Map Updates for April 2016

Revision: 46648
Author: Banban
Date: Thursday, 21 April, 2016 10:35:26 AM
Message:
Update/add roads, pois, polys, around Kg Jln Kebun Timur area.

Revision: 46646
Author: Banban
Date: Thursday, 21 April, 2016 8:52:52 AM
Message:
Hooked up south of Bdr Putera 2 to Jln Kebun

Revision: 46644
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 4:22:55 PM
Message:
Roads and polys around Jln Kebun vicinity.

Revision: 46642
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 1:15:42 PM
Message:
Updates around Jln Rajion Klang.

Revision: 46641
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 12:33:55 PM
Message:
Road names for most of Bdr Putera 2.

Revision: 46640
Author: Banban
Date: Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 12:14:02 PM
Message:
Finish up with pois and house polys for Bdr Putera 2.

Coleman - Now is the time!

Coleman Malaysia has officially opened at Sunway Pyramid in the second week of April 2016. This marks the end of UFL who was the official distributor of Coleman products here for many many years. 

Unfortunately, in this case a new distributor seems to mean higher prices for the same products. 

If you are a gear snob,  Coleman is not exactly the brand you'd associate yourself for sexy ultra-light hiking gear but they do make some great products for casual car camping and picnic. So now is the time to pick up some great deals on excess UFL stocks still floating in the market. In some cases you stand to save in excess of 40%. For example, today there are 2 kinds of coolers sold under the Coleman brand - one is the lower priced made in China coolers (tumblers and the sort) and their Made in USA coolers - which unless you are comparing to Esky - are some of the best in the business. 

These are some of the stuffs we picked up recently.  To be fair, we will only post prices WE PAID. So if you walk into a Coleman dealer post UFL days, you can compare the prices and be the judge yourself.

Once UFL supplies dry out, expect to pay a lot more. The time is now! 

Made in USA Xtreme 5 Day 50 Quart Cooler

Price paid RM390.00

Lumbar Quattro director's chair for the heavyweight 200lb camper!

Price paid RM 155.00

Abandoned Golf & Country Club - Fraser's Hill

Just past Jeriau Falls, just keep going up the hill. Some parts may be overgrown with tall weeds  but small vehicles should be able to pass through. Finally you will reach here. Pic timestamp is Q3 2015.

Nature reclaims what was once taken by man.

The 18 hole gold course layout

Lots of CPC lying around dating to 1995 when major turfing works were being done

On a clear day, this would be some view

The world about us would be desolate except for the world within us - 

Main lobby once upon a time

What once was bustling with coffee house banter in the background is now eerily silent

Another case of one day they all "got up and left"

Time stood still for this Club in 2004

Rooftop

I suppose you could scavenge the Astro dish but everyone's cancelling their subscription anyway

What lurks underneath the swimming pool ?

Until the day an investor comes and saves the day .. it's adieu for now.

Read our other  abandoned buildings discoveries.

Glamping in Janda Baik

Zaini's Guest House is just over an hour away from Kuala Lumpur and is a perfect location to introduce the young ones to the joys of camping.

They charge a token RM 10 per head (Rm6 for kids) to use the campsite. Given that the place is idyllic with 2 rivers running through it and super clean, it's a real bargain. The fee covers your use of the facilities including the toilet and shower facilities, open common kitchen (fully stocked with pots and pans, utensils, cooking oil, sauces and working fridge and freezer. You could bring raw materials and cook there.

This is the perfect setting to teach your kids some rudimentary camp craft such as fire building, rigging up fly sheets, camping knots and sleeping under the stars. These are the memories that they will long remember way into adulthood!

Sprawled amongst manicured grass

You could rent one of the few chalets for some basic creature comforts but where's the fun in that?

A nicely rigged flysheet and everyone decided to sleep outside the tent for the night!

SOTO Pocket Torch

Date acquired Feb 2015. Price Yen980 which at that time translated to about RM30.00.

This won an award some years back. Having dabbled with a couple of pocket torches which are fueled by gas and found that all do their job but the drawback is having to buy gas refill  (those red canisters which are used to refill lighters) - which is all fine and good when you're at home - different story when you're on the road.

Now you have all the benefits of a portable flame torch with easily found tuck shop lighters. Easily found anywhere around the world.

Note that the SOTO has been designed to be used with a lighter whose dimension is different (longer) from what we find in Malaysia. Some improvisation is required when the provided lighter runs out of fuel. Check out the pic below on how.

Verdict 5/5. Essential camping gear to get that fire / barbie / mozzie coil going.

Portable flame torch

Nice clean blue flame

Alternative RM1.10 Aladdin lighter. Use a half layer cotton tissue to pad the bottom of SOTO. The shorter Aladdin will now be a perfect fit.

Putrajaya 30km LSD : Runners Alternative to Lake Gardens - Hartamas Loop

Lake Gardens - Hartamas is the Gold Standard for runners doing their 30km LSD route. It has a mixed bag of everything: flats, climbs, downhills and most importantly a Petronas station for refuel and toilet stop at the midway mark. Guys have little to worry about on the last point as as we have 30kms worth of trees, plants, grassy verges that can do with some natural fertiliser ..

Well I for one, do not like running too much on the road : speedy vehicles aside, there is always that kerb you have to hop on, or the lane you have to cross and the narrow verges you have to contend with between grass and tarmac at Kenny Hills. Also I cannot stomach 14 laps of Taman Tasik Perdana ..bosan! And! I don't like repeating scenery ..

So I have devised Putrajaya 30KM. Route stats in numbers:

1. 30.03 : distance in KM for a giant route
2. 6.5km - the total distance on the very quiet triple carriage Lebuh Wadi Ehsan.
3. 24km - jogging tracks and pathways : as safe as you can ever get.
4. 7.5km - length that you will double back on (15km). LG is 30km mirror image of 15km. No boredom!
5. 160m - total elevation gain
6. 5 - the number of public toilets you will pass. 1 toilet has no water so don't do big business there!

Start and end point is Menara Alaf Baru parking space. At the end of the run, there is a cafe for you to show off your clingy singlet on your amazing 6-packs, stretch your sinewy calves and look the part of an elite athlete that has just completed an ultra. Unless you are pudgy like me, in which case, please proceed to buy that can of Pepsi and quietly leave the premises.

Tips :
If you start your LSD at the sane hour of 4:30am, you can survive without a headlamp. There will be the odd sections where the park lights are broken / not switched on. I however run with one. If you have trouble justifying to your spouse / partner why you need a RM200 Black Diamond headlamp - I'm giving you the perfect excuse right now.

Muslim runners can break for Fajr prayers near Everly Hotel (@KM17.4). There is a wakaf and a public toilet. The sun rises from behind Everly so point the opposite way to pray. You could continue and pray at the Putrajaya Mosque but your 2XU tights, smelly armpits and soggy singlet may raise an eyebrow or twenty.

You can detour to find food at KM16.7 - there is a Petronas station. You have to exit the Presint 16 lake. It's a short detour and it would absolutely destroy your timing and average pace. Just kidding.

Route description:

KM 0 : Start at Menara Alaf Baru and head towards Masjid Besi on jogging path
KM 3 : scenic lakeside paths as you cross under Gemilang Bridge
KM 7.5 : transition to Lebuh Bestari (staircase)
KM8.5 : start of the only tarmac section of run on Lebuh Wadi Ehsan loop.
KM 14.7 : loop ends at Taman Warisan traffic lights as you veer right ..
KM 15.5 : .. to join the lake paths of Presint 16. Egrets, wetlands, birds. Scenic.
KM 20:  climb staircase to Putrajaya Mosque and make counter clockwise loop of roundabout
KM 21 : cross Persiaran Perdana Bridge and swing underneath it to Taman Wawasan jogging path
KM23 : rejoin transition point of KM7.5.
KM30 : End

Lebuh Wadi Ehsan loop : I actually love this section of the course. It is triple carriage and is ghostly dead at 5 am. Something about roads leading into the far unseen horizon, very brightly lit, flat-ish .. best place to do tempo and most likely be the fastest segment of your run for the day.I suggest (and do myself)  run this section AGAINST traffic.

I ran with 3x 9oz bottles and did not refuel along the way. First time I forgot to bring money. Second time, I just continued to run as if I forgot to bring money. I did not run with a Camelbak because with 3 separate 9 oz bottles, I can manage my water properly. With Camelbak you have no idea how much water you have left. So you could stretch to 30kms without refuel stops but only you know your body better.

Souq / Putrajaya Mosque - nothing is open at 7:00 ++ am so even though you are passing busy civilisation (many bike riders setting up at the roundabout at this hour), you won't be able to find a shop to refill / refuel.

Tree Top Walk @ Sungai Sedim

Vertigo much? The walkway spans 925m for a complete rectangular clock-wise loop which is some 30m above river level. Admission is RM10 per adult (2014).

Located within Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, this attraction is located some 30km from Kulim @ N5° 24.799' E100° 46.972'. For weekenders this place is packed with picknickers as they pitch their mats along the crystal clear and icy cold waters of Sungai Sedim.

This POI is already in our maps since time immemorial.

If this place is packed, there is the other alternative of Lubok Jong - also along the same river further downstream.