Special pasta at 55k mts Asl. Video @insta_kashmir_ #tomountainsibelong #mountainsandme #peace #IMF #Climbathon2016 https://www.instagram.com/p/CBXWxrKj33i/?igshid=clucf0ptqw2q

A Dream Reclaimed Part 1.5 of 2 #climbathon #climbathon2016 Mornings at the base of the mountain are magical. Trees hold strong against a stream of mist-chilled air that rolls across the mountainside like a river. Colors dull against light faded by cloud cover. The #rainforest crackles with life as monkeys swing above without care. And this is where our cottage sat, deep within the rainforest and many kilometers from the start line. We rode to the start line on our orange colored #Honda PX150 that rattled when the grade gave it trouble. At first along roads made of mud and stones of myriad sizes that we continually swerved to avoid. Our tires slid sideways across mud moistened by the mist of the cool night air. Behind us mud flung freely into the air and unto our backs from treads that failed to catch their grip. When the dirt road turned to highway we began to move quite quickly and the fog swirled in circles behind us. The speedometer bounced once we exceed 80 Km/hr and it was hard to determine our speed. Driving a scooter in the mountains in #Malaysia is very dangerous. The visibility was low. The air was so moist that streaks of water ran sideways across the visor that snapped to my loose-fitting helmet. My hands gripped the handles tightly, fatiguing my forearms to cramping. My body tensed up; focus strained the muscles behind my eyes. Coming at us at all times were busses overtaking #Winnebagos or construction equipment that could barely make the inclines. Traffic swerved into our lane without warning and at full speed and headed straight for our position. With a quick lean to the left, toward edge of the road, we would sway just to barely avoid it. It was at that moment. Moving through the clouds and fog. Sliding through the mud that was determined to stop us. Avoiding the oncoming traffic that so toiled to take us. As if through the darkest moments of a dream, we emerged at the start line. Unshaken. And ready for whatever #MountKinabalu could muster. We were on a mission to find our #dreamsBeyondReality (at Mount Kinabalu)