This has to be the longest period ever in between outings!  For me, the last trip was in July 2007... while for the group was in December... the Rakan Muda escort-trip .

Anyway, a trip was planned since February... but it was put off a few times.  At first we set Sungai Liang as our desitnation... but sometimes late April, Romeo suggested we try a new trail which was earlier recommended by Rizal Landrover.  Although Whiskey backed out at the last minute, Romeo stayed firm to proceed with the plan.  So, by Friday 2nd May, there were only three rigs confirmed - mine, Romeo's & Wady's.  However, late that day, a friend of mine, also named Rizal, from Jalan Kebun 4X4 called and indicated joining...  He came with Dani, his friend whom drives a 4-door LC with a 3L engine.

    

 Rizal, Dani & Wadi

So, there he was, Rizal my friend from Jln Kebun, waiting for me at Kota Kemuning Petronas Station at 8:00am on that Saturday morning as as Wady and I left my home in Bukit Rimau. 

No one from our posse had actually been to this trail before... so we relied on the direction given by Rizal Landrover to me.  Firstly we headed to Rawang via the new Guthrie Expressway and from Rawang proceeded along the old Rawang-Ipoh road turning off to find our way to Kuala Kubu baru...

While waiting for Romeo, Rizal & Dani took us to this restaurant in KKB for a refreshing teh tarik.  As we were fininshing our breakfast, Romeo arrived with his two sons - Arif & Afif.

As mapped by Rizal Landrover, from KKB we proceeded along the KKB-Frazier Hill road and made a right turn into the Kampung Orang Asli Pertak just after the bridge towards the end of Empangan Selangor. 

A few metres into the orang asli settlement, the road to take at this junction is to the right...

Not far ahead.... the off road begins....

At this suspension walkway, we proceeded to cross the river just besides the bridge....

Wady' Rocky

Romeo's Shortie

BravoLima's elsie

Dani's Crusier

 

The Trail

After that lil' river crossing, a bit of an intro of the Pertak trail... rocky tracks.

Then... the first campsite...

hmmm... why was Romeo grinning?

A group of campers were already enjoying their meals as we stopped to be neighbourly.  These folks directed us to the playground.... "turn right here, then up ahead turn left where a tree has fallen across the track... a bypass has been pioneered", said the 'sexy' guy .  They were taking pictures of our rigs.. so I thought I returned the favour...hmmmm...  (and this was why Romeo was all smiles...:)

 

The Bangau... and the stuck Cherokee

Just as we were into the track, we chanced upon a Cherokee stucked in a rather deep rut... so, Wady helped the guy as he and his family were trying to figure their way out of that hurdle!

The Playground

As per direction given.... take the left route and manouvre the bypass...  Romeo struggled a bit to overcome this hurdle!

And so did May whom piloted my "elsie"......

Nice scenery and river lines along the trail... waters were clear..crystal clear.... !!

And the track... offers rocky and rutty trail....

Posed a bit of a challenge for everyone... Romeo not spared!  Prolly he was just getting acquainted with the LC Shortie - this was the LC's maiden outing (Romeo's ride all this while was his wicked Suzuki SJ410!).

Dani convinced Romeo that the trench was manageable... but he didn't antipate that it would be just barely manageable.  In the end, everyone else to the alternative route - along the trench... also a bit tricky with little space to manouvre the rigs... plus tricky slopes... plus possibility for rigs such as the shortie to "sleep'... hmmmm

Dani's rig ran into a bit of challenge in getting through the alternative way... resulting in his winch cable snapping in the process.   And it was my "elsie" to the rescue!

Well...that stretch didn't bother anyone much.. we spent less than an hour for all rigs to pass

The End of the line...

Just after that muddy puddle (pics above), there was another junction - left with a really challenging (despite level roadway) obstacle (ravine across the road); and right an uphill stretch.  We were'nt sure of the correct trail, and with a car having winch trouble, we went the uphill way.....  But as we reached the hill top... it was the end of the line... we came to a narrow trail - ravine to the left and hills to the right...

Thus, we made an about turn, to go back to the second camping site as earlier mentioned by the group of campers.

 

The Return to the playground

.... but (and?) we were again on playtime!

Romeo decided to bypass the trench just a bit and re-tract to the rutty track.... and... playtime!!! hehehehehe.....

Of course, May had to copy Romeo! hmmmmmmmmm...!

All came out of that playground a better man!  especially for Dani & Rizal whom didn't expect such a hardcore trail (according to them..)... hardcore? hmmmmm....

The Camping

At around 5:00pm, we were already setting up camp.   A record time for Gugujah!

The Next Day

As we always did, breakfast in the form of french toast & coffee...  I fried the toast while Romeo & Arif prepared the 'raw materials'...

After all packed up and break of camp, Romeo led the group through another track which, according to a group of trekkers whom we met yesterday, lead to Bukit Kutu where they found remnants of an old English bungalow / settlement.  The story goes that the English Resident at the time wanted to make this place their vacation resort, but eventually they moved to Frasier's Hill.

But our ventures were met with either blocked routes or a more challenging trail.  We decided to turn back and head home instead.... prolly another trip....

We left the campsite just before 10:00am.  With about an hour or so trying to find our way to Bukit Kutu, we made it out just before noon.  

A group  photo of all nine adventurers!

L- R :  Romeo, BravoLima, Arif, CheLan, Wady, Rizal, Dani, May & Afif

 

Until our next outing (hopefully not that long from now...)  keep those winches oiled!