Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Cycling Adventure from Kota Kinabalu to the Tip of Borneo (Part 1 of 2)

10 friends flew to Kota Kinabalu for a cycling adventure. 8 of  us on an evening flight from KLIA and upon arriving at the KK airport we unpacked our bicycles and cycled to Borneo Backpackers Hostel where two other friends were waiting for us. 
Together we rode to the market area for a dinner. Anslem & family were our local contact in KK and is the brother of Apek Biker.
We were ready to roll on the following day after a good sleep at Borneo Backpackers Hostel.
Our first breakfast in KK was at Keng Wan Hing, the big Pao was delicious and so was my black local coffee.
Try the pao here at Gaya Street, you will like it.
The bicycle lane at Jalan Tun Fuad Stephen is such a beautiful path with coconut trees along the route breezy air and a bright green lane.
A group photo at Sabah Foundation Building also known as Menara Tun Mustapha. That was our 8th kilometre of the day.
From the city we proceeded to Jalan Sulaman going through Sepangar, Salut Bay and crossing Gayang Bridge (30th km).
On the 37th Km we saw the Three Horses roundabout at Tuaran and the heat was getting hotter.
After using some smaller roads we passed through Tuaran and left the town crossing Sungai Tuaran with this bailey bridge on the 43KM.
My GPS device directed us to turn right towards Topokon, later I found out that the other 3 cyclists took the route straight on instead of making this turning. They were on a different route.
The road we took was quiet, the weather was hot and worst of all it had many climbs at this remote part of Sabah.
We stopped at our 52KM and S.O.S. for our support car as the route was getting hilly and tough, we shall remember this place called Tinambak.
We were rescued and regrouped at 78th KM which means we supported with this truck for a distance of 26km.
It was at this place in a warong (somewhere at the outskirt of Kota Belud) we regrouped and had our lunch before we continued the journey.
The heat was so hot but we kept on pedalling along Jalan Kota Belud - Kudat where most of it was generally flat and quiet sometime paddy fields can be seen.
Before arriving at this junction which was our destination of the day we have to scale a steep climb. We have successfully completed the challenge to Langkon, Kota Marudu and the total distance was 125km. 
We stayed at Northern Inn Hotel for the night and tomorrow we will make it to the tip of Borneo.
The route of the Day.

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