tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45226774804157589782024-03-05T21:06:09.969+05:30PhotoblogMy charted territory of trips n adventures. :-)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-13318168976446476872018-12-30T02:42:00.000+05:302018-12-30T02:42:26.952+05:30Corolla - DIY - Resolving Fog lamp issues.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just some knowledge share on the recent attempt to repair the corolla fog lights. A new project about 4-5 months ago, when I placed an order for LED lights. The plan was to replace the indicators (on the front, rear and the sides) the tail light bulbs, interior dome and map lights and rear center high mount stop lamp just behind the rear window. In an attempt to swap out the fog lights with an LED, I ended up causing a functioning fog lamps to work. Upon checking the fuse box in the engine bay, there was nothing mentioned about a fog light and this got me worried as I was suspecting the relay. The bulb checked out OK. Re-seated all fuses in the box after checking each one. To gain access to the fog-light assembly, you need to steer the wheel towards the engine (inward)so you can then access the wheel guard and remove the plastic tabs there should be 2-4 and once removed, you should then be able to remove 3-4 more plastic Right behind the bumper where there is a plastic plate in sections that guard engine from gravel and dirt. Removing only the section directly underneath should be good enough to gain access to the fog lamp. There is a metal retainer that secures the bulb against the holder. So you'll have to push it in slide it out to release the clip (similar in operation of a safety pin).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If the bulb looks good, check the holder and if that looks good, you may try to swap the bulbs between the left and right. If you are good with multimeter, you might just be able to further isolate any wiring issues to verify if the issue is between the switch and relay or past the relay in case the fuse and bulbs are good. My case was just a blown fuse but since I had to access a hidden fuse box, I decided to pen down my experience and hope it helps other Corolla owners. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Points of failure:</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. The fuse (This could be in the fuse box located on the right side of the engine, between the suspension mount and the headlight, by the engine bay or the secret fuse box hidden behind glove box, passenger seat.) Checking fuses is going to be the easiest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Bulb. Look for any signs of damage to the filament in the bulb. A brown/black discoloration, burnt / filament.) If only one side is impacted, then is may likely be the bulb. If both aren't working then it could be the fuse, relay, wiring (this could be the worst) and needs a proper auto-electrician to fix, better yet, take it to Toyota if you've not got a local reliable electrician. By reliable I mean a mechanic prepared to understand and resolve rather than suggest a replacement of parts. An incident from the days I owned the Ford Ikon, the wiper stopped working and after running some basic checks I couldn't find the fault and I managed to find an guy who didn't just remove the motor to inspect but disassembled the same find the fault with just a single wire that was cut due to rodent infestation, and he proactively replaced a couple of gears as we noticed a wear on them and promptly fixed it. He even told me the parts were probably worth just 10-20 rupees and basically salvaged from another motor, however, the cost of repair was only for his efforts. Had it been the manufacturer I'm quite sure, they would've suggested the wiper motor replacement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Wiring. Physical inspection and verify if there is any signs of burns or if you notice any exposed wires. If one doesn't mess with the car's wiring I bet it should last you a long time (lifetime of either you or the car) :). When the modifications need cutting/splicing of internal wiring for component upgrades or accessory installs, this changes the circuitry and you may / may not face issues right way but sooner or later, you start seeing faults against various components and they are likely to be related to wiring mods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Relay. I couldn't spot an relay around the fuse box but I'm sure that's a treasure hunt for another day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. The fog light switch would be the component I would suspect last. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glove box removed </span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ffjt1XL3kDf58BQHwxaz3hvcPJcwbGwATuyb0gCs0mFor-GBHNp2zWPJdqLfKrznDJg-uZyCwWlz3ovZsXf3snx_vP9hKxbuTvOUXezM33-7-4n-s2uLk8WLN-Y_Lr-N_Qa4MqYEF84/s1600/Front.passenger.glove.box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ffjt1XL3kDf58BQHwxaz3hvcPJcwbGwATuyb0gCs0mFor-GBHNp2zWPJdqLfKrznDJg-uZyCwWlz3ovZsXf3snx_vP9hKxbuTvOUXezM33-7-4n-s2uLk8WLN-Y_Lr-N_Qa4MqYEF84/s400/Front.passenger.glove.box.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are two tabs on left and right. Push both sides of the compartment inward which should then release the glove box free. </span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJyo6-xZa5rttex9USNGJLrgQ4crS7y1maPsp-9NYGK7QfpBSGQcw2Ffboouok6MH5COJLpcBjdZmokXDPM16eStISswqokbPDv0g8NhvnSZPeyjiksFOzxHh3RrOs0KXQT9tTM6ElUs/s1600/Plastic.notch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="432" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJyo6-xZa5rttex9USNGJLrgQ4crS7y1maPsp-9NYGK7QfpBSGQcw2Ffboouok6MH5COJLpcBjdZmokXDPM16eStISswqokbPDv0g8NhvnSZPeyjiksFOzxHh3RrOs0KXQT9tTM6ElUs/s400/Plastic.notch.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plastic tab released</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLodZhTN_-0Qq2lbAjN22YBJVvkuhecffnRdL28CDuPvgATFRebFoAQHVcUEUJCn_HADCGfWdePJypKd9RzbZFblwpv-h7xZgAtsuVRei6cE6eieWmi2WGc5UcMJUcaVMdTlf7FRiyqdY/s1600/Plastic.notch.ready.to.remove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="432" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLodZhTN_-0Qq2lbAjN22YBJVvkuhecffnRdL28CDuPvgATFRebFoAQHVcUEUJCn_HADCGfWdePJypKd9RzbZFblwpv-h7xZgAtsuVRei6cE6eieWmi2WGc5UcMJUcaVMdTlf7FRiyqdY/s400/Plastic.notch.ready.to.remove.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The hidden fuse box behind the glove box</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQw7GBU4WbohhGe4oWmrBuuIpTDDrmEMtvgVhyllOvPlO1pByCmKG3dEsSBrwirtUcY0CfyVLBEYPsBYUzlQFPqEnoAp8Hlsi-BqcdmE3A-5wwSF0RuzvnApWoSuYmxJnFEv2ifjUR7g/s1600/Open.glove.box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQw7GBU4WbohhGe4oWmrBuuIpTDDrmEMtvgVhyllOvPlO1pByCmKG3dEsSBrwirtUcY0CfyVLBEYPsBYUzlQFPqEnoAp8Hlsi-BqcdmE3A-5wwSF0RuzvnApWoSuYmxJnFEv2ifjUR7g/s400/Open.glove.box.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fuse map</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbP7IWIoW2pHkgx_lGyhEaDIVMbDWuD4PIUI8Cf6GPGTWUXDxipCLY-MlPXHlSfCVZNW76b01ZEE8_hJAlm5Zt2ZLEobS_qT4eJSxMzQekWxvySnUcUYh3E_f6krc6PNDYuq5EAMYTc7o/s1600/Fuse.box.behind.glovebox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbP7IWIoW2pHkgx_lGyhEaDIVMbDWuD4PIUI8Cf6GPGTWUXDxipCLY-MlPXHlSfCVZNW76b01ZEE8_hJAlm5Zt2ZLEobS_qT4eJSxMzQekWxvySnUcUYh3E_f6krc6PNDYuq5EAMYTc7o/s400/Fuse.box.behind.glovebox.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The culprit. Blown 15A fuse.</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSokdjs8XkO-oRBw2GXXFPU1YU_ZqkM0kK2Kcfub1v4sbE0r4ynGB_dUbXwhkNUB6yS4jDdIIkKzWp9O5mqjVzPB_ZIER1hBk5EoywLMfCnhjSrDMRwkdUA_ytkqbvUlA6tpHb4GvB7g/s1600/Blown.Fog.Fuse.15A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="432" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSokdjs8XkO-oRBw2GXXFPU1YU_ZqkM0kK2Kcfub1v4sbE0r4ynGB_dUbXwhkNUB6yS4jDdIIkKzWp9O5mqjVzPB_ZIER1hBk5EoywLMfCnhjSrDMRwkdUA_ytkqbvUlA6tpHb4GvB7g/s400/Blown.Fog.Fuse.15A.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fuse box in engine bay on a 2003 Corolla</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKrQ2pBnuMwW2qchF5b3-Z5PkpRQUqlKYH4PiKwE-4S4EblMquTW6Zn8O-jN3O9YQsO9H9bRLuARqzYjBlNdgK4uqclvMgqWclh82F7z-As2PHV9jIFBDqk9QSp0iT5v9Y5dixkBzPds/s1600/Fuse.Box.Engine.bay.2003.Corolla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKrQ2pBnuMwW2qchF5b3-Z5PkpRQUqlKYH4PiKwE-4S4EblMquTW6Zn8O-jN3O9YQsO9H9bRLuARqzYjBlNdgK4uqclvMgqWclh82F7z-As2PHV9jIFBDqk9QSp0iT5v9Y5dixkBzPds/s400/Fuse.Box.Engine.bay.2003.Corolla.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fuse box in engine bay on a 2006 Corolla</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRnKMJ8_zPMaiY2_uPt2JIRQw7vqDnJ5k0cmpXoAVP3k303ARuujsHtoP5cq1oIBHwQ5m5BdC60vAesKmkVg67MvNygbyRkuE8ONq8mIAohVCGvijVKEp_yCDZMJnjqrlaQ9ElzKMWbc/s1600/Fuse.box.engine.bay.2006.Corolla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="780" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRnKMJ8_zPMaiY2_uPt2JIRQw7vqDnJ5k0cmpXoAVP3k303ARuujsHtoP5cq1oIBHwQ5m5BdC60vAesKmkVg67MvNygbyRkuE8ONq8mIAohVCGvijVKEp_yCDZMJnjqrlaQ9ElzKMWbc/s400/Fuse.box.engine.bay.2006.Corolla.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-55476742142588861642018-07-08T14:25:00.003+05:302018-07-08T15:17:08.714+05:30Honda Unicorn CB150 - Replacing the rear tail light bulb <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">DIY repairs for most of the time and crazy as it may sound, this one gave me a hard time. Once you know how the assembly is put together and where the notches are that hold it in place, its a piece of cake. On the Bajaj Boxer, it was pretty straightforward. Couple of screws to remove and the cover comes right off. However, not the case with Honda. So just outlining a few steps that are needed:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Remove the two philips screws on the tail light assembly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Take off the seat as you normally would to access the toolbox/storage bin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Remove the two bolts. Either using a star screwdriver or a box spanner (5/16). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFTPyTPNnCd6GhG2LhyZJkgc6Z-TOYxqKM2_dfc5wmM-LVdbgK0NcyB_rOXWYrRmCXvlKekeUpQk-c3yqXZat6o33_YF7fd1hB8cN0CplJ2JTyPYfgDJkulZBqpcYgZr5cKxVqxWsqFM/s1600/20180708_122446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFTPyTPNnCd6GhG2LhyZJkgc6Z-TOYxqKM2_dfc5wmM-LVdbgK0NcyB_rOXWYrRmCXvlKekeUpQk-c3yqXZat6o33_YF7fd1hB8cN0CplJ2JTyPYfgDJkulZBqpcYgZr5cKxVqxWsqFM/s400/20180708_122446.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Slide the tiny plastic panel outward and away from the seat a little. This should release the locking tabs and then you should be able to lift it out. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZriTu3l-ly83BLd0EleS1UpZT2TqNiYbXR9dAJyYxQrZgEMJbrW7C48hpCYpSlc4wnp1vM2wa0WdwjdyoSJ1XBdimJgR22oBq8AYl37TqfFUF1u7IU6uTitGL36Pfyeof64YlSl-t7E/s1600/20180708_133556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZriTu3l-ly83BLd0EleS1UpZT2TqNiYbXR9dAJyYxQrZgEMJbrW7C48hpCYpSlc4wnp1vM2wa0WdwjdyoSJ1XBdimJgR22oBq8AYl37TqfFUF1u7IU6uTitGL36Pfyeof64YlSl-t7E/s400/20180708_133556.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pAat2N79VYNml3r47WruhVi5TMI6OPLX6dHT8hnqjs8DvDMST4LcD4d4cMqzdiqto-Kq_HfyhSd65lA4ptqIOmQ2zc4p9DIZjK4ckZmV8LYogPKUgeXm0mFSmQ7YkF3RCFE1ZtqXCPM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pAat2N79VYNml3r47WruhVi5TMI6OPLX6dHT8hnqjs8DvDMST4LcD4d4cMqzdiqto-Kq_HfyhSd65lA4ptqIOmQ2zc4p9DIZjK4ckZmV8LYogPKUgeXm0mFSmQ7YkF3RCFE1ZtqXCPM/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSpRqMBr_eKxmbYh9Jlg7J8CYDvUZmDNoaOBrsFb7J1XTIuwT-x1IuY4U03Y5JVwMvScvY_tDzjjfs_TOoAh1YdkS5OSDRBvf24i5FLlDk1NuF1NBrf6jrg9eL0tEK4VRBFqpe0cQEJw/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivSpRqMBr_eKxmbYh9Jlg7J8CYDvUZmDNoaOBrsFb7J1XTIuwT-x1IuY4U03Y5JVwMvScvY_tDzjjfs_TOoAh1YdkS5OSDRBvf24i5FLlDk1NuF1NBrf6jrg9eL0tEK4VRBFqpe0cQEJw/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIjvi2n2JxtHNkRzSsN-BLoZR_BuK5GjDicQZads6TOWs8uwfvwDMCVrjZ7w5zplbHqp1ao6Scx7IcrwBAGdYwjHjZ6Xsu5RLKutoqR80yzbUnVr7XpLpg_eKfoVfaFJ8AQzXa6q5We4/s1600/20180708_122554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIjvi2n2JxtHNkRzSsN-BLoZR_BuK5GjDicQZads6TOWs8uwfvwDMCVrjZ7w5zplbHqp1ao6Scx7IcrwBAGdYwjHjZ6Xsu5RLKutoqR80yzbUnVr7XpLpg_eKfoVfaFJ8AQzXa6q5We4/s400/20180708_122554.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Use a flat head screwdriver and I would suggest wrapping it with a cloth so as to not dent/break the plastic. Insert it in the gap between the transparent assembly and black housing. Wedge the flathead an gently push down on the screwdriver maybe a couple of inches so as to separate them. You should hear a snap that releases the assembly. Pull out the transparent plastic assembly. There is another red cover that may or may not come along with it. Just a matter to pull it out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. The bulb goes only one way in even though the pins may seem to enter the grooves in the bulb socket. Rotate anticlockwise to remove. When replacing, try first with gentle pressure. The bulb may fit in but doesn't want to rotate, then just rotate the bulbs to try the pins in the opposite slots. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Voila you just got the tail light working again. To put back assembly, its the same way in reverse. Wait. that didn't sound right. Just follow the steps 6 - 1. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">NOTE:: If you are replacing the bulb with the halogen type, ensure you DONOT touch with hands. The last thing you want is the grease/oil from your fingers to smudge the bulb and reduce the life of the bulb. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-43528314599401624212018-04-15T13:53:00.000+05:302018-04-15T13:53:22.811+05:30Himalayan VeloYeti's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many plans are hatched and shelved owing to various factors and this turned out to be the case last year. One of them was to explore the Himalayas on a rented Royal Enfield Bullet. Yet another shelved project was a mega drive <b>Bangalore - Leh - Bangalore</b>. Years passed until 2016 when the real action starts but not without its own set of twists in tale. Fewer people leads to ease of management in terms of logistics and 'the few' - Kiran, Putta and I. Due to unforeseen circumstances Kiran confirmed that he wouldn't be able to travel and that left us in much doubt whether we should cancel and shift plans for August. Oh and I forgot to mention, the original plan was to travel late August which was pre-poned and booked to last week of June and now we were on the brink of cancelling and booking the trip for August. So much adrenaline for the trip. Then considering various other factors we finally decided to go ahead with the scheduled date for June as we didn't want to go over the planning phase all over again. A week before departure, we decide to visit Decathlon for some shopping. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. 2x Btwin plastic Bottle cages </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. 2x to Bottler holder mount (front fork).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. 2 Fleece full sleeve shirts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Tribord Aquashoes 50 Black.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>19th June</b> :: The due day arrives and with some last minute packing in a hurry I book an Uber for 3AM and we take the ORR and then a detour to palace gutahalli to pickup Putta. A not so busy scene greeted us at airport and we cleared the security check in no time. An uneventful wait for the cabin crew and once we spotted them, boarding was swift and quick. Landed at Delhi with a pressing concern of where to spend the next 10hrs before we boarded the overnight the bus to Manali. As per the original plan the layover at Delhi was to be spent at Kiran's friend's house but it was about 15kms from the bus terminal. So we decided against it and the rampant search for a hotel started for a stay to just get some rest. Managed to find one 200mts away from the bus stand. However carrying the two bike bags certainly did have a toll on the shoulder. We felt bad that the strava/garmin wasn't available to track our efforts. We had to haul the two bike bags up this flight of stairs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Landed at Delhi Airport and heading to Metro</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And.. the Delhi Metro</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQioduvnae-skY17fe-La0NDsPWhugL-wGHf323CiQOZKedgAJHhBDgJWs5x4WWsOb_pb4v1v-pPLnpSV2Fse40QHsKW2r1m7vgdVXCc0FeuSMPrF5VuZLCNunJeQ5ILPbAlFxdhYFKjo/s1600/IMG_20160618_100450556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQioduvnae-skY17fe-La0NDsPWhugL-wGHf323CiQOZKedgAJHhBDgJWs5x4WWsOb_pb4v1v-pPLnpSV2Fse40QHsKW2r1m7vgdVXCc0FeuSMPrF5VuZLCNunJeQ5ILPbAlFxdhYFKjo/s400/IMG_20160618_100450556.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Putta with the looks "Stairs my old Nemesis"</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Delhi was at a muggy and sweltering 45deg C. Next stop, a juice center and he asked if we wanted large serving and we gladly obliged only to realize that it was a hoddle instead. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8qe6W8d7HQdTQlOY-BIsG8g7fI1SfjW5ssxHn-yN0j0UDXC8hv5jQGSfnmB6AyCzLyO0s7BCuTtQKcAIVVNPPEsVqcqtslc1e5bNPjETjxxGNvUsnHIzwbL6inS0B_ITpbXO7GaBr2E/s1600/IMG_20160618_131216630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8qe6W8d7HQdTQlOY-BIsG8g7fI1SfjW5ssxHn-yN0j0UDXC8hv5jQGSfnmB6AyCzLyO0s7BCuTtQKcAIVVNPPEsVqcqtslc1e5bNPjETjxxGNvUsnHIzwbL6inS0B_ITpbXO7GaBr2E/s400/IMG_20160618_131216630.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next we headed for lunch and back to the room for some more rest till evening. The thought of roaming Delhi via metro was dropped as we continued rest till it was time to board the bus. We hired a cycle rickshaw to carry our bike bags and we walked along. However the we were in awe when he asked us to sit in the rickshaw and carry us too. Only bags loaded in rickshaw till the main entrance to the Bus Terminal and then we waited for another hour for the boarding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Bikes on a trike</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5zDRUkSQVaA_r17xuREhUNJXVvMYUOsTXPGZm4DYzihzs3gTFXTY2Cfkha9cLl6o8u3YZdJPx8PQeGoCdVvhR-lzPdEEZ_kzkbmnSRmvili_VQD5RYwDWwAkM5spivgOYVNOrz4MBXk/s1600/IMG_20160618_191503131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5zDRUkSQVaA_r17xuREhUNJXVvMYUOsTXPGZm4DYzihzs3gTFXTY2Cfkha9cLl6o8u3YZdJPx8PQeGoCdVvhR-lzPdEEZ_kzkbmnSRmvili_VQD5RYwDWwAkM5spivgOYVNOrz4MBXk/s400/IMG_20160618_191503131.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A familiar sight of Himsuta Volvo greeted us and we quickly loaded both bikes and settled down in the last seats of the bus which were the only two available for the date of travel. An additional INR 600 was charged for the bikes and we soon were looking at the sights and trying to soak in the sights as we exit Delhi. The dinner stop was at a place called Jassons Sheesh Mahal, Sonipat. This is one place where the food was excellent. Later I realized that we were in Haryana and that put the quality of the parantha and paneer in perspective. Truly a foodie's delight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>A sublime tummy treat </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQj94y-VVfj5R18F-ogGPsHbY5XIQjgr0A7ogPw8nIDTzvjUDFJc-ayMkfZoyHd2U3KUvOozpvI8DPMVQ8Row_7yp9DaNdzdcFFaVvhtU7yk84D2i7ye_OumjdmsmyTvw_TnlwcbcXZc/s1600/IMG_20160618_222736710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="901" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQj94y-VVfj5R18F-ogGPsHbY5XIQjgr0A7ogPw8nIDTzvjUDFJc-ayMkfZoyHd2U3KUvOozpvI8DPMVQ8Row_7yp9DaNdzdcFFaVvhtU7yk84D2i7ye_OumjdmsmyTvw_TnlwcbcXZc/s640/IMG_20160618_222736710.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Awaiting bus to Manali at ISBT</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jassons Sheesh Mahal</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxyOj7GWvegXdqhX1ybrNA318iQbxUbZT-XM5SHz2trL-hkryTvYQRA0ZbrEutnr_4f50or7eGithPJk_o34zd7sKpf3urjc6Q78leu8-_zZuCsla71V18jJL4dXQmKe1K6KazMQC5uM/s1600/IMG_20160618_230347189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxyOj7GWvegXdqhX1ybrNA318iQbxUbZT-XM5SHz2trL-hkryTvYQRA0ZbrEutnr_4f50or7eGithPJk_o34zd7sKpf3urjc6Q78leu8-_zZuCsla71V18jJL4dXQmKe1K6KazMQC5uM/s400/IMG_20160618_230347189.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Post dinner it was slumber mode on. I woke up just as bus was traversing the Swargat ghat. I couldn't get much sleep after 5 so just kept looking at the scenery and soon got a chance to see the force of the water as the floodgates of a small hydroelectric dam were open enroute Manali. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The traffic thickened as we neared Kullu and that slowed the travel about 30km to Manali in the same pace. The bus was half empty by now as quite a few passengers got off at Kullu. Putta was awake and ready for Manali. As always the excitement levels were high and we were eagerly waiting to check in to Drifters Inn. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Luxury stay at Drifters Inn</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh9xezu65dgCJVEAdDi6_T9pkAo-yTPAhX5LK3XXRzKOnObIhr0Df_6spwCGImsFV4N3FZQsvi1Ctb3sxm4fPNPhIdOOZXC-rrYAKlDUheYfM_Nt_VmsZ7mITAv32e0yhtGZoCGBe8V8/s1600/IMG_20160619_123434017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh9xezu65dgCJVEAdDi6_T9pkAo-yTPAhX5LK3XXRzKOnObIhr0Df_6spwCGImsFV4N3FZQsvi1Ctb3sxm4fPNPhIdOOZXC-rrYAKlDUheYfM_Nt_VmsZ7mITAv32e0yhtGZoCGBe8V8/s400/IMG_20160619_123434017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This turned out to be a super good location and an open terrace with lots of space to unpack and assemble the bikes. Excellent hospitality from the velo-friendly Nishant and team who run this place. I wanted to unpack and start assembling the bike soon but then looking at the comfort of the bed postponed it by an hour. Putta on the other hand started clawing at the packaging and ripping it open but with a method to madness. Within the next 1.5hrs the bikes were assembled, accessories fitted and the bike bags and packing materials segregated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Getting the beasts ready</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tusker's bike all set to rock n roll.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hMfqbXs1MsgisKpfp3PixFo7Rw2OoViFoOqXoT63B_Ad83KbFWwE2qkMHOgk3nFHYe25nCDYGoqUQ9KkSs2zdl8UQabFFyabJIM_7oJq9sRG4fKZynyEaVHw6k-CieWO6VN_oh4gwK4/s1600/IMG_20160619_171303460.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hMfqbXs1MsgisKpfp3PixFo7Rw2OoViFoOqXoT63B_Ad83KbFWwE2qkMHOgk3nFHYe25nCDYGoqUQ9KkSs2zdl8UQabFFyabJIM_7oJq9sRG4fKZynyEaVHw6k-CieWO6VN_oh4gwK4/s1600/IMG_20160619_171303460.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRYyaSvdadBz4t6musjDoVYQwtFL5u3QMq3lAZukTVcUn3CpaXpZQYqd2mM4gOkb3_dS6wSlNcoU4G_XQ7KZR_5u61UllcjzE44xj1j8c4XfUSUU5SliinIE6oHaXGoJQZyxVgob99Bo/s1600/IMG_20160619_171344052.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRYyaSvdadBz4t6musjDoVYQwtFL5u3QMq3lAZukTVcUn3CpaXpZQYqd2mM4gOkb3_dS6wSlNcoU4G_XQ7KZR_5u61UllcjzE44xj1j8c4XfUSUU5SliinIE6oHaXGoJQZyxVgob99Bo/s1600/IMG_20160619_171344052.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was a 100% confident that the bikes wouldn't be handled as expected and I'm glad to report that the airlines (Jet Airways) maintained the expectation. When reassembling bikes. Both bikes had the RD hanger was bent and it took a while to get it back to shape. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Putta had shifting issues and the rear wheel on KHS simply wouldn't fall in place and would stay stuck at the dropout. However after a bit of struggle with a flathead screwdriver things looked better. The bikes were now ready and so were we. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With the bikes now assembled it was time to test. What a perfect test tract right by the Inn. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The gradient was just what was need to test shifting at the right time, braking while descending. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Stunning view of the valley. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2ka6sZflwd3o7nawodAkXcHHDj201QGDarxa6_srNd9J0UZWCr09DydCDXlro4YHL7Oxk2xoppoE_xVm8bjXvSbtVh_ghhF9i_8QwWVMTzczLfeVjrQXEkAtEFtVx8rTBaF43BGwgQU/s1600/IMG_20160619_185253655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2ka6sZflwd3o7nawodAkXcHHDj201QGDarxa6_srNd9J0UZWCr09DydCDXlro4YHL7Oxk2xoppoE_xVm8bjXvSbtVh_ghhF9i_8QwWVMTzczLfeVjrQXEkAtEFtVx8rTBaF43BGwgQU/s400/IMG_20160619_185253655.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We were huffing and puffing as we rode almost a km just in that lane by first ascending and the gradient is about as good as the last hairpin of Nandi hills :) Woohoo!! Had a sumptuous lunch and dinner. Ended up seeing Yak for the first time. We managed to run through the checklist one last time before preparing for Marhi/Madi. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop0sYtVw9Bx7bxXGwNc979amSmbJOAJ2CjIw02XTNkCW1PhClcoeF7gzjWJRRqw-23fkrQ8ad0ZVI6v9qBBrlPb5LPCELMpyfHIX2QmDBTkA6JcF62uRzc1uGncB05FWxB70K3-Hm4_s/s1600/IMG_20160620_101152682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop0sYtVw9Bx7bxXGwNc979amSmbJOAJ2CjIw02XTNkCW1PhClcoeF7gzjWJRRqw-23fkrQ8ad0ZVI6v9qBBrlPb5LPCELMpyfHIX2QmDBTkA6JcF62uRzc1uGncB05FWxB70K3-Hm4_s/s400/IMG_20160620_101152682.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here comes a garbage bag to the rescue. I used this for the entire trip to keep the handlebar bag dry. The seat post bag had a dedicated rain cover. We decided to top up our tanks before start so we headed to the hotel adjacent to the Lazy dog lounge. Superb view of the river Manaslu while aloo parantas silently slipped in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The sumptuous breakfast</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWbUNZjnuEOCub3TUOTQBXW2Tzp4i9rBz0MmtPiDZSOqfU-bazq8Np5vVMYLViNnzCUNkWag1XrqwlAE3zB8aCYTI03k0pGk_19bn24WsgJtkQGs0lavFM0kptoJVzZLqaLLDJgEXxMM/s1600/IMG_20160620_083509462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWbUNZjnuEOCub3TUOTQBXW2Tzp4i9rBz0MmtPiDZSOqfU-bazq8Np5vVMYLViNnzCUNkWag1XrqwlAE3zB8aCYTI03k0pGk_19bn24WsgJtkQGs0lavFM0kptoJVzZLqaLLDJgEXxMM/s400/IMG_20160620_083509462.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My platter</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0x7uWhrpNl66qRn2Zg-54ml8gEZ2VadTVEPk1HT5aS1Eap0RPAkPt7x4uw2nfbftzwuwHLHnIdfbVPYIGrIBOVVCKKvQx10HXT_Lw80Wtw-TraDaeBeLoVF068UDOdQJSKVBmkIfW9s/s1600/IMG_20160620_083512724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0x7uWhrpNl66qRn2Zg-54ml8gEZ2VadTVEPk1HT5aS1Eap0RPAkPt7x4uw2nfbftzwuwHLHnIdfbVPYIGrIBOVVCKKvQx10HXT_Lw80Wtw-TraDaeBeLoVF068UDOdQJSKVBmkIfW9s/s400/IMG_20160620_083512724.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The other group riding the same route but with additional days on saddle.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzwRilEHbyDMXRZP3s1fnzho-Pj062RuQ3X_hjlJIYu7Vpdxt64FfIna5nGJrOJbIEieN5VwURa6H6dZwTlyjx8ieS_FO_vbin2LKp7y_mWjnrvPrKZUHuU10sIdXuBGncioRFhuK29Q/s1600/IMG_20160620_090420549_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzwRilEHbyDMXRZP3s1fnzho-Pj062RuQ3X_hjlJIYu7Vpdxt64FfIna5nGJrOJbIEieN5VwURa6H6dZwTlyjx8ieS_FO_vbin2LKp7y_mWjnrvPrKZUHuU10sIdXuBGncioRFhuK29Q/s400/IMG_20160620_090420549_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Unpredictable weather, the adrenaline rush, cool climate, a perfect blend of factors for a great start. Time to get on the saddle and head towards the snowy mountains. The same ones that we'd been reviewing on our workstations back in Bengaluru. As soon as we joined the Manali-Leh highway we were riding alongside river Beas with a stunning view of the snow capped mountains. Out come the cameras and the click-fest begins. No specialized equipment but just a MotoX Gen1 for the job and I'm glad to report it fared better than i expected. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>First view of the snow capped mountains</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8zqpyWOcSDIxtDA0qQRQcNv2toQoNG9io366yY_bLU8K5KbXo1RVfpynBNc4NImuH4CMkc-XglRiVlqXRQ2qUHPWzVTNGMgWE54rJizt7Zx_pYUR6v3vBjddKUV0vi8Qxw5tupXT5c0/s1600/IMG_20160620_103817204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8zqpyWOcSDIxtDA0qQRQcNv2toQoNG9io366yY_bLU8K5KbXo1RVfpynBNc4NImuH4CMkc-XglRiVlqXRQ2qUHPWzVTNGMgWE54rJizt7Zx_pYUR6v3vBjddKUV0vi8Qxw5tupXT5c0/s400/IMG_20160620_103817204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>On the way to Marhi</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SDQlz8T1HoP2_sqxkaggWb24L5xUZ9Q7Igac-gDz_2DOIIJPX8JbVKdihTgT-phzPqd4TQj_cMGLJgZ0RHRSuV0Di9bzt39CC9oVvreWw9BhdFllxRg98OV2E0XmEniC18WQxS8oN90/s1600/IMG_20160620_114753712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SDQlz8T1HoP2_sqxkaggWb24L5xUZ9Q7Igac-gDz_2DOIIJPX8JbVKdihTgT-phzPqd4TQj_cMGLJgZ0RHRSuV0Di9bzt39CC9oVvreWw9BhdFllxRg98OV2E0XmEniC18WQxS8oN90/s400/IMG_20160620_114753712.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The climb was steady at approximately 4-5% gradient and scenic. Truly a bliss in the hills. We caught up with another cycling group that had halted for breakfast however we continued our journey as we were in </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">cruise mode. As we climbed higher and higher, cold breeze kept us company. There was considerable traffic. Wave either a vehicle to overtake if there's room to do so else signal them to slow down till the oncoming traffic clears. Even better, if there's shoulder for you to stop, then let them pass and you continue and this is a priority for larger vehicles likes trucks and buses. I doubt there are fewer places in the world where you fail to find some numskulls but this highway certainly ain'</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">t one of them. Most of the vehicles from other states, maintain distance and respect cyclists but the vehicles from Delhi turned out to be the nasty ones with utter disregard for safety. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Halfway to Marhi</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The usual traffic headed towards Rohtang</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Sheer beauty all around.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Off saddle Day 1 just before Marhi check post</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We managed to reach Marhi by 2 and had a sumptuous fried rice and decided to push on and reach Khoksar so we started by 3 pm and after about 3 km we stopped to figure out the time taken to get to Khoksar. Although we could cross Rohtang in a couple of hours for (16 km) but there were no options for stay and we had to descend to Khoksar to find accommodation which was 28 km from Rohtang pass. After a quick chat we decided to return to Marhi and look for a place to stay. A superlative decision in the nick of time. We got back to check-post at Marhi and attempted to look for tents and we spotted a homestay (police quarters) and found out that all places were booked however, the officer agreed to let his bunker beds for our use. So we quickly unpacked and switched to comfort attire and the bikes parked inside the homestay. This place was also pre-booked for a group "Himalayan running challenge" and another cycling group that were to stay in the tents that were pitched out on the lawn. One by one the riders started arriving and the runners got ready to settle in for the night. We enjoyed some french fries and tea at a dhaba as we looked up towards Rohtang pass and the mist descending fast the visibility soon dropped to about a km. Within an hour we were completely surrounded by clouds and the switchbacks to the pass were no longer visible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The super snug bunker beds truly were a 5 star treatment for the not so weary body or mind but from the chilling winds bringing the temperatures right down to single digit. After reading about reviews about altitude sickness, oxygen tanks, medication </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">etc I wondered if I would manage some uninterrupted sleep and the next thing I know is waking up at 5.30. and was lazing in bed until 6 only to get ready and start for Jispa. We bid adieu to our host and left for Rohtang pass. There was good news waiting as we were informed that there would be hardly any traffic as the roads were closed for tourists except for ones traveling to Leh/beyond. So imagine our joy when the only traffic was a car every kilometer and some truck traffic (road works) enroute Rohtang pass. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Soon we reached the pass and stopped for photos. Rohtang by the way means pile of corpses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We continued out journey after cheering on some runners. Once we noticed the descent to Khoksar we were mighty glad that we didn't ride to khoksar the previous evening as it might've been 7 or 8 pm by the time we made it to khoksar. This turned out to be the worst of the stretch on the entire journey. 28kms of bone jarring descent. Soon we were along the Chenab river and we crossed over to the other side and continued our journey towards jispa. We did stop yet again for the staple food Maggi :). I wonder how these places survived during the time when Maggi was banned. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Refueling after descent </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We prepared for the sufferfest of bad roads over the next 20kms. However, I wouldn't call it bad roads as the KHS Alite1000 and the Polygon Xstrada were at their natural habitat. Especially after the Rohtang descent the rest of the roads felt simply superb. This condition continued till Tandi bridge. Met another cyclist riding a DH bike and coasting the downhill found that the chain had cut and he didn't have a link. I did mention about the availability of the link but only of an 8spd. But he refused the offer as his house was just a couple of kms from that point. We crossed Sissu and with Maggi fueling us towards Keylong there was a 20km descent towards Tandi that is perfect for MTB's with loose gravel with gentle switchbacks and Putta was riding some good speeds while i maintained safe distance for any emergency braking. There were also sections of sand and we experienced understeer and oversteer as we continued descending to Tandi. About, 15kms to Keylong town the metal disappeared, loose gravel and hissing water pipe </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">along roadside</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">with occasional sprays kept us on high alert. As we entered Keylong, a nasty surprise awaited as we got to know that all hotels were full due to Sindhu Darshan festival. Instead managed to draw cash at ATM to sustain us for the rest of the trip and made a last ditch effort to find a stay at a place adjacent to Keylong bus stand. There were beds available in Dormitory but the place looked shady as there were people playing cards with liquor bottles strewn around. So instead we continued riding to Jispa. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Managed to reach hitch a ride in an pickup truck for about 15km and by about 5.30 checked-in to a tent. At places like these warmth is a luxury. This campsite was right by riverbed of river Bhag. (Singhania's Big Cat Camp). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Gravel roads to Keylong</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>A couple of kms before Keylong town</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Campsite for Day 2 at Jispa</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Beautiful mountain view on one side </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">River view on the other side</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We had a chat with Tenzin who owns the campsite and turns out that during the season time he works at the campsite and the second half of the year is spent at Goa when Jispa no longer sees tourist traffic and instead nature is on its 'wilderness reclamation' cycle. Post a quick dinner we retire for the night and dream about the sights and sounds that await over the days that lie ahead. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jispa 6:30AM - We wake up and get ready to start by 07:30 and this was against the plan of starting by 6 for the increased mileage planned for today. Today was the ride from Jispa to Sarchu. A breakfast of bread butter jam (with an overdose Jam request) we start our journey. A rolling terrain leads us to the first bridge at Darcha and from this point on it climbs for 2-3kms till you notice the whole valley with meandering streams of what is supposed to be a river. We continue to ride to Patseo. The rolling was a lot slower than expected but that was the point with a couple of days in buffer if we decided to halt early during any of the riding. The continuous climb to zingzing bar was both scenic and everlasting. There is an eerie quiet especially when there are no vehicles for miles around you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Enroute Patsio</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The first of the stream crossings</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A picturesque lake at Patsio</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Enroute ZingZingbar</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There were however some road workers patching certain stretches and we waved as we rode past. We stopped for a late lunch at zing zing bar. Here starts the first signs of altitude sickness. Putta and I double up on servings of tea in quick succession. Here we met Rich (Richard Wardle) who was riding solo and with a whole lot more lugguage (tents, sleeping bag, camera) on a nicely equipped tourer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The elevation map Richard was carrying</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Settling down for the night. Day 3 at ZingZingbar</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Richard's fully loaded tourer</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Need of the hour, a selfie</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Campsite at ZingZingBar</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As Putta switched to powernap mode I too was tucked in and watching the tourists as they stopped for lunch/snacks. A long conversation with varied topics from cars to food to riding. Rotis, Aloo gobi gravy and hot steaming rice at that altitude, heavenly! Rich checked into a tent and we preferred the bunker beds probably due to the proximity to the kitchen (Same large tent that accommodates about 10-15 beds and integrated kitchen :) ). Surprising to see that there is a lot of light till about 8 - 8.30 pm prevailed as the topics varied discussed about the ride plans and a long conversation follows related to cars. Its a lazy start the next day ride to Sarchu. The steady climb from ZingZingbar continues to Baralachla pass. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The scenery greeting us keeps getting better day after day. A photogenic place this one turned out to be. Vishaal Taal was a beautiful lake formed of glacial melt and the second encounter of pristine waters and the first being the streams that we had been crossing right from Rohtang pass and another Taal after patseo. Rich had overtaken us and was there for quite a while and we stopped for some photos. Being surrounded by peaks covered in patches of snow. WHOA!! </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After descending from Baralachla and stopped at Bharatpur</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Marmot spotting.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At Sarchu</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Resting till dinner is served</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Bikes resting</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then the bone shaking descent starts towards Bharatpur and we stop for tea and Maggi again. Putta gets a power nap of about 20 mins and then we head towards Sarchu. The familiar black patches of tarmac soon disappear and we are on a road as per google maps but in reality it is dusty rocky stupendously beautiful MTB haven. This photo ought to sum up the best of both worlds (cycling and automobile). The second exquisite wildlife we spotted was the marmot. We reach Sarchu by 4pm and stop by the Adventure Club campsite which was planned as per itinerary. Rich wanted to ride a few more kms 7kms as per his plan. The tent was superb and food great. Putta had trouble getting sleep due to constant coughing. We were introduced to a wonderful product called Warmee which is a pouch with chemicals that reacts to air and keeps one warm for ~8hrs. It can be a value add but again weight means everything during the climbs and one might want to carefully weigh the options while packing. The next day we had breakfast and started for Pang. We managed to clear the Gata loops and crossed Nakeela pass. Then downhill towards Whiskynalla and we climb again to cross Lachungla pass. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><b>On the way to Pang</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Delhi - Leh bus</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lachungla pass</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Blissful trail like roads with absence of asphalt worked quite well. We did encounter a convoy of army trucks and also the legendary bus that drives from Delhi to Leh with tickets of 1600INR (and INR2500 that includes a stay at Keylong) Putta's condition worsened as we reached Pang. We halted at dormitory as Putta tried to rest with heavy breathing. Later that evening we crossed the main road where there was a State (Jammu) owned medical camp and Putta was given oxygen as his blood -oxygen level had dropped to ~35 :(. After an hour he felt better and we came back to the dorm. I ordered a Thuppa noodles with spicy broth and settled in for the night. Another dose of oxygen in the morning and we cleared Pang and entered Morray plains.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>A tongue tingling palette - Thuppa</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Morray plains</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A brand new day and a brand new sight. Perfect place for a time trial as its mostly flat till Debring after which the long and steady climb to the second highest pass Taglang La starts. The last 2kms were breathtaking. Quite literally due to lower oxygen levels and the speeds dropped to 5-6kph. Stopped at the summit for some photos as usual and then the long descent to Rumptse and over to Upshi and Leh. Hats off / Helmets off to BRO(Border Roads Organization) as they have had done a superb job of asphalting this section till Rumptse. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ribbon of perfection - Descending second highest pass Taglangla</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>At Leh - Rest day.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Protein loaded diet. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ride was all downhill with overtaking a lot of trucks and some super sweet corners. I'm mighty impressed with the GEAX tubeless tyres that gripped like a gecko. Stopped at Rumptse for tea and we headed to Leh as we still had about 3-4hrs of light left. The roads continued to be patchy from here on and we finally reached Leh. Finding the location of the hotel was tricky but the week of riding was certainly the best ride of my life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">KHARDUNGLA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I urge any cycling enthusiast to ride this stretch once. The distance may sound a lot, the altitude may seem mind boggling however, once you are on the saddle your mind will yearn to see the ever changing scenery day after day of this insane awesomeness on the Manali - Leh highway. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I certainly wouldn't dismiss a second tour of this region and maybe extend it to make a loop and ending at a different location possibly exploring Nubra valley and explore more of Jammu. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Grand Finale - Khardungla</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Itinerary on paper:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 1 - Manali to Marhi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 2 - Marhi to Jispa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 3 - Jispa to Sarchu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 4 - Sarchu to Pang</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 5 - Pang to Rumptse</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 6 - Rumptse to Leh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 7 - Rest day and bike check</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 8 - Ride to Khardungla.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Itinerary we ended up with:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 1 - Manali to Marhi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 2 - Marhi to Jispa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 3 - Jispa to Keylong</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 4 - Keylong to Sarchu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 5 - Sarchu to Pang </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 6 - </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pang to</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Leh</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 7 - Rest and recovery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 8 - Ride to Khardungla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Day 9 - Return to Bangalore</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Trip cost: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bangalore to Delhi (Jet Airways) INR4257</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">HRTC Volvo Delhi to Manali INR1314</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Leh to Bangalore (Jet Airways) INR13277</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-44770260525481219202018-04-02T14:53:00.002+05:302018-04-02T14:58:13.384+05:30Yercaud with the Open super-fast-deluxe express<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The trip as always starts with a long list of planning. Multiple locations shortlisted, check for confirmation from many. I just wanted to get back to saddle after a year of hardly any training rides. Never have I missed riding with team more than this year. Opendro gladly obliged my request to accompany me to Yercaud. However, this was not going to be just a 23km ordeal. Oh No..!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A couple of days earlier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Checked with so many folks but none ready to ride due to commitments. Plan was to park at CCD Dharmapuri and ride to Yercaud and back. So this would account to 160kms as per google maps via the NH44. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/Apr/2018 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Opendro reaches on time as always. 04.10 to be precise and I had the bikes dismantled to be loaded into the car. Had prepared a checklist of things to carry and yet missed a couple of them. We started by 5 and we were at CCD in an hour. Time to unpack, re-assemble and start. Ordered a couple of spinach corn sandwiches to fuel us to Salem and started the ride. Made the terrible mistake of picking up ORS as Enerzal was not available. So if anyone is planning to pick an alternate for Gatorade/Electral/Enerzal, remember to stay away from this one. Or one called Electrobion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We settled down into a very good pace taking turns to lead and what a ride. It is a gentle downslope from thoppur to Salem and made it to yercaud base 60kms in less than 2hrs. We did stop to have the famed bananas right at </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hasthambatty roundabout. The road to Yercaud is the first left but the fruit market on onto the right corner. Just one is enough to get to full. And so the ardous climb started. Yercaud and arduous in the same statement. You must be kidding!! Absolutely not. With the commutes stopped over a couple of months, a maiden voyage on the newly upgraded components something had to be off and I realized this within the first couple of kilometers. The first blip in the map as you climb and I settled into a snail pace and I already was at the lowest possible ratio. HR at 180 already and a quick sneak peak onto Opendro's bike and I knew it was the ratio. He was riding 34x24 and I was riding 36x23. He still had two more to cogs!! With my right hand looking for more gears, I knew the next 20km aren't going to be easy. Stopped after about 4km and asked Open to go on as he was in a great shape and would've easily rode up and escorted me again halfway back to summit. I ended up slowing down the overall climb time due to 3 stop with one for a boiled corn and a lime soda. A true sufferfest this, but a realization of how much I need to get back to shape. Looking forward to a more positive 2018. This ain't the end of the story. The return was a sweltering 20km ride but we were rewarded with a fine drizzle that kept us cool and some overcast skies as we neared Thoppur ghats. However, before we could reach the ghats, disaster! The seat clamp holder threadings got stripped on Opendro's bike :(. The screw was never removed fully all we did at the CCD was loosen it lower the seat post and tighten it. We tried in vain for about 20 mins trying the material nature had on offer, some cotton, a plastic strip, some thread to put onto bolt like a teflon coat but the screw had no threads to grab within the seat post so it didn't work. I suggested that we take a pickup / truck to get back to CCD but Opendro had different plans. With the seat post all the way down Opendro rode the next 40kms including the ghat with the 'power saddle' mode. He may file a patent for a new product due to this flash of genius moment. Do remember to ask about this experience when you meet him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At CCD Dharmapuri</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG50oBtrMqUg8iaW7xoR04ovncDQnT3XCZUu1nXiX7dHT2o70iGlUAZpn-fw5Es_NSQXJucpEwJikgbKNCfTe6R836pN0ruFE9rlwFlmPoIYElRtjRPLcGA9gccvVDHK7dgVPmVZGdNw/s1600/20180401_064317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXG50oBtrMqUg8iaW7xoR04ovncDQnT3XCZUu1nXiX7dHT2o70iGlUAZpn-fw5Es_NSQXJucpEwJikgbKNCfTe6R836pN0ruFE9rlwFlmPoIYElRtjRPLcGA9gccvVDHK7dgVPmVZGdNw/s400/20180401_064317.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Fuel for the climb</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1v98Ifr4skzTHhaTm2IVR3NjzV9tXPKTPJtrkPr9Vi_sUwVmQ-7vIynroJzcnCDaU1VQJzaJnQzBQcNW8J5A__Pv-nV_DZFpRRWSaJIhyphenhyphenayuCwnFqzRYn2cBM_AiCxVW3mIRVpSNX9M/s1600/20180401_083405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1v98Ifr4skzTHhaTm2IVR3NjzV9tXPKTPJtrkPr9Vi_sUwVmQ-7vIynroJzcnCDaU1VQJzaJnQzBQcNW8J5A__Pv-nV_DZFpRRWSaJIhyphenhyphenayuCwnFqzRYn2cBM_AiCxVW3mIRVpSNX9M/s400/20180401_083405.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The customary one</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And here's the champ of the day</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7q-5ue2Slihz57HMlmrs_dRmlUA8G5_EN-isFXAAGLgIBM5ac5IoTNHREmtlYEQlnBub9KHRfaTmuoj3bTF5oqZAaeKtSC8xaF4Kw1M3R2ca2W_40IK-qUnotqZIULx5hsjT1QayTaM/s1600/20180401_122309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7q-5ue2Slihz57HMlmrs_dRmlUA8G5_EN-isFXAAGLgIBM5ac5IoTNHREmtlYEQlnBub9KHRfaTmuoj3bTF5oqZAaeKtSC8xaF4Kw1M3R2ca2W_40IK-qUnotqZIULx5hsjT1QayTaM/s400/20180401_122309.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ride stats :: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2595028936</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-70350640122193594292016-12-29T18:40:00.000+05:302016-12-30T07:34:14.524+05:30Commuter Chronicles - The Specialized Alibi <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A special thank you to Bums On Saddle team for allowing me to test the bike. Here goes my experience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It has been about a week since I damaged the rear brake pad on my MTB. During an attempt to re-seat the rear wheel, I managed to get the disc hit the brake pad vertically which ripped it right off the metal plate to which it is stuck on. So this bike switches to maintenance mode. The single speed was awaiting service (just a bike wash and chain lube) and Spesh Alibi arrived just in time for some worry free commutes. For those new to the blog, my commute is rougly 26-28kms depending on the route (one way). I have often contemplated taking road bike for commutes but this </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">finally</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">turned out to be pretty close. A no-nonsense hybrid but with the rolling resistance of that of a road bike. The headset is extremely light. I've not experienced such lightness even on road bikes priced 4x-5x higher. Next comes the Shimano Altus drive train. One of the entry level drivetrain from Shimano. A basic group set delivering a better than basic performance. It has been impeccably good. Sometimes the shifting of the chain isn't even felt at the crank .and I've been astonished. It is a 42t Chainring with chain guard and though a 7 speed cassette (14-34t) looks inadequate but it is plenty enough to ride anywhere in Bangalore. The infamous Girinagar/padmanabnagar or even the long Maratahalli flyover). Brakes are brilliant and have the bite needed for those emergency stops. For a rider with a track record of experiencing extensive punctures over the last few years, riding without a puncture repair kit, a pump or having slightest concern of the road conditions is a big boon albeit at the compromise of ride comfort. To put things in perspective, if you are switching from an MTB or a hybrid, you'd feel this too rough. However if this is your first bike or if you are used to a road bike road bike (with 23c tyres at 100PSI or more), this feels not very different from that except that the geometry is more relaxed and an excellent choice for the city. All you need is a multitool kit to make those fine adjustments to the bike to make it fit one better thereby enhancing the ride comfort. One would truly feel the worth of these Nimbus Airless tyres especially during the rains. Do you remember the effect of a cheat code on ammo for combat games? The Nimbus is your cheat code for a puncture free ride until the tyres wear out :). </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Commuting on a single speed with aggressive riding position for more than a year and suddenly switching to the 'comfort mode' (upright posture and a softer saddle and cushioned handlebar palm support) was a welcome change. If you own the Specialized Alibi two components will make you feel you own something exquisite. The solid tyres and the rust free chain. However, there a few more things that make it even 'exquisiter'. Let me explain. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bike is designed in California. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Made in Cambodia </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are traces of Australian Connection. Hard to believe? Here's the proof.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Designed in California</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Made in Cambodia</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5HM2_OEdrePGaVvGjWe1PDKJjLg_yusJNJ70ui5rfRWnY2Rp8IiAiJAPYw_zxY7ZDSHpIokiZgLRqR5fbPdVX-bLtwHlMqPKZt6sJxR1Nd8c5EjKnsdptiWr_HxBv-kUrb4BPvacqu8/s1600/IMG20161225164835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5HM2_OEdrePGaVvGjWe1PDKJjLg_yusJNJ70ui5rfRWnY2Rp8IiAiJAPYw_zxY7ZDSHpIokiZgLRqR5fbPdVX-bLtwHlMqPKZt6sJxR1Nd8c5EjKnsdptiWr_HxBv-kUrb4BPvacqu8/s400/IMG20161225164835.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The Australian Connection</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b> Photoshoot post bike wash</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtnZEHH5swCQA4yBQkQf8CHppnWCNRx5TldSrvknDOraPanumlPod_5K-NdQ5QcIdMuAkboY7qVxgk1JLIHQQwd4wXTCXJai4N2Yr9KBJ6nJKVGXZ_J6hfCa0aUJkNEw1r_DSbf40Rac/s1600/IMG20161225164603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtnZEHH5swCQA4yBQkQf8CHppnWCNRx5TldSrvknDOraPanumlPod_5K-NdQ5QcIdMuAkboY7qVxgk1JLIHQQwd4wXTCXJai4N2Yr9KBJ6nJKVGXZ_J6hfCa0aUJkNEw1r_DSbf40Rac/s400/IMG20161225164603.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOiyYYvbeJVcfEdqMLBduI8vkoaoZttzoXk8icazQQwTMcVxFBw0nWLN7myL_HIrChA4jUEiJ1QFMEIAlpiPL-w9DZWDQPQn4ZzJ-voeE887lYMMAAfFbQFBh-1rir7apwYKOYi5F3Rs/s1600/IMG20161225164622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOiyYYvbeJVcfEdqMLBduI8vkoaoZttzoXk8icazQQwTMcVxFBw0nWLN7myL_HIrChA4jUEiJ1QFMEIAlpiPL-w9DZWDQPQn4ZzJ-voeE887lYMMAAfFbQFBh-1rir7apwYKOYi5F3Rs/s400/IMG20161225164622.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>The valve hole covered with 'spesh' tape for easy conversion to pneumatic setup :)</b></div>
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<b>The simply sublime 7speed shifters</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2TjUEp1Yl0yCwbZlGBbAsT8WeDscyGnCEHEevWeOgQnacN0K4qkKSMdYmyhrtq7wgGx7C5DjECyZHZf8ZXu-q-jRMvjtk9k6c2i4L8tpKL5I2kbpsrqJ9FP1sCjbEonjKtyUtOqy8yI/s1600/IMG20161225164859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2TjUEp1Yl0yCwbZlGBbAsT8WeDscyGnCEHEevWeOgQnacN0K4qkKSMdYmyhrtq7wgGx7C5DjECyZHZf8ZXu-q-jRMvjtk9k6c2i4L8tpKL5I2kbpsrqJ9FP1sCjbEonjKtyUtOqy8yI/s400/IMG20161225164859.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>The superb bar grips</b></div>
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<b>'Bell' and whistle to be heard</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfla3Waeod_J_yd5cJ4x1evJoee2Jmx3HLP1oNdisoBrQ_as1Rays3N4QhYVT-RuxZ4u3infjkQ5XWSq1zqQuOabMgRS4UlIvEStKNXAIG_pP9Fp2hBShsVdC3Gk6-STjmFxOO0TXuHE/s1600/IMG20161225165017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOfla3Waeod_J_yd5cJ4x1evJoee2Jmx3HLP1oNdisoBrQ_as1Rays3N4QhYVT-RuxZ4u3infjkQ5XWSq1zqQuOabMgRS4UlIvEStKNXAIG_pP9Fp2hBShsVdC3Gk6-STjmFxOO0TXuHE/s400/IMG20161225165017.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Attempting trackstand</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQyA0WX1tWgQ_KuXtVZ8D6-hbLvUDeqJveYBNT2X12Sit88BT133kut-qN3m3nXUdIDnCNw1dHrlKUcyxEFOxe0i_NV8Q9sHM-rn9yfHm38ZqABl4uKcpo6dwmQsElUQ06RFsbQDsiZU/s1600/IMG20161225165756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQyA0WX1tWgQ_KuXtVZ8D6-hbLvUDeqJveYBNT2X12Sit88BT133kut-qN3m3nXUdIDnCNw1dHrlKUcyxEFOxe0i_NV8Q9sHM-rn9yfHm38ZqABl4uKcpo6dwmQsElUQ06RFsbQDsiZU/s400/IMG20161225165756.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnt8cRFronst7w7cX-NeUIE68vFEprmx22izGVGLJQOtttJrDLblJ6UavGh0BUHhIx1VP_u3k7emonvsxoFIpKZ2_-NncMg5PSDRvckYHhnI18c0o8TlNZup6xEcRKNwsHVt8Cew49fnc/s1600/IMG20161225165759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnt8cRFronst7w7cX-NeUIE68vFEprmx22izGVGLJQOtttJrDLblJ6UavGh0BUHhIx1VP_u3k7emonvsxoFIpKZ2_-NncMg5PSDRvckYHhnI18c0o8TlNZup6xEcRKNwsHVt8Cew49fnc/s400/IMG20161225165759.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Hard to miss logo especially with this paint scheme</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK5u8YaUmmwvLU_GWqRq4eBNZGfb6E6om4cHzsZve26o0wQ3Glbh9Txrxv_7ZhFE3tOhyphenhyphenzCVK0Rvy9aCiQqwFaFZNRfZBo5dL9v9J3b73MdYCnDFivbNtjBhG_KkcY8AaPdivCVydIHc/s1600/IMG20161225170035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgK5u8YaUmmwvLU_GWqRq4eBNZGfb6E6om4cHzsZve26o0wQ3Glbh9Txrxv_7ZhFE3tOhyphenhyphenzCVK0Rvy9aCiQqwFaFZNRfZBo5dL9v9J3b73MdYCnDFivbNtjBhG_KkcY8AaPdivCVydIHc/s320/IMG20161225170035.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Attention to detail. The rubber caps to cover the otherwise exposed eyelets !</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyM-oybU1_pJFgpW0840jp4PjSnQ15X-2fMS_M2rtoP9xAtoV8fn9om2MBzcwBNo9ZFVts7RGxyG2R4zLSDNi5PcpEGyJZRBDkU5ggZJNF4yiz2U3PM9-4L7GRSLFttgaBN1bwGQmgZIU/s1600/IMG20161225170048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyM-oybU1_pJFgpW0840jp4PjSnQ15X-2fMS_M2rtoP9xAtoV8fn9om2MBzcwBNo9ZFVts7RGxyG2R4zLSDNi5PcpEGyJZRBDkU5ggZJNF4yiz2U3PM9-4L7GRSLFttgaBN1bwGQmgZIU/s320/IMG20161225170048.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnAoQTNFI15f9LncmXrAXoVEgmd3zVrRJZnaTI1REnjkldw1HhKRUFQYoBWF8EyigD-8OlyxWOYw56y2VkVx_XALA8UIua0vCtaPlqpK2DxmQMxX7SCtWFEtAXhIxB15RC_rf6OX84e0/s1600/IMG20161225170236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnAoQTNFI15f9LncmXrAXoVEgmd3zVrRJZnaTI1REnjkldw1HhKRUFQYoBWF8EyigD-8OlyxWOYw56y2VkVx_XALA8UIua0vCtaPlqpK2DxmQMxX7SCtWFEtAXhIxB15RC_rf6OX84e0/s400/IMG20161225170236.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucFMBEsNggHjpYvG_WKaFMfcaMPPtGlFphE7DzD-DgilqE3_pC5XMYwmObT1BguZ_U6tCGNPP1srUtX2miWfd-UfizzVPIk-HkrfqJVsQ8AmhOycZYUx4QEgOmbMYb3YfHp_vXVDZi90/s1600/IMG20161225170257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucFMBEsNggHjpYvG_WKaFMfcaMPPtGlFphE7DzD-DgilqE3_pC5XMYwmObT1BguZ_U6tCGNPP1srUtX2miWfd-UfizzVPIk-HkrfqJVsQ8AmhOycZYUx4QEgOmbMYb3YfHp_vXVDZi90/s400/IMG20161225170257.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Neither a behemoth nor a weight weenie</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoPDM-qIL9Dr3-fcfo2Vir5x88mdGsly9FidEBlN5JMR3jBYCD2ywaggWiU9dYGKo4F1s1MqBAGQ3oPN7BFCTSOMRD868rRBpnlVDAH6UweBMYRwJ4A6F-ujMKcwRRUGh2rwKtplgI5I/s1600/IMG20161225170437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoPDM-qIL9Dr3-fcfo2Vir5x88mdGsly9FidEBlN5JMR3jBYCD2ywaggWiU9dYGKo4F1s1MqBAGQ3oPN7BFCTSOMRD868rRBpnlVDAH6UweBMYRwJ4A6F-ujMKcwRRUGh2rwKtplgI5I/s400/IMG20161225170437.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Pros:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. A unisex bike perfect for city.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Sublime 7spd drivetrain offering seamless shifts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Solid/foam 700x38c tyres. (Its now OK to forget the puncture kit at home)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Quick release wheels. Easier to carry about. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Specialized Body Geometry Contour, lock-on handle bar grips. Worked really well for the week long commutes on all sort of roads and... no roads. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. Eyelets on the front fork and rear to add carrier. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. Improved aesthetics owing to Internal Cable Routing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Cons:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Cable rattles from the internal cable routing over rough roads. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Limited colors. Per catalog there are only 2. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Relatively rougher ride owing to solid tyres. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Spec Sheet ::</b> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">http://store.bumsonthesaddle.com/collections/hybrid-bikes/products/specialized-alibi-2017 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Color :: </b>Marine Blue / Hyper Reflective </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-73105300128473528012016-10-10T21:01:00.002+05:302016-10-10T21:01:26.345+05:30SingleSpeed Bus1Express <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would hate to miss a ride with my brevet partner and Master Shifu :). The plan was simple, he rides my single speed commuter, '<a href="http://lancersfx.blogspot.in/2016/04/the-silver-shadow-polygon-zenith-fx.html" target="_blank">The Silver Shadow</a>' and I get the Bliss Mobile, KHS </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Flite 300. We catch up in the morning by 5.30 and quickly swap the seatpost as my commuter gets an upgrade to a <a href="http://lightskin.co.kr/?page_id=109" target="_blank">lightskin seatpost</a> that has integrated tail lights. Installed a stock saddle from the carbon KHS. A sore miss for a commuter is the water bottle holders. However, not to fret, there's the APB 300 Btwin cage mount that just wraps around any tubing on your bike. The ride starts by about 6AM and we settle into the cruise mode and average about 25kph. A couple of bananas and Tea served us well for the ride to base followed by the tricky climb. I would not have blogged about this ride had it not been for that crazy bit, Opendro rides a single speed, which honestly I didn't think was possible especially when I had swapped out the cog from an 18 to 16t and I've been contemplating a change to 14T. Why not make this ride interesting and post Kanakpura, I switched to singlespeed and the search for the correct gear to match the pedal strokes of the single speed began. soon enough, the perfect match was with 1x7 (so that translates to 34t chainring and 13t ring on the cassette). So it was decided that it was going to be a day of single speed riding. Right, now all I had to do was forget that there were shifters on my bike. Once we reached the base with the very first slope, my gears started to skip pretty bad, so I had to switch to bigger chainring and find something comparable on the cog and this turned out to be 2x3 (50t on chainring and 21t at the cassette / </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8 speed 2300 groupset</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">). Not an exact match and I was slightly at an advantage but there was no skipping of the chain. For the first km, we kept company and stopped twice. Then settled into a rhythm and just slalomed all the way to the summit with one stop in enroute. Next, as soon as I started the descent found Opendro just about a 100mts so urged him not to stop and he rode all the way to the temple another km ahead. The Borewell at the temple was dry so we decided to get back to the exit gate where there's a water source. However, we managed to get water from the locals who also were kind enough to invite us for lunch. However, we made do with water and continued our journey. The good news for the riders is that there is no gravel on the road unilke last time and its a lot safer. Challenging the next single speed timing for this climb. 43mins. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyone?? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whattay climb </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JVm1xYpiiM8lEvWZc9V2VdOu4kuCtoo149Pa6DRudkIcHKF1kfsz5zP18K9i3khF30UpvN_Inq15PpF02hxppAhf1KECPEqZsE-7q1Gy8RfBbQ1y1iJkZ4nc2gtnfGPXWsGaLlVGtOA/s1600/IMG20161009101634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JVm1xYpiiM8lEvWZc9V2VdOu4kuCtoo149Pa6DRudkIcHKF1kfsz5zP18K9i3khF30UpvN_Inq15PpF02hxppAhf1KECPEqZsE-7q1Gy8RfBbQ1y1iJkZ4nc2gtnfGPXWsGaLlVGtOA/s400/IMG20161009101634.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>At peace under a tree right opposite to the temple</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID56zCb4kZuwLF3ZGWsRH9hTK7Vu1EKjbgf4M94JfT0MZRSZmLOLZh2F7Kxcg2Lqo-P4AQEdyS2GeZ3Obir0iMl4DQenMSpNfkv9MSYRlQEd3hi8DCUtzemjuG3j7EsRD99pqsM3zSgk/s1600/IMG20161009103710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID56zCb4kZuwLF3ZGWsRH9hTK7Vu1EKjbgf4M94JfT0MZRSZmLOLZh2F7Kxcg2Lqo-P4AQEdyS2GeZ3Obir0iMl4DQenMSpNfkv9MSYRlQEd3hi8DCUtzemjuG3j7EsRD99pqsM3zSgk/s400/IMG20161009103710.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIW8woGM0-P4ZQhuewUccovRhNYmgUKtZDZCouYzx4aOuMqKV9h66XjAHeOxMHkAi9KoqubZLYO7m6iLo-G7KWunF1kpcYep3iXSJVojsHw_tzTIzaJhSbbOzxbfAzOv1uSAblQdfEMf0/s1600/IMG20161009103746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIW8woGM0-P4ZQhuewUccovRhNYmgUKtZDZCouYzx4aOuMqKV9h66XjAHeOxMHkAi9KoqubZLYO7m6iLo-G7KWunF1kpcYep3iXSJVojsHw_tzTIzaJhSbbOzxbfAzOv1uSAblQdfEMf0/s400/IMG20161009103746.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<b>The 'single speed' bikes for this trip</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHPoXz5z3Y-VA-rCfkt1qNL1qr6q5vZIhfQwKA6gYPeFHCKcm5ThpvA06Yctutp4_kJVX9-VjpRZXnSPrnChZAtjWUoPm5QH5HLxPd00C1lPpI6zVEQQ5TZydAQR67ivvFdBUK7ZCInE/s1600/IMG20161009103927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHPoXz5z3Y-VA-rCfkt1qNL1qr6q5vZIhfQwKA6gYPeFHCKcm5ThpvA06Yctutp4_kJVX9-VjpRZXnSPrnChZAtjWUoPm5QH5HLxPd00C1lPpI6zVEQQ5TZydAQR67ivvFdBUK7ZCInE/s400/IMG20161009103927.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Start (From the base and not the gate which is about 50mts ahead):: 9:33AM</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">End time (The gate at the summit) :: 10:16AM </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Number of stops :: 3 Each for approximately about 30secs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tip :: If you are planning for food stop at Kanakpura, this is a great option for cyclists as there is a secure basement parking and the hotel itself is at the basement so you have the bikes always in sight. Look for hotel Gokul. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://goo.gl/maps/MdUvtw9zGY52. If you are headed from Bangalore to Mysore, it is located on the right side.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's a further deep dive into the specifics of the climb and I urge you to review this blog by Opendro: </span><a href="http://www.opendro.com/2016/10/how-steep-can-you-climb.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">How steep can you climb?</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-26163030214970173222016-09-30T08:00:00.000+05:302016-11-08T10:41:28.433+05:30Welcome the Blue Wonder - Toyota Corolla H2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A sabbatical from driving for nearly 5 years and I was back in the market for a set of wheels. Auto Consulting to someone looking for a car turns out easy however when it comes to oneself, there's a plethora of options and one can only be lost in the time sucking vortex from hell. The Internet !! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This was intended for my brother so he could drive and I could use it occasionally. Only petrol as the usage would be on the lower side. My brother only wanted a hatchback, preferably a small car like 800/Zen and go bling with with alloys headers and the rest of bells and whistles that could give the 'fizz' effect like James May. So the exhaustive list of cars that I've skimmed over the last 4 months. Starting budget was 50k but managed to 'boost' it up to a Lac so now the options switched from a pool of small cars and bigger sedans started showing up in search results. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>For a budget under a lac (in the order of search results for the budget):</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Maruti 800/Zen/zen classic << Serves only purpose of learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Fiat 118NE / Premier Padmini << Mostly will be at service center/spares issue</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Contessa << I was more inclined to owning the classic but reliability kept me away. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Alto/Estillo/Palio << As good as pt 1. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Esteem/1.3 or a 1.6 petrol Ikon/Accent << First car a Ford so looking for something different</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. Lancer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. Honda City type 1 OHC << Very inclined to these as there were options in 1-1.5lac.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8. Type 2 (1.3/1.5/vtec) << The best in my mind among the lot. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">9. Honda Civic. (Low GC and expensive spares relative to Honda City)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So with the options above ended up test driving a couple of OHC. One was in a pretty bad state but the exhaust note with headers was sweet. However during a test drive the car choked within a km and the owner was honest to admin it was one of the cables from the set of 4 that pop out and just re-seating it gets working. A deal breaker for me this one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The next one was a very nice looking type 1 OHC and it stuck on my mind like glue the moment a test drive was done. The modifications done were neat. Engine bay looked reasonably good for a 16yr old car. 4 lenso Alloys to give it a beautiful stance with spacers. Half headers to ensure you get the oomph factor without causing any nausea on long drives. Just a perfect blend of components I was after. Owner wanted to deal with only cash transaction and didn't seem very keen on selling it as there was no proper/timely response. So it kept getting postponed by a couple of weeks. Yet another deal breaker. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A week later visited BEL circle near Jalahalli to test a Type2 Honda city 1.5 with alloys, headers from Raj and shabbir (best in bangalore and in south India if I'm not mistaken) FC till 2020 but pretty loud car. I'm floored with the sporty exhausts but they surely are police magnets so was the carbon fiber finish spoiler. I wondered this type 2 Honda City is a better choice than the OHC checked earlier however the owner quoted 2.60 and was ready for 2L. The deal was again being postponed by a couple of weeks and after a feedback from my family we decided against this vehicle due to the mods done. Parents won't certainly like to be in the constant roar of the thunderous exhaust on long drives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now I start looking for deals outside Bangalore and a ton of options show up under a 2L budget. I'm now drooling over Camry's/Volvo S60/Jetta/Corolla/BMW. The City Vtec seems to be a rare bunch and finding one in a good nick even rarer. So the options are now narrowed down to only Honda City Type 2 or a Toyota Corolla. Upon searching there were quite a few listed and the color choices that were on offer and the one to please the family turned out to be this Blue one. The white/black/silver are the most common. Red and Blue look to be the exquisite breed. Took a colleague of mine who's the trained eye and he did the test drive and confirmed the suspension needed work and front bumper needs refit. Apart from that no major work that is needed on this baby. Hence the negotiations start and we finally seal the deal at 1.75L within a week. The price quoted on advert was 2.6L. Today my brother </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">joins the automotive club with this Blue Wonder, The Toyota Corolla H2. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The Goodies (Features that I've not been accustomed to. Simple and subtle for many but a 5 Star for me) :</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The AC is truly a chiller and auto mode works impeccably. I thought Figo had the best in class AC and I'm sure this is at par with the Ford. I wasn't aware that the mirrors were motorized. I only realized it the next morning when I inserted the key and then the sweet sound of the mirrors unfolding. Wow. Goosebumps! The engine is so refined but not as silent as the Maruti. Yet, coming from the likes of a diesel Ikon 1.8D you can imagine the grin on my face driving about in the 'silent mode'. The armrest had two storage compartments. TWO! The parcel tray on the front passenger area unfolds in a controlled manner and not like a freefall in the Ikon. Even the spare wheel is an alloy. The interiors are just superb with the fabric type that I always wanted in a car. Talk about being cocooned in luxury. Brakes being all 4 discs are sharp and with potential to stop on a dime. With the fog lamps on, it looks sweeter at night. I had my brother drive around the block while I just stood still admiring the looks. (Secretly though still have a soft corner for the Civic and City Vtec Type 2). I must thank my family for putting them up to a sufferfest and persistent requests for sanity check while shortlisting (actually a longlist) vehicles over the last four months. Even went to the extent of checking for options in Delhi and Mumbai looking at an Camry/Cedia. Everything on the inside of the car just works as it should. The first owner has maintained it very well. There are a few scratches on the bumper and cosmetic issues are to be sorted next year. The alloys show their age and have an orang-ish tinge but I can live with the dash of sportiness. The funny part is this car has a 6CD changer and a cassette player. I still have a dozen cassettes left however not a single MP3 CD in this age of AUX/USB streaming. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Issues that need attention:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Right wheel has knocking noise. (probably the ball joint/lowerarm/suspension/bushings) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Rear left wheel has a sound as if some sort of metal plate is loose and it has no pattern but just appears at random. Needs more inspection. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Front bumper on the right needs a re-fit as there is a considerable gap between it and the headlight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Rear tyres need replacement not immediate but going by the looks there is still about 8-10k kms life left on it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Wiper pipe is disconnected so yet to find the right socket to connect it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. Front right power window sometimes is slow to respond but allow it a few minutes and its back to normal. </span></div>
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<b>Pic update</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This blog has captured the very essence of owning a Toyota Corolla: <b>http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-term-ownership-reviews/107579-toyota-corolla-2004-long-term-ownership-report-55-000-km-2.html </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Update 8th Nov :: </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Right wheel has knocking noise. (probably the ball joint/lowerarm/suspension/bushings) <b>(Resolved - Struts and mount plates replaced)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Rear left wheel/axle has a sound as if some sort of metal plate is loose and it has no pattern but just appears at random. Needs more inspection. <b> (Pending)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Front bumper on the right needs a re-fit as there is a considerable gap between it and the headlight. <b>(Pending)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Rear tyres need replacement not immediate but going by the looks there is still about 8-10k kms life left on it. <b>(Pending)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Wiper pipe is disconnected so yet to find the right socket to connect it. <b>(DIY - resolved)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6. Front right power window sometimes is slow to respond but allow it a few minutes and its back to normal. <b>(Pending)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-67920732482486497742016-05-13T14:08:00.000+05:302016-05-14T14:12:50.341+05:30Kalhatty love - Part 2 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With the first team excursion on 6th May 2016done and dusted, we discussed on the possibility of 'when next' during the return drive. Kalhatty is a climbers delight. The urge to repeat started a couple of days after the body and mind had switched back to Bengaluru mode. Checked the feasibility of one more resource joining the ride, the plan was confirmed by mid week. Now the painful process of wait starts and there wasn't much planning to do nor packing as it was just the two of us so logistics wasn't an issue . More good news awaited as I got the confirmation from Putta that we could start by thursday night thereby getting a chance to drive to and fro with least disruption from the crazy traffic on the Bangalore - Mysore highway. Come thursday, we started by midnight and the first pitstop was at Cafe Coffee day after Maddur and an uneventful drive till Gundlupet CCD. We stopped for a nap for about an hour and started for the Bandipur checkpost. There was a long line of trucks and cars waiting for gates to open at 6. Then the madness starts and cars trying to overtake trucks with the incessant honking. I pity the truck drivers as most are helpless due to the heavy loads they carry, narrow roads and usually oblige one's request to overtake with just a honk from cars trying to pass. The Mudumalai checkpost had a considerable line of waiting traffic. However, not as bad as the one we experienced the earlier trip (a weekend). Like a moth that is amused by the light source, we roadie scum are quite similar when it comes to hill climbs and Kalhatty in particular stands out. We park at CCD, order a double Espresso and finish it off with bread butter and orange marmalade. I thought it was perfect considering an all night ride and caffeine should help stay awake for the entirety of the climb. But the beauty of nilgiris is rather experience best than put in words. Right at the first couple of kms, the heart rate shot upto the 180's and stayed there for a good bit and slowing down to try and reduce. There are no flat sections for recovery at kalhatty which made matters worse. Yet I wanted to attempt a non-stop so continued the climb. I was so tempted to stop for a masala tea at 4kms to the summit. Yet spurred on with a few thoughts and the music that kept me good company for the last few kms to maintain tempo. The bread butter and jam vanished in thin air. I waited to Putta sipping sprite and considered riding down to accompany him. Rode down and he was just a few hundred mts away. Reached the climb and the customary photoshoot started. As the Viper (Polygon Helios 500) cooled Putta too chilled at the summit. Since our only task planned was complete we decided not to enter ooty and just ride to the nearby lake Sandynulla. The winding road are road bikeable towards Gudalur. We stopped for a couple of photos by the lake and continued to ride on to find nature's balcony. Found it 2kms on a left curve right opposite to a small church. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Unlike the ride on 6th May, this ride was a hard one and surprisingly the cadence computer did record and the stats are uploaded to Garmin and Strava. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Garmin activity </span><a href="https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1166601375"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1166601375</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> ::</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finishing the Kalhatty :: </span><a href="https://youtu.be/741OA2-jTrA"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">https://youtu.be/741OA2-jTrA</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A good amount of wildlife was spotted with this trip and the list includes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Birds, <br />Peacock<br />Robin<br />Kingfisher<br />Myna</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Barking deer<br />Wild boar<br />Indian Bison<br />Herd of Deer <br />Herd of elephants</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Waiting for gates to open by 6AM - Bandipur</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enroute Thepekadu</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gate timings</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Lovely roads to Thepekadu</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kalhatty Backdrop</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>A Selfie with Lord Gans</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Putta finishing the climb</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>At Sandynulla lake 2kms from the gudalur - ooty- kalhatty junction</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The road on the right is the Gudalur - ooty highway</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basking in Natures Balcony a mighty relief from the climb</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Pro-Lite chakra :)</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Harley meet at CCD Masinagudi</span></strong></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com3Masinagudi, Tamil Nadu 643223, India11.5721768 76.642715211.5566208 76.6225452 11.5877328 76.662885199999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-68002186478264535392016-05-06T14:17:00.000+05:302016-05-16T14:23:10.901+05:30Kalhatty Love - Part 1 - Team CW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kalhatty in May, are you nuts? One question that pops into most minds. For riders who love Climbs things can't get better in terms of gradient as an option here in the south. I was a little skeptical of the climb with a 12-28 cassette as i've always rode the Flite 300 which has a perfect ratio for climbs 11-32. However, looks like the 12-28 is a good deal to tame Kalhatty. A meme that sums up the situation with travel plans:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I think there are many that could relate to this :). Anyway, the turnout held strong till the last hour so with all the excitement, as always, with hardly any sleep, Kiran, Putta and I started 3hrs earlier and we planned to stop at the checkpost for a nap till the gates opened. The second group (Opendro, Anantha and Chidambaram) had agreed to start much later after some early sleep. Putta, Kiran and I reached the CCD at Gundlupet by 3.45 and attempted to get some sleep but there were bugs that didn't allow much rest. While I sat in the chair at CCD and gazed upon the sky thinking about road bikeable routes around, the lights turned on and CCD was awake. Got myself an Espresso and waited for the other two warriors to wake up. Soon Putta was awake and we were joined by Opendro and team. We started after an hour and managed to find some great traffic at Bandipur exit. A traffic jam for about a km. It took more than half hour to clear this stretch due to extended checks at the checkpost. We were on our way to CCD Mavanalla/Masinagudi but didn't spot much wildlife. Soon we reached CCD and since we had breakfast in the car (chappatis and jam) during the traffic jam, we didn't have to stop for breakfast. All 6 started riding at a steady pace to the base. With the Garmins ticking and pedals clicking we started steady climb. It was a steady climb with Opendro as he had been unwell. It was a ride to take in the sheer beauty of the ghats. Traffic was relenting and most giving way to us and slowing down on seeing oncoming traffic. I got to do my part of informing drivers at the hairpin bends that they could make the turn by gesturing a go ahead or slow down. The relief that one gets right at the summit is indescribable. One by one the entire team was present and Opendro had carried the brevet pack (handle bar bag) with breakfast which we finshed and headed towards Kotagiri. Ooty city traffic was nasty with packed intersections but enough room for road bikes to squeeze through. Once we made it to Doddabetta we decided to turn back as Kotagiri was another 23kms and we had very little time to do 46kms and might end up not exiting the checkpost on time. We stopped for lunch at a hotel at Ooty. Post lunch we descended the ghats. Opendro and I were fully fueled and just raced downhill at some good speed in less than 30 mins. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-13457649613899353752016-04-11T23:40:00.001+05:302016-04-12T00:36:50.685+05:30The Silver Shadow - Polygon Zenith FX<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Life Cycle of my 'Cycle'. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It has been a little over two years since the time I started commuting. The initial thoughts were a barrage of 'what if's' just like any curious startup commuter :). The evolution to a day or night / rain or shine attitude took a lot of trial runs but now there are no more doubts but just a lovely commute every single time. Even the non-commute rides are enjoyable. Don't believe me .. try riding on open roads at noon and then stop for a tender coconut/ice cream/butter milk. An eternal bliss descends. Perception matters so you think its tough its going to be tough. There are lot of welcome distractions. I've had so many motorbikers cheer me when I overtake them and many autos giving a smile. Lately, even the Volvo buses seem to be either bike friendly or I've been in a terribly good stroke of luck to meet some of the most friendly ones who don't overtake you and pull up right after, when there's a bus stop ahead. So the motto goes, live and let live :). Inner Peace !! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A trip to Singapore from office for a training back in 2014 and a casual stroll back to hotel and my eyes drift to a bike shop and lo behold, Colorful fixies/single speed bicycles on display. The only thing that caught my eyes are the deep section wheels and I have been a sucker for owning a wheelset with deep section rims. They truly add that finesse to the already kitted rider. Having two bikes in the stable already the third was an unwelcome guest. Yet I purchased it for some casual city rides and never thought I'd end up using it as a serious commuter. close to 2 years and some 16000 commute kms, two set of tyres, many tubes, and multiple iterations with quality component updates to the bike it has finally come to a point to switch to a better and a lighter commuter. On a casual visit to WheelSports Experience Center Marathahalli, I ended up test riding the Polygon Zenith FX. (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153408927897407.1073741836.604267406&type=1&l=ae80a9db13). Mind at unrest with juggling about the options available, quickly made a deal. with Tusker (Kiran from WheelSports). With a Scolarian wheelset around, this seemed to be the perfect time to update to one bike for an all weather commute. Many thanks to Venky sir and Kiran in helping me with my journey through the bikes :). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The several Avatars of my commuter:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>My new Steed for my future commutes. </b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com1Chennappa Layout, Chinnapanna Halli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560037, India12.961124198013039 77.70459294319152812.960640698013039 77.703962443191529 12.961607698013038 77.705223443191528tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-73453018285563442462015-10-08T18:23:00.000+05:302015-10-08T18:24:14.619+05:30Satisfaction Guaranteed - Bliss in Hills <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few FAQ's to understand this blog better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is a Brevet?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A brevet is a non-competitive cycle ride on a fixed route to be completed within a specified time. It is not a race.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why 'Bliss in the hills' ? 'Inner Peace' .. 'Inner Peace'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope you can spot more reasons to the 'why' below:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bliss at Kalpeta Control</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">River crossing Bliss just before Iritty</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Chikki Bliss</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABEAnW1R4BYh3N6cs5fqS5uRCG9tWWGnNEY5nkV6NPtUqvyoshZ-eiG8PNYaD_zrqvDBbNp991PVaZtGOOc3NmBge1ZUeuy1ier05-i044HSDPi0XLwZdrWdxpj25OO4i11Bw1dl7GzE/s1600/IMG-20151004-WA0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABEAnW1R4BYh3N6cs5fqS5uRCG9tWWGnNEY5nkV6NPtUqvyoshZ-eiG8PNYaD_zrqvDBbNp991PVaZtGOOc3NmBge1ZUeuy1ier05-i044HSDPi0XLwZdrWdxpj25OO4i11Bw1dl7GzE/s400/IMG-20151004-WA0005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Training Plan:</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation for this Brevet started many months ago and I strongly relied on commute miles to work as a key training. Each day riding about 56kms rain/shine. One specific training was an over nighter at nandi with 4 repeats between 11pm to 4AM. But just a little over two weeks to the start, I caught pneumonia and in a pretty bad state. It was none other than Major Srinivas who put me on the expressway to recovery. So all my training plans down the drain and with some mild cough persistent a couplet of days before the start I wasn't so sure if I should even make it to the start point. This ride was supposed to have been attempted last year but had to cancel for an emergency. So not riding it this time would linger for many months until I attempted the same. So I managed to prep the bike a day in advance and it was almost ready for the road trip. A long brevet checklist was followed and I managed to pack most of the necessary stuff and the rest went into the backpack that was to be dropped with the support car and we'd get to see the same only at the halfway point at Kalpeta. Here's the Rubie all set to roll for over 1200kms. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVs3vqlgV7rSIPB1r2GqXzucABgPdLZIN0jLETObTfJjsrkA-rkVZZZdW8PTYwN_j4RJ_JUFNKH1Tfuo6YC9H0wlAJIhJ8jMC_IBz-aY2sjXcIyWHxX5X51WdGgkSSIMx21u9fqw_GDGo/s1600/IMG_20150930_115257123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVs3vqlgV7rSIPB1r2GqXzucABgPdLZIN0jLETObTfJjsrkA-rkVZZZdW8PTYwN_j4RJ_JUFNKH1Tfuo6YC9H0wlAJIhJ8jMC_IBz-aY2sjXcIyWHxX5X51WdGgkSSIMx21u9fqw_GDGo/s400/IMG_20150930_115257123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The start was delayed by 20 mins. Dodged crazy city traffic which is the norm. Once we hit Nelamangala we turned onto the Hassan highway. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Menacing cloud cover as we head towards Hassan. But luckily no heavy rains and we did away with some super fine drizzle. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A comfortable reach to Belur. Relished the packed/parceled fried rice from the earlier dinner stop to propel us to the next leg, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Belur to Balupet. It was midnight when we were crossing the section Attempted to rest at a temple early hours of the morning but sleep wasn't a choice due to mosquitoes and tiny tree frogs. The roads were road bikeable with surprise patches appearing all of a sudden. Soon we reached the turnoff at sakhleshpur highway and we stopped for Tea and masala bun. The rest of the bunch feasted on boiled eggs either to recuperate for the climbs or prepare for the ones that lay ahead :). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A rolling terrain via shanivarsanthe, sowmvarpet. Targets/milestones were set for every next town as per cue sheet so reaching the same was a priority made easier rather than look at the entire route or the distance. Breaking things down to smaller goals felt way better. We didn't spot any wildlife but many curious people as they see lycra clad, colorful riders wondering <b>'motorbikes struggle at places and these guys are on cycle'. </b>The silence, low traffic, good tarmac turned out to be a very good combo for that <b>'Inner Peace</b>' that I mentioned earlier and this was the start of project "Transformation Bliss". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Sowmvarpet/shanivarsanthe road</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Towards Madikeri beautiful Twisty roads</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsH1fvDZeH3BHK6TQr86DPqsYCay4EytHcZ22zs8btkbnLZEq-FY1cdiis3SgAVkuMurZwz9iIfjjsTr9emVG9td3ncppPhYNIDKp7mgeJpQlns5w_9byidwXTbWVU_m8gCmypm8mDOQ/s1600/IMG_20151001_085851662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsH1fvDZeH3BHK6TQr86DPqsYCay4EytHcZ22zs8btkbnLZEq-FY1cdiis3SgAVkuMurZwz9iIfjjsTr9emVG9td3ncppPhYNIDKp7mgeJpQlns5w_9byidwXTbWVU_m8gCmypm8mDOQ/s400/IMG_20151001_085851662.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Opendro checking to see that the group is intact</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We reached Virajpet by late afternoon and the idea was to head to Iritty and clear the downhill section and the next target was to clear the panamaram mananthavady and Kalpeta to rest. The night was dark with orchestra by crickets and it looked like it had just rained a short while ago as we were still riding on wet roads. Periya climb was a long and steady one. All the while we could hear what sounded like rapids beside the valley and the clouds had cleared so a view of stars boosted confidence that we could expect a rain free climb. Post the climb we stopped for the pics at the control. The Hotel Highway served meals and i was content with the same. However, the next section was to be the worst when we expected a fast descent. We struggled hard to figure a path to ride and utilize the downhill but my vision was distorted by intermittent fogging and the headlight from oncoming traffic only amplified the effect. Putta and I rode much slower compared to Opendro who just rode way faster and was more like on a second recce mission on bike. After this dreaded descent, we started riding towards Kalpeta. By Panamaram Putta started struggling due to some issue with food served at Periya. Opendro too seemed to have issues with bowel movement once at Kalpeta. I felt fine as my engine seemed to have just burnt any food ingested. The pace got way slower and Opendro and I had to take a quick call whether to slow down for Putta or ride like mad men to make it to control. We decided on latter as he could rest at Kalpeta. It sure felt bad to drop Putta at that time in that condition but reaching control was just too tight. The speeds at which Opendro pulled we made it to the control 2 mins to closing time. The sight of familiar faces was truly welcoming and they soon took our bikes so we could then get refreshed and catch up with some sleep. After a refreshing shower and change of clothes i just hit the bed for a 3hr sleep. Precious time and precious little sleep. By the time I woke up I got to know that Putta had been rescued by organizers as they had to find him about 8kms away from Kalpeta in the dark. I managed to get more packs of Enerzal from Putta's stock and stuffed in the Decathlon's handlebar bag. Batteries replaced, we were now ready for the second half of the journey. We bid adieu to organizers and Putta. He was now to just get rest and take a bus back to Bangalore. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The superb team of organizers. Kudos to you guys to make the stopover a luxury</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We proceeded towards Peravoor and then turned towards Gudalur section. Here's where the scenery changed yet again. Beautiful misty mornings and winding roads through many plantations. We stopped to have tea and finish the cream buns purchased last night at Virajpet. The lady at the stall offered sweet appam. We gladly loaded our tummies for the long and arduous (so we thought) climb to ooty.The ride was beautiful and the roads were very good. Once we reached Gudalur we stopped for lunch at a hotel specializing in Parota. Hot and delicious, we also managed to pack a couple of them so we didn't have to stop enroute for another break till mettupalayam. Soon we were joined by Chidu, Deepak and Major. We bid adieu and started the climb at our own pace. My intention was to listen to music during the climb and mp3 player was sitting snug in the bag and remained there for good. Opendro and I had a chat for the entirety of the climb and before we knew it the climb was over. It passed through some beautiful eucalyptus forest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Gudalur to Ooty section</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Eucalyptus forest</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Enroute Gudalur - Major and Opendro enjoying the twisty roads</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deepak and Chiddu mashing it to Gudalur</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KQ7d-bV8ZGl-BCxB69h2LPD9-e5mqB4J_zfP-nv89UpqalkN8LEofw8ZnQur6wjkU3RqKvqC3tHe5oNlU1wfDfO5L5poeuUM4b1XUh628Nwnuo8aTd838KcQC-SQOu3qECBCsN2WyeE/s1600/IMG_20151002_084434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KQ7d-bV8ZGl-BCxB69h2LPD9-e5mqB4J_zfP-nv89UpqalkN8LEofw8ZnQur6wjkU3RqKvqC3tHe5oNlU1wfDfO5L5poeuUM4b1XUh628Nwnuo8aTd838KcQC-SQOu3qECBCsN2WyeE/s400/IMG_20151002_084434.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My tourer</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Putta's Sidewinder</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIXkNz5RFovD4RyOgNjGKGPrESyoO4E_CsiBrvuTrEFB_Xmq5XvNgYeT_pEEFrmgzPiORTC0xMYmpD2FbQj0CuCU_FbgtEpfVm5RMkgwVJhKktW0zqkl0u_ljDOJAiVcshhfqcrv6MPs/s1600/IMG-20150927-WA0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIXkNz5RFovD4RyOgNjGKGPrESyoO4E_CsiBrvuTrEFB_Xmq5XvNgYeT_pEEFrmgzPiORTC0xMYmpD2FbQj0CuCU_FbgtEpfVm5RMkgwVJhKktW0zqkl0u_ljDOJAiVcshhfqcrv6MPs/s400/IMG-20150927-WA0013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deepak Mhasavade's fully equipped Tourer</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We reached Ooty comfortably and now had the task of reaching Kotagiri. Many reviews from cyclists was that it was very steep. Nah. Not even close to what i had on mind. So that took another short while to clear and then it was mostly downhill to Kotagiri. Not as crowded as Ooty and lot of beautiful views all over. If you've been following my earlier blogs then you must be missing the climax. Yeah.. where is a flat Mr.Flat Pandian :D. 10kms to Kotagiri the front tube decided it didn't like air anymore. Time to remove the liners from the front one too. Inspected the tyre, put the new tube and pumped it up to bout 60PSI. then coasted all the way to the town where Opendro was waiting on me. Our next target was to finish the downhill stretch to Mettupalayam in daylight. So we quickly took snaps and headed to clear the stretch. The speed was way too good and the cornering was superb with 60PSI. More traction. We were only held up by other slower cars/bus. It was a fast downhill to the base of the clim and we stopped to finish the packed parota to propel us to the next control towards Avinashi. We took it at a brisk pace till Annur and stopped to have a lime soda. Suddenly, Opendro asked about control closing time and it was 8.36. and the watch revealed 8:02. So we had 20 kms to cover in 34mins. So we quickly gulped down the soda and it was back to time trial mode. Heads down and mash at a high cadence. The average would've certainly been >35kph on this flat highway with hardly any winds to disturb our momentum which sure was a saving grace. We did make it about 2 mins to control close. Only after we passed this point did we realize ther still was 20 mins added as a buffer. This was due to the roads switching to a non existent stte at Periya when compared to the recce that was done just weeks ago. We had Tea and continued our journey to Salem. We tried to rest at a couple of bus stops but due to mosquitoes we simply couldn't get any. So we decided to continue riding. The pace was increased and we tried to reach Yercaud base as early as possible so we get to climb in the pleasant morning weather. After having a couple of bananas we started the climb where we noticed a lot of people walking the initial 5-8kms . A steady pace was set and we continued riding. We managed to make it to the Yercaud control well within time. We stopped for breakfast at Hotel Shevaroy. I didn't fill up my tummy even though we'd been informed that it was all down hill till Kuppanur. But there was a nasty nasty surprise. There were some steep walls to climb before the actual downhill starts to Attur. Opendro mentioned that in a car one fails to realize the gradient and we were laughing at the thought of other rides who must have topped up their tanks to the brim considering the "downhill only" sections. Yet another fast and speedy downhill only to be slowed down by a 'Small bus' that wasn't really small. I had to stop to top up air in the front tyre as i felt them very low. While cornering i felt the tyre almost give way. Opendro did agree that it was less so we continued to the base where we had to change the tube due to a flat due to a stone hitting the tube due to super low pressure. Swapped the tube yet again and we continued. It was noon and I didn't want to ride anymore after looking at the road condition from Attur to Uthangarai. It was a sufferfest for the sore back, neck and wrists. After riding for about 5-6kms I had to stop for some cold drink and found Citra. Didn't know that this was still in production. Refreshed and tired, we continued till uthangarai for lunch. We stooped once more for a power nap for 10 mins which worked wonders. We continued to Uthangarai where we stopped for lunch. Great meals at a small hotel was just needed to replenish and prepare us for the climb to Yelagiri. We started climbing late evening and soon we had drizzle and short bouts of rain as we headed to the summit that was 11kms ahead. The last climb of this journey and we were very excited. An undramatically slow climb but we managed to reach the top and while searching for ATM, we ended up running into Slush. This clogged up the brake pads, soiled the rims and the braking only worsened the situation. So Opendro ot a 20 ltr can to help clean the bike and also top up on supplies before we head down and continue riding to Vaniyambadi where we turn towards Krishnagiri. Enroute we stopped for a power nap of 15 mins that turned out to be a powerful nap of 1.5hrs :). I simply followed Opendro until we could clear the nasty pothole ridden section. Oh, and did i mentioned that I veered off the road into the gravel due to hallucination? :) I regained control and we soon connected to the highway. We had T and i was now refreshed and took the lead for the next 50kms. This was by far the fastest leg of the journey as we were riding it like a time trial. High cadence workout and It worked perfect for both. 50kms covered in 1hr 40 mins that included 2 breaks of 15 mins. When i gestured Opendro to take over I thought he'd set a relaxed pace but that ws never to happen. He too mashed at nearly the same pace and i only just held on to his wheel and managed to rest on flyovers sections. Once at Krishnagiri we stopped for another dose of Tea and Opendro suggested that we take it slow so we reach just in time when there are volunteers and friends and family waiting at the end control. The only other stop was at coffee day for some Cafe Americano where Opendro had a powernap while i was chatting with some mobikers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1200 kms in 90 hrs... did I just complete it? I had goose bumps we rolled into the end control. And the best part was that it was a comfortable finish and I relived my first Brevet memories with my brevet buddy Oepndro. I dedicate my finish to this Superhuman Samurai with a never say never attitude. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My brevet buddy. What a superb ride it turned out to be !!</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The finishers from Cleated warriors</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>End credits</u>:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Major Srinivas -- </b>This ride wouldn't even have seen the light of the day had it not been for your help in getting me recovered from pneumonia 2 weeks prior. </span><br />
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Putta Narasimhaiah -- </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you for the timely assistance and the training for BITH with hill repeats. One of the good times where I thoroughly enjoyed the training sessions despite breaking a lot of sweat.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Opendro -- </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You truly are an inspiration to many and to me this 1200 was more than double the fun and a great learning similar to our first Brevet 600 back in Apr 2011. </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rajesh (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My team manager)</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b>-- F</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or approving leaves. Hadn't mentioned the reason behind the same but it sure will be a surprise one when he gets to read this blog :). Thank you Rajesh.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shivraj (Wheelsports)</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -- Who toiled long hours on my bike to get it back to glory, the Flite 300 with 2300 groupset. Compact crank with a 11-32 casette. Pretty much the perfect one for this ride. </span><br />
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kiran (aka Tusker) -- </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's a whole lot more to just this ride as the assistance I've been getting doesn't pertain to this ride or just this bike. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Organizers -- </b>Saying you've done a great job is an understatement. You were simply superb and the efforts taken to ensure riders are at ease and comfort I suppose is partly the reason for the renewed motivation and energy levels to ride the remaining miles. Kudos folks !! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Elevation </b>13887 mts<b> </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="hdr" style="font-weight: bold; padding-right: 2em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Event</span></td><td style="padding-right: 5em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brevet of 1200km</span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="hdr" style="font-weight: bold; padding-right: 2em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Start</span></td><td style="padding-right: 5em;"><span itemprop="location"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bangalore, BTM Layout Pizza Hut</span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="hdr" style="font-weight: bold; padding-right: 2em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">End</span></td><td style="padding-right: 5em;"><span itemprop="location"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bangalore, HDFC ATM, BTM layout</span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="hdr" style="font-weight: bold; padding-right: 2em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Location</span></td><td style="padding-right: 5em;"><span itemprop="location"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bangalore</span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="hdr" style="font-weight: bold; padding-right: 2em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Start Time</span></td><td style="padding-right: 5em;"><time datetime="2015-09-30T15:20:00" itemprop="startDate"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">30 September 2015, 03:20PM</span></time></td></tr>
<tr><td class="hdr" style="font-weight: bold; padding-right: 2em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time Limit</span></td><td style="padding-right: 5em;"><time datetime="PT90H0M" itemprop="duration"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">90 hours</span></time></td></tr>
<tr><td class="hdr" style="font-weight: bold; padding-right: 2em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Organizers</span></td><td style="padding-right: 5em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bangalore Bikers Club (601002)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Fuel: </b>Fried rice, Parota, More fried rice, Bananas, Enerzal/Gatorade in</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> generous quantities, superb meals at Uthangarai and most of all, the motivation from fellow rider Opendro. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The entire route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/10555502 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Here is a one line synposis of the route</b></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bangalore — Ring road — Tumkur road – Nelamangala – Chennarayapatna bypass – Hassan – Belur – Belagodu – Balupet – Shanivarsanthe – Somwarpet – Madikeri – Murnad – Virajpet – Iritty – Peravoor – Periya – Thalapuzha – Mananthavadi – Panamaram – Kambalakkad – Kalpetta – Meppadi – Gudalur – Naduvattam – Pykara – Ooty – Doddabetta – Kotagiri – Metupalayam – Annur – Avinashi – Salem – Yercaud – Kuppanur – Harur – Uttangarai – tirupattur – Jolarpet – Yelagiri – Jolarpet – Tirupattur – Barghur – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Electronics city – Bangalore</span></strong></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com11India20.025880173405312 72.3488759994506844.3640986734053122 51.694578999450684 35.687661673405316 93.003172999450683tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-75098548242722721642015-08-17T23:33:00.000+05:302015-08-23T23:46:06.601+05:30Bangalore-to-Trichy - A-jolly-weekender<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A sabbatical from the 'fun' rides most of this year, I couldn't decline the irresistible offer for a weekend ride. This starts with a casual meet at Wheelsports Marathahalli. The most important component for this ride to become a reality would be the 'license' to ride from the home ministries. With both my leave and license (partially approved), Shyam and I waited for Kiran's confirmation.<br />
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<b>Thursday</b> - The anxiety attack as usual prior to the ride. However, this time I did manage to get twice as many hours sleep than usual. Next, the bike. Due to a nasty crash during the Nandi race, the rear derailleur had gotten entangled in the rear wheel and the hanger was broken. This had been ordered by Happy Earth Enterprises but this would take a few weeks before this bike can be brought to a riding condition. Wheel at one store, frame at another, my bike wouldn't see the tarmac anytime soon. Over the last couple of years I've had my eyes on a carbon candy that caught my attention at Wheelsports Chamrajpet. Seriously considering an upgrade wasn't really on my mind until the candy was built up with Tiagra 10speed groupset and then shifted to the Marathahalli store. Every day that I visited, I was tempted just take that bike out for a spin. I finally gave in and asked Kiran (Tusker) to transfer the 105 from the Flite 300 to the Flite 750. Only then did we realize that the right shifter was not shifting down and to add fuel to the fire, the rd cage too was bent as the pulley was hitting the cage when extending. Not so good signs. Also the right shifter wasn't shifting at all. A superb stroke of luck when we found that there was a brand new right shifter available that was then installed. Next, a shiny silver 105 rear derailleur was installed. So effectively it was a brand new bike with only an old left shifter and stem :D. The chain too had to be replaced as it had gotten twisted in the crash.<br />
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<b>Friday</b> - The excitement continues as this is one of the rides on my list and somehow didn't see the light of the day. This turned out to be just the opportunity. The right wrist ache continues since the crash but on the brighter side, there are no fractures/dislocations which has been confirmed with an X-Ray. A maiden voyage for Shyam's 'Tusky' (XUV 500) and my Flite 750. We started a lot later than the agreed time. Met at silkboard and we drove to A2B from where we had breakfast and then started the ride. We hired a driver (Yogesh) so the support car could be with us for the duration of the trip. The plan was to catch up with the car every 20-30kms. After a heavy breakfast at A2B, we started for Krishnagiri. The heat was a killer and occasional headwinds didn't assist either. The miles rolled by on this super wide and a descending highway. Next milestone was Dharmapuri. A rolling terrain till Dharmapuri toll. We tried to paceline for a bit and then it turned into a cat and mouse game. Shyam rode strong but he did feel the relentless heat. By the time we reached Thoppur ghat, Shyam was exhausted from the heat and opted to take the car. Tusker and I waited at the tool and once Shyam reached, we started to descend the ghat. It was a quick descent and then Kiran rode strong and was soon a few hundred mts away from me and maintained the pace. The cadence was high and but can't say the same for energy levels. We had one rider down and we were descending to the Salem Flats. Despite the heat, Tusker and I rode with high cadence and I suppose we hit the average of atleast 35kph. There were no cyclocomp to measure as mine was a new bike, Tusker was riding shyam's wheelset and the spoke magnet wasn't swapped from the wheel and Shyam was about 10-15kms ahead and waiting for us at Saravana Bhavan. The lunch was sumptuous and we then continued to ride at a steady pace to reach the Day1 rest stop which was Hotel Estancia just before the 5 roads junction. The dilemma now was whether to continue riding to Yercaud directly or to rest at hotel for a while and then ride by 4 in the evening. I'm mighty glad that we chose the latter. You may be wondering why.<br />
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1. Heat has been a killer on the highway and on the climb it is only amplified.<br />
2. My drivetrain had a mind of its own. Automatic transmission as if saying 'No Hill assist'.<br />
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Checking in to the hotel had its own share of problems (from a rider's perspective). An overcast sky, a swimming pool visible from the room and the mind is easily switches to the nirvana mode. However, I was most eager to test the 750 on the climb and remained adamant to ride to Yercad. Shyam had a rendezvous with his school friends so the ride to Trichy remained the critical task on his wishlist. So considering the heat exhaustion it was decided that he'll be in the support car while Tusker and I started the climb after filling water and enerzal at the base of the climb. Shyam offered his phone to be used as cyclocomp and what a lovely surprise that turned out to be. I stopped momentarily at the start of the climb as he fired up its sensors and every 100mts or so it voiced out the distance/time elapsed/elevation gain. A superb touch to keep the motivation going. A grave mistake turned out to be the selection of cassette, Since my rear wheel was awaiting replacement of broken spokes, I had left the wheel with the cassette. The spare Ultegra cassette however it was a 12-23. This wasn't a big issue as much as the auto shift mechanism. The crank was 34-50T (compact) and I had a hard time keeping the chain at 30 - 23 and it kept shifting to 19 and then i had to upshift to 21 which was stable. The moment I shift to 23, I hear the chain rub on the FD and after a few 10's of meters, it auto shifts to 19 :(. Very very frustrating when i'm happily settling into a rhythm of climbing. Despite these niggles, I managed a 1hr 30 mins timed from base to the last hairpin bend, closely followed by tusker with 1hr 35 mins. I'd love to do the climb again with the right ratios to keep the cadence high but that's a deal for another day. Time to rejoice for the accomplishments of Day 1. It was about 6pm and getting darker. We then decided to head to the hotel for the much needed shower and a sumptuous dinner. Day 2 was yet another exciting day for me as we head from Salem to Namakkal (60kms) and then turn off the NH7 onto Trichy (80kms). The highway ride was good till about 9 after which the heat started getting intense. We stopped at Namakkal for a dose of glucose and some Bovonto :). I must say I never was a fan of Bovonto until this ride. That pretty much propelled me all the way to Trichy with no other food stops except one for a Tea break. The roads got pretty bad so the support car did turn around to wait and pick me up. The roads for about 10kms were broken. Well I'd rather say, there weren't any. Perfect for the XUV "The Tusky" but not the KHS 750. So I gave in and we relaxed for the next 20kms. I was too tempted to ride as the tarmac got better. So we stopped again and started riding. Next stop, Trichy. The familiar sights and sounds of toll gate and traffic soon we entered Trichy crossing the Cauvery bridge. Very patchy with nasty gaps in bridge sections. We stopped for a couple of photos and then headed straight to the School where Shyam studied. Yet another lovely place and soon we rode into the campus where there was a cricket match in progress. Many kids surrounded us with bewilderment and soon the questions followed. How, what when where and the big question WHY!! As we answered them Shyam's classmates too were wide eyed about this accomplishment. Shyam had set out to finish what was planned and what an end to a great trip. I couldn't sleep but Tusker switched to slumber very quick :D. Shyam was awake so we decided to head out for a walk. The hotel (Hotel Breeze) we stayed was adjacent to the main bus stand. A short stroll and we walked into a mall soon the snacks followed. Jigarthanda. Looks like Tusker might've heard our order and he soon asked where we were. With the sound of some calorie load, he soon joined us. Shyam had to leave as he had a reunion planned. We then decided to return the same night so we reached hotel had dinner and then started by 11pm. It was a good thing the bikes weren't mounted as it rained almost constantly till Krishnagiri.<br />
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The photolog continues<br />
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<b>Thanks to master shivraj for getting the bike ready quick for the maiden ride</b></div>
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<b>At Mcdonalds near Shoolagiri (Start of our ride)</b></div>
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<b>Right after krishnagiri</b></div>
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<b>Former Mr.Salem</b></div>
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<b>After descending the Thoppur Ghat section</b></div>
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<b>Tuskie and Bikes geting rest</b></div>
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<b>Super before reaching the hotel</b></div>
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<b>Hotel Estacia and the bikes</b></div>
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<b>Yercaud range and the pool view from room</b></div>
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<b>Yercaud lake</b></div>
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<b>Dinner at Estancia </b></div>
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<b>Tusker's Ride</b></div>
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<b>Shyam's ride</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Day 2 - Independence Day ride to Trichy</b></span></div>
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<b>Enroute Trichy (on the Namakkal - Trichy highway)</b></div>
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<b>An adamant rider continues </b></div>
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<b>The cauvery bridge at Trichy </b></div>
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<b>All three bikes packed inside the XUV</b></div>
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<b>Awaiting the return to Bangalore</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-23451827381998164682015-06-27T03:45:00.000+05:302015-06-30T21:02:38.308+05:30Brevet 600 a third attempt Eureka !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a sabbatical from endurance rides I decided to re-open the Brevet account. The previous two attempts were a failure as i gave up at 400km on the same route. So this certainly was one of the rides where a failure was simply not an option. Another factor in deciding on this ride was to identify my strengths and weaknesses and manage the resources well. There were about 6 registrations in total and only two riders in the end. Putta and I were the only riders at the start point so this felt like a CW special (Cleated warriors Edition). Reached the start point at 2.30 and waited for Chiddu (Organizer) and Putta to arrive. It turns out that Chiddu got delayed as he was assisting an accident victim near Jayangar. We managed to then start by 3.45AM. A nice chatty ride on the outer ring road till we connected to NH4 past yeshwantpur. From here it was an all highway ride and Chiddu sped ahead as he had to attend a cycle rally at Tumkur. Stopped for breakfast at Kamat Upachar and i must mention the awesome pongal that was served. This propelled us for another 100kms and our first control was at Hiriyur. Cloudy skies and nearly empty highways turns out to be a great recipe for such an endurance ride. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">27/06/15 12:06hrs - Reached Hiriyur control with about 4hrs to spare and took an ATM slip as well as a photo by the ATM as a backup. Next stop for control was Ranibennur however our short term goal was to reach Chitradurga for lunch. Soon the headwinds and cross winds started and Putta could relate to the video i had shared a day earlier of a few riders struggling to ride in some nasty crosswinds. I was mentally prepared to take this route without any complaints. Lookup to ensure the road is clear, heads down and just keep pedaling and let the miles roll by. There are so many things to notice during any such ride. Fertile black soil on either side of the highway as we headed towards Chitradurga at many places and look like the new batch of crops have been planted and the seedlings sprouting. The stuff of geology that i could recall and relate what learnt in high school :D. We stopped at a dhaba but he mentioned lunch will be delayed and only Dosas could be made and we just opted for a single dosa each and headed out to Chitradurga toll. However, a few more kms, we found another dhaba and stopped yet again and this time We stopped before the Chitradurga toll and had some fried rice and buttermilk. A half hour break and putta rested on the chairs to rest his back while i relished fried rice. This is one food that can't be messed up and the only issue is when half cooked rice is served. Else just gulp it down with butter milk or Chaas known in hindi. We reached davangere with some continued bout of headwinds and crosswinds. I was riding strong and Putta even stronger. Enroute we met The 1k gang, Ashok, Anup and Somaskanda. They looked pretty fresh and were on a good speed to make it a speedy return to Bangalore. We stopped </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>27/06/15 21:48hrs</b> - The road from turn off from high way till the control was a ride on a bad stretch of road filled with potholes. I rode ahead while Putta followed close. Every single vehicle was using high beam and none to use the dipper. We made it quick at the Ranibennur control and were out of the town in 5 mins. Felt great to be back on the highway. We now were glad that we were out on the highway and had a gleeful smile as we noticed the wind direction and voila Tailwinds. After the two failed attempts i get to ride and experience what it is like to ride in the tailwinds. We were hitting an average of 35 with ease. As we neared Davanagere, Putta was leading and hit a pothole pretty hard and before he could stabilize he hit another. As i followed closely i too ran over the same set. Pinch flat on the front wheel so i got ready to do an F1 style pitstop and it sure was one. Once the front was fixed only then we realized the rear too was flat. So out comes the second spare tube and while Putta manages to get the spare, i've already unmounted the tyre off the rim and taken the tube out. Inspected the liner for any debris, installed the new spare. Both managed to share the pump as we had to take it to atleast 90PSI. This took about 20 mins and we continued with an avg of about 30. The weird part was that my cyclocomp was acting funny as it continued to mention that i was rolling when i certainly wasn't. However this one was perfectly calibrated with the readings on cue sheet. The earlier Sigma 906 despite having it configured as per the manual, the reading was off by 3-4kms for every 100kms. I managed to reset the cyclocomp at Ranibennur so we could guage the distance atleast for the duration of the return or until Hiriyur after which the next control was at Hessaraghatta. I tried a power nap for 10 mins at Guilalu toll booth but a dog ensured that it didn't need guests and simply kept barking and soon mosquitoes joined the bandwagon. To our surprise, there were no shops opened considering it a busy toll booth. Then as we started to leave we found one stall open so we had a few cups of coffee and then continued riding. I thought i felt better but after maybe about 10-15kms the hallucination mode got enabled and the bike lane marker looked more like a pit rather than a line and i then relayed to Putta that i need to get some sleep and he obliged. Found the next Dhaba and i slept for an hour shamelessly as he guarded the bikes. I believe he managed to rest his back but probably ended up with intermittent sleep. I have to ensure that my buddy riders get to rest as much as i do from any future rides. After a refreshing sleep Putta woke me up and it took us a while to get warmed up again. But Putta then blazed right past the slow trucks during the uphills and i was trying hard to keep up. The average till the exit to Chitradurga would've been more than 35kph. Tailwinds continued to keep us company and just as we exited the town, we saw two riders who were doing the 400 Brevet (Chitradurga and Back). Exchanged pleantries and we continued as we wanted to be at Hiriyur as early as possible so we have enough time at hand to take it nice and easy till tumkur and Nelamangala. The pace setting continued and we rode at a very good average till about 5kms to the Hiriyur control when Putta had another flat. So out comes the third spare tube and we swap it out and get going in less than 10 mins. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>28/06/15 08:14 hrs</b> -- ATM slip for confirmation taken and we head out back onto the highway. Yet another flat for Puttabut this time I suspect it was a badly patched spare that i had brought along. So we again changed tube and while putta was busy refilling air, i got busy with using the pre-glued patch and keep one spare ready. I believe we still had about 30-40kms to tumkur when this happened but post this we saw some sunlight but mostly an overcast sky which made the ride so much more comfortable. The next stop was Kamat upachar right past the Tumkur tollbooth for a sumptuous meals.We loaded up and continued to head to Bangalore. For the first 3-5kms the pace was slow then putta slowly increased it and maintained visual as we drifted apart slowly. On the flyovers i managed to reduce and with downhills he sped away. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>28/06/15 16:35 hrs</b> -- We arrived at Hessaraghatta and continued to ride at a steady pace towards hessaraghatta but there was no party waiting for us. Informed the organizer and we took photos alongside the ATM as the printer wasn't working. So we had finished this ride with 5hrs to spare which is my personal best. I think there is some special connection to the 600 Brevet as my Brevet ID is B600 and my start to randonneuring was with a Brevet 600 and i must've done about 4 of them till now. The other brevets not so much. Nevertheless, i had a great companion for this ride and I'm thankful to Putta for this ride. It was not difficult but it wasn't easy either. So the body is able to keep up with a ride of such magnitude and since i've managed the resources well i think i'm ready for the next installment. Until the next one, it is adios for now. Here are some pics captured during this ride. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>At the start point CCD MG Road</b></span></div>
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<b>At the Sira Toll booth</b></div>
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<b>Headwinds continue and we top up on electrolytes</b></div>
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<b>Mostly desolate highway but a couple of close calls with Speeding Volvo's </b></div>
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<b>Putta selfie or is it !!</b></div>
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<b>The essentials kit for this trip</b></div>
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<b>Lunch at a dhaba right alongside a farm and winds aplenty</b></div>
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<b>Some rest for the machines as we top up on fuel</b></div>
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<b>Overcast skies keeping us company </b></div>
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<b>The 1k gang (who were on the return leg to blr, Putta and i still had 35kms to u turn point</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com6Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India12.9747121 77.60936029999993512.959238599999999 77.589190299999942 12.9901856 77.629530299999928tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-81347607838887533542014-12-11T13:15:00.001+05:302014-12-12T05:48:33.024+05:30Just 12kms -Swalpa Cycling!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plans brewing over weekdays isn't something new and with so many being cancelled at the last minute, i only worried about getting some mileage prior to the big day. So the commutes on the single speed started. I couldn't replace that for mountain terrain training but something is anyday better than nothing. Spinning higher (cadence) just kept the muscles in a state so they could spin atleast to some extent on the day of the sufferfest. It started with Putta and I thinking about a ride from Bangalore to Ooty, staying there for a day and returning by Monday morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Ze Participants Finally </b></u>: 5 participants ready for a mundane monday :). I wonder if it could've gotten any better. Really? A monday? Oh Yeah!! Bring it on !! Who? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Kiran aka Tusker </b>>> Non-stop on an MTB with hardly any rides that might give him a chance to consider seeing the summit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Putta aka Tiger or BlackMamba </b>>> Conquer the toughest the south has to offer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Anantha aka Dreamer </b>>> Music on, pistons on !!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Krishnan </b>>> The beedi body cyclist aiming for a non-stop. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Finally me Gans/Gana </b>>> Music on and aim to finish non-stop hopefully taking less than the first attempt (1hr 45mins). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Ze Plan</b></u>: Rendezvous at Jayanagar (my house) at 11.30 on Sunday. Krishnan and Putta were on time but tusker waiting for Anantha turned up only by 1. Ended up watching the documentary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-M29rBstEQ" target="_blank">Haute Route 2012.</a> Motivation for the mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ze Automobili</b>: Mahindra Scorpio with Thule roof rack and Saris bones 3 rear rack. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Ze start:</b></u> We managed to start only by 1.30 as we struggled to get the Saris Bones rack installed/setup and we got it nearly right. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b>All hands on deck to get the rack righly fit</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until we hit the mysore road, with every undulation on the road, all heads turned back checking on the rack and mind was content knowing the rack held up very well. I managed to get a few hours of sleep that evening so i was good for another 8hrs. The first stop was for a coffee and Anantha hadn't had dinner so this was a short one at a CCD after before Mandya. A little beyond Maddur I took the wheel and there were talks of taking the outer ring road, and it was a good thing we didn't as the roads were nearly empty. My second time with scorpio and very impressed with the overall package. The body roll as mentioned is evident and since it was loaded with bikes for a good cause, i think it was lesser than when the vehicle is empty. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drove through Bandipur, spotted many deer, peacocks, boar and some tamed elephants. Langurs and some bird resembling myna absolutely weren't scared of vehicles and refused to move from road. So we had to navigate around them for a safe passage. We made it to thepekadu at about 7-7.30 and stopped for a short break as Putta wasn't feeling well. Ended up puking and thats attributed to the constant body roll. I think i'd put it this way, the body roll in this one is more like a gentle rocking, enough to put the passengers to sleep :). Kiran took over and we headed to masinagudi. Thanks to Putta we had a contact who guided us to the Greenpark Resort about a km to the right after the police station. (lane opp to Masinagudi bus stand). The place was good for stay and great for someone considering riding up to ooty early in the morning and possibly a repeat in the evening for the not so sane minds :D. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the bikes were being umounted, we requested for breakfast be prepared and hot puris and idlis with sambar and chutney. I wondered what was the best before a hard riding session. Anything oily and high in carb. So 3 puris and a lot of potato gravy (sagu) was the fuel needed for the climb. We managed to unload the bikes and prep them for the ride ahead. Started at 09:00hrs and took it an easy till the base. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b>At Thepekadu for a short break</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBJDu0IXp5gXaOMO38U9_qJLmVNn28WJRMKQ6QYxVUflmcAWjdfbxXDX4_gzu26QsROp3PxyM9CGftHoQYM5sPkZ9igGaPGb3uC2QF3yxcFHM131jdArR16qDMSG02dnGgJxCxxYKezE/s1600/IMG20141208071122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBJDu0IXp5gXaOMO38U9_qJLmVNn28WJRMKQ6QYxVUflmcAWjdfbxXDX4_gzu26QsROp3PxyM9CGftHoQYM5sPkZ9igGaPGb3uC2QF3yxcFHM131jdArR16qDMSG02dnGgJxCxxYKezE/s1600/IMG20141208071122.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Loaded Scorpio</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As one descends from masinagudi towards the base and climbs for short stretches, Tusker felt the pinch and did look worried. Accompanied him till the base with the mighty kalhatty looking down upon us. Krishnan, Anantha and Putta had switched on the nitrous and started the climbs already. As soon as we reached base, i informed tusker that i'll time my climb and do a non-stop may not be a fast one. My playlist:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Naan Nee (Madras 2014)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJltZEOGJPg" target="_blank">Downtown Abbey cover - Repeated atleast thrice on the climb</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Many songs from collection soulful Arjit like Tose Naina and Samjhaawan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. The cinematic orchestra - the flight of birds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Ludovico Einaudi - Primavera, Divinere</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spinning at a steady pace and matching the tunes whilst sipping gatorade lime every km was bliss. This is my first and only ever climb where i was disappointed as the number of hairpin bends kept decreasing. Skeptical, nuts, crazy, weird isn't it. !! Well but i was ready for another climb at the same pace but time constraints ensured that we descended on time to reach home by 10-11pm. Krishnan blitzed kalhatty at 1hr.29mins and i managed a 1hr.33mins. Now the wait and watch game began as to whose head would pop up around the apex of the last curve and lo behold it was Tusker on the new Polygon MTB, followed by Anantha and then Putta. A serious feat by Putta considering his first climb, tusker and his will power proven as he did a non stop climb too an an MTB that i probably would never even think of attempting. Anantha ended up with some mech issues so he had to stop to correct before restarting the pace and the chase to putta and tusker. How can this end without some selfies or groupies. So here goes:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The first lot to reach the summit</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The state after the climb</b></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>(Haiyyu.. haiyyu)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Jubilant Warriors</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were considering on visiting Doddabetta but we had started too late to even think of riding 32more kms of rolling terrain (from kalhatty top to dottabetta and back). So all were happy to descend down the same climb. I knew this was gruelling as i'd done it earlier and it was taxing on the shoulders as one has to be constantly on the drops for better braking power. However, the descent was made pleasurable by capturing many videos and pics of some 'pro styled cornering' and a stop for chocolate Tea and chocolates. We stopped for a good half hour relishing the different flavors of chocolates and the Tea was especially very good. I could have tried another variety but i didn't want to lose the taste of chocolate. So Kalhatty again for masala tea anyone? :P. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Towards the last hairpin putta had a blown tube and a kind mobiker from Palakkad agreed to help putta and carry the MTB till masinagudi. We unfortunately couldn't get more info or a photo as we were riding and Putta had sped away to reach masinagudi early but if he ever reads this blog, A mighty thank you from the Team Cleated Warriors. You are invited to join our pace line during our trainings (whenever we train) and (IF we train) :). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Putta managed to replace the tube replaced and we scouted a few 100mts to try and look for a place to pump air. We kept getting redirected to cycle store and they failed to understand that it is the bike valve. After a few minutes, we located the puncture repair shop and filled up the wheel (INR10). All of us were carrying pumps that support only presta. Even the polygon had a presta. Soon we reached the hotel and on enquiring, the cook was not available so we agreed to have food en-route bangalore. We stopped at a hotel before Nanjangud. 'Gulp and Thulp' </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">was the motto with protein and carb load with biryani. I stuck to parota and dal so i don't feel drowsy during the drive. The single lane highway with potholed roads was doing no good and almost 95% of the traffic drove with high beam. Very Very frustrating drive till we reached mysore ORR. Tusker took over and i wanted to rest my eyes until we stopped at CCD near Channapatna. A hazelnut coffee to replenish my senses and i was awake for the rest of the uneventful drive till home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Something I did forget to mention is that Anantha ended up being late and the reason ?? ...... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">... Chased by non-vegetarian dogs while he was riding to Tusker's house :). When he mentioned this to us on the way to Kalhatty, there was a strange silence for a few seconds and then everyone burst out laughing !! It then dawned upon us that the species of 'vegetarian' dogs hasn't probably been found by Discovery or Animal Planet yet :D. Even more amusing was Kiran considering to do the climb in 3/4ths rather than lycra stating it is 'just' 12kms :). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Lovely roads throughout</b></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The machine</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>High speed corners</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Post ride recovery stretches</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The Matrix Stretch</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India11.520228068185132 76.6928100585937511.489110068185132 76.652469558593751 11.551346068185131 76.733150558593749tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-20186115174202923922014-09-01T20:22:00.000+05:302014-09-01T20:25:54.833+05:30Cleated Warriors attack Yercaud !! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An dose of entertainment long due since the weekends were spent rather as race days or a team ride. All it takes is to ignite the spark of adventure onto similar minds and the ride is on. With the original plan of a ride to yercaud and returning, i was skeptical of attempting this as the rides that i had done prior weren't even close the levels of preparation needed. However, I managed to get off work by about 3.30 and reached home in time for ensuring endurance ride checklist was followed and the bike ready on time. The rendezvous point set to silk board for 6.30, only anantha reached by 7 and we started riding together and the Chiddu later joined us at Attibele. The ride was on superb roads NH44 certain sections had cones kept to warn the traffic that the culvert is yet to be installed but it is easy to miss as there is more than a feet drop between the service road and the new flyover that is being constructed at hosur. We stopped a few times to empty tanks and gaze at the sky. It sure has been a very long time since i've looked at the night sky with so many stars. This gets better when there are no lights around you to distort your vision. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bangalore is at 2991ft and we manage to go downhill till krishnagiri at 1607ft and Salem at 938 feet. The Yercaud climb is 20Kms from the base to the last hairpin bend (20/20) and the elevation at the summit is 4634ft so an elevation gain of 3694ft in a span of 20kms. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first break was at McDonalds where we had sumptuous dinner. Some fried rice, biryani and protein rich paneer gravy. This was exactly the point when Chiddu's rear derailleur broke and he had to call off the 600 brevet. about an hour later, we started towards Krishnagiri after which we decided to form a paceline which worked intermittently about 20kms beyond Krishnagiri, we stopped for a coffee break which was quite refreshing. We rode along for a few more kms and decided to get some power nap at a truck laybye. The odomos was missing after the earlier break and we mosquitoes ensured they held their territory well. After updating stats on the social network, we left for the toll booth. Chiddu had to change the battery to ensure a safe descent at the thoppur ghats. There was a very mild drizzle right after we crossed the tollbooth which certainly was refreshing. It looks like the road has been scraped away by bulldozers and it was rough as a sandpaper. Anantha and I sped downhill and we waited for Chiddu. We started riding together and the next milestone was the Salem toll booth. We tried stop one more time to catch up some sleep and a closed shop with an open patch under the roof looked ideal but there were too many 'fans' there too :). So we started riding yet again. The next plan was to ensure we eat atleast an hour prior to climb. So we entered the byepass and stopped at Hotel Annapurna. Being the first customers, we did get some great vegetable soup to revitalize the senses and idly vada for the reserves. About 8am Anantha and I started the climb. However, Chiddu had stopped at an lbs to attempt to fix a wobbling wheel due to a loose cone moreover, he ended up with a broken spoke So he managed to fix the same and started soon. Usually i listen to songs on any ride but this time i used the mp3 player only for the climb and it worked its magic very well as i settled into a rhythm, enjoying the scenery and as the numbers on hairpin counts increased, i payed close attention to the weather change. Upto hairpin 10 it is a steady climb and beyond that cool breeze keeps the engine cool as you pound. At about 16th hairpin bend, the scenery changes as you're surrounded by tall trees and some beautiful view all around. A selfie at the yercaud board and the clock indicating 1hr 45 mins, i returned to stop at hairpin 20/20 for Anantha. I relaxed for about 10 mins then i decided to start on the downhill when i met Anantha at the 19th hairpin bend. The weather was pleasant and we decided to ride downhill and wait at the halfway point where there is only one stall serving watermelon, pineapple cucumber and figs. Feasted on those and chiddu soon joined us. We decided to wait at the base at some hotel and we had hot parotas and curry and this sure was enough to keep the tummy happy till the return to bangalore. We decided that it was better to start to bangalore so we could return and get rest. Messaged chiddu that we are starting for bangalore. We reached Salem new bus stand and found that the KSRTC bus was only for evening/night. So we boarded the limited stop Bangalore express and paid 310 for the ticket and lugguage per person. All we could remember is the stops that the bus made at dharmapuri, kaveripattinam, krishnagiri, hosur and finally Silkboard. Took us about 5 mins to unload the bikes and soon we were on our way back home. </span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At Salem Toll</b><br />
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<b>Good morning Yercaud</b></div>
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<b>1.hr.45mins Phew!!</b><br />
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<b>The 'Rubie'</b></div>
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<b>At the 20th Hairpin bend The Victory pose</b></div>
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<b>The final turn</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRxiyFN8jOddSGnh4aLyv9V4xPCJe-VdKKF_o-iHWDeswmJbsn5jWxwLP5ljrs5wFumi1CqBzNdpAsjEAtIHJ76vuGeO2uqD1diqisB8kPmso_UlVCMEpovuGvCWFApqK8XPptQJmPH8/s1600/IMG20140830100841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRxiyFN8jOddSGnh4aLyv9V4xPCJe-VdKKF_o-iHWDeswmJbsn5jWxwLP5ljrs5wFumi1CqBzNdpAsjEAtIHJ76vuGeO2uqD1diqisB8kPmso_UlVCMEpovuGvCWFApqK8XPptQJmPH8/s1600/IMG20140830100841.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRxiyFN8jOddSGnh4aLyv9V4xPCJe-VdKKF_o-iHWDeswmJbsn5jWxwLP5ljrs5wFumi1CqBzNdpAsjEAtIHJ76vuGeO2uqD1diqisB8kPmso_UlVCMEpovuGvCWFApqK8XPptQJmPH8/s1600/IMG20140830100841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b>Photo session</b></span></div>
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<b>A pic to cherish.... 10k kms and counting</b></div>
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<b>At the summit</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozVenbuSE5UMQXoOKIwlsm8ltCtk-un-5o3SnguGbvyd4qV0rXwK34H-DbpmuSauOAdVE1DlwsVqN0L_95SPpPKEz8tV_IBDmH8KeBWBEDEvIKlWw1EKO9TcoYYP-F3riBbsTrFi3aaE/s1600/IMG20140830102734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozVenbuSE5UMQXoOKIwlsm8ltCtk-un-5o3SnguGbvyd4qV0rXwK34H-DbpmuSauOAdVE1DlwsVqN0L_95SPpPKEz8tV_IBDmH8KeBWBEDEvIKlWw1EKO9TcoYYP-F3riBbsTrFi3aaE/s1600/IMG20140830102734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozVenbuSE5UMQXoOKIwlsm8ltCtk-un-5o3SnguGbvyd4qV0rXwK34H-DbpmuSauOAdVE1DlwsVqN0L_95SPpPKEz8tV_IBDmH8KeBWBEDEvIKlWw1EKO9TcoYYP-F3riBbsTrFi3aaE/s1600/IMG20140830102734.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozVenbuSE5UMQXoOKIwlsm8ltCtk-un-5o3SnguGbvyd4qV0rXwK34H-DbpmuSauOAdVE1DlwsVqN0L_95SPpPKEz8tV_IBDmH8KeBWBEDEvIKlWw1EKO9TcoYYP-F3riBbsTrFi3aaE/s1600/IMG20140830102734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<b>1 more to go..</b><br />
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<b>A comfortable finish</b></div>
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<b>Spot Chiddu</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aBi8yeGuOTSGqSYMAk3nOtahnfQ3JSJQIS7_VFHLV1VjsyX4S7Rc1EkAb_7uP4co3dTTjtDTUOdRdG7ct28bI8Z7KisCNFW2U_rJUbAP0JWy8QqSSR23MDI4ANA2_vtGqwv4Nz0Ou8g/s1600/IMG20140830110420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aBi8yeGuOTSGqSYMAk3nOtahnfQ3JSJQIS7_VFHLV1VjsyX4S7Rc1EkAb_7uP4co3dTTjtDTUOdRdG7ct28bI8Z7KisCNFW2U_rJUbAP0JWy8QqSSR23MDI4ANA2_vtGqwv4Nz0Ou8g/s1600/IMG20140830110420.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-76057182036098161632014-05-13T23:57:00.000+05:302014-05-15T19:05:30.916+05:302014 - Midsummer night Brevet - Mandya<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The work schedule gets more hectic, very few hours in a day to pursue interests. I managed to register on the last day of the close of registrations to this brevet and the idea was to ride with one of the great Brevet riders, Sohan. One great rider with many jewels to his crown but this will be documented in another blog. Surprises to be saved for a later, greater blog. The thought of riding an all nighter during summer was exciting. Usually i'd keep my eyes off any brevet during summer as i don't want look like a penguin post such rides. This was one of the first of its kind where the start was at 8pm and ends at 9.30 the next morning. One of the goals for me on this ride was eat well hydrate in a timely m and ride easy.13.5hrs as the target didn't seem to be a far cry for a rider who's not new to randonneuring. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whats a ride without a sudden dose of adrenalin. 3-4hrs before the ride i get a message that there are mechanical issues with sohan's bike so i'm a little disappointed and ready to drop the plan. As he got busy trying to figure out a solution to the problem, i suggested that he try riding the MTB. A crazy idea nevertheless. Whats crazy about riding an MTB you wonder .. Well, the secret is, it isn't the right frame size. (21.5" and the fit for me was 19.5"). Keen on not wasting anymore valuable time we quickly prepped the bikes and headed for the start point. The beauty of a brevet is that it is never cancelled due to 'bad' weather. Rain or shine you waterproof yourself as much as possible and set off. We reached the start point and finished formalities by 8.50pm. Many had already started and we saw a few on their way. It had drizzled some parts of the city. Looked like weather gods were happy with the turnout for this event. Sohan and I started about 50 mins late and rode with a steady pace till we hit mysore road and then the chatty ride with intermittent breaks ensured mind and tummy both were happy. We reached the control at u-turn point at 2am. Pulpy orange really did refresh my senses and i soon was ready for the return leg. Being a Saturday night, there was hardly any traffic and for some stretches, it was empty with only a moonlit night and the flashlights working their magic illuminating the highway. The weather stayed cool and i settled into a rhythm and was humming different numbers that i would've otherwise listened on my mp3 player had i brought it along. We managed to finish the ride by 8.36AM.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The list of finishers >> https://brevetmgr.appspot.com/brevet/may2014-mandya/results </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimH8iJqErtHmsS1oKhtV45vJBJIiX0w3nwFPF7scbce8nhgILSKD5lQpPSjLreeR4zUfzPiEGAHMlz0ifhN4y4wbd8vnKyIs1arjy9hWuvBdZdvFt-OpR70LU6IyB_Aw5bkEhw3gkPcs/s1600/10155488_10152827025349951_4885772655075764501_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimH8iJqErtHmsS1oKhtV45vJBJIiX0w3nwFPF7scbce8nhgILSKD5lQpPSjLreeR4zUfzPiEGAHMlz0ifhN4y4wbd8vnKyIs1arjy9hWuvBdZdvFt-OpR70LU6IyB_Aw5bkEhw3gkPcs/s1600/10155488_10152827025349951_4885772655075764501_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Post ride an idly vada treat awaited at udupi garden. So the tummy that was tucking in slowly popped right out :D</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-25796080961239491992014-03-03T13:57:00.000+05:302014-03-03T14:06:57.459+05:30SFS TTT - My re-entry in to racing orbit .. !!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a year of dormancy in cycling, it was time to get slowly back to form and ride more often. It did start with BBCh ITT and the my results were just as i predicted to be in the average zone. Let me tell you that that the bar certainly has been heightened as Bangalore's racing scene is hotter than ever. Team specialized, kynkyny, wheelsports, spectrum are the usual names on the podium. The ITT being the actual re-entry to cycling and the start of the new season, I managed to ride for the next 3 days to prepare for the TTT. This did wonders in the race today. Two teams formed for Cleated Warriors, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Team A:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Opendro</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deepak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Krishnan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ganapathy</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Team B:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anantha</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Putta</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chidu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rafi</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The race started just great and some cleat issues for myself, Deepak ensured a not so smooth start. But after about 100mts, we were testing the waters with the average and settled comfortably into a zone. The pace was consistent and the rotation of the lead rider was swift and well managed. Quite often there is a call out from lead rider checking to see if all are in and a confirmatory 'yes' ensured he doesn't have to slow down nor look back. Krishnan did well on the way out but post the u-turn got dropped and the distance between myself and Krishnan slowly increased. As i kept looking back the distance between Opendro and I started to increase. This stretch where this was happening was an uphill, it was a quite a feat to try and catch up, I almost did get dropped and luckily Opendro turned back and asked the Peppercorn express (Deepak) to slow down and i'm glad he did. We continued riding at a steady pace to wait for Krishnan to catch up but after a km, we were back in the race. Then a mini briefing while riding that we'll have to stick together as it has to be minimum of 3 riders crossing the finish line from the team of 4 that is counted. So I had no option but to join the suffer-fest. Opendro, the road runner managed to pull the train very well. Never has a btwin sport1 looked so good with aero bars and the non-stock wheelset. Check this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVSwfhaz3ruYToR6E_itwdtUxKTvnc29jvXVyVjV6k_ilm7odjTfkVlJwVxI6gOwNnEMHYYS-L8J6H5quswDZGpla8hPfKAuBKYyWjvlnS0rWzcLwwBUWN87JAMjNIj4A7eRmH2b2oGY/s1600/IMG20140302070254798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVSwfhaz3ruYToR6E_itwdtUxKTvnc29jvXVyVjV6k_ilm7odjTfkVlJwVxI6gOwNnEMHYYS-L8J6H5quswDZGpla8hPfKAuBKYyWjvlnS0rWzcLwwBUWN87JAMjNIj4A7eRmH2b2oGY/s1600/IMG20140302070254798.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First loop done and we were ready for the u-turn and thanks to Mayumi for capturing the video of the paceline. Lap 2 was more of babysitting by Deepak and Opendro as i was riding second and preserving energy for the return. I did manage to pull a couple of instances especially the downhills where the speeds reached 45+kph. After the u turn near Volvo plant, it was disciplined riding all the way back and lead rotations were as frequent as a minute. Deepak had to be limited due to the slowest of the riders in the group, ME :D. The last 1km i heard the familiar yell 'go all out' and so the riding became more vigorous and soon we could see the finish line about 200mts away. I slowed down a bit and dropped back for about 10--15mts as i was out of breath, but after some deep breathing for a few seconds, i felt much better and sprinted to the finish. I owe this to Deepak and Opendro as i would have had nothing left to sprint had I pulled as these two powerhouses in the second lap. My biggest concern was to not end up with a flat as I would jeopardize the team finish!! I did hit a pothole quite hard on the bannerghatta road earlier that morning while making it to the start point. During the second lap, i was yelling out names in my mind, Christoph Strasser, Jure Robic. This was weird as they are endurance gurus and I was supposed to be yelling names like Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan etc.. :D. This was the team A's experience and the team B looks like they had more fun. Here are the team standings:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoptlBjS1ebPZMQW79jYkeL5Gu7IeJ8ZRs7oIplJ4xSIiqj77W_6eVJ8-THOyTujr4XvHSIWQWP7epv7hXi3TtylDjeQBghQ5d6x7ur_fs3HlINyc_EwfcNVl4XobrLfJE2HUGVgGXZM/s1600/IMG_263705283013173.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoptlBjS1ebPZMQW79jYkeL5Gu7IeJ8ZRs7oIplJ4xSIiqj77W_6eVJ8-THOyTujr4XvHSIWQWP7epv7hXi3TtylDjeQBghQ5d6x7ur_fs3HlINyc_EwfcNVl4XobrLfJE2HUGVgGXZM/s1600/IMG_263705283013173.jpeg" height="227" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I managed to see the sprint finish of team B and the timing was quite good considering that it is the first race for Chidu (aka Chidambaram), first ride with the team for Anantha and Rafi returing to racing scene after completing a few Brevets. Right after crossing the finish line, Chidu left the bike on road and lied down flat :D. Putta was all pepped-up and riding strong if only the strategy could've been a little better to align with other members. The dire need for this team to excel is consistent training and that starts with me. Deepak already has set a target for the TTT/ITT. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Learning from this TTT:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. No off the saddle pounding. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Follow the leader and look only at the rear wheel and nothing else to avoid distractions. This works as long as there is no sudden acceleration/deceleration from the rider ahead. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. The bigger the team 4-5 the better it is for pace-lining. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Consistent training to fare better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some photos from the ride:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Warm up on the service lane near emerald Isle.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT5C71s19dHX93-sInycQnF4H4IDDxgQXvvc4p9OK4C6aDN5OLbY-kLGCz_N8Tl2yVS4pE32YpvwAI2oTIVY1zeAcXFmJW_0ILMkiCLyQabd_AaU6YOBjMbsIKZhzSq5r5v57wtd5eJE/s1600/IMG20140302090304212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT5C71s19dHX93-sInycQnF4H4IDDxgQXvvc4p9OK4C6aDN5OLbY-kLGCz_N8Tl2yVS4pE32YpvwAI2oTIVY1zeAcXFmJW_0ILMkiCLyQabd_AaU6YOBjMbsIKZhzSq5r5v57wtd5eJE/s1600/IMG20140302090304212.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Post ride nutrition. Thanks to our awesome nutritionist Mayumi San.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuT2vOD-VjkMvZczxXFvlBFh_6p6vFSHfm3mUWgxi3Wq_Snoj5tGbnNRp7XmaWq9IqVC2ZhkijUafo-_-QwEdceIKdqrOpy-O-ZOSRnYfzW4O5XoVN-1L02n3kAQdha-qZrNYsBqFjS5U/s1600/IMG20140302090352782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuT2vOD-VjkMvZczxXFvlBFh_6p6vFSHfm3mUWgxi3Wq_Snoj5tGbnNRp7XmaWq9IqVC2ZhkijUafo-_-QwEdceIKdqrOpy-O-ZOSRnYfzW4O5XoVN-1L02n3kAQdha-qZrNYsBqFjS5U/s1600/IMG20140302090352782.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Superb spongecake by Mayumi San :D</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqvTytfnBYiGxI-4A423UN3LPEMAUxyFwSgjaJ3qzAiuZYFHNRx3bV8F5p8hANM0KQqhJG3Yws41IFA7oQcsVN8Vtu67GIkVE9TI6u8cQvWae-g69N83jZEtUCRXCaXBLUnVJs_SJPPs/s1600/IMG20140302090602989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqvTytfnBYiGxI-4A423UN3LPEMAUxyFwSgjaJ3qzAiuZYFHNRx3bV8F5p8hANM0KQqhJG3Yws41IFA7oQcsVN8Vtu67GIkVE9TI6u8cQvWae-g69N83jZEtUCRXCaXBLUnVJs_SJPPs/s1600/IMG20140302090602989.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Post race report/results/feedback</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FVFUUAyoSbo8u53fAwmK8YJ7MC4FSqwBS1cL_3_1MrYl-9YENvHwWx37-rsq0HodSKJf2vKbcqab2Vlpyd6pc_ZYtg5dmqAFYobW-lRSa713zMjrzo_HTy3NL-zgcGdZDjdI3_kk-S0/s1600/IMG20140302091659027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FVFUUAyoSbo8u53fAwmK8YJ7MC4FSqwBS1cL_3_1MrYl-9YENvHwWx37-rsq0HodSKJf2vKbcqab2Vlpyd6pc_ZYtg5dmqAFYobW-lRSa713zMjrzo_HTy3NL-zgcGdZDjdI3_kk-S0/s1600/IMG20140302091659027.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Husshhh..!!! Things to do after a race :D</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No no, I was in deep meditative state:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of the race participants</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-18974338518097257762013-03-19T00:46:00.000+05:302013-03-19T10:35:53.879+05:30Yelagiri yorker..!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Start of an adventure/endurance rides. Ever since Major (Srinivas) got posted to the north, I wondered if I could ever get a '</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">brave-heart' </span>companion. The initial idea was to ride till krishnagiri and back then it wavered between A2B/CCD and Krishnagiri. We all know how random the plans can get changed. As the hour approached only two contenders remained, Harsha (the Ironman) and I. Chickening out seems to be the trend and so did this trip see its fair share. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My goal was to head out for an endurance ride regardless anyone participating. Harsha, the strong rider that he is, agreed to give me company and decided to ride through the night. The 'drop pin' destination on the maps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">shifted from Krishnagiri to Yelagiri. The general public goes T.G.I.F to me it was T.G.I.S (Thank God It's Saturday). Shift ended at 2pm and the idea was to meet at silk board by 10pm. Started to prepare the bike and post late lunch (at 4pm) hit the bed to catch some sleep. Started from home at about 9.40 and reached Silkboard as planned and Harsha was already waiting. A quick chat revealed that he ended up with stitches on his head a few days earlier due to a fall from the trainer. I doubted if this would hamper his performance but he went on to prove otherwise :-D. We started at a steady pace and reached Attibele in no time with my expert guidance on the road conditions as it is my regular training. The aero bars looked enticing and Harsha seemed a little uncomfortable using them as the tiniest adjustments to the elbow can have drastic effects on steering. After Attibele, it was time to look forward to the next milestone, CCD (Cafe Coffee Day) at shoolagiri. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What followed next was a steady
downhill and with CCD in sight, the speedometer showed spike in the
speed. I had a cappuccino while Nagraj gorged on Cold coffee. This was a
short break to help us decide on the breaks ahead. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>YUMMY .. Coolant for tummy..!! </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Bikes getting a short rest before the long night ride.</span> </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApyrXcgRJerHLd0lycTUXvECM6E-Grk1BMJvnV1ed7VPq0X_zzRlQm62nET1L2WnUBjFRKVHLIRkRzCCZu7mRgq2nbxsAUt_PCm2G31g6DEBn0ejJrsjrvhyphenhyphenE_5FzbboUzEou1Cu49Qg/s1600/17032013343.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApyrXcgRJerHLd0lycTUXvECM6E-Grk1BMJvnV1ed7VPq0X_zzRlQm62nET1L2WnUBjFRKVHLIRkRzCCZu7mRgq2nbxsAUt_PCm2G31g6DEBn0ejJrsjrvhyphenhyphenE_5FzbboUzEou1Cu49Qg/s400/17032013343.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From shoolagiri onwards we saw quite a
few places where there was about half a km traffic pile up due to the
roadworks. Was it a problem for us.... Absolutely not...!! Being on
bikes we just zigzaged our way thru the trucks and buses and soon
reached krishnagiri. Another confusion prevailed as to which direction
was chennai highway. Harsha pulled out his phone to check on gmaps and
indicated we had to continue straight but i was adamant and mentioned
that it was to the left and yelagiri is on the Chennai highway. Since
co-ordinates were accurate the orientation was where the confusion
began. We turned left onto the Chennai highway. It was about 1am and
Harsha wanted to top up on omelettes but decided against knowing that
i'm a vegan so we with a meagre stock of figs and nutribars. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lone (apart from photographer) Highway Rider..</span> </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnLqL1pncQPxryk3FiwES7wCwXvky_njGZ0GUV-tRELg8xg4Z0WCj4OtGq8JGS1cudCLbquPc1f0l7AWRdhOpHYYesUMnyZEoBeWtTAPrCGZIXZje2ubdZnZ0R4Q0YI6yULZEU_CGUtY/s1600/17032013350.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnLqL1pncQPxryk3FiwES7wCwXvky_njGZ0GUV-tRELg8xg4Z0WCj4OtGq8JGS1cudCLbquPc1f0l7AWRdhOpHYYesUMnyZEoBeWtTAPrCGZIXZje2ubdZnZ0R4Q0YI6yULZEU_CGUtY/s400/17032013350.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 20kms short of Yelagiri turnoff,
we stopped at a small shop on the other side of the road and as soon as
we entered two dogs went berserk. I managed to remove the helmet and
called them as if they were pets and both quieted down. Tummy trouble for
Harsha so off he went to shed some load before the climbs that lay ahead
in the morning. We could've reached Yelagiri by about 4.30 had we
continued in the same pace. Instead we started after nearly 40mins of
break and stopped yet again for another dose of Tea and biscuits. We
overshot the target and stopped at a junction then looking into the
darkness something didn't feel right. More dogs..!! 3D surround sound
with Dolby Effects..!! Checking the maps we found we overshot the
turnoff by just ~2kms. About 8 kms away was another major turn<b> </b>that would lead us to the Salem-Tirupattur highway and we
planned to take that road instead. We managed to cross this junction where
there was a flyover being constructed and took a u-turn. It is very easy
to miss this turn towards Salem-Thirupattur highway as it bears no
resemblance to the color of the route marked on the map (like that of a
main road) against the real deal. We were happy to see a 10std kid on a
hero honda who's dad was a cop and had come to the chennai highway to
see him off to Krishnagiri. Mighty glad that he accompanied us all the
way to the salem-tirupattur highway. Harsha checked on the google maps
just to be extra cautious. We thanked Prabhakar as we were at the base
of Yelagiri. We reached in the best possible time to start the climb on a
cool morning. The view of the towns below was fantastic and for the
initial 3-4 kms taking it easy and continuing at a leisurely pace and at
about 9th km I went full throttle as one of the cyclist who was
returning mentioned that it was just another km to the summit.
Maintained a higher cadence and reached the summit and was ready to
capture pics of Harsha finishing who joined me shortly. Here he is in a
grand finish.. Bragging rights granted.. Been there done that..!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApyrXcgRJerHLd0lycTUXvECM6E-Grk1BMJvnV1ed7VPq0X_zzRlQm62nET1L2WnUBjFRKVHLIRkRzCCZu7mRgq2nbxsAUt_PCm2G31g6DEBn0ejJrsjrvhyphenhyphenE_5FzbboUzEou1Cu49Qg/s1600/17032013343.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<b> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At the summit .. huffing and puffing..!!</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARTyg8Xq8blMXvdxS27pLRO1_tcs2nKrty5yq1hdAdtMEk3fRzi_3yI_pX8qCE76JlYCYFDni8lxu2EEW82-ZYwOpZAzYztdLi9jXsu7UVGECY0RKdzg1LgJvwbRhY_2HT8DsdW5_peg/s1600/17032013352.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARTyg8Xq8blMXvdxS27pLRO1_tcs2nKrty5yq1hdAdtMEk3fRzi_3yI_pX8qCE76JlYCYFDni8lxu2EEW82-ZYwOpZAzYztdLi9jXsu7UVGECY0RKdzg1LgJvwbRhY_2HT8DsdW5_peg/s400/17032013352.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Great food but not so good/polite staff</span> </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHif2pkxfvOsJkfhZqWrsWByewomedSF9iC-ZLntPsgmmMO-NKELbi1t7TXIedBdv_wMgXq7Rm-j_4IOQO4zHl6MyrRmuFf3D_eqpqiAXHX2iJoTp73-84cCJhK_sUVRHjCTsd_M1o6o/s1600/17032013364.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHif2pkxfvOsJkfhZqWrsWByewomedSF9iC-ZLntPsgmmMO-NKELbi1t7TXIedBdv_wMgXq7Rm-j_4IOQO4zHl6MyrRmuFf3D_eqpqiAXHX2iJoTp73-84cCJhK_sUVRHjCTsd_M1o6o/s400/17032013364.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Photographer getting photographed ... </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>System in 'Standby mode'</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Harsha remebering dialogue from English Vinglish ... I miss two things about India my mummy and Idly !!! </b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvpi96MxMcdwniaY1E0obBp1BFgaEZLtMtriddKOLcIjtNhQ0Vm5Y9ffwamQhlljsjK-byBxNuD2f4FJ2RFxH5uJWsDJImVr7QrHmEFMgM1eZaYBmulvozm0rMYDpZ5B_6MIcIdbJoSQ/s1600/17032013372.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvpi96MxMcdwniaY1E0obBp1BFgaEZLtMtriddKOLcIjtNhQ0Vm5Y9ffwamQhlljsjK-byBxNuD2f4FJ2RFxH5uJWsDJImVr7QrHmEFMgM1eZaYBmulvozm0rMYDpZ5B_6MIcIdbJoSQ/s400/17032013372.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Tasty puris with great sambar and aloo curry.</b></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The most efficient machines on the planet that brought us to Yelagiri.</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmicncHlQAR32zokaZlELxOT6-XSgI8BP7ZfLqeCliilsBTJyuwkLVRD47oyAlUxGepnBdydk7-8iNGaEl0hovR3toz_6mOE6SsdtkyaSZwo1LS42iQaOYXSc-K3ZX3qGq8Wa355Gr_k/s1600/17032013407.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmicncHlQAR32zokaZlELxOT6-XSgI8BP7ZfLqeCliilsBTJyuwkLVRD47oyAlUxGepnBdydk7-8iNGaEl0hovR3toz_6mOE6SsdtkyaSZwo1LS42iQaOYXSc-K3ZX3qGq8Wa355Gr_k/s400/17032013407.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>More of landscape capture from my X6.</b></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Wallpaper material</b></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Inner peace.... Inner peace... Inner..... </b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhyfjbdNeJS6kJBYgQR31WNjNPBxoHZ4k3meFsBKj28GWJJP0q8sOBjXbiC6F3n6KnmFjb2nkNrdiqrZE0tUHHO2GB7UC7XSjF8VeD_F16rBBXIsbcEuKEp4S7my1Ncbx1eAThVgr1Bs/s1600/17032013414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhyfjbdNeJS6kJBYgQR31WNjNPBxoHZ4k3meFsBKj28GWJJP0q8sOBjXbiC6F3n6KnmFjb2nkNrdiqrZE0tUHHO2GB7UC7XSjF8VeD_F16rBBXIsbcEuKEp4S7my1Ncbx1eAThVgr1Bs/s400/17032013414.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Harsha finally getting a hang of the Aero bars..</b></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We headed to the lake but managed to run into the security guard who asked us to leave the cycles outside and didn't agree to let us in with the cycles. A little to tired to try and convince him we managed to get a peek of the small lake from another route and it wouldn't have been any worthy to buy a ticket to check it out. Caught Hotel Surabhi in its morning yawn. The only item on the menu was plain dosa. I went for the ghee roast while Harsha lit up on the sound of Omelete. So omelet's and dosa's and you returned? Nope.. we wanted to wait for pongal and Puri to satisfy the carbs starved bodies :-D. Round 2, Puris and omelete. Round 3 coffee and we were finally full. Harsha did mention that this was the heaviest breakfast. I couldn't say that I had just enough to get back on saddle and coast downhill 12kms :-). We decided to stop every possible photogenic spot and clicked away to glory. After about half hour we decided it was time to hit the highway and soon we reached a junction just before Jolarpet town either to turn right to heads towards Nemily and then continue on the Chennai Bangalore highway or head straight into tirupattur and then on to bargur. The Bargur option seemed like a shortcut. This would've cut a km or two but was not worth it. The roads were a real mess and harsha tried hard to use the aero bars. Trying to find a smooth line on a road as broken and patchy as a teenagers freckled face made it no easy task. The return route was supposed to have been shorter and instead turned out to be 8km longer. In just over 2hrs we managed to reach the Chennai highway and a huge sigh of relief. An uneventful ride till krishnagiri and then we turned into Hosur road. It was about 10AM and we stopped below the flyover to get some rest. Harsha tried hard to brainwash me to hitchhike or take bus back to Bangalore or till Hosur at-least and then continue riding. However, I was wide awake and this wasn't helping him get me think alike. When a rider has rode for miles, rest/food stops become a priority and sleep being the topmost. Every minute of attempted nap proves to be such a relief. One of the best feelings is when you don't have to worry about a time station/control unlike a brevet and one could doze off. My hands on experiment with Harsha's bike had fruitful results with the aero bar tests. The aero bars were soothing for the back and the bike avg just shot up to some intriguing numbers. It was when i looked at my companion when i realized how much effort he had to put in while i was so relaxed. Thanks to Harsha for letting me try his bike. The fit seemed to be nearly perfect so the ride was super comfy. Harsha's bike was lighter in-spite of the aero bars. There goes another hole in the pocket with the next planned upgrade. Home ministry ain't gonna be happy with this decision. With enough rest at Krishnagiri, we started to gaze lazily at the climbs which lay ahead and 'sufferfest' truly was the only word right from the start of any climb from that point on. I hate to admit it but halfway through the climb i see some truck that is going at my pace 10kph :-D.. why not hitchhike..!! But the ride had to be finished with no form of motorized transport as we were 'ONLY' 80kms to Bangalore. Two bikes stopped Harsha for some reason and he didn't understand what they said and when they tried to stop me it looked like they wanted a test ride but i declined saying you need special shoes to ride such bike. Not sure how it got translated in their heads. They were making hand gestures that they are going to stop somewhere ahead and wait for us to pass by. Frustrated by this incident we saw those guys once more overtaking us about 10kms into the ride again and didn't see them anymore. Next stop CCD ofcourse ... again!! A couple of Mocachillos later Harsha managed a half hr sleep and we were off. 15-18kms into riding and another stop to drink the malt sold in pots which normally sell buttermilk. I didn't want to try that and was interested only in buttermilk which was out of stock unsurprisingly. We continued to climb then finally switching to a rolling terrain. From Hosur town it was a stupendous ride. You might expect the cloud cover or sudden burst from clouds or even taking a bus or a truck ... but no !! There was some VIP visit and the entire road was cleared of traffic. A smooth rolling all the way from Hosur till Attibele and only after we entered karnataka did we manage to see the convoy of pilot cars, SUV's jeeps and ambulances. Familiar territory, attibele to home. It was about 4pm when we were riding towards Chandapura and here's where there's a twist in the tale. Of the 3 lanes, the middle and the right were occupied by overtaking trucks and a private bus switched to the left most lane and honked continuously. I, knowing this was another crazed driver, moved to the extreme left (white line) and so did Harsha but the bus drive a lot closer than expected and this was downright scary. However, Harsha stood by the driver's side of the bus and warned him and then rode to the front of the bus. The driver then tries to scare Harsha by nearly running him over and finally managed to wedge him against the barricade(dividing the highway and service lane) leaving no room for him to move ahead. The bus then disappears into the service lane of Chandapura flyover. This was the limit and Harsha now determined to teach him a lesson rode hard to find a traffic police while I rode to the top of Chandapura flyover, I managed to see the bus and took a couple of pics. Had I rode back to catch a better picture of the bus/driver he would've fleed in hurry. He managed to overtake me at the end of the flyover and little did he know about the trouble he's going to get into. Harsha in the meanwhile managed to stop the bus in its tracks. Driver refuses to get down and only when he gets angry did the driver get down. Head right into Hebbagodi police station and another ordeal with the cops and driver. Short story - driver and the bus fleet owner have some political backing but our man Harsha is no less either. Finally they manage to let him off for a fine of INR.500. So it all boils down to life's worth - 500Rs. Initially the driver denies he was the one driving the bus and it could've been someone else. When he got to know about the photo evidence, that's it started to stink for him. Then the conductor gave in and said it was a honest mistake. How could a <b>'nearly run over'</b> situation be an honest mistake when it was clearly intentional? This went on for about 3 hrs. After transferring pics to Harsha's mobile, I continued home as Harsha. It takes courage to even get to the cops or stop a bus. I admire Harsha's courage and standing his ground to make his point. What could've been a better solution to such an instance? Is it worth filing a case and running about the police station/court? Or was it an option to get the DL cancelled (temporarily if that option was even available)? I leave you thinking at this point and suggest you to feel free to post comments.... To any cyclist.. exercise caution on highways.. Better to be safe than sorry.. This doesn't mean you abandon the bike but just put more efforts on riding safe...</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trip Statistics:</span></b></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Total Distance: 320kms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elevation profile looks like below (Click for a bigger picture). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fuel: Coffee, Tea, biscuits, Figs, Puri, omelet's, Tender coconuts, Rice malt (roadside vendor from an earthen pot), Banana's, muskmelon double dose :-D, aerated drinks (unaccounted for). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Total riding time :: 20hrs (Avg 15kph) </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-7101887963409818502013-02-23T07:00:00.000+05:302013-02-26T21:10:53.991+05:30Roast-Freeze-Roast - Spirited 600 Brevet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why o Why did I have to do it again? I distinctly remember deciding against this route/ride. A writeup on the experience with "Gnarls Barkley - Crazy" playing in the background... apt atmosphere I say. So here goes the rest of the sweet sufferfest with the meager photos i managed to capture with the 2MP phone cam.<br /><br />The original plan was to make it a non-stop or a least stop ride and carrying enough food for the entire trip with the 2011 Apr Brevet ride buddy. However, last minute changes were inevitable and that soon changed my goal to a different kind. Finish the brevet about just over an hour to spare was the target. With the bike tune up pending, respite from work at office seemed a far cry. Managed to get the bike ready in about a couple of hours. Lights .. check, reflective vest .. check, Gatorade.. check, pump n puncture kit .. check. Managed to get about 4hrs sleep. Not really a good idea especially when a sleepless 40hrs lay ahead. This event seems to have the highest number of registrations for a 600Brevet in India with riders from Chennai Coimbatore. Met Sundar sir and his Pinarello Dogma which certainly is a beauty. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>At the start control on Kanakpura road What a complementing billboard !!</b></span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ3kGn-7nIJu1kTmmrBkNBFYeLymx9Yr4ZRruW5fguo4LAE57T6-rPGAheDtdbRi6Xn20r235PpyHqrXPuwy7rSH5ckfTYR5tTcqKCWXOfX0bbW0kA4d1Nq2nNuOjmXqONUNe2K3nwZ4/s1600/830516_591992384164035_1050887163_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ3kGn-7nIJu1kTmmrBkNBFYeLymx9Yr4ZRruW5fguo4LAE57T6-rPGAheDtdbRi6Xn20r235PpyHqrXPuwy7rSH5ckfTYR5tTcqKCWXOfX0bbW0kA4d1Nq2nNuOjmXqONUNe2K3nwZ4/s400/830516_591992384164035_1050887163_o.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chidu with his "Gatoride" Sport1. Yeah this is not a new brand from Decathlon but Chidu's bike frame all wrapped in Gatorade sachets. Met DeepSan with his tourer (Bianchi Volpe). The start point last year was Gymkhana gate near IISc, Yeshwantpur. This was shifted to kanakpura road so one doesn't have to dodge the city traffic the morning. Instead the route was extended by 6 miles so out and back it was 12 miles to cover up the distance between the old and the new start point. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Here's the route map of the ride.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzx3WGOpeuw3IH8UeDW0Bq5DmxBcHTgdtAYz38yiSR_0seD1_jBzLBUJxFgoKm1uBVNyQlqpW7JScAF2j7kNpeLe7_j8esmO-NKvYBlzJXpIt_qiUpF0siL0v9SE7VxwR8hKK7kEj5EJ4/s1600/533085_509216415783820_1499481545_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzx3WGOpeuw3IH8UeDW0Bq5DmxBcHTgdtAYz38yiSR_0seD1_jBzLBUJxFgoKm1uBVNyQlqpW7JScAF2j7kNpeLe7_j8esmO-NKvYBlzJXpIt_qiUpF0siL0v9SE7VxwR8hKK7kEj5EJ4/s400/533085_509216415783820_1499481545_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Met Sohan and agreed to finish the ride together as this ride that would get him the SR (Super Randonneur) title. A super randonneur is awarded to the one who completes 200, 300, 400 and 600 all in the same calendar year. Riding a constant pace, eating/hydrating regularly became my priorities on this repeat ride. There's a big difference when I rode this route back in July 2012. With two of the toughest climbs at Harohalli-Jigani and Pallikonda-Palamaner and total elevation gain of about 3600 m, this is one tough route !! The bikes just loved the newly laid tarmac on kanakpura road. Vasu was waiting about 10 kms ahead of Sathnur as a manned control. Once all the riders made it through, he would be able to continue to wait at the next secret control before the Jigani climb. As Sohan, Kalpesh and I got our cards stamped it was time to gear up for a tough climb. The searing heat drained the batteries real quick. Sohan managed to capture the riders attention by giving us a lead on ice-cream parlor immediately after the climb. This worked its charm and riders were ready for the treat but had to travel a few more kms after the summit. We soon reached a small canteen and a bakery adjacent to it. I downed a couple of scoops of vanilla. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instant energy source but not so healthy to cool down so quick which i learned in another 15kms. Parched throat<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>, </b></span>an unsound body and I was thinking of dropping off at attibele and head home. However, the superlicious curd rice with the masala butter milk at Attibele sponsored by Sohan were just what was needed to cool the engines and immediately felt better. It was Karthikeyan, Sohan and I who continued from this point on till krishnagiri. Enroute we met Chidu whose rear derailleur broke and that ended up damaging a spoke. While Rafi tried to get it converted to a single speed, it still wasn't such a good idea to continue with a broken spoke as the chances of breaking more spokes is likely in the bad stretches at palamaner. So he planned to take the bus to Bangalore from Shoolagiri while the rest of the riders prepared for the night ride. After a quick shot of cappuccino with Sohan and Karthikeyan, it was a fast downhill all the way to Krishnagiri. We agreed on planned stops after every hour to stretch and nibble on dry fruits. This worked really well and we kept going at a good speed and about 10kms before vaniyambadi tollbooth, we stopped for dinner. Had couple of plain dosas nearly twice the size that is normally served in Bangalore. Washed it down with a soda. This worked its magic till about early morning. About a km before pallikonda toll we stopped to eat. This time it was a truckers dhaba which served fried rice and turned out to be surprisingly tasty. From this point it was 25 kms to the next control and we reached in just over an hour. As we were descending on a flyover, I heard noise similar to running over a metal plate and on looking back, Karthikeyan wasn't to be seen on the highway. As I hurriedly stopped and looked back he was instead lying on the bridging gap between the highway and the service road. Just one of the flavors of riding Brevet caught him unaware. Dozing while riding the bike is life threatening. I did experience the loss of concentration on a couple of occasions but chatting with Sohan time and again kept me going. Listening to music might be a personal choice to stay awake but trying to chat with fellow riders should help to some extent as it proves to be a welcome change from the long monotonous highway rides. There were a few scratches on the rear brake disc and Karthikeyan seemed unhurt as he quickly regained himself. I remember reading about the memory loss of few seconds when cyclists crash. This did turn out to be scary as the last thing he remembered was seeing a board which indicated 'katpadi 10 kms' and we already had travelled more than 5 since then. A quick bike inspection and we were off to Katpadi. Sriram was just entered Katpadi as we were ready to leave. We waited for Kalpesh and the group size increased to 4. Then we conveyed to Sriram that we would wait at CCD near Pallikonda. The coffee break and a power nap was just what was needed to rejuvenate the weary eyes and the saddle sore. Managed to get a power nap of 25 mins which seemed like 25secs then we were off to see Vasu at Pallikonda tollbooth. We now turned to State highway and entered Gudiyattam. The group got bigger as we were joined by SriRam from chennai. A double bonanza as it turned out to be for Sriram as he encountered two climbs in the same brevet :-D. We rode at a steady pace till we stopped at Gudiyattam for breakfast. Each of us ended up feasting on fresh hot idlis and vada with the typical andhra style 'peanut' chutney. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another surprise awaited us at the Palamaner climbs. With the uncertainy of the ride or the rider's performance on the climbs looming about, there was mostly silence as the huffing and puffing started. As we neared the last few kms of the climb, we were covered in mist. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4egLiAorsy4cjJO9OFl4vGbPuD1PyrRY-fFqkkxXn6WEzyu32hZHWBpSIYgYwe6VANFcg32mD-f40PS03BFRbDpzr7LZ6-B9FHviaN4kDrd7-mn80j1nNcIbFz34BE8w9qE6CZIYe2M0/s1600/285792_10151465833617372_1363138022_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4egLiAorsy4cjJO9OFl4vGbPuD1PyrRY-fFqkkxXn6WEzyu32hZHWBpSIYgYwe6VANFcg32mD-f40PS03BFRbDpzr7LZ6-B9FHviaN4kDrd7-mn80j1nNcIbFz34BE8w9qE6CZIYe2M0/s400/285792_10151465833617372_1363138022_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (Photo Courtesy - Pradeep naidu) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Making it a great time for recovery as we then entered Palamaner and headed towards Mulbagal after a short watermelon break. Sohan set the pace as I tried to pull for sometime. We kept switching as much as we could. This stretch has to be one of the worst in terms of traffic density and discipline as there is no respect for a cyclist. At the checkpost, there already was a long queue of vehicles and a bus overtakes everyone and blocks the path. Some cyclists even resorted to yelling at the cars as they tried overtaking hardly leaving any shoulder for the cyclist. A huge sigh of relief once we reached Mulbagal. We stopped at the ATM and wanted to leave the town real quick as we sure would pull a big crowd asking the same old set of questions... What .. when .. where from .. where to.. and why.<br /><br />We couldn't find a good hotel so ended up feasting on coke n cakes n flavoured milk. From here it was 80 kms to the next control. It was about 12.30 at noon and we decided to get some rest. Found a house with a sitout area outside the gate where the bikes got parked under the shade. Sriram managed a 'sound' :-) sleep and karthikeyan slept leaning against a tree. Sohan tried to get some but he couldn't. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-NTXv5pNkWzq3fZ5s_fueN56GdEPH3uWeFLEYH2lPzzgKQjkkKYSE4s2J4kurx0BoE-ACa8396-weH4bhEuFmeIYqg1Ue0SQD1bOfaspxTncCaeBES9cGrpfyZRqBl4R9hUbkvDhRi8/s1600/IMG0087A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-NTXv5pNkWzq3fZ5s_fueN56GdEPH3uWeFLEYH2lPzzgKQjkkKYSE4s2J4kurx0BoE-ACa8396-weH4bhEuFmeIYqg1Ue0SQD1bOfaspxTncCaeBES9cGrpfyZRqBl4R9hUbkvDhRi8/s400/IMG0087A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We started after half hour and kept going at 20kph. The next target was Srinivaspur and it was pretty much an uneventful ride till chikballapur. The good part was we had tailwinds to assist all the way to chikballapur which was exactly the opposite when i rode this route last year. Strong headwinds but we managed it because of Deepak. The sight of the NH certainly was so pleasing to the eyes. We took the atm slips and soon checked into Hotel Mayura for dinner. Thulped a curd rice and I was ready for the last leg of the journey. Met kalpesh and karthikeyan who soon joined us and we started at 7.45pm. Just over 3 hours and 50kms to go. The saddle sore finally were getting worse for Sohan and we managed to slow down the pace and take it easy till the finish. Devanahalli, Yelahanka then jakkur and finally Hebbal. Managed to finish at 39hrs 10mins (45 mins to spare). Target achieved. Handed over the brevet card. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>At the finish control IISc gate near MS Ramaiah college.</b> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWwzBd-sy-BNuA3MPRyuV5UiyHSsu6CBRdHmAUi5PngnZdxwhebdD3v6GnrDwlMRupr31Z5XaXWtMJJWAFHHXfGEEqo4wWOmm_Y8Y4G0elf_YisA3FWd6jlNZfe6XHE9xYWBT1f-oT3c/s1600/32610_10200734345985018_619634107_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWwzBd-sy-BNuA3MPRyuV5UiyHSsu6CBRdHmAUi5PngnZdxwhebdD3v6GnrDwlMRupr31Z5XaXWtMJJWAFHHXfGEEqo4wWOmm_Y8Y4G0elf_YisA3FWd6jlNZfe6XHE9xYWBT1f-oT3c/s400/32610_10200734345985018_619634107_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bid adieu to the rest of the riders and rode back home at a fast pace till lalbagh then settled into a cruise mode of 25. Never have i rode in bangalore at midnight especially from one corner to another with nearly the entire Bangalore asleep. What a bliss !!! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More action and adventure to follow the rest of 2013 so stay tuned for updates :-).. </span>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-30462936101230252482012-10-27T09:33:00.000+05:302013-03-18T15:21:04.347+05:30Bangalore-Chamundi-Bangalore....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It has been quite a while since the blog saw some keystrokes. The mania starts 24hrs before the ride date (Oct 27th) and comes as a surprise from Opendro. He has been the best buddy to ride with, ever since I rode with him my very first endurance 600 Brevet back in 2011 April and this was too tempting an offer to resist. Had to cancel my badminton plans for 27th and started prepping the bike for this run. To my mind it was just like a Brevet 300. I wanted to take the outer ring road while Opendro suggested a route via Kathirguppe. Kathriguppe won the bid and the rendezvous point was cool joint in Jayanagar. Why does the excitement kick in early. I can hardly get any sleep the night before and this was no different. Hit the bed by 12.30 and woke up by 4. Your mind at this point probably screaming from a well, heck.. that my daily routine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Downgraded from an X6 to an M2 from micromax. But love its simplicity. Incoming, outgoing calls and SMS's. That's just about defines a phones purpose. The human mind works in crazy ways and wants a whole lot from something then you might want to check out this site and you sure will go nuts. I sure am going to miss the 5MP camera on the X6. The speaker on the M2 is real loud. Loud enough to wake up even my neighbors next door :-). After the irritating sound of the alarm, I get ready in no time and reached Cool joint signal where Opendro felt the rear tyre needed some more air. So we pumped it up a little and set on our journey to Mysore at 5.40AM. We took the JC road, KR market flyover and continued on the mysore highway. The road was in tatters and we managed it slow till we reached a little before NICE road junction. As dawn broke we were invited by lush greenery and cool breeze. We set a blistering pace as it was predominantly downhill. This reminded me of my trip last year on Hero Hawk where I rode with a friend till the palace and returned by Bus. And I thought nothing could beat the excitement the way it had happened. The cycling bug bite effect is still profound and I'm happy to have met most of my targets set this year. The prime target being a Super Randonneur. As I eagerly await my set of 4 medals and 1 Super Randonneur medal, there's quite a lot more that can be done in less time and the tightly packed weekends are a pure example. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Flashback - April 2011 and earlier..... </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> :: Almost every other weekend trying hard to lay my hands on a Royal Enfield 350cc or looking for a replacement for my car. Somehow make a trip once a month to some place mostly by car. The diesel-head factor was slowly weaning away while the cold air from outside rejuvenated my senses. Change is inevitable and the flash of genius that decided the turning point was when I read my friend's father-in-law do a Bangalore-Kanyakumari and Bangalore-Mumbai</span> on his road-bike. The Hero Hawk served me well for a year as I ended up riding at-least 15 kms every alternate day. Looking at my passion towards cycling, I soon became the proud owner of 'the Rubie' and the very first year clocked 4000kms. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast Forward present Day.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here I am, already through a set of tyres, a nearly worn out chain and a loose cassette and raring to go full throttle. Opendro and I meet at the rendezvous point and we navigate our way via JC road and then on the mysore road going over KR market. The stretch from the end of the KR market flyover till about NICE road junction is in tatters and if your bones are brittle or you teeth aren't white then you might want to consider riding rather slowly on this stretch. :-P. A suggestion is you may avoid this horrid stretch by taking the outer ring road (nayandahalli/deve gowda petrol bunk) which cuts the misery by half. The better alternative would probably be the Uttarahalli route that joins mysore road very close to the NICE road junction. Once we crossed NICE road the bikes rattles disappeared and the body soon settled down to a smooth rhythm. We picked up pace gently and were able to maintain a higher average due to the cool breeze (caused by speed) and a mild tailwinds. To add to the glory, Bangalore is at a higher altitude than Mysore. Hence the overall profile is a downhill. The first break was for bananas and I managed to eat 2 and stored the one for en-route nourishment. Opendro seemed quite pleased by this decision as he is more aware of my plans.. actually there are none. Ride hard, bonk, curse yourself for not deciding on supplements. But this time I was determined to eat at regular intervals. So the second break just before Mandya I ended up having a Nutribar and after about 10-15kms we stopped for tender coconut. We set a blistering pace and I suspect an average of nothing less than 35kph. We started at 5.40 from Jayanagar and reached mysore by 10.30am. One gets to experience the feeling of the crowd by just looking at their reactions. Some thumbs up... some go Ay!!! ..and others sneer, (in kannada) Cycligey helmetaaa? (a motorbiker riding without a helmet and he was amused looking at cyclists wearing one). A few riders on Royal Enfield's were all thumbs up on seeing us and that put a widened the smug grin on our faces. At one point as we stopped for bananas. Opendro halfway into eating, looked in disbelief. You might be wondering why? The banana didn't get peeled in the normal manner and there was an uneven cut on one side which opendro thought he might have consumed more calories than intended :-). Soon we hit the overhead canal that marks the entry into Mysore but we took the left (ring road) that bypasses Mysore town. 8 kms of headwinds and just a couple of sips left in the bottles. We had to reach the main road soon if we were to recharge our batteries. Soon we spotted a bakery to feast on dil-pasand and mango juice. After about half hour we were ready to take on the chamundi climb. This can be called a prelude to Nandi the gradient is gradual and there isn't any steep section. For a newbie it might be a tough one but for a rider who's climbed nandi, Chamundi climb would be relenting. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0Mysore, Karnataka, India12.2958104 76.639380512.1716954 76.481452 12.4199254 76.797309tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-16506264174536560952012-07-28T11:26:00.000+05:302012-08-07T12:52:59.022+05:30Idle Musings of a Super Randonneur...!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello to one an all. If you've reached this blog in error and 'your-world' is fueled by petro/diesel heads, then the rest of this trip ain't for you. You might wanna click the 'x' button on the top right corner of this pagebefore you get a sneak-peek into the velo world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Statutory Warning :: There may be some velo-jargons in this blog which will be is bound to go over your head so just chill ;-)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Becoming a super randonneur was a persistent entry in the 'to-do-list' and the 8 month itch now satisfied with the latest attempt, the <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/iiscrando/2011-2012-brevets/july-2012-600" target="_blank">Tri-State 600 Brevet</a> that was held on 28th July 2012. Work life had taken a toll the whole July and managing a meagre 3-4 hr sleep every day!! But should I do this... hmm... maybe not. 'Why the sufferfest?'.. that's what you're thinking but in my head 'Why not ride out than lazing in couch comfortably and watching movies'. Did I want to do this .. Heck yeah..!! Just as any other Brevet, I started out partially organized and never completely ready. Two weekends ago I attempted the Brevet 400 in Chennai (documented <a href="http://lancersfx.blogspot.com/2012/07/vanakkam-chennai-velo-400.html" target="_blank">here</a>). For those of who don't know what a Brevet is, is just a self supported ride to be completed in a specified time span. For the Brevet 600, 40 hours is the limit. The distance of a ride seems to be indirectly proportional to the number of participants. With about 12 riders registered, we were to start from IISc gymkhana gate. I did invite Pradeep Chandar from chennai whom I met while doing the 400 Brevet. Though I had registered, the final confirmation whether I was riding wasn't available until a day before the ride. Sunday is usually a work day and with that taken care by one of my colleague who agreed to cover on my behalf, I was relieved and confirmed my participation to Pradeep who then started the prep work for driving to Bangalore. A supporting velo family I should say as his parents also came along to offer moral support. Very thankful to Pradeep's father who offered to use the Innova to drive to start point rather than ride till there. My preparations only started at 10 at night and finished by midnight. I had 4 hrs of sleep at my disposal with which I was supposed to manage the rest of the 40hr ride. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">05:00hrs -- This time my funky alarm tone wasn't there as my mobile's (Nokia-X6) camera glass had broken and the headphone socket wasn't working. Thanks to Dhilip from my office who agreed to swap my phone with his 5800 Xpress which is not so different from the X6. Carried MP3 player wasn't at any point during the ride. Yet another reason to complete the 600 -- my Brevet ID number is B-600 :-). I've got ready in no time and Pradeep soon was waiting. We quickly had curry noodles and protein substitute so we don't ride on empty stomach. Loaded bikes in the dikki of the innova and soon we left for start point. Looked like Pradeep and Driver had a mini tour of the nearly asleep namma-Bengaluru. Thanked the driver and he headed back to the hotel where his parents stayed. Meanwhile we prepped our bikes for the inspection. A must when any part of the ride occurs during the night are, headlight, a red taillight, a helmet and safety vest. We were waiting for Deepak, Rajanikant and Harsha who were traveling to the start point together in Deepak's car. With the bike inspection complete and the brevet card stamped we started to ride. Pradeep and I started with the group as I wasn't too sure of the route for the initial 10kms. In about half hour riding we reached the outskirts of Bangalore, Merida junction and continued to ride at a good pace and confident that Deepak would catch us enroute. Pradeep was happy with the long downhill stretches till the first Control at Sathanur. From Sathanur it was uphill for about 15-20kms till the turnoff to Harohalli-Jigani. As it had been raining intermittently over the last few weeks there was lush greenery all around and some lovely tarmac to complement our rides. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Joshua, Vikram and I took the climbs at jigani to reach the hilltop where Deepak, Rajanikant and Harsha were waiting. We finished lunch in about half hour and then headed to Anekal and then to Attibele. This turned out to be a fast paced ride and pace lining worked its magic. After collecting the ATM slips in Attibele, we entered the highway NH-7. From here we had to be extra careful as we had exactly about 1ft shoulder from the passing trucks and buses but it wasn't as busy as I expected. The first stop was at CCD for some coffee and evening snack. A much deserved stop for refueling. This helped in surging through the evening atleast till before Vaniyambadi tollbooth. Then we ended up stopping at a restaurant or more of a dhaba for truckers. The amount of oil in rice (drippin) and the quantity (A heap on a plate) confirmed that it was designed for the hungry truckers :-P. After quite some struggle to finish the plate all of us started for vellore and the target to reach was about 3-4which we did make it on time. As per the velo-gurus prediction the going only would get slower from the halfway point onwards. Velo-Rajani wasn't spared by the wrath of Rajanikant jokes unleashed by Harsha. All had a lighter moment as we stopped for coffee and buns. Sleep deprivation is the single most bummer with such long rides and normally it's caffeine to the rescue. With two climbs on this route the organisers sure must've gotten a fair share of nasty blastings from riders while riding but there has always been a complementing second half as was experienced during the Brevet 300. The first 100km was a test of bones of both the rider and the bike. After the sufferfest one gets to ride through beautiful flat stretch lined with lush green trees. Sublime !!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">However, the till Vellore, it was mostly downhill and then it was a steady climb all the way to Bangalore. Deepak started to ride slower and Harsha rode like a rocket with solid boosters strapped to his back. I was shuffling between the two maintaining visual contact and then decided to push Deepak and let him set the pace as I tailed him till Mulbagal. Quite a busy town where Deepak managed to drop his garmin which was promptly picked up by the Hawk-eyed Harsha :-). Deepak and Harsha stopped for Biryani and I just grabbed a bite of veg puffs and a litre of mango juice to propel me till chikaballapur or atleast I thought it would ...!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Then the sleep deprivation took its toll on me. I was supposed to be the navigator and somehow missed a turn and we headed 4kms in the wrong direction and battled headwinds on the 4-lane highway. I was happy that we were on highway and disgusted at 2 reasons. Firstly the horrid headwinds and secondly Harsha was enlightened somehow and said this didn't look to be right. So we turned back and then found the correct turn towards chikaballapur. Never had I seen Deepak all charged up but also frustrated that we'd lost a precious half hour because of my folly. From this point on Deepak rode like a monster at speeds averaging 30kph on flats battling headwinds. Harsha was struggling with the btwin lycra and found it hard to stay on the saddle. I was able to keep up for about 15kms after which I dropped then Harsha too dropped but Deepak just kept at it. Truly admire his spirit and sheer explosion of energy. Biryani POWER!!! Never were we so silent on the entire trip except on this stretch until we reached Chikaballapur. I thought the sufferfest was over but the worst was yet to come. The moment we entered the national highway the monster in all of us just woke up for one last endurance sprint and we pedaled real hard. The Average would've been easily over 35kph and some stretches seeing 45+. No-one cared to complain about to horrid traffic as we managed to be a part of the 'road rash' club :-). Soon we caught up with almost all riders. The first one we overtook was Sandeep who seemed calm and composed even after finishing 500+km. We on the other hand were weary tired and panting. Managed to get a breather till we crossed the Devanahalli toll booth and then it was full attack mode again. We overtook Rajanikant (no no not the actor but yet another accomplished rider who is riding this route the second time ... just for fun!!!), who tried to keep up with us and said we still have lots of time My mind went, Nay....!! I'd better keep the engine in full throttle. It was an undramatic ride till Hebbal when we hit traffic and slowed down to get on the ORR. From here the pace was reduced and we rode easily till BEL circle and turned left towards MS Ramaiah college and just about a half km ahead was the finish point. Seeing familiar faces is such a stress buster. Been there Done that !! The joy of achieving a goal is simply indescribable. Now that I'm a Super Randonneur, you might wonder what next? It will be touring mode for the rest of this year. Exploring new territory, meet new people, try different cuisine....With all these thoughts on mind and paper, I sit back at office desk and charting routes for the next adventure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Until then ADIOS..!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All the pics of this trip are available here :: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pretty much anyone in IT domain :-P <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150948058182407.403247.604267406&type=3" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For all others <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110912564228631849317/28July2012TriStateBrevet600" target="_blank"><b>Picasa </b></a></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-34789356709803500082012-07-14T05:30:00.000+05:302012-07-22T07:43:24.940+05:30Vanakkam-Chennai-Velo-400 !!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A brevet isn’t a child’s
play. But it’s not unachievable either. Every Brevet ride demands care and
attention to great detail if one doesn’t<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>want to quit due to the inherent Brevet feature known as ‘bonk’!! With
quite a few chapters of experience from earlier rides and precious feedback
from my team members CW (Cleated Warriors), it was time to put at-least some of
that into action. There comes a time when the mind’s fuse just blows out and
gives way for excuses. Suddenly the bar gets raised on one’s innovation levels.
The excuses become abundant and one gets spoilt for choices. Sounds like mind
over matter? With 14<sup>th</sup> of July looming around the corner I had to
decide if I should travel to Chennai and ride it out in the ‘HOT’ city. After a
failed attempt at 1k ride earlier in June, mentally I had decided not to quit at
any point. As per the original plan Kiran and I were to attempt this 400. As he
was suffering from IBTS, (Hamstring stiffness) it would take longer to recover and
if this recurred during this ride then it would spell disaster as we have aimed
at completing the Brevet series. Since I had a busy following two weekends,
doing the 400 on 14 would give me time to recover as soon as possible and aim
at finishing the 600 strong on the 28<sup>th</sup>. On Friday I decided to
start by afternoon as my colleague was a native of Chennai and planned to stay
overnight at his residence and start early morning. After a sumptuous dinner,
Bhaskaran and I went for a stroll by the Marina Beach which was just a 2 minute
walk from his house. This explains why he works from Chennai often. :-)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Bhaskar and his josh machine with a hint of the bike in rear seat !! </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2WBjpkMhKfHVfFRNkoI_7BxBefkMmNMWeN-eRsUwhsCGDTCtnzfhyphenhyphenYuSksmyWDoFzowpJCCCEMhx4W8nSas7GOX2gN9sJG2VpoQqgWv2ubQOj90CWeJ6e4lnn_Ez0yQREdm1ylBLGmw/s1600/13072012344.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2WBjpkMhKfHVfFRNkoI_7BxBefkMmNMWeN-eRsUwhsCGDTCtnzfhyphenhyphenYuSksmyWDoFzowpJCCCEMhx4W8nSas7GOX2gN9sJG2VpoQqgWv2ubQOj90CWeJ6e4lnn_Ez0yQREdm1ylBLGmw/s400/13072012344.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><u><b>4:00 AM </b></u>:: The usual
siren on my X6 is good enough to wake up an entire dorm. Surprisingly, I
managed to wake up just before the alarm rang and then managed to snooze it
twice only to wake up Bhaskar. Time for morning chores and was ready in about
15 mins. Truly glad that Bhaskar agreed to drop me till the start point in his
car else it would have been a 13 kms ride to the start which is no big deal but
gives me the precious extra minutes of sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><u><b>5:00 AM</b></u> :: We overshot
the target and take a u turn head back about 3-4 kms to take yet another u turn
to come back to the BSA showroom which was the start point. With the bike assembled,
it was then time to complete the formalities and get the bike inspected by an
independent adjudicator or the RTO officer as I would like to call it. There
seemed to be a generous number of participants. ~15. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Sundar sir at Registration Counter @ BSA Showroom </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJLnVY9a-YGIEcEB53ymaYjP2OE_IL-oImfcPuEvuNhsx3C2aQkCtJmmwVzEPo_TYG89O7XAaRtvQdecq6Fl6tF7-Qm2j1G561J6MJBlII1W0aL0EO6yY-SYycB_WbL6Poy57nenimz0/s1600/169301_4221271288035_1447958271_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJLnVY9a-YGIEcEB53ymaYjP2OE_IL-oImfcPuEvuNhsx3C2aQkCtJmmwVzEPo_TYG89O7XAaRtvQdecq6Fl6tF7-Qm2j1G561J6MJBlII1W0aL0EO6yY-SYycB_WbL6Poy57nenimz0/s400/169301_4221271288035_1447958271_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We started riding on the
OMR road towards Kelambakkam where the first control (ATM) was located. I don’t
know why but I could sense something was not right and this turned out to be
that the receipts weren’t working. Took photos with atm as the background and took
right to ride via vandalur zoo which then connects to the trichy highway NH45.
The route for some part reminded of the Siva’s road mostly good tarmac and some
green cover to keep the mind busy. I initially was riding with the BSA showroom
owner. Then I switched to ride with the faster group (Partha, Neville, Pradeep)
for a while till the first stop or control after which I was planning to ride
easy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Chengalpet toll all riders re-grouped
for a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>tender coconut break. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when we realized that Aditya’s bike had
a flat. Soon we got a surprise visit by Premgi Amaren who is the comedian in movie
Goa. Well known for his quote “EKSI (short hand on facebook), enna koduma sir
idhu”. All riders were at ease as he too had stopped for a smoke and a tender
coconut break. Most of the riders had a “brown stripe” on their backs as it had
been drizzling ever since we started riding the NH-45. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon
the drizzle stopped but the climate stayed fantabulous. Partha mentioned that
he hasn’t rode in such an awesome weather in Chennai in a long time. Soon we
stopped for breakfast and proceeded to catch up with folks ahead. Road-bikeable
tarmac and some gentle headwinds and cloud cover to ensure a smooth ride. We
were able to maintain a steady average of 28kph. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 50kms before the u-turn point is when I
met Pradeep Chander who was chugging along at a slightly higher average. Somehow
caught up and the rest of the route till the U-Turn point was pacelining.
Surprised at Sundar sir’s fitness levels. We reached Vedantha college where we
found Partha and Aditya waiting to get the card stamped. They said they were
waiting for about an hour and there was no sign of vehicle. The indica with
organizers arrived after the 10 riders made it to the u-turn point. There were
some heated arguments they left in a hurry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>The pitstop at Vedanta college (U-Turn point). </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFq9xTCDFLGkz1DlCRc1x4GA84iALCEBHGDp1JMfmbVYHqnuKprRM4l_whi384AwnR4mF7dnLDoJ2BERi2oxP_-oFfuE34ydjVsUDXTTPvRhGwk4pMH3pi0uCg0YZrikgp0cbDY_yhH-g/s1600/178362_4221297928701_1878490947_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFq9xTCDFLGkz1DlCRc1x4GA84iALCEBHGDp1JMfmbVYHqnuKprRM4l_whi384AwnR4mF7dnLDoJ2BERi2oxP_-oFfuE34ydjVsUDXTTPvRhGwk4pMH3pi0uCg0YZrikgp0cbDY_yhH-g/s400/178362_4221297928701_1878490947_o.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>All set to ride back..!!</b> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7B3J1UKvz-aE1TJJJLKEnZfhTxMMIULhI30Glouq9Hu_LMz8zoSGDZbImatsl2_BlVLE4dkuSsyYx0Z3dDwlPKlml-geHEInOlgfRd2SF-0U3SXN6zNstexXCWNu1eJ04M1sh6id5X0/s1600/178555_4221315929151_1078942679_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7B3J1UKvz-aE1TJJJLKEnZfhTxMMIULhI30Glouq9Hu_LMz8zoSGDZbImatsl2_BlVLE4dkuSsyYx0Z3dDwlPKlml-geHEInOlgfRd2SF-0U3SXN6zNstexXCWNu1eJ04M1sh6id5X0/s400/178555_4221315929151_1078942679_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Never dehydrate, a key factor on such rides..!!</b> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQZvGxf0V_sQbxyWAC59pJ2S54CVOuysEqyabZ5q3mHErlJXqdxPIpcryUBkQQ3qnWu-o46uO249QKulemGUCD8C8UkrINPviMdufEZITvcsieQwHekIKPq61R21CGINI-aaD1N3UrPE/s1600/178723_4221310409013_1151050429_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQZvGxf0V_sQbxyWAC59pJ2S54CVOuysEqyabZ5q3mHErlJXqdxPIpcryUBkQQ3qnWu-o46uO249QKulemGUCD8C8UkrINPviMdufEZITvcsieQwHekIKPq61R21CGINI-aaD1N3UrPE/s400/178723_4221310409013_1151050429_o.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Bandit Gana rides the highway.. :-)</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkR8W7h9FqndjxHMevdNlOIbtANjGwr6hg726qfFzjJLLTncnhQc_vb8OCL41n1_gnpGkiX8-2Kv50NNagcjcD6ydeEqPOWUCspUr9BWNvex_K0GsskiMHdblr00bJSfgyShc6kqhJp3k/s1600/241966_4221349249984_1759360695_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkR8W7h9FqndjxHMevdNlOIbtANjGwr6hg726qfFzjJLLTncnhQc_vb8OCL41n1_gnpGkiX8-2Kv50NNagcjcD6ydeEqPOWUCspUr9BWNvex_K0GsskiMHdblr00bJSfgyShc6kqhJp3k/s400/241966_4221349249984_1759360695_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While we topped up water and
feasted on glucose drinks, bananas chikki’s, the cards were stamped and a short
photo session later we started to finish point(start point). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is my favourite part as the ultrafire’s
worked their magic through the night. I was happy to be leading the paceline
sometimes speeding and sometimes slowing down. Dropped the lead and had<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> other riders</span> set the pace and I’d follow along. This
worked for about 50kms after which we stopped for dinner. Fried rice and curd
for me. The complaining factor simply vanishes as one has food for thought more
than food as fuel. We reached Acharapakam ATM control by about 10pm and relaxed
there for about half hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a
total of 4 riders , Sachin, Pradeep, Ramesh and I. After this break we were
able to maintain a higher average ~30 for most of the trip till chengalpet
tollbooth and then it was a non-stop ride till the kelambakkam turnoff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This stretch of 15kms till kelambakkam was
supposed to be tricky or dangerous bit. So we rode a lot slower and stopped
enroute to ‘empty the tanks’. A few cops had to do their bit with how what and
why’s which were answered by Pradeep and with both satisfied we<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>headed to the ATM control at the kelambakkam
junction. Another round of pics to confirm our presence within the control open
and close timigs we now were just about 15-20kms to the BSA showroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reached about 4.5 hrs before the finish time
and got the much deserved rest. I had a chance of taking the 6am bus to
Bangalore but then found that the bus was cancelled as there were only 2 seats
booked. So the only option ws to take the 10am or 2 pm bus and no other bus in
evening had free seats left. Pradeep was kind enough to invite me to his house
to freshen up and get some sleep before departing to bangalore. This was such a
big relief. Respite from all the muddy spray from trucks, my legs were covered
in a layer of fine sand as if I had just walked out of a beach. In less than
half hour I was fast asleep only to be woken up by 11 for breakfast. I had
booked the bus tickets for 2pm. This time the luggage ticket was only Rs.100.
But from Bangalore it was 200</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">. A sumptuous or should I call it a mammoth lunch
settled in to my tummy. Pradeep’s mother had prepared lunch exactly to a cyclist’s
nutrition needs. Never felt away from home as the taste of home food still
lingers fresh. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The perfect amount of
carbs, proteins and fibre content in lunch was enough to keep me happy till I
reached home. With the bike loaded in the bus I was all set to return to
Bangalore. The Volvo had a flat near the ksrtc authorized stop and the start
was delayed by another half hour. It looked like the tyre was retreaded and
here’s the damage. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2WBjpkMhKfHVfFRNkoI_7BxBefkMmNMWeN-eRsUwhsCGDTCtnzfhyphenhyphenYuSksmyWDoFzowpJCCCEMhx4W8nSas7GOX2gN9sJG2VpoQqgWv2ubQOj90CWeJ6e4lnn_Ez0yQREdm1ylBLGmw/s1600/13072012344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The tooshh.. moment.....</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtMSLB8ZwNU_JMM1HMEmc4Z9kujPSlRzIDtoMM31cBTnjhQ1bZpCE4Qd55uGHGk6oP6l8jMRqHoNPkbkoxOtNpgowzy8iFYB726BXPOoEfYR33H4niq0-hrYllg41pU6y5Cw-zkzMtzo/s1600/15072012350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtMSLB8ZwNU_JMM1HMEmc4Z9kujPSlRzIDtoMM31cBTnjhQ1bZpCE4Qd55uGHGk6oP6l8jMRqHoNPkbkoxOtNpgowzy8iFYB726BXPOoEfYR33H4niq0-hrYllg41pU6y5Cw-zkzMtzo/s400/15072012350.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How to load a bike in a volvo</b> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsmlAOiAU4tLX1xNa7e0c9Lu3qZ6acJW-NeuuKuR6PJq-awgVk2P42Hoc7lHwE6tgeexfQTEc26LJ3tn6VBx1qMm-q27H2RLP7Y08ArCjg3FPGJ7XQMWLZlfibcfNaEUChaFQRxY9kN0/s1600/15072012352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsmlAOiAU4tLX1xNa7e0c9Lu3qZ6acJW-NeuuKuR6PJq-awgVk2P42Hoc7lHwE6tgeexfQTEc26LJ3tn6VBx1qMm-q27H2RLP7Y08ArCjg3FPGJ7XQMWLZlfibcfNaEUChaFQRxY9kN0/s400/15072012352.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Chennai -Belgavi (Belgaum) Gold class volvo</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphzrlyphynR8yNt323iseAOWqN4OgXjxKtpMo9J9usfFFFEAHdxJ8Ui3YMvtL3ZqUQJJDB1Xmx1uQs2FEncdHwlpx_68x_OLSYe0MDkwoCTsnumJOj5YL_gVt24gIUXJOlX_VXdLo9mU/s1600/15072012353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphzrlyphynR8yNt323iseAOWqN4OgXjxKtpMo9J9usfFFFEAHdxJ8Ui3YMvtL3ZqUQJJDB1Xmx1uQs2FEncdHwlpx_68x_OLSYe0MDkwoCTsnumJOj5YL_gVt24gIUXJOlX_VXdLo9mU/s400/15072012353.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Over the years I've come across a lot of
encouraging and discouraging comments about cycling which almost every cyclist
is prone to get a dosage. I maintain my firm belief, its the passion that binds
man and machine and cycling is no different!!</span></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com7Old Mahabalipuram Rd, Karunanidhi Nagar, Perungudi, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India12.965081570216977 80.24731636047363312.961213070216978 80.242380860473631 12.968950070216977 80.252251860473635tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-64222079810075824592012-06-02T16:37:00.000+05:302012-06-04T10:35:31.849+05:30TCS.run - The surreal second 10k !!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Something kept me awake
till about 1am and finally managed to doze for about a couple of hours only to
be woken up by thunder and lightning. The next thought was, will the 10k run
happen inspite of the prevailing weather conditions? Will the event be
postponed? Will I be able to run all of the 10k and not walk for any of the
distance? Too many questions and a sub-conscious mind and I fell back into the
power nap mode for yet another 2 hours. Thanks to Eddie George (A consistent
RFL runner) who is one of the reasons that I've managed to participate in the
TCS 10k. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Flashback - (1 month ago)
:: Originally, the registration for this event was to run along with a
colleague. Not aware of any other HPite running this 10k, I thought individual
participation as my colleague had missed the last date for registration. Then
Eddie mentioned why not have Kiran register on my behalf. So Kiran got us
registered, bib and goodie bag collected on time. A part of my thoughts were
against this event as the I had travel plans the same evening as the TCS 10k.
With all the logistics and practice in place, I excitement and the anticipation
doubled due to the combo package on 27th the wait had begun...!!</span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxmULBWTMZXK_Az1iWxr87bPivB6iivbCBDO0gP2YLEBgfob_cYDAJYz7eZ50fmbAa18DUXeAlTgU77KsSV-ck9y80iSK-pzuqE9aPfsG7o54rJhWm__GE9ZIvrfyUDEq6NkQZ0wLDJM/s1600/27052012015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxmULBWTMZXK_Az1iWxr87bPivB6iivbCBDO0gP2YLEBgfob_cYDAJYz7eZ50fmbAa18DUXeAlTgU77KsSV-ck9y80iSK-pzuqE9aPfsG7o54rJhWm__GE9ZIvrfyUDEq6NkQZ0wLDJM/s640/27052012015.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MmZpw3bfIFF_9y2VOOjyw73VP4iRJ_IIVX4qy4jL-VeGfaDbUg-cU0GwIv7pWaP6UtC_YpD0cRfznJkhUo3iNQbqji22hoe_VQ60BO7G06LCvIPyVUWmNpwDx5JCo8GLjQmC1Aku96c/s1600/533108_3857513152324_1113237992_33546334_1636293412_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MmZpw3bfIFF_9y2VOOjyw73VP4iRJ_IIVX4qy4jL-VeGfaDbUg-cU0GwIv7pWaP6UtC_YpD0cRfznJkhUo3iNQbqji22hoe_VQ60BO7G06LCvIPyVUWmNpwDx5JCo8GLjQmC1Aku96c/s640/533108_3857513152324_1113237992_33546334_1636293412_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The 27th May :: The fresh
showers early morning was a promising factor for a great superb show. Entered
Kanteerava stadium for the first time and a mad crowd was almost certain just
by looking at the sheer BIB numbers (#27000 is the highest that I've managed to
see on any runner).Soon made our way to Gate C and entered the stadium. Group A
and B had hardly any crowd. This was segregated based on the timings of the
runners. Fast and medium fast runners were put in Cat A and Cat B. Cat C pretty
much was the general compartment :-). People who've never run before, runners
from last year's Majja run graduating to 10k. Soon the CM and Puneet Raj kumar
made their presence felt and surprisingly just in time as mentioned on the
website. The event started with an official BMW car with timer board leading
the elite runners. Then it was a flag off for the elite women. Followed by
group A and group B. The group C was so huge and the start so crowded that my
friends an I decided to start once the track was clear of the crowd and this
happened only half hour later. Then Venkatachalam, Kiran (tusker), Venkat
Mackintesh and I started at a slow pace and then settled into rhythm 1km into
the race. The crowd was such that one couldn't find a straight line to keep the
rhythm. Time to apply some pin ball machine tactics and of course without
bumping into other runners. When the NH-7 wasn't ready I remember the two lane
stretches between krishnagiri and dharmapuri the roads were potholed and to
find a smooth line to drive was certainly a lot of work. This run was almost
similar as I was in the switchback mode weaving across the crowd and sometimes
running small stretches on the pavements. The route chosen was fantastic as
there was plenty tree cover and the weather keeping the sweat in check. The start line or should I say the entire track in Kanteerava stadium. Group A and B started after the elite runners. Group C was the most crowded. The cleated warrior runners decided then to start towards the end when the track was near empty so we wouldn't waste time due to the crowd for the first 200 mts. The sheer number of participants for 10k alone would've given many the adrenaline boost to complete the run. I grabbed two bottles of water enroute but didn't stop in-spite of the crowd at the water stops. As I entered the Cubbon Park via Vidhan Soudha there was a slight downhill and I increased my pace to overtake as many as possible only to realize that there still was 1km to the finish line then reduced the engine speed and set to cruise mode for another 800mts then increased the pace back again and heard the familiar beep of the official timer at the finish line. There were so many runners that instead of a short beep</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">for any one person crossing the line the machine went nuts..!! Itwas a constant tone :-P. Here are some official stats ::</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Overall Rank 564<br />Category Rank 374<br />Gender Rank 556<br />Net Time 00:54:36 at an Avg Speed of 10.99 Kmph</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Credits :: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Special thanks to Kiran who
registered on my behalf and collecting goodie bags and bib kit. Thanks to Ajith
with whom I tagged along in an Innova to reach the venue. The return trip was a
comfortable one too. Thanks to Sri Ram who gladly obliged to drop me
home. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">What next?? May be KTM !! The mind's funny, finicky and deceptive. </span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-23557909318787896802012-05-29T20:00:00.000+05:302012-06-16T22:39:52.216+05:30Velo Kerala - Day2 - Ernakulam to Munnar !!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It has been over a week that the blog has been dormant and I hardly got the time to finish the first one. So here goes the next chapter in the Kerala chronicles. Our plan to start early was delayed as we woke up late set about truing the rear wheel on Ajith's bike. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The tablet put to dry </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Truing the wheels using the spoke wrench a part of ICE toolz kit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Once the wheels were back in good shape, I was ready in no time and we headed out for breakfast. After a sumptuous dose of idlies, appam and peanut chutney we were ready for the arduous 120 km of riding. Since it was going to be hot day and we started only at about 10am we rode till the highway and then found a truck carrying gate grille's for painting and the owner was glad to drop us till (Muvattupuzha)a point that was 30kms away. He refused to accept any money but he obliged to take pictures. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Shah Jahan (Driver/owner) and Faisal</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The happy campers on the back of the mini-truck </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After over a day's frantic search for tender coconuts in the "land of coconuts" we found one about 10kms into riding and we immediately stopped to utilize the golden opportunity. Next point on the way was Kothamangalam and from this point Munnar was still a 90kms ahead with a 60km climb. With the tummies topped up with the 'tender' recharge we then kept a nice pace through the rolling terrain with a smooth tarmac. Crossed kothamangalam and then we hit this Neriyamangalam bridge under which the great Periyar river flows. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Neriyamangalam Bridge</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Periyar River as seen from the bridge.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">About a km ahead is where the a climb starts and there a 60km of the lovely ghat stretch. The gradient is gentle unlike the kalhatti climb with 36 hairpin bends nor the yercaud climb. Came across yet another tender coconut stall and without having the need to apply brakes our bikes gradually stopped near the shop and we feasted on a couple of tender coconuts. There was a sudden increase in the density of the forest cover and this was evident. Somehow the bridge seem to be the bridging gap between the flat-lands and the ghats. After about 10mins we were to start riding so we reach munnar before dusk however the prying eyes of ajith then fell upon the fruit juice. Needless to say, a shot of mosambi(sweet lime) juice went in and it is worth a mention that the juice was way better than the tender coconut. Tender coconut tasted like it was injected with electral :-P.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I welcomed my old nemesis (the hills) as this time it was an MTB to face the 60km route. The high humidity was certainly felt but the soothing breeze from the trees ensured the engine stayed cool. About 10 kms before adimali we stopped for a break. In went a couple of bottles of mango juice. That is when we met another cyclist. Mr.Ravi from Cherai. He has been riding for a couple of days and his destination was Adimali. So he wasn't far. We exchanged plesantries and he had some queries about our bikes. Something to notice was the DIY chain guard and an extra handlebar prop to aid in climbing. Simple and neat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He took leave and we soon had to start and thats when we found the rear tyre of Ajith's bike flat. Removed the tyre and tube in no time and then realized that the tube was filled with slime and had we give it more time to heal it would have sealed itself. However the nail might have done more damage. So removed the metal piece and replaced the tube with the normal one. We also discarded the slime tube as it had a lot of patches. Another problem surfaced, the wheel was out of true again and Ajith set about setting that right. Half hour later we got started again and in about a couple of kms we hit a waterfall that resembled the silver cascades of Kodaikanal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The traffic now getting thinner and thinner and the surroundings greener!! Just what we expected. Humidity levels then dropped and we felt the winds of change. Next stop Adimali for lunch. Just in time to catch up with folks protesting against the price hike. Looked like we were indirectly giving them a hint - Ride a bike..!!! We stopped at the newly opened restaurant called "The Cardamom". A pep chat with the manager and we got to know that the owner was from Taj group. The price and the taste was justified as the food disappeared into the hungry tummies. Simply put, a well deserved sumptuous lunch. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>That mustard sauce...!!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">5.30pm - We start from this hotel and back on saddle for just about half hour and we encounter the board "Welcome to Munnar". The moment Ajith gets to know there is still 30kms of it left here's what happened. (you might have to zoom in to see it).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yet another hour into riding and the darkness sets in. The ultrafire was raring to go. We got the flashlight onand the two vioo lights on fork of Ajith's trek was impressive and they looked even better when they switched places from fork to the handlebar. It looked like a jazzy UFO following me :-). Soon the winds got colder and at about 7.45pm we reached the periphery of munnar town. But we still had 8 kms to go to reach the town. After a quick stop, a few snacks and an enquiry about the buses to take us back to Ernakulam we then started to ride as quick as possible. We rode till the misty mountain resort and its sure lived up to its name. Lot of mist just went past us as we just continued our journey towards the town. Soon we found a tata mobile (207) and just held on to the rear cage on either side. Since it was a narrow path we had a few cars following this carrier and they just wanted to overtake. But if we let go of this then there was no way to catch up. So we held on for as long as it was safe and about 2km away we left the dropped off and started pedaling again. A mad rush to the bus stand was in vain as there were a lot of confused folks around. One said the last bus to ernakulam was at 9.30. The local were glad to give us the news - All buses had left for the night and we had to wait for the first bus to Ernakulam scheduled to depart next morning at 5.30am. Holy-Moly..!!! Now we were exhausted from the tiring climb up and a sprint towards the bus stand. So we were trying hard to spot any carrier/tempo that could carry us at-least till muvattupuzha or some place enroute so we could hitchhike the rest of the route. Time to satisfy the tummy and we headed to a parota stall. The smell was so tantalizing. Parked the bikes nearby and sat down at the local roadside stall. (unfortunately no energy to take the mobile out for a pic). We enjoyed the parotas + peas gravy. Nourishingly delicious. There were a few agents who were on their night stroll to look for any new comers to munnar and offering them places to stay. So we seemed to be at their mercy. A twisted dilemma, is it better to take a room, stay for the night and then take the first bus next morning? Probably the best solution. Other plans included ::</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. Ride back in the night (60kms of downhill) in utter darkness..!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2. Hitchhike a truck or a carrier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What did we do ... How did we return? Did we return the same night? Did we book an accomodation? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just when we were about to give up looking for a vehicle to hitchike and book a room for about INR500, (Just 1 room and no restroom) we spotted a truck stop on the other side of the road. So quickly we scooted and enquired with teh driver as to his destination and we were darn lucky. He said Kochi and exactly the place where we were headed. He agreed to load our bikes and we were the happiest bunch as we got the bikes properly tied using the ropes. This truck was carrying the top quality premium Tea (not available to the indian market) for export from port Kochi. Also made a new friend Jomit George who is from Adimali and an engineering student. Every day for him could be a vacation @ Munnar. Lucky soul. We got a lot of topics to discuss and I ended up talking with the driver Sendhur Pandian of Tirunelveli but mainly into truck driving hauling goods from and to Kochi, Munnar and Goa. The truck is like a second home and he said he had all the basic supplies and he normally just have to buy vegetables in order to prepare food. Hmm, talk about camping and adventure on road. He did mention that it was not going to be a direct trip but he'd stop on the way probably at Kothamangalam to catch some sleep as he hadn't had sleep in about 3-4 days. PHEW.. and here I am thinking I get only 4 hours sleep every night..!! There was a lower berth and an upper berth. As we approached adimali we stopped for black tea more discussions followed about the trucking experience and life on road. You get to meet new people and make new friends. Absolutely exciting. Had I been on a motorbike or a car none of this would've ever happened. I settled in the upper berth and slept like a baby once we stopped for the night halt. I only woke up about 10kms from Vytila junction. The upper berth was such that you could enter only in one direction and exit the same. One couldn't even turn around :-) But I didn't care as I was fast asleep and so was Ajith. He too woke up from the parota hangover. The cost of the room expense was then transferred to Sendur pandian and all three of us were happy. He got a chance to make a quick buck we got back to kochi the same morning. The expense of staying back at munnar and taking the next bus would've been a costly affair. In fact Mr.Pandian was about to return me change and my response, you've been a godsend to us when in time of need so this was the least we could do. We exchanged phone numbers and soon our bikes unloaded. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Sendur pandian, The weary rider (me) and the trusted Ashok leyland 1612 </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Secretly, I always wished to hitchhike a ride on a truck and never dreamt that it would be realized in this trip. Half hour of riding got us from vytila junction to Panampily nagar. Time for morning chores and then breakfast at the usual keralite roadside dhaba. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The world goes by at a slow pace once on a bicycle. One gets the time to understand and take in the essence of time with it. In any motorized transport the world whizzes past and you miss quite a lot. The spectacular photo opportunities, a stop every now and then to munch on something, the looks at the rest of the world when they see you on a cycle on an expressway or a village. I sometimes do think about defining or understanding time - For humans the world is at its own normal pace but the same world for a housefly might probably be 4x times slower. And for an elephant our world might be twice as faster. This is just one of those instinctive thoughts that crop up while on the saddle. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To reinstate, I am truly happy to be a cyclist. Though the public might think I have saved hundreds of litres of petrol/diesel. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">None of the statements above is aimed at demeaning the petro-heads or diesel-heads. Adventure
can take any form its just the passion that binds man and machine. Same </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">theory applies here that binds me with the most ingenious invention of all, "The Bicycle"....!!!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com3Munnar, Kerala, India10.0889333 77.059524810.057666800000002 77.0200428 10.1201998 77.099006800000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4522677480415758978.post-63023649797096857522012-05-28T09:16:00.000+05:302014-08-01T12:31:36.612+05:30Velo Kerala - Day1 - Ernakulam to allepey !!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ever since I began cycling, the dream of riding the green routes in God's own country always remained a far fetched desire. The leaves from last December were still pending and now seemed to be the perfect time to utilize them. Tempting as it may seem the decision was quickly made for a week's vacation. The accommodation was booked in Ernakulam 5 days initially. This had to be shortened due to conflict with the TCS 10K.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The surge of excitement kept me on my toes till the 27th. I managed to finish the TCS 10 run under 55 mins and was contempt with the achievement. Return Tickets booked in KSRTC Airavata Club Class Mercedes coach. The boarding point was Shantinagar BS at evening 7.30. After a quick check with Ajith Jagadish ( another cyclist that I met earlier on a ride to mysore) and he confirmed his readiness for the trip. Such was his attitude about this trip that he wasn't interested in knowing the routes or destination. Just wanted to get the bums on the saddle and ride till the legs beg for mercy. That's a great spirit and certainly is a mind over matter as one gets to face the challenges during the unplanned trip. Little did we realize that there was so much more in store for us than what we had on minds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The excitement begins as soon as we meet at Apple istore at Raghavendra swamy mutt 5th block. A km into riding, I quickly lose sight of Ajith. Dang, he rode like a stung bee. After a couple of attempts to reach him on the phone caught up near cosmopolitan club and then we continued against traffic on the one way all the way to Ashoka pillar and then towards inner roads that leads to shantinagar bus stand. This was a quick huffy puffy ride and my T shirt was wet in no time.Only once we stopped I understood the scale of Ajith's luggage. He almost had a caravan on his back rather than a 'backpack'. As we waited for our bus we caught up on the daily lives and the BBCh races. As usual my X6 gets to show its carl zeiss magic hence out it comes from my pocket and I'm clicking away to glory. Then we see the Mercedes Benz coach that we're supposed to board and soon load our bikes and not without the fuss from the conductor who asks us to remove the pedals. We tell him that the wheels will be removed and then we'll mount them vertically. As the passengers had boarded the conductor reluctantly agreen to just push the bikes in and do we did and I secured the bikes against the side rails in the luggage compartment. Luggage cost = 330 as per ticket for two bikes. Thats all ?? Absolutely not. You've got to grease the hands of the conductor else he simply doesn't allow your bike. Add another 70 and he's satisified and I got my change for Rs.500 only at the destination. He was happy to pocket Rs.170 if not bothered. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's how the bikes were loaded ::</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> After confirming the PNR number we got seated and had a relaxed drive till the dinner stop at McDees on Hosur road just beyond hosur. The service at the hotel was delayed hence we were the last passengers to board the bus when one gentleman started yelling about the delay. I happily chose to ignore him as my tummy was happy and it was time to settle in to sleep like a baby as per the advertisement outside the bus :-). However Ajith had some nice rebuttals ready and after a few comments the angry businessman mallu finallys shut up and we got moving. Fast forward 9 hours @ Vytilla. We soon near vytilla junction and then head to the KSRTC Inter state bus stand. Reached the bus stand at 6 AM and we could smell the wet earth from early morning shower. Soon it was time to get the bikes out. I headed out to collect change while Ajith managed to reassemble the bikes to riding condition again. Just had to remove the disk brake spacer and put the front wheel back on my 4300D while Ajith's bike was a simpler task of fixing the front wheels back again. Soon we consulted the GPS on Ajith's mobile and we had to reach Panampily nagar and as per GPS it was a good 4 kms away. As it looked like it might rain again, he stopped to pull out a secret weapon to protect his luggage, a secret/hidden waterproofing for his "caravan". </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwfoTJqg88giRiLMA6u-sBkBxHHZj80G9V0Yn-N6rlMf8E3Jtv4bjo4RNZsg7OOChlBQ5ZMyqRgtmMbo4HeoJuAOlOpStix_EgmW2vYchNimCn5sZ0X5xSXEJpku0vKvcANgeMvCfiuw/s1600/28052012033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwfoTJqg88giRiLMA6u-sBkBxHHZj80G9V0Yn-N6rlMf8E3Jtv4bjo4RNZsg7OOChlBQ5ZMyqRgtmMbo4HeoJuAOlOpStix_EgmW2vYchNimCn5sZ0X5xSXEJpku0vKvcANgeMvCfiuw/s400/28052012033.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After about 15 mins of riding we reached panampilly nagar and started looking for the BSNL stay. A few mins of confusing directions from the caretaker we managed to locate it and secured our bikes against some pipes. It was like a duplex villa but with rooms on the inside called suites. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><u><b>The Goof Up # 1 </b></u>The one booked for us was Suite 2 and we happily entered Suite #1. Once we had freshened up, we quickly switched over to Suite#2.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We then loaded our bags into Suite #2 and started a ride towards Allepey/Alapuzhzha, our first of the Trifector destinations on this vacation. Having done the extensive homework on mapping routes and checking with google street view for the road and weather conditions, he route for Day1 ran along the coast as depicted in the pic below </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU9heB2lgKX5iKWacl98lG_RXekMbFY8HDe-KLZwRHI6XNWdj8NHRkq0t_ZwnYWCraj2XWxSeKhskMYdqhcAV07EdMitv1DX_rhK6JirkF4pcfd5ySYtL9cWZMxRMC-YVf7KTpIZB6rs/s1600/Kochi.to.Allepey.Google.maps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU9heB2lgKX5iKWacl98lG_RXekMbFY8HDe-KLZwRHI6XNWdj8NHRkq0t_ZwnYWCraj2XWxSeKhskMYdqhcAV07EdMitv1DX_rhK6JirkF4pcfd5ySYtL9cWZMxRMC-YVf7KTpIZB6rs/s320/Kochi.to.Allepey.Google.maps.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The road conditions were top notch. Hmm I should use more biker friendly terms. So let me rephrase... The roads throughout were road bike friendly except 10 kms (there is a right and an immediate left about 200mts away at kanamaly) which is </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">super MTB friendly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The road bike friendly streches:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAe8KduPnUOj-u4Lrd2xRIXOlFShjkozEZNrDhK-ent0w8yfh8fXuO_imRhSFVDOthZHHLvY4FKlHXEon81pg_7krhmR9_mSbalA7OnAquM6goUVPIR-G7jvZKOI3RlApLf85XlnqiI6A/s1600/100_1940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAe8KduPnUOj-u4Lrd2xRIXOlFShjkozEZNrDhK-ent0w8yfh8fXuO_imRhSFVDOthZHHLvY4FKlHXEon81pg_7krhmR9_mSbalA7OnAquM6goUVPIR-G7jvZKOI3RlApLf85XlnqiI6A/s320/100_1940.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The MTB friendly 10km stretch:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The humidity levels were high and we were sweating however, due to the green cover and quite a generous amount of shades time an again the hot rising from the tarmac was being cooled and was a pleasant experience. The early morning showers also were a boon in keeping the heat under control. We managed to stop at a couple of places to sip on limca/Mirinda. One tip to whoever manages to read this blog is to avoid coke/limca/thums up etc. Mirinda is probably the only drink that can be trusted. Limca and coke taste very different. To me it felt as if a mechanic had refilled the bottle. There was an aroma of grease. you might want to blame the shop for improper storage but I had similar experience in two different stalls. Halfway through the trip my urge to sit by the beach was at an all time high and soon we found ourselves at thyckkal beach. The gadgetry instinct kicked in and I started clicking pics of my bike and trying my photography skills. Soon the instagram monster arrived with his Asus Transformer prime and managed to capture video of me riding the trek by the beach onto the waves. This feat had to be repeated a few times. Why why??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. The first time Ajith tried to capture he missed it some how. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2. The second time he had forgotten to set it in video mode. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3. I had lost momentum once and was riding in the lowest gear :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Instagram monster :</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWZi4FUZBo6wMdT_551oogUWamP8h8NRA7AlGMRJOAVrjyyJsr-WjPGEo299QXXs_9yW3QDzv3fejLEs3fsDAcbU1d798KCF3d4iDo3CQyAWmtStKKhsGE0OqVEqGpAc91V01Y_ynSdU/s1600/28052012040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWZi4FUZBo6wMdT_551oogUWamP8h8NRA7AlGMRJOAVrjyyJsr-WjPGEo299QXXs_9yW3QDzv3fejLEs3fsDAcbU1d798KCF3d4iDo3CQyAWmtStKKhsGE0OqVEqGpAc91V01Y_ynSdU/s400/28052012040.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thyckkal Beach</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkXpt6iI-NrJIkTjS_0vKjkJyGSWhW_67RpHjB9mwIYRJmKQWCGtEwnmNPxZC4fT72cmuYtoDdNqDSXHOZlb74ZTFQUVWyuVgWhOf-aoVIfX84PUNacjBJW7QOYawIgkK61XB4CGyORk/s1600/28052012042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkXpt6iI-NrJIkTjS_0vKjkJyGSWhW_67RpHjB9mwIYRJmKQWCGtEwnmNPxZC4fT72cmuYtoDdNqDSXHOZlb74ZTFQUVWyuVgWhOf-aoVIfX84PUNacjBJW7QOYawIgkK61XB4CGyORk/s400/28052012042.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My Trek by the beach along a boat.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNjEqTSRHIxzrxDmi5QfQ0Kxe5LeapxvrPeqRyY6sH4hjSOEAWVwVEuMu0dVNNVtXrgFVJucXIQC48G4Pt04A586iPZ8YG8t1skg12QGQeQoYgZ4TtRQ-xQk84VYZHJCzQo-QEumhNP0/s1600/28052012043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNjEqTSRHIxzrxDmi5QfQ0Kxe5LeapxvrPeqRyY6sH4hjSOEAWVwVEuMu0dVNNVtXrgFVJucXIQC48G4Pt04A586iPZ8YG8t1skg12QGQeQoYgZ4TtRQ-xQk84VYZHJCzQo-QEumhNP0/s640/28052012043.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Experiment with new methods/modes of capture</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu6un06-t8VQolsuh9NnR5BVEQ93wIke03TP4Fn-ne2DzvCaAges4_RIV7WsW_8caEeP41zCwEh3wy-nSHZseKZ2SnKUAyDKFh8sqZd6XI46ue5ajIGPbzw6r3mO3vtDjKqP8rHzmtbg/s1600/28052012049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu6un06-t8VQolsuh9NnR5BVEQ93wIke03TP4Fn-ne2DzvCaAges4_RIV7WsW_8caEeP41zCwEh3wy-nSHZseKZ2SnKUAyDKFh8sqZd6XI46ue5ajIGPbzw6r3mO3vtDjKqP8rHzmtbg/s400/28052012049.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All in all it similar to the "ride-in-beach" just like the drive in beach in Muzhappilangad and hardly any crowd when we entered but soon we could see considerable groups of people entering the waters. Though I had my trusty Nokia X6 working its magic via carl zeiss and capturing the natural colours it was no match for the Asus Transformer Prime. The video was HD and of stunning clarity. After the harsh ride on the 10km stretch the rear wheel on Ajith's Trek had a bend and the brake levers were swaying when on the move. So we tried to fiddle with the brake settings without much luck. Soon it was good enough to be on the move but with the bend still conspicuous, we decided that it will be sorted out once we were back in the room in Cochin. Nibbling on the energy bar equivalents that Ajith managed to source from abroad, we managed to reach Allepey at 3pm. Once the batteries are near-empty, a cyclists eye then assumes that it is a hawk eye and looking out for prey which then was visible to us as Al-Firdouse restaurant. Unfortunately only meals was available and nothing else and fortunately, atleast that was available :-). It was after a long time that i ended up eating Kerala rice which resembles the idly rice locally available however a new luncheon experience is never an unwelcome to a bleary cyclist. I finished my meal as quick as a woodpecker drills. Ajith on the other hand took it nice and easy which gave me more time to realize that we in fact were at Allepey or Alappuzha. We had next hour and a half at our disposal to explore the backwaters and soon we hit a small trail alongside a channel that was covered in weed. We followed the trail for about half a km after which we hit the main road which was narrow but the water was clear of weed and we hoped that we could see houseboats soon.In about 15-20 mins of riding we were at a T-Junction and our cameras were probably just bobbing in the pouches ready to swing in to action.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Action >> Camera >> Click, Click, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Crossed a small bridge to ride alongside the mini-channel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98rjp9zDmtc627XwCALMpeXwX6bCt8qc204pCr6cqoYwGIlEavFH6crcq3TRAlobta8KtnaXOQpZKwpUrIeo0_seZiROEWdp70Eww4u5iVSSU3yowIP_jz-fkH0TsozVm21QholDoxMA/s1600/28052012057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98rjp9zDmtc627XwCALMpeXwX6bCt8qc204pCr6cqoYwGIlEavFH6crcq3TRAlobta8KtnaXOQpZKwpUrIeo0_seZiROEWdp70Eww4u5iVSSU3yowIP_jz-fkH0TsozVm21QholDoxMA/s400/28052012057.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Off the trail and on tarmac to reach marine expressways.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomoZJX1w09O9EI9LyF6-zcyYEG3SJjEvY7ohAoZ93K2nUxvUYplEEQ_c7hu7uM1yTi7AUb6NgEhjPXrqxD53eCc14pZGsEfePmYt1vtKnBnaWhmyTLRP77W-lRrV2ezdUaHLYaK-PKp0/s1600/28052012059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomoZJX1w09O9EI9LyF6-zcyYEG3SJjEvY7ohAoZ93K2nUxvUYplEEQ_c7hu7uM1yTi7AUb6NgEhjPXrqxD53eCc14pZGsEfePmYt1vtKnBnaWhmyTLRP77W-lRrV2ezdUaHLYaK-PKp0/s400/28052012059.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">WOW. So many houseboats, ferry boats, mini boats containing goods for for transit, Canoes boats resembling shikharas of the north. I was amazed and dumbstruck by just looking at the sheer number of houseboats. Wild thoughts prevailed. I recalled the 'boating' experiments of my schooldays when I used to make paper boats of which i knew only two kinds. The really <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wu5oKy4m5s" target="_blank">standard</a> and the knife boat (Had a protruding extension at the base of the boat). The spark to try something new was probably missing and that might explain why i didn't build houseboats that ride the rainwaters :-). Would've been a rocking houseboat at that. Soon Ajith parked his bike by a tree and we started clicking pictures of each houseboat that passed. We stood by another small boat that was used to carry some kind of a fruit that resembled mango but learnt that it was poisonous and had medicinal value. Maybe the reader can shed some light as to what that fruit is..!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLXzUI-NHHS4FqXPv-BPbV8RJkx7TzO2WcuvhUxJG7SHF7dfeYF1zRJ4aXVEcaX2BQk0A6KgZqnXQFPggkKOGlQiXQydBsCyagek7tywox-7R9YiNKW_Pr38aUk1DDOiGKsqJI09lN-0/s1600/28052012080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLXzUI-NHHS4FqXPv-BPbV8RJkx7TzO2WcuvhUxJG7SHF7dfeYF1zRJ4aXVEcaX2BQk0A6KgZqnXQFPggkKOGlQiXQydBsCyagek7tywox-7R9YiNKW_Pr38aUk1DDOiGKsqJI09lN-0/s320/28052012080.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And now some houseboats... (courtesy - My Nokia X6)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This one come to park for a short while.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On the way to the market</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Something like Shikara but a lot smaller</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As we didn't want to miss the sunset, it was a fast paced ride avg 28kph all the way to the Alappuzha beach. The sight of the ocean is a perfect finish for the day's ride. Or was it? As we pushed our bikes on the beach sands, a thought struck us why not try riding. Ajith managed to ride for about 30mts before stopping. Then I tried but only to stop at 10 mts :-) and it was so much fun watching the wheels getting sucked by sand. Then we pushed the bikes nearer to the shore. My trek had a stand while ajith made a "Sand stand".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The bicycle 'limits' </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love this pic</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At this point you'd be expecting a wrap up and end of excitement for Day 1 and head back to the room. And.... you are absolutely...... Wrong.!!! Ajith captured many pics of the sunset. After clicking he kept the Asus transformer on the handlebar over the bag. Then.. disaster, a big wave went right through the wheels of his bike as his bike was parked against one of the pillars of the pier. The tablet fell in water and what a shocker I could do nothing to rescue it as i was farther from his bike. Ajith rushed quickly and picked the tablet which was being dragged into the ocean by the waves. The next half hour was spent trying to drain the tablet off any water that has entered via the ports. There was trouble switching it off. With a dismal note we left the beach. We hit the MCR ( Main coast road) which was an NH and soon found a truck to draft which went good for about 10kms. then we stopped for dinner and had some tasty dosa. It was a quiet dinner as I was exhausted drafting the truck at an avg of 45+kph. On a roadbike it would've been a different ballgame but on an MTB there was lot more confidence just because of the disc brakes. After dinner we managed to hitchhike on a tempo traveller for the next 30kms to panampilly nagar junction. We headed to the room to catch some sleep as we had an early start for tomorrow's big adventure. How would tomorrow be like? More riding in the highly humid conditions ? More drafting? Hitchhiking? tender coconuts?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wait for the Day 2 report..!! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06099599838716230867noreply@blogger.com2Panampilly Nagar, Ernakulam, Kerala, India9.9615915 76.29569859.945952 76.2759575 9.9772310000000015 76.3154395