Nothing feels better than to get your hands (or gloves) dirty in order to maintain the trails that we all lurrrrvvvee to ride on! It's kinda like being part of the green mafia...if you take care of 'em trails, they will take care of ya!
After all the clearing of potentially dangerous items, I took a little ride around the "Shore"....almost cleared 'em all, except for the Ethiopian skinny portion! Afraid I ain't too good with my exit strategy; from my face plant experience, have learnt not to take big stoopid risks til I've mastered the art of hopping off da horsey in one piece without landin' on me face! Ouch!
Anywayz, for a lovely account by Huimin about that lovely day at KR, click here!
Met some very fierce and "powderful" ladies soccer kakis from my early days of playing for the Thomson CC soccer team! Some represented Singapore and could take on many of the soccer guys that we used to play with!
Ling Er (top row, third from left), an instructor at OBS, invited some of us on a tour of Singapore's Outward Bound School located in the western part of Pulau Ubin.
I've heard so many thrilling stories about psychological trauma and physical pain and suffering inflicted during this training camp, mostly from crazy friends who are still constantly flogging their bodies! Tsk tsk tsk! But I've never ever stepped foot onto its premises, so this was really a treat for me; an outing that will feed my curiosity.
Thanks to Ling Er, I've been able to explore almost every inch of OBS on foot and on Bluebones (me steed)! Even crossed paths with a giant wildboar on its mountain bike trails (which borders the new Ubin bike park which is still under construction)!
29 April marks our 10th victory over the Malaysian ladies soccer team in this year's Bench and Bar Games! Out of the 11 years that we've been playing, we have been champions in all of them, save for one game which we drew!
Yikes! That means it's been more than a decade since the few of us then netballers and soccer enthusiasts started the Law Society Ladies Soccer Team! I remember attending the Bench and Bar convenor meetings back then (as netball convenor) and proposing that we start a ladies team. The skeptics warned us that our nails might get chipped! Worst still, the large-sized Malaysian players (painted out to be monsters) will gouge out our eyes if we weren't careful! It was decided that we started out as a "non-competitive" event, and let's just see how it goes.
There's no turning back since that fateful game that we proved that we were a force to be reckon with! More often than not, being placed as one of the last few games put pressure on us to tilt the overall points in Singapore's favour! We have come a long way since the days of our not being taken seriously!
It was only last week that I've decided that the best way to preserve the fond moments was to blog it! And so, a new blog was born for our team. If you're interested in the A to Zs of the Law Society of Singapore Law Society Ladies Soccer Team, just click here! The blog is still work in progress as our team mates dig out those old team photos and match reports....so watch up for updates! There's a sister blog which houses all the uncensored match reports - unfortunately, that's a private blog, only made available to insiders! heh heh!
In case you're wondering, "Singapore Oooshh" is not the new restaurant at Dempsey road, but our battlecry before we get onto the field! Now, instead of chipped nails, I have purple toe nails! Think am losing a couple of 'em soon!
Would you cycle 9 km under intense heat, just for a bowl of icilicious ice kacang? Well, to read more about Part 2 of Day 1 of our Pengerang adventures, click here.
Would you basejump over a cliff if your steed asked ya to? Click here, for immediate results of the true story behind this suicidal mission! And of course, more pigtales of the last day of our Pen"garang" weekend!
Last week (24 April 2007 at the Shangri-La ballroom, to be exact), I attended the 50th anniversary of me alma mater, Marymount Convent School. For photos of an evening of entertainment, click here!
I still remember the silver jubilee (i.e. 25th) celebrations back in school. That would mean a quarter century has passed us by! Yikes!
We were one of the few schools (if not the only) with a sleeveless 2-piece uniform and black shoes. Mention "graph paper school" and you'd know they mean us! Standing joke was that if we forgot to bring our graph paper to a maths test, we could always use our uniform. How spastic is that?
Thanks to my 3 elder sisters before me who were pretty well-known in our school, the teachers knew who I was even before I stepped into a class. "You're one of the "Lee" sisters, am I right?" They were prefects (more particularly, head and vice-head prefects), and scored really good grades in school. I was the one who liked to play! Sigh!
Since all of us were named "Chuen [x]ing" and known as the rhyming sisters (much to the regret of our parents), when someone calls up and asks for "Ping", and is really looking for "Ting" or "Ying" or "Ling", my parents readily admitted that they may have made a mistake in naming us! The only person who didn't have too difficult a time was "Li", but then the other problem was that we were all called "Chuen" (pronounced either as choo-en or chun, and more often than not, ends up being misprounounced). If someone shouts "Chuen" in school, all of us will inevitably turn around! :)
Ping ended up in the same school after we returned from Tokyo. She refused to step back into Nanyang since she'd otherwise have to snip off her luscious mane and curtsey to the teachers ad nauseum!
Above, me school mates (L to R) : Moi, Cindee Yeo, Karen Jude, Amy Cheng (aka Joo Joo back in school whose talents back in school included drawing Wonder Woman pictures), Mei Jean, Lee Sin and Brenda D'Cruz! If you asked me, I think we all kinda still look the same!
Above, Fiona Lim, one of Malaysia's best triathletes and fellow Marymountaineer! Bumped into her at the recent Sabah Adventure Challenge 2007! We both played netball for school back in 1984 - that year, we led the school to victory by clinching the netball championship title for our division! We've traditionally been first runner up behind the then unbeatable netball champions, SJC (St Joseph Convent)! The then school principal, Ms McCarthy, in her state of elation, declared it a school holiday! Mei Jean and Lee Sin were also fellow members of our school team!
The Marymount Convent secondary school girl has become an extinct species since the school closed down the secondary school operations. Today, only the primary school survives.
Many ex-Marymount girls have made it to Singapore's hall of game. Here are some you may have come across plastered in magazines, in the news, on TV or even in banners on the street during election time (in alphabetical order) :
I have fond memories of my wasted youth back in this school, running about and falling down all over the place, or even playing waterbombs in the haunted school toilets. I almost ended up not going to kindergarten (my parents couldn't keep track of their 5 daughters), but my first brush with education was in Marymount Kingergarten and I left for Japan in the middle of Sec 2! That's 8 and a half years of my life in this convent!
For my school and the teachers who have done wonders bringing us to where we are today, I shall sing you our school song one more time...
Guided by God's eternal light
We're one in heart and one in mind
Loyal to school and true to right
For we are the daughters of Marymount
Chorus : O Marymount, our school our pride
Ever to thee we will abide
Sure as strong, we'll win over wrong
The light of God our guide For we are the daughters of Marymount
[Above, me up close and personal with Mizzy Whaleshark during my recent whaleshark expedition in South Leyte, Philippines - photo compliments of Roh. More photos available in Rohan's album. Imagine if you could have experienced what I experienced.....from behind a glass panel....but that begs the question : at whose expense? The fella who entertains ya in the tank?]
Someone approached me sometime back for permission to use my whaleshark footage for a local project which contemplates putting a whaleshark in a tank. No prizes for guessing which project I'm referring to.
My initial reaction, being a diver and marine-life lover : how can one put a creature, regarded by many as being bigger than life, in a cage? What are the consequences of its being cooped up in a small confined unnatural space? Space was the least of one's concerns, given the larger ethical aspects of improper animal husbandry and the exploitation of wild, threatened or endangered animals for commercial purposes.
That gentleman then took the time to explain and justify to me how funds for wildlife education and research were hard to come by, and that proceeds from this mega project could be used for further whaleshark and dolphin research and to educate the public about these misunderstood creatures. Seize it while we can, for opportunities like these were hard to come by!
Having heard some of the arguments for and against putting a whaleshark in a fishtank, I was put in a dilemma. I started to draw a simple chart showing the pros and cons, but there were too many variables, and my simple stick drawing of a tree branched out into a complex banyan!
Some inital thoughts :-
- most of us know that it's inherently wrong to keep a nomadic and migratory fish like a whaleshark in a tank! Everything about it just shouts, "NO! DON'T DO IT!" The chances of its long-term survival proved very slim, given the recent statistics of captive whaleshark deaths! There are just too many variables which could go wrong. But then, could the same argument apply to other fish in aquariums? Or even animals in the zoo? Where do we draw the line? I once asked a marine biologist, who happens to be a director of the Underwater World, whether it was ok to keep a shark in a tank! The shocking answer was that fish are territorial, and so long as they feel comfortable within that territory and are well looked after, there should be no issue. Not what I expected from a marine biologist!
- the whaleshark was going to end up on someone's bowl anyway! Most of these captive whalesharks originate from Taiwan, where the whaleshark meat aka "tofu shark" is a very popular dish, probably feeding a gazillion families! So between the 2 evils, one an argue that a whaleshark in a fishtank in better than one in the bowl? However, given that Taiwan is in the process of restricting or perhaps even banning the fishing of whalesharks, where will these creatures be fished out from then? Will it encourage a live whaleshark fishing industry to replenish those that have kicked the bucket?
- not everyone has the good fortune of a face-to-face encounter with a whaleshark! Having returned from a recent whaleshark expedition in South Leyte, Philippines, it was literally raining "whaleshark"! Photo above was taken by fellow diver Rohan during one of our dives! Seeing the enormity of a BIG fish before your eyes, as opposed to seeing one through a 42 inch Sony TV, are two completely different experiences! I must admit that I dived in the Sentosa Underwater World and thoroughly enjoyed the experience! Whenever I visit a coastal state say in Hawaii or Monaco, the places that interest me most are the aquariums and oceanariums! You just can't feel for the fish til you've come up close and personal. Should this experience be made available to the common man in the street for a fee? Or only a privilege only divers or snorkellers are members of?
I'm sure there will be all sorts of arguments and rebuttals, and my chart is still work-in-progress. And so is part 2 of my whaleshark video.
The recent news about the whaleshark deaths just proves that there is no guarantee that a whaleshark in a tank will survive, even short term! Has anyone benefitted from their being in captivity during that 1 or so year? Did we learn more about this fish? Did it educate and awe the masses that contributed to the fish's welfare, and line the pockets of the stakeholders who benefitted from the show? If anyone has a view (and even better, statistics to prove), would love to hear from ya!
Meanwhile, if you're interested in this topic, there are good reads out there...
WildSingapore has kept an excellent archive on this debate :- http://www.wildsingapore.com/news/20070102/070112-4.htm
And Victor, who used to be WildAid's "Sharkspokesman", has been diligently feeding me with articles about whalesharks in captivity.
BTW, I told that gentleman that my whaleshark footage was available on utube if he ever needed to refer to it to educate the powers that be about this lovely creature! Hopefully they will have the good sense to do the research behind whalesharks in captivity before they embark on that project! Statistics do not lie!
The Taiwanese government has reportedly been hesitant in supplying a pair of Whale sharks requested by the Georgia Aquarium, three months after the mysterious death of a previous specimen.
According to a report from Atlanta Journal Constitution, officials from the Taiwan Fisheries Agency have raised concerns about the death of the Georgia Aquarium's previous Whale shark, Ralph, after it requested two more of the fish for its displays.
Hung Kuoyao of the Taiwan Fisheries Agency told the AJC that they did not want to see another Whale shark die. He said that the Georgia Aquarium may need to send representatives to Taiwan to argue their case before the government allows further sharks to be exported.
The previous shark, which died in January 2007, was 6.7m/22' long. It had been a resident at the Aquarium along with another male named Norton since June 2005, several months before the facility officially opened.
The sharks were joined in last year by two female Whale sharks.
Force-feeding
An external parasite found in the Aquarium, described as a "leech", led to a series of treatments being administered to the tank housing Ralph and Norton.
After several of the treatments, the appetites of the two male Whale sharks declined. The two female Whale sharks, which were not exposed to as many doses of the chemical, have not shown the same behaviour.
According to the Georgia Aquarium, Ralph's health declined further and he began to lose his appetite and was swimming abnormally, and had to be force-fed to keep him alive. AJC claims that the remaining male Whale shark, Norton, is also being force-fed because he too is no longer feeding normally.
Regular medical examinations were made in the following weeks to allow staff to monitor the fish's health.
The Aquarium said: "As precautionary measures, supportive therapy (food, fluids, medications, etc.) for Ralph and Norton was administered; thorough diagnostic testing was begun; water quality and other environmental parameters were reviewed, and exhaustive around-the-clock behavioral monitoring was initiated. Additionally, the method of treating the leeches was changed."
A necropsy was undertaken by staff from the University of Georgia College of Medicine last month, which revealed that the shark had a stomach abnormality not seen in the surviving Whale shark, Norton.
"Findings show that Ralph's stomach appeared abnormal, because it was thin-walled and perforated. This likely caused peritonitis, which led to Ralph's death. There is no evidence that anything in the Ocean Voyager¹s environment led to Ralph¹s death," said Jeff Swanagan, the Georgia Aquarium's executive director.
Captive whale sharks
The sharks came from Hualien in Taiwan, where the sharks are a food species with an annual harvest quota. The Georgia Aquarium is one of only four aquaria in the world housing Whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, the world's largest fish species.
The Georgia Aquarium worked with the Taiwanese government to obtain the fish, which are the only captive specimens outside Asia, and the world's largest collection of the species in an aquarium.
The two female Whale sharks, named Alice and Trixie, were added to the Aquarium in June 2006, after being exported from Taiwan in a specially modified UPS Boeing 747.
Unnamed chemical
Hung Kuoyao told AJC that representatives from the Aquarium travelled to Taiwan after the death of Ralph: "They reported [to] us on how they exhibited and fed the shark and also their research on the death of it.
"So our experts will check very carefully on the conditions of transportation and how they will feed the two whale sharks. Our experts will decide on whether we need people from Georgia to come again and report to us on this."
AJC claims that the Aquarium has not named the chemical that may have been responsible for the sharks' loss of appetite, but it has confirmed that the chemical will not be used again.
AJC says that external experts believe the medication administered may have been dylox. Its sources claim that dylox can cause loss of appetite in sharks and rays when used improperly.
"The boar freaked out and dashed out of the bushes on the left. It managed to gather some speed rocketing down the trail before making a holeshot for a gap between 2 riders.
Unfortunately, wild boars are not so good at judging speeds of bicycles, as they do not cross busy roads often.
It hit Wayne's front wheel at full boar (heh heh) and had enough momentum to bowl both Wayne and Max over (these are the 2 biggest boar-like guys in our group)."
I sent my MTBing Himachal kakis a post about an upcoming MTB race in Nepal.
This was a response I got from a skeptic teammate who endured the epic journey through the "mountain biking trails of Himachal", only to be severely disappointed! I guess the memory of MTB Himachal 2006 lingers on.....
I remind him that it is not politically correct to compare gurkhas with the kachiamputehman....
...but I'm sure he writes with sweet fondness with a hint of nostalgic yearning to relive our experience once again! I truly miss our Indian MTBing experience...honest! :)
Note of caution : Pls do not let this posting put you off participating in the Nepal MTB Race! This was written merely in jest, and from the friends we have made in India, there will be no end to chuckling! :)
I'm sure MTB Nepal will be one hell of a good race! Good luck to the organisers and to the participants! If you took part in this race, do drop a line and tell us how it went!
"Let me do you all a big favour and introduce my "you don't know what the hell you're getting yourselves into" translation service. See below (in red):
The race starts from the playground (dump) at Syabru Beshi at an elevation of 1460 meters and passes through small hamlets, terraced green fields (that's 1).
The first section of the race follows a motor able dirt road (goat track with stones the size of footballs) and is fairly easy (by mountain goat standards) passing through verdant midlands of Nepal. However there is a (#$%!!!) steep uphill gradient passing through lush green forests (oh did we forget to mention the bears?).
We pass through a small pass of Rongga Bhanjyang at 2187 (or 2887 but who's counting) meters. We continue ascending (abuthen) through terraced fields (that's 2) until we reach the first check point at Chaurhattar at 2271 (or 3271) meters.
We continue on the motor able road and reach the tiny settlement of Godam at 2436 (more like 5436) meters. We have our first medical team on hand here supported by the local health post for and eventualities (don't you just love understatement). From here we leave the dirt road and head north following a walking trail (did we mention the possibility of a bike and hike) towards our 2nd check point at Gatlang.
The route passes through terraced fields (that's 3) as it snakes downhill until it reaches the sleepy hamlet of Gatlang at 2238 meters which boasts of a school, post office and hotels (all in the same building).
From here the trail descends dramatically (straight down). It is a steep downhill ride (yep, definitely hike a bike) and the most challenging part of the whole race following a narrow but well beaten (by goats only) path. It is a technical ride (no shit Sherlock!) that entails navigating rocky staircases and steep downhill inclines on highland trails (finally, there's truth in advertising).
En route due to very steep inclines, the participants will have to carry their bikes on their backs (yeah, told you so) for a short while (or about 8 to 10 kms but who's counting, certainly not the organisers) to negotiate the steep (duh!) slopes. We follow terraced fields (I could have sworn that we've seen this somewhere before; that's 4) across beautiful landscape dotted with chortens (Nepalese for "bleeding raging bulls") along the Bamdang Khola until we reach a bridge where our 3rd check point is set before entering the village of Thambuchet at 1768 meters. Thamuchet is a small village on the banks of the Chilime Khola where the Chilime hydro project is based.
We have another medical team on hand here supported by the local health post workers. From here we again continue to climb (probably 2000m of vertical) on a motor able dirt road towards our final stop at Goljung (ETA 10pm, long after the sun has set) spread over an open valley. We have our final medical team (and undertakers) on hand to monitor all the participants at the end of the race. (what??? no more terraced fields?!)
TOTAL ROUTE DISTANCE: Approx 28 Kms (or maybe 104 Kms but we don't count all these other bits that we've probably missed out)
GRADING: Strenuous (freaking death march)
QUALIFICATION: Anyone above the age of 18 years with a sound health and mind (but how is that possible if you want to enter this race?) can participate in the race. Previous biking not mandatory (HA! HA! HA! HA!) but experience is an added bonus.
ESTIMATED RACE TIME: 3 (or 10) hrs
ALTITUDE VARIATION: 1460 -2436m
RACE DATE: 29th April
PARTICIPATION FEES: Rs. 500 for Nepalese and US$ 99 for foreigners (but we give you discount if you book non aircon bus with us)
MINIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 50
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 25th of April
RACE: The race has been categorized into two categories. Open: Open to all both male and female above the age of 18 years Female: For all Females above the age of 18 years
PRIZES Winners of the race will receive prizes in cash (or bouncing cheques). All the participants will receive a tee shirt (that you can use to clean your bike) as well as participation certificates.
ACCOMMODATION Tourist facilities are available all along the race route. Accommodation on the first day in Syabrubeshi will be in normal hotel or guesthouse with meals. The accommodation on thesecond night will be home-stay with meals. (Hygiene is optional.)
SAFETY Safety of participants is very important to us. All our staff are experts in their field andare well trained and experienced to handle clients' individual needs. To facilitate soundmedical team back up, three medical teams manned by a medical expert (do note that the word "doctor" is missing), one local healthworker and one personnel from Himalaya Expeditions will be set up along the route sothat any injury, illness or unexpected incidents are dealt with immediately (hence the undertakers).
HEALTH AND INSURANCE Since the race entails negotiating different types of gradients each participant will be required to furnish a Health Certificate from his/ her stating that he/she is physically fit to participate in the event. The Health Certificate will have to be attached to the application form.
Foreign Participants are required to submit their personal travel insurance that covers the following things that covers trip cancellation, medical emergency /evacuation/(being gored by a chorten).
SIGN UP PROCEDURE Application forms are available at TRPAP, NTB and Himalaya Expeditions Office, Kathmandu Guesthouse or it can be downloaded online from the NTB website www.welcomenepal.com The completed forms can be deposited at the Kathmandu Guesthouse, TRPAP Office or Himalaya Expedition. Or the applications can be sent via e-mail to steven@adventuresports.com.np A non-refundable sign up amount of US$ 99 for non - Nepalese and Rs. 500 for Nepalese participants will be levied for each participant. Applications for participants will be accepted until the 25th of April. Apart from the signing amount non Nepalese participants will have to submit their passport copies (for the national park permit), Rs. 1000 per participant as national park fees for Langtang National Park, health certificate and personal travel insurance along with their application forms.
WHAT IS INCLUDED The sign up cost includes: 1. 1 night accommodation in hotel/ guesthouse with all meals at Syabru Beshi 2. 1 night homestay at Goljung with all meals 3. Tee shirt 4. Transfer Kathmandu - Syabrubeshi - Goljung - Kathmandu by bus5. Support staff during the race including the medical teams6. Transportation cost for the mountain bike 7. First aid kit 8. Participation fees 9. Participation Certificate 10. Refreshments during the race 11. Cultural program on the last night
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED The sign up cost excludes: 1. Visa fees for Non - Nepalese 2. Heath and travel insurance 3. Rescue and evacuation 4. Personal gear 5. Bottled water and beverages 6. Personal expenses 7. National Park Fees of Rs. 1000 for Non Nepalese 8. Mountain bikes. All participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes. Non Nepalese participants can hire the mountain bikes at Nrs. 750 per bike per day (Hercules MTBs, which are on the heavy side of 30kgs for stability and having only two gears for simplicity of maintenance, will be provided).
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. (Martin Luther)
Above, a famous quote above forwarded to me by my little sister, Ping who lives in the island of Waiheke, North Island, New Zealand.
She sends me the above picture with the following words...
"...these are the only pets we've had (Monarch butterflies), and will have (apart from the birds that come and go): (we've had them inside, which has been good for them, because there's been a type of wasp that have been eating them outside) the last one's flown away 2 days ago!..."
I chuckled when she sent me the photos of her "pets" a gazillion times and teased her that they were turning out to be her "kids"!
She adds..."...so funny: the 1st butterfly really did feel like "Oh! The first 'child'/one! Oh! Will it be able to fly out to find the right food? (It sure won't be eating the same thing as a caterpillar!) Will it be able to fly out and survive the weather outside? Will it be able to find its mate? Is it coded to be able to do all these things? It's a bizarre feeling alright. And then the 2nd one pops out: oh! I've seen a similar you before - you'll be alright. By the 3rd, and then the 4th, the 5th, the .... err... kinda lost track.
But the final one's obvious - the last chrysalis, the last butterfly out and gone. Thank god. don't have to keep looking for more swan-plants to feed it. Can do something else now."
Isn't it amazing how nature's gifts can totally awe the life of an ordinary human being? Nature works in mysterious ways!
My first adventure race for this year had to be none other than the Sabah Adventure Challenge 2007! My teammates, Mingloid and Kenny the Alien and I unanimously agreed that we shall be called "Team WTF"...and you will see why when we write out account about this 3-day torture fest!
Meanwhile, here is an article in the Sabah Times! Too bad we couldn't smell the top 3 positions and had to contend with a lucky 8th for the adventure category. It's a miracle that we didn't get as seriously lost as some of the other teams, thanks to wondertwin Mingloid and Ken with extraordinary navigational powers! :)
LOCALS TRIUMPH
WE ARE THE CHAMPS …Guianus and Yusuf registering themselves at the final checkpoint.
11th April, 2007
KOTA KINABALU: The local team of Guianus Salagan and Mohd Yusuf proved their mettle in the just concluded 8th Sabah Adventure Challenge against all odds – the scorching heat and challenging terrain – to come out top.
Of the 72 participants comprising 34 teams from Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France and Switzerland, six teams eventually had to withdraw from the race halfway due to heat exhaustion and symptoms of sun-stroke.
Calling their team the Mansau Ansau, Guianus, a renowned adventure racer and Yusuf finished top in the grueling three-day challenge with their total accumulated time of 20 hours and 29 seconds, followed by Born 4 Sport a team of Simon Bond, Greg Shand and Cameroon Richards with 20 hours and 59 seconds, SART team of Wilson Low and Samuel Lien with 21 hours and 51 seconds.
The teams started off from the Monsopiad Cultural Village in Penampang, covering a total of 180 kilometres over three days of multi-sporting disciplines in the lower Crocker Range separating Penampang and Papar districts.
Favourites North Face with top Asian champions Ryan Blair and Stuart Sharpless took an early lead on day one but were bounced out of contention for the top spot on day two, when Stuart withdrew from the race due to severe heat exhaustion and had to be attended to by event doctors.
It was from here that the eventual champions Guianus and Yusuf showed their prowess by dominating the race and building a healthy lead over the determined chasing pack. After the mountain biking from Monsopiad on day one and taking on the massive Crocker Range ridges to reach the base camp at Kampung Kaiduan in Papar, teams were given the challenge of a team biathlon and kayaking sections through the mangrove swamps in Papar and a hike to Kampung Kawang.
The teams had to battle the afternoon heat on their mountain bikes back to Kampung Kaiduan, before a major river crossing and dramatic trail run, that saw local Riverbug Team 2 taking over the lead, while seconds behind were SART Team from Singapore. From there, the teams ran to Inanam where they were faced by yet another uphill challenge – a 25-metre absail section over the Kionsom Waterfall.
The final sprint to the finish line was in vain for the Riverbug Team 2 as they were an hour and a half behind the top three winners based on their three-day overall accumulated times, and to make matters worse, they were also penalized for missing a major check-point during the first day race.
Of the 72 teams, six teams had to withdraw from the grueling races due to fatigue, exhaustion and heat stroke, while nine women racers however completed the entire race.
The event, held in the Penampang and Papar Districts for the first time was flagged off by Penampang Member of Parliament Donald Mojuntin, who was also on hand to give away the prizes to the winners at the end of the race.
The Sabah Adventure Challenge is a voluntary event masterminded by adventure race director Aman Avtar Sandhu together with DHI and FieldSkills, which was sponsored by Coca Cola, Ayam Brand, Hyatt Kinabalu, Sabah Travel Guide, Monsopiad Cultural Village and Powerbar.
In the xiongalingam "Extreme" category, Singapore athletes, Wilson Low (aka Adventure Racer) and Samuel Lien, of Team SART, clinched third position following closely after the Sabahans and pretty-boy team, Born 4 Sport!
Another Singaporean SART Team wisely decided to ditch the "Extreme" category they partook in last year, in favour of the xiongalesser "Adventure" category, kicking the asses of the other participants, coming in tops! This mixed team comprises 1 of the 2 female naval divers in Singapore, Grace Chan (the other female naval diver being Esther Tan, of course) and naval officer, Teck Wee.
Hats off to Keith Ng and Kee Ling of Team Catch Me If You Can for their perserverance and determination in sticking to the Extreme category, despite getting seriously lost in the Sabah jungles in the middle of the moonlit night!
Speedy recovery to Chris of Team Gay who had to pull out after having recovered from the flu, and Samuel, who left a little bitta skin on the tarmac trails of Sabah!
And many thanks to Ian for the use of his van, and for the campfood! Spaghetti and potato never tasted so good!
BTW, we found out that SART stands for "Singapore Adventure Racing Team" and not "Singapore Search and Rescue Team" which Ken thought it to be. From the looks of things, some teams may actually have needed their search and rescue services, especially those who are not too good with google earth maps!
All in all, congrats to our Singaporean teams! You do us proud (esp coming from a country with no mountains)!
Here are some photos of the race taken by Liying, one of the supporters of Team Mixed Bags!
I've been meaning to pen down the events that have happened since then....including stuff that are close to being relegated to specks of data in my already overcrowded harddrive! Let's see....what's on the to do list?
1. MTBing South Island, New Zealand, 2006 2. MTBing Himachal Pradesh, 2006 3. Vacation in Chiang Mai, Thailand 2007 4. Whaleshark Expedition, Diving, South Leyte, Philippines, 2007 5. Tour de OBS, Ubin, Singapore, 2007 6. Action Asia Challenge, 2005 and 2006 7. Nomad Adventure Eco-X-Capade, 2006 8. Sabah Adventure Challenge, 2007 9. China MTB Series, Kunming China, 2007 10. Vacation in Dali and Lijiang, China 2007 11. Visit by IMBA's Joey Klein, 2007 12. Other MTB adventures : Railway, Istana Woodneuk, Kiara etc. etc.
My excuse : why waste the sunshine being indoors when you can be outdoors basking in all its glory? Oh, and not forgetting the office work which is attacking in battalions!
I used to compile comprehensive accounts of my travels in the form of super thick albums, but in my effort to save the trees, I've decided to do it online (though nothing beats flipping through the pages of one's own personal archives)!
But like all good things, it takes time to get it done.
Someone once remarked that accounts are meant to be recorded only in old age when one supposedly has lots of time in our hands. However, memories fade, and with each passing procratinated minute, you lose a detail of perhaps some importance!
So, I shall attempt to fight the backlog disease, step by step.
T'was a Gandalf-Shadowfax moment when Maximuzz unveiled to me a familiar face when I got home this evening.....
"Hey there, I feel like I know you....very well?"
Maximuzz discloses that she's 100% Firefly, with a complete makeover! Not only did she get a face lift (stickers replaced with freshpaint), she had undergone structural surgery to make her stronger. After he bumped into her in the bike shop, he knew that she was still the bike for me, and decided to take her home!
Nothing is more exciting than to be reunited with your steed once again....
Like a phoenix rising from the flames and ashes, Firefly is reborn! From the fiery red that engulfed her, she has risen to the sky, drifting in cool shades of blue, anchored by a solid white cloud of SIDney! What a delightful early Valentine's present!
Now, what shall we call her? Well, she's gotta have one as she's no longer...red? Have you ever seen a blue firefly? Even Gandalf the Grey eventually became Gandalf the White...
"I think I'll call her...Sky?"
Maximuzz looks at the Ikea doggy bag standing beside her and suggests in jest, "Why not, Missy Blue Bones?"
I decided to go for a little spin to think it over. Decisions, decisions!
Met up with Nur to hand up my Club Rainbow pledge card. I asked Chickadees Jeannie and Simon for their opinion. They gave their unanimous stamp of approval : "BlueBones"!
I started reflecting - do I really need 2 mountain bikes (well, 3...Sweetlips is on loan to Camelia)? How will I split my time and attention between Chili and BlueBones? I can't bear to lose BlueBones again...nor can I give Chili up!
I guess I'll continue riding BlueBones til it's really retirement time. Or they'll just have to learn how to share organs!
I am now officially the proud owner of 3 steeds! :)
Why did the chicken cross the road? Well, isn't it obvious? To raise funds for charity!
When asked whom we wanted to group with for this ride, almost instantaneously we found our flock of feathered friends : Jeannie-the Mother Hen, George-the Navigator, Mart-the Laughing Chickadee and Ling-the Photo Cluck, and not forgetting our honorary Mata-Cock, Simon.....whatever Simon says, we will abide by! hee hee! We had Nizan, fellow mountain-biker on slicks for a while, but he flew too fast and furious ahead....
For an account of the adventures of the CoolClucksClan over 1 day of practice ride from Singapore to Pontian, and 3 days of talk"cock", singsong, click on the links below.
Photos by Merciless, Captions for day 1 and 2 by Mart, and captions for Practice Ride and Day 3 by Merciless.....
Introducing.....my new steed, The Chili Manja - ooo6 (pronounced triple o six)
Ain't she a beauty? She was a gift (in parts) from my usual biking khakis for me birthday last year! Sweet! Chili's fork's still getting a paint job, so in the meantime, she's receiving a temporary frontal organ donated by Mingloid's wife! Thanks so much, Chris!
Above bears testiment to the artistry and creativity of my adventure buddy, Mingloid. Before Chili Manja was unveiled (I lie, I knew what she looked like all along), this box was given to me as a token. Damn cool! The names of the those who contributed were scribbled on the right hand corner in red! 10Q to you all!
If life were a box of chocolates, this would be it! Come to think of it, if they had a section on creativity for races, I'm sure Ming and I will do pretty well!
On closer inspection, there are some pretty cool re-cycled (get it?) bike gadgets....wait til you open the ol' film tin...
That was the exact expression on my face when I tested my new bike! Woo hoo! Of course, this wouldn't have been possible without Maximuzz, who made all this happen!
Smooches to you and Chili Manja! Chili and I are startin' to get along just fine! :)
The concept for riding for charity is nothing new in Singapore, but it's something new for me. Am really looking forward to it.
This charity is pretty close to heart as I've been volunteering for several Camp Rainbows over the years and have gotten to know some of the kids. I guess one would feel more committed to a cause especially if one has met those who will benefit from your fundraising activities.
Cost for the ride : $140. Funds to be raised : Min $350 Experience for me : Priceless Benefits to the charity : Depends on how much I am able to raise
So, if any of you kind souls out there would like to help me raise funds, you can email me at lingemerciless@pacific.net.sg and I will arrange to collect the donation proceeds from ya.
Sat 6 Jan. Mingloid, Merciless, Winnie the Pooh and her sista, Cherry Berry, head on down to the Promenade at Vivocity for a personal guided tour of the Svedish vessel, the Gotheborg. I was especially interested in meeting this ship as I'd been to Gothenburg, the motherland of this vessel.
Above : The ship (on ze left) docks at the Promenade in the body of water between Vivocity and Sentosa. [Somehow, those Quay cranes to the right (if that's what they're called) remind me of the Imperial Walkers in Star Wars]
Above : Siva, one of the 4 Singaporeans on board the vessel, shares his experience as a crew, sailing the HK-Singapore leg of the journey. Read more about their adventures here.
Above : Mingloid, moi and Winnie climb the upperdeck of Vivocity for a more wholistic view of the Swedish beauty! For an account of our adventures for that morning, click here or on photo above for lotsa photos and write-ups...
Looking back, I don't think I've been on many large vessels (not counting the liveonboard ones that bring you to the dive havens or deep sea fishing, or those at ferry terminals which ferry you or your bike or vehicle from 1 place to another)....let's see...
* USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - I remember it as "the Ike" - my parents brought me on this boat when I was yeh high (probably that of one of the stubs that you tie a rope around). Couldn't remember much except for the little pins they were distributing with "I LOVE IKE" printed on them. Still have one of those pins at home, somewhere.
* RV Heraclitus - From 1995 to 2006, it carried out coral reef studies with the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation around the world, exploring the islands and cultures of the Pacific while collecting data on the health and vitality of coral reefs. It made a stop in Singapore, and that's when a bunch of me Koh Kong Marine Conservation mates (including moi) took the chance to jump aboard and dream about sailing around the world on this lovely converted Chinese junk!
*Star Aquarius - Spent Chinese New Year on one of these cruises with my family many years ago. Great fun, except when you're sleeping just above the engine. Just found out it's now called Pearl of Scandanavia!
One vessel I would have loved to visit is none other than Jacques Cousteau's famous, Calypso - which was featured in Cousteau's long-running television series about the world's oceans! At least our claim to fame was that it sank in one of our shipyard's shallow waters after it had arrived in Singapore following a research and filming mission in China and Vietnam.
The date? 8 January 1996! That's exactly 11 years ago, today!
Nothing feels better than to get your hands (or gloves) dirty in order to maintain the trails that we all lurrrrvvvee to ride on! It's kinda like being part of the green mafia...if you take care of 'em trails, they will take care of ya!
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