Batu Dam (Empangan Batu) - Took my breath away

This place is absolutely beautiful. It all started innocently enough all gathered at the main gate and the gang move on ahead and I have to play catchup as I was busy strapping my camera and gear. Once I get going catching up with the boys is all that I focussed on, being left behind on your first time is not a good Idea. As I reached the top of the dam I was breathing heavily, heads down as I'm trying to catch my breath. Once I looked up though the view really took my breath away. It is absolutely beautiful.

As I stood there transfixed by the magnificent view only then I starts to feel the cold air blowing softly, the mist swirling around us and that oh so fresh air. At the end of the ride, 5 leeches and 2 bee stings later, I still couldn't forget the majestic view. Picture perfect moment.

The trail itself is quite interesting and fun. Total of 16+kms, several river crossing and to most riders the super nice 2 kms of downhill from the top. Throughtout the trail the lake will be by your side until you go deeper into the woods.

The first 4-5kms of the trail are largely flat rolling terrain and once you crossed your first major stream only then it gets a bit tough. You will leave the lake at this point and ride roughly 2 kms of uphill. Then you'll be rewarded with roughly 1 kms of downhill towards a cool cool river which is the central point of the trail. Here is where we take our rest before continuing with the huge loop.

Having tasted the "first hand" water from the river you will then have to ride uphill for few hundred metres before the big showdown, 2 kms of fast flowing downhill ride. Busted my front suspension trying to catch up with a guy with Vanilla shocks (good excuse to get a new shocks ehehehe) Its fun and its fast but be careful of the few man made ditches from the maintenance work carried out last 2 weeks. A slight misjudgment might hurl you into the trees. So choose your lines carefully. Unlike Kiara, you'll do fine with a hardtail and you can ride hard and fast throughout the entire 2kms or so of descend.

At the end of this descend you will be back at the first major river you crossed before. That marks the end of the loop of which you will cycle back for some 4-5kms or so.

To me, it was an absolutely wonderful ride. The trail is challenging enough yet not that prohibitive for beginners like me. Highly enjoyable and through it all I just have to remind myself that the view is for real and I'm not dreaming.