working with a super dry trail and better light (unlike the approaching dusk the previous trip), most of the time we chose not to ride the concrete singletrack and just let our bikes soak up the offroad terrain right beside that. Hidden among the grass were 1 ft high rock blocks and various grades of ruts - but Ron's Float 36 and my Fox 40 could eat it all up. That said, I've ridden with Ron for a few years and we have a good read on each other's riding abilities and tendencies. So I knew he would follow closely to the lines I was carving and his bike handling skills was able to handle some of the sketchier sections. Relying on suspension alone would not have been enough, so Ron was showing me that he was up to the task of a very steep learning curve on Penang hill. *bow bow*
2nd Day: From the cable car station at the peak, this was our 2nd day riding down to 84. We took our time heading down as we wanted to work on some of the more technical sections. Like the 12ft drop just before 84. We talked through the mechanics and the best line to clear the drop and then just let it rip! What a rush.... since I was more familiar with the trail, I worked on clearing the whole section leading up to the drop in a smoother fashion as there's smaller drops with immediate sharp and steep turns right after the drops - before we get to the 12 ft drop.
Here's some picture samples from our 'practice' run:-
Near the tail end of the super snake where you need to keep some speed and flow to muscle through the tight rooty gap.
Ron able to clear this rock section on 2nd try
Ron taking a picture break - notice that yours truly doesn't show up often, as other riders tend to take crappy pictures (at least compared to the ones I take OF them *shucks*)
Near the tail end of the super snake where you need to keep some speed and flow to muscle through the tight rooty gap.
Ron able to clear this rock section on 2nd try
Ron taking a picture break - notice that yours truly doesn't show up often, as other riders tend to take crappy pictures (at least compared to the ones I take OF them *shucks*)
Only on our 2nd run through did we have enough confidence of the rickety bridge and our riding skills to clear it in one shot. Notice my psychedelic riding gear.
From 84, same as the last trip - a we did 6 to 3. This is the GPS profile of the trail starting from the top.
Definitely a good way to introduce new folks to Penang hill by traversing over to No 3 - the international DH race track. Almost at the end, I shouted at Ron to follow me through a crossover to a slight knoll. Right at the top from there, there's like 2 8-10 ft drops in sequence. I didn't want to give Ron a chance to think or get cold feet, so I slowed a bit to make sure he was right on my tail - then I led him through the drops. Wooo haaa... I picked a shitty line and had way too much speed for the 2nd drop, ditto for Ron, and we careened merrily almost out of control down - but we held on to our line and made it through! Yeah!We were in such good spirits and shape (aka not too many big crashes), that I decided to let Ron try out the "New Trail" from 84. Yes, the trail that drops from 460m back to base in under 1.7km. The trail that makes 8 inch rotors feel wimpy. The trail to rule all trails.
Let's just say that we survived our 2nd trip down the hill. Sorry for the lack of photos, as I fully expect to crash at some point along this trail due to fatigue buildup so no camera carried along.
3rd Day: Sat - CK was able to join us today... so we did No 7 after 84.
No 7 is a very sweet DH track, as it has quite a bit of everything in a continuous flow - if one can hang on for dear life. Rocks, big rocks, steeps, roots, superfast eroded singletrack, mixture of everything at the same time etc etc. Right at the drop in to 7, there was a family of hikers with 2 teenage girls. There's an easier way to drop in, and another what-the-shit entry. Since yours truly was leading the way, I couldn't possible disappoint the watching audience, yah? So I took the what-was-I-thinking way and then hoping that I would only crash after getting out of their line of sight (else too embarassing lah!). *phew* Ok, so I didn't crash and I caught some ragging from the other guys. All in good fun.
The morning was not over, so Ron and I called for a ride to do the 84 "New Trail". CK had to leave for home, so the 3 musketeers became Batman and Robin, or Batman and Superman... or whatever.
We survived the trail again *phew* and made another trip back to KSH for bike repairs. Same thing as the day before, as the trail has a tendency to cause big hits and some hard crashes.
4th Day: Time to join the local DH gang(s) and we ripped No 7 again. Ripped as in let Ron and I get a headstart on the local guys first, so that we won't be too far behind when they get to the base. *hahahah* We also pushed up to No 3 as the 2nd ride of the day. So that's 4 days of seriously intense riding in a row. *phew* As someone else has said to me before - "Better living through chemistry" - thank goodness for industrial strength painkillers which I gobble down every evening.
5th Day: Yes, bruder. We rode for 5 days in a row. Call us crazy, call us hardcore, or just call us suckers for punishment. We took on the New Trail again. And this time Ron had a major part failure 1/3 of the way down - brake line broke upon impact with tree. So super Ron ran down the trail, slip slidding more like it, with his bike. Me? I then took my time, all competitive pressure off, as I focused on clearing the various sections one by one. The part that still licks me is the 4 storey 'drop'. It's about 4 storeys high (as can be guessed from the name) and maybe one to 2 room length long if looked at from the base. It's just freakin' steep, is all anyone can say. Covered with roots and leaves and oh yeah, another 2 ft drop near the end when your arms have already turned to mush from braking for dear life. CRASH. Again. Oh well... next time.
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It was yet another amazing trip... 5 days of non-stop high intensity adrenaline riding.
Now I just need to source me some 10 inch rotors.....
