In the spirit of trying out new things, I decided to ride a bike. Sounds boring? Not really, not if you're doing it on a small patch of rocky (and sometimes muddy) land, which by the way, happens to be beside a cliff...:) yes people! Im talking about mountain biking in a real mountain! (or make that whatever man-made land formation that was...)
Last sunday, me and my collegue from columbia went to Pulau Ubin "mini island". It's supposed to be a resort, but it's more popular for being a mountain biker's paradise (or nightmare, depending on the outcome of the trip)
Hold your horses, people. I am not turning into some suicidal maniac. (homicidal, maybe, but definitely not suicidal!) I was very safe the whole time. I was wearing a helmet, walked when it's too steep, and always rode in tandem (just to make sure we're gonna leave the island in one piece)
There are 3 kinds of courses. The beginners, which was a piece of cake (no cliff, just forrest and some muddy paths). Intermidiate, which already has a cliff waiting for your wrong turn, and advanced course which is nearly vertical I have no idea how a bike can even pass there... Crazy people!
So what have I learned inthis bike trip?
1. Don't wear your good clothes when going mountain biking. Mud still looks nasty, even on a good shirt...
2. Prepare your tushy for an awful lot of bruising.
3. Don't believe people when they say anyone can do the "intermediate course"
4. Inertia sucks when your going downhill... Especially when you have to make a left-turn half-way, otherwise it's a date with the cliff.
5. What sucks more than inertia? Gravity!
6. Rocks do not move on their own, even if you badly want them to.
7. I suspect that someone puts big rocks in the middle of the path for the hell of it... Either that or rocks move on their own when you DON'T want them to!
8. There's always an odd rock that magically appears out of nowhere just to piss you off.
9. Nature can be nice... But an airconditioned room with a tv is soooo much better.
10. When people tell you the view at the top is breath-taking, they just mean the trip was so god-awfully difficult, you'll run out of breath by the time its over.
11. When going up a steep path, the long way down is a good motivation to keep on going.
12. Always reserve strength for the trip back.
13. Want to know the reason why bikers standup on their bike when there's a big road obstruction (humps or big rocks) ? Try not standing, and you'll understandpainfully completely (i did!)
Last sunday, me and my collegue from columbia went to Pulau Ubin "mini island". It's supposed to be a resort, but it's more popular for being a mountain biker's paradise (or nightmare, depending on the outcome of the trip)
Hold your horses, people. I am not turning into some suicidal maniac. (homicidal, maybe, but definitely not suicidal!) I was very safe the whole time. I was wearing a helmet, walked when it's too steep, and always rode in tandem (just to make sure we're gonna leave the island in one piece)
There are 3 kinds of courses. The beginners, which was a piece of cake (no cliff, just forrest and some muddy paths). Intermidiate, which already has a cliff waiting for your wrong turn, and advanced course which is nearly vertical I have no idea how a bike can even pass there... Crazy people!
So what have I learned inthis bike trip?
1. Don't wear your good clothes when going mountain biking. Mud still looks nasty, even on a good shirt...
2. Prepare your tushy for an awful lot of bruising.
3. Don't believe people when they say anyone can do the "intermediate course"
4. Inertia sucks when your going downhill... Especially when you have to make a left-turn half-way, otherwise it's a date with the cliff.
5. What sucks more than inertia? Gravity!
6. Rocks do not move on their own, even if you badly want them to.
7. I suspect that someone puts big rocks in the middle of the path for the hell of it... Either that or rocks move on their own when you DON'T want them to!
8. There's always an odd rock that magically appears out of nowhere just to piss you off.
9. Nature can be nice... But an airconditioned room with a tv is soooo much better.
10. When people tell you the view at the top is breath-taking, they just mean the trip was so god-awfully difficult, you'll run out of breath by the time its over.
11. When going up a steep path, the long way down is a good motivation to keep on going.
12. Always reserve strength for the trip back.
13. Want to know the reason why bikers standup on their bike when there's a big road obstruction (humps or big rocks) ? Try not standing, and you'll understand
view from one of the high spots
map of the island
the beginner's path
also the beginner's path
in reality, this is a very steep path, but somehow it's not captured much in the picture... and hiding behind those greens is a cliff
by the time we reached this area, we too were shouting "ENOUGH!!!"
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