"Easy Ride 3"

Hi and welcome to the last episode of the "Easy ride" trilogy. This time we make new discoveries and get ourselves into more idiotic nonsense as we ride from 12.30am till 11.00am.

Our route?

Exploration of the Jurong park connectors that run around Jurong Lake, running over stupid toads, get threatened by dogs at the lake, taunted by a freaking bullfrog that hops into a tree hole and seems to say "Screw you with the dogs" while we were being barked at, headed for Nasi Lemak at Jurong West extension before going to Sentosa for a super fun gravity climb along the road to Sentosa Cove and back. Planned to stop at the great Murtabak stall along Telok Blangah but decided to head to West Coast Park Mc Donald's for milk shake. By that time, I was already tired and sleepy to the point of falling off my saddle.

Anyway, I entered Mc Donald's and ordered an ice latte for myself but the staff gave me a hot one instead, so I simply just asked for a cup of ice that in my midst of sleepiness and fatigue, knocked the ice over so had to get another cup. Given sugar sachets for my hot latte, I needed to dissolve the sugar in the latte before pouring it into the cup of ice. I added sugar into the cup of ice only to have Ben stare at me in disbelief and burst out laughing. "What was I thinking" I should have added sugar into the latte before pouring it into the ice. This is called, "Stupidity caused by fatigue!"

Headed back towards Hillview and was nearly beheaded by this drunk driver who opened door of the trailer as I was about to pass the vehicle. I missed it barely by 3cm. I became fully awake by then. Dodged the traffic at Clementi Road to head back to Hillview, only to reach there at 7.10am for Teh Tarik.

Along comes the regular gang of Belinda, Ricky, Joshua and Swastic, who tempted me for another 40km Mandai Ride. By this time we had already done 65km and another 40 didn't seem like a good idea, especially with Belinda and co. Temptation and the thought of doing 100km that day made me decide to give it a shot. Bad choice! Ended up feeling so tired that I was literally zoning out wherever I had the opportunity.

Ride ended at 11.30am and I went home for a shower before proceeding to Viki's to collect my Topeak Prepstand Elite that I ordered. Had our regular beef noodles and headed back home by cab. Ben and I were out cold all the way back home.

Came back, set up the stand and mounted my bike on it. Very sturdy stand and great clamping. I'll do a write up of the stand when I uncover more of its mechanical properties and efficiencies. Took a half hour nap before going out for a meeting at 8.00pm. That concludes my day since yesterday riding and running errands and over toads and now trying to rush this blog before I hit the sack.

Try avoiding this, you'll enjoy the cleanup on your bike when you get back.... :p

Till next time,

Zzzzzzz............



Total distance : 107.66km
Average Time : 19.5km/h
Riding Time : 5hrs 30min

Politically Correct

Haha, back to my favourite joke site again, this time for some politics...

We all know how literally impossible it is to not offend SOMEONE these days, everyone is just SO F-ing TOUCHY... So this guide will help you on how to speak about the opposite sex in a POLITICALLY CORRECT way...

HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT WOMEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT

She is not a BABE or a CHICK; she is a BREASTED AMERICAN.

She is not a SCREAMER or MOANER; she is VOCALLY APPRECIATIVE.

She is not EASY; she is HORIZONTALLY ACCESSIBLE.

She is not DUMB; she is a DETOUR OFF THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY.

She has not BEEN AROUND; she is a PREVIOUSLY ENJOYED COMPANION.

She is not an AIR HEAD; she is REALITY IMPAIRED.

She does not get DRUNK or TIPSY; she gets CHEMICALLY INCONVENIENCED.

She is not HORNY; she is SEXUALLY FOCUSED.

She does not have BREAST IMPLANTS; she is MEDICALLY ENHANCED.

She does not NAG YOU; she becomes ORALLY REPETITIVE.

She is not a SLUT; she is SEXUALLY EXTROVERTED.

She is not a TWO BIT WHORE; she is a LOW COST PROVIDER.


HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT MEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT

He does not have a BEER GUT; he has developed a LIQUID GRAIN STORAGE
FACILITY.

He is not a BAD DANCER; he is OVERLY CAUCASIAN.

He does not GET LOST ALL THE TIME; he INVESTIGATES ALTERNATIVE
DESTINATIONS.

He is not BALDING; he is in FOLLICLE REGRESSION.

He is not a CRADLE ROBBER; he prefers GENERATIONAL DIFFERENTIAL
RELATIONSHIPS.

He does not get FALLING-DOWN DRUNK; he becomes ACCIDENTALLY HORIZONTAL.

He does not act like a TOTAL ASS; he develops a case of RECTAL-CRANIAL
INVERSION.

He is not a MALE CHAUVINIST PIG; he has SWINE EMPATHY.

He is not afraid of COMMITMENT; he is MONOGAMOUSLY CHALLENGED.

He is not QUIET; he is a CONVERSATIONAL MINIMALIST.

He is not STUPID; he suffers from MINIMAL CRANIAL DEVELOPMENT.

He is not SHORT; he is ANATOMICALLY COMPACT.

He does not CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT CARS; he has a VEHICULAR ADDICTION.

He is not UNSOPHISTICATED; he is SOCIALLY MALFORMED.

He does not EAT LIKE A PIG; he suffers from REVERSE BULIMIA.

He does not HOG THE BLANKETS; he is THERMALLY UNAPPRECIATIVE.

He doesn't have a DIRTY MIND; he has INTROSPECTIVE PORNOGRAPHIC MOMENTS.

"Easy" ride 2

Sometime I wonder if I am too naive to trust people twice. This morning's "easy" ride was a bad idea. I really can't feel my legs today anymore. After yesterday's "easy" ride, I should have known better. Today's "easy" ride was called, operation "Nasi Lemak"

Red Line : Route Start
Blue Line : Return Route

Ride started at 2.30am

Started from Dairy Farm and ended up in Changi Village after making 2 detours at Hume Avenue climbing and taking Old Holland Road and coming downhill at 6th Avenue before heading the usual way to Fort Road from Bukit Timah. A new discovery we made this ride was that the East Coast Changi Park Connector has finally been built and completed. It is finally safe to ride from East Coast to Changi without having to use the dangerous Coastal Road and dodge traffic at Changi Loyang Area. Reaching Changi, we were both hungry and headed straight for our regular "Nasi Lemak" joint only to decide later to try another stall so that we would know of other alternatives next time we came.

After eating our early breakfast I had half a mind to take a cab back home as it was already 6:00am and I did not want to have to dodge the morning traffic. I was convinced by Ben to carry on after exploring the many ways of going back without having to navigate the many huge traffic invested junctions in the city area. We decided to take the same way back from the park connector then from Fort Road and then to Tanglin Road and Nassim Road to the old SMU or current NUS campus before turning into Bt. Timah Road and back to Bt. Batok.

As usual, the slp road coming from PIE exiting from the Shell station at Bukit Timah proves to be a hazard again. Another crazy lady driver was coming down the slope fro PIE and showed no signs of stopping as Ben was approaching the slip road. Then the most remarkable thing happened, she turned to talk to the person in the back of the car! Ben nearly crashed into the car and I nearly crashed into him. Or tires skidded violently and I was nearly run over by the oncoming car from the back. What's it with these drivers today? What sense of safe driving do they lack? Are they so self involved that they have no consideration for others?

Anyway we parted at the junction of the nature park and I proceeded to the light industrial estate to purchase my 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch converter for my torque wrench. I finally got it and will be able to torque my bike parts to the correct tension.

Ride ended 10:30am

Conclusion:
Not an easy ride but but a very good endurance ride. Tasted some good Nasi Lemak and discovered the East Coast Changi Park connector.


Total distance : 100.17km
Riding time : 4hrs 58min
Average Speed : 20.1km/h

The moment of truth

Took me Scottie out for a ride this morning in the witching hours of the night to test out the results of my work. Enjoyed the ride with the smooth transmissions and superb braking. The ride goes as follows.

Started at 1:00am 25th Oct 2007

Route

I started at Bukit Batok and proceeded to meet Ben at Dairy Farm Road before turning to Petir Road connecting to Jelebu Road and Bukit Panjang Road before turning into Woodlands Road for the long ride to Mandai Road.

Upp thomson Road was the next turning that takes you to Lornie Road before passing through a chinese cemetery atKheam Hock Road. Can be pretty eerie at night as the road is not well lit and there are humps along the way and the chance of dogs appearing out of nowhere. We emerged from Bukit Timah Road to proceed on to Evans Road then Nassim Road.

Stopped at Treknology and Tay Junction at Tudor Court along Tanglin Road and rode all the way to Alexandra Road. Turning right at Lower Delta Road we enter Kampong Bahru Road. At this point, it started to drizzle and we decided to make a dash for the prata house along Telok Blangah Road. We were going at 40km/h for about 10 mins before we realised that the 3 weeks that we did not ride was starting to take an effect on the performance of our muscles. 10 mins in my opinion was all the sprinting we could do before we felt like cramping in the legs. The murtabak at the prata house was awesome. Huge crispy murtabak with lots of egg and filling as compared to the lousy murtabak at Railmall. We had a great stuffing before we set off for what seemed like the killer of the whole ride.

Taking Pasir Panjang Road and turning into South Bouna Vista Road and up Vigilante Drive to Kent Ridge Park. The bloody hill was more than 20 degrees gradient and was even more daunting as we were full of murtabak. Ben wanted to make it more challenging by only using the middle crank and not the granny. Halfway up the first part of the hill, we were both wheezing like broken whistles and our legs were feeling like they were slowly melting away on the slope. Finally we emerged at the top of Kent Ridge PArk after what seemed like an eternity of climbing.

Going through Kent Ridge Park and emerging from the other side from Science Park Drive while witnessing a liquid nitrogen tanker refilling the Science Park facility. There was fog all over the place as the super cold liquid was pumped into the facility. At first I thought the tanker was on fire or something seeing smoke all around the vehicle. Ben in his usual prankster mind was thinking, "Hon Shin, go buy a pail of that stuff and refill your insulated water bottle."

We exited by North Bouna Vista Road into Lower Kent Ridge Road then Kent Ridge Cresent, finally into the all too familiar Clementi Road for the final journey back home. The last leg was through Jalan Anak Bukit, Upp Bukit Timah Road then Diary Farm Road for Ben. I had a little more to go through Hillview Avenue to Bukit Batok.

An incident happened at Hillview Avenue just outside The Petals Condo. I was returning home along the road when this mother drivine here 2 kids in her car was stopped at the entrance of the condo waiting for the oncoming traffic to clear before making a left turn. I was riding at 35km/h and approaching. We made eye contact but as I approached her car about 5m away, this reckless mother darted out making the left turn! Damn it. What was she thinking? I shouted, was scared shit out of my pants, and e-braked till my tires skidded. It was a good thing I was using good brake pads from Kool-stop or I would have collided into that purple car with number plate 6612. What's more, this lady didn't even turn back and and just drove off. Talk about reckless almost hit and run accidents. She should have her license revoked and banned from driving for life.


Ride ended at 5.30am

Total Distance: 67.94 Km
Riding Time: 3hr 12 min
Average Speed: 21.2km/h

Given the idea of a test ride to be an easy ride, we never expected that the ride would turn out to be a torture as we were climbing hills more than 20 degrees gradient, dodging rain at 40km/h and finally riding on a full stomach of "Murtabak".

Jokes Insomnia

Couldn't sleep so ended up in the jokes forum.(www.lotsofjokes.com) Here are the entries for a dose of morning laughter.

Elderly Man Sued for Stopping at Stop Sign
September 9, 2002 - Atlanta, USA
In a case possibly first of its kind, 67 year old Arthur Thompson is being sued by 32 year old Lynn Manaouski for stopping at a 4-way stop sign. In her statement she described how she came up to the intersection leading into her downtown condo, and rear ended the driver in front of her due to his 'complete and full stop'. She continues to say that of the almost 2 years of living in that particular condominium complex, she had not once been behind someone who had made a full stop at the stop sign, and that his inability to be 'consistent with typical driving patterns' caused the accident. As a result, she is convinced that Mr. Thompson is directly responsible for the accident and should be held accountable for all incurred costs of repair to both vehicles. When reminded that it is the law to make a complete stop at a stop sign, her abrupt response was "I am quite capable of deciding when it is a good or bad time to stop my vehicle."

Talk about obeying the law... This woman needs to be put on a leash!



Man Never Misses Trip To Gym For 5 Years
July 29, 2002 - Florida, USA
In an attempt to force himself into a healthy routine of exercise, a Florida man hired a hit man to kill him if he failed to show up to any of his 3 weekly workouts for the past 5 years. "At first I thought the ridiculous membership fees and that ludicrous up front joining fee would make me workout so I wouldn't waste the money - but that didn't work. Within weeks I was coming up with all sorts of lame pathetic excuses not to go. So I decided that if money wouldn't promote me to go, losing my life would. The hit man idea has worked like a charm, maybe even too good. There were some times that I truly would have preferred not to go, like that time I had bronchial asthmatic pneumonia. I've never had so much dark green mucus running down my face in my life, you should have seen that treadmill afterwards. But with all its ups and downs, my only complaint lately is that what I originally thought were expensive gym fees have been over shadowed by the high cost of the hit man. Now that I want to stop, I can't because I told him to shoot me if I told him I wanted to give up."

If only people were more disciplined, hitmen would be out of jobs... Hahaha.... Fat people could do with a little motivation.

Man Sues Coffee Shop for Ice Mocha Mishap
August 26, 2002 - Michigan, USA
After spilling an iced coffee beverage onto his lap while driving from a local coffee shop drive-through a Michigan man is now suing the shop for $800,000 in damages and mental anguish. The man claimed it was a "traumatic experience" that has negatively altered his life in many ways. He claims that he was unaware of the frigid temperature of his Ice Mocha or he would have taken better precautions with handling the beverage. The coffee shop owner said during our interview, "Anyone who doesn't know the temperature of a drink that has the word 'ice' in its name has much more important things to worry about than a moment of discomfort due to his own negligence. He sustained no physical harm, there were no damages to his vehicle or possessions except a brown stain on his pants, which I am sure is something he is used to."

Cafe owners beware, retard on the loose....

1st step to learning

Today is a great day for me as I began the quest to learn more about my bicycle. As part of my life learnings in Being, I have decided to Be doing what I do consciously. I decided to service my bike as it cost $60/- every time I send it to Viki for servicing at East Cast.

So here is my task list.

For my Scottie

1. Replace Brake pads
2. Clean cassette
3. Clean jockey wheels
4. Install power link
5. Wipe down

For the Yukon I borrowed and cost me more than the rental of the best MTB in the market!!!

1. Replace derailler hanger
2. Replace chain
3. Calibrate rear derailler

Tools Required

1. Zinn & the Art of Moutain Bike Maintenance (4th Edition)
2. JTech Allen Key set
3. Stanley 250mm Variable Wrench
4. Park Tool FR-5G cassette tool with guide
5. Park Tool Chain Whip tool
6. Topeak Multi-tool with chain breaker
7. Lightning White Lube
8. WD4D
9. Finish Line Citrus Degreaser
10. Park Tool TW2 Torque Wrench
11. 3/8 inch drive to 1 inch socket

Well, I managed to do all that I planned to do even though I did not have a 3/8 to 1 inch socket to re-torque the cassette. I just estimated the torque required before I get the socket. Not advisible though as you could over torque the lock ring on the cassette and end up having a cassette that is either unsecure or one that cannot be opened after riding as it the lock ring tightens during rides.

The torque wrench in my opinion is the most needed tool by all bike shops who service bikes. I've seen so quite few shops here that do not use a torque wrenchs and I wonder if the bolts on my stem would strip if I stood up and pounded on an uphill climb? It's these little things that look ok but are really subject to questioning when it comes to safety concerns. hmm.... maybe I'm being too anal about this, but as they say, better safe than sorry :)

As for the Yukon, I have decided to return it to its rightful owner. I borrowed it from my neighbour and had it serviced($120) with some part replacements due to the corrosion on the cables, chain and brakes. Took it to BT with Ben for a ride and ended up breaking the rear derailler hanger. It happened so suddenly that I was shocked for words. Ended up riding home in single speed that day. Anyway, I have finally repaired what I call the most expensive rental bike and am proud to return it to its owner before it costs me any more money... Let's see, my total cost comes to ....

Cab to Viki's $12/-
Servicing $120/-
Derailler hanger $25/-
New Chain $23/-
----------------------------------
Total $180/-

That is what I had to pay for a single ride on this Giant Yukon 2005 model !!!





























A new derailler hanger now sits where the last one broke. Anyway, better luck next time as if i ever decide to go MTB.












































Clean parts to set the record straight for a great ride. Check out the new power link that allows me to clean the chain completely without using a chain cleaner. I can now soak the chain in a bottle of degreaser. Yeah!!! Nothing beats clean parts of a bike. The transmission is now so smooth as compared to the dirty chain, jockey wheels, cassette and crank. Planning to take me Scottie out for a ride tomorrow!

Till then, I better get some sleep before I need to put degreaser to clean out the bog coming into my head now...Zzzzz...