Freeman Dream Projects 8 - kiv and expansion of the dream

Was being informed on 30th October 14 that the trip was kiv. I was kind of dissapointed for a while, but this is life. Things happen. After consideration, i decided to bring Us trip ( which i hold dearly to me, but i kept on postponed it) to 2015.

Today, i met up with an old friend who is getting married soon. As we were discussing about this dream, she suggested why not make the tour round Europe and take longer time like 1 month since i am already there? I felt like as if i was hit on the head!!! Yalor, why i haven't think of that??? Why not expand it to a Europe cycling trip?? I am very excited about it but at the same time a bit scared. The dream is a bit too huge for me to digest for a day. But definately i am going to do it!!! =)

Freeman Dream Projects 8

Freeman Dream Projects 8 - Cycling from UK to Amsterdam passing Paris. 2 weeks cycling trip -948km. It is going to be something exciting.......

Freeman dream projects 8- The first prelim budget

After few months waiting Dave finally came back with some prelim answer on the budget to cycle from uk to Amsterdam passing by Paris yesterday. It is exciting. However, there are 2 issues.
1. The budget is a bit too costly for the moment. ( Around Rm 25k include around 5k for the new touring bike) and i need to have it by Mach 2015.
2. Due to the budget challenge, he is concern that a lot of people might cancel the trip.

If cancel, they might change the location to niagara falls as the exchange rate for now is ard rm 2.9 to usd 1. It should appeal to more people. To me, it is good also as i have longed to go back to us and go visit my friend in Calgary.

Anyway, I think the right question is :" where can i get the money?"

14/10/14

Continue of wonderful journey

It has been a while since i last update the blog. I have since then achieve another dream project (mongolia trip), did my first sprint triathlon, olympic distance triathlon, but at the same time added about 16 more it for the past 1 year. I have never been so excited about it. I am in my driver seat and i am seeing it materializing it bit by bit, day by day.  I am currently working on 4 projects at the same time, some expected to materialize faster, some longer). Will post more update from now on. Mongolia dream project report will be up soon.....

Freeman
14/10/14

Last day- A Hot Day

After 4 days of cycling we finally come to the last day of the trip. I basically drag myself up from bed on 6:30am. Apparently, we still haven’t recover from yesterday’s ride and hustle. However since today is the shortest ride (around 60km), so we basically take our own sweet time. We went across to Kuala Selangor fort to take some photos and took a breakfast before we leave Kuala Selangor at around 9am. This is also the latest time we start our journey. We soon regret to start so late……

View from Kuala Selangor Fort

A visitor saw us, take initiative to come and take photo with us

The stretch before entering highway was very hot. In fact the whole journey till my Selangor house was hot. But unlike sun on noon, which it shine from top, it shine from front hitting on our face. The scorching ray that hit on our face was unbearable. It is like there were thousands of needles pricking on it. The brain feels like being fried and cooked.  It has been detach from the body. It feels terrible....

We were pushing all the way under the hot sun, pedaling as fast as we can so that we can make it back on time for Nasam's welcoming lunch. For the past few days, Prem has had cramps while cycling. But today seems to be worse, even so he still insist on continuing the journey. Really respect him. When we reached the intersection of Guthre highway around 12pm, Prem's tyre deflated.  Once again, excitement drops to the bottom. He try to inflate the tyre hoping that it is just air leaking. But we soon comfirmed after cycling for 500 meter, the back tyre was actually punctured. There, we have people waiting for us at PJ on 12pm, here we are stuck with puncture tyre under 12 noon scorching sun. Our brain felt like being fried. It is very depressing. Prem has a nerve break down. Quitting come across as an option, but i refuse to consider it. I rather missed the welcoming party than ending the journey just like this. I do not sign up the trip but end like this. Well, sitting there wont help. So, Prem have to change the tyre under the hot sun. After 20+ min we continue the journey again.We are very tired, but we have to keep on cycling. The road seems endless....

As we pass by the last killing hill near Guthrie entrance, I knew that the destination is near. The spirit begins to rise. There are no words in the world that could possibly describe the joy and excitement of that moment. At the same time deep down inside my heart I was really praying hard hoping that there will be no more tyre puncture especially at this critical finishing time. (Have to admit after yesterday, I have tyre puncture phobia.) As we cruise through the congested traffic and pass by Central Sugar Refinery, the spirit rose higher and higher... We start pushing like there is no tomorrow. Finally, we reached home. Yeah! i have done it! 5 days with 545km. It feels great to accomplish my dream projects! Looking forward for more to come......

Finally arrived!

Warm welcome party by NASAM who has been there since 12 noon. Honestly speaking we were not expecting it to be this grand. We are very touched and blessed

Thoughts
It is indeed a wonderful and fulfilling trip. You will never know what is going to happen next. Every moment is a surprise. Plan may get out of hand, tyre may puncture consecutively. In my opinion, 

bike touring is not suitable for those who is pessimistic and complains a lot. 

But you will also meet interesting people who you will never meet before sitting on your office chair in one of the cubical/room. You will see and feel things which you will never ever see while driving. On top of that, you will get spiritual and mental growth. It is priceless. I guess the trip really teach me to slow down my foot steps to smell the roses and be patient when things are not going accordingly as planned...

If you ask me "Will i do it again? " I will say "You bet!"

Thank god i have made that bold decision to do it.

11th August 2013 6:20pm

Day 4- Friend Discovering day

    It was Friday evening after work and it just started to rain. With this kind of situation, there will sure be jam all over KL. Friving from KL to Kuala Selangor will take about 1 hour drive for normal day without jam. With jam, it would at least 2 hours. Besides that, the guy will have to rush to a bike shop before it close to get the spare inner tube. It is just too hassle and troublesome to come to assist. When I called Noobus Chang Wai Yuen, he agreed to help without any hesitation. I am very touch even up till to this point. I and Prem waited for him in the mamak and have our dinner (Thanks Prem for sticking with me all the way).  

    Noob arrived around 9pm without dinner. He seems to have a pair of magic hands. With his magic touch on bike tyres, everything settled within 10 min’s time. He then rush all the way back to KL without any food. If you ask me what I gain from todays challenge, I will say god show me what a true friend is, Noob and Prem…….     

Noob and Prem fixing the tyres, no words can represent the appreciation that i have to Noob

Thought

While cycling somewhere between Sg. Besar and Sikinchan, some voice inside urge me to continue cycling. It is at a state where as if the world is left with me, my bike and the road ahead. There is no future, no past, just the present moment. Cycling just gives you mental and spiritual fulfilment. You just want to keep on cycling…..I think I am addicted to cycling. I love running, but running cannot bring me from town to town. The maximum distance one can cover running is 40-50km/ day? Taking car will be too fast to enjoy the scenery and details along the way. Motor bike will still be a bit faster. Bicycle will be just nice. It will be able to take you from town to town. I am kind of addicted to touring……

Day 4- The Tyre Puncture day....

When we arrive at Teluk intan at around 8am, we actually covered more than half of morning’s journey. For the first time in the trip we are actually ahead of schedule. We are very delighted about it and decided to take a half hour breakfast break. As we were leaving with excitement, I got my first puncture of the day. Same as yesterday, Prem helped me change the inner tube. It was good to go within 20 min. Seems like Prem is getting use to tyre changing process. 

However, we failed to realize that the puncture was actually caused by metal piercing. This leads to second tyre puncture while I was halfway cycling up the bridge near to breakfast area. Once again we have to stop by and fixed the tyre. The excitement went from peak to bottom. What to do? We still have schedule to follow. Everything went well all the way after this. 

Tyre puncture halfway again when climbing the bridge, have to push all the way up....

The bridge is very narrow have to be cautious with the vehicle passing by

Cause of 2nd puncture.....

Have to carry the tyre all the way all the way in case the tyre gone flat again....

We rode pass by Sungai Besar, Sikinchan…… At around 7pm, we are about 10km away from Kuala Selangor. I was a bit hungry but happy as we are near to destination. The spirit was high. 

       Just as I was relieve, tyre puncture for the third time. Come on man! Not again?? How could tyre puncture happen 3 times in a day?? Once again, my heart is like falling from heaven to hell. I have to push to the nearest BHP petrol station to fix the tyre (Special thanks to the BHP staff for giving me a spot to change the tyre). To add complications to the problem, the inner tube I get from a bike shop in Sg. Besar was not suitable. Now I do not have any spare inner tube. I was hungry, tired, disappointed and very demotivated.

I was actually being suggested to consider ending the trip here and take cab home as the next 10km ahead will be extremely dark and dangerous. We are also so close to the destinations and the trip can be considered as done. This rural area bike shop might not have suitable inner tube for my bike. I rejected the idea immediately. First of all I am running on a campaign, I cannot disappoint the donors who have their faith on us. Eventhough people might not find out, even though they might understand, it is still considered as cheating. Worst case I rather stay in the nearby hotel and wait for bike shop to open tomorrow. I might arrived late and miss the lunch organized by NASAM, but I will never quit. I try my luck by calling friend for help. To my surprise, a friend came to help……. 

[Please check back 4th August for "Day 4- Friend Discovery "]