Marymount PCN Potential

We came across this interesting stretch along Marymount Road. Noticed how there are 2 lanes along the road.

Our first thoughts were: Bike Lane!

The newly refurbished Bishan Park looks fantastic and a great place for families and PCN riders.

It connects nicely with residents from neighboring Ang Mo Kio (AMK PCN) and Bishan (Bishan Kallang PCN). The latter reaches out as far back as Potong Pasir and Kallang Bahru.

Southwards (towards Thomson) though, the connection ends there.

This could just be the missing link! Or maybe something to start from. From the area in front of the CityCab building, strangely, there are 2 well laid paths.

Though at certain parts, the vegetation seems to have overgrown onto some stretches of the inner path.

Trim some bushes...

Paint PCN and we might just transform ourselves a new park connector!

And the wonderful thing about this is that the path readily connects all the way to the Thomson Shunfu estate!

Potential for a Marymount PCN anyone? =)

Bukit Brown Cemetery

Today, we visited Bukit Brown Cemetery (BBC) on our bikes again. Though this time unlike our previous ride, instead of just riding through, we got to know more about the history and ecosystem surrounding it.

The dedicated group behind the Save Bukit Brown Cemetery - the roots of our nation Facebook page conducted a guided tour around BBC and it was through it that we realized there's more to BBC than just the tombs. There's heritage, history and a natural ecosystem that dates as far back as the 1840s.

A big group gathered.

We were fortunate to have the good people at Nature Society of Singapore walk us through.

George Henry Brown, after which BBC was named after, first bought the huge plot of land after he arrived in Singapore in the 1840s. There was a hill around the area that he found to be so pleasant, that he named it Mount Pleasant.

Some of you may have heard of the nickname Kopi Hill, which translates to Coffee Hill. Word has it that George Henry Brown tried to grow coffee on the hill but did not succeed.

Since then, the area has grown to become a home to many flora and fauna.

This tree itself is a fine example of a natural ecosystem.

We learnt how BBC is now a natural habitat and home for the endangered Straw-headed Bul Bul . These songbirds communicate with each other via singing. Slowing down and listening, we heard the sound of Bul Buls singing in the background. We are not bird watchers/listeners but it was pure joy.

And there was the sound of the Asian Koel . If you listened carefully, you'll notice a "Ko-el" sound coming from the surrounding trees. That's the Asian Koel, another resident bird.

The common argument is that the dead should make way for the living. The question now really is if there are really no alternative sites for urban redevelopment? And it's not just about the tombs. There's a thriving green community at BBC. To think that this home could be taken away from them to aid urbanization (new 8 lane road we heard) in a couple of years time really saddens us.

Just by looking around us, we could feel nature at its best and in Singapore, being the urban jungle it is, that can be a rare sight.

Riding alone the main track, we came across this noticeable tomb, with Sikh guards protecting it. It was like a blast to the past. Such was the detail of the statue that they were armed with a rifle and accompanied by a loyal watch dog.

The sticks with red markings are indications of the tombs being marked for exhumation.

It was a pity that we couldn't trek up the hills as we were on our bikes. Though in that short span of time, we had already learnt so much.

This is just a sneak preview to what lies within BBC, there is so much more that we haven't covered.

The writing's pretty much on the wall and it really saddens us that BBC, so filled with heritage and a natural habitat for so many species of flora and fauna will be gone in a few years time.

While it's still around, we urge you to re-visit it for the days of this pleasant treasure are unfortunately numbered.

Kia Ora 2012!

Looking back, 2011 has been a wonderful year. We are thankful for the many good things that have happened.

We rediscovered our passion for cycling and it's slowly but surely changing our lives for the better. We got to know a new group of cycling kakis turned friends that we meet every weekend. We are now exercising regularly.

On a personal note, life's adventure will take us to another continent as we set our goals to achieve our aspirations by doing what we love and loving what we do. 2012 will be an exciting year for both of us as we look forward with suspenseful anticipation.

We spent the last hours of 2011 at Novena Church, lending our voices as part of the choir for New Year's Eve mass. We gave thanks and sang our hearts out. To the tunes of Auld Lang Syne and Feliz Navidad, we welcomed the New Year at the stroke of midnight.

Barely 4 hours later, we were up and about making our way to Casuarina Car Park for our first ride of the new year.

First ride of the new year on the LCSG calendar was Monkey Alley@Upper Pierce Reservoir

Why we should never feed monkeys, as cute as they may be.

Unfortunately, we didn't see many monkeys. There were one or two. We last heard that most of the resident monkeys were suffering hangovers from countdown parties. Others were on holiday.

From Casuarina, we rode towards Upper Pierce Reservoir > Mandai > Zoo > Mandai > Upper Thomson Road. Lots of slopes, lots of fun (wicked manner). The weather was very kind. Looks like we're getting the sun back after weeks of rain.

Along Upper Thomson, we dropped by AnPang Yong Tau Foo for brunch. There are 2 stalls. We ordered from the Yellow one (928 AnPang Yong Tau Foo) and it is GOOD stuff.

What better way to start the New year than at Church and then doing what we love, cycling.

Here at Pedal Inn, Gwyn and I wish each and everyone love, peace, joy and good health! Have a blessed year ahead!

images credited to Taiwoon

DoggyRide

Here's a confession. Ever since we got our bikes, our doggies have been out less often. We may have spent more time riding our bikes than bringing our dogs out to the beach.

Fortunately, it didn't take too long for guilt to overcome us.

Our redemption? DoggyRide Mini.

The package arrived merely a week after our purchase. That's pretty quick considering it was shipped from the US and the expected delivery timeframe was 2-3 weeks.

We had the DoggyRide custom adjusted to fit our 16" Brompton wheels, all done with no additional fee.

Anxious with the fit, it turned out really really well. Fixing it was a breeze, though with the Brompton you'll need a spanner.

Introducing the Dogfather, thrilling trailer for our mini dachies.

We left it in the living room for the dogs to grow accustom to their new ride.

They wasted little time. Miss Reina getting comfy in her throne, thinks it's pawsome.

With the DoggyRide, our dogs can now join us for rides!

For their first ride, we took them out to Bishan Park. Riding the dog trailer on the road was quite an experience. As with most trailers, it takes a bit of getting used to, with the added dimensions calling for a re-estimation of turning radiuses. The ride proved rigid and solid. Riding and lugging the trailer, despite the additional weight actually proved to be quite enjoyable.

DoggyRide Mini gets the thumbs up from us!

The doggies made their LCSG debut during the Bishan Park Potong Pasir ride earlier this month, to much celebrated reception, especially with the kids.

We're just glad that both of them can now share the simple joy that comes along with riding!

LCSG Treasure Hunt Part I

Two weekends ago, LCSG organized their first ever treasure hunt (Cycle Hunt 2011) and we were both honored and glad to be a part of the fun.

It sure did turn out to be a hugely memorable race for us. Here's our account of the amazing ride...

Team Hawaii 5 0 were in it to win it (best dressed at least).

Introducing Diane, KSL, Eman and Derek...

There were some that came straight from bed...

...and there were others that appeared in their Sunday's best.

Here was the game plan. 13 teams, 10 checkpoints. In the next 4 hours, team Hawaii 5-0 will little know embark on an amazing race around Sengkang, Punggol, Hougang and Seletar.

1/10: Start point (Mushroom Cafe, Sengkang Riverside Park) to Punggol Point.

Each of the 13 groups were given a chance to draw lots for their 1st check point. The luck of our draw took us to the commemorative plaque at Punggol Point, which was perfect as we knew exactly where it was and how to get there.

Declared as a heritage site, the plaque remembers the 1942 Sock Ching Massacre whereby more than 400 chinese were mass murdered.

As part of the challenge at our first check point, I had my face vandalized with lipstick and Gwyn got her hands dirty in the sand where X marked the spot, before we were issued the full set of photo clues for the remainder of the race.

2/10: Lor Halus Bridge

Our strategy was really to keep calm and ride on. Upon receiving the full set of clues, we made sure we took our time to plan our route carefully and then try not to get lost. Once ready, we set off towards the Lor Halus bridge, our 2nd checkpoint of the day.

If you didn't already know, the Halus bridge is a brilliant shortcut for riders/joggers to get from Punggol to Pasir Ris and vice versa.

3/10: Green tablet at Punggol Park

Next was the green tablet at Punggol Park and locating it in the park mimicked finding a needle in a hay stack for many teams.

Fortunately, Gwyn was sharp enough to spot the word, "fitness corner" in the picture clue. (not sure how many groups noticed that) From afar, we noticed a lot of teams circling around the park looking for the tablet. We arrived looking for the fitness corner.

Straight after we reached the park compound, we asked the first jogger we saw for directions to the fitness corner and the next jogger to double confirm.

Ask and you shall receive. Voila!

4/10: IMH

By now, the sun was slowly but surely out in full scorch. (See Derek's "Hawaiian Terrorist" look)

We pressed on towards the Institute of Mental Health aka the former Woodbridge Hospital which was checkpoint number four. Via Buangkok Drive and Green, we opted to stay on the road instead of the PCN as we felt it was more direct and faster.

When we arrived, there were no signs of the other teams and it was here that we virtually took our first and only rest throughout the hunt. When throngs of other riders began appearing at the scene, that was the sign for us to move on to our next checkpoint. While at it, KSL went around spreading the good news of 100 plus, 2 for $2.50.

5/10: Lor Buangkok, Last Kampung

The last kampung in Singapore was our 5th checkpoint.

I've always enjoyed visiting the kampong as it throws us all back to the early days where life was a lot simpler.

Getting to the Lorong Buangkok Kampung was not a problem as we had been there before. Searching for the right house required more effort. We forayed deep inside the kampung and found the house. There were a couple of similar looking houses and we made sure that we got the right one before moving on, red pail included!

There was another team that showed up at the Kampong at the same time. It turns out that we would bump into each other more often throughout the race.


Which team was it? 5 down, 5 more to go. Can you feel the adrenaline? Stay tuned for Part II!

LCSG Treasure Hunt Part II

6/10: Myco Mushroom Farm, Seletar Farmway

Now we were flying, in terms of both confidence and momentum. It has been really smooth so far. We have our bearings throughout and we knew what we were doing. Though half the journey still lurked ahead.

Our biggest challenge by far would now arise. Seletar Farmway, to call it an unfamiliar territory would be an understatement. Never in our lives have we set foot in Seletar farmway and now, we have to find our next 2 checkpoints in Seletar.

We stayed on the main roads (YCK, Jalan Kayu) before detouring into Seletar Farmway Lane 4. It was all gut and chance.

We bumped into Team Mandai again at the Farmway. Both teams had first bumped into each other at the last kampung. I spotted a small advert by the road, with arrows giving directions to the Animal Resort. Naturally, we took direction and about 200m down the bend, we stumbled upon checkpoint 6, Myco Mushroom Farm.

Team Mandai took the group pic for us, we took a group pic for team Mandai and we worked together to find our next checkpoint, The Animal Resort.

7/10: The Animal Resort, Seletar Farmway

It turns out that the resort wasn't too far away, about 400m down the lane from the mushroom farm and likewise we helped each other out with the group shots.

Looking back now, Gwyn mentioned something about spotting horses at the Animal Resort. I don't remember any horses. All I was thinking about then, was how to get to our next checkpoint...

We made a hasty departure and parted ways with team Mandai. On our way out, we bumped into a couple of other teams riding towards the Mushroom farm.

8/10: Sunset Grill and Bar / Fokker Services, Seletar Airbase

Spicy Chicken Wings and a blue knob. That was our photo clue and we figured it was referring to Sunset Grill and Bar. Thankfully, we've been there before. The one with the different levels of spice for their chicken wings. I remember the first time we got lost in our car looking for this place. I swore to remember the way since then and it certainly paid off that day.

Gliding through turns and channels, in no time, we found ourselves approaching Sunset Grill and Bar. From adrift, this enormous blue hanger stood out and almost instantly, we spotted the blue door knobs.

Credit to Derek, he pointed out that there were 2 different knobs. The one in our clue had a small bump on the left side, indicating that it should be the one at the further end. That was attention to detail at its very best and it saved us 10 pts. (For every correct checkpoint, we were credited with 10 pts). True enough, it turns out later that some of the teams got the incorrect knob for this checkpoint.

9/10: Jeli Jetty, Yishun Dam

Now our next checkpoint would be one full of question marks. When I first saw the picture clue at Punggol Point, I had no idea what/where the heck it was. Google didn't help much at all. Jeli Jetty is somewhere that even the almighty Google doesn't know much about. Thankfully, it was crossed on our map and we figured it to be near Punggol Dam (or so we thought)

It turns out that by the biggest unimaginable stroke of luck, muscle cramps and a hungry stomach somehow made us stop momentarily at Yishun Dam. We looked at the map again and went "Hey, isn't this here. It's not Punggol Dam, but Yishun Dam and this is Yishun Dam!" My jaw dropped.

Straight away, we forgot about the cramps and hunger, parked our bikes and started combing the area Infantry style. Tadah! Never been happier to see a "No Entry" sign. Somehow, we just found checkpoint 9.

10/10: Dome bridge and Return to Start Point.

Our final checkpoint was the dome bridge and it was enroute back to the end point, which was also the start point. We quickly snapped our pic at the dome and made our way back to Sengkang Riverside Park.

It had been a long arduous journey and we were now inches away from the finishing line. Towards the end, KSL escaped a near collision with another oncoming rider. It was a close shave.

We re-grouped just outside the mushroom cafe and rode in together. As we were approaching, we heard a huge roar of laughter. We knew there and then that we were not the first to return...

Though shortly after, we began to realize that there was actually only one other team that had returned earlier.

Diane thought everyone had left!

Nick from the other group came over and asked if we had managed to complete all checkpoints.

Gwyn was like :" you mean you didn't?"

Our eyes lit up and our hearts were now in our mouth and all that stood between us winning the hunt was getting our photos verified.

Diane, KSL and Gwyn zoomed towards the empires with our photos like the flash.

One by one they went through the photos and ALOHA! We got the full 100 points, which meant that we won!

Feel the estacy...

It was surreal. I don't think anyone would have placed their bets on Team Hawaii 5-0 prior the hunt.There were definitely more experienced and speedier riders out there. We were elated that our sheer hard work and great team work paid off.

Team Mandai, who were neck in neck with us for most of the second half came in 2nd, a mere 2 minutes behind. (now that was close!) For our efforts, we each took home a $50 Lifecycle voucher, plus a horn trophy!

Indeed, the prizes were really cool but at the end of the day, it was not all about which place we finished in but rather how we went about the race. The team work and camaraderie formed was elusive and priceless.

Diane was our camera girl; sets the tripod up regardless of muscle cramps and demands that everyone gets in the shot. Derek was our Mister attention to detail. Eman kept us on time with all the frequent time checks. KSL got hungry at the right place and the right time. Gwyn was our eagle eyed sharp-shooter, while I just tried my best not to get the team lost.

We really enjoyed ourselves and credit to the volunteering organizers for making this hunt possible. Superb organisation, sponsored prizes, great hunt, and no fees involved. We really couldn't ask for more.

Cyclehunt 2011, will always be for us, a ride to remember.

Balestier Whampoa Heritage Ride

The crew gathered at 730am, Novena MRT for today's Balestier Whampoa Heritage ride.

Before we explored the neighborhood of Balestier and Whampoa, we made a slight detour towards Mount Pleasant Road, rode past the Polo Club along Jalan Mashhor(where we rode last week as well) before cranking up Andrew Road towards Mediacorp@Caldecott Hill.

We didn't see any stars. The closest stars we saw were from those while climbing uphill.

From Caldecott, we rolled down back towards Thomson Road and made our way to MacRitchie Reservoir. It was crowded, with lots of folks visiting the reservoir park. Most were joggers. It was really nice to see so many making a conscious effort to keep a healthy lifestyle.

The MacRitchie Reservoir landscape was beautiful. Somehow, despite the crowd, it exuded stillness and peace. There's just something about MacRitchie.



A lady found her Brompton calling and we gladly allowed her to take our's out for a test spin. Her friends in the background suggested pestering her son to get it for her, which we thought was hilarious.

Riding is for everyone, young or old!

Tucked in nicely at the corner of the street next to Whampoa Hawker Centre is where you'll find a traditional bakery that offers fresh bread.

Happy patrons spoilt for choice with what we call real bread.

The equipment and infrastructure that made it all possible. I finished an entire loaf, and that was after I had dinner. It's that good.

Did you know that there is a water dragon nestled in the midst of Whampoa? We were intrigued with the Whampoa dragon ever since we first read about it on RememberSG. Finally, we got to meet the relic in person today!

And it sure was a glorious sight. Tall, majestic dragon reaching out towards the sky. It's really a wonderful work of art, something that Singapore can be proud off.

Legend has it that the water dragon was built as a symbol to ward off fires in the kampong.

They should consider reinstating the dragon to its former full glory by reactivating the water fountain. Just imagine the sight...

The fountain is now defunct, so we took the opportunity to dunk in and perform our best impression of a water dragon.

Riding along the Whampoa PCN, we rolled by the old Shaw Bros studio and checked in at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, a museum established to commemorate the overseas' chinese contributions to the revolutionary movement in China, led by Dr Sun.

An entrance fee is chargeable to enter the museum, however you are free to roam outside of the building.

Monumental statue built in memory of Dr Sun Yat Sen.

Again, it was another enjoyable and enriching Sunday morning ride. Balestier Whampoa is an area rich in its own culture and heritage.

The Whampoa dragon is stunning, plus the bakery with the real bread, it won't be surprising if we find ourselves heading down the area soon again.

group shot credited to Steven Tang.