Camping with kids

Nothing brings family & friends closer together than a fun vacation, especially one in the outdoors enjoying nature away from home. Unlike camping back in those (before children) years, camping with kids is a totally new experience. All it takes is a little extra planning, preparation & patience. Camping with children as young as 3 years old can be fun & produce lots of memories that we'll cherish for a lifetime.

We are all kids at heart when it's time to go camping...

Iwen (ages 3) & Wien (ages 5) on their first camping trip. Camping introduces kids to nature & gives them a feeling of freedom as they safely explore the campsite.

The kids get hungry faster because we're always busy with something, swimming... wild foods collecting... shrimp trapping... bushcrafting... & there is no doubt about it, food just tastes better outdoors.

No iPhone or other electronic toys... Just family & friends hanging out around the campfire until the next meal ready to savour. Good food, great company, good time!

Kayuh Lasak 2011 "KAW RIDE"

"Kaw - Tim"...

with 1,487 participants, only a little over 300 riders got through all nine checkpoints. Some people said this is probably the toughest MTB challenge in Malaysia.

Pre Kayuh Lasak 2011

I'm ready... See you dare!

Survival Kit?

...or a "Recreation Kit" as i would preferred to call it.

In theory, this kit is a must for those who spend any time away from civilization which contains tools & supplies for some basic survival needs such as fire, water & shelter in a survival situation (with knowledge & skills of course)
But how often do we travel to remote places that far away from any mobile phone signal? A survival kit may sound too serious & it seems irrelevant, but somehow i find it quite amusing for another reason...

Starting a fire without matches or lighter (In this case, with Doan magnesium block from the kit) on a wet day is quite tricky. The only dry materials i found was a 3 feet long 2"x3" with nails on it & some fibers from a coconut tree as tinder...

Bon appetit! Nothing beats hot dogs on improvised bamboo skewers over an open fire. With a kit, skills like these can be practiced/used to better appreciate nature & for recreation, not just survival.

S240 Bikepacking... Old Crag Hotel (Penang’s Hidden Heritage)

Initially, it was supposed to be a simple Sub 24-hour overnight bike trip (S240) to experiment a rackless setup by using dry bag as a seat bag. But we ended up doing something really crazy that i could not possibly imagine especially with two newbies (Chen & Polo) joining the madness, riding one of the toughest trail in Penang on a bikepacking setup.

The plan was simple,
Day 1 : Hye Keat trail - Penang Hill - Old Crag Hotel (Camp)
Day 2 : Tiger Hill - back to where we started

Crag Hotel? Where?
A hidden deserted old hotel...on top of Penang Hill...off the beaten track...coupled with a fascinating history. That’s all i know, i needed to know & i do know, less information = more adventure.

With good company & a place we’ve never been to explore. We rode, we trekked & we joked all the way till the next morning comes & back to where we started 24 hours ago.

Stay tuned, more photos coming soon...

DIY Shrimp Trap

It's been a long time since i "play waterfall". As usual, my waterfall outing is more than just a dip in the cool running water & a picnic. It's an opportunity to practice some wilderness skills or Bushcraft.

Penang (Malaysia) is truly blessed with so many natural attractions. Waterfall remains among my all-time favorites. Sadly, the number of waterfalls in the island is falling fast due to the quest to become a "Developed country". It's almost impossible to find a good waterfall spot without the presence of trash. Plastic water bottle is one of them.

As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure! So i decided to DIY shrimp trap & give it a try.

A shrimp trap can be easily built with a plastic bottle. All i need is a knife, some wire/string & some bread for bait and i'm good to go. The traps were set for less than an hour & here are the results.

A plastic bottle can also be used to keep the catch. At the end of the day, i decided to keep those bottles & release the catch back into the water.

Campaign For A Lane 2011

Anyone who rode on that day will tell you... the rain is the best part of the ride that brings back the memories of younger days playing in the rain. Oh ya! Not forgetting the cool looking medal makes the perfect souvenir of this memorable day too.

More Photos Here:
Baikbike.com

Bye Bye Training Wheels

Do you remember when is your first time riding a bike without training wheels? Wien did it at four & a half of age.

It's all started with a push on a tricycle 3 years ago... Now my little kawanbike has achieved a major milestone in its development by riding a bicycle without training wheels. Way to go buddy!

Classic Brooks saddle

Just like a pair of Levis 501 Shrink-to-Fit button fly jeans i have worn in those (smaller beer belly) days. It is great fun "breaking" them in and seeing how they "mold" to my body & getting more comfortable over time.

Wien, Iwen & Brooks as at 13 July 2011, before i get the

saddle molded with my butt or vise versa

Trail Gator Wee Ride

"Daddy look!...baa..nanah...on tree"

That was the first thing that captured my little boy's (Iwen) attention as we roll our way into the beautiful wide open landscape. Countless questions about everything whizzed by thereafter... the birds, the cows, the sheeps, the makcik-makcik (Aunties) who fish along the water channel & many many others. The word 'Why?' will be there in almost all the sentences. Fell asleep on a ride has become a thing of the past. Boy oh boy, they grow up so quickly, don't they?

A photograph cannot stop time, but it can freeze it, capturing a beautiful moment in a child’s development which would otherwise be lost forever.

Priceless... A sweet 18km evening ride on our faithful mountain bike in full 'Child mode' captured in a beautiful moment.

DIY Pick-up truck bike rack... in action

1.2..3...Here we go!

Practicality proven! All-PVC construction is surprisingly strong, yet it is lightweight for easy put on/off the truck bed. (Photos taken last Sunday after Gunung Jerai ride)

Trail-Gator Child Bike Tow Bar

The smart way to cycle with children?
After taking a couple of rides...I totally agree!

The Trail-Gator Bicycle Tow Bar converts an ordinary child's bike into a safe, towable trailer bike, whenever desired. To ride attached, simply unclip the tow bar from the stored position on the adult bike, extend it, and connect it to the receiver, which is mounted on the child's bike. When the child's bike is connected, the front wheel is lifted off the ground and a stabilizing bar prevents the handlebars from turning, leaving the adult in control of steering. Children can choose to coast or pedal while they are being towed, making the ride much easier for them.

For independent riding, the Trail-Gator Bicycle Tow Bar telescopes together and folds down safely and compactly to the side of the adult bike and is securely held in place by a storage bracket. The tow bar stores discretely out of the way on the adult bike and is always there if needed. This option gives children a chance to ride on their own, and further their bicycling skills.

Attachment and detachment can be done at any time and only takes seconds. No tools are necessary and no parts need to be removed from either bike. The tow bar weights just 5 pounds and the high-strength steel construction make it virtually indestructible. The Trail-Gator Bicycle Tow Bar gives adults and children the option of riding together or separately for a fun, safe, and enjoyable bike ride. Whichever option you choose, the Trail-Gator makes it possible for you to enjoy the benefits of bicycling with your child.

DIY-Pickup truck bike rack

DIY-ing stuff has always been my favorite past time. What could be more fun than making something useful and save ca$h at the same time.

As far as mountain biking is concerned, we all agree that the best way to enjoy riding is with a group. But most of the time, we have to drive (boringly) quite a distance in separate vehicles, wasting hard earned ca$h on toll and fuel just to get to the trail head. In this case, a bike rack that holds at least 3 bikes for CS's pickup truck is the best solution... because we know, getting there together is more fun!



















Another DIY masterpiece which
cost only RM62 (parts & cutter).
All you need is kawan-kawanbike,
4 hours of laughter & of course a
brilliant idea by Sombeech
to made it happen.

* Will post more pictures of the rack
in action soon! Stay tuned...

Pure & Simple

This is one of the coolest thing I've ever seen in our local cycling scene.

A humble biker with warm smile, cool attitude, creative mind & deep passion for cycling.
Indeed, this man has the soul of what a bike purist should have.

Joy

Every time i see a kid on a bicycle,
i feel the kid in me once again.

Iwen doing what he does best. Weaving around, chasing alley cats &
having great joy of cycling.

Pegaga - Crop of the day

Pegaga (Centella asiatica)
As juice, ulam (salad) or natural health supplements, this "Miracle Hero of the Rainforest" has become one of my favorite herbal plant. They look good & taste even better if you plant it yourself. Believe it!

Our little Herbs Garden

Finally a very much needed rain has come after few weeks of dry spell (33°C during the day).
Beside riding, one of my favorite things to do after the rain is taking a little walk around our little garden... and there is one nice green little corner is what make the garden so special. Why?


Because they spiced up my day...

refreshing my tired body...



making the food taste better...


& healthier too...



That's why.