Monday, February 26, 2024

Sunday and Serapi Mountain

It all started on Saturday. Was playing badminton with the crew. But we finished up early due to many absentee for this session. 3 courts booked, only 9 pax show up. As it was still early, me, Isk, and Ct just hanging out at LineQ restaurant. They have their dinner while me, having a glass of coffee as usual.

"How bout we go for hiking tomorrow morning?" Told Ct at that time. So the discussion keeps going about hiking. At first we plan to go to Haji Baki Trail at Batu 7 Kuching. As per review from google, its just 1++ KM loop trail with low difficulty, suitable for beginner as we concern about Isk, currently not really fit due to he didn't really work out during our stay at Kuching. "Ok" and all my plan for the night is cancelled. I just go back to my house and rest. Almost asleep, got a message from Isk, mentioning that we shall follow other group to go hike at Mount Serapi. "Ini Kali Lah" words that come from my mouth while i smirk.

Mount Serapi located about 25KM from where i stay. The elevation is around 911 Meters from sea Level or around 2700Ft. 911 sounds like disaster right? It is. While there is a concrete trail all the way to the peak, the difficulty, the steepness of the trail is around medium difficulty. The round trip is 10++ Km from the starting point to the peak. 

We gather at the starting point at 7am. But the gate only open at 730am. Small talks with our fellow hikers and after registering, we start hike up. The route is kinda ok. 90% ascending. At first the steep route is kinda ok. There are 10 of us in the group but me, Isk, and Ct leading the hike. After 1400ft or around 2km hike, the route becoming more steep. I left my 2 friends behind at around 2200ft as the route becoming more steep and difficult. The other group, they are all the way behind. I don't know how far has my pace bring me forward compare to them.

As the elevation goes higher, the scenery becoming more and more stunning and these two eyes can’t stop adoring the beauty of the nature. It's around 9++ am when I was scaling the last few hundred feet of the trail. The weather is nice, cool and breazy. The steep trail looks like a slope from faraway. The moss in green, the subtle of the mist, the windy morning, chased away the glaring sun of the morning.

There's a wooden house all the way at the top, and a signage showing the way to a tower, a viewing tower. The area is kind like a opening on top of the mount, with another hut for hiker's to chill. It is a 2 story tower building where people can go on top of the tower to enjoy the view. Beneath it is another bench and table where hiker's can relax a bit and maybe some food for refreshment.

Across the peak, we can see a telecomm building, towering the sky on top of the mountain. At first there's not a lot to see as the morning fog still covering the mountain. But as time move on, the nature show itself her beauty, the colourful tone of green, the other mountain across, and the vast land that can be seen from afar. Astonishing.

Half and hour. It is the time I waited for isk and Ct to reach to the peak. And another 20 minutes for the whole group to reach on top. They hike cheerfully, small talk with a lot of laughter and a few stops, catching breath, cold water, and not least, smoke and vape. They also bring foods, in which we are waiting for. The hike has sapped out all my energy as I didn't take any breakfast as usual. 

Foods, pictures, and chill. That's what we have been doing for the past hour. We started to hike down. With me, being tasked to bring the dishes bag. Another picture of all of us before descending and we make a move. Starting with 10, and when the steep descending trail start, me, Isk, and Ct pick up our pace. 

It was at 2200ft elevation when I started feeling the sharp pain at the back of my knee. Slow descending increased the load. I started to jog, slowly as the route is slippery of the morning mist, leaving behind Isk and Ct, while the other group already not being seen since a few corner ago.

Reached the starting point around 12 noon,with my time for descending around 45 minutes for the 5.4km. Another 20 minutes for Isk and Ct to reached while the others take another 20minutes more. 

Tired, sleepy, and hungry. We say goodbye and thanks to the group as they accommodating us in their trip. And we make a move to have our lunch and go home. 

I was in pain when I was climbing the stair to get to my house. But still I laughed as I enjoyed the feeling of tiredness and the pain because I completed the hike. That joy when reaching the peak, that dazzling scenery, that breeze of wind, that mist that i walk through, and that green of moss that i see. I'll do it again. Absolutely.


Before the hike

Group photo at the starting point

Me, Isk, and Ct

Boys

Will

Be

Boys

Into the mist

Green moss and mesmerising mist

Into the wood

They would look at each other with a deep affection just behind their eyes which both would conceal some attenuated raillery - The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott  Fitzgerald

This is life! Who cares for the morrow

One must understand all - else one must take all for granted

Portrait of a joy


Faraway vast land

The deafening woods

Stream of life

No comments:

Post a Comment