Our overnight cycling is a success! Many of us turned up and we had a great time. But most importantly everyone is back safe and sound.
About a month ago my friend Terrence and me set up an
event on Facebook inviting friends to come to our overnight cycling. A number of them responded quite quickly. A total of 18 of us turned up for the cycling and they are Terrence, me, Hydon, Joseph, Gerald, his friend Wong, Suresh, Tedmund, Jerome, Chuen Rong, Shi Rong, Zhen Ye, his cousin Wei Jun, Rachel, Charmaine, Shawn, Uncle Albert and Uncle Seah Ho.
Last night we met at church at 9.30pm. By the time everyone gathered and settled down for our briefing it was 10.30pm. For a big group you always got to give extra time. Terrence briefed us on the map of our cycling route, safety procedures, our groupings, methods on cycling past traffic junctions, contact numbers of everyone, etc. By 11pm the briefing ended and we distrbuted the bicycle backlights and lightsticks that they had ordered earlier. After that we all gathered at the carpark to check everyone's bicycles, to make sure they were all fully working.
By 11.30pm we were ready to leave! Before that we said a prayer first to ask God to keep us safe. The roads were still a little busy at this timing, probably because its a Saturday night. We broke into groups of 6. Terrence's group was first, followed by Uncle Albert his father, and then mine. I was the sweeper (the last man) almost the whole time. So I made sure my light was easy to see and had put light sticks all over behind me on my bag and bicycle.
So from our starting point at Yio Chu Kang Road, we headed towards Serangoon. Then through Aljunied and down to Geylang Lorong 22, the infamous red light district. While cycling through the very "busy" district Suresh was cycling beside me and he suddenly said to me, "I give you cheap cheap!" Omg that was kinda disturbing.
In the photo below I think you'll be able to see a hooker in red on the left side lol.
On the way to East Coast Park. All 18 of us stopped at one junction in one long line.
After Geylang we headed to Marina Cove at East Coast Park where we had our first rest point. Went to the washroom at MacDonalds to relief ourselves. Surprisingly Uncle Lam Kiong, Auntie Linda and Auntie Annie had followed us there in their car! They came with drinks haha. Almost exactly like a pit stop. And I gotta say they escorted us all the way throughout our whole cycling journey and provided real helpful assistance like food + drinks + bike repairing service.
This is Uncle Lam Kiong and Auntie Linda providing us drinks.
Uncle Lam Kiong's car also helped to transport cyclists who were tired. Then you may wonder, what happens to the cyclist's bicycle when they wanted to rest. Well we had 1 less bicycle compared to the number of riders. Thats because at East Coast Park, Shawn's bicycle broke down. The contact between the rear wheel and the rear gear had broken, also known as the 'hub'. So no matter how much he peddles the wheel won't turn. Uncle Lam Kiong's car came to the rescue and he arrived with his real big toolbox. We dismantled his 2 wheels and put it in the car boot. Then the rest of us cyclists continued our journey while Shawn followed us in the car. Later in the journey Chuen Rong got tired and Shawn cycled for him. Shawn was desperate to cycle someone's bike anyways haha.
After the East Coast Park rest stop we continued our journey west towards the Singapore Flyer, where we had our next stop. Along Nicoll Highway Suresh, Gerald and Wong were all singing SCDF songs. I don't know what. But then we were passing by this group of guys who looked like NS men. Suresh shouted "ORD OH" to them and they "ORD OH-ed" us back. Haha. And we continued our journey. Somewhere on the way we passed by a police car where 3 policemen were about to go into their car for some reason. Then later Suresh was like saying that one of the police said,"Wah they got light sticks some more sia." Lol.
I saw the racing car track that I saw before on television and I went to drift on it!
Some of them were getting a little tired already.
After the break at Singapore Flyer we headed towards Vivo City where the water fountain is and where we had another rest stop. Somewhere between these 2 rest points we cycled past this club. Then there were some guys quarreling with each other. Some guy was about to hit the other guy. Then that other guy started running across the road like he was in some marathon. Arghh I wanted to watch but had to follow the group. Lol.
A security guard at Vivo told us we were not allowed to put our bicycles there but then on taking a closer look at our bicycles he ended up talking about BMX bicycles to some of us lol. Anyway we politely agreed to pull out our bicycles and continued on our journey.
Vivo City to West Coast Park was quite a boring journey. The environment around was all industrial and there's nothing much to see. There were heavy vehicles wheezing past us now and then. Furthermore there was this group of ah bengs creating all sorts of noisy turbo sounds at one junction we stopped at. They were revving their engines and once it was green light they sped off like cheetahs. Their exhaust fumes were darn smelly. Some people just have nothing else to do but make stupid noises and pollute the air in the middle of the morning.
We finally reached the MacDonalds at West Coast Park! My craving for fish filet was finally met.
Coincidentally at the mac I met 2 of my friends. First met them in Aikido club back in Singapore Poly. We rested at the mac for about an hour. Terrence and Gerald discussed on the shortest and easiest route back to church, as everyone was getting considerably tired.
The rest sat inside the aircon area.
Home Sweet Home! 226 Yio Chu Kang Road. We reached church at 6.30am. Most of us were shagged but I felt that 60km wasn't enough for me. Maybe I wasn't cycling as fast as I could.
We had some food and drinks while slacking at church for a while until the sun rose. Then all of us went back home to have a very good shower and a very good sleep.
This was roughly the route we cycled.
Distance cycled: 63km
Total time: 7 hours (including many rests)
