Victory of the Human Spirit

Zero Limits Accomplished

2008-08-17T23:05:00.006+08:00

Zero Limits 2008 the eco cycling adventure across Alaska has been successfully completed. 6 months of preparation saw us cycle 1890km over 19 days, entering 2 countries (Alaska, USA & Yukon, Canada), across 2 time zones brought us to our end point, Skagway, AK.

The expedition began on the 11th of July and ended on the 5th of August. It was simply an unforgettable cycling experience coupled with several days of immersing ourselves with the culture and learning about the effects of global warming on the environment.

Our first leg started in Anchorage with the team feeling fit and strong. We rode through the Glenn Highway to Palmer and then to Wasilla. We were treated to the Talkeetna Moose Dropping Festival in Talkeetna on day 2. After the festivities, we finished leg 1 with long, hilly rides to the lovely Byers Lake and the small town of Cantwell.

The second leg treated us to the heritage of Alaska. From Cantwell we rode through Anderson to reach Denali National Park, the home of Mount Mckinley, the highest peak in North America. It was hear we learnt the most about the Alaskan wildlife and the changes that have been happening to the environment.

The team was challenged by the non stop, 15km climb up the scenic Mckinley park road, truly one of the most memorable climbs of the trip. After 3 days exploring the national park, we headed on to Fairbanks where we learnt about the history of Alaska through visits to the University of Alaska Museum. We had the chance to interact with native Antabashkans to attain a greater understanding of the land. Sadly, it was on route to Fairbanks that our dear team mate, Lesley suffered an unfortunate accident. Nevertheless, the team saddled up and carried on with the rest of journey.

Our third leg started with beautiful sunshine and blue skies as we rode to Harding Lake. The sunshine was short lived as we went on to endure relentless rain and cold on route to Clearwater Lake, Cathedral Creek and the small town of Tok.

With no break from the third leg, the fourth leg started with a bang. In what was arguably the most challenging ride of the expedition, the team endured 130km of ferocious winds, unending rain, steep inclines and drawn out stretches of dirt road on route to Deadman Lake. The next day we crossed the border into Yukon, stopping at Beaver Creek. This was followed by another rainy ride to the Kluane Wilderness Village where the team crashed the night in a couple of long abandoned lodges. After eight days of on the saddle, we took a break at Kluane Base Camp amidst the beauty of the turquoise blue, Kluane Lake reflecting the the snow capped mountains in the background.

The expedition ended in the fifth leg. From Kluane Base Camp we rode through Haines Junction to the Otter Falls Cutoff. From there we entered the beautiful capital of Yukon, Whitehorse where we enjoyed Japanese and Indian meals. The rain was replaced by scorching sunshine and intense winds for the last two days of our expedition. We traveled from Whitehorse to the smallest dessert in the world, Carcross, located at the tip of the Coastal mountain range on day 18. Day 19, the final ride brought us throught 100km of the coastal mountain range. We ascended for the majority of the first 80km before a 20km downhill that brought us back into Alaska, to the lovely town of Skagway.

Emotions were high on the last day. We knew it was all coming to an end. Our commitment, hard work and dreams have born fruit. It has been a long journey for us novices. We’ve understood our strengths and weaknesses to achieve a cohesive bond that allowed us to truly enjoy the wholeness of the experience. We spent 14 of the days camping in our North Face tents and the other 5 at budget hostels or motels. The camping allowed us to gel together, with us enjoying self-prepared dinner and spending the nights in complete wilderness. We managed to get a taste of a true Alaskan Zero Limits adventure.

For all of us, Alaska has indeed proven itself to be the ideal place for a Zero Limits expedition. It has challenged us both mentally, physically and emotionally. It has thrown all it has to offer in our faces over the past 19 days. Swept by the winds, ravaged by the rain, torn apart by the roads, left for the dead in the cold, we encountered mountainous terrain that only our team spirit could guide us through. Fortunately, we were also blessed with some days of clear blue sunny skies and magnificent scenery that is unmatched to anywhere else in the world. Cycling through snow-capped mountain ranges, across colourful tundra, past turquoise-emerald-blue lakes and greenery teeming with wildlife that can be only be found in this part of the world, we could not ask for more.

Amidst the injury, pain, tears, treacherous conditions, laughter and excitement, Zero Limits has done it! Arriving in Skagway, we erupted into a state of euphoria as we celebrated our achievement. It has been an experience that we can never forget. The bonds forged, the journey shared will always remain etched in our heart as a memorable moment in our lives.

On behalf of Team Zero Limits 2008, we would like to thanks all those who have given us their support. Singapore Management University and Office of Student Life for giving us the opportunity to pursue our desires. Sponsors: Comfort Delgro for their generous contribution towards our aim in understanding the environment; The North Face for providing the best equipment to deal with the challenging weather; Limar for sponsoring the world's lightest helmets; and Skins compression garments for helping in our recovery. Not forgetting the many people out there, including Office of Corporate Communications for helping us get media coverage, friends, family and loved ones for your endless support and encouragement that saw us through, giving us the strength to continue. We would like to thank you, for without you people, Zero Limits would just be an unrealized dream.

Zero Limits 2008 – we have conquered Alaska.

James Ng - Team Leader Zero Limits 2008

Day zero

2008-08-14T03:13:00.000+08:00

Final day. Destination Skagway. I’ve got a score to settle

Cold winds were raging yesterday, freezing my knees over when we had to stop for pictures, I could not get back on the bike after that. Jaws clamped shut from the pain, I had to load up for the last 9km of the day. Today, the winds are back, and I’ve got a score to settle.

From the Tlingit name Skagua; meaning ‘the windy place’. Today’s ride is simple, 80km of climb up hill, 20km down hill, and we pop champagne. From the get go it was not to be so. Skagway lived up to its name, most of the days ride brought us through a scenic glacier carved valley, with breath taking views around every bend. The view takes your breath away, the hills make you short on breath, the wind shoves fists full of air down your trachea, whilst robbing you of the respite it should bring. The winds do not come in gusts; it comes in an endless torrent of stone scouring rage. This is winds domain, water, earth, wood nor fire had any business in this land. Where wind walked in the valley, the ground was bare stone.

Our last day of riding, also without dispute the hardest. I would have it no other way. 80km up hill later, all the way locked in the ‘grip of death’ in a six hour struggle against gravity and winds. We reached the top of the climb, the Yukon – Alaska border. After riding over the clouds it was downhill all the way. 20km of downhills made it an effortless finish to the expedition. Note: had it not been for these 20km of slope, we would look very different in the pictures.

-Leong

Skagway to Anchorage

2008-08-11T18:22:00.002+08:00

Our Journey, concluded

"Home sweet home" - We're about 48 hours to saying that. The cycling expedition from Anchorage to Skagway, all 2000km of it, has passed. But it isnt the end. Its just the start to exploring our own physical limits, and pushing them.

The past night saw us driving back from Skagway to Anchorage via a more direct highway. It takes 20 hours of gruelling driving to cover that distance, but thats exactly what we did. We drove through the night, leveraging on the long daylight hours and taking shifts, to get to anchorage quickly and safely.

Here are some of the sights closer to Skagway. The mountains are vast, and by vast i mean REALLY vast. The rivers are so clear that under the sunlight it looks like a turquoise mystical creek.

Matanuska Glacier - 90miles from Anchorage

We stopped by Matanuska Glacier, about 90miles from Anchorage. We spent a couple of hours hiking the glacial trail, and talking to park rangers on the history of the Glacier. We found out that the Matanuska glacier advances by about 1 foot everyday. This is one of the few glaciers which actually advances, meaning to say it gets larger as the years go by.

This happens because the rate of accumulation of ice in the ice fields on the mountain tops exceeds the rate of melting at the glacier base, resulting in an ice flow surplus. We also learnt that the ice which is formed in the ice fields takes 250years to be "pushed" to the bottom. So whatever ice you see at the glacial face is two and a half centuries old. As the whole glacier, or river of ice, moves, it drags and erodes whatever bedrock it lies on, griding rocks to silt. Thats why glaciers appear so dirty along some sections of it.

the bluish colour you see is a result of compacted glacial ice crystals, which absorbs all the colours of the light spectrum except blue, which is reflected back to us.

walking on the ice, which isnt as easy as it looks. We were all wearing court shoes by the way, not exactly ideal i would say

Us, reflecting on our expedition on the glacial front

just us and the ice

And it ends with a bang

2008-08-08T16:44:00.006+08:00

As they would say, all good things have to end. I would say, it's ending too soon.

At the beginning, everyone felt the surreal realisation of what we've been planning for 6 months; now, we face the surreal bitterness that it is all ending.

We had our last ride of the expedition from Carcross to Skagway today; and we ended it with a bang - all 108km of it.

So as luck would have it, our last day of riding was exceptionally bright and sunny; but as luck wouldn't have it, with the sun comes strong winds, especially when we're riding through mountain ranges.

It was a battle right from the beginning of the ride. The winds were strong and the hills were merciless. Our average speed on a flat ground was reduced to 20km/hr from our usual 28km/hr, and I didnt dare to freewheel for fear that I will be slowed dramatically. On an uphill, I remember climbing at 7km/hr at one point in time. The uphills came one after the other; just when I thought that the pain was temporarily over, round the bend comes another hill that is taller and steeper than the one before.

I remember, as silly as it might sound, at one point, I was willing the wind to just stop blowing for awhile. I hang my head in near despair whenever a huge gust of wind threatens to throw my bike off balance.

But amidst all the climbing of hills and fighting the wind, exceptionally beautiful scenery accompanied us most of the way. Stunning mountain top lakes gleamed in different shades of blue in the sunshine with snowcapped mountains as the backdrop. It was like an image right out of a postcard, only more majestic. As we climbed higher up the mountain ranges, patches of snow became within touching range, temperature fell quickly as well.

After 80km of mostly uphills, there comes our payoff. Right at the Canadian/Alaskan border, the point of a 20km downhill starts. Finally, all our climbs paid off and amidst the finger-numbing cold and teeth chattering, it was the best downhill ride I've ever experienced in my life. The exhilaration doubled with the sense of relief that the day's climb is over was a high beyond high.

And so at the foot of the hill was the final point of our expedition. Our last ride ended with a bang, in every sense of that word.

-kath

Cycling Day 18 - Whitehorse - Carcross campground

2008-08-08T16:12:00.004+08:00

Riding strong, together

Its the second last day of cycling...
Reality hits you, our expedition is coming to a close.

Its only seemed like yesterday when it all began. Now that we've almost seen our expedition through, we cant help but feel a little "emo" about how this event has changed our lives. Im glad we've come this far, and then i get upset that its all going to be over soon.

The distance we were going to cover today was a mere 70km. It'd make a good recovery ride after yesterday's 130km charge to Whitehorse. We figured it'd take us slightly more than 2hours, so we decided to leave Whitehorse at 6pm and make it to Carcross campground by 830, just in time for dinner. Leaving at 6pm gave us time to check out Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon, for a longer time.

We reached Carcross at 11pm instead - exhausted.

The 70km ride turned out to be a ride full of ups and downs, hindered all the way by gusts of strong headwinds. The kind of exertion we put into the pedals strokes which could usually give us speeds of 30kmph only gave us 17kmph today. We were almost traveling at half speed. Our morale halved accordingly.

I was tired. I knew the team was tired. It was getting late and the sky was turning dark. It used to be bright at 10pm a month ago, but now its different. The days are getting shorter and we can tell.

Carcross Campground is the last campground we'll be staying at for our expedition. Its the last time we'd be pitching and sleeping in tents. Kudos to The North Face for providing us with excellent quality tents and sleeping bags.

stopping along the way when we felt the scenery was worth a shot

We satisfied Jasbir's craving for Indian food. He pulled most of the way for that day cos he was in such a great mood =pDid you know: That the Carcross Desert is the smallest desert in the world? =) Now you do.
My sincerest apologies to Yukina, James and Daniel for having to breathe in the Bear pepper spray which i accidentally activated.

To yukina, sorry i had to make you choke incessantly and make you feel as if you were dying
To James, sorry i made your nostrils feel as if they were flooded by tobasco sauce
To Daniel, I'm sorry you had to rub your eyes the following morning, only to realize that your fingers still had some traces of pepper on them.

But you know what? The bear spray works!=p

Question: Why did the car cross the road?
Answer: Because it was at Carcross

hurhurhur.

Something to think about...

2008-08-05T04:08:00.000+08:00

People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. That's what it's all finally about.

Joseph campbell

Day 17, Otter Falls to Robert Service Campground, Whitehorse

2008-08-05T03:58:00.005+08:00

130km in slightly more than four hours. For once, no wind, no rain, just clear rodes, rolling hills and amazing speed! An awesome ride by the team today. Kat was covering safety while yuki was nursing her injured knee. This left an all male ride. No one dared bruise their ego by saying 'slow down'. So we kept it going, nothing below 33 on a flat road! Super fun and exhilarating.

We are in beautiful Whitehorse now, the capital of Yukon. Just two more rides left till the end of the expedition. From a team of newbies, i think we've made it pretty far. Lets hope the sunshine keeps up so we can enjoy the final 2 rides.

As you may have noticed, the blog is updated periodically when we get wifi connection. This means we normally throw out 4-6 pre prepared posts at one go. So don't just stop at the top one, scroll down and see them all, chronologically arranged :)

Thanks everyone for the support thus far.

Jas

Ride 16, Kluane Base Camp to Otter Falls

2008-08-05T03:53:00.002+08:00

It was a short 95 km but we took a very very long time. The sun shone bright and the scenery was breathtaking but the winds were oh so strong! We passed through haines junction, a beautiful small town surrounded by mountains. Kudos to Kat and Yuki for riding through the pain.

Bryant/Kat, please post the pictures when u can!

In between leg 4 and 5. Rest day@Kluane Base Camp

2008-08-05T03:45:00.003+08:00

It was a beautiful rest day. We spent some time at the beautiful Kluane Lake. Leong and I stayed back to indulge in home cooked pasta, hot chocolate and a good book. The others went for a drive, seeing a couple of black bears from the safety of their car.

The sun shone bright today. Its supposed to be a day of rest but with the sun shining so bright, i couldn't resist the chance to ride. How can you pass such an opportunity. Clear blue skies, snow capped mountains with rivers passing through. Pass it up? You gotta be out of your mind!

After a wonderful 3 hour nap i suited up to our short sleeve jersey (for the first time here!!!) and took a ride out by myself. I wanted to check out the route we took yesterday, the lakes and all. As i was speeding down, i saw a 4 legged animal crossed the road ahead of me. I noticed the brown fur and then the hump at the neck. Crap. A bloody grizzly! Immediately i hit the breaks and started riding in the other direction.

It was beautiful. To my right were wonderful snow capped mountains. Behind me, the sun was setting beautifully behind the mountains surrounding Kluane lake. A head of me at a much lower elevation, acres and acres of forest beautified by the glow of the setting sun shining upon it. In me, the freshness of cool clean air. Spectacular.

Tomorrow we begin the final leg of this journey. The last 4 rides. I pray the sunshine keeps up!

Jas

Day 15, Kluane Wilderness Village to Kluane Base Camp

2008-08-05T03:27:00.003+08:00

The last stage of an arduous stretch, we all looked forward to a well deserve rest. We've gone 8 days straight now.

As we awoke this morning, im sure we all shared a common thought, 'please let the sunshine on us today'.

"Dear God, please clear the skies and give us your bright sunshine so we can see the beauty you have placed on this land."

It was not to be.

Riding is beautiful in the sunshine. But what happens when it goes away. Is it still as beautiful? From where do you experience the joy then?

The joy is in the stroke. As the wind speeds increase, the rains get heavier and your teeth begin to chatter, take heart and know that with every stroke of the pedal, your body is getting stronger, touching a power it never knew it had.

The harsh conditions brought the best out of us. The team work stepped up a notch. Wonderful exchanges at the front fighting the wind. The communication was excellent. We would let out a laugh of anguish as we took over the pulling duties.

I know the ride would have been imensely beautiful had the sun been out. We passed many many lakes between us and a moutain range. We crossed a dessert like dirt path with a river to our left and a mountain at our front and back. We were getting snippets of beauty, as if being told to be patient.

We will keep going. The rains have reduced and the tempreture has increased slightly. But the clouds still hang low and the winds still remain very strong. Eventually though, The sun will shine again and we will enjoy the true beauty of this land. Until then, we will continue to enjoy the fresh air and wonderful random supporters on the road.

Our bodies are acting up. Yukina rode until her nose bled. Our knees are hurting, ankles stinging. But regardless of the pain, we are gonna fight on. Just one final leg left.

It is clear that the stress of riding cold and leading a nomadic lifestyle of cooking and packing everywhere we go is getting to us. Ultimately we need to keep our minds strong so our bodies can remain strong. Win the mind, win the world.

Jas

Day 14, Beaver Creek to Kluane Wilderness Village

2008-08-05T03:06:00.004+08:00

We woke up with rain tapping on our roofs. Not again i thought to myself, head falling back on to the pillow, as quickly as the team morale. We've had some cold cold rides and really, we've had enough.

Sadly, we don't control the weather. Rain or shine, the saddles have to be mounted. So after a sluggish morning, we mounted the saddles and paddled forward as the rain beat down on us. I do not think i need to elaborate how cold it is to be riding in the rain, wind blowing at you this close to the north pole. Have you ever woke up wondering what you are doing in your kitchen fridge? Now imagine cycling in it, toward the air vents.

So seven hours we rode. Skins, Cardboard, Jersey, Fleece, Windbreaker and we were still cold. I came close to peeing in my pants midway just cos i didn't wanna stop and let the cold creep into my body. The pros do it on the go i thought to myself. The warmth on my leg would have been comforting. But the safety vehicle found us a hot chocolate rest point so i kept it in.

It is through days like this i can say I've gone to the depths of my spirit and pulled something out. We all have. Sometimes it takes a loud shout. A roar of an enraged warrior feeling the injustice of the situation.

Slowly, we've all been discovering a special strength within each and everyone of us. We all find that strength someplace. Some think of friends, some of family. Some sing. Leong whistles. James has his mind on Chaw Mun.

For me i keep falling back onto my mantra.
Gobinday, Mukande, Udarey, Aparey, Hariang, Kariang, Nirname, Akame.
Somehow, this gives me that special support and i feel a surge of inspiration for the next climb in the cold.

Its been about self discovery. What excites you? How do you keep going when there is really nothing much to go for? When your knees hurt, craps coming along, where does one get the strength. The answers keep coming with each ride.

Jas

The ice is melting

2008-07-31T03:26:00.002+08:00

Summer in Alaska has been erractic.

In Fairbanks' local newspaper, an article on climate change reported that summer and fall in Barrows, a north-Alaskan seaward town, has been said to be warmer; so warm that locals joked about getting a tan. And yet in our journey through Anchorage to here, Beaver Creek, the locals that we've talked to all complained about summer being too cold for comfort.

The article also reported that summer ice has been declining steadily since 1980, and it's happening too quickly to be blamed entirely on a natural phenomenon; scientists attribute human-induced climate change to be the main culprit. They predicted that by 2030, all summer ice in Alaska would melt.

In sunny Singapore, melting of summer ice halfway round the world should not even be of the tiniest concern to us, but it is of concerns in much bigger proportions to the living things that depend on the ice to survive.

The biggest impact of shrinking ice is on marine mammals like walruses, polar bears and some species of seals, who need ice to rest on shallow feeding ground. Their natural habitats are quickly becoming victims to the rise in global temperature. Now that the ice in the shallow waters are gone, animals have to go further out to sea where food is found in deeper waters. Some never made it back to shore because either food too deep, or they're too tired from the swim that the ocean claimed their lives. Walruses have showed up at unexpected beaches completely exhausted from the swim back from the sea; and Alaskan hunters have cut open walrus stomachs, where there used to be edible clams, to find nothing inside.

The melting of sea ice has also caused faster coastal erosions, which is a huge threat to villages located at the coasts. Locals are forced to move their houses inland because the coastal lands are becoming too dangerous for human habitation.

But good thing is that Alaskans are very enthusiastic about recycling. We see recycling bins beside trash bins wherever we go, even at the most backward campsites. Recycling is a way of life for Alaskans, and that is something that we should be learning from them about.

Lesley

2008-07-31T03:06:00.002+08:00

This was written 10 days ago, a day after the accident. We have decided to share this with all our loved ones. Trust that we have been keeping extra safe since and we are all coping fine.

************************************************************************

From being completely new to sports, Lesley went on to be one of the strongest riders in the team. Yesterday, on our final stage of the second leg of riding, she pulled the team for a solid 44 km. After which she maintained behind the front, climbing higher, inspiring the team as the next 40km brought us up the Alaskan range surrounding the Tanana river on route.

As we climbed the arduous stretch, many of us were looking forward to celebrating Lesley’s birthday with a big dinner and awesome cake in Fairbanks. None of us wished her happy birthday because we wanted to give her a blissful surprise that night.

None of us got the chance.

As we were riding down the mountain, a bend in the strip filled road coupled with a strong gust of wind sent Lesley off her bike into the second lane. We were all stricken with fright and grief as she lay there motionless for over two minutes. Helmet cracked, blood was rolling down the road. We were blessed with two EMT’s and a nurse on site who guided us in tending to her as we prepared for the arrival of the ambulance. Many other local passerbies’s stopped to assist us in keeping her warm and calm while others helped divert traffic.

The doctors at Fairbanks memorial hospital identified facial fractures around the cheekbone and eye area. The general assessment of her was very positive but as an act of precaution, she was transferred to Providence hospital, Anchorage for observation by a neuro-surgeon to ensure no serious damage was done to the brain.

We are relieved to share that she is doing well in the hospital. Leong is with her and he has been giving us positive reports of her state of mind and being.

Lesley, you’ve inspired us all with your undying efforts. We still want to celebrate your birthday with you, here or in Singapore, we’ll do it. Please get well soon. Ride on. We love you and miss you deeply.

The team has been in Fairbanks since yesterday, 20^th July and will be here till the 22^nd or 23^rd before resuming the expedition.

Since the incident, Lesley has returned to Singapore and is now recovering well at home. She is eager to get back on the saddle again.

Jas

2008-07-31T02:58:00.000+08:00

Over the last 3 weeks, as we travelled Alaska on our bicycles, we have been awed by the magnificence of Mother Nature. But beneath this splendor and the power of Mother Nature, our visits to National Parks, glaciers and geothermal energy plant has told us a different story about what is happening to her. Even though we may be overwhelmed by her beauty, it is heart-wrenching to know that this beauty of hers is fading away day by day.

From our visit to the Denali National Park, we have learnt that winters are actually becoming warmer and longer, causing more intense melting, which in turn increases the rate of glacial retreats in most of Alaska national parks. Higher temperature and precipitation has increased the sea level, and the loss of sea ice has increased the erosion to coastal areas. Besides this, parks have also witnessed an increase in the frequency and duration of wildland fire. It is said that climate change seems to be the major cause of all these changes.

Other than just learning about climate change which is causing harm to Mother Nature, we have witnessed for ourselves the effects of a changing climate. We have been experiencing a really wet and cold weather during our stay thus far, and the locals whom we have talked to have agreed that this is probably the coldest summer ever. What was even more surprising for us (and even the park rangers) was that it snowed when we were at Denali National Parks! Imagine, snow on a summer day! This was indeed an eye-opener for all of us.

Scientists who study climate change agree that human activities are a big part of the current warming trend and most of the observed increase in temperature is actually due to increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. With further development, it is certainly inevitable that the level of greenhouse gases would increase, leading to further climate change.

Despite the constant change that is happening, all is not lost. National parks in Alaska have been responding to these changes. Workshops have been organized by the parks to evaluate energy use. Others have been working on developing solar, geothermal, and wind energy where high visitation exists. A good example of this would be our recent visit to Chena Hot Springs, where geothermal energy was used to run the ice museum. Recognising the effects of global warming and climate change, such use of new energy sources seems to be a commonplace in Alaska. What seems appropriate right now is to do what we can to reduce climate change impacts and adapt to their consequences. Let us all play our parts to make the beauty of Mother Nature last…

Day 13 - Deadman lake to Beaver creek

2008-07-30T17:02:00.001+08:00

FINALLY. This is what summer in Alaska is supposed be. The sun is out, the skies are clear. Have the sun on your left, your right will be freezing and the left will be fine. Today we are heading out of Alaska and into the Yukon territory, Canada. The ride is a short and easy ride of 75km, with the crossing of the border halfway through the ride. The roads were bumpy and the hills were long and hard, something we have gotten accustomed to from the previous week. Even with the road sapping our strength, today was bliss compared to the day before, with some of us breaking sweat.

The US Canadian border is the longest unfortified border in the world. There was no immigration to be done to leave the states, our passports didnt even have to be stamped. The Canadian customs we more than 30 kilometres in the Yukon after the border line. The border was marked out by a line of missing trees, instead of two rows of guns pointing at each other. I’m writing this on the porch of Motor Inn, who left their internet router on when the main store is closed. The things we do for wireless connection are crazy.

The store accepts both Canadian and US currency. This town with a population of 80 gives new meaning to porous borders.

at the Canada customs

The Yukon and Alaska signboards, which stand face to face about 20m apart:

A cool bench bolted to the ground directly in between Alaska and Canada. How many people have the chance to be in different countries but yet be able to sit on the same bench?

Upslopes in Canada were relentless

Our destination: Beaver Creek, with a population of 80 and a bank which operates twice a week, 4 hours only

Landscapes

Tribute to one of our sponsor, Limar Helmets

Riding Day 12, Tok Junction to Deadman Lake. Leg 3, Stage 1

2008-07-30T16:40:00.003+08:00

It was an epic ride.

None of us will ever forget what we survived yesterday. We had a pretty late start due to the heavy morning downpour coupled with the need to weld together Leongs broken rear d. We started slightly past 1pm at 12 degrees Celsius.

It was cold start but, as before, we assumed we'd warm to it and things would improve past 30km.

It didn't.

First came a sign that said, 'Road Works, next 47 miles'. That introduced us to long stretches exchanging between gravel and dirt.

Then came extremely strong winds. Fighting the winds was hard, but the cold was the bigger threat.

Rain followed soon after. That sealed our fate. We were frozen ducks. By the 25 km mark, the temperature hit 8 degrees as we paddled amidst the rain, wind and painful road. This is something we could never prepare for.

Mucus was flowing down our noses like a running tap. It was hard to tell the difference between the mucus and the rain water. The mucus tasted saltier.

The fingers were growing numb and we could see each other take a hand off the handle bar and swing it around in attempt to circulate more blood to it.

Our eyes were weary and teeth clench as we the cold and pain challenged us up the mountain range.

It was never ending, each bend brought with it another 'pavement break' (dirt track) and steep climb. Bikes slipped and fell, tires punctured. Our shoulders were aching and our toes were frozen. We just wanted it to end. It was our own version of the Paris-Roubaix race.

Finally, we came to another bend and as our heads started to drop, James shouted out,

'The road is like f***
The wind is damn strong
Its raining like shit
And we are f***ing cold!
But this is Zero Limits and
We are gonna make it through!'

Those words invoked a crazy spirit amongst us. Its as if we just got shoved over the edge and there was nothing left to lose. We started riding closer and faster. There was nothing to do but laugh at the situation. Each hill was called a surprise and we started welcoming the surprises for the faster we climbed the hill, the warmer our bodies would be. The safety vehicle kept asking us if we wished to stop and each time the answer was a flat no. We knew that stopping would make it easier for the cold to penetrate our bodies.

We finished it. Somehow. Muddy as hell. Our bikes looked like old mountain bikes with chains squeaky and skipping due to the terrain. Our jerseys were dyed in a mix of mud and mucus.

We were ravaged by the rain. Frozen by the wind and drained by the road.
But we finished it. All 103km of it.
Together.

Jas

Cycling Day 11: Cathedral Creek - Tok Junction

2008-07-30T16:00:00.004+08:00

A Cosy Cottage called Cathedral Creek

So we left Cathedral Creek at about 1pm today. It was going to be a short ride, just 40km. We could reach our destination in 2 hours if all went well. But still, a sense of uncertainty loomed in our minds. You’d never know what the Alaskan terrain could throw at you. One mountain could be all it took to ruin your spirits.

We bade farewell to the very hospitable German family, and started the next leg of our expedition. It was a cloudy, chilly day. Its really strange to see the Alaskan summer having more rainy days than sunny ones. The locals here are scratching their heads too as to why its been such a cold summer.

Heres some shots of us riding

The ride itself proved to be smooth sailing and relatively flat. In just slightly less than 2 hours, we reach Tok, a small town with a population of about 1500.

Tok is considered one of the biggest “small towns” as it is located at the intersection of the Alaskan Highway and Tok Cutoff Highway, which leads to Fairbanks and Anchorage respectively.

And here are the first things we did straight after reaching Tok

1) Do the laundry, which hasnt been done for the past 3 days. We bathe about once every 3 days =|
2) Weld Leongs Rear - D, which broke as a result of a small crash yesterday
3) Clean the car, which was covered in a thick layer of sand and dirt! Alaskan roads are frequently interrupted by short stretches of gravel. Heres Kat putting in some arm power.
Tmr we will ride strong =)

Cycling Day 10 - Clearwater Campground to Cathedral Creek Lodge

2008-07-29T15:24:00.000+08:00

The Day we travelled from Clearwater Campground to Cathedral Creek Lodge

We’re into the 10^th day of cycling. The weather has been pretty kind to us for this leg of our expedition. Apart from the occasional irritating 5min showers there and then, its been sunny most of the way. =) If anything, we’re getting sunburnt on our claves and cheeks. Time to slap on that tube of sunblock dudes!

Today’s the day where our team clocked the longest cycling distance in Alaska – a whopping 138km. It took us slightly more than 6 hours to do that, including rest time. Its quite a feat considering we faced headwinds and energy zapping gravel tracks most of the way. However, with our ever so impressive teamwork and determination, we took turns to brave the wind by pulling the rest of the pack. As a result, we averaged 28km/h for today’s ride. Kudos to our team!

Spirits were high today, its probably due to the magnificent scenery and the tonnes of photos we took along the way. Here are some of the nicer ones:

It poured a little, but at least the wet weather left us with something nice to look at.

We had some minor glitchs today. Yukina crashed into Leong while trying to switch lane
s. That resulted in Leong having a broken rear-D. Poor dude had to sit out of the remainder of the ride.

James’ bike was also giving out weird noises, his crank makes loud screeching noises everytime he exerts pressure on them. Its probably due to all the water and dirt we’ve been exposed to. Anyone knows exactly what causes this and how to fix it??

Oh well hopefully we can get it fixed tmr when we stop by Tok, a more developed town.

Heres us hiding in some warm/cozy storeroom in Cathedral Creek Lodge. It’s a great way to escape the 5 degrees temperature outside =p

Take care Singapore! And good day to all our dear readers out there!

Riding Day 9 Harding Lake to Clearwater Lake (Delta Junction)

2008-07-27T17:38:00.000+08:00

Its, 10 pm, we finished the stage 2.5 hrs ago. Dinner is almost ready. I feel spent. Bryant is lying asleep in the van. Alaska has thrown us so much beauty, coupled with a myriad of challenges and I think we are finally beginning to feel the strain.
Today’s ride was arduous. Kat terms it ‘drag ass’. My Scott Speedster felt as heavy as my mountain bike. The terrain was bad, sky completely gloomy with nothing pretty in view. The road today was the worst yet. The first 60 km saw us fight through a road that I think had not been resurfaced in 20 years. It was not loose gravel. It was just completely warn out and energy sucking. I ended the ride having cleared 5 bottles.
Another section saw us ride through road works. That is, we road on dirt for a good 10km. That was right after we got hit by two bouts of rain, leaving us wet and cold as we pushed on. So here we are in Delta Junction, camping at Clearwater Lake Recreation Site, 5 hours and 3 punctures later, waiting for dinner.
On a more positive note, my lame jokes have received better reception. The rain was coming when Bryant swerved out in front of me to avoid a rock in our path. He yelled ‘rock’ to warn me. After passing it I said to him,
‘Did you smell that?’
‘Smell what, the rain?’
‘No. Did you smell what the rock was cooking?’
He laughed his ass off and rated it 9/10
Goodnight.
Jas

Cycling Day 8: Fairbanks to Harding Lake

2008-07-27T15:01:00.004+08:00

After a very eventful leg 2 at Denali National Parks and Fairbanks, we’ve left the comforts of civilization to resume our run in the wilderness.

We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning, a very rare sight this summer. It was a pleasant surprise considering we spent yesterday preparing our bikes in the midst of cold air and light drizzle. A scrumptious breakfast saw us all eager to mount our bikes and hit the road again.

Our first rest stop saw us explore Santa Claus House in the(yes, you guessed it) North Pole (it actually exists), a town off Fairbanks.

It was 66 degrees Fahrenheit with the sun shining down on us. But all of a sudden it started raining hard on us for a good 10 minutes. Such is the unpredictability of the weather here. It was fun though; thank goodness it didn’t last long.

The ride in general was pretty smooth. No hills for once but strong headwinds accompanied us as we immersed ourselves in the view of bright blue skies, luscious clouds and mountains in the background.

I wasn’t very successful as I tried to crack a joke I read in my Armstrong book.

‘Hey Kat,’

‘Yes?’

‘You got any tape?’

‘Huh, no, why?’

‘(Flexing his arm) My muscles are ripping, need to tape it down’.

I tried it on Kat, James and Bryant, with only Kat really humoring me. Better luck next time!

So we reached our campsite at Harding Lake in time for Kat to start preparing dinner. I must say we are becoming quite the experts at outdoor living. In no time, our super spacious Northface tents were up, ‘kitchen’ ready, bikes locked and smelly jerseys hanging on our clothes line. The carnivores, Dan and Bryant (actually he was just picking) were grilling the meat while Kat and Yukina prepared the salad (need to make the toilet visit a little less complicated) and mash potato.

The lake is really beautiful. If the sky permits, Daniel and Yuki will probably have a scenic bible study tomorrow morning. I’ll surely be enjoying my prayers there!

Jas

Lance Armstrong

2008-07-24T07:16:00.002+08:00

I can show them how beautiful the world is from a bike. I'd like to show them why Spain is a paradise. In Spain, you learn about design and revelation: plazas lead to inner plazas, walls within walls open in surprising spaces, where hidden fountains run and ferns hang from ancient bricks. Streets cascade down to broader plazas and ramblas, overlooking crecent beaches and ports choked with the masts of sailing yatchs, and you can hear the chimes from the ropes of the ringing.

On a bicycle, you never know whats around the next bend, when a view may open up, or the Alps may shear off to the Sea....A bicylcle is a long sought means of transportation for all of us who have runaway hearts. Our first bike is a matter of curb jumping puddle splashing liberation; its a freedom from supervision, from carpools and curfews...More plainly, its the first chance for us to choose our own direction.

-Lance,
'Every Second Counts'

Leg 2

2008-07-24T06:14:00.005+08:00

We've had a nice stretched out experience thus far. We had a solid first leg of the expedition with riding 4 straight days before breaking in cantwell. The recently ended second leg saw us tour more and experience alaska as a tourist. We've only had 3 rides as we stopped to explore Denali National Parks and the city of Fairbanks - the gateway to the Arctic circle.

Denali

-Driving along the Denali highway, spotting mount mckinley and chillaxing and a beautiful river.
- White Water Rafting
- Learning about the Denali Preserve, the ecological changes and the affects of climate change on the environment. We also went for a tour that explained the role of each different wildlife in contribution to the denali ecosystem. Heck even the mosquitoes are vital! Will share more of that during our presentations back home.
- Went for a bus tour up the preserve. Kinda like a safari in which we observed, moose, caribou, bears, eagles and other wildlife in their natural environment
- A beautiful bike ride up the Mckinley Road park, bringing us to an elevation close to 4000ft. A blissful challenge i must say
- Dog sled demonstrations and learning about the Alaskan Huskey and importance of Dog teams in the winter

Fairbanks
- Toured the University of Fairbanks Museum where we learnt alot about the culture and heritage of the native Antabaskhans tribes, the history of Alaska and its evolution to what it is today
Mamoth bones at the Museum!Statue of the Native Women
- Toured the city and visited many monuments including the WW2 memorial commemorating the allegiance between Alaskan and Siberian Troupes in defeating Hitlers army. As we explored the towns, we met many natives who have moved from the tribal villages to the city of Fairbanks. Its evident that it is a struggle for many of them to adapt. I wonder if the state government could do more to help them restore their heritage and make a decent living at the same time.
- We had a glimpse of our first sunset in Alaska. A beautiful site but too bad we missed most of it - Visit to Cheena hot springs to dip in the warm water during this icy cold summer. Learnt more on Geothermal energy and how it is being used to completely run the springs and recreation site.
- I took a bus around the city and had the chance to exchange experiences with many locals! The bus drivers are extremely friendly!

From here its gonna be leg 3 and 4 combined into 8 solida days of cycling followed by a days break before the last 4 rides in leg 5 of the expedition. I cant wait! Its gonna be intense and we are gonna love it!

Jas

Geothermal Energy

2008-07-23T11:10:00.003+08:00

Sorry for the lack of post. The hostel we are staying at in Fairbanks promised free wireless, but somehow, none of us are able to connect. Im gonna summarize as quick as possible.

So we've ended the second leg of our journey, having reached Fairbanks. Yesterday we took some time to understand the heritage of native Alaska at the University of Alaska Museum while taking a couple of days break from the wilderness.

Today we were able to visit the Cheena hot springs, a recreation site run completely on Geothermal Energy.

Geothermal Energy is a promising form of renewable energy and should definitely be explored further wherever possible. It is possible in areas where vast amounts of hot air can be generated and transferred to turbines that spin the generator.

At cheena, they've managed to use hot air at about 175 degrees Fahrenheit to run the process, much less than the 250 degrees engineers predicted was needed.

The recreation site was in a huge deficit at the turn of the millennium but that all began to change when they started harnessing the hot air from the spring to run the site on geothermal energy.

With rising fuel prices, this is something to seriously explore especially since Alaska is filled with sites posing such high temp differentials.

We've got loads more information to share on this, perhaps we can do so when there is a steady connection.

Exerpt from Jasbir's Journal

2008-07-23T11:05:00.000+08:00

Denali

Friday 18^th July

Everyone has their own way to appreciate the greatness of this land. Some come here to trek, some explore nature through their camera, some find a private space in some uncharted part of the forest, some attempt to scale the wondrous mount McKinley.

I only began to appreciate it in my first climb up 4000ft of Mckinley Park Road. It would be an injustice if I did not climb it once more to be at peace with the serenity of whatever the mountain chooses to present to me.

Thank you for blessing me with this God.

Saturday 19^th July

I did not respect it enough. I woke up, brash, excited and arrogant. Eager to enjoy the splendor of the climb like I did 3 days before, I attacked the mountain without wearing my inner skins, having breakfast nor doing any warm up.

I got owned at the very first climb. I was presented with icy headwinds as I tried to pedal up, lungs cold and breathless. Instead of enjoying the scenery I expected, the first half of the climb was a sheer struggle. Fortunately, Leong was with me to share the experience. Our fingers were frozen, noses dripping uncontrollably.

I realized my arrogance and apologized to the mountain. It responded with a fox crossing my path, the only wildlife I had yet to see in Denali. That act of kindness was the last I was to be presented. The returning downhill, averaging 40km/h for a solid half an hour at 7 degrees Celsius left me pale and huddled in my sleeping bag for a solid 15 minutes to warm back up.

Respect Mother Nature with worthy preparation to enjoy the beauty of her kindness.

Leg 2

2008-07-19T12:47:00.004+08:00

We are currently in the middle of the second leg of our journey. This leg is pretty relaxed with us exploring the Alaskan Mountain range at Denali National Park and Preserve before heading out to check out the Fairbanks.

The ride to Denali was one of the best rides yet. It had everything thrown into one ride. Headwinds, crosswinds, tailwinds, picturesque descends and body crunching climbs. There were times when the tail wind was pushing us to a solid 40km/h on a flat stretch while at other times, the tailwind slowed us to 22km/h on a descend. Amazing fun! Most of us managed to break our individual top speeds on that leg.

The real excitement came after we reached Denali National Park. We had non stop, 14km climb during which we hit over 3000ft from the base of the range on route to our camp ground up along Savage River. It was really trying but the ladies, Lesley and Yukina were beacons of strength setting the example for the rest of the team. The challenge was eased by the beauty of riding right next to magnificent peaks breaking through the clouds. I enjoyed every moment of it and if i can find the time, i really wanna do it again, hitting it with all the strength i have.

During our stay in Denali, we watched and learnt about the Alaskan Huskey during the dog sled demonstration, the effects of the changing climate on the Alaskan Wilderness, went white water rafting, explored the wildlife on a bus tour (we saw grizzly bears, fox, eagle's, carribou, dall sheep and moose) and learnt about the wonders of Mount Mckinley.

Tomorrow we continue this second leg of the journey for 2 consecutive days on route to Fairbanks. We will be spending 2 nights there before this expedition continues with full intensity without anymore breaks.

The team would like to thank everyone for their support so far. Reading all the emails from here is very touching and we are very thankful to be able to push our physical boundaries while experiencing the wonders of this God given land in its full glory.

Jas

Climate change

2008-07-16T17:31:00.000+08:00

So here we are, experiencing probably one of the coldest summers in Alaska. Locals we've talked to have griped about how unsummer-like this year's summer has been. It's summer but the sun has been a rare sight. It's summer but we're still shivering under layers of clothes, fleece jackets included. The cold has made riding a great challenge for us too.

And why is this happening? Climate change. With global warming, the summers here are evidently becoming cooler. The experts say that while the earth warms, certain areas get hotter while other areas could get cooler.

The cold has also affected Alaska's thriving fishing industry. Cold waters in the Alaska Current sweeping the Gulf of Alaska have deterred the salmon from returning to the Alaskan streams.

A couple of us (particularly James & Dan) are pretty psyched about fishing in Alaska. The two just bought a shiny new fishing rod from Wal-Mart and their fishing license. Not surprisingly, they have yet to catch any fish. Arguably though, this could also probably be due to lack of skill (haha). But fishermen they've talked to have raised concerns that the fishes might not return at all due to dipping water temperatures.

It's not really difficult to see why people have labelled Alaska as the poster state for global warming now that we're here experiencing its effects first-hand here. The retreating of Exit Glacier, the increasing mosquitoes and funky weather conditions are things that we would probably never have realised back in Singapore.

Tomorrow we will be taking a riding up to beautiful Denali after a good rest day at Cantwell. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us. Yes, sun, please make yourself seen!

Cycling Day 3- Talkeetna - Byers Lake

2008-07-16T17:06:00.004+08:00

I woke up to the sound of the rain splattering on our tents. The first thought that went through my mind was "oh no, all our luggages are out in the open"!! Immediately, i opened the tent door and rushed out in a bid to rescue the drowning luggages.

To my surprise, the bags were already neatly placed under a shelter!! I later learned that Leong and Yukina had reacted earlier..a big thank you to the both of you! =)

Because of the rain, the morning was freezing. It was so bad that wearing 2 layers of gloves didnt help. Wearing 3 layers of tops didnt do much good either. Honestly, i was afraid of riding in such a cold condition. Ive never done it before and i wasnt sure if my body could handle it.

Fortunately, the rain and the cold subsided just as we were about to start ( but it was still kinda bad, we're in ALASKA) and we were off on our 103km journey for the day!!

Jasbir was really fast today, i dont know where he gets his energy from, but whatever he eats, makes him fly...Honestly i had a hard time trying to catch up with the rest of the pack today. I guess im not used to the cold, its weird to exercise so hard without breaking into a sweat. Having cold/numb fingers and toes doesnt help add to my personal comfort as well.

Jasbir punctured - He got kinda pissed, he REALLY wanted to ride. Poor dude, he missed abt 17 km of mileage cos of it

We passed some nice bridges today, here they are. The picture cant really capture the tremendous power of the river directly below us.

Our team leader James, who is the safety assistant for the day

I had a REALLY BAD puncture today. I dont know what hit me, but it hit me HARD. All i recall was that one moment i was communicating over the comms set, the next moment i heard a loud burst from my front wheel.
I got thrown 30cm off the ground, my bike ended up in the middle of a one lane highway, and i only had 1 hand to control my bike. I was really prepared to fall, and to fall hard.

Miraculously, i somehow managed to regain control and spared myself from a nasty abrasion and from a pair of torn Skins tights. Im also VERY fortunate that there were no cars behind me at that moment. Anyway the safety car did a GREAT job by responding quickly and swerving out to protect me. Thanks Daniel!!

We reached the campground at about 7pm. We had a wonderful dinner prepared by Kat the chef =p. Sitting beside the campfire, roasting marshmellows and talking about random stuff is awesome. It really the best escape we've got.

Riding Day 4 - Byer's Lake to Cantwell

2008-07-16T15:31:00.010+08:00

The day started out with some kayaking fun, since we decided that we cant leave Byer's Lake without enjoying the lake itself.

So in a ziplock bag my camera goes, and we went kayaking!

It was the most beautiful day in a long time, with intermitent clear blue skies breaking out through the gloomy clouds.

Quite honestly, it was a very difficult ride for me. The total mileage was about 100km, and we were doing probably 50km worth of slopes. The weather turned extremely cloudy and chilly towards the middle of the ride, and going down slope turned from elation to pure torture because it was so cold!!

If Mandai was hilly, this ride is probably the mother of all hilly rides. After expiring all my strength climbing up one hill, not long after, another higher one came up; and the weather wasnt helping. Soon, climbing hills became rather demoralising, because everytime we climb, I'll start lagging behind.

But, what matters is riding with the people who matters most. Thanks to James and Lesley, who kept us going with encouragements from the safety vehicle; thanks to Dan, who, despite being tired himself, didnt fail to egg me on; thanks to Bryant, for not hesitating to wait for me at the top of the hill, telling me that it was a good climb.

There was a particularly difficult climb; as steep as Faber, and probably twice or three times as long. When I thought the climb was ending as we rounded off the bend, I see the slope looming in front of me. This is really a test of determination; and this is what zero limits is about.

Mile 201: The highest point of Park's highway. We couldnt resist the view so we cam-whored a little. It was a sense of achievement, reaching the highest point of the ride; and the view made every climb worthwhile.

And finally, we've reached Cantwell, after a good ride.

--Kath

Cycling Day 2 Rocky Lake (Wasilla) - Talkeetna

2008-07-16T15:23:00.007+08:00

Day 2 started with the smell of the fresh morning. The sun reflecting off the lake greeted us as we prepared our journey to Talkeetna. One amazing thing we realised is that the people here are all nice. We were newbies at fishing and this couple at our campground taught us how to cast and even gave us his tackle box to assist us in our adventures.

We began the day in high spirits as it was warm and the sun was shining. The ride was nice as we cycled through Parks Highway. The ride was smooth with exception of 1 flat and a police stop. However my knee was totally giving way. And i struggled for much of the ride, but with the encouragement of the team and my determination, I was committed in reaching Talkeetna before resting my busted knee that made me cycling with one leg for nearly 10km. We finally reached Talkeetna after 6 hrs of cycling 120km. To our surprise, we were just in time for the Annual Moose Dropping Festival. The highlight of the festival was dropping moose dropping from a height of 50m, and plenty of stalls selling Alaskan goodies. The festive mood was great and we met people who gave us free drinks!

We camped at Talkeetna Boat Launch Campground and like for much of our expedition, will be embracing the true Alaskan adventure of the outdoors and living up to the name of a Zero Limits Expedition. We also tried a hand at fishing, but unfortunately we failed terribly, with Bryant breaking the line when he fished a "stickfish".

The day ended with us having a nice meal of Kat's cooking and us hanging out at the campground arming ourselves up to the fireplace as we looked forward to our 3rd day of our expedition.

Cycling Day 1 - Anchorage to Wasilla

2008-07-16T05:24:00.005+08:00

Friday morning, we woke up to rain chattering on the roof of the hostel. Despite that, we were eager and ready to hop onto our bikes and begin our 2000km adventure. Everyone suited up, prepared the logistics and loaded the vehicle. As we stepped out of the hostel, i glanced at the temperature displayed on the wall; 12 degrees Celsius.

We had a nice send off by Kim, Johnathan, Joy along with some of our fellow hostelites. Anchorage city was abuzz with honks and waves giving us a beautiful feeling. But then we hit our first downhill and reality set in. My teeth were chattering as we rolled down. On any other occasion i would drop my gears and pedal harder to enjoy as much wind in my face as i speed downhill, but this time, speeding up really wasn't pleasant at all.

Our fingers were freezing, noses dripping and it took us 40 km to get warmed up. Once we were straight on the highway, everything settled and we were able to enjoy the ride.

We had many scenic stops. The mountain ranges at Palmer, the lake at Wasilla were just some of the beautiful sights. We rode past a moose in the forest but too bad we didn't manage a picture.

Some of the towns we passed by:

The ride was interrupted by a series of punctures toward the end accompanied by a wrong turn that led us 10km out of the way. We reached Rocky lake state campsite tired, hungry and much much later than we expected. The girls went straight to preparing our dinner while the guys prepared the tents and the rest of the campsite.

Misfortune struck with a series of 'newbie camper' cock ups on our part. The propane cylinder, certain missing foodstuff and utensils etc etc. Tired, hungry and oh so dirty(the roads were really wet from the rain before) it was close to 11, almost 4 hrs from reaching that we had dinner. It was the situation that could have seen tempers flare up and fingers pointing at each other. Instead, everyone worked together, ironed out all the errors and bonded really well in the process.

It was a beautiful ride, but a really bad day to be honest. We made way too many mistakes but it is extremely fortunate that we made all the mistakes on the first day. It bonded us and prepared us for much more efficient days to come. The next few days were much smoother and extremely enjoyable. More updates soon!

Jas

The Trip So Far!

2008-07-11T07:04:00.003+08:00

Day 1 - Settling in, meeting the Hane family (Kim, Dave, Joy and Jonathan)
Day 2 - Business visits and preparing equipment for the trip. Met with State Trooper Greg for advise on biking safely on Alaskan highways
Day 3 - Going downsouth to climb Mt Alyeska, learn about Wildlife and Glaciers
Day 4 - Resting, purchasing groceries and other essentials before we start our Expedition proper tomorrow.

Really cannot wait to start the Expedition tomorrow! We are headed up to Talkeetna on the first leg of our journey!

2008-07-11T06:53:00.003+08:00

It was saddening to learn the extent to which the glacier has been retracting. The ice was melting furiously when we were there as if for dramatic effect. They had signs marking out where the glacier in different years.

The boulders in random places are the result of the glacier draging them out as it retracts. The scratches on the ground are also caused by the glacier dragging rocks back.

The freed up land is space for new growth. With the right care by the park rangers, something beautiful will spring up

Day 3 - Snow! Wildlife! Glaciers!

2008-07-11T06:11:00.003+08:00

What an awesome day it was! Yesterday began with a trip down to Girdwood, about an hour south of Anchorage. We hiked up Mt Aleyska up some really steep hills and lots of snow up top!

It was my first time playing in the snow and my oh my was it fun! We had a blast throwing snowballs at each other and taking funny photos in the snow. Most of us did not wanna carry hiking shoes cos it would take up too much space amidst our bike stuff but now i think we are starting to regret that decision hahah.

Leong had to go on 4's cos his shoes had such poor grip!

Alright now imagine this. Its a cold day, you just played in the snow. Your driving off to your next destination when u see a coffee lodge. So you park your car, get your coffee and then walk out. You see a bench in front of a lake and decide to take a break for a while. You look around. Its you,coffee in hand and a huge lake, surrounded by 15 different snow capped mountains. Is that heaven? Its Alaska! Such is the beauty of this creation.

Along the way, we stopped at the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Centre. Here we managed to see native Alaskan wildlife up close. Will post pictures and descriptions in the next blog post.

After that blissful experience, we carried on driving south o Exit Glacier. We trekked up a short trail before stopping right in front of the glacier. It was simply magnificent. . The blue glow that illuminates is caused by the light passing through the ice. Even with my eyes closed, the presence of this great wonder was breathtaking.

We had dinner at the near by sea town of Seward. Its a lovely place. Sailboats, big seafood places, blue sky, mountains in the background. Beautiful.

It was one packed but super fun day!

Day 2, Business Study and Equipment preps

2008-07-09T15:42:00.004+08:00

We had an interesting first half of the day visiting and learning about Alaskan business'. Thanks to Daren Hanson (Ex smu corp comms dept), we visited 3 private enterprises.

1) Alaska Sausage and Seafood - A private enterprise started some 40 years ago. We got to see the production cycle of hunted reindeer (and other alaskan wildlife) to packaged sausages and the like. It's a small business so that adds for greater flexibility in their system. The mornings are dedicated to salmon produce while the afternoons are dedicated to packaging 4 legged wildlife. Martin, a good friend of Daren Hanson took us on a tour of the place and left us with reindeer sausages as parting gifts. It was mixed in our pasta as todays dinner :)

2) Sharman Traffic Control - Darens cousin, Hans runs the private company that takes care of a large percentage of traffic signs and traffic control during construction projects and other events. It was fascinating to see the development of a small, 1 truck and one employee company develop into such an important private enterprise for the city of Anchorage. It gave us a clearer understanding about the opportunities of private Enterprise. It came as a surprise to us cos everything to do with traffic signs and control back home is under the governments control via LTA and Traffic Police.

3) Alaska Airmen Association - Han's sister Di runs this place. They do testing for many new flight systems, the latest of which being 'Capstone' - in brief, its a communication program between flights that prevents collisions etc. To quote Daren, 'because most vast reaches of the state can only be accessed by airplane, Alaska boasts a higher number of pilots per capita than anywhere in the world.'

After all that, we headed to REI to get a bike rack for our vehicle, a GPS system, stoves and other little things essential for our expedition. Its an amazing store. Any adventure lover would just love it!
The rack holds 5 bikes! =) great space savings for the car

No American trip would be complete without Walmart. There we went to get our groceries for dinner.

We assembled our packed bikes and tested them all. It was a pity that some of the bikes got scratched during the flight. Leongs gear cable snapped too! Fortunately, we manged to fix everything and so it looks like our equipments all set for the trip!

We ended the day hanging out with Dave, Kim and family again. This time, Kim brought her brother Greg who is an Alaskan State Trouper. He was giving us advise about handling the traffic on the highway, dealing with the wildlife and other safety tips. Really lucky to have such helpful and loving people around us :)
And kat cooked dinner!! it got cold after a few minutes though ahahah

our room:

Day 1

2008-07-08T17:39:00.010+08:00

this is us just before going in!! Thanks daniel leong for taking the shot, though its KINDA blur...=p hhaah

This is a shot of the team with Jonathan and Joy. They are the children of Dave and Kim, who had so kindly treated us to HUGE chunks of pizza and for sharing their Alaskan knowledge with us

Here we are again, this time with Dave and Kim in the picture. There are mountains in the background but in this shot they are cowering behind our tall presence.

Us in Spenard Hostel International!!We'll be here for the next 3 days. The people are friendly and theyre so easy to chat with. Definitely one of the beauties of staying in a hostel

The immediate view as we step out from the aeroplane

mingling with hostelites =)

our safety/logs car...which is in quite a trashy state right now. Tmr we'll spruce it up

tmr we assemble our bikes and will meet several of our contacts to learn more about Anchorage and the rest of Alaska, look out for the photos! =)

We've arrived!!

2008-07-08T09:55:00.005+08:00

oh my god!

the view after we first stepped out of the plane was amazing!! The mountains in the distance made our jaws drop.

the plane ride was tiring though...we had 3 sets of plane rides, 6hours, 9 hours and 4 hours. In all we've been travelling for close to 24 hours!!!

heres some of the pics we took, more will come up later on today! =)

Left hand drive is kinda scaryy...

To weikiat, weixiang and daniel michael leong, thanks for coming to see me off =)

bryant

The day has come.

2008-07-06T23:50:00.005+08:00

I was having dinner with my family this evening at this restaurant that we frequent. And one uncle asked why in the world would I want to go Alaska to cycle. In his words, "you can't go Pulau Ubin to cycle meh??"

He asked further, "so what are you going to get in return?"
Me, not knowing how to explain the sense of satisfaction, said, "hmm.. the shiok feeling lor."
Him, "see! shiok only!?! not like you're coming back with some medal or something right!"

One thing out of the many things i've learnt from this expedition is, you dont need medals to feel the sense of satisfaction and the sense of achievement, do you?

Today is the day that we've been looking forward to. To be quite honest, it still feels extremely surreal.

--kath

Time.

2008-07-06T16:26:00.003+08:00

My dearest teammates,

We're just about 12 hours from checking in, and right now i cant help but feel a sense of excitement, and at the same time, emptiness.

Excitement cos we've practically spent the past 6 months seeing each other more often than anyone else! All the late nights of meetings/trainings are finally being put from paper into reality. Lots of sacrifices have been made for this. Its a trip we've invested so much sweat, pain and blood in - and we're finally here, to EXECUTE it.

Emptiness cos our journey together is ending soon =( I'd say this is our final chapter in our Zero Limits 2008 story. If 6 months could come and go so quickly, imagine how fast the next 40 days will past. After that, its back to the same old school routine, and sadly (probably), most of us will just go down their owns paths, back to where they came from. Zero Limits will sort of be..forgotten =(. (pardon this bit for im a bit emo right now)

Yeah, so i just want to let you guys know how much each of you means to me. The friendships forged here are special, and its smth i'd cherish for the rest of my life. You've been a great bunch, committed to trainings and all other nonsense that Zero Limits could throw at us. Its amazing how so much has developed - Ive seen how people like Lesley grow and improve, ive seen how Daniel was able to juggle SO MUCH at once, and i didnt expect i'd be able to find such a close friend in Kat.

So heres to wishing us the best for the next 40 days!! And a huge thank you to all our sponsors who have played an integral role in making this expedition possible =)

For Team Zero Limits 2008, lets ride safe and come back victorious!!

Bryant

Bags are packed, ready to go

2008-07-04T14:56:00.002+08:00

We are leaving on monday :)

Terminal 1
Northwest Airlines@0600hrs

We'll be meeting at 0330 and shall begin check in at 0400hrs.

Its still pretty sureal. The rush of excitement hasn't really hit me yet. Maybe once i get thru the departure gates.

Im spending the weekend chilling at a beach resort in Desaru. After a hectic month, im gonna go slow, let my body rest properly, catch up on some reading and most importantly, spend some quality time with the family.

Have a good weekend!

Jas

Lucky boy

2008-07-03T00:33:00.003+08:00

Im the luckiest guy in the world.

In a matter of days, i start my american adventure. 6 months i'll be there. A month plus in Alaska on this awesome expedition and then 5 months on my student exchange program in Arizona.

I can't help but feel extremely loved right now. All the well wishes, the quality time spent with friends and family is simply priceless.

Took a good break from training and went to bintan with my buddies from the Bhangra team and i had the time of my life. I'll surely be thinking of them heaps when im gone and i know im gonna miss them to bits!

The last two weeks has been pretty hectic for the team but they've all been so kind in excusing me from all the meetings and other stuff so i can settle all my exchange things and meet up with all my loved ones before my 6 month adventure. Thanks guys! Really appreciate it! See you bright and early tomorrow to pack our bikes k.

Jas

Heres Why

2008-06-29T13:13:00.000+08:00

Its official, the press is out. We are crazy.

The press is justified. What else can you call this bunch of people who have never ridden a bike before, out to do 2000km in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness?

The question on everyone’s mind seems to be why?

The reason is simple. When the hills get too hard, the road too long, the winds too fast, the critics too loud, there’s a tiny voice in our heads that say “you are better than this”; and that’s the voice we choose to listen to.

Channel news Asia

2008-06-23T00:54:00.001+08:00

Singapore News

8 undergrads to embark on 25-day cycling expedition to AlaskaPosted: 22 June 2008 1624 hrs

SINGAPORE: Eight students from the Singapore Management University (SMU) plan to cycle 2,000 kilometres in 25 days to Alaska. The undergraduates have been training hard since January. Besides Mount Faber, they've even made cycling trips to Desaru and Kota Bahru in Malaysia. The group had previously held cycling expeditions in Nepal and France and their next destination is Alaska. James Ng, team leader, Zero Limits to Alaska, said: "I chose Alaska because it's a very uncharted place where people seldom go, not only for holidays, let alone on cycling expeditions." Katherine Kee, team member, Zero Limits to Alaska, said: "One of the biggest challenges would be the weather which is something that we cannot replicate in Singapore. Second, would probably be the wildlife because we read about bear attacks." The students are well aware that they need to get themselves prepared. Lesley Fu, another team member, said: "I actually only picked up road biking six months ago. So, one of the greatest challenges for me would be the physical challenge." But most are looking forward to enjoying one other's company during the trip. The team will leave Singapore on July 7 and will return on August 13. - CNA/vm

the new paper, 21 June 2008

2008-06-21T17:21:00.010+08:00

We've made the news!

Unfortunately, Singapore is deprived a glimpse of Jasbir Baby's handsome mug here. But hey, he does get quite a portion of worthy mention in the article!

Just to note though: Slight error in the figures mentioned. We're only forking out 3.5k each (excluding bikes & the works for the newbies) after sponsorship.

And no, we hope Bryant did not mean the sweat drinking comment literally. :)

sixteen days.

2008-06-21T13:06:00.022+08:00

16 more days to go.

Somehow, it all seems so surreal. Part of me can’t wait for the trip to come; part of me can’t grapple the fact that it’s all materialising so soon. All our efforts - our sweat; time spent researching, having group meetings, meeting sponsors; waking up in the wee hours to train; many many photoshoots; media coverage beyond our expectations - is all coming together in 16 days.

In retrospect, all of us have come a long way. From almost total strangers, to friends whom we can talk about ”exploding balls” and period cycles to. From absolute non-cyclists to what we are today, complete with jerseys, bike shoes and the works.

Nothing beats support from friends and family; their tags on our blog, their individual emails to send well-wishes. Sensing their pride drives all of us to want to complete this with stronger vigour, and it’s always very heartwarming to see a new email or tag comment.

Despite the hardships of training that we’ve been through, there is a bigger challenge to come - to cycle 2,000km in 28 days; in a cold and dry climate, with worry-some elevations. But I daresay that we have this unspoken trust that we’ll go through it together as a team.

Our Journey

From when we first started.. where all of us still rode cranky mountain bikes..
Now this photos are under this folder called “cha-chat photos from before”

Our gym spinning sessions..

Desaru - Pengarang training..

Countless meetings in seminar rooms..

Meetings with school's various departmental staff..

Internal photoshoots..

Sourcing sponsorships..

Finally getting out team jerseys..

Interviews with Capital95.8 and Live93.8 radio stations..

Shoots with Channel News Asia..

And we still had lots of fun in the process..

Yes, I think we've come a long way. (=

--kath

We're good to go!

2008-06-21T02:38:00.003+08:00

I agree, its been a real eye opener week for me, getting my face on camera and having to do multiple photoshoots. For me, its been really fun doing these shoots especially having fun people in your team to share it with. I'd like to thank everyone who made the media coverage possible, and do remember to catch us in The New Paper and Straits Times, and on Channel 5 news and Channel News Asia. The response from the media, support and interest generated has been heartwarming and will definetly spur the team on to excel in our expedition.

Aside from the media exposure, I feel a sense of relief that things have fallen into place. Our logistics have arrived, our routes and emergency plans are sorted out, our vehicle is confirmed, our library exhibiton is confirmed. Now what's left is our mission on bringing back issues on global warming. Putting aside the things that we have done, we will dedicate the next 2 weeks to research and find out the best possible ways to bring back what we have learnt and understood to the Singapore community.

Additionally, the pride of wearing uniformed attire (beautiful jerseys and Limar helmets), i believe, has give the team a greater sense of ownership and pride amongt individuals and as a whole. As we cycled down town in broad daylight in view of the peak hour crowds and pedestrains, we could'nt help but notice people were all looking at us with gaping mouths. I'm sure they were all wondering who is this nicely decked out group cycling. Well they will all find out through the media in the days to come! =)

As we share our feelings and thoughts with each other and with the media and friends and family, our expedition draws nearer. We are ready and relishing the challenge, and are prepared physically, mentally and medically too! I wish the team all the best in our expedition as we embark, upholding the name of SMU and our kind sponsors. With this, I look forward to a life-changing enriching experience with u guys.

James

Team leader Zero Limits

Wayang Week

2008-06-21T02:06:00.011+08:00

I think we have all come to the consensus that photo shoots are waaay more draining than the average 100km ride during training.

2 simple reasons why.

It is tougher to cycle at 7km/h than 32km/h.
It is waaay tougher to cycle at 7km/h in an awkward formation over and over again, shot after shot, than to draft as a team at 32km/h in our single files.

Punctures, falls and sweat all included!

As spent as we are, we're grateful for and overwhelmed by the scale of media coverage the ComfortDelGro-Zero Limits Expedition has garnered over the past week. Kudos to the hardworking and supportive Kim May of SMU OCC and Hong Leng from Comfort for making it all happen! Not to mention the gung-ho and patient photographers and reporters from the Straits Times, CNA, The New Paper, 938 Live and Capital 95.8 who've gotten up at unearthly hours and braved hot sun.

We've had fun though. Courtesy of James' ahpek-esque behaviour, Bryant's farting and retarded jokes, and Jasbir's "rippling biceps" and acts of shoelessness, this week coupled with the photo shoots and interviews have brought the team much amusement and uncontrollable laughter. Good times! :)

But for now, we're just happy to resume our normal training schedule, minus the cameras.

Lesley

2008-06-19T15:11:00.002+08:00

Things were really fuzzy during the early stages of planning this expedition. At the end of February, we still had members leaving the team and new ones coming in. I for one was completely unsure if the team would even make it together till now.

Many people expressed doubt at our ability to pull of a successful expedition. We've had our fair share of critics and quite a number of 'your never gonna make it looks' upon us. It was discouraging at times and honestly, until the day we booked our tickets, i really didn't know if i was gonna be in Alaska come July.

But I am. We are. And I believe i can speak for all of us when i say this, it was largely because of the few friends and family members who were there at the start to support us with this crazy idea that the 8 of us are still here today.

To our moms and dad who never once asked, 'our you sure you are strong enough' but instead showed silent support as we needed to spend more and more on our equipment, tickets and medical expenses;

To our friends who didn't laugh when we said we are going to Alaska but instead showed awe and admiration for our big dream. The understanding showed as we often came in late for project meetings or missing appointments completely cos of training, the genuine interest and the soft words of encouragement has really made us feel all the special.

So we are barely 18 days away. We are going. I do not know if we will be successful, but i can guarantee that we will fight every bit of the way, pushing ourselves up the steepest hill in the coldest of weather knowing that we have these special people back home believing in us. You believed in us and now we believe in ourselves.

Thank You.

- Jas

2008-06-17T22:30:00.003+08:00

After a solid 130 km yesterday, the team came together today for 7 climbs of Mt Faber. It was challenging but we managed to do it together in one solid pack. Well done team!

Walking up the stairs is kinda challenging now haha. Its good that we have a break from tonight. Ride again tomorrow! :)

Bask in Mother Nature

2008-06-17T17:04:00.008+08:00

Photo courtesy of http://www.alaskawild.org/.

Our expedition is about a group of 8 student going to Alaska to achieve something that seem bigger than ourselves - to cycle 2000km over a span of 25 days. We'll be bask in Mother Nature's creation and explore this slice of heaven that she has given to the world. More than that, we will be learning about global warming and it's evident effects on this magficent last frontier.

- kath

2008-06-17T00:24:00.002+08:00

The team right after getting our Limar helmets from Action Bods. We used it today for our 130km ride and i must say, it is pretty awesome. It is so light that leong nearly turned back after leaving his house thinking he had forgotten to wear his helmet!

What i like is that there are so many air vents that our head sweat evaporates so fast without leaving much of a stench.

Riding again in an hour!!!

Jas

ActionBods sponsors Team Zero Limits with Limar Pro 104 Helmets

2008-06-14T12:45:00.004+08:00

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Action Bods, Team Zero Limits is now equipped with the Limar Pro 104 helmet.

"Every serious bike rider search for perfection and the
PRO 104 delivers what the best bike riders around the
world always asked for. The lightest helmet available,
fantastic comfort, cooler than any other helmet and
simply beautifully looking. This is obtained thanks to
our sleek unique “one piece monocoque In-Mould
technology” which we developed during a number of
years. Many kilometers of testing have allowed us to
fi ne tune the internal wind circulation through 22 large
vents, the comfort is improved for perfect feel with the
new fi t system and the low weight is a guarantee for
the best performance yet found. This is the best helmet
LIMAR ever made and the price is also unbeatable."

Contact ActionBods for deals for your team. www.actionbods.com

Photoshoot #2

2008-06-14T12:03:00.003+08:00

Well, we've done one photoshoot in the day, now we're doing it at night!

So at 2am in the morning, we gathered, and went around town to get some zai photos of ourselves.

-behind the scenes-

Everyone riding to get into formation

Trying out some shots of Yukina riding, but due to poor lighting conditions, everything is blur

Waiting for Kat to set the timer

It's 5am.. everyone is getting blurry-eyed.... zz.

Photoshoots are more tiring than expected, but we've had good fun!

135km and interesting happenings

2008-06-12T15:46:00.003+08:00

Perhaps the most interesting incident of the night happened at East Coast Park, when Leong steamrolled over a panicky cat. It all happened so fast, and the accident sent Leong flying - again.(refer to first post if you dont know why its "AGAIN") Luckily this time he had gloves on=) Unfortunately, he scraped his back quite badly and it was all pus-sy (like the cat!) the next day

I wonder what happened to that cat though. Yukina said it has 9 lives, i kind of doubt that. Im sure it sucks having a skinny bicycle tyre run all over your tummy.

Anyway, the last time we had full attendance was 24th May, so today was the first time in 3 weeks where we had everyone show up =) Its great to know that we've all improved so much, im pretty sure most of us would have been able to go an additional 30km even after the 135km ride.

Have a great rest everyone, tonight we ride again!!! Lets all be safe!

PS: EVERYONE pls go get your rear lights fixed!
PSS: Smile Lesley =)

2008-06-11T00:59:00.003+08:00

Hey Northwest Airlines has given us a nice group discount. I'd recommend them to any group flyers :)

Also, they are having a promotion to japan, do check it out if your interested. Its just under 500 inclusive of taxes!

www.nwa.com/sg

Hunger Pangs

2008-06-09T15:45:00.003+08:00

Training: 0100hrs ( Leave home at 0015hrs)

Food Intake

5pm - Dinner - 1 plate of bee hoon
- 1 bowl of karah (indian wheat dish)
- 1 bowl of chick peas
- 1 bowl of dhal (lentil) curry
- 1 bowl of pakoray (indian fried snack)
- 1 cup of tea

I just could not fall asleep - i figured i must have been hungry so i ate again

945 - Mid Sleep meal - 1 plate of rice and dhal

0315 - After 60 km of cycling - 1 Snickers Bare
- 1 Pack of Yam Yam
-
0500 - After another 30km of cycling - 1 hello panda pack
- 1 yeos lemon barley

0630 - Breakfast at home - Cornflakes

and then i went to bed. Guess what i did when i woke up? Had lunch.

I am a bottomless pit

- Hungry Jas

banner design

2008-06-07T22:24:00.001+08:00

Work Hard, Rest Well

2008-06-02T19:27:00.004+08:00

So another solid week of training has gone by. Pretty well i must say.

Thursday - 107km
Friday - 92km
Saturday - 99km
Sunday - Break
Monday - 107km

All of this within pretty good time. Its was a pity though that Yukina had to miss trainings cos of her knee injury. Shes a dedicated gem. Really powerful rider and its just unfortunate that her old injury has come back to haunt her.

Personally, i know my form has dropped since the desaru trip. That zest for speed is slowly falling as we plough the same routes, over and over again. My body has grown weary from over training. My bum gets easily sore and my knee has given me a lot of cause for concern.

That's why im making the most of the break we are having these two days. A bunch of us went swimming today. Aqua therapy it is. Gives the muscles a fresh break and a good chance to recuperate better in the water. I might just go again tomorrow. The rest of the day i've spent sleeping and reading. Completely resting.

Thursday we are in the gym. By the time we hit the roads on the weekend, i hope to be flying again!

Jas

P.S: Thanks Nida for the changes to the layout!

the final phases of training

2008-06-01T16:25:00.002+08:00

While our peers are busy doing their internships, Team Zero Limits is busy preparing for an adventure of a lifetime.

This is one chance that im not going to let slip. Internships can wait another year. EVERYONE gets a chance to do it anyway. But how many can say they've done Zero Limits?

Like the counter say, 36 days left. That equates to 18 trainings. Just 18.
It might sound like a lot of trainings to you, so much so that skipping a few might seem negligible. But trust me, even if you come for all these trainings, you still wouldn't have achieved the mileage (only abt 1500km) which we are gonna cover in Alaska itself. Whats more, the intensity of each ride will hardly match up to the real thing over there.

THATS WHY, i dont mean to be an asshole when it comes to training. I want everyone to be there, to give it their best, and to see it as a responsibility to the team to train hard. We are only as fast as the slowest person. Try not to be that person all the time.

The trainings next week will be a real test of our endurance. Covering 150km in a day is not as easy as it seems. The rate at which we get burned out increases as the mileage increases. Sitting on the saddle gets more and more painful as we hit the 5 hour mark.

This is one of the few chances left to get a taste of solid pain, dont miss out

Because we are all grown, and different

2008-06-01T16:18:00.001+08:00

When we first met each other about half a year ago, you guys were nothing to me but just foreign faces. I didnt even know if any of you would stay. I had my doubts about each individual, i questioned everyones commitment. The only person I knew well and really trusted in the team at that time was james, and back then i constantly told him how worried i was that the team would not be able to gel/work together.

He told me that time will sort things out, and its such a relief knowing that what he said was true. =)

Now that 6 months has flown by, I'm really proud and glad to say that i found a sense of belonging to Team Zero Limits. From training just a measly once a week to a crazy 5 times a week together, its amazing how far we’ve come. I’ve seen how we've become stronger, both physically and mentally. From individuals previously doing their own thing, we have become one, standing by each other and sharing a common goal to accomplish this feat. I dare say at the end of it all we will be so close that we wouldn’t mind tasting each other’s sweat. hmm?[team dinner tmr night?]

Lesley used to be terrified of me, now she can laugh with me.
Kat used to be ladylike, now she swears openly.
James used to be quiet, now he hecks all over the place like an old man.
Bryant used to control his fart, now he doesnt give a shit.
Jasbir, Leong, Daniel and Yukina used to be all serious, considerate and nice. They still are =)

So keep the spirits up for the next 1 month, lets execute ComfortDelGro's Zero Limits 2008 in style =)

Feeling the pressure

2008-05-30T23:09:00.002+08:00

hey guys.. left 37 days till our expedition, and if ur not feeling it, then there must be something really wrong. for me, im can feel the pressure mounting and its time we really get going. sorry if i keep bugging u all to meet deadlines and stuff, but that's exactly wad im gonna do! haha by now, u guys should be feeling the sense of committment to the expedition too and be prepared to work our a**es off so that we can go there knowing that we're all well prepared and accomplish our mission and have a great time! i hope u all share the same sentiments as me, and lets all push ourselves as there isnt much time left! all the way guys!!!!!! =D

In search of Freshness

2008-05-30T19:33:00.003+08:00

My life feels pretty messy right now. Training in the early morning hours, albeit very necessary, has turned my life upside down.

I reach home, almost every day at 730 am, after 5-6 hrs of riding. Exhausted, i gobble down as much food as i can, have a cold shower and jump straight into bed. Skipping the whole showering business has crossed my mind, but lets maintain some decent hygiene - for now at least.

I wake, some days at noon, some days a little later completely disoriented feeling like a lazy pig for waking so late. My mind and body is out of sorts, making it so tempting to sleep the rest of the day away.

Some love the idea of waking at noon. For me its just terrible. My idea of a good day is waking up at 7, having a cold shower, doing my morning prayers before heading down for a nice breakfast while reading the paper - armed and ready to start a wonderful day.

So here i am, trying to find a way to feel energetic and productive like i normally do. Any suggestions? It doesn't help knowing my year mates are getting ahead with all their lucrative internships while i stay home struggling to be productive.

Im experimenting. The nights before training. I am going to be disciplined enough to hit the bed at 830 , giving me 4.5 hrs of sleep. When i return home, i will only sleep from 8 to 1030 am at most. Fingers crossed. I need my light funky feeling!! Grr!

Jas

The Past We Inherit 3

2008-05-28T14:37:00.007+08:00

Zero Limits 2006 France featured in the Business Times

Is that better?

2008-05-27T08:13:00.000+08:00

Night at James' House

2008-05-27T04:23:00.002+08:00

i did nothing tonight.

All i did was to eat a Mc Spicy Meal.

I should have checked to make sure that today wasn't a public holiday in Alaska.

s.h.i.t.

oh but at least we decided to rent a 15 seater vehicle and drive back from skagway to anchorage.
Thats 24 hours of SOLID driving. ROFL.LMAO.LOL

Pat on the Shoulder

2008-05-26T10:09:00.003+08:00

After 80km of riding - a good 60km filled with slopes - i thought to myself, 'Well done, this really wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. All we have is another 20km of flat land to go.'

But then Bryant decided to break away. Leong followed and in an instant a huge gap opened. I could have ignored it and continued at the regular pace. But i knew his intentions. This was a test and i had too much pride to let it slip.

So of my saddle i leapt, pounding those pedals to chase them down. I chased, and chased and chased. Finally after a good 5 minutes, i got behind leongs wheel only for Bryant to launch out again. This time the heat was getting to me and i was going way past my 100%. I could see salt deposits forming on my tights. But i told myself, that if I just kept up he would eventually tire out. So i kept pushing. I was right, with 8 km to go a cry of agony from Bryant told me that he was in as much pain as i was. I start pulling and the 3 of us ride on in this spirit of madness, not wanting to slow down, all desperately trying to win that internal struggle to beat the elements and go beyond our limits.

The heat generated by my thighs were beginning to burn to the extent that i had to pour water on my groin just to cool it down.

I reached the jetty, flushed, dehydrated and just completely spent. But amidst that i had a huge sense of satisfaction for that victory against the mind, pushing all the way despite the inner calls to slow down.

And as i watched the others ride into the jetty, i saw faces of satisfaction. All completely drained by the 100km of rain, wind, slopes and heat but at the same time, bearing that face of accomplishment for pushing themselves, right to the very end.

The next morning, we got up to ride again. I was visibly drained and struggled for most of the ride. As i dismounted for our petrol station break. Kat gave me a pat on the shoulder. She understood how i felt. She'd been here before; we're all in this together.

Jas

2008-05-26T07:58:00.000+08:00

Desaru - Our first and last

2008-05-25T22:35:00.007+08:00

"Enough of riding at 2am, lets try desaru!!"

Which smart ass said that?!?!hahaahha....looking back, Desaru was a HELL of ride.

On the 24th May, Team Zero Limits embarked on their first overseas training ride. The total distance covered was 104km, and it served as a great test of our physical condition and showed each individual where they stood amongst the team.

The weather was scorching hot, and the hills seemed never ending. WORSE, the inconsiderate malaysian drivers either have a f*%$ed up attitude towards cyclists or just lack a portion of the brain which controls spacial estimation. I mean, how difficult is it to just change lane, overtake, and cut back in? They cant even handle 3 simple steps, wtf.

Im pissed cos Leong got scraped by a blue proton, who intentionally came so close until they made contact. Leong could have died right there. God bless Leong for escaping unhurt.

Plus im sorry lesley for leaving the group and taking Leong and Jasbir away from the rest of the pack. Even though i said earlier on to stay together, i didnt adhere to my word. For that i apologize. Do shout out to me next time when i get impatient and try to pull away ok. =)

Heres us before the ride. Still so damn fresh. Err i dont think most of them knew what they were in for hahaah

At about 10km short of Desaru it rained cats and dogs. It rained BIGGGG! But that didnt dampen our spirits!! Lunch was just 20 min away!!!

Lunch time at Golden Beach resort.

A heavy stomach....and a bit of reluctance to leave.

Good ride guys =)
Hope ya'll are still recovering from the aches!

Team Jerseys

2008-05-22T17:45:00.003+08:00

So if everything goes according to plan, our jerseys should look like this :)

2008-05-22T15:42:00.002+08:00

So this Saturday the team is off on a one day training trip to Desaru. The mileage may be a less than what we usually cover but I'm sure the hills, wind and heat will more than make up for that. This will be our first of three overseas sessions. We hope to do Batam over 2 days on the 7th and 8th of June and then hopefully a trip up to Batu Pahat the following weekend.

Yesterdays gym training was painful. I'm aching again :P

Jas

Khoo Swee Chiow

2008-05-20T17:38:00.006+08:00

Last Saturday we had a wonderful session with Khoo Swee Chiow, Singapore's most celebrated adventurer. He shared with us his adventures in scaling Everest, trekking across The North Pole and cycling to Shanghai, providing many useful lessons for us.

He rode 8000 KM from Singapore to Shanghai in a 73 day adventure, resting one day in every ten. We are doing 2000 and we are resting once in every 4. Somehow our Alaskan Adventure seems pretty small next to his
.

We talked about dealing with the cold, training well and most importantly, dealing with the mental challenges faced. Most importantly he had this fundamental piece of advise for us:

"Tomorrow will sort out itself, just live in the moment"

And that's how we are gonna do it, one day at a time

Jas

Petrol Station Fetish

2008-05-19T02:02:00.002+08:00

haha this is random. Every training we will stop at petrol stations to rest, and given this frequency, it gives us the title of having a petrol station fetish, and given that.. lets rank the petrol station we visit:

1) Shell 2) Caltex 3) SPC 4) ESSO

i) Convenience Store
ii) Toilet
iii) Service
iv) Ambience
v) Tire Pump

HAHA random

argh.

2008-05-17T12:18:00.003+08:00

I cried during training today.

I was rather shocked by myself, and I think I scared the guys a little. Sorry guys.. that you had to see me like that.

The lack of sleep was affecting my performance during training. I think.
The last straw was when we were at Dunern Road, and I just couldnt keep up no matter how hard I was pedalling. I remember gritting my teeth and sprinting towards the group, hitting 37km/h at one point in time even (on a flat stretch of road, mind you), but the group just seemed as far away as ever. Finally, when I managed to join them, it was just a one second sense of accomplishment, and I lagged behind again.

I was pushing myself so hard that my legs didnt feel like mine, and my body felt like it was collapsing, yet I was still behind. Going across a small little bump on the road drained a ridiculous amount of energy in me; a sense of despondence began to creep in.

I remember feeling confused;
I remember feeling frustrated;
I remember asking alot of questions in my head;
I remember doubting myself;
I remember feeling really, really fatigued.

I’m sure feeling like this is a learning phase in this entire training program, and I’m sure I’ll emerge from it more or less stronger mentally. But the feeling during that time, is like f*ck.

It’s really not easy juggling a summer module together with training, especially since my summer module chose to be project-intensive during the time when training was intensive. My sleeping pattern is screwed; heck, I dont even remember a good night’s rest for a long time - sleep was probably averaged at about 4 hours per day.

It’s easy for people to tell me, “well, you shouldnt have taken summer in the first place,” or “you should have known.” But, summer terms were crucial for me if I wanted to graduate a semester earlier; and quite honestly, I didnt know that school and training will be this precarious a balance.

There’s always this saying “mind over body”. I mean, I’ve said it a dozen times that it’s the strength in the mind that pulled me through certain trainings. But I’ve learnt, in this past couple of weeks, that the body still triumphs sometimes.

--kath

2008-05-17T07:56:00.004+08:00

Today was day 3 out of 4 for this weeks stretch of consecutive 100km training. The team is really feeling the strain.

Tears have dropped.
Wounds have opened.
Bikes have crashed.

But one thing shall never drop; Our Morale.
For 35 days, all we will have is each other. That's enough for me.

Jas

Happy Birthday =)

2008-05-16T22:16:00.004+08:00

Just last week, Jasbir celebrated his birthday! We got him a surprise chocolate cake that tasted real yummy..! haha and they also sang happy birthday song to me, a one month belated birthday. Nontheless, its good to see how the team has grown! =D And please dont mind the way the guys eat, esp Daniel who eats like a monster! haha

Determination + Courage = Zero Limits

2008-05-16T21:08:00.008+08:00

The Zero Limits series celebrates SMU students' character and personality, by bringing out the very best in all of us, pushing us to our limits and exemplifying our courage and determination towards achievement. Our team recently experienced one such example in the form of Yukina.

Going up the steep slopes of Mt Faber, we overcame the burns in our thighs and the fatigue in our minds. Yukina on the other hand had her knee wound troubling her. With pain piercing through her leg, racing up to her mind, she persevered on with the intense climbs. However, even the plaster covering the wound couldn't take the torture and after 2 rounds of Faber, Yukina succummed to the pain, or so we thought. Daniel and I tried to find large plasters for the wound at the nearby petrol stations, but they didnt have stock. With nearly giving up hope on finding a large plaster, Lesley suddenly came up with the goods and provided Yukina with one. This was not before Yukina told herself that its ok, she will endure the pain.

Along we went with our ride, and before long, the plaster became loose and the wound started opening up again. We could see the grimace on Yukina's face, but she still never gave up. She told herself that she wants to continue with the ride, and just block out the pain. We stopped for a while to readjust the plaster, but 2 minutes into the ride later the plaster came flying off!

Still Yukina ignored it and continued cycling up to Thompson. With the words of encouragement admist the pain, it made her feel more comfortable and secure that we were behind her. As we
going upslope, Yukina suddenly broke into tears. The pain was simply unbearable. We took a short break at the bus stop and encouraged her. It was either she cycle back home which was nearby or continue with us to school. Mustering every ounce of courage and determination, she battled the pain and decided to follow us. This is such the power of one's person drive to push herself to her limits. All the way Yukina!

we love retail therapy

2008-05-16T18:35:00.006+08:00

So.. it was a shopping day at North Face's retail store at Suntec City.

Nicely arranged racks of jackets and other adventure wear

Bryant and Jasbir Baby trying on some fleece jackets and admiring their hot bods in the mirror

yukina!

Can you tell James from the mannequin?

Dominic helping Leong with selection of cold wear

Posers..

Pretty ladies with beanies

Gasp! It's the Michellin giant!!

James and his favourite girl

Everyone leaves the shop with satiated souls

Thank you Dominic, for so patiently attending to all our questions and requests

Let's ponder about that

--kath

my life has changed with 4 words

2008-05-15T08:25:00.009+08:00

My life has changed. Drastically.

With these 4 words - Team. Zero. Limits. Alaska’08.

Sleeping at 8pm and waking up at 12.30am to prepare for training is now normal.
Cycling 40km used to be a huge feat; now, it’s not enough.
Juggling training and summer class, normal sleeping hours is becoming a luxury.

No, everyone thinks that cycling is just cycling - you know, it’s just simple pedalling.
I mean, no offence taken; I used to think this way too.

But my life has changed ever since training started. When it comes to cycling the long distance; when it comes to chasing the person in front of you even if your thighs are burning; when it comes to climbing that yet-another-slope; cycling demands a whole new respect.

======

It usually takes some lag-behind time for me to ponder and really appreciate how all of us have gone this far together.

Without my teammates egging me on, I wouldnt have completed my 110km today. While circling Mandai Road with all its slopes, my thighs were killing me, and I was this close to giving up. I know my teammates will never let me do that; and I’m glad.

No matter how hard we were panting to get over the slope, words, like really short words of encouragement were still uttered.

This is a team.

=====

My favourite time of training?

It’s when the day breaks.

When you see the world coming alive; when wispy clouds are coloured blue, violet and orange; when you look into the distance and you see the blazing sun; when bird songs start sprouting from trees; when we welcome the smell of a new day.

--kath

Something Educational

2008-05-14T15:19:00.004+08:00

On monday night, the team gathered at Bryant's place to watch Brent Nixon's DVD on Alaskan Wildlife. In particular, we were keen to lean more about bear's behaviours. It be such a shame if we were to get attacked by bears while on our expedition, thats not part of our itinerary by the way!

So after the 2hr video, we learnt how to differentiate between the American bear and the Grizzly bear. We also learnt that playing dead with the Ameraican bear is NOT OKAY but to do so with the Grizzly is fine. NEVER NEVER stare at a bear. Its 100times worse than staring at some mrt ah beng, i promise you.

And if we were to spot bear poop or bear scratch marks on trees around our campsite, its best that we move further away from it.

So thanks Brent, your vid came in handy. (oh and bears arent afraid of water at all =p)

In addition, its best to make lots of noise wherever we're going. Bears are generally intimidated by loud noises and will siam out of the way. But IF we do meet a grumpy one, we should all do this.

I REALLY hope they get scared by that.

Was nice having you guys over, lets have bbq again next time! =)

The Past We Inherit

2008-05-14T14:18:00.000+08:00

Source: FunkyGrad.com
Writer: Nicholas Sim

How do you spend your weekends?

Draped over the creaky family sofa watching ancient reruns of "Where Are You, Scooby Doo?"

Hopelessly lost in a serpentine Labyrinth of homework?

Aimlessly walking around Orchard Road, stopping only to gaze longingly at that ZARA halter that you will NEVER, EVER be able to afford with your measly pocket allowance?

Or training assiduously with your teammates for an overseas expedition? An expedition that promises the "golder-than-gold" opportunity to taste the beauty of France. On bikes, no less.

Feel the rustic charm of the French countryside…Stare in awe at the natural grandeur of the Seven Mounts of Lacune…Breathe the romance-filled air of the Parisian night. Sounds good, doesn't it?

This is exactly what the team of Cheers Zero Limits 2006 Expedition: La Connection Française (Cheers ZL2006) are going to experience in July 2006. Bear in mind though, that this is not your typical "kids-friendly" family tour package.

Cheers Zero Limits 2006 Expedition: La Connection Française is an Adventure Learning project under the SMU Zero Limits X3pedition Series. The Series aims to promote enthusiasm and participation in adventure learning and extreme sports amongst the student population of the Singapore Management University. Over the course of 18 days, 7 guys and 4 girls from SMU will travel 1000km within France. Through their journey, the team hopes to open their hearts to new cultures, embark on a journey of self-discovery and exemplify a unique spirit of enterprise and adventure.

This journey is inspired by the spirit of the great "Tour De France", the most famous and prestigious professional bike race in the world. The Cheers ZL2006 team will have to face challenges like overcoming the Lacune Mountain Range (1200km above sea level). More importantly, the team members hope to overcome their own physical limits and demonstrate resilience and tenacity in the face of obstacles.

Indeed, the expedition is hardly an easy-peasy walk in the park. Think intense training sessions spent pumping iron in the gym and rigorous training trips in Malaysia. Team leader Adrian (24, Year 3, Business) quips, "I've prepared myself for the worst…trying to prepare the team for the worst too. After you have seen the worst, anything else is always better." To heighten the challenge, team members will not be supported by any locals or relevant parties during the expedition. They will have to plan their own itinerary and arrange for food supplies and accommodation by themselves.

In the first part of our ongoing Cheers ZL2006 series, we speak to some members of the team to learn more about their hopes and dreams for Cheers ZL2006.

Inspired? Read on to find out more about Cheers ZL2006. Who knows? You may even be spurred to be part of ZL2007.

How far do you go?

2008-05-13T09:07:00.000+08:00

Sweet.
Yesterday Tiffany hit her 6000km mark.
Shes never experienced a single puncture on the road, which explains why the owner doesnt know how to change tubes after 3 years hahahaha.

And did i tell you i love calculations?
My bike was bought on 5th Feb 2005, which makes it 1193 days old today.
So thats an average of 6000/1193 = 5km a day.

hmm sounds pretty pathetic. But im sure the average is gonna go wayyyyyy up over the next 3 months. hahaha.

blogblogblog

bryyyyyy

The Spirit

2008-05-11T20:48:00.000+08:00

This morning i woke up with a terrible sore in both thighs. Trainings really been getting to me. I hope it got to the rest of you too =)

It was 330am in the morning. f*%$, time to ride again. The first 10mins of getting out of bed was really painful..urgh...i had half the mind to cancel training since 6 out of 9 of the team couldnt make it. Fortunately Jasbir talked me out of it, thanks dude!

So it was just me, Jasbir and Lesley who went our Sunday morning ride. It IS the best day of the week to ride. Too bad ya'll werent there!!

We headed down town, right into an incoming storm. The wind along nicoll highway way extremely strong. Seriously it felt like a tornado. I've never felt anything like this before..Both Jasbir baby and i almost got toppled! Freaky shit. Plus we were "stung" by heaps of small leaves thrown in the air by the gusts of wind.

We knew the rain was gonna be freakin heavy. But unlike yesterday, we didnt turn back this time. If we were gonna ever experience riding in the rain, today was it.

We climbed mt faber twice. Its the steepest short stretch of road i know of, pretty intense. Lesley had to get off to push her bike the first time, but subsequently she conquered the hill all on her own =) Nice work les!!

The road downhill was slippery as hell, and it scared the shit out of lesley hahaha =p i think she froze up or smth and didnt dare freewheel on the descent. But i dont blame her at all, it was her first time on faber on a road bike. Plus the roads were wet like shit. Any experienced rider would have concerns.

The point is she eventually managed to overcome that fear of skidding and crashing, and now i think she has more confidence in her handling skills and her bicycle. See lesley, you gained smth this morning that none of the rest did =)

The remaining 40km of distance after faber was pretty fast paced. I was pleasantly surprised how lesley managed to keep up with Baby and i. She fought the hills bravely, and i really dare to say shes shown the most improvement within the team over the past month!! Youre trainee of the month you know that!

Way to go les, keep it up!!. But remember to stay alert even though youre tired ya..We all know the roads are dangerous, all it takes is one mistake....

Ok so the post will end here, sorry no pics today ...haahah water + camera = disaster.

See you all at 2am then. Lets hope for a safe smooth ride

Wicked Wednesday

2008-05-09T16:48:00.000+08:00

Finally!!

The whole team has officially gotten married. No more borrowing of friends bikes, and no more dirty rides. Everyones pimped up with their sexy/sleek 2 wheelers and hot tights, with Dan and Lesley boasting their latest $2k bicycles. (and tight asses)

The feeling of riding in a tight pack is exhilirating. At an average speed of 33kmh, our team is UNSTOPPABLE!!!.Great job team, it was a painful ride no doubt, but at the end of it all im sure we came out stronger, both physically and mentally. =)

But wait! Suddenly there was a hissing sound, and Yukina felt uneasy on her bike. She was losing control, and speed.

"ahhhh!!!i think theres a problem with my bike! why issit always me????" =(

Poor yuki, shes been the center of attention for all unfortunate things over the past month. From spoiling sliding doors to crashing comps to losing her work to losing her valuables to dropping modules to puncturing and to crashing...(WHAT A MOUTHFUL)..Hopefully this wed marks the end of all this unfortunate stuff.

Well, at least this gave us time to get a good rest =p

Jasbir baby getting his hands dirty..

A happy pose after fixing the tubes!!

ALL THE WAYYY TEAM!!!
And ALL THE BEST YUKINA! =)

Preparation

2008-05-06T15:21:00.001+08:00

James pointing out key points along our route. Instead of just training physically, we have to ensure that our route planing and safety contingencies are equally good so that the entire expedition will be smooth and problem free.

Jas

The Past We Inherit

2008-05-05T16:50:00.000+08:00

BT_20060227.pdf (application/pdf Object)

The Morning Beauty

2008-05-03T17:08:00.000+08:00

Pictures from the two early morning rides this weekend

- We did loops of Mandai on Friday morning. We took too long though, got stuck in dangerous peak hour traffic on the way back to school. That sucked big time. At least we had fun in madai! The downhills are awesome. Leong, Yukina and Jas managed to hit 58kmh

- The Sun rising on Saturday morning. Singapore is most beautiful in the morning. Places like mandai, seletar and pierce are now my favourite places to be in the morning. There is alot of beauty in Singapore to be discovered. This is just one of the regular sights...

- Leong in action. Definitely one of the most humble and down to earth riders. He is one super strong fella!

Learning to fix bikes!

2008-05-03T16:53:00.001+08:00

Setbacks will occur as we travel across alaska. There no escaping them. The tyres may puncture and perhaps the chain my snap. Hopefully nothing worse. Whatever happens, we have to be prepared.

Thanks to Kelvin and Naz from Gee Hin Chan Bikeshop at Waterloo Street, 5 of us were thought the essentials of bike maintenance and repair. I have to say, changing tyres and fixing bikes can be pretty fun. I wouldnt mind working there to help the mechanic during the afternoons :)

Notice Yukina with her notepad!

Jas

Its kinda like picking a spouse

2008-05-01T13:12:00.001+08:00

We knew that we would need proper road bikes for our expedition. However such a procurement is very personal. Buying a road bike cannot be rushed. You gotta know exactly what you need and you really have to try a whole range of bikes before deciding on what truly fits.

Its kinda like picking a spouse. Just like your road bike, you would want him or her to challenge you. You need someone that would inspire you to go beyond your limitations, learn new techniques so as to constantly make yourself better. At the same time, the roadie, just like your spouse should make u feel completely comfortable. Most importantly, your roadie should be something you never want to stop riding(no pun intended, honest).

So far our roadies are:

Bryant - Trek aka Tiffany
James - Raleigh aka Chow Mun
Leong - Polygon aka Athena
Jasbir - Scott aka Veronica
Katherine - Bataglin aka Hershey

Yesterday at Gee Hin Chan (our partner bike shop) we welcomed the latest addition to the team
Yukinas new Roadie (yet to be named!).

She is very happy about her pink pedals!
Jas

a sunday morning

2008-04-29T22:11:00.000+08:00

it was a cold romantic sunday morning for veronica and tiffany. The 2 hot babes made their way round the coastal route and explored parts of thomson. They wished that more of their girlfriends could have joined, but they were too busy preparing for Volar so they couldnt join us. So it was just the 2 of them chasing each other for 70km

oh and kat was there for the first half of the ride, but too bad she wasnt feeling too well and had to drop out.. i hope shes feeling better now though!

then we had to refuel, and i saw something quite peculiar..

we're just 2 months away guys! =)

time to pump it up!!!

We're training hard

2008-04-29T20:40:00.000+08:00

Photos from our training at the gym.

Ride into the light

Clearly, our essentials

Doing some of Jasbir Baby's favorite squats

Of course, we have our goofy times as well

yay. everyone's happy after training.

Stretchhhh.

~~kat

2008-04-29T19:37:00.001+08:00

We're set! We paid for our tickets today :)

We are leaving Singapore at 6am on the 7th of July and will be back on the 14th of August. We are flying Northwest Airlines. They've given us a very gracious group discount and for that we are very appreciative.

Special thanks to Yukina, our treasurer for settling our travel arrangements. We worked with Adele from Fortune Travel and she was oh so helpful. We are a lucky bunch :)

Yukina paying Adele @ Fortune Travel SMU Branch

Jas

2008-04-28T00:11:00.001+08:00

We are each others keepers

2008-04-26T20:28:00.001+08:00

Today was our first road training since the exams. After two intense sessions in the spinning studio, it was great to get out on the road again. It certainly was a good start to the summer with the team drafting together for more than half the 70km journey.

We were given a morning shocker when a pack of wild dogs started chasing us along Pioneer Road. It was pretty scary but all we could do was scream back at the dogs as we attempted to speed away. Fortunately the dogs couldn't run as fast as we could ride. I pray bears in Alaska are friendlier! Those big guys sure can run and I'm pretty sure they wont be intimidated by us in anyway.

The team after escaping the dogs (Missing Hanyong cos he was taking the picture)

On a lighter note, Jasbir Baby has a new ride. Meet Veronica :)The top he is wearing is courtesy of Skins - Our official Recovery Wear.

Post Training Breakfast!
We had no choice but to go to Macs cos expedition leader James kept craving for 'McGriddles' as we were riding down West Coast Highway.
Jas

Entering Phase 3

2008-04-22T15:03:00.002+08:00

The exams are finally over and summer training has begun. We had our first session yesterday and man was it intense. The attendance was great and everyone was ever so motivated to get back into the swing of things. We did 3 sets of 30minutes on the spining machine, with all sorts of climbs, jumps and sprints. That was sure to up our endurance many notches!

After training we had a meeting to confirm the training program. It looks great. I think we will be well prepared to take on the alaskan terrain come july! Its an average of 5 times a week before we start to tapper in the last week of june.

The road ahead looks mighty challenging but im sure we are all looking forward to it! Its gonna be beautiful :)
Jas

Changes Changes

2008-04-07T01:15:00.000+08:00

Aloha!

You might see the website change from time to time. Don't fret if you happen to chance upon seeing unusual pictures of flowers popping out of nowhere or the way you post might be different for now. I'm currently editing and figuring out the CSS to customize blogger. Hopefully i won't break your site =S I hope by the end of week 15, you'll have a shiny new site!

Cheers!
Nida - i.e. the girl who is tinkering with your blog.

To find a bigger sense of self

2008-04-03T23:45:00.001+08:00

9 individuals we might be, but we share a similar bond - maybe we’re in a constant search of someone who’s bigger than ourselves.

It’s not just about cycling sometimes. While cycling on the road, knowing that you’ve to cover 70, 80 km that day, it’s not the strength in your legs that brings you across the distance; it’s the strength in the mind.

Many people asked, why are we paying to go Alaska to battle the fatigue; to battle the cold winds; and to battle the merciless, agonising slopes. A possible once-in-a-lifetime trip to Alaska, we should just, you know, kick our shoes back and enjoy ourselves. This might sound a little extreme, but I think cycling 2,000km in Alaska is my epitome of adventure travelling.

I’m not denying that there’re days when I asked myself, “why am I doing this?” And there’ve been days when I felt like my body just cant take it anymore; cycling for hours on end, panting like I was hyperventilating, repeatedly telling myself that I dont think I can do it; entertaining thoughts of just abandoning my bike and take a cab home. But when training is finished, and I know that I’ve had the strength, both in body and mind, to complete the distance - that high, it’s addictive.

I believe we’re doing this to discover a stronger sense of self. It’s not so much of proving others wrong, but it’s of proving ourelves wrong. To prove that we can accomplish more than we think we can.

“The worst thing you can do to a person who thrives on a determined spirit is to take away the opportunity.” - Jane Lee, Leader, Singapore Women’s Everst Team

Aiyah, I think, bottom-line, we're all adrenaline junkies.

---- kat

Trip to Northface!

2008-04-01T02:46:00.001+08:00

So we had a little team trip down to the Nortface store in suntec city. They are covering a bulk of our apparel costs so they invited us to do a fitting of the products.

Leong and Bryant with the beanies!

Looking for the warmest, waterproof jacket!

i think we've found what we need!

-Inspiration-

2008-03-27T22:43:00.000+08:00

“Pain is temporary, quitting last forever”, Lance Armstrong.

When the rain is pouring down on us after 3 hours of cycling, it brings with it, the great winds. These winds threaten to blow us off our bikes. But we fight on, only to see yet another uphill. What we cannot see is the end of the climb. Struck with fear, the thought of dismounting lurks deep. At times like these, the strength we need to carry on can only come from the person next to us.

Therein lays the objectives of our adventure.

As a team, we seek to build the fighting spirit that justifies this expedition. 7 hours of cycling a day for 25 days will push our body and spirit to its very limit. It is up to our individual tenacity to keep striving to attain the success we so desire. When we started this mission, we were not cyclist, yet alone sportsmen. But this battle is won in our hearts and minds; the body only serves as a medium. We believe that with an undying spirit and dedicated efforts, we can achieve anything we set our hearts to. This expedition provides the truest test of that.

Our fighting spirit must be built upon the efforts of those around us. Such is the essence of teamwork. ‘Teamwork’ as a term has been used many a times in projects and events throughout SMU. Never before has it meant so much before. The glory of this expedition depends on our ability to function as one cohesive unit.

In fighting the Alaskan terrain, it is absolutely essential for each of us to take turns at fighting the strong head wind while the rest of us draft behind in a single find. To reach such a level of cohesion, we need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each team member.

As we train for this expedition, we should slowly understand our individual strengths. With those strengths, we shall provide leadership to the other team members. The only way up the highest and steepest hill is through the inspiration of the team mate next to you. Through this expedition we will learn to let our individual strengths serve as a beacon of light to the team around us.

For the 25 days to be enjoyable, we must learn the values of tolerance, understanding and sensitivity towards each others individual styles, habits and feelings. Many unnecessary squabbles and conflicts may occur without such values. This could prove very harmful to team dynamics and pose a serious threat to the success of our expedition. Understanding that, we trust The Last Frontier will teach us these three values in the most realistic circumstances

Jasbir

Did u see Jasbir Fly? And did you see the bangla?

2008-03-27T20:37:00.000+08:00

An eventful training we had on the 17th Feb 2008!

A 25.5km cycling time trial at Changi Coastal, which concluded with a bang, literally.

Thanks JiaLi for pointing out that amazing exhibit, which we so enthusiastically looked out for until Jasbir forgot to look out for what was in front of him.

I wonder how it feels to be airborne with your bike, but i wouldnt wanna find out!!

Heres to more safe rides from all of us =)

BLOOD!

Han Yong to the rescue!

2008-03-27T19:48:00.000+08:00

The team blog is up!

Training this Sunday, 6am!