sunday ride

The best thing about riding on Sunday mornings is that it's possibly the only day when so many cyclists are on the road. Seeing fellow cycling enthusiasts makes you feel that there's a cycling community, a community to which you are part of. Non-cyclists wouldn't understand, but you know why that certain cyclist on the road had the discipline to rise so early on a Sunday morning; you know why he's driving himself so hard, riding against the elements; and you know while his riding appears so effortless (for the image of a cyclist is often one of composed assurance, especially when he cycles past and disappears in a matter of mere seconds), he may at times be suffering within, gritting his teeth and exerting tremendous effort cycling against the inexorable wind or upslope. You know this because you've experienced it. But above all, you share with these strangers on the road a passion for the sport. It's an affair between the rider and his/her two-wheeler.

Each time i take to the road i never fail to feel a sense of freedom that is totally liberating. Yesterday's ride was good; i enjoyed it very much and was a happier man during and after the ride. For it's been a long time since i last cycled in a group. Having company makes a difference because you feel more motivated and there are people you can talk with.

I got out of bed at 0645 even though my body clearly preferred that i not leave the bed. By 0800 i was halfway across the island at Upp Thomson Road. The meeting place was at Longhouse, a coffeehouse which most cyclists are acquainted with (it's a common meeting place for them). It was my first time there though. When the last amongst us reached, we left the place, one after another. I was sufficiently warmed up by then and that made the riding easier, less strenuous compared to my journey to Longhouse.

Later whilst cycling through Kranji, a group of roadies riding in a line, literally whizzed past us. Eugene moved forward next to me and said: 'These people make me feel like i'm a snail!' I gave him a knowing smile and replied: 'Yea, they must be cycling at least 45km/h. Thing is, when you look at your speedo(meter) it reads 30plus km/h!' (That's not exactly a slow pace, especially for us riding mountain bikes.)

Then came the best part of the route, which was to cycle through Neo Tiew. I always enjoy cycling through this road because on either side of the road throughout, it is either farms or verdant grasslands inhabiting the landscape. I am not sure if there is anywhere else in Singapore where you can find such idyllic, pasture-like environment for a considerable stretch. The air is fresh and the surroundings tranquil; the traffic, both human and vehicle, is inconsequential. Surely this is not an uncommon sight in other countries; but in urbanised Singapore, it is a rare and cherished departure from the stifling congestion almost everywhere else. Its salubrious environment is the antidote to our daily stress in life, one that is invariably bounded by abundant concrete. And i would add that it is on a bicycle that one can most enjoy the rustic beauty and serenity here.

There were 8 of us, equal number on road and mountain bikes. The 4 roadies were ahead of us for the most part, while i maintained pace with Kenneth, Rashid and Eugene, all of whom, like I, are on mountain bikes. Kenneth, nearly twice my age, is a father of two. Amicably approachable and highly safety-conscious, he puts on an impossibly unfashionable green vest whenever he takes to the road. I told Eugene we will all be very safe riding in front of him; Eugene replied that Kenneth reminds him of a mobile CWO (corrective work order).

This ride, Kenneth rode a heavy bike, the kind that looks ill-suited for riding long distance. And while the rest of us on mountain bikes are on slick tyres, he was using knobbies. That's tougher on the rider because of the higher rolling resistance, but it is also the reason why it makes for good training. (Tougher training builds up strength.) In spite of this, Kenneth was on par with all of us; his regular riding sessions obviously have paid off dividends.

At the junction between Neo Tiew and Lim Chu Kang, Kiat was spotted at the side of the road vommitting. He had only a light breakfast and earlier had 'chiong' (ride as fast as one can) Mandai where the road consists of numerous slopes. Not good. I offered him tissue paper. Chin told the rest of us to turn right and cycle to the end of Lim Chu Kang Road. But we were less than enthusiastic: the road to the Coast Guard at the end is continually sloping up and down.

We took a break at the Coast Guard at the end of Lim Chu Kang Road. Kiat, who looked a shade paler, was ready to continue with the ride, being able to joke with us now at his own expense. A police officer saw us outside the gates and walked out to greet us. Appearing quite happy to find a group of visitors at this faraway, isolated corner of the island, he asked us where we are from ("Singapore?") and where we had cycled from. I must say my friends weren't quite receptive to his attempt to chat with us. Or so it seemed from their terse responses. But the friendly officer was all smiles. When he advised that we watch out for stray dogs when cycling down Lim Chu Kang Road later, the ever witty EY, with a grin on his face, said tongue-in-cheek: 'We will just have to cycle faster then.' We laughed. But more laughter followed when the officer, showing that he is on par with EY, responded rather humourously, 'I think the dogs can run quite fast you know.'

We bade the officer farewell and continued with our ride. Where we struggled upslope and glided downslope earlier, it was the reverse case now. This time around, Chin - the unspoken leader of today's ride - made an effort to keep the group together. We made a turn and cycled through NTU - there was a horribly steep slope that killed some of us - before coming to an end at a coffee shop in Jurong West.

Time no more

Long ago I used to subscribe to Newsweek. Then i changed to Time. I am still receiving the latter, though i have been less than diligent in keeping up with the weekly magazine. In part because i would get caught up in school work; with the ever-increasing amount of readings accumulating every week during school term, i could scarcely devote precious time to read the magazine. It sure feels like a waste of money when you can't do a thorough reading. But i reckon that reading (almost) every article isn't necessary a good measure of getting your money's worth. What's important is that the magazine matches your expectations in terms of the subject of its articles, and how you regard as sufficient amount of reading you do in order that your subscription is justified.

What i usually do is to scan through the magazine, and if there are articles that catches my attention, i would give it a quick read. Almost without fail, however, i always faithfully peruse the travel section (Time Global Adviser) which comes at the last pages. This section, of course, makes for light reading, a far cry from the current affairs and political issues that dominate the rest of the magazine. But i like reading this section because it is always intriguing to read about unheard of or less-commonly known places in other parts of the world. For someone who doesn't have the chance to be a globe trotter, i love reading the pieces and learning about places, especially the ocassional ones which cover some quirky or fascinating corners of the earth. I probably will never get to visiting those places that i read about, but no matter, at least in reading them my imagination gets stirred and my curiousity piqued.

Save for that, i am finding Time a rather unsatisfying read. Not because its editorial standards or articles are deteriorating, but as my intellectual and academic interests broaden, the magazine becomes less able to meet that level of needs. (I never bother to read the almost guaranteed weekly articles on George Bush, the Iraq war and the likes of American politics.) Its articles serve more the purpose of informing rather than providing in-depth analysis, and furthermore, its coverage of issues is usually more American-centric - which is perfectly understandable, given where the magazine comes from. But above all, Time, as with Newsweek, is really more for people who want to get something more than their local news, who want to read stories about salient international issues with that personal touch that come from the way they are reported.

I, however, crave for a greater coverage of current affairs and global issues; articles writtern intelligently and with a particular focus on fiercely but objective critical analysis. I don't just want to be informed of issues; I want educated opinions and incisive analysis of issues. Which is why i am not going to renew my Time subscription this year. Not because Time has become worse, but because I am no longer its target consumer. The last time I renewed my subscription, it was because they made me an offer I thought quite good: six months of free subsription. That was almost 3 years ago when i hardly knew or cared about what's happening in the world, much less about critical analysis of social/world/regional issues. This time round, in fact, Time is offering me an even better deal. After ignoring their first letter sent to urge me to renew my subscription, i received yesterday another telling me that I would get one year of issues free if i renew my current subscription.

For a second, i was seriously considering it. But I made up my mind long ago that i would switch to The Economist after my subscription with Time ends this year - if i so decide to. Besides, I am reading less and less of my Time these days, save for those double and special issues like The Asian Journey, which i happily devour and save alongside other noteworthy magazines in my bookshelf.

Food Republic

Methinks the Food Republic (the rather staid, serious name ironically enhances the physical appeal of the place after one visits it) at Wisma has good ambience and is an inexpensive place to meet friends over a meal. It has a good selection of food stores selling affordable and really tasty local food. The toast bread there is also very good. Just the other day, Josh remarked that he's waiting to see how long the wooden tables and chairs would remain in their pristine condition. No matter, i vote Food Republic as one of the best food courts in town. I think its concept and decor fit in with the snazzy, chic appeal of Wisma Atria - very pleasing to the eye, simple yet stylish.

Wooden tables and chairs lending a dash of traditional vibes amidst a positively modern layout

View of Orchard Rd from Food Republic

Taking a breather

It was the day after polling day. I got home past midnight and was watching the results of the elections on CNA. I switched off the TV only after the PAP had finished its press conference which was broadcast live. (Though the PM announced that his party got a 'strong mandate', the mood was not one of ecstatic triumph; rather, the mood was a tad sombre, more introspective than what one would expect from a party which claims it received a strong mandate. But of course, the PAP is not given to outward display of emotions.)

And so i went to bed at two plus, slept for less than four hours and was up again. I had to catch the first train at 0610hrs to get to Admiralty station by 0630. It was Sunday, the day when Keith, Jon and I had to drive up to Kuantan to recce for our June ride. Actually, Keith was the one who drove all the way (some 12+ hours) coz it's his car that was used. Jon was the navigator and note-taker, while my task was to take photographs of prominent landmarks and sign-posts as well as designated stop-points. I took the back seat. Finally my 12x zoom canon powershot S2 came into good use. For though i was seated at the back, i could nevertheless take clear photos without the front of the car coming into view.



I was very glad to be out of town. Malaysia, though less-developed than Spore, has one thing that Singapore does not have - abundant land. Sitting in the car and journeying through the quaint towns, past plantations and verdant landscapes, i feel so much lighter, more relaxed and merrier. For many miles on the road along the East Coast, not a single concrete building would come within sight. The sun shone brightly above, the clouds drifted lazily across the sky and every now and then you can see monkeys or cows by the side of the road. It's all very idyllic and pleasing to the eye and mind. Besides discussing matters relating to our mission, i basically had a very relaxed time as a car passenger, taking in the sprawling spaciousness of the surroundings that went past the car as we joruneyed north. I don't know how often, on the whole, do Singaporeans travel abroad. But it is almost compulsive that we travel beyond our shores whenever we can afford the time and money. Just to get a breather, recharge and simply enjoy the absence from the claustrophic lifestyle and physical living in Singapore.

Claustrophobia

i looked out the bus window and there, a prominent signboard announces that a condominium will be built over the now vacant site. Yet another empty plot of grassland is going to be superseded by hard concrete building, i lamented. In my neighbourhood, every imaginable plot of unused land has over the years given way to something concrete - a school, a few blocks of flats, or another condominium. You can't see the view beyond a few miles because everywhere there is a building that stands in permanent obstruction. These buildings that are testament to improvement in amenities and progress have become oppressive structures which materialised at the expense of precious open space; in some instances, they literally developed on improbably small sites that are but a few yards between existing buildings.

And all that makes me feel claustrophobic. I know land is scarce in tiny Singapore. But i value open space, i value the emptiness of undeveloped grassland and the presence of vast greenery. In fact, i think human beings need a healthy amount of uninhibited space to thrive. But this is becoming so difficult in Singapore, where its geographical development mirrors the political climate: the absence and erosion of space parallels the political control and political orderliness under the dominant one-party state. It is suffocating.

Of course there are places to go where there's plenty of green and open spaces - Lim Chu Kang, Bukit Timah nature reserve, MacRitchie reservoir etc. But i don't want to have to go to places in order to enjoy that essential aspect of my physical well-being. It makes sense that open space as a feature should be incorporated into my everyday living. And so it is that i am upset with the destruction of evey conceivable plot of small land in my neighbourhood. I'm not against infrastructural development or building more apartments to meet the needs of society. But i think this has been carried out, in some instances, to such an unhealthy extent that there's insufficient breathing space. There is simply a sense of overwhelming oppression rendered by spatial constriction.

Unfortunately, this is a fate that i can't escape, as long as this remains my home where i sink my roots in.