Putrajaya fun ride part 2

Michelle at the lakeside

At the final lap

Cruising in Putrajaya on a 16" folding bike

We survived!

There were two stages in the ride.

First was to Taman Wawasan where there is a short incline. 

This proved to be a thigh buster as my legs couldn't take it. 

I pushed my Dahon Speed P8 while the son of a Dahon owner Zakaria was pushing his Curve D3, one of two 16-incher taking part in the ride.

Michelle rode all the way up to the staging point and her achievements were remarkable.

I managed to regroup with the GT girls and Ignatius, a fellow Dahon Speed P8 owner whom I got to know at the Dahon On-line community through the rider forums. 

He too was fit as a bull as he charged the hill with his Speed P8. Ignatius told me that the Schwalbe Big Apple tires were pretty nippy and climbing was effortless.

From Taman Wawasan, we continued towards the busier part of Putrajaya. 

Traffic was already heavy at the time but there were traffic cops in their high-powered bikes to clear a path. 

This came as an advantage for the riders as motorists are truly disrespectful of cyclists.

During the pre-ride briefing, we were told of another climb near the Deputy Prime Minister's residence.

I made it three-quarter way and when my legs gave up, I got off the bike and pushed. 

Michelle made it all the way with her three-speed foldie. She was the woman of the hour. 

The marshalls gathered all the riders at the peak of this hill and as the traffic cops had cleared a path, we rode past the Prime Minister's office and headed towards Precinct 2.

At this point, we reached the last stage of our ride and it took about two hours to reach the finish line.

The fun ride took us around certain parts of Putrajaya in a 18-km loop. 

I have plenty of praise for the ride organizers as the event was well-planned. 

There were ample space to ride, safety marshalls were always there.

Best part was this: its free and we were treated to breakfast, a dessert break and lunch including a lucky draw with some cool prizes.

Unfortunately, Michelle and I didn't win anything, but riding with the GT girls and our fellow Dahon cyclists proved to be an unforgettable experience.