Biking 02: Putrajaya 1st Dragon Boat Festival

i was itching the whole week for another road trip. and so when I learned that the 1st Putrajaya Dragon boat festival will be held over the weekend at Putrajaya Water Sports Complex, i immediately started plans on making the trip. here's where the folding bike comes really handy.. my itinerary will include a train ride from KL Sentral to Putrajaya via KLIA transit(ERL). with a regular bike, taking a train is almost automatically out of the option not unless you are willing to disassemble/reassemble your bike. thanks to to whoever designed folding bikes hehehe

Part 1 - the travel itinerary
destination: Putrajaya Water Sports Complex
distance: house to KL Sentral terminal (6.5km)
Putrajaya ERL station to Water Sports Complex (9km)
6:00am
wake up and take a quick bfast
6:50am
rolled my bike going to KL sentral. it is very familiar to me now as i am using the same route going to brickfields where i play basketball every weekends.
7:15am
reached KL Sentral, no sweat hehehe. before the trip, i researched online about ERL route. it is said there are 2 train services. KLIA Express which goes directly to KL International Airport and the other one is KLIA Transit which stops at 3 other stations including Putrajaya/Cyberjaya. bought a roundtrip ticket for 19RM. i was a bit worried on how they would react to me carrying a folded bike. the lady at the counter was polite enough to explain to me that the bike would have to go to the baggage compartment. oki, no problem as long as it reach there in one piece but as i was about to go inside, the manager on duty told me i can carry it with me on the coach as long as i seat at the back portion of the train. wooohooo!
7:35am
i asked directions where the platform for KLIA Transit was and the guard gave me directions. just head down using the escalator. after waiting for 5 mins, the train arrived. but oops, the logo says KLIA EXPRESS.. wtf! did i not make myself clear. hmnn confused i asked the other passengers and they said this particular train goes directly non-stop to KLIA. i left my bike in one corner, raced upstairs to ask the guard which train stops at Putrajaya, and in broken in english he managed to say it is the same train. (wait a minute)... digital clock says train will leave in 5 minutes. thinking that i have a roundtrip ticket anyway, i bit the bullet and got in. found a portion for luggage and sat next to my bike. a Malay guy in his 40s sat next to me, and since i was a bit doubtful, i asked him again. same answer - the train goes to KLIA non-stop. huhu!!! train leaves in 2 minutes. hauled my bike in one hand and got off. then luckily a porter came to collect the trolleys. i asked immediately if the train will stop at Putrajaya and in very good english heanswered "KLIA Express and KLIA Transit are now combined service". train leaves in 1 minute.. raced back in and found the same seat still vacant. talk about buzzer beater.(sigh) here's my bike sitting in one corner
another view of my bike folded together with the luggage
7:41am
train left the station, stopping at Bandar Tasik Selatan and in exactly 23 minutes, i was in Putrajaya. rolled my bike outside, unfolded and i was ready to go. i took out my Putrajaya map which i bought the day before and oriented myself for my general direction. how i wish i can have the Garmin Edge 705(drooling) it will surely make travelling a LOT easier. oh well...

Part 2 - biking in Putrajaya
biking in putrajaya on a sunday morning is very easy. i almost have the road to myself. with the exception of maintenance guys watering the plants at the roadside. checking my route, i will be passing 3 bridges(Putrajaya id known for its world class structures and bridges). first stop is the ship looking, cable-suspended Seri Wawasan bridge

along the way i stopped at to take pic of this building(need to read what is this building)
next stop is the Seri Saujana bridge which has parabolic arcs to support the structure.
third bridge is the Seri Gemilang which leads to Putrajaya Convention Center

Part 3 - Dragon Boat race
as i was biking towards the Water Sports Complex, i was already hearing drums beating. today is the final race day and i was immediately excited.
it was my first time to see a dragon boat race in actual and i only knew bits of info about this race.. boat is almost similar to a canoe with heads and tails designed as a dragon.
normally the team is composed of a drum beater
paddlers sitting side by side
and a steerer
i just mixed with the crowd and snapped some photos. this the water sports complex stadium
this tower looks suspended in the air! a team from Macau doing stretching excercise..
not only physical preparations, mental training is very important in this sport specially in final stretches where you need to be mentally tough and focused to go faster albeit being tired. if in car races there is Nitro to boost your speed in the last 50 mters or so(fast and the furious?), in dragon boat race there is also an equivalent. this team from singapore is visualizing the race from start up to finish.
i can hear their coach instructing them to imagine they are on the final 100m - body tired but the race is close and everyone must push harder... harder paddling, not faster.. that's the key!

dragon boat race is almost similar to car drag racing (at least the events that i watched). the teams will paddle to the starting lane. around 500meters away. the finish line is located near the stands to give more drama. this team is paddling on the way to the starting line

upon reaching the final 100 meters, the drum beats will grow faster and faster with the paddlers pushing harder up to finish line. you have to be there to really feel the adrenaline rush (even while watching!). look at the following sequence, the boat at the bottom will overtake and will finish first place in this race.



it was really fun watching. too bad it is too hazy so i only got few clear shots. not to mentioned my kitlens will only zoom to 135mm =(

Part 4 - me and my bike

for this trip i bought my tripod hehehe i would never want to be left out in the photos. (kahit nakakapagod mag setup just for a few snaps)

first pose @ Seri Wawasan Bridge
nicebackground eh?

Putrajaya has bike lanes! hehehe.. but i prefer to use the road, wala naman masyado sasakyan elook no hands driving ^_^

for my lunch, i bought a 2 piece KFC chicken from rolling KFC-on-the-go and biked further from the race area. i found this quiet spot and enjoyed my lunch.
again a very nice trip.. looking forward to the next one already!
total distance: approx 40km
expenses: 19RM - ERL roundtrip, 9RM - KFC lunch, 1.80RM - 100Plus