Events

SNS May 28 : Buona Vista MRT to Ulu Pandan Park Connector

Date : 28 May Saturday
Time : 8pm
Meeting Point : Bouna Vista MRT, near to transit link office at the basement (or the place where you would normaly wait for shuttle bus to NUH)
Estimated Distance : 5.9 Km (one way)
Estimated time: 2 hours.
Important : Bring your torchlights!
Difficulty : Beginers to Advanced (kerbs, road crossings, off-track movement)

Route Description : (by ICP instructor Faussi Lamiran)
Round loop from Buona Vista MRT to Ulu Pandan Park Connector & back.

From Buona Vista MRT, we will start moving towards the small road used normally by NUH Shuttle bus to cross Commonwealth Ave West via a nearby pedestrian crossing. After the crossing we will reach to the
mouth of ulu pandan park connector. From here on, it will be an easy skate along the sungei pandan, parallel to the East-West MRT Line. The park connector will end near to the junction of Clementi Rd and Ulu Pandan Rd. We will then cross Clementi Road to the opposite park connector.

Another easy skate along the smooth park connector (dist abt 2.2km), just watch out for the slope at the
entrance of each park connector, it can be quite steep, but a fun ride. We will skate pass an overhead footpath bridge, clementi ave 6, East West MRT Line all the way to the end of the park connector, which is just nearby to the AYE.

But wait......

There is another park connector accross the Sungei Pandan, and if you look closely, there is an abandoned metal railway. This railway is used by local people to go from one park to the opposite park. If you think that we are going to cross via the metal railway, Yesss... You are 100% right.

We will go off track to the grass patch and make our way for the railway. The area here is not lit, so make sure you bring your torchlight(s) along!!

(optional)
For beginner skaters, can choose to follow the route back to Buona Vista MRT.

After the railway, we will reach another park connector that connect jurong east and bukit batok. After a quick break, we will skate along this 2000m long park connector till we reach Commonwealth Ave
West. This would be our turning point.

Danger Point :
Crossing of metal railway near to AYE. Please bring along your torchlight as the area is not
lit. There are a few big steps leading to the railway and people who uncomfortable with heights, might not be able to cross over. Try not to carry loose items, like wallet, phones in your pocket as they might drop
onto the lake below.

Don't forget to see the General Safety Advisory for Saturday Night Skate here:

Skate The World! : Skateline SkateTours

Imagine skating round the West lake in autumn Hangzhou. Breathe in the fragrance of the Osmenthus, the national flower of Hangzhou while taking in the historical sights. Or escape the tropical heat wave to skate along the Swan River in absolutely COOL Perth weather.

Join the debut 5-day skatetour to Perth, Australia from 11 to 15 June! Skate scenic routes along the Swan River or Waterfalls, Vineyards, Animal Farms, and Lakes in the Chittering Valley. Skate everyday with shopping and good Australian Barbies (BBQ) thrown in.

Limited vacancies, for more information, email geraldine@skateline.com.sg before 9 May.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: 11 June
Arrival Perth at night. Coach pick up for transfer to check in hotel in the city.

Day 2: 12 June
After breakfast, proceed to Fremantle city. Visit Fremantle Monument Hill,  Fremantle Town Hall, Round House and  Fremantle Weekend market. After lunch in Fremantle, enjoy skating from City Beach to Scarborough beach ( 5Km) and on to Hillary's Marina (10 Km) (Total 15 Km) before coach pick up for transfer to Orchard Glory farm for 2 night stay. Upon arrival and check in at the farm, 
embark on farm activities such as farm tour and vineyard tour.  Dinner at the farm. (B/L/D)    

Day 3 : 13 June
After breakfast, proceed to Skating Park in Bindoon near the farm. Alternatively, optional tours(own expense) are available to Gravity Discovery Centre or Southern Cross Cosmos Centre or visit New Norcia, a Monastic town founded in 1846. Return to farm for lunch and thereafter, group can continue farm activities such as fruit  picking and tasting, fishing and animals feeding. Just before dinner, enjoy story telling on aborigines life and culture. You can try your hand on the boomerang throwing and blow the Digeridoo.(Self cook B/L/D) 

Day 4 : 14 June
After breakfast, check out of farm and bid farewell to the farm hosts. Return to Perth for hotel check in . Thereafter to riverside for scenic skating (Option of 10 Km/20Km skate). After lunch (own expense), free at your own leisure to do shopping in the city shopping mall. (Self-cook B/D)   Or MORE skating around Burswood &/ or East  Perth

Day 5 : 15 June
After breakfast and check out of hotel, proceed for Perth city tour. Visit Kings Park ,Lake Monger and drive pass Bell Tower. Skate  from foot 
of Kings Park @ Mounts Bay Road, pass the old Swan Brewery and back to Narrows Bridge.
After lunch(own expense),
continue your shopping until airport transfer for departure. (B)
 

SNS 2005 April 30 Sembawang Park : Report

(see previous story SNS 2005 April : Sembawang Park)

Big Slopes! Thats what the theme of the April night skate was all about. And we got them. Tucked away in the quiet pre-war estate, fringed by Canberra Road, West Admiralty Road and Sembawang Road are some of the most skate-able (and safest) slopes on the island.

Guides gathered skaters outside the MRT Station

Intermediate and advanced skaters meant the group was tight and swift, road crossings were a breeze.

The skaters who attended were indeed confident skaters who didn't need alot of help, except safety during road crossings. This night skate was guided by a good number of Skate Assist Volunteers (SAV) and Skateline instructors.

It was a pleasant skate from Sembawang MRT station to Sembawang Park itself. Along the way skaters enjoyed the first long gentle gradients down Sembawang Road. Also following the skaters was a reporter and camera crew from Channel U which was reporting on the event.

On reaching Sembawang park, skaters took a free-and-easy skate on the wide tracks inside.

While the skaters went their rounds, Channel U got down to interviewing some of the skaters. Channel U is expected to air the coverage in a sports section of the 11pm Channel U News on Sat May 7.

After Sembawang Park, we wasted no time getting to the wide tracks and big slopes in the estate. Vehicle tracks looped around the old bungalows and 3 or 4 storey houses. The tracks were so wide skaters can dive the slopes shoulder to shoulder. The biggest slope was on Ottawa Road, which runs for about 200m at the edge of the estate, there's a sharp bend at the bottom which curves right to Bermuda road. Bermuda road leads up again to the top of the Ottawa road slope.

Downslope Videos (.avi Apple QuickTime format):

Ottawa Slope 1 (5.5 Mb)
Ottawa Slope 2 (3 Mb)
Wide Winding Tracks (6.7 Mb)
if you don't have QuickTime, download it free here

Hair pin bend at the bottom of the Ottawa Road slope. The high speed bend makes it necessary to use lunge turns.

After these exhilarating downhill runs, we made for the exit point to Montreal drive back to Sembawang MRT station.

Satisfied Skaters!

Guides pose for a finishing picture. See you again at the next night skate!

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