I got my lazy bum out today for a recovery run. I had probably strained my hamstring when I contacted several rocks on Friday and yesterday's ride did not aid its recovery =P The pain subsided as adrenaline kicked in.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Urban Assault...kind of...
Alrasvee and I set off from Woodlands at 9am for Clementi MRT but we never made it there. Halfway through, I attempted to pump Alrasvee's half inflated rear wheel, only to find a broken and missing Presta valve when I removed the pump. With a hiss, all the air escaped. He didn't have an extra tube and my spare Schrader tube could not fit his rims. We were at a loss. Fortunately, Ian came to the rescue in the rain with a spare tube! We owe him for that.
All drenched and cold, we headed to a cheese prata shop at the end of Clementi Road. I was glad that the sun was out as our wet clothes could then be dried. After a drink and meeting up with Vijay and Phyllis, we set off for Kent Ridge and the park connector network through the Southern Ridges. Ian, aka Xingg, showed us why he deserved to finish third for the recent downhill competition at Kent Ridge by leading us through flights after flights of steps! Way to go man =)
I suddenly felt I was a little too old. All the bravado of the past couple of years had seemed to disappear and I hesitated at each deck of steps. At certain parts, I found the courage to ride down, at other sections, I just gave up and carried my bike down =P Nonetheless, we gave the bikes a good thrashing as well as "stress test". My suspension felt so plush after the final deck of steps down Mount Faber.
All drenched and cold, we headed to a cheese prata shop at the end of Clementi Road. I was glad that the sun was out as our wet clothes could then be dried. After a drink and meeting up with Vijay and Phyllis, we set off for Kent Ridge and the park connector network through the Southern Ridges. Ian, aka Xingg, showed us why he deserved to finish third for the recent downhill competition at Kent Ridge by leading us through flights after flights of steps! Way to go man =)
I suddenly felt I was a little too old. All the bravado of the past couple of years had seemed to disappear and I hesitated at each deck of steps. At certain parts, I found the courage to ride down, at other sections, I just gave up and carried my bike down =P Nonetheless, we gave the bikes a good thrashing as well as "stress test". My suspension felt so plush after the final deck of steps down Mount Faber.
We had lunch before making out way to the Marina Barrage. As all of us had not been to the Barrage before (less Phyllis who had been there once by car), we took awhile to find the place. And it was definitely worth our efforts. At such an isolated location, it was surprising to find so many people chilling out, having picnics or just taking a stroll.
My shoes were almost dried by then so it was great to just laze around and sun my socks. =P We were joined by another rider (sorry, I can't remember your name) but we had to leave for home shortly after. Alrasvee had to get home by 6pm and I am sure we "enjoyed" the ride back via the "rolling" terrain of Upper Thomson.
Damn, I think I took a knock too many yesterday and my muscles are acting up again.
Total distance: 80km
Money spent: $5.50
Participants: LSH, Alrasvee, Ian Yeng, Phyllis Tan, Vijay
Damn, I think I took a knock too many yesterday and my muscles are acting up again.
Total distance: 80km
Money spent: $5.50
Participants: LSH, Alrasvee, Ian Yeng, Phyllis Tan, Vijay
Friday, May 29, 2009
Mountain Biking at Tampines MTB Park
There was no biking involved yesterday. I helped Mum collect her medicine at SGH and since I had about 2 hours to spare till 6pm (meeting Jing Kai at Bugis MRT), I decided to walk over to Bugis through the CBD area. I took a couple of pictures along the way and realised, in the shoes of a tourist, that our country can be very attractive and in some sense, unique. Our CBD boasts the tallest buildings you can find on this island, and in fact, from here to KL (you find some tall buildings in JB but but until you hit KL, you are unlikely to find any building taller than a typical HDB block). Yet in our CBD, co-existing among skyscrapers, are relics, or rather, refurbished relics. Raffles Hotel, a building full of heritage, is a fine example. It is of little wonder that foreigners find Singapore intriguing.
I cycled to Tampines MTB Park in the afternoon. It has been months since I last visited the trail, and it was a good opportunity to test out my SPD shoes. It turned out to be a rather eventful ride, thanks to a few falls.
Teletubby land was the usual narrow, twisting singletrack. Erosion had made things a little more tricky but it didn't pose much of a problem. When I encountered the rocky climbs, I realised that the once bare slopes were overflowing with the greens. More rocks had been compacted into the trail, but the bad news was that many large pieces on the climbs were loose, making it a lot more tricky than it looked.
I got the first taste of this death trap when I chose the wrong path up a very tight and steep corner. My misjudgement had placed me right in the middle of the steepest part with big loose rocks. As I tried to power the bike up the turn, I felt my tyres slip. Shifting my weight back, I had lost too much momentum to push through and that was it. In the split second which I failed to unclip, I fell sideways, breaking the fall with my left palm. I realised a sharp rock had ripped a hole in the palm of my left glove and obviously the rocks presented my left leg with bloody kisses.
Call that a morale booster! Spirits dampened, I carried on. Down the slopes, across a wooden ramp and into the forest. The huge mud pool (it was green!) caught me by surprise. I took a gamble and cycled right into it, expecting to move through. For the first time ever on a Singapore trail, my front wheel sank till the level of my v-brakes! Of course, I didn't manage to unclip in time and toppled to the left again =P
My bike emerged a mess. The front tyre, rim, spokes, hub, fork and suspension were totally encrusted in mud. I think it's the first time I had gotten so much mud that I had to strip off the front wheel to get rid of all the crap when I reached home! But it was cool.
The jungle portion was a mess. A lousy trackstand sent me toppling when I was too undecided on which path to take. In the end, I took the longer path and found the platform obstacles to be in very poor conditions. My heart leapt every time I encountered a missing plank or two and I prayed for my wheel to clear the gap and not stall and send me flying off the platform. As the plaforms got higher and narrower, my worries increased when I saw the gaps. Thankfully, I got through just fine, with a couple of close shaves here are there.
Out of the forest, I explored a new path but it was crazily steep, twisting and almost impossible to manoeuvre before disppearing altogether. Turning back, I took the usual route back to the start point and cycled to the highest point to catch the view.
The skies threatened to pour but no rain fell as I headed for East Coast Park. After a more leisure pace at ECP, I took the Lavender, Thomson and Sembawang Rd route home.
Total distance: 76.3km (on-road); 10km (off-road)
Money spent: $0
Participants: LSH
I cycled to Tampines MTB Park in the afternoon. It has been months since I last visited the trail, and it was a good opportunity to test out my SPD shoes. It turned out to be a rather eventful ride, thanks to a few falls.
Teletubby land was the usual narrow, twisting singletrack. Erosion had made things a little more tricky but it didn't pose much of a problem. When I encountered the rocky climbs, I realised that the once bare slopes were overflowing with the greens. More rocks had been compacted into the trail, but the bad news was that many large pieces on the climbs were loose, making it a lot more tricky than it looked.
I got the first taste of this death trap when I chose the wrong path up a very tight and steep corner. My misjudgement had placed me right in the middle of the steepest part with big loose rocks. As I tried to power the bike up the turn, I felt my tyres slip. Shifting my weight back, I had lost too much momentum to push through and that was it. In the split second which I failed to unclip, I fell sideways, breaking the fall with my left palm. I realised a sharp rock had ripped a hole in the palm of my left glove and obviously the rocks presented my left leg with bloody kisses.
Call that a morale booster! Spirits dampened, I carried on. Down the slopes, across a wooden ramp and into the forest. The huge mud pool (it was green!) caught me by surprise. I took a gamble and cycled right into it, expecting to move through. For the first time ever on a Singapore trail, my front wheel sank till the level of my v-brakes! Of course, I didn't manage to unclip in time and toppled to the left again =P
My bike emerged a mess. The front tyre, rim, spokes, hub, fork and suspension were totally encrusted in mud. I think it's the first time I had gotten so much mud that I had to strip off the front wheel to get rid of all the crap when I reached home! But it was cool.
The jungle portion was a mess. A lousy trackstand sent me toppling when I was too undecided on which path to take. In the end, I took the longer path and found the platform obstacles to be in very poor conditions. My heart leapt every time I encountered a missing plank or two and I prayed for my wheel to clear the gap and not stall and send me flying off the platform. As the plaforms got higher and narrower, my worries increased when I saw the gaps. Thankfully, I got through just fine, with a couple of close shaves here are there.
Out of the forest, I explored a new path but it was crazily steep, twisting and almost impossible to manoeuvre before disppearing altogether. Turning back, I took the usual route back to the start point and cycled to the highest point to catch the view.
The skies threatened to pour but no rain fell as I headed for East Coast Park. After a more leisure pace at ECP, I took the Lavender, Thomson and Sembawang Rd route home.
Total distance: 76.3km (on-road); 10km (off-road)
Money spent: $0
Participants: LSH
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Review: Mavic Alpine MTB Shoes
I have a confession to make.
Poison is hard to resist and within an hour at Chapter 2 Cycle, I was parting with $145. It was exciting to get new "toys" and the weather was brilliant in allowing me a short test ride.
I spent some time at the AMK NTUC Xtra outlet, before heading for Sembawang library to read up on some stuff. As usual, the Black Belt magazines caught my eye and I spent time browsing through before moving on to the newspaper section. Coincidentally, I bumped into Alfred Chua at the library. I finished off at the section of books on sporting matters and decided to borrow a seemingly interesting read on adventure tour-cycling.
Back home, I quickly fixed my PD-A530 SPD pedals (removed before Genting) on the Raleigh and started to screw the cleats (SM-SH 51) onto my newly acquired shoes. It was not difficult but the positioning of the cleats had to be adjusted correctly to facilitate efficient clipping and unclipping. It was hard to get the shoes on the pedals at first and equally difficult to twist it off. After a few tries and subsequent fine-tuning, I got it quite right and decided to take the bike out for a test ride.
The Mavic Alpine (2009) is a pair of all mountain MTB shoes designed for multi-purpose usage and comfort. At 435g (UK 8.5), it felt a little heavy to the touch but the weight was barely noticeable when I wore it. In comparison to the more competitive XC models, the Alpine weighed a good 80 - 100g more.
Rigidity wise, the sole was fairly stiff but I felt comfortable walking in it. As always, there is a trade-off. For efficient transmission of power, rigidity is favoured over flex but as an all-mountain style, the design has incorporated comfort and some flex in the sole to suit the purpose of walking on different terrain types. The cleats just touched (barely in some instances) the ground when walking on smooth surfaces but I could feel the contact when traversing uneven terrain on foot.
On the bike, it was simple to clip the shoes into the pedals and not too difficult to twist them out (tension of pedals set to the lowest). When clipped in, I noticed there was still some lateral movement but that is probably due to the design of the cleats and the clipping system on the pedal, rather than the shoe itself.
Instead of the usual three velcro straps found on the XC models, the laces on the Alpine provide a splendid solution to tightening up when cycling and loosening up when wearing the shoes casually. The laces also serve a secondary purpose of making the shoes look casual when wearing it on a non-cycling occasion. This is great as I can consider not bringing a second pair of casual shoes when on long cycling tours overseas. The presence of a top velcro strap tightens the fit, helps to keep the laces in and can be easily covered by long pants, if you deem the strap unsightly.
I did a short circuit around the Sembawang area, covering different terrain. Hitting the trails at high speeds, the shoes felt snug and firm against the pedals. When I hopped onto kerbs, the rear lifted easily. As expected.
I am dying to test the shoes out on the real off-roads. I hope I get the chance this Saturday.
Total distance: 7km test ride
Money spent: $145
Participants: LSH
Poison is hard to resist and within an hour at Chapter 2 Cycle, I was parting with $145. It was exciting to get new "toys" and the weather was brilliant in allowing me a short test ride.
I spent some time at the AMK NTUC Xtra outlet, before heading for Sembawang library to read up on some stuff. As usual, the Black Belt magazines caught my eye and I spent time browsing through before moving on to the newspaper section. Coincidentally, I bumped into Alfred Chua at the library. I finished off at the section of books on sporting matters and decided to borrow a seemingly interesting read on adventure tour-cycling.
I decided to give the unknown MVR Racing brand a try. The Louis Garneau pair I am using is way more expensive but has barely lasted 8 months. It's full of holes now.
Back home, I quickly fixed my PD-A530 SPD pedals (removed before Genting) on the Raleigh and started to screw the cleats (SM-SH 51) onto my newly acquired shoes. It was not difficult but the positioning of the cleats had to be adjusted correctly to facilitate efficient clipping and unclipping. It was hard to get the shoes on the pedals at first and equally difficult to twist it off. After a few tries and subsequent fine-tuning, I got it quite right and decided to take the bike out for a test ride.
Mavic Alpine All-Mountain MTB shoes
The Mavic Alpine (2009) is a pair of all mountain MTB shoes designed for multi-purpose usage and comfort. At 435g (UK 8.5), it felt a little heavy to the touch but the weight was barely noticeable when I wore it. In comparison to the more competitive XC models, the Alpine weighed a good 80 - 100g more.
Rigidity wise, the sole was fairly stiff but I felt comfortable walking in it. As always, there is a trade-off. For efficient transmission of power, rigidity is favoured over flex but as an all-mountain style, the design has incorporated comfort and some flex in the sole to suit the purpose of walking on different terrain types. The cleats just touched (barely in some instances) the ground when walking on smooth surfaces but I could feel the contact when traversing uneven terrain on foot.
On the bike, it was simple to clip the shoes into the pedals and not too difficult to twist them out (tension of pedals set to the lowest). When clipped in, I noticed there was still some lateral movement but that is probably due to the design of the cleats and the clipping system on the pedal, rather than the shoe itself.
Instead of the usual three velcro straps found on the XC models, the laces on the Alpine provide a splendid solution to tightening up when cycling and loosening up when wearing the shoes casually. The laces also serve a secondary purpose of making the shoes look casual when wearing it on a non-cycling occasion. This is great as I can consider not bringing a second pair of casual shoes when on long cycling tours overseas. The presence of a top velcro strap tightens the fit, helps to keep the laces in and can be easily covered by long pants, if you deem the strap unsightly.
I did a short circuit around the Sembawang area, covering different terrain. Hitting the trails at high speeds, the shoes felt snug and firm against the pedals. When I hopped onto kerbs, the rear lifted easily. As expected.
I am dying to test the shoes out on the real off-roads. I hope I get the chance this Saturday.
Total distance: 7km test ride
Money spent: $145
Participants: LSH
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sembawang Circuit: 6.3km run
When you have more time on hand, you do weird things. Running was never my hobby, but I find myself pounding the pavement way more regularly than I ever did. For the last couple of years, I rode, rode and rode. My cycling mileage per week has not decreased since, instead, it has increased; and now running has become a form of cross training. Without passion, interest will not last and only time will tell. In fact, when university starts, I will probably be too tired cycling to and fro from school to run regularly.
My mind tends to wander and I see parts of my life flashback in my head. It is funny when I recall my unrealized childhood dreams and how much I have deviated from the goals I set many years back. I thought I had finally plotted out a path in life when I hit JC but a few years on, I am still at square one, as clueless as ever.
When I imagine myself ten years down the road, I can see a couple of possibilities. The first, I go where the wind blows. My parents were horrified when I said I may consider taking a few years off my prime to circum-navigate the world. They pointed out that such a lifestyle may not be fulfilling and I may regret it in my later years. Well, no one will really know until then, right? Then again, I guess I understand how they feel when I am away from home courting danger in some "ulu" place.
There are times that I yearn to find that guiding compass to show me the way and stabilise my "exciting" life. Perhaps I have strayed way off the path that God intends his children to take. The idea of a settled lifestyle seems comforting.
My mind tends to wander and I see parts of my life flashback in my head. It is funny when I recall my unrealized childhood dreams and how much I have deviated from the goals I set many years back. I thought I had finally plotted out a path in life when I hit JC but a few years on, I am still at square one, as clueless as ever.
When I imagine myself ten years down the road, I can see a couple of possibilities. The first, I go where the wind blows. My parents were horrified when I said I may consider taking a few years off my prime to circum-navigate the world. They pointed out that such a lifestyle may not be fulfilling and I may regret it in my later years. Well, no one will really know until then, right? Then again, I guess I understand how they feel when I am away from home courting danger in some "ulu" place.
There are times that I yearn to find that guiding compass to show me the way and stabilise my "exciting" life. Perhaps I have strayed way off the path that God intends his children to take. The idea of a settled lifestyle seems comforting.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
X-Physique 2009
One word. Fun. Thanks to my three other companions on this adventure race.
All thanks to their brilliance, we never failed to solve the puzzles quickly! Silly me led them on a longer route to the first station but at least we were not the last team to reach that station.
Kayaking, being the first station, was not really what we had hoped for (as this meant we would get our shoes wet), but it turned out to be quite a funny experience. Our kayak kept moving too much to the left and we wasted time and effort correcting course. And our coordination was problematic =P (confirm will clash every 50m). Haha...I think I am super rusty. Zi Kai and Deborah were speeding ahead.
Biking came after kayaking and I think it was rather short and uneventful. Last year's mountain biking section at Tampines mountain biking trail was probably a far more exciting experience. The "Ninja Warrior" style net climb was more interesting.
After that station, we had to decipher a puzzle and the speed at which Deborah and Kezia solved it was just amazing. After a rather long trek to Kampong Glam Park, we were greeted by one of the more challenging obstacles. It took me and Zi Kai quite many tries to finally get through (beneath a rope and above another while standing on a pipe that we had to "roll" towards a finish). I think that left the girls with less time but they nearly completed it.
We then proceeded at our comfortable pace to Mount Emily Park where we spent some time playing with swings, see-saws and a golf ball =P I must admit I didn't know one can build momentum on a swing! Anyway, back to the task at hand, we had to lift a pail out of a restricted zone with a pair of ropes. We took the maximum time to complete it!
Then, it was another long walk to Upper Cross Street so we got some snacks and drinks while the other serious competitors whizzed past us! The last station was abseiling which I thought would be nicer with a higher "drop-off" point. 4 storeys was a little short but it was still fun =) We should have brought a camera to capture facial expressions of people about to jump off!
That done, it was time to return to Square 1. Deborah took us on a scenic tour at the Esplanade Park. We even took some pictures there before returning to the start point some 7.5hrs from our start time. We were the last team in from the Mixed/Open category and Zi Kai's face lit up when told some teams didn't even complete. He asked how many and when told just one or two, had a total change in facial expression. That was funny. =)
I was glad to have "lunch" as my energy was almost running out. Then, the moment came when I had to pick my bike and head for home. Somehow, I chose to travel by Upper Thomson Road! I must have gone crazy, in fact, I was probably quite tired and dreaming half the time when I hit the numerous climbs. My mind probably wandered to a different universe and many a time, I threaded my bike through the small gaps between two moving vehicles without much thought.
Then again, being in a dream was good, in no time, I was home.
Total distance: 24.5km (of running, canoeing, biking, abseiling, other obstacles and I must add, strolling! =P); 23.1km (ride home)
Money spent: $9+ for food on race day
Participants: LSH, Zi Kai, Deborah, Kezia
All thanks to their brilliance, we never failed to solve the puzzles quickly! Silly me led them on a longer route to the first station but at least we were not the last team to reach that station.
Kayaking, being the first station, was not really what we had hoped for (as this meant we would get our shoes wet), but it turned out to be quite a funny experience. Our kayak kept moving too much to the left and we wasted time and effort correcting course. And our coordination was problematic =P (confirm will clash every 50m). Haha...I think I am super rusty. Zi Kai and Deborah were speeding ahead.
Biking came after kayaking and I think it was rather short and uneventful. Last year's mountain biking section at Tampines mountain biking trail was probably a far more exciting experience. The "Ninja Warrior" style net climb was more interesting.
After that station, we had to decipher a puzzle and the speed at which Deborah and Kezia solved it was just amazing. After a rather long trek to Kampong Glam Park, we were greeted by one of the more challenging obstacles. It took me and Zi Kai quite many tries to finally get through (beneath a rope and above another while standing on a pipe that we had to "roll" towards a finish). I think that left the girls with less time but they nearly completed it.
We then proceeded at our comfortable pace to Mount Emily Park where we spent some time playing with swings, see-saws and a golf ball =P I must admit I didn't know one can build momentum on a swing! Anyway, back to the task at hand, we had to lift a pail out of a restricted zone with a pair of ropes. We took the maximum time to complete it!
Then, it was another long walk to Upper Cross Street so we got some snacks and drinks while the other serious competitors whizzed past us! The last station was abseiling which I thought would be nicer with a higher "drop-off" point. 4 storeys was a little short but it was still fun =) We should have brought a camera to capture facial expressions of people about to jump off!
That done, it was time to return to Square 1. Deborah took us on a scenic tour at the Esplanade Park. We even took some pictures there before returning to the start point some 7.5hrs from our start time. We were the last team in from the Mixed/Open category and Zi Kai's face lit up when told some teams didn't even complete. He asked how many and when told just one or two, had a total change in facial expression. That was funny. =)
I was glad to have "lunch" as my energy was almost running out. Then, the moment came when I had to pick my bike and head for home. Somehow, I chose to travel by Upper Thomson Road! I must have gone crazy, in fact, I was probably quite tired and dreaming half the time when I hit the numerous climbs. My mind probably wandered to a different universe and many a time, I threaded my bike through the small gaps between two moving vehicles without much thought.
Then again, being in a dream was good, in no time, I was home.
At the start(left) and at the end(right).
Money spent: $9+ for food on race day
Participants: LSH, Zi Kai, Deborah, Kezia
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Wear a helmet; it may SAVE your life
It felt good to get my bike dirty after so many weeks of riding on the road. The feeling of getting my face and shades splattered by mud was a welcome relief. Even after a rather thorough wash-down, there are visible streaks of mud on my tyres and frame. It may seem rather gross to keep the bike in my room, but never mind, it's clean enough for an off-road machine. So when are we going to hit the trails again?
I reached home around noon, washed up (both equipment and myself), had lunch and headed out again to Marina Square on the Polygon. I took about an hour to get there on a more relaxed pace, deposited the bike and looked around the mall before taking the train home.
I had one close shave this morning when we did Scorpion after T15. As I approached the sign-post, I misjudged the height of the board and did not duck low enough when I threaded the bike between the two metal posts. My helmet took the impact with a loud thud. I could feel the entire force dissipated throughout the helmet. Pain shot through my head. At that moment, I thought the helmet had cracked. In the end, it was only a scratch and a teenie-weenie dent.
Imagine the consequences if I had not worn the helmet. The edge of the board would have left a few nice scars on my scalp. I could be lucky enough to escape with just a minor concussion, but the worse case scenario would be a visit to the hospital. =P
Total distance: 18km (off-road); 50.3km (on-road)
Money spent: $3.30
Participants: LSH, Ben, Faizul, Faizul's wife
I reached home around noon, washed up (both equipment and myself), had lunch and headed out again to Marina Square on the Polygon. I took about an hour to get there on a more relaxed pace, deposited the bike and looked around the mall before taking the train home.
I had one close shave this morning when we did Scorpion after T15. As I approached the sign-post, I misjudged the height of the board and did not duck low enough when I threaded the bike between the two metal posts. My helmet took the impact with a loud thud. I could feel the entire force dissipated throughout the helmet. Pain shot through my head. At that moment, I thought the helmet had cracked. In the end, it was only a scratch and a teenie-weenie dent.
Imagine the consequences if I had not worn the helmet. The edge of the board would have left a few nice scars on my scalp. I could be lucky enough to escape with just a minor concussion, but the worse case scenario would be a visit to the hospital. =P
Total distance: 18km (off-road); 50.3km (on-road)
Money spent: $3.30
Participants: LSH, Ben, Faizul, Faizul's wife
Friday, May 22, 2009
10km run to Causeway Point and back
It was hard to make up my mind. The lazy part of me wanted to remain at home while some voice in my head urged me to go out and take a breather. When I heard from Mum that a fire at Causeway Point (to be verified) caused the mall to be evacuated, I decided to check it out.
Now, another problem surfaced. It was 6.30pm. Looking at my Raleigh, the Jamis and the Polygon, I pondered over my choice, then decided to choose Bus No 11. It took me 30min to get down to Causeway Point. On the way there, I met two fire-engines probably heading back to Sembawang Fire Station. The management had just started to let the crowd back into the mall when I arrived. I hung around for half an hour.
By then, dusk had fallen and I started my run back. What a way to start the weekend. I will be going mountain biking tomorrow morning, followed by a ride to Marina Square in the afternoon. And on Sunday, it will be X-Physique.
Now, another problem surfaced. It was 6.30pm. Looking at my Raleigh, the Jamis and the Polygon, I pondered over my choice, then decided to choose Bus No 11. It took me 30min to get down to Causeway Point. On the way there, I met two fire-engines probably heading back to Sembawang Fire Station. The management had just started to let the crowd back into the mall when I arrived. I hung around for half an hour.
By then, dusk had fallen and I started my run back. What a way to start the weekend. I will be going mountain biking tomorrow morning, followed by a ride to Marina Square in the afternoon. And on Sunday, it will be X-Physique.
Fun night out (21 May 2009)
Alfred and I watched "Death Race" in the afternoon before we headed over to Ashton's at AMK. Zi Kai, Bryan, Lim Hwee and Jia Shun were already there when we arrived. Pin Yuan came way later, in fact, after we all had dinner!
Anyway, it was great meeting up, catching up with the latest "news" and reviving funny moments from the past. I think Zi Kai was probably elated when he won the Daytona race at the arcade and subsequently the "basketball" game when he teamed Pin Yuan.
497 cyclists turned up for the Ride of Silence this year, probably far exceeding the expectations of the organizers. And I spotted Daniel and myself in the ChannelNewsAsia reportage of the event! =)
Anyway, it was great meeting up, catching up with the latest "news" and reviving funny moments from the past. I think Zi Kai was probably elated when he won the Daytona race at the arcade and subsequently the "basketball" game when he teamed Pin Yuan.
497 cyclists turned up for the Ride of Silence this year, probably far exceeding the expectations of the organizers. And I spotted Daniel and myself in the ChannelNewsAsia reportage of the event! =)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Ride of Silence
It was a wise decision to take the Jamis as we had to rush down. I think the turn-out was greater than expected. I did not manage to see our Minister for Community Development and Sports although I heard he was taking part in the ride. The situation was one of organized chaos. But it was great, things were moving.
The ride itself was okay, rather smooth. But we didn't really manage to maintain the silence. Some of the motorists on the road exhibited their typical rude behaviour. Nothing new. But I thank those who had the patience and understood the woes of a cyclist. We lost the guys on their MTBs and fixies in the later stage of the ride after a few climbs. While the other roadies set off for the finish, Daniel, myself and the team leader waited and waited for the stragglers. Still seeing none in sight, we finally set off for the end point.
At Merlion Park, we broke off and left for home. I turned into Balestier Road and took Lentor Ave home while Daniel probably blasted down Upper Serangoon Road.
Till our next ride.
Route taken: To Merlion Park, ROS, from Merlion Park
Total distance: 66.9km
Money spent: $0
Participants: LSH, Daniel
Daniel and I (left); our Merlion overlooking all (right)
The ride itself was okay, rather smooth. But we didn't really manage to maintain the silence. Some of the motorists on the road exhibited their typical rude behaviour. Nothing new. But I thank those who had the patience and understood the woes of a cyclist. We lost the guys on their MTBs and fixies in the later stage of the ride after a few climbs. While the other roadies set off for the finish, Daniel, myself and the team leader waited and waited for the stragglers. Still seeing none in sight, we finally set off for the end point.
At Merlion Park, we broke off and left for home. I turned into Balestier Road and took Lentor Ave home while Daniel probably blasted down Upper Serangoon Road.
Till our next ride.
Route taken: To Merlion Park, ROS, from Merlion Park
Total distance: 66.9km
Money spent: $0
Participants: LSH, Daniel
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sembawang Circuit - 6.3km run (17 May 2009)
I felt like I was running my 2.4km pace the whole way. I certainly hope it was my 2.4km run type of time =)
Saturday, May 16, 2009
X-Physique 2009 Brief
Cycled to school today for the X-Physique 2009 briefing at 10am. I took about 1hr 10min for the journey there and an hour for the return leg. I realized the return leg was much faster, although I hit every traffic light from Kranji to Sembawang.
Route taken: Plotted on Google Maps
Total distance: 54km
Money spent: $2
Participants: LSH
Route taken: Plotted on Google Maps
Total distance: 54km
Money spent: $2
Participants: LSH
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
World's 50 Greatest Climbs by Pro Cycling UK
50. Col de la Croix Fry
49. Ghisallo
48. La Pandera
47. Mont Faron
46. Brasstown
45. Croced"Aune
44. Hautacam.
43. Monte Grappa
42. Mount Evans
41. Mur de Huy
40. Puy de Dome
39. Colle delle Finestre
38. Col de Marie Blanque
37. Rettenbchferner
36. La Linea
35. Col de l'Izoard
34. Gavia
33. Flagstaff
32. Lagos de Covadonga
31. Col de la Bonette
30. Sustenpass
29. Mount Baw Baw
28. Koppenberg
27. Kitzbuheler Horn
26. Passo delle Fittanze
25. Col d'Aubisque
24. St Gotthard
23. Monte Bondone
22. Puerto de Navacerrado
21. Col de la Croix/ Col du Glandon
20. Tre Cime di Lavaredo
19. Joux Plane
18. La Redoute
17. Blockhaus
16. Plateau de Beille
15. Passo di Marmolada
14. Col de Madeleine
13. Mount Washington
12. Sierra Nevada
11. Grossglockner
10. Col de Tourmalet
9. Moritrolo
8. Alto del Angliru
7. Galibier
6. Muur van Geraardsbergen
5. Genting Highlands (completed on 6 May 2009!)
4. Passo dello Stelvio
3. Alpe d'Huez
2. Monte Zoncolan
1. Mont Ventoux
49. Ghisallo
48. La Pandera
47. Mont Faron
46. Brasstown
45. Croced"Aune
44. Hautacam.
43. Monte Grappa
42. Mount Evans
41. Mur de Huy
40. Puy de Dome
39. Colle delle Finestre
38. Col de Marie Blanque
37. Rettenbchferner
36. La Linea
35. Col de l'Izoard
34. Gavia
33. Flagstaff
32. Lagos de Covadonga
31. Col de la Bonette
30. Sustenpass
29. Mount Baw Baw
28. Koppenberg
27. Kitzbuheler Horn
26. Passo delle Fittanze
25. Col d'Aubisque
24. St Gotthard
23. Monte Bondone
22. Puerto de Navacerrado
21. Col de la Croix/ Col du Glandon
20. Tre Cime di Lavaredo
19. Joux Plane
18. La Redoute
17. Blockhaus
16. Plateau de Beille
15. Passo di Marmolada
14. Col de Madeleine
13. Mount Washington
12. Sierra Nevada
11. Grossglockner
10. Col de Tourmalet
9. Moritrolo
8. Alto del Angliru
7. Galibier
6. Muur van Geraardsbergen
5. Genting Highlands (completed on 6 May 2009!)
4. Passo dello Stelvio
3. Alpe d'Huez
2. Monte Zoncolan
1. Mont Ventoux
Monday, May 11, 2009
Recovery Ride?
Dad took his road bike out for a spin today and we headed for several places to get some stuff settled. My pace was slightly slower than usual. The first stop was Woodlands Polyclinic where we got some medicated cream, the next was NTU Medical Centre (too bad it was closed), then we headed for Hup Leong to check the crankset on Dad's Jamis as well as SPD pedals and shoes for Dad.
The crankset had loosened a little and the mechanics were more than helpful in servicing that area as well as the other parts such as the brakes and rims. Gilbert also aided in explaining the SPD systems to Dad and giving him some advice. Thanks so much Hup Leong. We will be back.
Route taken: Plotted on Google Maps
Total distance: 76.7km
Money spent: $4
Participants: LSH, Dad
The crankset had loosened a little and the mechanics were more than helpful in servicing that area as well as the other parts such as the brakes and rims. Gilbert also aided in explaining the SPD systems to Dad and giving him some advice. Thanks so much Hup Leong. We will be back.
Route taken: Plotted on Google Maps
Total distance: 76.7km
Money spent: $4
Participants: LSH, Dad
Saturday, May 9, 2009
8 May 2009: Kuala Lumpur - Melaka
When I told the guy in charge of the hotel that we wanted to check out at 4.30am, he was surprised. "Where are you guys going at that time?"
"Melaka." I replied. He smiled and wished us good luck.
We took the Jalan Pudu - Jalan Cheras route out of Kuala Lumpur. At 4.30am in the morning, the roads were largely clear of traffic and we breezed through the empty streets, taking up a lane. Even on the Lebuhraya Cheras - Kajang, traffic was minimal and when we missed an exit and found ourselves on the Lebuhraya Utara - Seletan, we could easily cross to the other side and back-track. Federal Road 1 led us to Seremban where we had breakfast at a hawker centre.
For RM3.80, one could get a generous, large serving of wanton noodles. I opted for sotong bee hoon (RM4) which tasted unique, something different from the usual kind of noodles found in Singapore. The serving was generous indeed and the dark gravy that went along was tasty. I also tried the "sui jiao" soup which they sold at RM0.60 per dumpling. It was quite nice; the dumplings were definitely bigger than the ones you find in Singapore.
At 9.45am, we reluctantly continued our journey to Melaka. By then, the sun was up and the intense heat made the going tough. We hit headwind at certain spots and it slowed me by quite a bit but luckily we changed direction soon after. We stopped at a petrol station and grocery store in Rembau at about 11am. At that point, my water bag was almost empty and we could use some isotonic drinks. They didn't come very cheap (RM3.50 for a 1.5l bottle of 100 Plus) but it was a splendid opportunity to boost our energy. I pumped my tires up to 80psi at the petrol kiosk and the difference in performance was quite obvious.
A Malay uncle on a bike came over to chat with us. It was an old Raleigh (those pre/post-war bicycles) but the headbadge seemed to be some sort of sticker hence we couldn't tell if it was genuine. I tried to ask him about his bike but he wasn't too sure.
He was very amicable and when he learnt that we are Singaporeans, told us he had been in Singapore before. He described Geylang and Joo Chiat and how he had gone there to visit his relatives. That was back in 1950. He was born in 1941. He asked how long we had been in Malaysia and said we should spend at least a week there. Learn more about the culture and make more friends, he said. He even recommended us a mountain in the area. A lot of people climb that, he said, much to our horror. I think we have had enough of mountains. As we chatted with him, a middle aged man on a scooter joined in. Soon, we parted ways, waving goodbye to them.
As we neared Melaka, we had to cross a hilly region. I thought it was some sort of joke, except that it was not funny at all. It was a rather taxing climb but fortunately, we were rewarded with a few kilometres of downslopes. What an entrance into Melaka.
The best was yet to come. More and more motorists started to acknowledge our presence, waving and shouting their cheers. As we compacted into a small group and moved down a lane, the motorists were more than willing to give way, even when we had to filter lanes. No horns, no nothing. The first question they always seem to ask was where we were headed. Then they would ask, race? We would laugh it off. No...just a holiday.
As we sped past schools, the children would cheer. We were a distraction, and their teachers were teaching when they spotted us! To the teachers, sorry for interrupting your lessons.
"Melaka." I replied. He smiled and wished us good luck.
We took the Jalan Pudu - Jalan Cheras route out of Kuala Lumpur. At 4.30am in the morning, the roads were largely clear of traffic and we breezed through the empty streets, taking up a lane. Even on the Lebuhraya Cheras - Kajang, traffic was minimal and when we missed an exit and found ourselves on the Lebuhraya Utara - Seletan, we could easily cross to the other side and back-track. Federal Road 1 led us to Seremban where we had breakfast at a hawker centre.
For RM3.80, one could get a generous, large serving of wanton noodles. I opted for sotong bee hoon (RM4) which tasted unique, something different from the usual kind of noodles found in Singapore. The serving was generous indeed and the dark gravy that went along was tasty. I also tried the "sui jiao" soup which they sold at RM0.60 per dumpling. It was quite nice; the dumplings were definitely bigger than the ones you find in Singapore.
At 9.45am, we reluctantly continued our journey to Melaka. By then, the sun was up and the intense heat made the going tough. We hit headwind at certain spots and it slowed me by quite a bit but luckily we changed direction soon after. We stopped at a petrol station and grocery store in Rembau at about 11am. At that point, my water bag was almost empty and we could use some isotonic drinks. They didn't come very cheap (RM3.50 for a 1.5l bottle of 100 Plus) but it was a splendid opportunity to boost our energy. I pumped my tires up to 80psi at the petrol kiosk and the difference in performance was quite obvious.
A Malay uncle on a bike came over to chat with us. It was an old Raleigh (those pre/post-war bicycles) but the headbadge seemed to be some sort of sticker hence we couldn't tell if it was genuine. I tried to ask him about his bike but he wasn't too sure.
He was very amicable and when he learnt that we are Singaporeans, told us he had been in Singapore before. He described Geylang and Joo Chiat and how he had gone there to visit his relatives. That was back in 1950. He was born in 1941. He asked how long we had been in Malaysia and said we should spend at least a week there. Learn more about the culture and make more friends, he said. He even recommended us a mountain in the area. A lot of people climb that, he said, much to our horror. I think we have had enough of mountains. As we chatted with him, a middle aged man on a scooter joined in. Soon, we parted ways, waving goodbye to them.
As we neared Melaka, we had to cross a hilly region. I thought it was some sort of joke, except that it was not funny at all. It was a rather taxing climb but fortunately, we were rewarded with a few kilometres of downslopes. What an entrance into Melaka.
The best was yet to come. More and more motorists started to acknowledge our presence, waving and shouting their cheers. As we compacted into a small group and moved down a lane, the motorists were more than willing to give way, even when we had to filter lanes. No horns, no nothing. The first question they always seem to ask was where we were headed. Then they would ask, race? We would laugh it off. No...just a holiday.
As we sped past schools, the children would cheer. We were a distraction, and their teachers were teaching when they spotted us! To the teachers, sorry for interrupting your lessons.
When Melaka Sentral loomed within sight, I was so glad. We had done it once again. According to Pan, we were doing an average 30km/h for that 150km which was pretty solid, considering our backpacks of clothes and equipment to last us four days.
Deciding that we have had enough adventure over the past couple of days, we decided to check the availability of bus tickets home. It was not easy to get tickets to Larkin but luck was on our side. When we enquired at the Malacca - Singapore Express booth, the bus driver took us to his bus to check if all the bikes could fit in. They could. He then told us to meet back at the same spot (parking bay) at 2.30pm to load our bikes.
We changed to a fresh set of clothes, grabbed a couple of drinks and assembled at the parking bay. Since we couldn't find the driver, we asked at the counter but the lady knew nuts. Clever Pan realised what was going on and when we returned to the parking bay, the driver was on the bus. We loaded all the bikes in and slept onboard till 4pm (the driver said he had been delayed to 4pm).
To cut the story short, only two passengers with tickets boarded the bus and we left for Singapore. One was a Malaysian visiting his brother, a Singapore PR, in Tanjong Katong while the other was a German who had spent just one day in Melaka before returning to Singapore. He had spent ten days in Singapore, some time in Bintan and was due to fly home soon. He did find Melaka intriguing.
With some help from the driver (we paid RM25 per pax), we cleared both customs with ease and unloaded the bicycles at Woodlands. Waiting for his two passengers, the driver naturally struck up a conversation with us and he suggested we visit Port Dickson (luckily we did not, if not, it would be around 190km from KL - Melaka). When the two passengers arrived, we bid them farewell and off the bus went. We had a little explaining to do when we passed the final police booth at the end of the bus lane but we got through.
Deciding that we have had enough adventure over the past couple of days, we decided to check the availability of bus tickets home. It was not easy to get tickets to Larkin but luck was on our side. When we enquired at the Malacca - Singapore Express booth, the bus driver took us to his bus to check if all the bikes could fit in. They could. He then told us to meet back at the same spot (parking bay) at 2.30pm to load our bikes.
We changed to a fresh set of clothes, grabbed a couple of drinks and assembled at the parking bay. Since we couldn't find the driver, we asked at the counter but the lady knew nuts. Clever Pan realised what was going on and when we returned to the parking bay, the driver was on the bus. We loaded all the bikes in and slept onboard till 4pm (the driver said he had been delayed to 4pm).
To cut the story short, only two passengers with tickets boarded the bus and we left for Singapore. One was a Malaysian visiting his brother, a Singapore PR, in Tanjong Katong while the other was a German who had spent just one day in Melaka before returning to Singapore. He had spent ten days in Singapore, some time in Bintan and was due to fly home soon. He did find Melaka intriguing.
With some help from the driver (we paid RM25 per pax), we cleared both customs with ease and unloaded the bicycles at Woodlands. Waiting for his two passengers, the driver naturally struck up a conversation with us and he suggested we visit Port Dickson (luckily we did not, if not, it would be around 190km from KL - Melaka). When the two passengers arrived, we bid them farewell and off the bus went. We had a little explaining to do when we passed the final police booth at the end of the bus lane but we got through.
Dinner at Woodlands was a welcome relief. The duck rice was okay; what stood out was the ice kachang. As good as before.
On the way home, we tested out the theory that Malaysian drivers were much more courteous as compared to their Singaporean counterparts. We rode in a tight group of four, taking up a lane. As expected, in the short span of 10km from Woodlands to Sembawang, we got honked at rudely twice.
What a holiday!
What a holiday!
Total distance: 160km
Money spent: RM255~ (total 3D2N)
Participants: LSH, Pan, Gerald, Daniel
Money spent: RM255~ (total 3D2N)
Participants: LSH, Pan, Gerald, Daniel
7 May 2009: Speeding down Genting
We only managed to secure Dad's ticket on a Sri Maju Ekspres back to Singapore direct from the First World Bus Terminal in the morning. Dad had to be at the terminal by 10.15am and we only had about 40min to consume our breakfast at Restoran Happy Valley. It was quite the standard buffet fare (I have patronised that restaurant for its buffet breakfast many times) but it was satisfactory to me. For RM25.30 per pax, it was reasonably cheaper to other food outlets in some sense since a bowl of wanton noodles cost RM11.90 at the food courts. We had cheaper food at the taxi terminal canteen for lunch the previous day so it was a change to pamper ourselves.
After we had our share, Dad and I rushed down to the bus terminal, only to find that the bus drivers did not allow Dad's bike up the bus. I approached the aunty who was in-charge of the ticketing counter and she was very helpful in getting the bike up the bus. She provided plastic bags which we used to tie down the stripped bike parts and it suddenly reminded me of a Montague Paratrooper. Later, as the bus pulled away with Dad safely onboard, she told me that if she sold one a ticket, she would make sure one gets onboard without any trouble. I was most grateful to her for that.
The remaining four of us checked out and took a few photographs for memory's sake before the thrilling ride downhill. We met the lorry driver again and this time we agreed to meet at Berjaya Times Square, 7pm. From the peak of Genting to Awana (including a climb at the top), we took only 20min to cover that distance!
The speed limit on Genting was 50km/h but we exceeded that, hitting in excess of 65km/h. As a result, we were the fastest vehicles on the road, and often had the entire road clear for us to corner round the bends. I was glad that we did not cycle down the day before, this required intense concentration, and after our exhaustive ride up, we may not have survived the downhill! For the first time in my life, I was cornering at more than 50km/h. Each corner seemed tighter than the last and as I leaned into the bends, the bike seemed to turn agonizingly slow, threatening to slam me into the barriers and clearing only at the last few seconds!
The humps were also a killer. Each impact jarred me off the bike and I could feel my backpack flying up and slamming back down against me. The best part was the brakes. Pan warned us about brake fade and it was only the first couple of hard corners did my brakes start making a loud screeching noise. It felt as if the brake calipers were being ripped off the bosses and were about to give way any time =P
Coincidentally, we ran into the uncle again. This time, he generously passed me two loaves of bread! I thanked him (more weight training for me =P) and we parted, agreeing to meet at 7pm later.
The others had passed when I stopped and we met at the police post near the foot. On that particular section before the police post, Daniel managed to crank up to 80km/h while the others hovered around 70km/h! Daniel had to fix a damaged link in his chain while I took the opportunity to tweak my rear derailleur.
We continued our journey downhill to Lebuhraya Karak where I overtook a tanker by the left shoulder. My speed continued to increase as I closed in on a prime mover with a trailer. The vehicle was too close to the left shoulder and by then my speed had maxed out. I don't know what got into me but I decided to take the chance and overtook the long vehicle via the middle lane on its right. As I pulled past and away, I heaved a sigh of relief. Later, when I checked back with the others, I realised they had done the same too! =)
Anyway, the road bikes proved their dominance on the rolling terrain and as fast as I could climb the upslopes, I watched as they pulled away on the downslopes, further and further till they were out of sight.
The guys stopped at a rest station and I joined them there. We had some drinks before heading to Kuala Lumpur, stopping by the Petronas Twin Towers to take some photographs. We checked into Hotel China Town (2) at around 3pm, washed up, lazed around then headed for the supermarkets at the Bukit Bintang area. Of course, I visited Giant at Sungei Wang Plaza for my yogurt fest and a pizza bread to curb my growing hunger. We then walked to Berjaya Times Square, shopped at the Cold Storage for fruit bars and hung around till 7.30pm. Until now, we are puzzled as to why the uncle did not turn up or give us a call. He was so enthusiastic to catch up with us.
We had the snack plate at KFC before heading back to Chinatown for an early rest which did not really materialise since we talked until around 10.30pm.
Total distance: 60km
Money spent: RM255~ (total 3D2N)
Participants: LSH, Pan, Gerald, Daniel
After we had our share, Dad and I rushed down to the bus terminal, only to find that the bus drivers did not allow Dad's bike up the bus. I approached the aunty who was in-charge of the ticketing counter and she was very helpful in getting the bike up the bus. She provided plastic bags which we used to tie down the stripped bike parts and it suddenly reminded me of a Montague Paratrooper. Later, as the bus pulled away with Dad safely onboard, she told me that if she sold one a ticket, she would make sure one gets onboard without any trouble. I was most grateful to her for that.
The remaining four of us checked out and took a few photographs for memory's sake before the thrilling ride downhill. We met the lorry driver again and this time we agreed to meet at Berjaya Times Square, 7pm. From the peak of Genting to Awana (including a climb at the top), we took only 20min to cover that distance!
The speed limit on Genting was 50km/h but we exceeded that, hitting in excess of 65km/h. As a result, we were the fastest vehicles on the road, and often had the entire road clear for us to corner round the bends. I was glad that we did not cycle down the day before, this required intense concentration, and after our exhaustive ride up, we may not have survived the downhill! For the first time in my life, I was cornering at more than 50km/h. Each corner seemed tighter than the last and as I leaned into the bends, the bike seemed to turn agonizingly slow, threatening to slam me into the barriers and clearing only at the last few seconds!
Coincidentally, we ran into the uncle again. This time, he generously passed me two loaves of bread! I thanked him (more weight training for me =P) and we parted, agreeing to meet at 7pm later.
The others had passed when I stopped and we met at the police post near the foot. On that particular section before the police post, Daniel managed to crank up to 80km/h while the others hovered around 70km/h! Daniel had to fix a damaged link in his chain while I took the opportunity to tweak my rear derailleur.
We continued our journey downhill to Lebuhraya Karak where I overtook a tanker by the left shoulder. My speed continued to increase as I closed in on a prime mover with a trailer. The vehicle was too close to the left shoulder and by then my speed had maxed out. I don't know what got into me but I decided to take the chance and overtook the long vehicle via the middle lane on its right. As I pulled past and away, I heaved a sigh of relief. Later, when I checked back with the others, I realised they had done the same too! =)
Anyway, the road bikes proved their dominance on the rolling terrain and as fast as I could climb the upslopes, I watched as they pulled away on the downslopes, further and further till they were out of sight.
The guys stopped at a rest station and I joined them there. We had some drinks before heading to Kuala Lumpur, stopping by the Petronas Twin Towers to take some photographs. We checked into Hotel China Town (2) at around 3pm, washed up, lazed around then headed for the supermarkets at the Bukit Bintang area. Of course, I visited Giant at Sungei Wang Plaza for my yogurt fest and a pizza bread to curb my growing hunger. We then walked to Berjaya Times Square, shopped at the Cold Storage for fruit bars and hung around till 7.30pm. Until now, we are puzzled as to why the uncle did not turn up or give us a call. He was so enthusiastic to catch up with us.
We had the snack plate at KFC before heading back to Chinatown for an early rest which did not really materialise since we talked until around 10.30pm.
Total distance: 60km
Money spent: RM255~ (total 3D2N)
Participants: LSH, Pan, Gerald, Daniel
5 - 6 May 2009: S'pore, Kuala Lumpur - Genting
We met up at Sembawang MRT at 6.30pm on Tuesday evening. The motorcycle lane of the Singapore customs was jammed pack but somehow we manage to "cut queue", thanks to the rule that bicycles have to use the motorcycle lane (silly when the traffic stretches all the way to the BKE). Clearance at the Malaysian customs was smooth but we encountered a jam along Jalan Tun Abdul Razak. We had to manoeuvre through small gaps between vehicles but managed to get to Kompleks Pengangkutan Awam Larkin without any incident.
We bought tickets (RM31.50 per ticket) to KL from Starstrip Quest Express when the counter staff said all five bikes could fitted into the luggage compartment. As expected, the driver was reluctant to have any of the bikes on the bus and demanded RM20 per bike which was a total rip-off. We expressed our disatisfaction, approached the counter staff and negotiations started. In the end, we settled the issue at RM12 per bike, loaded all the bikes into the luggage compartment and boarded the bus.
We left Larkin at around 9.30pm and the bus literally crawled to KL, making several stops on the way. We reached Puduraya around 3.30am, unloaded the bikes and started to assemble them. A crowd gathered around us, most of them taxi drivers, curious at the sight of bicycles that can be stripped and assembled in a couple of minutes.
After breakfast (prata and tea), we set off for Genting Highlands. I led them on the wrong route but quickly corrected the mistake and by 4.30am, we found ourselves on Jalan Pahang, Jalan Genting Kelang and subsequently Jalan Lingkaran Tengah 2. We joined the light traffic on Lebuhraya Karak towards Genting Sempah. There were barely any lamps on the highway and we travelled in almost total darkness, save for our blinkers. The slopes were daunting and we could see the larger vehicles crawling at low gears. Dad's muscles cramped up soon after. He could no longer ride, hence he had to push his bike all the way to Awana (Genting Skyway) Terminal, which was a crazy 15km away.
Pan, Gerald, Daniel and myself reached the foot of Genting at around 7.30am. We sat by the side of the highway to rest, already slightly drained by the inclined terrain. Unfortunately, Daniel encountered a patch of broken glass which resulted in a puncture shortly after we started the climb and we had to pause our ascend to fix the puncture. I guess all of us underestimated the world's 5th hardest climb (rated by the Pro Cycling magazine). A hundred times of Mount Faber will not have prepared us for what we faced. We stopped along the way to rest, take photos and guide Dad, who was walking, along.
It was about 10am when we reached Gohtong Jaya, Genting Highlands. We knew that the last 8km stretch to the peak was the real challenge. A friendly truck driver whom we met on the that stretch described the gradient as 70% (we know that it is around 30 degrees), lending testimony to the steepness of the road up.
After a rest and an agreement to meet Dad at Awana at 4pm, regardless whether we found accomodation at the peak or were heading back to KL on the same day, we set off to conquer the last 8km. It was to be described as "hell", the most physically daunting challenge in my life. In fact, I found this more taxing than running a marathon at a consistent 45min / 10km pace. Despite the cold weather, I found myself breathing heavily, to the extent of hyperventilating on the long and steep sections, as my muscles worked feverishly to keep the bike moving. It was demoralising to hear vehicles engaged in low gear, their engines protesting and straining to move the load uphill.
Pan and I checked out accomodation at Hotel Theme Park. We decided to settle for a family suite (two double beds) at RM170. The only problem was that our bikes had to be secured somewhere. The staff at the counter were hesitant and unsure if we could bring our bikes in and they checked with the manager who provided wonderful service. "Racing bikes?" He asked and had no qualms in letting us carry the bikes into the room =)
A hot shower and simple lunch was more than a delight after the gruelling climb. I disassembled my knobblies and carried them down to Awana via the Skyway, hoping to swap wheelsets with Dad. Everyone was staring at us in curiosity when we walked around Genting with the wheels. Fortunately, in some sense, there was no bus back to Singapore at Awana Terminal. We took apart Dad's bike and each of us carried a certain part up the Skyway, much to the amusement of many!
Dinner at Kenny Rogers' was great and I retired early, exhausted.
Total distance: 85km
Money spent: RM255~ (total 3D2N)
Participants: LSH, Dad, Pan, Gerald, Daniel
We bought tickets (RM31.50 per ticket) to KL from Starstrip Quest Express when the counter staff said all five bikes could fitted into the luggage compartment. As expected, the driver was reluctant to have any of the bikes on the bus and demanded RM20 per bike which was a total rip-off. We expressed our disatisfaction, approached the counter staff and negotiations started. In the end, we settled the issue at RM12 per bike, loaded all the bikes into the luggage compartment and boarded the bus.
We left Larkin at around 9.30pm and the bus literally crawled to KL, making several stops on the way. We reached Puduraya around 3.30am, unloaded the bikes and started to assemble them. A crowd gathered around us, most of them taxi drivers, curious at the sight of bicycles that can be stripped and assembled in a couple of minutes.
After breakfast (prata and tea), we set off for Genting Highlands. I led them on the wrong route but quickly corrected the mistake and by 4.30am, we found ourselves on Jalan Pahang, Jalan Genting Kelang and subsequently Jalan Lingkaran Tengah 2. We joined the light traffic on Lebuhraya Karak towards Genting Sempah. There were barely any lamps on the highway and we travelled in almost total darkness, save for our blinkers. The slopes were daunting and we could see the larger vehicles crawling at low gears. Dad's muscles cramped up soon after. He could no longer ride, hence he had to push his bike all the way to Awana (Genting Skyway) Terminal, which was a crazy 15km away.
Pan, Gerald, Daniel and myself reached the foot of Genting at around 7.30am. We sat by the side of the highway to rest, already slightly drained by the inclined terrain. Unfortunately, Daniel encountered a patch of broken glass which resulted in a puncture shortly after we started the climb and we had to pause our ascend to fix the puncture. I guess all of us underestimated the world's 5th hardest climb (rated by the Pro Cycling magazine). A hundred times of Mount Faber will not have prepared us for what we faced. We stopped along the way to rest, take photos and guide Dad, who was walking, along.
It was about 10am when we reached Gohtong Jaya, Genting Highlands. We knew that the last 8km stretch to the peak was the real challenge. A friendly truck driver whom we met on the that stretch described the gradient as 70% (we know that it is around 30 degrees), lending testimony to the steepness of the road up.
After a rest and an agreement to meet Dad at Awana at 4pm, regardless whether we found accomodation at the peak or were heading back to KL on the same day, we set off to conquer the last 8km. It was to be described as "hell", the most physically daunting challenge in my life. In fact, I found this more taxing than running a marathon at a consistent 45min / 10km pace. Despite the cold weather, I found myself breathing heavily, to the extent of hyperventilating on the long and steep sections, as my muscles worked feverishly to keep the bike moving. It was demoralising to hear vehicles engaged in low gear, their engines protesting and straining to move the load uphill.
There was this section with a turn that was so steep that my front wheel lifted up. I desperately shifted my weight forward and cleared the turn on the lightest gear my drivetrain provided. Daniel managed to grab hold to a passing truck which assisted him in clearing the turn. I watched in envy as the truck moved ahead at 9km/h with him in tow. I seriously wished for another slow moving vehicle to pass but there were none. Poor Pan and Gerald (with race cassettes on their road bikes) faced more problems on that section.
A friendly truck driver pulled over and offered us a lift to the top. Obviously we rejected his offer but we exchanged contact numbers and had a chat. He wanted to meet us for a meal but since we were unsure whether we would be staying on Genting, we couldn't promise anything.
It was simply agonsing to watch the roadside markers count down the distance to the top. 900m was not a problem at all on a flat road but with a continuous upslope, 100m is barely bearable, not to mention 900m. Even with that "short" distance, we had to catch our breath before continuing. I will always remember the last stretch to the finish - a long uphill. Daniel, a brilliant climber, pushed ahead, pedalling out of saddle. I hesitated (feeling no motivation at all), caught my breath, then slowly pedalled up to Hotel Theme Park. Pan and Gerald pulled in too and at that moment, we were so relieved and definitely elated to have scaled the world's 5th hardest climb!
A friendly truck driver pulled over and offered us a lift to the top. Obviously we rejected his offer but we exchanged contact numbers and had a chat. He wanted to meet us for a meal but since we were unsure whether we would be staying on Genting, we couldn't promise anything.
It was simply agonsing to watch the roadside markers count down the distance to the top. 900m was not a problem at all on a flat road but with a continuous upslope, 100m is barely bearable, not to mention 900m. Even with that "short" distance, we had to catch our breath before continuing. I will always remember the last stretch to the finish - a long uphill. Daniel, a brilliant climber, pushed ahead, pedalling out of saddle. I hesitated (feeling no motivation at all), caught my breath, then slowly pedalled up to Hotel Theme Park. Pan and Gerald pulled in too and at that moment, we were so relieved and definitely elated to have scaled the world's 5th hardest climb!
Drivers honked in greeting and cheered us on the way up; now, more people were staring at us with surprise and curiosity. The others said that some people even took photos of us (without us noticing apparently). An uncle even thought we were sponsored free hotel stays by Genting (if only, then we might consider cycling up again). We didn't really mind the extra attention; it felt good to conquer what we set out to do and feel like a star. It was a pleasure and honour to ride with Pan, Daniel and Gerald. They were excellent riders and very fit. In fact, they are the strongest riders I have ever ridden with. We had beaten the odds and conquered Genting.
Pan and I checked out accomodation at Hotel Theme Park. We decided to settle for a family suite (two double beds) at RM170. The only problem was that our bikes had to be secured somewhere. The staff at the counter were hesitant and unsure if we could bring our bikes in and they checked with the manager who provided wonderful service. "Racing bikes?" He asked and had no qualms in letting us carry the bikes into the room =)
A hot shower and simple lunch was more than a delight after the gruelling climb. I disassembled my knobblies and carried them down to Awana via the Skyway, hoping to swap wheelsets with Dad. Everyone was staring at us in curiosity when we walked around Genting with the wheels. Fortunately, in some sense, there was no bus back to Singapore at Awana Terminal. We took apart Dad's bike and each of us carried a certain part up the Skyway, much to the amusement of many!
Dinner at Kenny Rogers' was great and I retired early, exhausted.
Total distance: 85km
Money spent: RM255~ (total 3D2N)
Participants: LSH, Dad, Pan, Gerald, Daniel
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