Rindu Alam – Gadog … A Ride with Paul
Some friends contacted and expressed readiness for mountain biking activity in Rindu Alam-Gadog track last week. It was a surprise when my co-workers, Paul, interested to join this activity. Paul saw our last mountain biking ride in Rindu Alam Gadog track last 17th of August 2009.
Rindu Alam-Gadog (MTB Track)
Paul was very serious for this trip. He has a hybrid bike (a bicycle with a mtb frame and road bike components). Finally after we checked the condition of his bike, Paul bought one wheelset and one mechanic disc brake set (after some technical suggestion from me). We went together to a bike shop around Fatmawati Street.
On a clear Saturday morning, we went to Rindu Alam. I, Boy and Paul rode the same car to reach the meeting place for cyclists in Gadog area. At 7 am sharp that day the four of us (plus Tomo) already sat in a small public transportation that we rented to transport us (and our bike) up to Rindu Alam Area. Gadog area altitude is around 570 m (MSL) high and Rindu Alam altitude is around 1470 m (MSL) high from sea level. The plan was starting the ride from Rindu Alam and finished the ride on Gadog (RM Sederhana).
Finally after a roadway across the top, we arrived in the area Rindu Alam. As usual, every weekend this area always full with cyclists who want to enjoy the line-Gadog Rindu Alam. Boy and I ate instant noodles after offloaded our bikes from the rented public transportation. Around 8 o’clock we finally begin the journey.
We met about 5-6 mountain biking group at the beginning of our journey. Our trip that day opened with a cycling path and dirt path with small pebbles which is located south of the Gunung Mas tea plantation. The path is descending and it was quite dry, until finally about 10 minutes later we arrived at the location ‘paragliding’. Upon reaching this location, Paul fell from his bike while going down a two feet high stony path. There is no serious injury, but quite surprising for the early trip. He tough that this will be a bad sign, but I said “the more you fell from your bike, the more excitement you got”.
Tea Plantation Path
More dirt and descending path welcomed our day. The path is not as good as usual, rock boulders were along the path. Sometimes we need to carry our bike while we crossed a small river we must get off the bike while in muddy descend path. This part of track is the most annoying path in Rindu alam bike track. Just be patient, because we will get more excitement after this.
Small bumpy track
We passed the patience test phase, and we arrived on the Gunung Mas Tea Plantation area. It’s a common tea plantation pathway, a hard pack pathway with some dirt on it. In a short while, our group arrived at Gunung Mas Tea plantation office, we can smell the aroma of the fresh Tea. We passed the office area and then stop by on a small ‘warung nasi’ to take breakfast. Hot Porridge and noodle soup with chicken was on the menu for our second breakfast. Actually that was the second breakfast for me and Boy. Our second breakfast was great, and we continued the journey through the tea plantation bound to Taman Safari at Cisarua area.
Thirty minutes later we arrived at small traditional market that sells souvenirs and fruits. This market lies around Taman Safari Cisarua. This area was known with its ‘Mountain Bike Guides’. These guides are 8-12 years old boy that will guide your bike to the top of the hill, while the owner of the bike can walk without his bike to the top of the will. So, in this long ascending path to the top of the hill some of the mountain bikers choose to walk rather riding their bike uphill. Or you can choose to use Motorbike (Ojeg) to climb uphill for Rp 25.000.
Two phase of ascending part challenge our group at this point. Ngehe 1 section, the path Start at 1020 m (MSL) and finish at 1227 meter (MSL*), the path length around 1.4-1.5 km. Ngehe 2 section, starts from 1230 m (MSL) and finish at 1365 m (MSL), the path length is around 1.1-1.2 km. This two sections are always the difficult one, but you can always get off your bike and just guide your bike by yourself to the top of the hill.
It was just mid day while we took a rest on the top of ‘Ngehe 2’. Then a descending track guide us a long the ridge, it’s not long before we arrived at an abandoned house inside the pine forest. Take a while again, but we can not take a long rest around here, because mosquitoes and bees will bug you.
Pine Forest Post
More and more descends pathway right after the pine forest. Only one small ascending path before we arrived at a section that is called ‘the pyramid’. I’m not sure who created the name, but for sure the profile of the track more like pyramids. Usually a lot of bikers fall from their bikes in this section. As long as you choose the right path and not hesitant, you wont be off your bike. All of us fell from our bike in this section, but again, nothing serious, it only produce small bruises.
Out from the dirt path, we arrived in a stony path. About 1 km rode the stony path, we soon met the asphalt road that will guide us back to the Gadog area. Just a common bicycle ride on a road at this section, you can not complaint, because this is the easiest way to reach Sederhana Restaurant as our finish point. At 13.10 we arrived again at Sederhana Restaurant, and took lunch before we left up to our home again.
A five hours ride and five hours excitement which surely fades away the bruises mark from our mind.
*MSL = Mean Sea Level, is the average (mean) height of the ocean’s surface (especially that halfway between mean high and low tide); used as a standard in reckoning land elevation (taken from wikipedia.org)
November 8, 2009
Posted in: Trails, West Java
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