The Bronson Chronicles: Hash House Harriers Hike from Gopeng to Cameron Highlands, 1970.

The HHH group in 1970 that hiked to Cameron Highlands from Gopeng.

'Bronson'..thanks for the photos

This report is a flashback based on photographs taken by an Ipohite named Bronson (not his real name)

The name Bronson was taken from a TV drama at the time called ‘Then Came Bronson’ about an American motorcyclist astride a Harley Davidson riding around the country.

Bronson too rode a motorbike, a British model single cylinder AJS 500. Bronson liked to take photographs and used an 35mm viewfinder camera.

HHH 2016 (left pix 5th from left) Foo Wan Shoon, Liew Chee Tuck and Foo Wan Thot after dinner and their Friday run. (right pix) Liew and Wan Thot identifying the 1970 team.

Photographs those days were printed and recently when he had returned to Ipoh passed me a stack of photographs with captions of what was the occasion and where it took place.

Bronson’s prints’ was still in good condition and I had selected this report of his hike with the Hash House Harriers from Gopeng to Cameron Highlands. The year was 1970.

As Branson could not recall all the names of the Harriers on the hike he referred me to fellow runner Foo Wan Shoon who in turn referred me again to his brother Foo Wan Thot and fellow runner Liew Chee Tuck.

I recently met the trio at dinner after their Friday run at Falim but was asked to meet again the next day. The trio were in their 60’s and 70’s now but with the aid of the photographs still remembered the hike fondly.

The late Jackett Simpson (centre, left pix) with Dato Bill Davidson. (right pix) Dato Davidson

According to Liew the hike took place in 1970, a year after the 1969 May 13 riots. It was organized by then Osborne and Chapel Gopeng Manager the late Jackett Simpson.

“Simpson worked in Gopeng and he made arrangements for the transport and orang asli guides.

“At the time before we went into the jungle we had to register ourselves at the Gopeng Police station.

“All the hikers met at 6am at the Station before boarding a lorry that took us along the Gopeng  pipeline until the point of entry at Sg Itek. From there we began our track up to Cameron Highlands.

“We had orang asli’s to guide us uphill. Our journey was a mix of jungle tracks and streams and despite the hike being grueling all of the way we managed to exit at the Bharat Tea Estate before Tanah Rata at around 4.30 pm.

The track was uphill

(left pix) Foo Wan Thot and King Lee Hoo Keat, (centre) Charlie Loh, (right pix) Wan Sai Phan and Aziz.

and gruelling 

...but we came out at Bharat Tea Estate (above pix) at 4.30pm.

According to Liew the group stayed the night at the Foo Yat Kai villa located at Tanah Rata and returned home the next day.

He added that during that period in the 60’s the HHH was the only group that did the climb from Gopeng to Cameron Highland and the 1970 hike was the groups 3^rd since 1966.

Liew recalled that the HHH Perak Chapter started in 1966 stating that some of the early pioneer members besides himself was Foo Wan Thot, one time a Grandmaster, his brother Foo Wan Shoon, Phillip Leong who for a time the secretary who wrote the raunchy newsletters and then there was Bronson.

Liew was introduced to the club in 1968 by fellow runner Phillip Leong.

“At the time HHH was mainly a club made up of of 90% expatriates. However when we joined it was for the exercise and it was fun as at the end of the run there was a beer wagon waiting”.

Liew described Wan Shoon and Bronson as the young members of the group that was always ahead of the rest,

(l-r) Bronson and Wan Shoon, the 'young' runners that was always ahead of the group.

“Especially for Bronson. He would wear jungle boots and run ahead of the rest which was possibly the reason he could capture all the photographs”.

A visit to former secretary Phillip Leong brought back memories describing those days as so much fun and camaraderie.

(l-r) Bronson, King Lee, Charlie Loh and Phillip Leong (5th from left and inset) 

As he looked at his old photograph the his main mention was that he was so slim and had more hair then.

Apparently the photographs of Bronson rekindled a spark in the lives of these former young men all of whom recalled their adventurous times four decades ago.

(l-r front row) Foo Wan Shoon and Bronson. (Bottom row from left) Liew Chee Tuck. (l-r back row) Foo Wan Thot and Jacket Simpson (4th from left)

As for this report it portrayed a time when young men of those days found the jungle as a fun place and a challenge.

JAG

One Big Happy Family - OMPH Family Day

OMPH Parish which currently has over 5000 families consisting of close to 40 BEC’s and stretching from Tg Rambutan and Bercham to Taman Cempaka held their Family Day Food and Fun Fair last weekend and it was great fun for all throughout the morning.

the Family Day at OMPH Church.

The event started at 9am and saw a steady stream of parishioners walking through the 41stalls offering food, games and activities.

A wide variety of food was on sale by the various BEC's 

...nuggets and burgers

.. "Spaghetti Joe" guess who...

...(l) Sarawak Laksa and (r) Pancake Shang Mee...

the large dining area 

(l) Muscleman Freddy's soft drink stall  (r) the ladies group from KL selling cakes and cookies.

There was a whole variety of foods available from designer ‘Spaghetti Joe’ meals to nasi kunyit, genuine Sarawak Laksa specially made by none other than true blue Sarawakians themselves, delicious Tom Yam bee hoon, satay and delicious cakes and bisquits made by a generous group who came all the way from Kuala Lumpur.

Banana Leaf lunch

There even was a banana leaf stall set up for lunch which was well patronized.

A team of DJ’s provided by Melvin and his brother Justin contributed a steady flow of requests throughout the event.

(l) Dishing out the song requests Melvin and Justin while Fr Masang looks on (r) RELA on duty

For the children there were game stalls and face painting, henna art and an inflatable jungle gym while a large number of the children participated in the coloring competition.

the games stalls....

...prize giving for the childrens coloring competition

...face painting and clowning around...

inflatable jungle gym....

With a wide variety of activities to occupy the time it was no wonder that whole families from young to old supported the morning.

Fr Joseph Stephen and Fr Eugene Fernandez networking with the parishioners

(l) Edwin William and family (c) Jennifer Yoon with Jonalyn and Kingsley Ho (r) Michael Duorado and JAG

Strong turnout from the families in the parish

Families and parishioners of all ages 

Mother and daughter and sisters

..families and friends

Body art is for all ages....

Pumkin and Patch (below), pets of Sr Lourdes, were helping at fund raising at the Good Shepherds stall.

Many were seen having a light meal and chatting under the huge dining tents (below) enjoying the day and listening to the DJ’s selection of music.

A note of appreciation to the participants of the cooking competition for preparing a quality menu consisting of a starter,main course and dessert.

Judges busy food tasting (l-r) Peter Bucher, Peter Chong and Elaine Wong 

...the Starters

the Main Course...Blue sea chicken rice, roast pork and Acar Fish

...Desserts

(l-r) the winners... Kelly Siew, Anna Chow and Ashley Wong

The last event before calling it a day was the “Guess the weight of the cake” (below)which took its last ‘guess’ at 2.15pm.

The weight of the cake was 7.8kgs and had two winners Jacinta Emmanuel and Socoro Sibatun.

(l) the Chinese group and (r) the group from St Mary's Chapel Tg Rambutan

 Overall the event was a wonderful day of friendly networking amongst family and friends from throughout the parish which prompted Fr Joseph Stephen to convey his thanks to all those for making the day a wonderful success.

JAG 

Getting Ready For Merdeka 2016

Two years ago in 2014

In 2016....getting in the mood for  59 years of Merdeka

.....wrap around Jalur Gemilang at the Sky Residences

...at SK Tg Rambutan...instil patriotism...

...while Ipoh City Council prepares the Ipoh Town Hall for the big day....

...on both sides of Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang....

...Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang in 2014, the site of the annual Merdeka march-pass and parade.

JAG

Club YBU's Cool Hari Raya / Family Day Celebration 2016.

There was activity for the whole family 

After close to a month of Hari Raya celebrations it was a pleasure to attend an open house where the guests did more than chill on Raya delicacies and pleasant conversation. 

For a change there was a some activity and that was cycling and tandems in a cool setting at the Kinta Riverwalk site.

A good morning of family bonding 

The staff of YBBUDR brought their families. Throughout the morning there was much activity and as the sun rose around noon they took a break for their brunch or lunch with the Raya spread of goodies.

Good food for a relaxing get together ....

With live music which was in the tempo of cool and relaxing kampung swing it turned out to be a cool morning. 

Cool music during your meal...

The Kinta Riverwalk with its cool shaded trees was an ideal spot for a corporate get together. 

Kinta Riverwalk...shady trees amidst a cool environment make for a cool picnic setting.

The sight of whole families cycling and using the riverwalk under the cool shade was a wonderful image of managing the environment in our midst for the benefit of good team bonding. 

Cheers!

JAG