Riding on and on: Cheap thrill, real risk!

I had my second 2hr long practical driving lesson after which I took the Final Theory Test at SSDC. Fortunately for me, all went well and I passed. So the final hurdle of passing the practical driving test approaches...

The main highlight of the day was nearly marred by bad weather. However, as expected, the skies cleared and after a nap, I set off for Kent Ridge at 3.15p.m. The headwind blowing in the south-western direction was super strong as I traveled along the Woodlands Rd - Upper Bukit Timah Rd - Clementi Rd stretch. Furthermore, I had to stop at almost every traffic junction. Just my luck, I reached Kent Ridge Park around 4.45p.m, panting heavily after the climb up Vigilante Drive.

Without further hesitation, I hit the MTB trail. It was very technical and steep on most sections. The downslopes were rocky, twisting, narrow and super steep. Slipping off the trail would mean falling or rolling downhill into some unknown wilderness. I have to admit that terrified was a good description of what I would have felt if I had hesitated much further.

Heart pounding and with a false sense of bravado, I just blocked out every thought and went for it. The bike shuddered, jerked and slipped down the rocky terain, brakes screaming against rims in protest. On many occasions, I almost failed to make the crucial turn in time. Deciding to play cautious, I brought the bike to a standing halt on sharp turns with me still balanced on the bike. My eyes would pick up the best path to take while I turned or hopped to face the correct direction. Brakes released, the bike would roll forward down the steep decline. Time to hang on for dear life. Later, I discovered that I had carelessly left the fork's lock-out on "locked" position but because it was a push-button system, the impact still activated the damping system. Hopefully, no damage was done.

The climbs were long and steep. A problem was to balance the bike such that the rear wheel had traction while the front wheel did not lift into a wheelie position. Often, huge slippery roots disrupted the climb as my tyres would slip and I had to push the bike to a suitable position before mounting again. At times, I just gave up trying to gain traction against the muddy surface and dismounted.

The raised platforms were interesting and I crossed without much difficulty. I will definitely give the alternate routes on the platforms a shot the next time I return. But I think my hunger for off-road rides has subsided somewhat after those slopes. Riding up the "99 bends road" was nothing compared to being "lost" in the dense forest. Relieved but energy significantly drained by the harsh terrain, I sped home.

Below are some pictures of Kent Ridge MTB Trail I found from various sources on the web. Hope the sources don't mind me posting them =P