Bike Ride 3 - Back to starting point

We're very close to ECP where we started out from about 8 hours ago. The distance marker however showed that we had another 4700 m to go! Remember? we were 3700 m away in the last post and yet the distance to the ECP has increased! So have they got it wrong somehow, somewhere etc?



And this was the last obstacle to our Bike Ride - 3 long flights of steep stairs that'll outrival those at the Batu Caves!

Now why couldn't they have provided a gradual ramp? There is no lack of parkland here at Area 'G' for the purpose.


I was informed that all the BigWigs at NParks had gone on a circuit ride following our Ride-1 feedback in January. However, nothing much has changed on the ground so far. But that'll not deter us from our monthly rides.


EngSeong'll be back in May so tentaive ride in May is Friday 30 May. We'll do April without him. Tentatively on Tuesday 29 April, at 9.00am, C4 Bike Station. Everyone else welcome to come join us!

Bike Ride 3 - Bedok Food Centre

We had just crossed New Upper Changi Road and headed towards East Coast Park ie southwards. We thought this sign right smack in our face would give some useful info.

Think again. Instead it stopped us a good 10 minutes to try and figure it out, orientate ourselves etc. Gave up. The sign says "Simei Park Connector", but hullo? weren't we on Bedok Park Connector as indicated by an earlier sign?

This is one signboard that all of us felt should be ripped out and thrown into the Bedok Canal.




More confusion with signs. This time it was the distance markers like this one. We were ECP-bound, but the distance kept INCREASING! Here, we were 3700 m from ECP.



Freddie has just come off a safe canalside stretch of a park connector onto a yellow box at a sharp bend on a private road of sorts. No zebra crossing, no orange coloured lollipop markers, no PCN signage.

Where to go?


Had to cycle ON THE ROAD as the footpath-cum-cycle track (?) was obstructed by a bike chained to railings! Click on photo to enlarge and see chained bike.



Bedok Food Centre a stone's throw away but across the road from us and again, at a dangerous sharp bend in the road viz the Bedok Road Bend. What to do? Risked our remaining years of life to push across road and divider for sustenance.

Had joohoo eng chye, ching tng (Bedok FC is well known for these two,)char kway teow and coconut water.

YewSan (he [second on left] reached Starting Point an hour ago!) came with Ricky and they hauled Freddie (shagged out, ate and drank too much) and his bicycle off to ECP.

Bike Ride 3 - Dangerous crossings !!

We had to make TWO Very Dangerous Crossings! These were Upper Changi Road and New Upper Changi Road.

There were neither subway nor overhead bridge crossings.

Worse! there was no designated crossing facility (viz a 'zebra' crossing)at BOTH roads.

Lagi worse! there were no breaks in the centre dividers. As a result, we could not easily wheel our bikes across the roads. We had to LIFT the bikes up and over the centre dividers. It was very dangerous and we ran the risk of being knocked down by vehicles.



Then, there were dangerous cut ends of metal pipes sticking far out from the bollards at the ends of the park connectors. They were very sharp and a brush against one drew blood from an unfortunate member of our group.

Click to enlarge photo and you'll see EngSeong looking back at Freddie who was injured thus.




Click to enlarge photo and you can see Freddie checking the injury inflicted by one of those sharp cut metal pipe ends.



And, the compacted soil at the centre divider is definitely not good for the trees.



Poor Freddie injured at the dangerous road crossing at New Upper Changi Road.

Bike Ride 3 - Bedok Park Connector

Here we are on the Bedok Park Connector which links Bedok Reservoir Park to East Coast Park. As we were cycling from BRP to ECP, wouldn't it be more apt if this were called the East Coast Park Connector? Or were we supposed to cycle in the opposite direction in order for the names to be meaningful?

Anyhow, that's the Bedok Canal we're cycling along. It was clean everywhere - the cycle track, the green verges, the water. It was high tide and the water was clean and clear.



Rest shelter for aching muscles and some shade from the hot mid-day sun. Looks good enough as a rain shelter too.

But what are those two upside down 'U's for? And are they located well? They are on the cycle track, aren't they ie in the way of cyclists?



Here's something new. A 'no cycling' sign - with the NParks logo, and on an overhead pedestrian bridge. Aren't these structures under the purview of the Land Transport Authority? So which is the prosecuting authority?

Bike Ride 3 - BTP to Bedok Reservoir Pk

So here we were on the Tampines Connector, heading for Bedok Reservoir Park.

So shouldn't we be turning right here where the sign tells us that that little track is the Tampines Connector? just as we HAD to turn left at THIS SIGN?



The TC is a pleasant stretch with lush planting that is well maintained.

You can take your bearings from this bicycle (that is missing its front wheel) chained to a PCN lamp pole. It's been there for some years going by its rusted condition.



And here's another piece of PCN signage. It's newer since it's got two wheels.























Approaching this ramp-cum-staircase, it's obvious that cyclists use the ramp and pedestrians and joggers can use either ramp or steps.

However, the "shoes" sign indicates that walkers and joggers use ONLY the stairs, and it looks like they have to go up the stairs BACKWARDS!





Going through Tampines Town had its hazards ie mainly pedestrians and other cyclists who seemed like they had never been to school and taught how to use footpaths, cycle paths or common-user paths. Or don't they teach such things in schools nowadays?

But this big lorry took the cake. Enraged, EngSeong tried but couldn't get through to Mah Bow Tan who heads the GRC here.

Bike Ride 3 - CV to Bedok Town Park

This was one of two dangerous "pits" on the Loyang Park Connector that easily swallowed cyclists, walkers and joggers.

Oh, but the pits weren't that bad as there were railings behind them to prevent such careless people from falling into the deep drain.

This photo was taken during our first Ride in January 2008. A copy of the photo had been forwarded to the National Parks Board.





Happy to see in this shot taken on Ride 3 that NParks had done something.

The shrubs will deter you from getting too close and thus falling into the "pit", and will soften the fall if you must fall in!

Both "pits" had been planted up.



Freddie had a bad fall off his bike here, just after riding up the very steeply inclined ascent along that part of the Loyang Park Connector that was beside the canal. We missed this during Ride 1 as the signage and access were bad, which left us cycling on the roadside footpath which was on level ground and as wide as the PCN here.

From Ride 3 experience, it is better NOT to use the cycle track here, but to KEEP ON USING the footpath.




Caught up with ChoyChim and YewSan having an orange break.




We almost missed this turn again!

Despite our Ride 1 feedback to NParks, it did nothing to make things better.

On the PCN through Bedok Town Park, one has to take a turn to get out of the park and onto the Tampines Connector which would take us to the Sun Plaza Park in Tampines Town.

If you were riding on this wide track which seems more defined as a proper route to somewhere, why on earth would you turn left (which is the obscure turn-off onto the TC) ???


And especially when the bicycle icon is painted on the wide track and across the left turn-off ... ... pointing you to ride on along the wide track, and NOT to turn left!

The sign does not tell you that getting on the little turn-off will put you onto the Tampines Connector. And by the direction it faces, it tells you that you're ON the TC !!

Oh, come on, NParks. Do something.

Bike Ride 3 - Changi Village lunch break

Here's ChoyChim crossing over the creek bridge that takes one from the Park to the Village.




Freddie waiting for his food order to arrive.




Here we go again.





Messing around and positioning for a group photo.



And here we are, sans me. What to do?

Bike Ride 3 - ECP to Changi Beach Pk

 

That is , from East Coast Park to Changi Beach Park.



A quick run-through the pics:

Freddie's pushing up this long incline. It's tiring; that's why I'm here; stopped for a rest, and thus in place to snap him.




Further on, near the eastern end of ECP, there's this Outward Bound School which conducts leadership training and such blah, blah courses. It always has one of its gates open outwards and obstructing almost the whole width of the track, and is a hazard to cyclists, skaters and joggers.

We saw this on our last two rides. No action by the NParks Board. Tut, tut.




First break for the strong riders. Caught up with them. And what do they do during a rest ? Click pic to enlarge and check out EngSeong!








HoiYing can't get enough of this place. Here he is having a stop, just as he did the last two rides.

It really is a very pleasant spot.











Another group shot in this wooded area.

And like always, there's a lot of this and that before everyone's ready.

Notice the cute way Freddie's got his cap on?

Bike Ride 3 - before flag-off

Tying to pose them for a photograph before we set off.



Everybody's got something to say and it was a chore getting them to stay still and smile so that I could take the shot.



Then, a jogger came along and kindly offerred to take our photo.

Instant order and big smiles ..... because jogger was female, young, attractive!

Here's a great shot ! and a lucky break for me.



She even suggested that we pose on the other side of the track so as to get the sea as background; and look what happened ... ..

Running around spinning bikes around, and EngSeong was first at the ready.



And here we are, all happy and ready to go.