Fast and Furious at Desaru

135km ride to Desaru. Rolling up and down the numerous slopes. No where else in Singapore do we get such long slopes. It sure is a good training ground.


18 bikers met at Mandai Shell and set off for Causeway to get across to Malaysia at 6am. After regrouping at the petrol kiosk, we headed to the start of the ride. Tee and Tomoya went off first and a new lady was with them. She was one fast lady. Small and fast. Completed threw me off guard because she didnt seem like it. But I suppose she had huge advantage in a terrain like Desaru - climbed very well due to her lightweight. Still, I have to give it to her, she was still a strong rider nonetheless. She was on a podium before in a race a while back!


Along the way, it got too dark for comfort. Pulled back on the speed and rode with Matthew and rejoined Tee and gang further up as they had stopped due to the lighting problem as well. Initially, front pack constituted 6 of us, but the lady fell back for a short while before rejoining when we paused for 5min.


And this went on for the rest of the journey before the 90km mark where we stopped for a refuel. Tee commented that we were riding at a speed of 5.5hr timing for 180km ride. But I know that I wont be able to do the marathon thereafter! Pace was incredible and I never expected the front pack to ride at such a pace only at the initial part. Towards the end, the last 10km, I was so drained that at every bit of the wind, my speed dropped and the stepping power faded. Cadence could not even be maintained. I only had this comfort - Tee was with suffering with me! Tomoya and another roadie had gone off probably 10 - 20min ahead of us?


All in, assuming we started at about 0630 after the immigration point, Tee and myself reached the jetty at 1115. Taking away the 15min break at 90km point, about 10min at the 2 regrouping points, we would have taken about 4hrs20min to do the ride. Considering that this is undulating, I think I would have to agree with Tee, that this would be the fastest 135km ride to Desaru ever - not that I have done many of this ride, anyway. But the effort was really quite considerable.


Will wait for the next long ride. I suspect that it should be hitting 200km by then. And that will have to go further up north to Sedili. We had done it before. I like that coz I think everybody will hold back.


I hope...