Hiking to Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve via Pusing on 16.9.2007, Sunday

16 Sep 2007

Hiking to Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve via Pusing on 16.9.2007, Sunday

It was raining rather heavily when about forty participants gathered at our meeting place, the Pengalan Emas Mall. After some short discussion we decided to try our luck and headed towards our destination. We were lucky to see the rain stopped when we reached the place where we parked our cars, the Pusing Heights.

From there our ‘local guide’ and the mushroom farm owner Ah Fatt led us to take a 10-minute walk across a patch of vegetable farm and cornfield to the foothill of Kledang Saiong. The hike uphill was more difficult than expected because of wet ground. Some of us gave up the hike at the 2/3 point on seeing that the last 1/3 of the hike looked steep. To the veteran trekkers like Moon, Mah King Wah and Liew Chin Chow, it was a breeze to reach the top of the hill. But to the less fit and inexperienced group of participants, including myself, it took us two solid hours to reach the summit. Though there was nothing much to see up there due to the overgrown ferns, it still gave us a sense of achievement for those who struggled hard to reach the hilltop.

The downhill journey was even more exciting as we had to try hard not to slip and slide down. By the time we reached the foothill again, mud stains could be seen all over the pants and T-shirts of some of us.

The grand finale of the day was of course the famous ‘Ban Min’. Ah Fatt had already abandoned his farm and ventured into maize farming. He managed to harvest the remaining oyster mushrooms left in his farm and brought them to the ‘Ban Min’ store. Together with the mushrooms that my wife bought, the store obliged to prepare the mushroom soup for us to go with his ‘Ban Min’. We brought brisk business to the store as our group almost occupied all the tables that the coffee shop had.

After enjoying the delicious meal, we left the store and headed home in full satisfaction at about 2.30pm.

(Trip report by Lean Yen Loong)

A LONG AWAITED TRIP (By EL Teng)

For years, MNS Perak has starved the members into giving up hope for a revival. Today, the ancient art of reviving the dead, for once, is conducted by an unassuming pharmacist.

About forty members were at the Pengalan Emas Mall. The sky was wailing mercilessly.

Undeterred, the convoy of 12 vehicles moved on.

It wasn\'t only the numbers that counted. It was a complex mix of an assortment of interests represented by MNS; cavers, trackers, campers, birders and nature lovers that were reflected by the turn-out. It was a turn-out that has not at a distant distance been seen, a truly colourful mix.

Off they went across terrains of fruits and vegetable and corn, a sight to behold in awe. It was a scene cherished by the seniors long before. And now, once again, it\'s absorbing magic was turned on. They tracked on.

Once again, it was a time when events and personal experiences had to be shared. A time when untold tales of past experiences must be told. And unrelentingly, they were told. Each one had his own piece: Travelling, back-packing, caving, tracking, birding etc. It was a time for Geography to be updated, a time for travel and adventure to be up-dated. And here is a time when knowledge cannot be learnt in the tertiary level.

This is MNS, my dear ! And what has your absence missed ?

Peter, who promotes volunteered service for student exchange brought along a number of young teenagers. From Sweden, Germany and Australia, for the first time here, they were much titillated by this tracking event.

Down the terrain with ease and up again in heaves, they trotted on. It was a joy long missed. It was a cardiovascular dilatation they needed.

Three hours passed. Out came the truth. It was Moon who began last only to reappear first.

Cool as cucumber, he waltzed the last steps to claim his rightful position - The Evergreen !

What an awesome event that was ! And to wonder, what came into Lean\'s head to have thought of it. Is he not a birder ? What a game he has played. And this time, it was played deep into the welcoming arms of an assortment of members that includes couch potatoes !