It was a beautiful, clear, Saturday morning over at Proton's Centre of Excellence, and as the birds chirp among the flock and the morning dew begins to drip off the tips of the petals, we close our eyes and hear the sounds of… overwhelming horsepower.
Yup, the 10th of December, 2011 is the beginning of the end of the Shell Helix Invasion Tour 2011. This bittersweet second episode of the successful Drive To Protect saga has more than 50 supercar participants, which ought to be an internal record of sorts.
While the organizers scramble to tweak logistics and communications to ensure a safe and fun-filled drive, the participants themselves, quite some from the previous leg, are enjoying the meet and the opportunity to socialize amongst one another.
The supercars filled the front entrance of the COE to the brim, making a circle around the upper foyer in addition to filling up the space around the porch and guard house. Although Ferrari's, Porsche's and Lotuses comprise the majority of the entourage, other exotic brands also made their appearance as well; Lamborghini's, Aston Martin's, Maserati's, and the inclusion of the newly-touted Japanese supercar, the Nissan GT-R.
The proceedings for the morning has changed little from the previous week, with the participants signing in for the drive, receiving their two-way radios, getting the sponsor stickers attached, and chatting over breakfast. The drivers' briefing this time around primarily emphasized safety and highway etiquette in addition to the schedule for the day.
Due to the increased amount of participation, the itinerary for Leg 2 to Penang is altered to accommodate logistical delays. This meant that one of the stops planned previously would be struck off; De Garden, Ipoh. Although truly regrettable for our fans over in Ipoh, the organizers have felt that including it would have hampered the entire journey's efficiency, and hence, the subjective appeal of the drive.
Other than some minor incidences before the flag-off, the entire convoy was raring to go. As soon as the drivers' briefing ended, the participants got to their respective cars and audibly warmed their engines up. The Royal Malaysian Police escorts, ever-professional, were already prepared for the flag-off; the westbound Kesas Highway being blocked to allow for a very spirited and thunderous exit into the highway.
The size of the convoy necessitated a division of the convoy into a triad; Group A comprising the more enthusiastic drivers, Group B comprising the remainder of the exotics, and Group C comprising the media and less experienced drivers. All three groups have been given instructions during the briefing to regroup at Sungai Buloh Jejantas R&R.
As the flag was waved frantically by Erwin Azizi signalling the start of Leg 2, the supercars blasted out of COE, one by one, onto Kesas Highway, made a u-turn at the intersection in front, and headed towards the ELITE highway and onto the NKVE.
Sungai Buloh Jejantas R&R, the first designated stop, was abuzz with activity as the convoy entered. The high volume of vehicles on the highway made it rather difficult for the convoy to remain intact. Nevertheless, the entire convoy made it to Sungai Buloh Jejantas R&R in time for a quick breather.
Many of the vehicles have their hoods (or engine cover, depending on make and model) up to allow for a quicker cool-down. Logical, as the temperature that day hit 32 degrees Celcius with clear skies. After the quick regroup, Group A spearheaded the convoy, followed by Group B about 10 minutes later, and Group C another 10 minutes later. Their next stop; Tapah R&R.
It took the convoy about 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the Shell station at the Tapah R&R rendezvous. There, many of the participants were filling up for the next part of the journey, which was about 170 kilometres away.
The Shell station patrons and a sizable amount of onlookers were particularly excited at the supercars parked at the petrol station, some posing for photographs with the parked supercars and others taking videos.
The next stop was right after the Jawi toll, and it took approximately one and a half hours for most of the convoy to reach. The police escorts together with Group A were parked at the shoulder, awaiting the remainder of the convoy to arrive.
To alleviate the congestion caused by the curious passers-by, a decision was made to head towards the Penang Inshore Fishermen's Welfare Association (PIFWA) before the rest of the convoy reached Jawi toll. From the toll, the police escorts provided the needed VIP treatment to allow for a safe and secure entry through the narrow village roads towards PIFWA in Kampung Sungai Acheh.
The convoy inadvertently stopped at the wrong location before being redirected towards PIFWA, which was about 1 kilometre deeper. Despite the slight hitch, the participants were still upbeat about reaching PIFWA. There, they were treated to some local cuisine and much-needed cool liquid sustenance.
The current President of PIFWA, Mr. Ilias Shafie gave a talk to the participants about the focus of PIFWA and the importance of environmental awareness and conservation, specifically the crucial role of mangrove trees in the preservation of the wetlands ecosystem.
A very interesting fact about PIFWA is that they championed and pioneered mangrove replanting efforts along nearby coastal areas as early as 1997. Areas where the mangrove plants were replanted suffered little to no damage from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, prompting the Prime Minister (Y.A.B. Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) to call for a national replanting effort along the coastal areas of Malaysia in 2005.
After the talk, the participants were guided towards the mangrove replanting site where they were given the opportunity to replant mangrove seedlings. These mangrove seedlings will, in time, grow to become hosts to a variety of flora and fauna, in addition to protecting the coastal areas from natural maritime threats.
After the surprisingly encouraging occasion, the group assembled for a photograph opportunity.
Once the replanting task was completed, the entourage headed back to their respective vehicles, arranged themselves in a single line, and began their journey towards Penang Island.
Next up: Shell Helix Invasion Tour 2011 Leg 2 - PIFWA to Mansion 69, Batu Ferringhi
