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.

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.

Hyderabad Brevet - 2 lakes heaven and hell of 200 k.m biking

For those who are unaware of Brevet, let me start by giving a brief introduction. Brevet Cycling also known as "Randonneuring" where riders attempt to ride long distance on bicycle and passing through controlled checkpoints every few k.m.

After thinking over 2 weeks and being encouraged my friends who ride with me, I decided that I will go for it. Worst case I won't be able to complete it in time or I may give up before completion. It was a tough decision for me as I started cycling 3 months back and going for such a long distance and on one of the toughest route reminded me that I should skip. Finally I took a day off from office to buy the stuff as this was the self support ride, still I forgot to purchase saddle bag. To manage the spare parts of cycle on ride, I prepared a one myself :) I got my bike cleaned and serviced, checked the lights and I was all set after putting the bib (HYD-050) on my bike. I couldn't have a good sleep on friday night because of excitement of participating in brevet, thinking about waking up at 3:30 a.m. and riding in cold, fear of riding such a long distance with lot of hills.

After reaching starting point, I saw over 35 riders with few beginners serving as source of encouragement for me and finally got my "Brevet Card" stamped and ride begin. After crossing Movie towers hills which became easy to climb without sunlight, we took turn for shankarpalli where I stopped for breakfast. By now I had covered ~ 40 k.m with cold breeze making my nose running and foot numb that too after covering myself completely. I stuffed my empty stomach with 2 plates of idly and 2 plates of vada with lot of water, some biscuits, etc. And we started again to reach our first checkpoint in time which was still 32 k.m. away. On reaching first manned checkpoint and getting our brevet card stamped again, I ate lot of bananas (instance source of energy) and continued.

Now sun was shinning, I started getting exhausted, riding becoming slow, mouth dried up even after having few litre's of water. On struggling hard and covering few more k.m., the heaven part begin. It was downhill of Anathagiri hills (125 m steep climb of 2.5 k.m.). Climbs with sharp turns, great speed, no worries of pedaling, pretty soon after taking dirt trail, I touched second checkpoint, kotepally reservoir where I got to eat lunch. Thanks to the great food by deccan trails. After taking rest for few min, the thought of hell part of ride started striking my mind. We had to go to hill top via same way from which we came down. After riding hard, waling for few meters, cycling in lowest gear possible and thinking if manufacturer would have given one more lower gear, I was at the top again and then one more downhill :)

By now 125 k.m. were completed and legs were not agreeing to pedal anymore. After reaching manneguda by slowing pushing the pace of ride, eating a banana every few k.m. and getting my card stamped again, I suddenly got enough energy and courage after thinking that only 70 more k.m. left. Enroute people were testing the patience by asking questions like "Why are you doing this? From where did you came? Where are you going? And lot more Why, When and Where :P". Finally just 35 k.m. away from reaching end point and with lot of time remaining, suddenly a voice came "Booommmmmmmm" and my back tire bursted. I couldn't replace tube as tire was in bad shape and tube won't last even for few more k.m. Finally thanks to person who gave up brevet and whose bicycle I took to cover my last few k.m.'s. Finally reached the last checkpoint Movie Towers Hills top well in time after walking for few k.m. as cycle was lower in height and making it difficult to ride on hill climb. 

Covering few more k.m. and crossing microsoft hill which doesn't seem to be tough as I was seeing victory on the way just few k.m. away. I rushed up and reached my destination point completing journey of Heaven and Hell with visiting two lakes, awesome scenic view and riding with riders without their support I wouldn't have completed it. I am now eagerly waiting for my medal for 200 k.m. BRM.

Country side ride to Shankarpalli

Shankarpalli is one of the developing towns in AP. A place full of green trees and nice climate. On the occasion of Diwali, I decided to ride with Hyderabad Bicycling Club this time to my second long ride to Shankarpalli which is ~ 40 k.m. away from my home. So we would be covering ~ 80 k.m. in total. Lot of riders who RSVP'ed didn't came for the ride. Finally 5 riders started early morning from Gachibowli for this ride. When I was checking the route, I thought that it will only contain inclines of Microsoft, Movie Towers which I have done lot of time now and will be able to do it but who knew the whole route contained ups and downs making the ride bit tougher but the roads were awesome. Although because of rains there were bad patches on the road but overall a nice riding experience.

On the way, the roads seems to never end which makes riding difficult as you start feeling that distance is longer. A road full of trees on both sides, less traffic, cool weather which slowly became hot on the way back. After reaching Shankarpalli, we stopped at a place to eat Hot Idly Sambar, and we started back. Riding on return was much more difficult as we have lot most of the energy, the roads had more inclines and it was a tiring journey. I took rest after ~ 20 k.m. ride while return and finished off whatever I took for ride snacks.

Finally on climbing the movie towers hills which took long time as I was returning with no energy left, this view was simply awesome and soothing to eyes. And soon after going downhill I reached ORR and felt that my home is pretty close now.

And here comes the last patch of my ride and the most difficult one (Microsoft Hill) which seemed like a monster at that time with ~ 1.7 k.m. inclined surface and almost no energy left by that time. I have to take couple of stops to reach at the top and their is no workaround for this hill to reach my home. After this big climb, I stopped at DLF to have "Banana Milk Shake" which was truly refreshing and started again to reach home. I finished my ride in 3 hours and 45 min. The ride was so tiring that I was not even able to sleep the whole day :D