4X4 OUTING: KG. PERTAK ~ KUALA KUBU BARU ~ 2nd May 09 - by Adzla

I was invited by my old campus friend, Tawel, to join his 4X4 adventure group last Saturday. Equipped with Jeep Cherokee and some camping gears we head out for Kuala Kubu Bharu. We stopped at Petronas Station in Templer Park to meet up with the other group members. About 11 off-road cars were there.






Lubuk Trekker

Originally from group Lubuk founded by Ujang (the cartoonist), who is a fishing enthusiasts, gathered some other fishing crazy people and establish Lubuk. Since the fishing location is sometimes in the remote locations an all wheel drive is needed for the expedition. Then they added ‘Trekker’ at the end of ‘Lubuk’. You can view, interact with them in www.lubuk.net. Registration is necessary for accessibility in some forum threads.

(If LT members read this and the fact is not correct, kindly notify me.)

The Trip

Each LT members were given a call sign. The call signs for each LT members named after a fish name. For instance, Mr. Tawel call sign’s is GL-308 SEBELAH while some others is BELIDA, MERAH, LAGA and so on. They communicate with Maxis PTT (Push To Talk) cell phones. The unlimited talk subscription is at RM12 per month.

This trip was a casual, unofficial and the course is ‘Light & Easy.’. We head first to meet BELIDA in Pandan Indah. He prepares all the kitchen camping stuff. He’s a 1st Warrant Officer in the Wataniah and still serving in private company in Damansara. After finalizing all the stuff needed for the overnight, we continue to meet up other members in Templer Park. We waited for foreigner to join and some of them refueling the 4X4. Then we head for Serendah.











In Serendah, we stopped by to wait for another 4X4 and to guide us to the remote location in Kampung Pertek, Kuala Kubu Bharu.










We arrived in Kampung Pertak at about 8.30 p.m. and went straight into the jungle. The path was rough but not that difficult to pass.










After a river crossing, we found ourselves a camping spot, we parked our 4X4 and disembarked all the camping stuff. A large tent is setup quickly as it is rainy lightly. The kitchen is also quickly setup by BELIDA as all the members is getting hungry.











Menu for the night is grilled tilapia, barbequed chickens, gulai tempoyak ikan patin and stir-fried cabbage. Marvelous. The food is great. After that, we had coffee & tea while Mr. Tawel setting his shisha for us to smoke. We all played some round of cards (with some bets), had late night river swim and some others went hunting mouse-deer. The foreigner, Mr. Abdul Ahad James (if I remembered correctly his name), is from UK and very helpful with the members. He had no difficulties in joining the activities. But he came unprepared with swimming/bathing attire, so every body was a bit stunned as he naked in the river.

The raining started heavy on late night and water entered my tent.

The Next Day

I woke up early and the others still in their sleep. The morning there was a little bit foggy and very cold and the water is chilling.

The chef and his assistant woke up late and started preparing breakfast for us. The hunters last night brought back a pregnant mouse-deer. Not to feel sorry for the animal, but this is the special for the day. We had coffee and some cucur for breakfast before the 4X4 activities.











About Six 4X4 went into the jungle and the rain last night made some of the route is filled with mud, slippery and raised the river water level. The route is not that far and consider as a very ‘light’ challenges (for them). The ‘light’ route did manage to make one of the 4X4 immobilized for a while. We towed the stuck 4X4 out of the mud. The 4X4 had no special tires set so the mud covered around the tire wall and losing its grip.











Mr. Tawel had a tire change yesterday for stock to 35 inch off road tire and the mud doesn’t affect his Jeep so much.
























We arrive to a spot after a river crossing and chit-chat about the things happened during the ‘light’ challenges.

I was made to understand that we were supposed to head for a waterfall area but there were some of them have not change their stock 4X4, they had to cancel the expedition to avoid further problems. We had to re-route back to camp site.



















Upon arrival to the camp site, lunch was prepared and ready to be eaten by the hungry bellies. Fish in assam pedas, fried chickens, the day’s special: mouse-deer in chili gravy and the usual fried cabbage. With all the mix, we lunch by the river. After the full tummy session, of course the sweat is cooled down the river. I was yet again got hooked by leech and got help from a LT member to remove it.









The camp site is being dismantled and we scan around for garbage and put it in proper disposal. LT members packed up their stuff and load them into their 4X4s and paid sum amount for the food with some things that we all shared to one of the person in charge. Each head cost about RM10 per person.

We all head down to the entry point and arranged the 4X4s for a photo session. It was great. We all continue to head down exiting the village and pass the dam towards Kuala Kubu Bharu small town for a last cup of coffee, ABCs, and chat.











They were lucky I didn't charge any for photography fees. Great trip, making good friends and helluva food!.