With permission from the author, I reproduce here his fine ride report, which after reading (i first received it exactly a month ago in my mailbox) I resolved not to ride with these speed demons anytime soon. I had not been riding for what seemed like an eternity, and this report I read, literally, as a provocation, a reminder of how far behind them, i mean time, that I've become.
Note: Names have been altered to protect the persons from being identified and pursued by other riders looking for a good challenge. Of course, they (the author and the named in the report) wouldn't care less about others, who surely must be inconsequential.
Yours truly.
______________________
You may ask... what does BCR stand for?
But upon learning the identity of the "Trainer", you would go... "ah-ha! BIG CHAIN RING!"
Leaving my house at 830pm, I should have anticipated the pace. After all, it was a "Kenneth" ride. Having the luxury of pedalling leisurely, I wound my way slowly through Chancery, admiring the grand houses, and then continued along Bt Timah Rd towards the rendezvous point, KAP MacDonalds. Savouring the joys of the cool air AND the relaxed pace, I arrived a couple of minutes early. Shortly after, all dreams of a leisurely ride were shattered.
Kenneth arrived and we briskly took off, heading towards Mandai. He showed no mercy and spared no thought for the heavy traffic along the initial portion of the ride - he SPED. As I frantically panted after him, giving everything I had to keep up, he deftly accelerated up the hills and descended even faster. With the immense exertion on my part, the waterfall started. Blinking to keep the sweat from my eyes, or was it the tears of pain from the agony in my lungs and legs, I could have sworn that for many moments, the blurry figure of Kenneth in front of me morphed into... J!
Can't be wrong, I tell myself, but the speedo read 37kmh. And to my dear readers, this was along a flat road. Or should I say, ALL the flat roadS. Never letting the speed drop below 35kmh, we reached Mandai and started climbing the hills. "Go on ahead, dont wait" was all i could manage to grunt out, in between panting. J... I mean Kenneth, slowed down at the crest of each hill and patiently slowed down for me to catch up.
I tell myself - (yes dreaming helps to ease the pain) - Kenneth & J should set up their bike shop. They could make tons of money by demo-ing heavy steel bikes - "see? this steel bike may be 15kg, but it is a special and VERY fast bike - it goes effortlessly at 40kmh - better than these new fangled carbon machines that struggle at 35kmh - hence the steel bike costs more - special for you, only US$10,000"......
With my mind tuning out the pain, I managed to finish Mandai & Thomson and we finally reached our end point - Adam Road hawker centre. As I stumbled in and heavily plonked myself down on the nearest empty seat, the lady at the next table glanced disgustedly at me - all dripping wet and yucky - such a contrast to Kenneth all fresh as a daisy. We had cold watermelon juice and chatted about the vietnam trip in December. And the chng tng was sublime... we have to return.
--- the end ---
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