Sam Sahara and Hazel Wong
Think Like A Fish
Sam Sahara:
Hello there, Heii… My name is Sam. I’m 60 years old. I’m a resident of Yishun, this is my life legacy. I grew up at a village in Lim Chu Kang. Life is normal for a kid at that time until my dad bought me a bike. As I remember, that time I was only 14 years old. It was a surprise gift that I didn’t expect. As time went by, I started modifying and changing parts of the bike here and there. My dad was furious at what I did to the bike, as a growing kid I was stubborn even how hard my dad said not to. And from there, I began to start learning wheelies, hopping, and other stuff. Part of learning this kind of biking will get you hurt, for me, I got hurt many many times. And then I started imitating those guys on TV, made a ramp, and started jumping with my bike almost every day. Until one day, I broke my bike and hurt myself badly. But it didn’t end there after I recovered from the injury. I started working at the age of 16 and began a new chapter on a new bike.
It was in late 1981, I bought myself a new bike, a normal but again I started to modify and changing parts. But this time much more different from the previous years. It’s the year of manual or so-called wheelie. Then, I started to go out of my comfort zone and made new friends and mixed with some good and so not-so-good company that landed me into lots of trouble at that time. In 1983, our whole village was relocated to Jurong West to our family’s new home but by then I’d already stopped bike riding but it didn’t go so well at all when I had an accident riding with my friends. I broke my ankle and cracked my facial bone and wrist. I totally stopped everything from biking and cycling.
Until one day, I met a 50 year old Chinese man fishing at Jurong Lake, now known as Lakeside. To my surprise, we became great friends, even to his family. They were good people and from there he started teaching me about how to fish freshwater such as haruan, toman and other freshwater fish from that day onwards and 5 years later.
As years passed, I was hooked on fishing for a very long time especially freshwater fishing and I forgot all about biking. The years went by so fast. By then I’m married to my lovely wife Hanis and had our own home at Woodlands. But still, I have the love for fishing and biking, the commitment to my family comes first. Still I went fishing once in a while with my friends or alone. It’s the year 2000, year of 21st century.
The year 2001, we decided to move out and sold our flat at Woodlands because my kids didn’t get a school in Woodlands area because they were already full. The selling of our flat provided us with some extra cash after we renovated our new home. And with that, I decided to get a new bike but it is different from what I expected. It’s a new era of biking for me, Dunhill biking. And this is the important turning point in my life. To shorten my story with the new bike, I had a lot of ideas in my head. Within a few weeks of having the bike, I started looking for places to make a dirt jump and I found the perfect place, Gambas Sembawang.
Gambas dirt is the first dirt jump that I first built with the help from a few friends. But within a few months, a lot of BMX riders came in to help build the place, and also we had support from Jelutung CC to provide us with helmets and mineral water whenever there was training. From there I started mentoring and guiding new riders, Malay, Chinese, and Indian, and I managed to mentor lots of young and old riders. And some of them have already become legends till this day, someone like Chee Keong, Rahman BMX, and a few more.
Within 4 years, Gambas Dirt was closed down due to Land Development. I stopped biking for more than a few years. In 2011, I started building again and a new Dirt Jump which is known as Northwoods Empire. It’s a downhill bike but lasted few years. But I am not going to give up! I found a new place which is suitable for my kind of style, freeride downhill. To cut short, I am still mentoring new riders to this very day. I have 30 over newbie riders and growing, Most of them are in their 30s and above. I just wish we can keep this place for 4 to 5 years to come. DO support our love of biking. We need Nee Soon South Community Centre to have a proper track or place for me and my rider so we can continue to play dirt jump and to show my riders’ talent. This is My Legacy.
Hazel Wong:
Hello Sam! I am Hazel and just like you, I also live in Yishun. I am 20 years old and Yishun has been my home since I was born. I am also an outdoor enthusiast and I especially love watersports. I swim, kayak, and work as a lifeguard too! Through my secondary school CCA, which was NPCC, I also learnt many outdoor survival skills. I did pick up cycling too but have never tried the cool stunts you did, it must have been really fun!
I think your hobbies are really interesting and I can pick up a skill or 2 from you! Having lived near a reservoir with a fishing area all my life, I enjoy stopping by once in a while to watch others fish. The elegance of casting the rod, the patience while waiting for a good catch, and the strength displayed to reel a fish in--it is surely a sight! Recently, I have also learnt a lot about the skills and techniques needed for fishing from my lessons in school, and I hope to put the theory to good use and learn from the best (like you)!
I am also inspired by your courage and strength to pursue your hobbies despite working and taking care of your family, Often, we tend to forget what we love when we are so busy with life and we get burnt out! However, you have shown that it is possible to balance between work and life. You have shown us that we can always enjoy the little things in life and chase our passion amongst the busyness of life.
I often think about what leaving a legacy means. I used to think that legacy means your name will live on forever, but as I grow up, I realised the real impact of legacy is to leave something for the future generation to learn and carry on. You do not need money to leave a legacy, it is the heart-work and passion that will leave a lasting mark in this world. This is exactly what you have done, channelling your passion to mentor future cyclists and touch the lives of others.
As I enter adulthood soon, I know the future is uncertain. However, I am excited for what my future holds. I may not be in control of everything, but everything that I can make a difference in, I will give it a try. When I look back on my life, I want to live a life of meaning like you. I want to take care of the people around me and the ones that I love dearly. I want to pass on the skills and knowledge imparted to me. Most importantly, I do not want to simply exist in this world, I want to live it and experience all that life has got to offer!
