Despite December being well-known for rainy days, the Logistics and Supply Chain Management Society Interest Group (LSCMS IG) still went ahead and organized a Night Cycling on 10 December. About 20 students and 5 staff took part in the event, and were assisted by about 5 other personnel from external organizations, who helped to ensure the safety of all the cyclists.
This is the first time that a SEG Cyriva Club IG has organized a on the road overnight cycling event, covering industrial visits to 2 places. Students were gathered at the loading bay between E2 and E4, where a safety briefing was conducted and bikes, that were delivered from East Coast, were checked for their lights, brakes, gears, and that the cyclists were comfortable and confident with the height of the bikes. As dusk approached, dark clouds also gathered over the notoriously rain-prone region of Woodlands. But all our prayers were answered as the weather held, and after a water parade amidst a few rain drops, the whole contingent was flagged off at 7.45pm, to the horn of 2 safety vehicles accompanying the group.
Our first stop was at Warehouse Logistics Net Asia (WLNA), a logistics service provider that provides chilled and frozen food warehousing and transportation, and their major customer is the Dairy Farm group. We cycled down Woodlands Rd, Bukit Batok Rd, Jurong Town Hall Rd, Boon Lay Way and finally arrived at Quality Rd at about 9.20pm. The highlight of this stop was the live Christmas trees that were brought in by Cold Storage. For many of us, it was the first time that we had seen real Christmas trees, each of which cost about $200 to $300 and can survive for a few months at water temperature of around 5oC. It was also a nice way for us to cool down as we entered the cold room, after having cycled for about 19km.
After WLNA, it was time for SUPPER! Tired limbs were recharged, and growling stomachs were fed, before we cycled down the Ulu Pandan Park Connector, passing by Japanese and Chinese Garden along the way. The students stopped by one of the ponds, and played team bonding games led by the IG main committee members. It was a good way for the IG members to interact and have fun, especially when there was a good mix of Year 2 and Year 3 male and female students, from both DSCM and DIOM.
At about 1am, there were occasional flashes of lightning, and a slight drizzle started. But it was not enough to dampen the spirits of us cyclists, as we neared our second destination, which was at Jurong Fishery Port. The smell of raw fish signalled that we were reaching the port, and we were greeted by another member of the Society who was our tour guide for the night. Seafood were brought in by vessels from other countries such as China and Indonesia, and brought to the hall where the sellers would determine its prices depending on its freshness. Unlike the usual wet markets, all the fishes were being laid out on the floor, and sold by the crates. Most of the customers there were from the wet markets, restaurants, and supermarket chains such as Sheng Siong. While moving around in the hall, the group had to be cautious of its slippery surface and any protruding fish tail, crab claws or squid tentacles into the narrow paths between the different stalls. However, the most important thing to look out for are the impatient stallholders rushing to pull in crates or pushing trolleys of seafood along the narrow walkway. That was especially annoying, especially to have someone shouting at you to get out of his way while admiring the size and variety of seafood at the stalls.
After the visit at around 4am, a bus had been chartered to ferry the students back to RP while the bikes were sent back by another lorry. It was truly a memorable experience for the students, as they bonded and battled the slopes together, with the stronger cyclists urging the weaker ones on, and also gained exposure to other aspects of their studies in terms of the cold and fish supply chain in Singapore. It was also another successful event organized by the IG and marks the end of a fruitful year for the members.