Sabah Offroad riding clinic

Work has taken me away for a couple of past weekends. Im blessed being in a job that is also my hobby. People say do something that will earn a living and if that something is what you like to do,you will never work for the rest of your life. As a motorcycle sport development manager,my task is to promote the sport and guide the motorcycling public with the correct knowledge starting from the grassroot to world championship level.
I was away in Sabah last weekend conducting offroad riding clinics which was organised by Kementerian Belia Dan Sukan(cawangan Sabah). Motocross is popular in the eastern part of Sabah.KBS is trying to promote motorsports to all part of the country. It is a big agenda for the Ministry. Sabah is one location which was chosen as suitable for further development. I was invited by the Ministry to guide and show the Sabahans the proper way in term of organising and riding techniques for the riders.
The clinique was held for two days which included classroom and practical riding. It was a working trip but I did manage to ride doing demos for the Sabahans....what a job huh..

Wind of change

It would have been the most boring weekend if not for music. It would not be any trail ride or road ride. My bikes would have their well deserved rest.My regular friends would be doing their weekend activities as usual.I would be spending my time at home trying to feel and understand how other man my age/man with no hobbies spend their weekend.I woke up early on Saturday. My wife and daughter had gone out to meet my MIL at another daughters house in Subang. Ok good for them since I was not dragged along.Huh then what to do?. Breakfast was prepared by my wife earlier and being Saturday there was no hurry. Everything was taken at leisurely pace. After breakfast there was nothing to do except watching telly.
At the corner of the house,there sat my lonely and dusty acoustic piano. It is a Yamaha upright. I tickled the ivory keys every once in a while but I have not done that for many moons already and sometimes totally forgot about it. I had the opportunity to rekindle our relationship that weekend since there were only my eldest son and me at home. My eldest son is also musical and plays the electric guitar. His younger brother plays the drum but there is no drum set at home,not a very good idea since I still have some respects for my neighbours.
Hey wait a minute!. The general idea was to sit and do nothing or maybe stare at the idiot box to emulate the idle type?.I only lasted me for half a day doing that. After that it was pure torture for I am not used to sit idle what more on my offdays. I am always the outdoor type. Now,I really wonder how some men can sit still and do nothing on their weekends?.
I started to scale around with the piano keys waiting for some feel to get to me. My problem has always been choices of songs to play.I love doing blues and jazz numbers but they will get pretty boring after sometimes and Im not that good. I thought to myself,why not some classical rock?ahhhah,some old numbers from Bad Companys! ready for love?. Just some simple chords will do. Pianos are not made for rocks,guitar is more appropriate for the task. What the heck! Elton John could do it. I began to enjoy my time at the piano and exploring my musicality and the piano keys. Piano is a wonderful instrument to accompany singing and my boredom has turned into an exciting moments to be spent at home. All of a sudden music has come into my life again and I might pursue it further to compliment my other hobbies. So much so that my Sunday was again spent at the piano. Im in love again.........with classical rock music and the piano...

Solo road ride to Trengganu

Childhood friends are always close to my heart.Meeting them once in a while is something I always look forward to.Its just like going back in time.Talking and laughing over our old mischiefs is like a de stress process now that we are old and living in a stressful environment.
My small group of very closed childhood friends organised a get together session last weekend. It was held in Awana Kijal, a beach resort to the north of Kuantan. It is located in the district of Kijal in Trengganu. I decided to ride my bike alone from Shah Alam.I left my house at 11am on Saturday morning and reached the resort at slightly past lunch hour. Riding alone along the Karak and East Coast highway was something I had not done before. I was always riding in group along that highway. I realized how much better riding alone was. I could stop wherever and whenever I like. There was no ride leader to listen too and how nice that would be. I only stopped twice for fuel.
We had lunch at Awana and went for fresh seafood for dinner.After that it was chatting and laughing session until early morning. The apartment we put up at was comfy and cheap.Two room apartment was only RM220. It was well equipped with kitchen and utensils,air conditioned with Astro but no TV for us that night. We were very busy entertaining ourselves.
I left Awana at 12 pm on Sunday for I checked out last after settling all the bills. The ride home was smooth with slight traffic. I enjoyed the many corners along Karak Highway,had to be careful though for the bike panniers were full with preserved seafood product.I was smiling under my helmet all the way home.