The morning saw a bunch of riders congregating at Azizah Curry House having breakfast and ready to roll. The exact number was not known, but we were later on joined by another group making the total of 32 men and boys. Riders are also of a mixed level. There were newbies, seasoned, and intermediates as well; with age ranging from schoolboys to 40+ (kot). As you can expect from an mtb ride, you'll never feel like a stranger although the first time riding along. Of course, there were a few familiar faces, but you feel accepted by most if not all of them. Unfortunately Fahmi couldn't ride with us due to health reasons. Never mind, there's always a 'next time'. InsyaAllah.

The trailhead is just a few hundred meters from the rendezvous point (and a few of the riders' houses are nearby, lucky them). In no time, we hit the dirt of the palm oil plantation. The ride was leisurely all throughout, except for the lung-busting and leg-burning excursion uphill all the way to the communication tower. Albeit, I'd say that the trail mix is quite good. There were singletrack, wide offroad, uphill, sweet rolling downhill, and river stream as well (okay, we didn't cycle into the river lah). 

I tracked the trail via Sports-Tracker, and took a few photos along. However, the apps crashed suddenly while I was busy with taking photos and videos at the stream. Too bad, it was unrecoverable and I lost it. However, the photos are geotagged and I could track the trail later if I'm not lazy.

Anyway, the return trail was tracked and the data as thus:

There were three highlights of the ride:

1. The killing climb to the transmission tower

2. Sallehuddin (aka Jalut) met with an accident while going downhill

3. Relaxing in the stream

I managed to get up to a certain level of the climb towards the tower, and decided to take a rest before continuing again. I don't know if I was already at halfway point or two-third up or anywhere it might have been, but it must've been a long rest. The moment I decided to put my butt on the saddle, people who went up earlier were bombing down already. Well, there it went. It was one long and steep climb. My hats off to Ah Chong (with 1x10), Rahman, Rudy, Tony and others who managed to climb up all the way.

After the climb, we proceeded to the stream. While going down a mild descend, Salleh hit the ground. Perhaps his pedal hit the higher ground while the tires were in the rut. Luckily he was able to walk and we were not far from the PLUS highway. We managed to get the highway support vehicle and send him to the hospital. He sustained a broken shoulder bone from what I gathered. Hopefully a speedy recovery for him. As a name would also serve as a do'a, friends decided not to call him Jalut anymore, only Salleh from now on.

A few good samaritans chaperoned Salleh with his bike, while the others pursued to the main highlight of the ride - the river stream. It was not that far, really, with only mild climbing and relatively flat terrain. The part I like is upon entering the jungle trail towards the river. It's like being in the woods in a foreign land. Quiet, calm, shady, plus the mix of rustling leaves on the floorbed and green fresh ones on the bushes are absolutely breathtaking. It has been quite some time since I last had the same feeling (during my trekking days while in college). The waterfall during the ride in Kota Tinggi was awesome, but this one is different.

Going back was refreshing, as we were out from the cold water and tummies filled. The 6km was an illusion really. My tracking showed 11+ km. Anyway, it was not as taxing as in Melaka. More than half of the journey back was on tarmac where I drafted most of the way behind faster and stronger riders.

Many thanks to riders in Kulai for an unforgettable ride that day. Keep on crankin'!

Have a safe ride. Enjoy it!

The incident occurred on the bus lane 200m from the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine checkpoint at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar.

Corporal Ismayuddin Ramli (above), 50, who had been with the force for nearly 30 years, was standing on the road divider when the Singapore-registered chartered bus, driven by the woman from Taman Pulai Perdana, Johor Baru, rammed into him, killing him on the spot.

The 49-year-old driver had allegedly lost control of the bus which collided with a car before mowing down Ismayuddin.

Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff, who visited Ismayuddin's family at Felda Taib Andak here, said the driver fled the scene without stopping the bus but policemen caught her later.

She is being investigated for causing death through reckless or dangerous driving which could see her jailed and fined upon conviction.

"This is the life of a policeman. He was performing his duty when the bus rammed into him," a visibly shaken Mokhtar said.

Ismayuddin of Kampung New Zealand, Pahang, was laid to rest after Friday prayers at the Muslim burial ground of Felda Taib Andak.

He leaves behind wife Norsiah Mohd Amin, 47, and five children.

Ismayuddin's widow was seen being comforted by her brother, Masod Mohd Amin, 57.

Masod said Ismayuddin, who had a cheerful disposition, was exceptionally quiet in the last few days. "My son got married last Saturday and all our relatives came to celebrate the occasion. It was such a happy event, and now this had to happen."

Ismayuddin's daughter, Norfarhana, 24, a sales executive, said her father slept most of the day before leaving for work on Thursday.

"It is hard for the family to accept his death because it was so sudden," Norfarhana said. Ismayuddin was formerly attached to the Kluang traffic police before he was transferred to the Johor Baru south traffic police station in 2008.