CP2 – Junction of CRT (Catchment Path / Rock Path / Tiup Tiup Path)

BT, ECP, MRT, PIE, BKE, AND ERRR….CRT? 

I won't even try to explain how we figured out from the clue that we had to come here, as I was in a state of complete disorientation for most of the day. Finding directions was solely the job of my angels whereas I was relegated to fulfill tasks I could accomplish - providing the slipstream for my girls and taking orders from behind to make sure I took the right turns… 

Once we got to the car park my angels gave instructions we had to climb Bukit Timah hill to a certain crossing. Having retained some map reading skills from the dark distant 90's when I still drove a car I found the crossing and we all set out to run up the really steep slope, perfectly kitted with our cleat shoes, making everyone else wonder what on earth we were trying to do.

Given it was Sunday morning the run had something of an obstacle race, avoiding children, prams and loads of people. Once at the aforesaid point we had to stand in front of a map and then find something at 180 degrees or something like this. In a fit of confusion and mild incompetence I started to make myself familiar with my angel's compass. Being used to very different models I explained it to myself a few times with varying results before I got the idea that we should just turn around to look behind us. There was a small red sign on the ground, saying something I can't remember, but anyway good enough to grant us permission to the next clue. 

CP3 – T15 under the Flyover

HOLEY MOLEY

The clue for our 3rd checkpoint goes something like, "Unscramble CK1AR5T where the street art 'something something' and the 'something something' heavenly whip". "And we are to count the number of manholes there and call HQ once we find the answer". We managed to unscramble the words to be TRACK 15 and from our 2nd checkpoint 3/4 up Bukit Timah hill, we literally ran all the way down to Hindhede Drive to get our bikes. And believe me, it wasn't easy trying to run down the tarmac road down Bukit Timah hill on our biking shoes with cleats. 

Anyway, while running down, I thought about the street art and the heaven whips and realised that they were referring to the flyover where it's full with graffiti (street art) and the flyover provides a shelter for rain (heavenly whips). Very much encouraged, we grabbed our bikes and rode as fast as we would through Bukit Timah Rd, Dairy Farm Rd, entering via the Mandai trail and rode all the way to Track 15. By this time, the sun is scorching down our backs and the trail to Track 15 doesn't provide much respite from the heat.

While biking there, we can feel the energy sapping from the team but we kept on because it's only our 3rd checkpoint. And on our way there, Ling complained about her seat being too low and Rina needed a toilet break. Being the mother hen that I am, I told her to hold it until we reach the 3rd checkpoint (how reasonable can I get?) so that we don't waste any time catering to our nature calls. But as Ling was suffering pretty badly from her 'too low' seat, we stopped to let her adjust it and then we're on our way. When we finally reach there, we were pretty beat and thirsty and realised that we're running pretty much out of water. Rina finally went for her toilet break (somewhere in the bushes) while the 3 of us searched for the manholes that we're supposed to count. 

When we realised that the manholes stretched a long way, Olaf and Ling both started in the middle and each took one end of each side and started counting the manholes while I sat there to listen to them yell their answers to me so that I can sum the 2 up and call HQ. And the total number counted was 32 (I think) and lo and behold, we got it right the first time round. 

So we were given the next clue which said, " the other entrance to Bukit Timah trail where boys and gals play NBA". We sat there for a while and figured it's either from Rifle Range or from Chestnut Drive. And since for the life of us can't remember any basketball court at Rifle Range, we figured it must the the latter then. And Ling thought it would be the basketball court at Bukit Panjang (near Zhenghua Park) and thus off we go from T15 to Zhenghua Park once again. We passed by the basketball court but couldn't see any marshalls there so assumed that's the wrong basketball court then. 

We then looked at the map of Zhenghua Park and saw that there is a school along Zhenhua Park (Greenville or something like that) so we headed in that direction (away from Bukit Timah). When we finally reached Greenville Secondary, we saw that it was like a ghost town with the school gates firmly locked. Guess at that point of time, we were pretty tired and frustrated and decided to incur that 5 mins penalty and call HQ for more clues. And we were told to go to Rifle Range instead.