Bangalore-to-Trichy - A-jolly-weekender

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.

Thursday - 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.

Friday - 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.

1. Heat has been a killer on the highway and on the climb it is only amplified.
2. My drivetrain had a mind of its own. Automatic transmission as if saying 'No Hill assist'.

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.

The photolog continues

Thanks to master shivraj for getting the bike ready quick for the maiden ride

At Mcdonalds near Shoolagiri (Start of our ride)

Right after krishnagiri

Former Mr.Salem

 After descending the Thoppur Ghat section

Tuskie and Bikes geting rest

Super before reaching the hotel

Hotel Estacia and the bikes

Yercaud range and the pool view from room

Yercaud lake

Dinner at Estancia 

Tusker's Ride

Shyam's ride

Day 2 - Independence Day ride to Trichy

Enroute Trichy (on the Namakkal - Trichy highway)

 An adamant rider continues 

The cauvery bridge at Trichy 

All three bikes packed inside the XUV

Awaiting the return to Bangalore

Just 12kms -Swalpa Cycling!!

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.

Ze Participants Finally :  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? 

Kiran aka Tusker >> Non-stop on an MTB with hardly any rides that might give him a chance to consider seeing the summit. 
Putta aka Tiger or BlackMamba >> Conquer the toughest the south has to offer.
Anantha aka Dreamer >>   Music on, pistons on !!
Krishnan >> The beedi body cyclist aiming for a non-stop.
Finally me Gans/Gana >> Music on and aim to finish non-stop hopefully taking less than the first attempt (1hr 45mins). 

Ze Plan: 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 Haute Route 2012. Motivation for the mind.

Ze Automobili: Mahindra Scorpio with Thule roof rack and Saris bones 3 rear rack. 

Ze start: 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. 

 All hands on deck to get the rack righly fit

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. 

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. 


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. 

 At Thepekadu for a short break

 

 

Loaded Scorpio

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:

1. Naan Nee (Madras 2014)
2.  Downtown Abbey cover  - Repeated atleast thrice on the climb
3. Many songs from collection soulful Arjit like Tose Naina and Samjhaawan
4. The cinematic orchestra - the flight of birds
5. Ludovico Einaudi - Primavera, Divinere

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:

The first lot to reach the summit

The state after the climb (Haiyyu.. haiyyu)

Jubilant Warriors

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. 

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) :). 

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' 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. 

Something I did forget to mention is that Anantha ended up being late and the reason ?? ...... 

... 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 :).

Lovely roads throughout

 The machine

 High speed corners

 Post ride recovery stretches

The Matrix Stretch

Cleated Warriors attack Yercaud !!

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. 

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. 

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. 

At Salem Toll

Good morning Yercaud

 1.hr.45mins Phew!!

The 'Rubie'

At the 20th Hairpin bend                                       The Victory pose

The final turn

Photo session

A pic to cherish.... 10k kms and counting

At the summit

1 more to go..

 A comfortable finish

Spot Chiddu

Vanakkam-Chennai-Velo-400 !!!

 

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  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^th 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^th. 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. :-)

Bhaskar and his josh machine with a hint of the bike in rear seat !!

4:00 AM :: 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. 

5:00 AM :: 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. 

Sundar sir at Registration Counter @ BSA Showroom 

 

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.  At Chengalpet toll all riders re-grouped for a  tender coconut break.  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.   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.  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. 

The pitstop at Vedanta college (U-Turn point).

  

All set to ride back..!!

 

 

Never dehydrate, a key factor on such rides..!!

Bandit Gana rides the highway.. :-)

 

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).  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 other riders 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.  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.  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  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.  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. 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.  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. 

 The tooshh.. moment.....

How to load a bike in a volvo

  

The Chennai -Belgavi (Belgaum) Gold class volvo

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!!