Kalhatty love - Part 2

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. 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. 
Garmin activity https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1166601375 ::
Finishing the Kalhatty  :: https://youtu.be/741OA2-jTrA

A good amount of wildlife was spotted with this trip and the list includes:
Birds,
Peacock
Robin
Kingfisher
Myna

Barking deer
Wild boar
Indian Bison
Herd of Deer
Herd of elephants

Waiting for gates to open by 6AM - Bandipur

 

Enroute Thepekadu

 

Gate timings

 



 Lovely roads to Thepekadu

Kalhatty Backdrop



A Selfie with Lord Gans

Putta finishing the climb

At Sandynulla lake 2kms from the gudalur - ooty- kalhatty junction

 

The road on the right is the Gudalur - ooty highway



Basking in Natures Balcony a mighty relief from the climb

The Pro-Lite chakra :)

 

A Harley meet at CCD Masinagudi



 

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