Kerala Monsoon Bike Ride

Pretty much bored from riding in Hyderabad, it was the time now to explore new areas and top of the list was Kerala. Just because of monsoon season, smooth roads, lot of hills, beaches. Ride was planned to cover 350 k.m. in 4 days with a hill summit, riding through amazing country roads with a heavy load on bike pannier.

Day 1: Trivandrum to Ponmudi

This was the toughest riding day and to spice it up, flight was delayed making me spent a sleepless night. Ponmudi hill has climb of ~ 1000 m stretched over 15 k.m. It is not only difficult but dangerous to climb that hill due to 22 hairpin curves, weather changing from sunny day to fog, mist and heavy rainfall. This hill completely changed the way I use to cycle. From power to high cadence, from very high gears to 1-1 gear combination which helped me in climbing the hill.

I had lot of fear associated with this hill summit, fear of falling from hill, fear of not able to ride, fear of struggling to reach hill top, fear of taking lot of time than other riders and being left alone.

Riding on hairpin curves became tougher and tougher. Front tire started lifting up because of heavy weight in pannier bag and steep inclination on hairpin curve. I had to apply my body weight to put the tire stick to road surface.

5 k.m. before the Ponmudi resort, I was out of water, it was raining heavily, rain water tasted salty because of sweat mixed with it, rain coat not able to help in protecting from rains. After struggling, walking for few km's riding on lowest possible gear combination, hearing few comments from people passing by, people recoding videos and clicking pics of my riding and finally it was the time to say that you did something great today. It was the time to see the happiness which I got after climbing that hill with just pedaling hard and harder with each stroke. Another thing which could have been risky would be dogs barking on the hill but even dogs in Kerala in pretty decent in treating bike riders.

Day 2: Ponmudi to Kulashekaram
Kulashekaram is a town in Tamil Nadu, we had to cross borders from Kerala to Tamil Nadu and that to on cycle. It sounded pretty exciting to me. Moving to different state without paying tax was definitely an added advantage with bicycle.

Best part of this day's ride began right from k.m. zero, it was downhill for next 15 k.m. but whats spiced up was 1000 m elevation difference. It took us 2 hours to climb this hill a night before and now it was the turn to enjoy and give rest to legs. We were strictly advised by one of the riders who stay in TVM not to look back while riding downhill. The hill was so steep that without brakes you will be thrown out of the hill in no time. We rode down very safely and stopping after every few k.m. to capture moments of the scenic beauty which you can't see sitting inside a car.

After riding down, we reached and stayed for sometime at chittar dam. Dried up clothes which got wet due to monsoon. It was fun doing that.

Day 3: Kulashekaram to Kovalam

Most tiring day of the whole tour. All riders were too tired but a unplanned jungle ride came to me as a surprise and to add to it, I later got to know that it also had a climb of 900 m and I was left mouth open on seeing that never ending climb.

We took permission to enter the forest, riding on slightly bumpy roads but an amazing scenery and canopy of trees. Weather changed after every km from sunny day to heavy rainfall every time we switched on western ghats. We stopped at every damm place just to get some good clicks as you don't find such beautiful places while you look it from tourist's perspective.

On climbing the hill, we stopped for a good local lunch served on banana leaf with awesome fish fry (just 10 bucks per piece). I learnt how to eat fish with one hand at this place. Food was amazing and tasted really good. Over here they serve thick brown rice which helped us a lot on the ride with carbohydrates we needed at that time.

The place was so nice that we were already running late of our schedule and had to rush and ride fast to reach Kovalam.

Day 4: Kovalam to Varkala

Easiest ride of all days with mostly downhill highway and thanks to Kerala's extremely smooth roads with no pot holes making us ride without pressing brakes or slowing down unnecessarily.

Finally on reaching Varkala well before the committed time, we had lunch and then with our bikes crashed in the beach to get tanning, lot of water, sand, and awesome climate and weather at Varkala. And it was time to celebrate for riding ~ 300 km over 4 days with lot (I really mean a lot) of climbs.

Last but not the least we recollected all memories and flew back to Hyderabad.

Foodie ride in Bangalore

I started with my first ride outside Hyderabad at one of the finest place to ride bicycle none other than Bangalore. Weather conditions, less steep climbs, more cyclists on road make Bangalore more lucrative for people who love biking.

I didn't had much time, so went for a short MTB ride (my first MTB ride) ~ 18 k.m. That day I realized riding MTB is much harder than riding Hybrid but all thanks to roads in Bangalore for make my riding experience great. I could see lot more people riding cycles in comparison to Hyderabad. 

And as usual, ride is incomplete without food. Stopped at one of the dosa giants for my favorite breakfast Kesari Bhath and Idly. I simply love the sweet halwa in breakfast that too when I eat after riding and burning calories.

First crash on bike

I use to hear riding bicycle in rainy season is risky and I experienced it today. I went to take my bike from the shop where I had given it for service. It rained heavily before that, roads were wet but I thought it is hardly ~2.5 k.m. from my home and I will ride back home.

First time I didn't wear gloves and helmet that too on wet road. On reaching home safely, I wanted to ride around the compound of my society for sometime. I was riding at ~ 20 k.m.p.h and sudden crash happened while taking turn on totally wet area. Those few seconds was a total blackout, I don't even remember how it all happened, who lifted me up and again my bike is ready for repair :(

Hurting my hands and legs badly, I could have saved my hands if I was wearing gloves, now finding it even difficult to walk. Hope I will recover soon :)

First century of 2014

After missing a foodie ride to Charminar and a long ride of 100 k.m., I decided to do a century again to start adding some miles and burn out fat. The route decided for this was the same done before couple of times but each time you visit, you find interesting places. This time after riding ~ 60 k.m. and doing off road, we reached place with scenic view of open fields, place full of greenry. Took some nice snaps :).

For the first time in long ride, I was happy that no one on bike came by and rode with you for couple of minutes to ask you the patience testing questions "Why are you doing this? From where are you coming? You must be kidding that you rode 100 k.m.?" and lot more. The roads were empty but lot more bad patches then we had earlier. I was able to maintain a good pace of 21.3 kmph over the ride.

As all our other rides, we stopped for a hot breakfast at Shakarpalli, eating idly, vada and the best coffee I had in hyderabad is at this place. We drove pretty fast till this point, post breakfast, I started riding bit slow to enjoy the scenic beauty and country side view watching trains going at railway crossing, people waiting for the poles to be lifted after train crosses. These things you don't get to see in cities full of crowd. 

You feel you are riding when people start starring at you, watching out when you ask them the route, cool breeze passing by and acting as a cooler to your body, when you make new friends on the ride, when you slow down after seeing the inclination of any steep climb, when you help your fellow rider in fixing flat. It is an awesome feeling when your 2 wheels gets you speed over 60 kmph and makes you feel as if you are in heaven. Finally, I completed 2280 k.m. on pedal and saddle after this ride. Waiting for my next century ride on eve of republic day.