* Stormers Ride The Clouds In Cameron Highlands
by: gopal sawlani
“This trip is HAPPENING!” exclaimed an uproarious Auntie Eagle.
Happening? Certainly! Shaji, John Paul Low and I were relishing our second night’s stay in the 5-star Hotel Equatorial. I sat back and thought what an apt remark - true in every sense of the word HAPPENING – considering all that had happened thus far.
 At the Dengkil petrol station, Auntie Eagle must have been overwhelmingly excited to see so many Stormers and their pillion riders like me, who were prepared to brave the elements for approximately 600 kilometres including the final exhilarating 60 km of steep, winding roads leading to our hotel.

It was way past seven on a fairly cool morning, 15th June, with a few ominous clouds looming in the distance. Our excitement was mounting at the Gelang Patah Esso station. “Hi! We’ve not met before. I’m John.” “Rodney,” came the quick response as Rodney extended his right hand to shake John’s. “You’ve ridden up to Malaysia before?” asked John. “No, first time.” “So, how you feeling about your virgin ride?” “Excited!” enthused Rodney. I certainly shared Rodney’s sentiments. Just then a tinge of apprehension struck me. “Wah, the uphill is very ‘siong’, man! Can really feel dizzy,” revealed a friend who had recently returned by bus, his hand on his forehead. “Ya, you’d better bring some motion sickness pills along.” I checked my pouch – excellent, my Dramamine tablets were inside!

It was my first time up-close admiring some of the big bikes - a Goldwing, a Harley, a couple of STs and BMWs. I was particularly drawn to Leong Beng’s chromed and brownish-orange BMW - truly impressive this engineering marvel! At 0740 hrs, a characteristic throaty roar ripped the tranquillity of the morning. There he was, Sky Yeo, our ride leader storming in on his Harley Davidson. After topping up, we gathered for a briefing on the R-&-R checkpoints, speed traps and riding safety. “Remember to ride at your own pace. Don’t try to catch up with the bike in front. Safety first!” Sky, also known as Steven, reiterated.

After the usual introductions, we geared up for our breakfast stop in Yong Peng where Sky assured us we would get to savour the famous mouth-watering Wan Tan noodles. The convoy of 17 bikes, ranging from a 400cc Steed to a 1500cc Goldwing, and a Nissan Cefiro, belonging to Peter Ng’s family, started our journey as Kelly Ho bade us ‘Bon Voyage’. She would meet us in Cameron Highlands on the second day. Barely 15 minutes into our journey, just before the exit to Senai, three bikes - Peter Ng and Helen’s ST, Richard Ong and Jenny’s Harley, and John Paul’s ST - were stopped for speeding. A little negotiation with the man-in-green-vest ensued. “Berapa mahu belanja?” the Malaysian police officer asked blatantly, pretending to sound flustered. A deal was struck at RM100 for three bikes after which, he good-naturedly he cautioned us to be wary of his colleagues’ speed trap between Sedenak and Yong Peng!

Shortly afterwards, the heavy grey clouds released their load. For the next 20 minutes we battled the fury. “What a way to start the day,” I thought, feeling a little downcast. First, it was the fine and then the rain. What next, I wondered. My attention was drawn to the seven-hued parabola in the sky. I watched it intently and before long, we were in Yong Peng. We made a beeline for the wantan noodle stall, only to find out that it was closed. How disappointing! We ate at another noodle stall. The noodles, something similar to Wan Tan noodles, were not too bad after all.

The uneventful 40-minute journey from Yong Peng to Pagoh took us past lush-green oil-palm estates. Occasionally, one or two estate workers and a few man-made structures would beguile that scenic monotony. After a brief stop at Pagoh R&R, it was Dengkil. 318 kilometres from Gelang Patah. It was noon, but we didn’t allow the scorching heat and the humidity to dampened our spirits.

We downed a couple of drinks and carved out the ice cream from their cones. That was presumably the best way to quench the thirst and beat the afternoon heat. While we lazed around, poor Shaji was busy trying to fix his troublesome exhaust pipe again. Eventually with the aid of some tools that came from Richard Ong’s Harley, Shaji managed to fix the problem with some help from Sky. As we waited to meet up with Auntie Eagle and Doreen Chee, Edmund arrived on his white ST. He was on his way to KL to fetch his wife and then head for Genting Highlands. The experienced Edmund pointed out the route to Cameron Highlands and assured us that though the winding road to our resort is relatively easy-going, we had to be wary of the ubiquitous goods-laden lorries and tourist buses. “The corners are rather sharp,” he cautioned us further. Since it was lunchtime and there was still no sign of Auntie Eagle and Doreen Chee, Sky suggested we go for lunch while he waited for the pair.

There were countless flies at the popular chicken-rice stall in the food court and this prompted John Kwa to remark jocularly, “Buy chicken-rice and get free flies.” When we got back to the petrol station at 1300 hrs, Auntie Eagle and Doreen were already there. We headed for the toll checkpoint at Tapah at the foot of Cameron Highlands. Auntie Eagle and Doreen, however, did not join us, as Doreen wanted to get the rectifier on her RVF repaired and join us the next day, along with Kelly.

At 1450 hrs and two kilometres before Exit 126 to Slim River and Trolak, John Kwa’s Goldwing crashed into a red Bomba (Fire Service) van. None of us witnessed the accident. The 1500cc bike was a sorry sight lying on its right on the road shoulder, its windshield cracked, the right-hand mirror wrecked and its engine oil staining the tarmac black. The van, with its left side dented, was parked on the road shoulder about 20 metres ahead. Fortunately, John Kwa, who sustained some minor injuries, was able to stand on his feet, none the worse for the experience. His Axo riding gear was partially torn and he had an extensive abrasion on his right forearm and some bruises on his hands. Though we were initially taken aback when we reached the crash site, we were relieved that John Kwa had suffered no serious injuries and was smiling. I jotted down some details, while John Paul took pictures of the crash site.

Meanwhile, a Plus Ronda Polis Bantuan (Highway Assistance) vehicle arrived and sprinkled some sawdust onto the areas where the engine oil had spilled and positioned some day-glow cones along the road shoulder. John Kwa could hardly remember anything, “It happened too suddenly.” Sky pulled out a first-aid box from his Harley and started treating John’s abrasions. By 1525 hrs, John Kwa’s injuries were successfully dressed and all the necessary particulars exchanged between John Kwa and the Bomba personnel. John Kwa wanted to make a police report in order to claim from his insurance company. There was still one more job to be accomplished: to fix up John Kwa’s bike and get it going again. Sky suggested the group proceed to Camerons, while he, John Kwa, Shaji, Leong Beng, Adam, John Paul and I remained at the accident site.

It was 1535 hrs, and our faces were bathed in perspiration, yet we were determined to get the Goldwing going. As usual, the resourceful Sky got his repair kit and started working on the bike with the help of Leong Beng. John Paul and Shaji rearranged the orange cones to divert the traffic away from the accident site while Adam rode off to buy some engine oil for the Goldwing. John Kwa, who was feeling much better, told us that maybe it was the van, which came from the outer lane and hit him first. He was travelling at about 120 kmph.

Finally it was done, with Leong Beng removing the cracked windshield and replacing the headlamp. Sky, who seemed to have a knack for mechanical things, used some kneaded putty to seal the cracks in the engine area to prevent an oil leak. He finally managed to get bike running again after Adam returned with 4 litres of engine oil. The Goldwing was an amazing sight to behold bereft of its windshield and the right-hand mirror. It was then that I fully understood John Paul’s adage: “Never a dull moment when you ride with Sky.”

The co-ordinated efforts of Sky, Leong Beng, John Paul, Shaji and Adam were commendable. “So, finally you got your cigarette,” John Paul teased Sky as the latter sent a spiral of smoke into the sunlight. Adam proclaimed victoriously, “The cheapest 4-stroke engine for RM32.” Indeed, that was the epitome of teamwork. It was already 1600hrs and we were all perspiring profusely. The Bomba personnel came back to find out if John Kwa still wanted to go ahead with the police report though they preferred that the matter be ‘settled’ amicably. The bomba officer said he first saw the Goldwing wobbling, followed by John Kwa being thrown off. The bike, however, was still upright and it continued on the highway for another 20-30 metres before hitting the left side of the van!

John Kwa decided to meet the Bomba personnel at the nearby police station in Slim River to make the police report. It was incredible how he could continue riding after the spill on the North-South Highway, it must have required fortitude and many years of riding experience. Sky, Leong Beng and Adam accompanied John Kwa at the Slim River police station while the rest of us made our way up Cameron Highlands at 1710 hrs. As we executed our manouvres round the bends and sharp corners,

I suddenly remembered my Dramamine tablets. Oops! I had forgotten to pop in one. The ride up the twisties required our full attention to the road surface, proper gear changes and speed, especially so with the fully-laden goods lorries and buses descending at breakneck speeds. It was quite a worrisome time for us, considering the fact that these vehicles could have skidded and rolled down the ravine or even crashed into other vehicles. Apart from that, it was a pleasant ride up the gradual, winding road - and the Dramamine pill was not needed after all.

We had clearly entered a different world in which the climate seemed to be mercifully cooler and the atmosphere more calm and tranquil. It was indeed therapeutic to see cascading waterfalls, wild flowers, little streams running across the tea plantations and the occasional local inhabitants waving at us and admiring our intimidating super bikes, not to mention the breathtaking views of entire tea plantations and clusters of houses perched on the slopes. We stopped at Tanah Rata for a short break.

As I hastened to remove my knee-guards I noticed a little bubble about the size of a grain of rice on my left hand, oblivious of the fact that it was the first symptom of what was to come later. At 1910 hrs we finally reached Hotel Equatorial, located right at the top. Eric Yeo (Harley) and Kelvin Ang (Super Four) greeted us at the foyer. They were there since 1400 hrs after riding in from Penang. We checked in immediately, took a quick shower and met at 2010 for dinner.

Richard Ong and his wife Jenny, Andy Leong, Shaji, Ong Hak Hee, John Paul and I decided to go for a steam-boat meal at a restaurant in Brinchang where we met Eric and Kelvin who were halfway through theirs. The seven of us ordered a substantial spread of food for the steam-boat and took our time over the meal while enjoying some pleasant conversation. In the meantime John Paul tried to send a message to Sky through his mobile phone, but to no avail due to a network problem. Finally he managed to reach Sky at 2120 hrs.

We learned that the Goldwing was detained at the police station and Sky, John Kwa, Leong Beng and Adam were eating dinner in Tapah. At this rate, it would be way past mid-night before they could join us in the hotel. Eric, Kelvin, John Paul and I gathered in Shaji’s room to unwind with a couple of drinks. The three of them had beer while John Paul downed Jim Beam and Cola which we had brought from Singapore. We were happily engrossed in our drinks and conversation when we heard the roar of Sky’s Harley.

What a pleasant surprise! It was 2340 hrs. Soon, Sky who was rooming with Shaji, came in looking incredibly fresh and energetic. He revealed that John Kwa had actually dozed off while riding. Sky left to change John Kwa’s dressing. Phew, what a day! For me, the onset of an ominous sore throat that night was to reveal its ugly side the next morning.

We assembled at the foyer at 1030 hrs after breakfast. Sky briefed us on the day’s programme and assured us that John Kwa was doing fine but would need to consult a doctor. Our first stop was Brinchang, a small town in Cameron Highlands. While John Kwa went to Klinik Wong, the rest of us spent the time taking in the sights of the quaint town. Richard Ong took the opportunity to share his experiences pertaining to bikes, riding and even raising children successfully with Shaji and me over tea at one of the coffee shops. Soon, John Kwa came out of the clinic with his lacerations professionally-dressed and all ready to continue with the day’s events.

So, off we went to our next destination - the highest peak on Cameron Highlands. The narrow road up Gunung Brinchang was extremely steep and winding, with several sharp corners. It was invariably challenging for the novice and experienced bikers. At one point, when we had to stop on a sharply-inclined slope to give way to an on-coming 4WD, two bikers lost control and Desmond’s ST fell on its right damaging the right-hand mirror. A few of us led by Kelvin Ang, managed to right the bike. Then it was Peter Ng, aka ‘Ah Kong’s ST. However, Peter and his son struggled successfully to prevent their bike from dropping. The next challenge was to get our bikes to take off in first gear on the steep slope.

It was one thing to be riding alone but a totally different experience when one is riding two-up. Our pillion riders had to walk up the knee-crunching slope, while the riders manouvred their bikes to a gentler slope some 100 metres away. Xinlin (Desmond’s pillion), Tien (Peter Poh’s wife) and I reached our respective bikes none the worse for the experience. “So, where’s the view we were all talking about?’’ I asked eagerly, the moment we regrouped at the first available levelled tarmac. “There man!” John Paul pointed to the edge of a cliff where five bikers and their pillions were already posing for photographs. Wow! Though partially framed by the branches of trees, the view of the mist-enveloped summits in the distance was truly breathtaking. Soon, it was time to move on.

All of us, except Peter Poh (BMW LT12) and his wife, rode another 200 metres of the steep and narrow winding road exacerbated by loose gravel before the telecommunication tower suddenly loomed ahead as if to welcome and greet us! We had finally reached the highest point in Cameron Highlands – the peak of the 6666 feet Gunung Brinchang. The tranquil atmosphere took us by surprise and sent flutters of excitement into our bare bones. The unadulterated air was just too cool, too fresh and surreal. “Nice view from the top. Can see the coastline,” Adam pointed excitedly to the Telekom tower and started for the tower.

“Ya, must take your camera with you,” Shaji added, waving his Nikon at the people at the top of the tower. Lo and behold when we reached the platform at the top, the panoramic view was even more picturesque. The coastline partially obscured by the clouds and the haze, the lush greenery below and the mist-capped summits in the distance seemed like seventh heaven. It was a pity that as an Art teacher, I did not have my paints and canvas at that moment. We rounded up our sojourn at the peak of Gunung Brinchang with group photographs during which a young Caucasian lady who had trekked to the peak joined us.

Bursts of laughter ensued as we teased Kason and Robin when the Caucasian lady sat in between the two. “Buaya, ah!” remarked Sky. Following that light-hearted moment, we left at 1325 hrs for our next destination, the Boh tea plantation and factory. Riding down was just as exciting and challenging. Shaji took the initiative to stop his bike to caution us of sharp corners. The process of walking up the slope took its toll on his knees and he had to endure the pain for the rest of the day.

At 1345 hrs, we arrived at the tea factory and met six more Stormers - Kelly Ho, Auntie Eagle, Doreen Chee, Ng Yap Hui, Chai Kwang and Vincent Leong. With that, we had a grand total of 23 bikes. We spent about an hour at the Boh tea-house titillating our taste buds with some exotically flavoured teas. Even a free tour of the tea factory attracted only a few of us. By this time, my throat was hurting badly and I also had a slight fever and found more bubbles, the size of grains of rice, on my hands.

The group rode to Tanah Rata for lunch but John Paul and I decided to eat at Brinchang’s Shal’s Curry House - a sumptuous briyani rice with cashew nuts and red capsicum, chicken curry, sambal squid, spicy petai, stir-fried vegetables, sweet and sour fish, and creamy mango lassi (yogurt drink). Wow! It was then that I told John about my condition and he suggested I should consult a doctor.

As it was one-and-a-half-hour wait for the clinic to open at 1800 hrs, John Paul had a RM7.00 haircut, after which we scouted the ‘pasar malam’ stalls for bargains. The doctor’s prognosis at Klinik Wong was chickenpox! “There goes my trip,” I thought, feeling downcast. He knew it would be stressful for me to ride 600 km home so he prescribed the very costly but extremely effective Zovirax. In all, I paid RM389! (Zovirax alone cost RM350). Kelly, who did not join the rest of the group to Tanah Rata, Strawberry Farm and the Rose Garden, met us in Brinchang.

The NUH nurse suggested we stop over in Malacca for an extra day. We agreed it would be less demanding for me. At the ‘pasar malam’ in Brinchang, Kelly recommended the special Cameron Highlands bean curd with sweet ginger syrup. Well, it didn’t turn out as tasty perhaps because we were not particularly hungry. We returned to our hotel with some deep-fried chicken while Kelly stocked up on Cameron greens.

Later that evening Shaji came over to our room for a couple of drinks. Alcohol was definitely not for me. Shaji revealed to us that his exhaust pipe’s silencer dropped off after we left Dengkil. That was why his bike sounded noisier than usual. Kelvin Ang joined us and we found out that while they were parking their bikes to eat dinner at Brinchang, Hak Hee accidentally dropped his bike on Paul Kan’s knee. Soon, Kelly too came to our room. She dispensed some invaluable advice on how I could take care of myself reminding me to take my tablets at regular intervals. I must say that I really felt at ease and reassured. Thanks Kelly!

It was truly a day marked by ‘Happenings’. The next morning our bikers left for Singapore at 0900 hrs. The resourceful Kelly arranged for John Kwa to travel in the hotel bus back to Singapore. John Paul, Kelly and I left at 1300 hrs for Malacca where we spent a day before heading for home. While the group was preparing to depart that morning, Eric Yeo. who had misplaced his keys, eventually found them in a gap in his Harley’s engine frame after a frantic search.

On the downhill stretch, Andy Leong unknowingly dropped a personal item and only realised it when he had travelled 50km downhill. Lucky him – he decided to ride all the way up the twisties again and found it lying on the road! A spring holder from Sky’s Harley fell off causing the side stand to drop down. He had to improvise by using a piece of metal wire to hold it up. By the same token, Doreen Chee’s rear number plate disappeared on the North-South Highway at Pagoh while at Tapah, Kelly discovered that her bundle of Cameron greens had mysteriously vanished into thin air!

The group finally reached Gelang Patah at 1700 hrs and Kelvin Ang, Kason, Peter Ng, Peter Poh, Doreen, Ng Yap Hui, Rodney, Steven Yeo and Shaji had their bikes washed. To our surprise, Steve Chia, our president, arrived with a brand new number plate for his wife’s bike. He too had his bike washed. Thus ended a highly eventful trip. Being a pillion rider certainly has its privileges and it was my pleasure to have met this wonderful group of bikers in Storm-Riders. In a nutshell it was, as Auntie Eagle so aptly put it – ‘A HAPPENING Trip’ - one which will be etched in my memory.