So clear and so blue were the skies on this particular afternoon that we decided to forgo our usual east-bound route and head towards the west instead.
Honestly?
I was excited- it had been a while- and I hoped I'd get to Jalan Bahar and New Tiew Estate today.
People often think that I don't do RI, or that I don't know how to do it.
I do.
Just that I do it at my own pace and I decide as and when I wish to.
It isn't very often.
But yes, I'm familiar with this route, and even though the last time I did a westbound ride was, umm, a year or two ago, hey, it is still a route I like, and one which I want to pick up when the time is right, again.
There was a bit of anticipation when we set off- after all, roads do change- but I had Google Maps and I didn't think I'd lose my way very much anyway.
We started from this eating place at Geylang Lorong 1 after finishing a lunch of mutton briyani, butter chicken and two glasses of teh o ais limau.
Across the Merdeka Bridge at Kallang we went, then a left into the park that leads all the way towards Marina Bay Sands.
From there we headed out past MBFC, onto Shenton Way and then a right onto Keppel Road.
Along Keppel Road we went, passing by the old railway station all the way to Vivocity and Harborfront where we made a pit stop for a drink of water, bottles of green tea, and wet wipe time.
After that it was onto Telok Blangah Road going past Labrador Park, an expressway exit and the Pasir Panjang Food Center before finally hitting West Coast Highway.
You're halfway to the West side once you hit West Coast Highway.
It's an interesting route- the easiest, I think- to take if you want to cycle from Vivocity to Jurong and beyond.
Sure, there're other routes, but this is the one that's the most straightforward, with little traffic, and even lesser traffic lights.
One thing about this route is that there are very few landmarks.
At least I don't seem to notice any.
Or rather, I don't bother to.
Not with all the heavy vehicles trundling past me on my right.
Somewhere along this road I came upon West Coast Park and then after that there was the junction that I know leads into Jalan Buroh and then after that still, the junction that leads to West Coast Road.
A right I made here (following my co-rider in front) into Pandan Gardens, onto this narrow pedestrian path between two factory buildings, a left again, and suddenly I was at the junction facing Jurong Town Hall Road.
Made a right here, and from there it was straight down towards the Jurong East side.
At Jurong East Central we took a breather, trying to make up our minds between forging ahead to Jalan Bahar and Neo Tiew, or going home.
The latter won.
It had been a hot day.
And I was tired.
But, first, dinner.
However, not at Jurong East- we didn't want fast food- so decided that we'd go down Commonwealth Avenue West where there were enough turns for us to make up our minds about where to have dinner all along the way.
Commonwealth Avenue West is, essentially, a straight road.
Takes you past a lot of trees, past a fire station, past Dover MRT at Singapore Polytechnic, past a lovely big river, and past the housing estate of Clementi.
Over here we decided we'd make a turn at Holland V, so up one very long hill we went, going past the housing estate of Ghim Moh, and then a left into Holland V where we made a stop at Craftsmen for a waffle with butter, maple syrup, scrambled eggs, and strips of bacon.
I took most of the scrambled eggs.
My co-rider took most of the bacon.
And it was back to the east side after that.
Very straightforward- down Holland Road we went, passing by the Botanic Gardens before turning into (a fairly devoid of traffic) Orchard Road after which we turned left into Selegie Road, turned right into Middle Road, left again onto Victoria Street, then Bugis, Lavender, Kallang and finally, Old Airport Road.