Penang Highest Mountain Ride -August 21, 2011

Last week Team Vista has a very hard event. We are planning to ride to the top of  Penang Island . That's call Penang Hill, also can be name : Bukit Bendera. The height of the hill is above sea level 830 meter,total distance of the trail is nearly 5 km. This is the most highest & slop hill road trail that we never been try before.This time,due to we know that this is not an easy ride;so we decided to carry our bike with our car to meet all the rider at Botanical Garden.This garden is a main entrance to Penang hill.

At nearly 8.45am,all the team rider have arrived (total 14 rider for this event). We start to try this most difficult & hard trail.Heard from some experiences hill climber,total routine have only two rest point. The two rest point name 48 & 84 (the climber also don't know where this code came from,but every climber call that.) When start we already have to climb nearly 40 degree slop tar road. The slop is all the way(no flat land at all)& a lot of shard corner,some slop we feel that is nearly 60 degree. We all using nearly  30 minute to reach the first rest point(that's 48).We have two rider due to took their breakfast heavily & feeling not well(That is our team captain Ken & rider Tan).We took 20 minute to rest & let both of them to recover, after that we start to climb again.

From 48 to second rest point 84 is not that slop,but is still no flat land for us. We used about 15 minute to reach the second rest point 84. We stop at 84 to wait for the slow comer.In 84 rest point,that's serve a free drink & free coffee.Only thing is after drink you can donate some money that you like.This is to support for this rest point to keep on duty for all the hill climber & morning walker.We all using 20 minute in 84 & start to challenge the final trail.This time we all feel more energy(may be after have a cup of coffee in 84). Every one try their very best to finish the journey. At 10.50am,finally we all reach the top of Penang Island.Is feel great,we can view the whole Penang island like using a bird view,is really beautiful.This Sunday got a lot of tourist here.We also ask some tourist help us to took our group photo.One group of Taiwanese tourist invite us go to Taiwan to cycling with them,they say that they know Team Vista & very happy can meet us in Penang hill.

We rest at Penang Hill nearly 1 hour. In 12.00pm,we start to roll down,of cause when climb hill is slop & down hill will be very fast & dangerous.From Penang Hill down to the Botanical Garden we only use about 30 minute with two stop(due to must keep the break pad cool). You see climb hill time we used  nearly 2 hour but for down hill is only 30 minute,you can imagine how slop of the trail is.At 12.40pm,we all reach Botanical Garden,& today event Penang Highest Mountain Ride is end.

This week event is not an easy ride,but is not a difficult ride also.We all feel happy & have a lot of fun in the journey.For Team Vista,this is another type of  Ride For Fun too.

Single Speed Ride-August 7, 2011

This week the event is test our patience & body fitness purpose. We name the event Single Speed Ride,is mean all the rider will only can use a single gear without changing the gear to complete all the journey.This time we start at 7.30am ,due to early morning raining;so it slightly delay our flag off time. The routine of this event is from Relau via Sungai Ara through Gertak Sanggul.Total team rider & cycling friends who join this event is 22 person. The distance of this event is about 40 km & time to use is about 3 & half hours.

When start to ride is feel very difficult,becuase we all using high gear.We feel the bike can't roll due to the gear is too light.But we also worry about is we use low gear when climbing the slop will be difficult.So,we can see all cyclist keep pumping their leg to push the bike forward.Even though this morning the weather is cold,but our body is keep on sweating.Normal ride,we only used 40 minute to reach Gertak Sanggul,but this time we used nearly an hour to reach there.Is really tired & our body is all wet.We take a rest in Gertak Sanggul about 20 minute ,than we decided to go to Batu Maung market to have our break fast.

On the way to Batu Maung,maybe all of us already understand the rhythm of single speed,we can feel all the cyclist can ride faster , easier on the flat road & climbing the slop.At about 9.20am,we all reach Batu Maung market.Our team rider Eddie meet his friend in the market,& his friend invited us to have some nice fried pork & roast duck.(due to the market is having a Chinese Ghost festival celebration,it serve a lot fruits , roast duck,chicken & fried pork). We all enjoy the food that Eddie friends supply,it really taste good.

 We rest in the market for 40 minute. About 10.20am, we start to ride back to Relau,of cause we all using single speed to riding home too. We reach Relau about 11.15am & this Single Speed Ride event is end .Today journey to us is really different,is a good practice for patience & fitness. We will arrange this type of single speed ride in Team Vista event again. Is really a healthy & a good ride to us.

Penang Garden Ride July 31, 2011

Time have pass very fast, very soon another week for Team Vista event begin. This week our event title is Penang Garden ride.We are not round the small garden near our house. The event is to ride all the garden that we could go through Penang Island.Total distance will be 50 km & the time we need is roughly 4-5 hours. As usual We all gather in Relau(Team Vista starting point).7.00am sharp we flag off,This event we have total 23 cyclist including  12 Team Vista rider.Team Vista is slowly glow become a big group from earlier 15 rider weekly ride until 25 to 30 cyclist in a week.

We start from Relau via Bukit Jambul road to Bukit Gambir road. In Bukit Gambir road there got a small slop roughly 45 degree tar road up hill.The distance is short(about 1 Km) ,but for some new comer is already give them a pleasure.Near by the Bukit Gambir road that's a small hill behind it.On top that small hill have a chinese temple, We also climb up to that hill to check in to the chinese temple.Is a very slop & hard trail to that temple ,but our cyclist manage to complete with out pushing the bike.We use 20 minute to rest at the temple than we start ride to another venue Penag Youth Park (Taman Bandar Raya).

From Bukit Gambir to Youth Park is about 30 minute ride,we all reach Youth Park at 8.50am.Youth park is a land mark garden in Penang island,have a very beautiful view & surrounding with all the  wood & flower. After a 15 minute stop, we ride to another land mark & historical garden in Penang (Botanical Garden) this is an oldest public garden in Penang island. From Youth Park to Botanical Garden is very near, about 2 km ride.We stop at road side fruit store to have some fresh fruit juice & meet our team photographer there. We took some nice photo & rest a bout 20 minute, Than we decided to use Gurney Drive( the outer beach road) to ride back to Relau.

On the way back, we also stop at the Tan Bridge(one of the historical place)to have our break fast.We took 30 minute to have a rest & finish our meal. At 11.15am, we all start to ride back to Relau. We used Jelutong high way through Bayan Baru to Relau,when we reach Relau is nearly 12.00pm.

Sound like this event is easy.but due to have some new beginner cyclist to join us; for them is a bit hard & tired.But its ok,they also feel that it is really fun & enjoy the event & want to have another trip like this again.

Ya,our team photographer also took a lot of nice photo in this event. We will public soon when the photo is ready.

Lite & Easy Ride July 24, 2011

On 24,July 2011. Team Vista is having a team event on this Sunday morning,.the event we name it Lite & Easy Ride. Is specially arrange for some new cyclist to join with us. As usual we start at 7.00am at Relau .The routine for this event is from Relau to Sungai Ara &  Batu Maung. Total distance is 37 km.This time is have have 25 cyclist to join with us.

First, we ride to Changkat Sungai Ara hill road,This road is slightly slope & let the new comer to train their skill for up hill.After that we travel to small off road from Kenali to Sp Setia.This off road is a very short distance to let the new comer to feel how to ride in off road. All the new comer is happy have the up hill climb & off road ride.We rest at Sp Setia club house for 5 minute than, we start to ride to Batu Maung.Via the Batu Maung road we can see the Penang air port,& also can view the plan take off & landing. its a fantatic experiences for some new comer especially for those cyclist came from Butterwoth.

We also travel to Kampung Tempoya(a small fishing village near Batu Maung). after that we go to Batu Maung market to have a great taste Hock Kien Mee(Prawn Noodle).About 30 minute, then we start to ride back to ReLau.We reach Relau about 11.00am.

This event is really good for beginner. Its Easy,Cheerful & Enjoy,even the journey is not long, but for all the new comer is enough for them to enjoy the ride.

TEAM VISTA BUKIT PENARA RIDE

On 17-7-2011 morning, Team Vista weekly team event is start to roll. This time is not a fun ride, we decided to challenge a new trail name : Bukit Penara  (Penara Hill). Is about 600 meter height from Balik Pulau town to Ayer Itam Dam.The distance of the trail is about 10 km.

At 7.00 am sharp,all the Team Vista riders & cycling friends is start ride from Relau.This event total have 21 cyclist(is glad to see more & more fun cyclist friends enjoy the ride with Team Vista).

We ride Paya Terubong tar road via Tun Sardun to Balik Pulau market.Still the same Tun Sardun is one of the hard road for some rider.At 8.05 am , we all stop at the Balik Pulau market. We all having a rest & get some break fast in the market food store. May be Team Vista always support this coffee store,the boss of the store today gave us a free gift, is a tropical fruit call" Cempedak". Is a nice sweet local fruit,every one love it.This is an additional benefit for this event.

After 30 minute,we all start to go to the Bukit Penara. This trail is totally new to all of us, only our team sweeper Chew been here before.The trail is really hard, from  ground already starting slope all the way to the top. Is roughly 35 degree slop all the way.Some of the rider pushing their bike & some of the rider must have 3 stop.We took about an hour to reach the top. Finally.this Bukit Penara Ride completed.

We all took 15 minute rest & start to from Ayer Itam Dam to going home. We use Ayer Itam road via  Paya Terubong To Relau. At about 12pm, we all reach Relau & have a final break in Relau market coffee shop. Total distance of this event is 40km,the time we took to completed is about 5 hour.

One of the cycling friends say: luckily i ride with Team Vista,if not i will halfway turn back, because Team Vista  is not fast so i can slowly follow.If ,you all speed like pro,i definitely will out of energy because i can't left behind too far from the group.(Ha Ha Ha,Don't worry guys. Team Vista event no matter hard or soft,we only like to Ride For Fun !)

Team Vista Penang: Team Vista Invisible Penang Island Tour

Team Vista Penang: Team Vista Invisible Penang Island Tour

Team Vista Balik Pulau Song Song Ride July 10, 2011

Last Sunday, due to some rider go to join the Kayuh Bendang Jamboree, So we decided to arrange a small fun ride event name Song Song ride(means enjoy ).The routine is from Relau to Balik Pulau & return to Relau via Tun Sardun road.

As usual we start at 7am flag off from Relau via Sungai Ara to Balik Pulau. this trip,Team Vista meet some new cycling friend,total of the cyclist in this event is 21 persons.One of the new cycling friend also carry a small Mp3 player & play music along the trip. The weather of this day is excellent,bright sunny day & cold wing plus have music all along;it is really a "Song Song" ride. At around 9am we  reach Balik Pulau Market,thats a place that a lot of cyclist drop by to have their break fast or rest point.

It take about 30 minuet we all finish our break fast & start to go.The way from Relau to Balik Pulau is easy,but the way back is a bit challenge to all the cyclist.Due to we must cross a very slop Tun Sardun road ( about 45 degree & 5km)to Relau.This road is not easy must use your skill & patience to reach the top.About 35 minute we all safely reach there. We took some nice photo & rest about 20 minute.After every one recover their energy we decided to go home.

At about 11am,we all reach Relau,& take a rest in the Relau market coffee shop.

The distance of this  event is about 40km & the time we took is about 4 hour.Its not really hard(only Tun Sardun road),beside of that we have music, sunny day & nice view along the journey.So, i think the trip is suit for this title Song Song ride.