Monday, May 30, 2011

Potong Pasir + visit to my Playground 29th May '11

Lovecycling @ Potong Pasir and a  salute to  Mr Chiam!
                                 Telling my story before we start. Thanks Joeel!                                        Photo Credits Joeel lee





my animal playground at Toa Payoh...that's my horse!
Some background,  I grew up at Toa Payoh lor 8, where I walked to school myself. ... and had some nice memories at the old old play ground.  Mum showed me a old photo a year ago of me with the "horse"....and it was stuck on my mind ever since. This playground for some reason was retained and not demolished... at least not for the moment....
So this sunday ride, to make it extra extra special, we met at Potong Pasir MRT to have a look around, see Mr Chiam humble MPS(meet the people Session) and then retraced my child hood route.. passing by my ah gu place, snaked around the estate to the "animal playground". Later makan at Kim keat hawker centre, Shuang lin shi temple, Dragon play ground and then to Toa payoh gardens and then back to Potong Pasir MRT.
Riders looking at the messages at Mr Chiam MPS "office" of 27 years... 

simple handwritten note.... Respect!
Blk 108, nothing special looking.... this is where Mr Chiam have the Meet the people session
Why start at Potong Pasir? This is an amazing place where we saw the Singaporeans lining up the streets to wave in support to Mr Chiam, who spent a total of 27 years as their MP. Being the 2 of the opposition, the odds were always stacked against him... and he persevered. Not even 2 strokes could put off this great man. It was moving to see him bent over at Bishan stadium, talking softly to the crowd... and many people felt his heart... I did... I am not a politician but I know he touched my heart. more information here..Wikipedia of Potong pasir and Mr Chiam .   Also please read this too. When we rode to Block 108 and I showed Mr Chiam "office"... many were shocked at the sparseness.... and shocked turned into respect... when I told them he was here doing meet the people for 27 years! I was glad many brought their children to share about this historical place and the term "service to the people". ... here is a moving farewell movie... 
Lovely quiet PCN that links Potong Pasir to Toa Payoh Lorong 8

Eehaa!  Horsing around... feeling young!
Steven sharing the history of the place... and good eats... like the curry sissors rice.. 
Kudos also to the new MP, Mr Sitoh for not clearing this iconic desk.. hmmm, maybe as I speak it will be gone also.... but at least I have shared with 40 folks and told the Potong Pasir and my playground story!  Many thanks to the regular riders (Clarence, Andrew, Zack, Andy, Steven, Adriane and many more) for helping out in the ride. Appreciate it!

Now that I shared mine... what is your childhood story? I like to hear about it.. maybe we can go retrace it too...

Rest of the Photos here
Lucky draw to ride Birdy... the bike
Adriane and Amy 
Zipping past
@Shuang lin Shi Temple
Kungfu fighting...
Friends
@ the dragon playground

Sunday, May 29, 2011

lovecycling with Dragon = Lovedragon

Wonderful ride visiting Potong pasir and my child hood friends with super sporting friends.. Detail write up soon! More photos here.. if u can't wait..

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

One way ticket to Kluang 22nd May 2011

Waiting and Praying for tickets.. 0630am at Tanjong Pagar Train Station
We are going to Kluang!
This was an impromptu ride which almost never happened....but we said we wanted to do.  Matt had been going to the train station for several days to secure the tickets but was getting no where. Sat evening, I recieved a text from Matt...let's just go on Sunday early morning and "po"= try our luck.  So we did. 5 turned up at 0630.....bleary eyed at Tanjong Pagar Train station...  There was already a long queue forming and Matt looked worried.... but finally we got the tickets! Heng har!
Tickets but no seat .... oh well...
tickets!
Looking around the Tanjong Pagar Station which was due to be stop operation 1st July, I felt sad to see it go...and very glad I managed to take a train from this place. Things will change and I hope it is for the better....
watching the world zoom by

nice...

2hr train ride... and we reached Kluang!
So this started the fun adventure to Kluang.... The train trip cost $15 one way and took 2 hours.  Reached Kluang around noon time and had the nice coffee at the Kluang train station. Matt headed to the counter to buy the return tickets... and either it was 3pm or none...  In a democratic process, we voted on the decision and result was 4 to 1....ride bicycle back lor...easy one lah.....  Horror!!!! It was supposed to be a leisurely ride . Anyway, in an act of bravo, I said..."ok lor..  how bad can it get..."  Having foldies was great, we roamed around the town and saw some really old houses and industries.
There was this old rattan furniture shop and old shoe maker which we chatted for sometime. You could see that this wasn't ur usual tourist old spot... but it was really old and crummy. But totally real...  nice conversations with the shoe maker who told me how he took over the business from his father and he has being doing this for the past 40-50 years. 
Matt upon knowing there is no return train tickets... " oh goody, we can really ride!"
my new ride!
What's a trip without food right? ... with the local knowledge from the shoe maker, he told us to try the Kluang's Bar ku teh..."guaranteed very good one".  We followed his directions... and it was delicious! We even had the Ter kar (pig legs), something I don't usually eat.... but it was goooood!  Riding around... then we stopped at at newer kopitiam to have snacks and dessert.... Load up on Carbs for the long ride home... :)























Rattan shop

Kluang's hunk!
Pork legs.. super soft and delicious!
Kluang Bar Ku teh! The best!
shoe lasts
imagine how many shoes he made..
Super low morale.. and GL can still take photo!..  Photo credits by KC
Smiling helps when the going gets tough!
At 0430pm, we started riding back in Singapore direction. Patrick assured me :" dun worry...very near one lah... under 90km"  Funny thing is we saw a road sign "Johor Baru - 120km"...wahhh.. win already lor...  Still one crank at a time, with support from the cool dudes (Patrick, KC,Matt and GL)....we conquered one slope after another.  The view back to Singapore was lovely.. palm plantations, and the ever changing colors of the sky. At one point it was all red... but I was too tired to stop and take a photo...  Cars and bikes zoomed pass us, thumbs up and smiling... "this crazy idiots on folding bicycles...." We waved back, smiling, sweating.... we will get there...eventually.
The skies soon turned dark, pitch dark. Luckily most of us had lights...only champion who didn't was GL. He was really in for a leisure ride. Slippers and bermudas. No water bottle, no lights, shorter seat post, no helmet. Best of all, his flamingo London was creaking after all the pedalling... and wobbling left and ride. Still we rode on.... finally after 7.5 hours later... we saw the bright lights of the Woodlands Customs....I was sooooo happy! 
Crazy we may be... but we made it!  Thank you, Patrick, KC, Matt and GL who stood by me as I pedaled like a turtle. I was the last one, lagging behind... but u folks never once complained!  Bums burning and knees hurting like crazy... I smiled... what a leisurely ride! 
****Memories refreshed on 19th Sept 2014.
It was really a moment of "enlightement".... we cleared customs after Midnight. Luckily got a cab that too me and Matt to Tanjong Pagar where I park my van. 

I asked Mr Taxi uncle, "Uncle can u please drive up the multi storey to 4 floor?" He turned around and look at me with the thought bubble... "this siao eh trying to be farny is it...." I guess I look so pathetic that he turn back and continue to drive.... I literally crawled to my van.
Dunno how I managed to drive... but eventually I reached home. The showering bit was PAINNNNNful........ My bum was rubbed real good and you can imagine how it felt when showering... I even used my girl bum rash cream. Then I remembered Uncle K.C. who looked at me intently during the ride... and said the words... "the slopes are ur friends...and in times like this... u will dig deep into urself..." Some Yoda -ish advice.
Ya right... more like the saddle digging deeper into my AXX... hahah wonderful memories


Ride of Silence 2011

Shhss... lovecycling at ROS2011
In memory of Paul
Dahon green girls!
Gibson as Art director, Tiara- model and Professional paparazzi- Matt, Joeel and Boon yeo
Gasp! Mr Brown and me!!!
Benoit sharing why ROS
The tireless marshalls, thanks for keeping us safe!
Chris and Paul's Brompton
shhhsss

This ROS 2011 ride takes on a special meaning for me as our dear friend Paul left us on 29th April.  I was glad that Benoit of ROS took the time to talk about Paul and also the rationale of ROS.  ROS is always a sad event for me. Last year, I rode with Ben mok in my mind and this year it was Paul.... Chris Wee at Sandra's request, also did a very touching gesture. He rode Paul Brompton and I felt like he was there with us.....  Hope with more awareness created from this ride, we can help to promote safe cycling and that we all can share the roads. 
On a happier note, this year I had 56 lovecycling friends accompanying for the ride. Thanks people for taking the time to attend and show support! Ride safe and ride on! 
More photos of the ride here.
More on ROS Singapore -- http://www.rideofsilence.sg/rideofsilence/ROS.html

Friday, May 20, 2011

Joys of cycling by Airside.co.uk

Saw this very cool poster in typical British humor on the joys of cycling at Velorution... Creative and gets the message across without being naggy. I like it!
http://www.velorution.biz/2011/04/four-essential-tips/
http://www.jamiewieck.com/illustration/the-joy-of-cycling/
poster design by Airside

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Relaxing day by the beach picnic with friends

got to do this, even if it is a picnic...haha.. 
Kim's lovely spicy curry chicken...just like old times
Life can be simple and fun. Today 27 friends, families, children met at Pasir ris park to have a picnic. Each brought something.. and goosh it was like a buffet spread. We got Curry chicken, Curry puff(thanks Adi who came by to drop off the curry puffs even though he couldnt make it!), Jelly, baked marcoroni, muffins and lots more.  To make things more interesting, Seh shuan demonstrated his outdoorsy cooking skills... and it tastes not bad!
check out the buffet spread!     Photo credits Stewart Ong

"Steady, mai kang chong:... look pro, they will believe" Seh Shuan thought bubbles 


chill and relax
Diane, Angel and Tiger with choco... 
Not much riding today but more of a get together, relaxed and chat. The children had a field day zipping their bikes around the park while the parents rode closely with them. For many, I think this is a much appreciated bonding time between child and parents. I remember when I was young and my parents brought me to the beach where we just run around and played with sand. Food was just curry and meehoon..but still we enjoyed it alot.  When I looked today, I was really happy because I see the kids playing, smiling and running around. Kids being kids...  And the folks chatting away... :) In a modern day context where everything is so busy and fast...it is really nice to just enjoy a simple day with friends.  Try it some day.What are other more memorable experiences u have? Pls share with me so I can come up with more cool rides..

More photos

From Simon 

From Stewart
off to the play ground!     Photo credits Simon Siah