New Bike Adventures - 'New' Playground Near 85

With the new bike we are now able to travel further. I've sighted a number of playgrounds around the neighbourhood as I drove past previously and wanted to share the fun of new play areas with OO.

We are at a playground near 85 today. Although it's meant for older kids with many poles are climbing, OO seemed to be having more fun than the normal 'safe' playgrounds. We have named this the Orange Playground.

A Baby Seat For The Bike

Meimei was apprehensive about getting the child seat for the bike. But a few days ago we saw a dad with two kids riding past us. One was on his own children bike and the younger was seated behind the dad. It looked like great fun. When we got home Meimei ok-ed the seat, Woot!

I rode to Decathlon again to fix up the seat. This time they had in stock the type that mounts on a rack rather than the bouncy variant that mounts on 2 steel bars against the bike frame.

Naturally I couldn't resist bringing OO out for a spin. I think she was more excited than I was getting onto the bike. I think we are going to have many more adventures together now that I can ride us to further destinations. Hehehe.

My Own Bike

I've been an oBike rider the last couple of months. Well a rider when I can find one near our block, which happens to be about 1 in 4 attempts thereabouts. Its irritates me that I couldn't find a bike and have to walk to the supermarket or mall on foot. What's the point of putting down a $49 deposit and having to pay $0.50 for each rider (when there isn't a promo) if I cannot find one to use in the first place.

I've been to Decathlon outlet at Chai Chee to survey the bikes a fortnight ago. They are not cheap but still affordable at $200-300. Plus having my own bike means I can mount a child seat to ferry OO around too. So after weeks of deliberation, I finally took the plunge.

Ironically, I rode an oBike from home to the outlet. There was no way I could fit the bike into the van and I wasn't gonna spend extra for delivery. So after abandoning the oBike for the last time at a proper parking area, I bought my own bike and rode it home the same night. I didn't get the child seat eventually. I wanted to try out the bike and get a better feel of its usage before fixing on a seat.

As I rode it home, the scenes of youth came back to me. I used to ride everyday during my primary school days. I was very proficient in riding ... so much so that I could ride without holding onto the handles and tilt my body weight to turn the bicycle. I can't do the same yet but just riding a bike now reminded me of how much I missed. The light breeze coming against the face, the sense of freedom and mobility, the chance to explore distance locations. Ahhh I love to ride.

Free U-Lock

I was at the basketball court with OO yesterday evening to try out her new bicycle when a policeman, in shorts (who says they only wear that in the 60s) approach us. I didn't know what he was up to till I saw the U-lock he was carrying a. I vaguely heard from somewhere that the police were giving out such locks last year.

He asked if OO was my kid and offered us the U-lock. I started chatting with him about the rate of bicycle thefts and he advised that it's pretty high for our area. I told him I was thinking of getting a bike myself soon and wondered if he could give me another U-lock. He didn't have another but promised to come again tomorrow with one.

And true enough, when I came home today it was there on the table. Mama said a policeman had came earlier to our unit to hand it to us. Thanks Mr Policeman! And kudos to the police for this initiative. Now I just need to get the bike to put this into good use hahaha.