There have been times when i cannot even think about getting up early in the day, let alone doing something which gives work to some muscles in the body. But slowly that had turned upside down, thanks to my wife who had sown those early seeds for my Gym workouts. And later i owe a lot to Raghav, Pappu, Vinod, Andy, Muruganna, Satish, Amol, Senthil, Maams, Narasi, Vimal, Joe and so many other friends who have encouraged me so that i have turned into sort of a guy who can score in running and cycling. Even i have done more of other running sessions and cycling, this cycling from Bangalore to mysore turned out to be the one which had kindled me to blog! This blog is to let some one in this world know that they can also do which they have never tried once in their life, with success.
Though i have thought of writing my experiences once i complete my Full marathon, there is an urge to pen down the experience of one of the most gruelling climb to mysore! Fine coming to this ride, before this ride, we have had some experience of cycling upto 80kms, 130kms for me and my friends. Now that we have already started all this planning and necessary items are bought from Decathlon which included cycling shorts for myself, coolers for my friend pappu and same cycling shorts for the other friend Amol.
There were lot of confusion over how to start and in what category we fit in for the ride. Whether we just go to Mysore or coming back on the same day, from where to start? All these come to a conclusion when Pappu(Here after referred as CHIEF CYCLIST (CC)!) decided we will go and come back on the same day. After all the prelimnary preparations which included the following items in my shoulder bag:
1. Nutri Bars - 8
2. Gatorade - 2 filled in my sipper
3. Puffed rice balls(Pori Urundai) - 8
4. 3 Oranges
5. Electral packet - 5
6. Allen keys for cycle in case of any mechanical emergency.
Actually we are quite lucky that no one got a flat or something but here after we should take atleast some spare tubes. Fine let me take you into our Journey day.
MJV, CC, Amol, Kavindra and Jerin. The plan was to get the cycle rack from a cyclist friend of Pappu to accomodate 3 cycles in the same car (CC's Car) and i drive to Banneerghatta road to join them. Thanks to Brish who has arranged parking for us in his home. Every other greater plans will have bigger hiccups. On the eve of our ride, CC called me and said rack is not available and finally we have decided, let us not allow this small thing to deter our prep and decided that he will take Amol and i will take Kavin to Baneerghatta road and start from there.
After all these we tried to have some sleep and i woke up by 3'0 clock without missing the alarm. I always had that feeling of Getting your feet on the floor on Alarm time can lead us to do miracles. So got ready and called Kavindra to pick him up in BTM. Time was almost 3:50AM in the morning when i reached there. We have to start by 4:30AM but after Pappu and amol came by, we went to Ranka Colony and assembled the bikes and thanks to Brish again who has come all the way from his sleep to see us through. We started to pedal by almost 5:45AM.
Met Jerin on the way and picked him up as well. Met BBC guys on the way and started pedaling furiously. First 20kms went like rocket, thanks to all those descent and initial burst. We had to wait for Jerin for some time and then later decided to pick up some serious pace and had our first break when it was 120 km to Mysore. Decided to have food at Harohalli. Good weather, early morning, celebrity like stares consuming all these our parade was on towards mysore. Soon there was change in the roads, constant uphills kept coming. But we were very energetic.
When we were riding at time of around 7:30AM, we felt it is breakfast time somehow breaking our initial promise of having breakfast at 8:30AM. When Kanakapura was around 10km, we stopped at a shop and enquired whether they had idlis. Alas since because the shop owner said they did not serve sambhar, shop wala lost the heavy business that day. We kept pedaling promising our group that we will have breakfast at Kanakapura. In between either pappu, myself or Kavin was setting the pace and leading the pack. Amol was yet to be back at his best waiting to pounce all other riders!
We assembled at Kanakapura and found out an idli shop with the help of a college staff who was enquiring us the reason of the ride and other common questions. He told he was Volunteer for the running race organised there. But to all our disappointment we did not get Sambhar here too! So decided to pounce on Idlis with Rocket Chutney(Red chilli Chutney) and yes we had around 35 idlis and then started our ride further thinking that we had to pick up some more pace.
We have covered almost 50+kms when we have started from K'Pura. Malawalli was next major destination which was another 50km away. Oh boy we started to ride bit faster because we have already crossed 9'0 clock barrier. With few stops in between to munch Nutri bars, Oranges and filling up water. Ride seemed to be pretty smooth sailing until this time. Around 90km mark, we have started to feel the heat, breaks are coming frequently due to major uphill section. But still Kavin, Pappu and Amol maintained good pace and i have lagged behind but not by major time line. But by this time Amol has started to unleash brutal cycling by riding with good pace and with few breaks.
Finally my first century ride and fellow riders' 4th came when we Malawalli. Pretty crowded town and there we decided to check air for Amol's cycle. Amol's front break lever has failed and tried to fix it up as well. But it was not possible due to lack of resources in that cycle shop. We started to re access our situation of coming back. But every other rider had the aim of reaching Mysore first and thinking about anything else later. One grand old man came and asked us where are we coming from? And we replied the usual way, "Bangalore". And asked where are you going,'We said Mysore", and he started empathetically that you have come all the way and only few kms you will reach Mysore. Thanking him we started ahead. Sometimes that sort of encouragement is divine! In the mean time we had a rider called Aditya who has joined us, so now we are group of 5 again since Jerin dropped to join late set of riders.
Before we had reached Malawalli, Pappu caught hold of one more rider and both were setting pace. Suddenly this guy had turned back and he waved at us and he was riding back. I enquired pappu and learnt that he was returning back because his aim is to complete 100km and go to office!!!
From the point we left Malawalli, we have to take a right turn and Sign board said we have to ride another 48km to reach Mysore. Believe i was feeling great at that point. Little did i know about the killer slopes that lie ahead like a Villain of the movie hiding in the store room when Heroine enters store room:-) Rest of the ride filled up with many more breaks because of the sheer up slope oriented ride. At around 12:30PM we took a major break and again at 1:30PM again a major break munching down things and hydrating well.
By this time, thigh muscles have stiffened and started to ache slightly. Believe me the last 48km took so much of our time. Now that Pappu, Amol, Kavin started to ride ahead and i stayed with Aditya rather he stayed with me. Stopped over Kaveri bridge to take few snaps. Then i really dont know what was in store for us. Turn after turn, Km after Km killer terrains were killing us mercilessly. I should say from the last 20km to 10km it became very usual that i was not even able to see any flat terrains. Also i did not hear from other riders in the group as well. From 20th km to 10th km i thought to even quit and take an auto to Mysore! But thanks to Aditya from JDA, we walked some how and then we came at 10km mark. By now i am alone and thought of quitting became severe like the upslopes.
But one thing i was so adamant is not to give up and walked for a km or so and then regained some energy and went on to tame the bull, yes i have crossed the last 10km and called pappu to know their where abouts. In the mean time he had called me several times and later found that they have finished the ride half an hour before and went to the restauraunt for late lunch. Then i enquired an autowala about the hotel. He did not know but then few of the localites came along and helped me acknowledging that i have done something great. Greatest feel good factor!
One more auto guy named Rihan wished me luck for my future rides and finally came to Ambari hotel and started pouncing on beer and good lunch. By now the plan of getting back to Mysore died down and we started to enquire about Volvo reservations. Cheers for this ride and many more rides and runs to come. Theme for our Cheers tradition that day:-)
Finished food and booked Volvo and back to bangalore and i took an auto to pick up car while other friends rode again close to 12km. Ride finished without any injuries(Touch wood). Pretty much exciting ride and looking forward to complete one 200km before attempting a 300km ride... Watch this space for more. Until then keep riding and keep running!!!
MJV/Jerin - On Schwinn Sporterra
Amol - Hero Thunderracer
Pappu - Trek
Kavin - Firefox
- MJV
