In The Cargo Hold

I have to say, it is fun to travel on a comfy bus full of cyclists! You get nice wide reclining seats with lots of legroom and a blanket to keep out the cold.
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Traveling exclusively with cyclists also means that the bikes are systematically organized in the cargo hold; even though it seems like twenty four bicycles won’t fit underneath. Even the space for the driver’s sleeping mat was utilized for the more compact folding bikes.
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Thanks guys!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

The left side is now closed for business!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

The right side is waiting for the late check-ins. Come on guys, we’re boarding already.
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Oh, and a couple random photos. Hahaha.
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Campaign For A Lane 2012 – Photo Finish!

The hardest part of event day was waiting for my friends. It was nearing noon and at Taman Esplanade, there wasn’t any shaded area near the finish line except for the actual balloon finish line. All of us were crowding underneath with the water girls, waiting for our friends to arrive.
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

The welcoming committee consisted of me and the ones who finished ahead of the pack. Chiongsters, I suppose.
Campaign for a Lane 2012

A tourist on a trishaw provided some entertainment as he passed through the finish line to get to Fort Cornwallis! He gamely decided to pose for the cameras… and the water girls even handed them a couple bottles. What a winner!
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Finally! The friends are here! I kind of felt stressed for them because the organizers ran out of water. I also heard that they ran out of water at one of check-points of the round-island ride, so technically my friends didn’t get drinks at two of the water stations.
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

And now it’s done! The lucky draw and other stuff are happening on stage. I wasn’t lucky.
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Smart people hide from the hot hot sun.
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

And then it’s time to head back to the hostel and rest before lunch. Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Matt!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Jing Wen and Yi Chao!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Shareen!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Vivien and Corinna!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Ian and Kok Teng!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Joshua and Audrey!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Kimi, photobombing there in the corner!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi dance-y Zack!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Hi Derrick, Nick and to Desmond’s problematic tire!
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Bye bye CFAL! See you next year!
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

What To Do In Penang When You’ve Got Three Hours

Wander, of course!

I mentioned in the last Campaign for a Lane post that I had some time to kill before awaiting my friends’ return to the Penang round-island bicycle ride’s starting point. My itinerary was to wander around for a bit, have some breakfast, then wander around again before heading to the hostel to hide from the noontime sun. I’ve been to Penang before and did the tourist route. The town’s layout is a bit familiar, even with bad sense of direction and all.

There are scattered installations of art all across Georgetown’s historical district and I was hoping to see those along the way.

I start at the reason why we were in Penang in the first place (besides the food, of course) — bike lanes!

Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Little Children on a Bicycle is on Armenian Street.

Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Also somewhere in Armenian Street.

Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

There were many of these found too. Instead of boring plaques, they had wired sculptures depicting the history of all the street they were in.

Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

In Burmese Street, there are two Buddhist temples that face each other. The first one I stopped by was the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple. There was a sign in front saying no bicycles were allowed, but I rolled the Brompton while folded and nobody batted an eye.

Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

The Thai temple Wat Chaiya across the street houses a reclining Buddha. Unlike the Burmese temple, I was able to bring the Brompton in the complex without having to fold it. I just left the bike outside the doors of whatever temple I was in, alongside the footwear of worshippers and tourists alike.

Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012

Long shadows always tell you it’s still early morning. By this time, I was looking for a place to stop and have a drink.

Campaign for a Lane 2012

Somehow, I ended up at Gurney Drive before calling it a day.

Campaign for a Lane 2012
Campaign for a Lane 2012