METAL BUTT SOUTH EAST ASIA ENDURANCE 2010

MY METAL BUTT ENDURANCE RIDE ORDEAL

When I was invited by Jim to participate in this event, I was intrigued although a few that I'd confided in weren't  for it.  I simply must do this before retiring from motorbiking.  So, with Ricardo's blessing (my other half), I signed up and was immediately involved with it's pre launching on national television, TV9 and TV3. To my surprise many friends and relatives saw and were very supportive.

 


 On TV3



The day of the awaited metal butt endurance ride finally came. After a week of pouring over the route map and discussing with Elly my daughter who plotted the routes into the GPS , I was  ready for the worst. The irony is that throughout the challenge I never referred to the map nor the GPS – the sign boards were clear and Nash, a friend who decided at the eleventh hour to help show me the Grik-Jeli route, led in the North while I led in the Southern routes.

It wasn’t until I arrived at KL Tower for the flag off that my adrenalin rushed and I felt nervous.  Everyone important to me was there to support – Elly and Shah, Ezry and my granddaughter Daniesya, Is and Izet, Ati my maid of 14 years and all my Lanunbikerz friends!! I was sad that Ricardo my husband had to leave to be with his friends at another flag off in Sg Buloh.

At the sound of the whistle we were flagged off and in my mind “this is it, got to make it- don’t  you go tumbling down the KL Tower winding way out!” I was the last and couldn’t see the others in front of me as the town traffic was heavy – it was a Friday night and people were out merry making.

When I reached the Sungai Buloh Rest & Rehabilitation Area, I tooted to my husband Ricardo , and my friend Nash to follow. Everyone else must be way ahead of me cause I didn't see anyone. My first stop was at Simpang Pulai where I fueled up at 11:34 am. My odometer reading was 033537.

Odometer reading at 
Simpang Pulai

Odometer reading at

Juru

Just about 100 meters from Alor Star tower my bike toppled as I lost my balance while stopping to wonder which way to go. So many motorists came, from I wonder where, to my rescue. I was so touched by their encouraging words and concern. The body slider of my bike broke and the arm of my right side mirror cracked. I reached Alor Star Tower at 1.30am . It was very dark with no street lights so the picture taken by En Fauzi (he can be contacted at +6012 4380123) who happened to be at the vicinity, is not clear. I wasted more than 30 minutes trying to fix/glue/tie my dangling body slider and taping the arm of my side mirror. Stressed at my mess, I forgot to take a picture of my   odometer reading :(

My third fuel  stop was at Caltex Sungai Petani at 2.23 am, before proceeding to Baling – Gerik route.

I stopped at the cross road  at Gerik to Jeli to take a picture of the only restaurant in the vicinity.  Nash went to the loo and washed his face. It was 3.45am but there were still many people. My odometer reading was 033966.

Salim Fish Head Curry Restaurant

   

Odometer reading at Gerik

                                        


           

                                    
                                                    The journey to Jeli was grueling – numerous sharp bends in the pitch dark and foggy condition. I was told that elephants often wonder the roads at nights and many accidents have occurred because of them. Once in a while lorries/trailers/busses would come from the opposite direction taking me by surprise as I was going at a pretty fast speed. Once I thought a lorry was going to push me into the ravines and my heart was in my mouth. I slowed down for a long while after that.  My ears kept popping – probably due to the high altitude.

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Odometer reading at Jeli Petronas Kiosk

By the time I reached Petronas Jeli it was 5.28am and my odometer reading was 034090. My fingers were numbed because it was unusually cold for me ( I totally forgot that my bike has got the heater – what an idiot). It started to pour pretty heavily – more than an hour was wasted before I left for Machang Tanah Merah. I stopped to take a picture of University Technology Mara,  Machang at 7.01am. My odometer reading was 034153.

                        

Odometer reading at 
UITM Machang Kelantan

It started to rain again all the way to Kuala Terengganu. When it eased off I stopped to take a picture of the Kuala Terengganu hill and the Terengganu State Public Library. It was 8.26am and my odometer reading was 034284. 

  Odometer reading at Kuala Terengganu

                             

Kuala Terengganu State Library

Kuala Terengganu Hill

                                                                 

I fueled up at Petronas Gong Kiat station at 8.39am where my odometer reading was 034290 and decided to have breakfast.

 Though I was hungry, I couldn’t eat as I didn’t have any appetite. But I forced myself to have a bit of rice and chicken plus a mug of hot milo. I had plenty of power bars but they were all squashed up and melted from being in the hot side box (which is above the exhaust pipes). After about an hour’s rest, I proceeded to 
Kuantan- Pekan route. Here I met up with Syed Kabeer  and Nizam who decided to ride along with me and Nash.

The ride to Kuantan seemed endless and the sun was scorching by then. I couldn’t go very fast as the traffic was heavy and the road wasn’t very wide but very windy. I also had to be mindful of the cows grazing by the road sides. 50 kilometers from Kuantan, I lost my right side mirror – probably all the jolts widened the crack and it finally gave way. I didn’t stop –  the cow that finds it is welcome to put  it to good use :) !! Nizam stopped in Kuantan and I didn’t see him again till after I arrived in KL Tower.

15 kilometers from Pekan, Nash who was ahead of me, almost had a head on collision with an oncoming car. He must’ve dozed off. Mercifully he managed to swerve away only hitting the car with his right side mirror. The whole of Pekan must’ve heard my scream. No one stopped. Nash rode on. I rode on but I was thanking my lucky stars that we were both still breathing and riding. 

It was 12.21pm by the time I reached Pekan. My odometer reading was 034580. I was dying to pee - went to the washroom for the first time since flag off at KL Tower. After washing my face, I felt human again. I had to wait for Nash to rest up for almost an hour. He must have felt shaken after the close encounter earlier.

Riding to Kuala Rompin – Muadzam was a breeze but it wasn’t advisable to speed as there were many cows, dogs even snakes from the jungles surrounding. I stopped at the junction to Muadzam to take a picture. It was 13.36pm but again forgot to take a picture of my odometer.

  

                           At Kuala Rompin junction to Muadzam - Segamat

The traffic to Muadzam- Segamat was heavy.  About 50 kilometers to Segamat, two cars that must have been racing with each other overtook a stretch of about 10 vehicles from the opposite direction. I was forced to swerve onto the red earthed side stretch full of gravels. I thought that was the end of me as my bike was wobbling unceremoniously - it wasn’t possible to get back onto the road immediately as it was of a higher level. If I had braked I’d have crashed into the pillars on my left. I literally froze and left my fate to God – I don’t know how many lives I still have, but I live to tell this story. Syed Kabeer told me later that he thought it was miraculous that I was still in one piece!! Syed Kabeer can be contacted at +60132892121.

At 15.07pm I reached  Jementah Segamat Johor Petronas Kiosk. My odometer reading was 034807. I had an ice cream to cool down my nerves. I just wanted to reach KL Tower and get this challenge over and done with.

 

The ride to Tangkak Muar was slow due to many wedding goers who were plaguing the road. I was tempted to stop and join in the ‘kenduri’ ie feast/party – in Malaysia anyone who stops will be invited to join in the feasting. Just when I thought nothing else would happen, a little puppy almost crossed the road in front of me. I swerved just in time – luckily there wasn’t any vehicle coming from the other direction. Phew!!

Finally I was back on the North South highway heading to Putrajaya. I stopped at Dengkil Rest & Rehabilitation Area to celebrate with Nash and Syed Kadeer. My final fuel stop was at Dengkil Petronas. It was 17.01pm  and my odometer reading was  034985.

        

I stopped at Putrajaya toll to take a picture. Just as I got on the bike to head toward KL Tower it poured and visibility was about 3 meters ahead. Obstinate to the core, I  refused to stop. Drenched to my knickers, I finally arrived at KL Tower . I was glad to see my children and the organizers waiting.  I was simply relieved to have made it below 24 hours with all my bones still intact!!. I don’t want to have to try again....... My odometer reading was taken by the organizers – I didn’t even bother to take a picture of it…. :)

My gratitude goes especially to Nash my riding buddy, to my family, to Lanunbikerz  and not forgetting the organizers, who supported, encouraged and believed in me !!

A very special thank you (from the bottom of my heart) goes out to VKing  Bikers who went out of their way to accompany Ricardo my husband, who wanted to be there for me, should anything happen along the way.

With Nash

With my beloved family

      

With Lanunbikerz

With Jim

                                      

With VKing Bikers

   

                                                             





Fatimah Ahmad De Polo

November, 26 – 27 2010