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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
