Rapha Festive 500 : The Story

THE BUILD-UP

It was around teatime on December 22^nd, 2017. My friends were all hot on the Festive 500 topic. Sipping my warm latte, I was feeling a little left out. Being a mountainbiker, riding long distance, on the tarmac and under the scorching heat of the sun, was alien concept to me. I have never ridden more than 80km on my 11kg full suspension 29-er in my three years as a two-wheeler. I do not own a roadbike, hence I didn't even try to get into the conversation with these “roadies”.

The Tractor

Seeing me nonchalant, my buddies put the challenge across to me, jokingly. They believe it would be an amazing feat if I achieved the 500km on my machine. 

They nicknamed it “The Tractor”.

I wasn't really sure if their intentions were pure, but it sounded more like a dare. The reward was a pinkish woven badge, they added. Well, I am not a person who bows down when my pride is at stake. So, The Tractor was about to roll on an epic journey.

THE JOURNEY

While everyone was still hugging their bolsters and drooling in bed at dawn of Christmas eve, we started our journey. There were three of us; a cyclocross, a roadbike and my Tractor. Being

the heaviest and least aero, I stayed at the back most of the ride.

Even from the rear, following them was taxing on my legs. My cadence was constant and forcefully high all the time, due to our speed. My neck and back started to ache, as I couldn't lift my head up and risk jeopardizing myself breaking from the train. At the 85^th km, I started questioning myself on why did I even agree to this in the first place. Because of my pride, I pedaled on. And it was hell.

Our constraint here in Penang is to ride long distance. We are living on an island, where going on a full round-the-island ride is only about 85km. Our roads were narrow and busy (especially during the holidays), with no reserved bike lanes on most parts. If we plan to do a double loop, we would be exposed to the dangers of traffic hustle and bustle on our second round. And bear in mind, not all drivers are friendly and considerate. Despite the glorious hoo-haa about this Festive 500 among cyclists, we would still not risk our lives, even if it was over a diamond studded woven badge.

There was no glory in being run over by a 2008 model of Proton (our national car). We just might consider if it was a Bugatti. Just kidding!

Back on the roads, lateral foot pain creeped in on me at the 100km mark. I had to stop. So I told my friends I'd take a breather. They found a small flat 20km loop around my rest area and came back to where I was.

Like it or not, the journey home was another 25-30km. I picked myself up after my pain eased, and soldiered on. Rode the flat loop which my friends found earlier with lighter gears and grandma's speed.

I ended the first day with 345km to go, arrived home looking like roasted turkey.

I rested for the next two days. It was Christmas, for god's sake!

On the second riding day, I had to do it alone. Clocked 50km that evening wheeling my 29x2.0 rubbers towards the beach. Nothing interesting happened. Though I have to admit I was missing my buddies dearly, for the tough job they did shielding me from the headwind on the first day. Thank you guys!

Panoramic view of Gertak Sanggul beachfront.

Break of dawn line-up.

Third riding day came, legs still jelly-ish, we started riding at dawn with a mission to go around the island again.

I was a zombie on a carbon horse. However, the strange part about the day is, once I hit the halfway point of 250km, a tingling feel of  power beckoned in me and brought me back to life. The Tractor didn't feel so heavy and the heat wasn't bothering me either. The whole atmosphere changed. My soul was on fire.

I took a deep breath, exhaled and shouted outloud, “I can finish this!” My friends turned over their shoulders, and smiled and approved. They raised their speed from then on, I struggled catching up. They literally took my breath away, so they deserved some scolding as we concluded the ride. 180 clicks to go with 4 days to the new year.

Fourth and fifth riding day was easy spinning. We cranked another 90km along the breezy coastline, stopping for beautiful sunrise photos. Never realized the fact that I was staying in this pretty place.

Clouds over Gertal Sanggul.

Sunrise view overlooking the Penang second bridge.

THE FINALE

Kampung Terang paddy fields.

December 30^th 2017. The final 90km. My friends suggested adding a little bit of elevation and offroad riding to mark the completion of the journey. Of course I agreed without a second thought, I 'm on The Tractor after all!

 The decisive 15km to completion, we went into the paddy fields and trails, experienced the lush green surroundings and was welcomed by annoying mosquitos. Topped it off with a 25% gradient climb. And at that moment we realized, it was the dumbest collective decision we all ever made. 

At 12.58pm local time, we concluded the Rapha Festive 500 challenge. The suffering, the mental torture and the willingness to barbecue ourselves under the sun over the past few days has come to an end.

Joy, fun and enthralled is an understatement of the whole riding experience.

Azim and I climbing the Tropical Fruit Farm winding roads.

Sir Edmund Hillary once quoted, “People do not decide to become extraordinary, they just decide to accomplish extraordinary things.”

The Tractor has raised the bar.

And upon claiming the Festive 500 woven badge, I dedicate my heartfelt gratitude to my friends, Azim Merican and Faisal Abdullah who tirelessly psyched and helped me complete this journey, together.

Thank you Rapha, for this window of experience. I'll see you guys again next year!

--
M. Arif Alias

Penang, Malaysia

S-Works Epic FSR 29
( https://www.instagram.com/arifalias/ )
( https://www.facebook.com/arifalias )

Strava Activity Links for this entry

https://www.strava.com/activities/1325035073

https://www.strava.com/activities/1327641511

https://www.strava.com/activities/1328641564

https://www.strava.com/activities/1329850856

https://www.strava.com/activities/1331200743

https://www.strava.com/activities/1332519331

The team proudly signifying the #Festive 500 challenge.

Short Video Snippets

Linkin Park - Roads Untraveled

Linkin Park - Roads Untraveled (Youtube)

Weep not for roads untraveled
Weep not for paths left alone
'Cause beyond every bend
Is a long blinding end
It's the worst kind of pain I've known

Give up your heart left broken
And let that mistake pass on
'Cause the love that you lost
Wasn't worth what it cost
And in time you'll be glad it's gone

Weep not for roads untraveled
Weep not for sights unseen
May your love never end
And if you need a friend
There's a seat here alongside me

Pete Yorn - Lose You (Cover)

The Last Ingredient

I'm a guy who never knew how to make my own cup of coffee (or drinks). I only rely on 3-in-1 sachets, mamak or coffee joints for my caffeine fix. I have always wondered how my mom makes coffee or tea for us where the taste is always the same consistently. Every jug, every cup.

Until one day, someone shared with me the secret to the coffee recipe I drink. It goes like this:

1 teaspoon of coffee
2 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoon of creamer
The rest is just LOVE.

I never really understood the last ingredient back then.

As years passed, I learned that this last ingredient is the most important part, which is what makes a cup of coffee, coffee. Consistently.

To everyone who prepares and serves coffee for their loved ones, I salute you.

As for me, I'm still learning to fix myself a cup everyday.

:: Power ::

"Power is something you, and only you,  are able to understand when it is bestowed upon you.

By the time it is understood, you have probably lost it."

-a@-

:: Malaysians and GST ::

The latest uproar on this side of the world is the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) by the Malaysian government. The social media newsfeed has been flooded with complaints and pictures of receipts.

Personally, judging from my own Facebook newsfeed, a lot of people are still pretty confused about GST. A clear example would be in the case of Mydin and Al-Ikhsan retailers, who became gentlemen by "absorbing" the GST (in other words, not reflecting them to the consumers).

Receipts from Mydin USJ

The absorption of tax by Mydin does not literally mean that the GST is not charged. It simply means that the price of goods/services are "reverse-engineered" so that the price of goods stay the same, before and after the implementation of GST. Retailers, like Mydin and al-Ikhsan are previously imposed with the Sales and Services Tax (SST) and Import Duty Tax prior to the new tax implementation. This has been lumped in together with the price of goods/services but not stated in the receipt. With the new tax system, the retailers MUST produce receipts showing a brief GST calculation, together with their GST identification. The SST has been abolished and replaced with GST. 

Hence, considering this case where the public is assuming that Mydin has "cheated" consumers is ABSOLUTELY WRONG.

The selling price of goods stays the same. The difference is only that the final selling is deducted by a rate of 6%. That is what they meant by absorption. However, compared to old SST system, they have to show how the GST is charged to the consumers in the receipt.

Despite the negativity out there, I believe this new tax system is the way to move forward. Simply by charging 6% across the board, tax distribution is even-ed. The more you spend, the more tax you pay. It is rather fair to consider that if you are earning more and able to spend more than your peers, you should be taxed more. Your relief despite spending more will be from your personal income tax.

For the slightly "less generous" income group, who usually spends on everyday goods, are paying less tax or exempted from GST. Most everyday goods are zero-rated GST products. You can get more information from the link I shared below:

http://www.gstmalaysia.co/gst-zero-rated-exemption-supply-list/158/

Taxes are alien to most people, and surprisingly, that includes the personal income tax. Before we start complaining, put up a little bit of effort to read and understand the basic of taxes implemented in Malaysia. Hopefully by doing so, you would understand where I am coming from by stating that it is the way to move forward.

Cheers.

-a@-

:: Dr Cermin PJ: Outstanding Service ::

My car windscreen is cracked.

Well, it is a little embarrassing to share how it happened in the first place, but here goes.

It was about 7-8 months ago, scorching sunny day. I was driving around with my girlfriend looking for a place to eat. She was nagging. About something. Non-stop along the way (I still love her despite your constant pot-pet!).

I was attempting to seek some info with my then Samsung Galaxy S3 (let's just leave your lecture about texting while driving some other time) when a call came in from my office simultaneously. We all know how jumpy our data coverage is along Klang Valley highways. And that s3 has not been up to my (impossible) performance standards as of late.

As you can guess, the dumb phone froze. I was not able to answer that call nor did I get any info I was seeking earlier. My girlfriend was still ranting on the passenger seat. All these at the same time, while being stuck in a congested traffic environment. 

I snapped. A split-second moment of rage got me (I am known for my temper bursts). I threw my phone across the windscreen. Of course, the silent moment finally set in.

Funny thing is, I totally forgot that I was using a high-impact housing for my s3. My phone was intact with no damage whatsoever, but there was a crack on my windscreen.

I have sworn off Samsung or Android devices since then, for their performance instability (please note that this is an Apple fanboy's personal experience).

And of course, shortly after the silence, i just gave my partner a new topic to nag on.

Fast forward to yesterday, i decided I should get my windscreen replaced. I made a call to Dr Cermin PJ branch asking the procedures and what is needed for the process to go thru.

A friendly guy gave me a list of documents I should be bringing to the outlet for processing.

1. Copy of insurance policy cover note (which states that I have my windscreen insured). 
2. Copy of updated vehicle registration card (widely known as geran kereta).
3. Copy of IC and driver's license (both front and back).

Windscreen insurance coverage is charged separately from your car insurance. The usual rate is 15% of your total windscreen replacement cost, which in my case of Toyota Vios 2008 (dugong) model, is RM180 a year for a coverage of RM1200.

So, earlier this morning I went for my appointment at Mayang Industrial Park, SS25. The team was friendly enough to greet me when I arrived and went straight to process my documents. They made a few calls for verification purposes, and after about 15 minutes, my car was on its way to restoration.

A few photos were snapped prior to the removal of my old windscreen. And they kept me informed on why it has to be done.

Photo snapping for claim verification process by one of their personnel

Much to my surprise, the whole course only took slightly more than an hour. And my car was ready. One of them approached me at the customer seating area to explain the do's and do not's while the glue is still fresh. The glue will dry off perfectly after a week.

The end result

Another round of snapping photos went on for the final result and I was good to go. Due to my insurance coverage, I did not have to fork out a single cent today. Choose your battles wisely, my dear "prudent warriors".

Wow. It never occurred to me it was going to be brief. I was under the impression that it was going to be a long process, hence why I have been holding off going for replacement all these time. Plus, this car of mine has been "slightly" neglected since a new favorite took over. The reception received was exceptionally warm (most will know the boring and lengthy hours being stuck at a workshop).

To those of you who would like to go for windscreen repairs or replacements, here is the address:

Dr Cermin Sdn Bhd (Petaling Jaya Branch)

20, Jalan SS25/34,

Mayang Industrial Park,

47301 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor.

Tel: 016 212 8690

Fax: 03 7887 6772
Webpage: www.drcermin.com

A round of applause to the Dr Cermin team in the PJ outlet. I shall be back here if I happened to succumb to another moment of rage again. :-|

Cheers.

-a@-