DILYSI #13: KL to Seremban via Kuala Klawang

Pic 1: Our meet-up point

Another couple of stressful weeks at work were really messing up my mood and life. In these trying times and lack luster economy, I need my speed fix.

Drive It Like You Stole It #13 was organized to take the group from Kuala Lumpur to Seremban via the old roads, i.e. Kuala Klawang. There were 10 cars that joined comprising of:

2 Nissan Skyline ER34
1 Nissan Skyline BNR34
1 Nissan Silvia RPS13
1 Subaru Impreza Sti V-Limited
1 Mazda RX-7 FD3S
1 Toyota SW20 MR2
1 Mitsubishi Evo 8
1 Mitsubishi Evo 6
1 Proton Perdana v6

We meet up at Shell Petrol Kiosk along Jalan Cheras on a very early Sunday morning (7:00am!!). Sorry I was running late. From here, Jason lead us in his Sti all the way to Seremban using the Hulu Langat route joining Sg. Tekali, Titi, Petaling, Kuala Klawang, Pantai and then reaching Seremban town.

Upon departing at Shell, I had a problem with my clutch pedal, after depressing the pedal, it got stuck and wouldn't come back up. Weird.......nevertheless it was ok after some pushing and pumping and the pedal popped back up. Hmmmphh...this gave me a bad vibe about this drive. The initial part of the drive was 'hampered' by crazy amounts of cyclists along the route. Were they practicing for some event or we had crashed into their route? Hehe

After clearing like a hundred cyclists, the drive was truly very exciting and enjoyable, the front runners were pushing hard like mad. I think we were going all out at 9/10th pace. At some point, I had to clock in 200km/h to chase the Scooby. Madness but a whole load of great fun.

Pic 2: A quick stop to regroup

Pic 3: The guys sharing driving tales.....LOL

Halfway through, we stopped for breakfast before continuing our journey. Here I encountered the same problem with my clutch pedal. It got stuck and there were no pressure on the pedal. After checking the clutch fluid reservoir, it's empty! The ER34 is leaking clutch fluids via the clutch line! Thank god for Allen to have a spare bottle of clutch fluid around. After topping up the fluids, my pedal is still stuck, looks like my clutch pump got stuck as well. Sakakida had an ingenious idea to prod the cluch pump using my umbrella. It worked, you're a genius bro. LOL :D

Note: I changed my ER34 clutch pump and clutch lines to a R33 unit the day before. Why? Stay tuned for the next blog post update. :P

Pic 4: The DILYSI gang

Pic 5: The DILYSI gang from the rear

From here, we head to Jeram Toi waterfalls. This place has changed a bit from the last time were here. They added slides to the waterfall! What the hell! This is the first waterfall I've ever seen with water slides! LOL :D

Pic 6: The Jeram Toi waterfall

Pic 7: Water slides at the fall

After hanging out at Jeram Toi for a fair bit, we continued our journey to Seremban to have our lunch at A&W Restaurant. The 2nd part of the drive was not as furious but fun nonetheless. In Seremban town, some of us kinda got lost and ends up going round and round in two roundabouts while waiting for directions. It was hilarious as well and I bet we pissed off a couple folks that are waiting to enter the roundabout. Hahahahaha......

Reaching A&W Restaurant, it's great to see some of the other Skyline owners and zth forummers like semperfi, eyong, wai88, TitanRev, etc....

From here, we called it a day and departed back to Kuala Lumpur via the North-South Expressway. It was great driving with you guys again. Till the next drive.....

Pic 8: The gang

Pic 9: What's up with raising 'yer leg up in the air?

Pic 10: Regroup pic


Pic 11: A lot of white cars eh?


Pic 12: The Evolutions


Pic 13: Jason, you've parked right in front of a very apt sign


Pic 14: Parked at Jeram Toi

Seremban to KL via Kuala Kelawang *grins*

Pic 1: ER34 looks at the beginning of the route back to KL. 120km from here onwards...

Yesterday I had a meeting in the town of Seremban. After my meeting, I thought what the heck, why not depart back to Kuala Lumpur via the old roads. Been wanting to do this for quite a while each time I am in Seremban but never really got to do it until now.

From the town of Seremban, one can get back to Kuala Lumpur via the old roads passing by Pantai, Kuala Kelawang, Petaling, Titi, Pekan Batu 14, Hulu Langat and then out to Ampang, right to the heart of Kuala Lumpur City Centre. The whole journey is about 120km from Seremban to Ampang. Yeah it's not that near.....

Pic 2: Kuala Kelawang!!

Driving alone on these roads would not be too wise of a choice as some stretch does not have mobile phone coverage. And the roads are pretty much deserted except for the occasional villagers plying these routes. If your car breakdowns here, sure you'll be in deep shit. LOL :D

I didn't particularly pushed too hard as am not familiar with the roads (last trip here was March 2007!) and to add to that, some parts were quite sandy. Even the TCS went off a couple of times mid bend due to sands.

Next DILYSI here, boys???

Here's some pics that I've managed to snap.

Pic 3: Parked here for a quick photo


Pic 4: Long flowing roads


Pic 5: Some of the corners


Pic 6: Pretty deserted roads here


Pic 7: Hey...nice mountain view too


Pic 8: Sharp off camber bends

Drive It Like You Stole It #02- Kuala Kelawang

Well today I just came back from another drive.

Drive It Like You Stole It (DILYSI) #02 was to Kuala Kelawang near Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. We got together the below cars this time 'round.

4 units of the Skyline (3 ER34 and 1 HCR32)
2 units of the Impreza WRX Sti (Ver. 7 and Ver.8)
1 unit of the S13 Silvia

Pic 1: The grouped stopped for a 'lil breather in Kuala Kelawang

Pic 2: Wonder what they are discussing.....

Pic 3: The twisties!!!

The route was from Kuala Lumpur - Hulu Langat - Kuala Kelawang - Seremban - Kuala Lumpur

Total distance travelled is around 250km. We move off around 7:40am towards Cheras via MRR2 to reach Hulu Langat. From here the route in Kuala Kelawang is made out of pure fast and winding left and right hander one after another. Imagine for miles you are just shuffling the steering wheel from the left to the right to the left to the right to the left ............. and so on. The roads are really isolated with little or no traffic at all except for certain sections that are dotted with small villages.

Pic 4: Breakfast stop half-way

Pic 5: Many twin stove tail lights!

What is scary to me is the existence of multiple FAST corners that tightens in the middle of the turn. I drove max-ed out, perhaps at tenth tenth at some parts to catch up with the faster Impreza STi. Those cars certainly are better adapted for these roads with their 4 wheel driven wheels.

Amongst the things I noticed about my ER34 in Kuala Kelawang is the need to have better brakes (yes finally planning on those!) for those late braking maneuvers and better tyres (for more grip!). Besides that perhaps I need to be a better driver too to link those endless corners in a smoother way.

I had the rear of the ER34 twitching on many of the corners as the car oversteers. On a few occasions, my heart beat a few beats faster as I braked too late and turn-in too fast into corners that only reveal its tightening characteristics in the middle of the corner.

Really adrenalin pumping stuffs!!

One of us even spun 180 degrees! Luckily there were no traffic and the car did not veer off the road. Phew....

Pic 6: Excellent roads!!!

Pic 7: Jeram Toi waterfalls

Pic 8: Relaxing in Jeram Toi waterfalls

Upon reaching Jelebu, we stopped by the Jeram Toi waterfalls. The Jeram Toi waterfalls is located about halfway between Seremban and Kuala Kelawang. They were discovered by the British in 1895 and became a popular place for a relaxing bath and a family picnic. The park has shelters, toilets, barbeque pits, and a cemented walkway with steps leading up the gorge. The place is quite desolate when we visited it. Furthermore it's facilities are in a state of decay and neglect. Looks like the local authorities need to do something about it......

After the waterfalls, we head to Seremban town and into the North-South Espressway towards Kuala Lumpur for our well deserved lunch. :)

Great drive guys. Can't wait for DILYSI #03