Cycling Kuala Lumpur Part 1

The trails at the  Rubber Research Institute (RRI) in Sungai Buloh was one of my favourite places to ride when I first started mountain biking in KL as you pretty much have the whole place to yourself. No runners to weave through but lots of mosquitoes to keep you company.

It’s pretty much got everything. It’s a great place for beginners to pick up mountain biking skills with challenging uphill section, sweet downhill, and a few technical bits that you can skip if you like and take the scenic route.

It’s a rubber estate so you’ll see tappers now and then. This is quite helpful if you get lost and need directions.

It has changed quite a bit since the last time I was here six months ago. The entrance is now fenced up with barbed wire by the developer and houses have sprung up at the entrance. That didn’t stop me from seeing my old friends there.

The Kota Damansara entrance into RRI is now fenced up with barbed wire by the developer who is busy converting the land nearby into houses for sale. It’s the largest land bank in the Klang Valley, I understand so why not. More houses per square meter more money all around.                 

I once almost ran over a snake that was lying smack in the middle of the trail early one morning while coming downhill. Thank God, I spotted it in the nick of time and managed to swerve. There are many pleasant memories here including a few getting lost when I first started riding solo.   

Well the ride was almost the same as I remember but now the migrant rubber tapper settlement has morphed into a village. Not sure how this goes on right under the authorities noses. Anyways some people must be turning a blind eye or have chosen to become blind.                   

I was privileged to see the eagles flying right above me as I finished my ride that day and was heading out. Wow that was simply awesome.

It was as if an old friend was saying farewell. “I may not be here when you return next. Remember all the good times we had together because that’s all that will be left of RRI one day.”

I finished off the ride with some of my favourite post ride nutrition, Maggi Mee Goreng with 100Plus.