I awoke after a great nights sleep and nonchalantly set off with the understanding that as I was at the highest point I’d be grabbing a ton of Ks in freewheel. Well…,I’m sure you can guess what happened next. After climbing (yep!) out of the town and up a 2.5k beast of a hill things looked good – downhill at silly speeds. And then it all went to sh1t. At this stage I must own up to a really stupid error. A rookie error at that. Not checking the profile! I could not have been more wrong about descending to Gua. It was hideous – the road, the scenery was dull and industrial, but most brutal of all – that after say a couple of Ks of descending you’d be greeted, over and over and over again, with a monster climb of about a K at around 10%. There were no food stalls or options to take a break. It was unrelenting. I got to kilometre 81 and wrestled my way up 37 such climbs (I counted them, combining to an elevation gain of 2,325m!) I had to wave a white flag. Out of water and food, exhausted from the heat and climbing, and cramping in places I didn’t know I had (when I was cramping on the downhill I knew it was time!). After about an hour a lovely guy called Cody pulled up in a ute and took me to Gua Musang, where I am now. As it turns out most of what was left was downhill but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going any further on the bike today. From the thrill and sense of achievement yesterday to the Hell of the South today.
I later found this post on line:
‘The last but not least is the monster route to Gua. The profile is like a saw tooth and a lot of the gradients are an unrelenting 10-12%. It is considered the toughest route in Malaysia. It is extreme’
Whilst this relates to going the other way, it none the less aptly describes the horror of the terrain.
I’m struggling to stay motivated after today – it’s been a humbling experience, one which has taken its toll mentally and physically. Hopefully after a nights sleep and a rest day tomorrow I’ll be ready to go again. I’m pretty close to the Thai border 😊😊. But amidst the hideousness of the day I knew when I call it quits and gratefully accepted help. Not something that comes easy to me. I’ll look back on today I’m sure, when the hurt stops, as another lesson on this journey. A lesson I’d rather have had in another way but hey, we don’t get to choose when and how life throws us a lesson 😊
Out of food and water I found this guy selling drinks and snacks in a tiny village off the road. The only ‘shop’ all day! God send!
See the road creating that hill….that’s what I had over and over and over today.
The road surface was brutal all day today – just to add more pain to the day 🤣
Poly tunnels for strawberries everywhere
The whole landscape ruined by poly-tunnels 😢
Very colourful festival lanterns
I hope you get a good night’s sleep tonight my friend. This part of the journey sounds horrendous. As hard as it was, you did it and so proud of you to know when it was time to stop. I am sure your body thanks you for it too. I am in awe of you.
What a hideous road. That section road could have been the inspiration to that old mechanical arcade/fun fair game where you try to roll a penny down a mountain with a steep down-up-down-up road complete with 360 degree up-and-over rolls and cliff climbs.
But you did it including knowing when to stop and accept a lift.
I am really impressed. Not only by your cycling achievements but by the way you are abandoning some well worn habits in favour of a different response in the face of very challenging circumstances.
Hope you get a good sleep tonight. And have an interesting day with an easier ride tomorrow.
PS Loving the photos.
Hey Tony, just caught up on your last three amazing posts, and wow, I’m exhausted. It really has been, the good, the bad and the ugly. Far out! I know I would have just got off the bike and cried. You are a legend. Please take a deep breathe and feel so proud of what you have achieved. Not for the faint hearted. You won’t quit now, because surely, it can’t get any tougher. Thank you for sharing your journey and the amazing photos. I am learning along the way as well. Love you lots. 💜🤍💜🤍💜🤍