#short scribe

The short loop was about 18 Km and undoubtedly more than 500m elevation gain.They did say the trail is NOT for kids but I saw 2 other children finish and also some men giving up! Not macho at all.

Everyone arrived early and busied themselves preparing. Briefing was about the annual dinner and T-Shirt sizes and then about the trail. The checkpoint at 8 Km is where the Short and Long loop splits. At 8:57am we started.

The start was an easy offroad till we reach the first hill that slowly turned into the slipperiest uphill ever. Progress was slow but the climb wasn’t too long before we reached the muddiest downhill. It was so muddy that soon the tyres looked like donuts with thick icing.

Then out we were on to kampung roads for a bit till we met the 8 Km checkpoint. He was making sure everyone was safe and sure of where to go.

Maybe we could have gotten a ride from him for the next hill.

This one was a climb like no other. An hour of relentless ascent to the top, climbing 260m and covering 4 Km in the blazing sun. Our hopes of arriving at the top shatters at every turn as it reveals another long uphill. At last, we met rest at the very top.

Everyone here was happy. Probably the descent was next. They promised the longest descent in ever!

The descent this time was rocky. The organisers has made the most challenging bash yet that had everything mountain biking is about. And they were right about this trail being not for children. Cheers! This means I can have a beer to celebrate.