KISETSU - ver. SPRING

Current Music: Slient Warrior / Enigma / New Age
Current Mood: Zombie
Current Style: Executive

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Since after the confusion over in the emails on what’s-it’s-gonna-be on Saturday, it left we 3 of us and we decided to do Faber laps and heading to eat the long awaited duck rice at Kent Ridge.

The ride from Tampines was uneventful. I’m still not sure was it the weather or was it me. I was totally knackered when we reached Suntec. It was like no matter how hard I pedaled, I couldn’t do more than 25km/hr. The ride there which usually felt good was like hell as we make way to Faber to meet up with Pek Gnee under the 2pm hot sun. By then when I was 1/3 up Faber, I gave up and sat down on the railings. This was the first time I failed climbing up to the top, but it was also the first time I cycled none stop and proceed to climb up. It didn’t help that my thigh muscles still hurt very badly.

When we reached the top, Pek Gnee already done 2 laps. Although I was in the brink of slacking, was encouraged by her to do my laps. I did another 2 more via the easy route. The second lap was better and the third one was a breeze. Energy revitalized and we decided to hike with our bikes over the newly constructed bridge. Walking on the bridge with SPDs wasn’t a good feeling. It was either too slippery or too noisy over the metal plates. Kids ain’t like us as they commented to their parents pointing to the signboard: “Why they bring bicycles, bicycles not allowed!!” Shut it kid, I’m walking and not riding. Didn’t really enjoyed the scenery (what’s there to see in S’pore?), but the joy of finding an unused trail below made the walk worthwhile. :p

Saw Stanley and his dad on the walk as well. He told us that he was thinking of getting another bike. Now that’s good news! A few weeks ago, he said he wanna give up cycling for good due to so many loss of his bikes to theft.

We walked past Hort Park before reaching Kent Ridge after a series of S bend climbs. As if that was not enough, we had to climb up a series of steps to the top of Kent Ridge. :s So, it was right that we filled our stomach with the famous duck rice found at the foot of Kent Ridge. All I can say is, it was good!

Somehow when night time came, I found my strength to improve my speed and sustain the ride back to Tampines. Phew.

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Because of the sore muscles, we decided to change to Tampines Bike Trail instead of going BT. Like I told Pek Gnee, I could not see myself survive ½ of BT with the pain from my thighs eating up everytime I cranked. So Val agreed to Tampines although she would really wanna have a go at BT.

Eventhough Tampines Bike Trail is just round the corner of my house, I did not feel good riding there. Apart from the sore muscles, it seemed like I had been having difficulties in breathing of late. My lungs felt like it has been working overtime. (x.x)

Met Damien and his friend Kevin there for the first time. Kevin was a good rider and his trail skills were good. Wonder why he needed that full-face helmet and knee guard etc??? Completed the first hill section with my hands cussing at me. Though the first hill was easy to many riders, it still requires full control of the bike over the singletrack and lotsa maneuvering. The hands were thus numbed. Second hill, and my breathing went haywire. Had to stop for a long time there before I managed to recover and move on. The group was waiting for me at the bottom. Third section, the jungle trail, managed to clear 2 more new planks. Yay. But when I was outta the trail, I felt like dying.

The lads wanted to do another lap before lunch. By then I was not feeling good. Halfway up on the first hill, I was hit by the same breathing problem and had to stop. The rest all went ahead while I return back to the shed to rest. Bummer.

Lunchtime was entertaining with Kevin and Damien telling us all the jokes. The most funniest one was Kevin telling us his survival course during army where he said the ate the whole banana tree. We thought it was a figure of speech, but they really ate the whole tree. Everyone laughed so hard. We bummed at the coffeeshop for a long time as the afternoon sun burnt down. At around 3pm, we decided to do another lap of the trail. Kevin and Damien signed off, so it was back to the 4 of us Pek Gnee, Val, LCT and me.

By then, energy abundant and it felt good. Except for the first climb which my back tyres did not have grip and I stop halfway, I cleared all the rest of it. Section 2, didn’t clear the first switchback climb but I did ok for the rest of the hill. The Jungle trail was the thrilling though a couple of mistakes which luckily did not result in any bad falls. First I went to press the brakes when I was hanging on the side planks (hengz ah), second I chose the wrong line and hit the tree stump before embarking on the planks (lucky manage to regain my balance). Last, I forgotten to balance my pedal and I hit my right foot as I went down the wooden bridge. Wah lao, signs of fatigue! Lucky nothing happened. -.-“

After that round, Pek Gnee was low in energy and we went to eat dinner before both she and Val set off. Both of them got a long way to head home while I was just 3 mins away. At least I did a long distance ride the day before.

kisetsu posted at 2:54 p.m.

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