Cycling is like life. Cycling with no goal is meaningless. What meaning is there cycling in circles? Or living aimlessly? Meaning comes from direction and destination. Join me in my life's journey on a mountain bike :)

Blogging since 2003. Thank you for reading :))

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Same road, different journey

Jun distance: 104 km (all time low in a month since 2002)

To Kranji, 68 km. Things may look the same, but a small change may lead to a big difference. Like what a tiny puncture does to a bicycle. Or an empty seat in an organisation. What difference one person makes depends on who the person is. As a mountain biker, I see obstacles along the way - and ways around them. As I approach, I see greater granularity and pick my line. I also see a place where, if there's a dog around, the dog will be. A black shape appears. It does not bark. I do not yell. It does its thing. I do mine. Forewarned is forearmed. It doesn't have a chance. It stops as the distance between us grows. I slow down but keep my eyes peeled in case it or its pals sneak up. Always vigilant, always safe. Even if it takes a tiny chunk of flesh off me, that would be too much.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

It's about time

Sembawang Road, 36 km. I'm back on the road after a week's travel and the aftermath of jet lag. A roadie in yellow says "hello" and slips past me. I tail him at 33 km/h. My knobbies hum with joy but my dry chain squeaks in protest. He slips out his phone, which is "hands-free": both hands off the handlebar. We reach a fork in the road and part ways. At Sembawang Park, the police are there. There is a poster of fugitive Mas Selamat. Half the heel of my cycling shoe breaks off. Its first ride was in Oct 03, at a mountain bike race on Penang Hill. Since then, it has been in more races and several expeditions. When things rot away, band-aid can't do much. I was forewarned; inspection had shown cracks. When it comes to fundamentals, catastrophe sometimes creeps up rather than happen suddenly. Surprise despite warning, if one looks away from the signs.