Joyride

I hit the road on a folding bike with my friend to Tampines Ikea yesterday. Guess I finally wish to put my fear behind me and enjoy life freely! Attached is the route we took, about 16km in total.

Being my debut ride on the road, it was certainly a nerve-racking experience! From Hougang avenue 7, we cycled up to Tampines road with relatively sparse traffic. What a lucky start, I was telling myself.

As it turned out, life was never a bed of roses. What lied ahead was an uphill slope to be conquered. Despite changing the gear to a lower number, I found myself stationary. My wobbly legs did not help either. Once again, I had put myself on the spot! Not wanting to delay my friend, I came off the bike and pushed it uphill much to the delight of the construction workers nearby. Almost wished I could dug myself a hole at that moment.

But life must go on! Hence, I took off on the bike again as soon as I felt comfortable at the onset of a straight road. Thankfully, my friend noticed I fell behind him and waited for me upfront. Trying to look plucky, I gave him a weak smile and resumed the ride to Ikea.

The next part of the journey was quite enjoyable along Paya Lebar Runway! A winding road along Old Tampines road. Without the traffic, it would be more fun as it gets narrow at some parts of the road. Anyway, it reminded me of a getaway to the alluring countryside ahead. Dream on...

Reality bites! Before long, the buses and cars sneaked in really close to me, so I became jittery again. At one point, I even had to stop by the side to avoid jostling through the traffic. Then it became evident to my friend that my bike also started to sway from left to right. Hence, we took a hiatus to correct the situation. After a quick analysis, my biking mate pointed out that my saddle was slightly slanted sideway. I had to agree that it did help in my balance after I made the adjustment.

At the end of the road, we reached the junction where Tampines Ikea beckoned at us. I made it alive!!! So I rewarded myself with yummy ice cream and chips with my friend:)

Unfortunately, on my return trip, I took the pavement after being horned by a car. It turned out to be a bad decision! For some reasons, the pavement had a number of sharp corners. Being an amateur, I went high speed without braking at the corners. One thing led to the other, I flew over my handlebars and onto the pavement. Ouch! This one really hurts. I am walking funny now.

PPS1: Click on the picture to get the details!

PS2: Special thanks to my friend for his patient support and guidance during my ride. Honestly, I couldn't have survived without him:)

The Show

If you think about it, life is really a show. An extract from the upbeat song, The Show by Australian singer, Lenka: "It's a joke nobody knows they've got that ticket to the show" sums up my sentiments fully. I mean each of us plays the leading role in our life. Basically, one is the director, script-writer and actor roll into one. So what makes a good show? In my opinion, a good movie would include: drama, challenges, never-say-die spirit, humor and lots of fun.

Just take a look at me now! Albeit I am in my mid-life crisis, I am still trying to put up a good show for myself.. Finally, I decide to sign up for a biking rally, SAFRA Runway Cycling this Sunday (thanks to persistent nudging from my friend). A bout of jitters! That's how I am feeling now.

It doesn't help that I hardly ride a bike. For me, I cycle for leisure purposes. Sure, the category I have enrolled is under Leisure Cycling Route (15km). Nonetheless, it would be a challenge for me to cover the long distance on a bike. Considering the event is a group ride, I researched on the cycling etiquette and like to share some pointers:

* pointing out potholes and other objects in the road for the person behind
* keep to the left but pass on the right
* indicate with your hand to people behind when the group ahead is slowing
* do not make abrupt and unannounced speed or direction changes
* if you get a flat in the middle of the pack, raise your hand, yell out “flat”, and hold your line until everyone has passed
* when standing out of the saddle, always pedal while simultaneously standing up to avoid a lag in momentum which can lead to the rider behind crashing into you.
* if you are in a fast group and don’t have the energy to pull the other riders, stay at the back out of the rotation. Nothing irritates experienced riders more than some yo-yo infiltrating their pace line.

Enough of theoretical talk. To alleviate my anxiety, let me kidnap my friend's bike for a spin, so talk to you later.