Jan: 213 km

Sun 26 Jan: Cupid's arrows
To Sembawang Park, 41 km. Last week, had been thinking of organising a group ride for BOAC riders but thought the better of it because it's been raining cats and dogs. Today, it's blue skies and blazing hot sun. Could've had a group ride today - but that's the wisdom of hindsight.

Not one to waste a fine cycling day, I went to recce another route for BOAC group. It's a blazing ride because I woke up past 10 am! By the time I hit the road, the sun was high in the sky. Cycled to Sembawang Park, whereI saw a group of heavily-laden mountain bikers. Maybe they just came in from Malaysia. Or maybe they were camping overnite at the park. Fancy bikes, but it seems one of them didn't quite know how to change gears and was getting advice from one of the cyclists. The beach at the park looks cleaner. And the blue-yellow mosque off Andrew Ave looks beautiful. Love those tree-lined, narrow roads; so picturesque and shady. Stopped by Cheap John's to admire the bikes. Nice red-black Trek for $575. (Another option is the K2 at Biker's Corner in Ang Mo Kio for sale at $600plus.) On the way home, passed a school in Ang Mo Kio. Saw a couple shooting arrows in the school field under the hot sun around 1 pm. Talk about Cupid's arrows!

Sun 19 Jan: Ride to nowhere
0 km. Didn't even make it out of the house, as it was raining all day. Bikerboey, the organiser, cancelled the ride. What a washout - this was to have been the first time in my life that I'm leading a bicycle ride, to Tampines. Seems one guy couldn't be contacted and showed up at starting point but no one else was there...

Sun 12 Jan: Different creatures on different machines
To Tampines; 40 km. To Tampines mountain bike trail this morning. It was drizzling. Usually, I don't cycle when it rains before the start of a ride (can't be helped if it rains during the ride). But I'm leading a ride next week (first time in my life I'm doing this) and I need to check out the route just in case things have changed the last time I was there. Besides, cycling alone is different from riding in a pack - different risks involved, eg one cyclist can get past a traffic light but the light could cut off those who are slower ... On the way there, a group of roadies overtake me: they have bright jerseys, fancy bikes, slim tyres. Great discipline - riders at the head and tail of the "convoy" shout "car" whenever they see one, and the alarm is passed down the line. One of them asks me if I'm from the NTU round island ride taking place that same day. It turns out they're not from that ride either. They soon leave me behind. Yep, I feel envious - I could keep up with them for a while, but not for long. But we're different creatures on different machines. My bicycle isn't as fast on the road, but it's made for trails. Roadies will be reduced to walking the trail. On the way home, I ride into the tail end of the NTU group. Must be the tail end; I see (and hear) creaking rental bikes - wow, I can hear them from the other side of the road across a few lanes. Wonder how they got so far, from NTU to Tampines, on those bikes.

Sat 4 Jan, to Bedok, 56 km

Wed 1 Jan to NTU and Jurong, 76 km

Year 2002

Distance covered during this year: 1,797 km
All within Singapore. Explored north (Lim Chu Kang, Kranji, Sembawang, Punggol), east (Changi) and south-east (Changi Coast Road, East Coast Park).

All distances are for round trips on my Iron Horse bicycle. Trips start from Ang Mo Kio unless otherwise stated.
24-25 dec changi sailing club, 44 km
22 dec punngol, 30 km
15 dec mandai, bkt timah, upp thomson, 47 km
1 dec sarimbun 60 km

24 nov lim chu kang choa chu kang 80
21 nov senoko 49
16 nov nite ride 92
10 nov bedok 38
3 nov lim chu kang 61
27 oct changi chapel 41
20 oct tampines mt bike track 34
6 oct ubin 60
22 sep half island (Project Care): home, woodlands, changi, nat'l stadium, home 5hr 17min 105
15 sep admiralty rd w 44
14 sep st andrews 25
yishun ave1 26
1 sep woodlands changi 84
24 aug kranji 35
17 aug mandai 44
11 aug semb park, jln inggu 48
9 aug changi pasir ris 53
3 aug lower seletar 31
28 jul changi beach 52
14 jul boac sembawang 31 yew kee
13 jul yio chu kang, seletar 21
29 jun nee soon, tagore 29
23 jun sungei seletar 29
16 jun paya lebar airport 52
14 jun island club 17
8 jun paya lebar apt 23
7 jun pierce 20
18 may punggol park, sengkang 30
Before 18 May: 362 km

© 2002 Kevin Lee. All rights reserved.

Year 1995-2001

Distance covered: 300 km (hey, I used it mostly for commuting around my home, that's why I bought a low-end bicycle. I cycled around central Singapore too: MacRitchie, Pierce, Seletar reservoirs)