TRUSTED PALS: John (centre) with his cycling buddies Tee (left) and Joe (right)
To a cyclist, there's more to it than meets the eye in a town like Ipoh..
to have a meal, cycle and explore
the area and when we are done, we just pedal back to the train station and head back to Ipoh," he explained.
John added that he too had made some daytrips to towns like Taiping where the scenery is good and the food is cheap.
"The train station is nearby, what we do is we cycle to the station, pack our bikes and head to any town of our choice.
"Afer exploring the area, there's ample time to ride and catch a train back to Ipoh."
To get in shape, he will round up his friends and cycle around Ipoh town and the average distance is between 20-30km
He said there are some really interesting cycling trails around Ipoh and its greater areas.
"We can do a town ride, from there, head all the way to Hulu Kinta and hangout at the rapids.
"There are many places of interest in and around Ipoh where cyclists, especially those with folding bikes can explore.
"After all, Ipoh is in-between big cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang, so, the foldies from there can take an ETS train to check out what we have," explained Uncle John.
He said places like Kelly's Castle, which is not too far away from Ipoh is worth checking out.
"This is a well-known landmark which is historically-significant.
"And its not too far from Ipoh, where we can do a daytrip ride. Apart from that, there's also the ride to places like Tanjung Tualang where the food is exceptionally good!
"A lot of food lovers who are also cyclist will make an effort to cycle from Ipoh to Tanjung Tualang. The disused mining pools that are now being utilised for raising ducks and aquaculture are dotted along the way. Its really scenic when you ride there early in the morning."
For the adventure lover, Uncle John also suggested a ride to Taiping.
This route in particular, he said, is rather challenging due to the undulating terrain and is only recommended to
experienced cyclists.
He added that Taiping has many charms especially the Lake Gardens, which is one of the country's oldest public
parks which is well-maintained.
Architecture buffs, he said, can also admire the old colonial buildings in Taiping town, which was known as an
administrative centre when Tin was discovered during the British colonialism era.