The tale of a successful 125Km Pure Off-road cycling bliss:
Post is long, please ready only if you have time:
Post is long, please ready only if you have time:
A week goes by with the usual blah blah routine of work-home-work la la la. Suddenly it is Friday night, time to sleep, for something special awaits me for the next two days. I wake up by 3am even before the alarm rings (trust me, when you do something you love, nothing can stop you from it, so does my body). With some grocery shopping for the camp dine beforehand and my Merida HK##31 perfectly ready, was set out to roll as per plan. Sundhari and me pedalled together from home to Tidel where Peter (I lack words to describe him). Anant, Arun and Prabhu (guys, he enjoyed the most, carrying a dslr all around without hesitation, with songs non-stop on his radio, was a great time going along with him) were already loading the things onto Peter's Fortuner and there we set out to roll.
On the way, the other 10 of them joined, 4 cars in total.
The car rolls on the road through the morning darkness and suddenly it turns bright around, the Hill ranges of Nagalapuram awaits us. A warm greeting at the breakfast point by the very humble shop keeper, whose Idlies and Pongal were just beyond Yummy.
And then onto the parking spot where we unloaded the things, got the cycles ready, which took just around 30 minutes and then started out trail cycling .
The first climb into the dam with our cycles in hand showed what the challenge is, which awaits us over till Sunday end. A couple of group clicks together and we set out to roll, seeing only Rocks, Hills, Farm lands, Pumpsets till we finished. A dip into the dam waters was very soothing and a much needed one. Ten minutes is the time at these dips and then you get a call from Peter, to start rolling again, so was the story till we finished.
Couple of places where there were pebbles, 20x that of what we see here, atleast for two kilometres stretch , where even pushing the bicycles were a bit tedious (mine was a hybrid, because of that probably, but still HK##31 managed the entire show) . The day goes like that, with another dip towards noon. First day went well, harder than the 2nd though, with very little flat tires.
The time came for evening, which saw us camp beneath a beautiful tree (can't forget the fact that we brought the cycles from the top of the dam to this place, with very little lights). Set up the fire, until Peter and the other Car owners came with their cars till here. It was then dinner time, yummy Soupy Maggi noodles. It was fun and then we crashed inside the sleeping bags, not giving a damn until Sunday morning. What a sleep man! Pleasant weather throughout the night, very few mosquitoes! Not to forget that we made markings on the road (by the one who leads in the front, was almost Anant, Ahamed and Peter all the time, which helped people behind to follow)
Day 1: 59Kms
On the way, the other 10 of them joined, 4 cars in total.
The car rolls on the road through the morning darkness and suddenly it turns bright around, the Hill ranges of Nagalapuram awaits us. A warm greeting at the breakfast point by the very humble shop keeper, whose Idlies and Pongal were just beyond Yummy.
And then onto the parking spot where we unloaded the things, got the cycles ready, which took just around 30 minutes and then started out trail cycling .
The first climb into the dam with our cycles in hand showed what the challenge is, which awaits us over till Sunday end. A couple of group clicks together and we set out to roll, seeing only Rocks, Hills, Farm lands, Pumpsets till we finished. A dip into the dam waters was very soothing and a much needed one. Ten minutes is the time at these dips and then you get a call from Peter, to start rolling again, so was the story till we finished.
Couple of places where there were pebbles, 20x that of what we see here, atleast for two kilometres stretch , where even pushing the bicycles were a bit tedious (mine was a hybrid, because of that probably, but still HK##31 managed the entire show) . The day goes like that, with another dip towards noon. First day went well, harder than the 2nd though, with very little flat tires.
The time came for evening, which saw us camp beneath a beautiful tree (can't forget the fact that we brought the cycles from the top of the dam to this place, with very little lights). Set up the fire, until Peter and the other Car owners came with their cars till here. It was then dinner time, yummy Soupy Maggi noodles. It was fun and then we crashed inside the sleeping bags, not giving a damn until Sunday morning. What a sleep man! Pleasant weather throughout the night, very few mosquitoes! Not to forget that we made markings on the road (by the one who leads in the front, was almost Anant, Ahamed and Peter all the time, which helped people behind to follow)
Day 1: 59Kms
Woke up very relaxed, set the stoves again, for a breakfast with a much yummy and tastier noodles. And then we set out. (This day had more of lighter trails/partial roads). Every villager we passed by(includes Small kids) were keen to know where we were from or were cheering for us. It was a great feel.
When we request for water, a few seconds later, they give you the water without a heed. Humanity does exist.
The route post 4pm was the best in Sunday, where we crossed a village and it was just trail/ farmlands/ sugarcane fields all over. Peter was just great with the GPS maps tool, which was very handy. And suddenly it starts to turn dark and we simply kept rolling. A particular stretch where there were straight trails with Sugarcane's on both sides, which was like a film rolling and ourselves standing with the cycle in-between. This point was very tedious, as the flies were creating a ruckus and at one point of time, a got hit on the face by a thorn branch, which did hurt my nose, not much luckily. And then we were onto the main road. Prabhu recalled of this last part where a kid chased him for over half a mile (as he went away from out route), to point to him that we took a other route and directed him the correct way. The kids are really precious, we feed them with electronics, rather than showing them the natural possibilities. Anant(I call him the Bicycle expert), was the flat tire topper, with 7 flats, but his puncture repairing speed saw him keep the pace on the front.
There was a point where, Sahadev's rear tire got punctures and we couldn't remove the rear wheel. Peter managed the puncture without removing and we were surrounded by villagers there, with a overwhelming response to help, with water.
Oh I forgot to mention a small point here, where I took Saravanar's car along to the next point, with Peter and the other cars too (Except Raja's, none knew where he went absconding, haha). It was a good drive, around 6 kms, a petrol Swift (I'm a petrol head too, hoo hoo)
Around 8pm and we packed the bicycles onto the respective cars and then set out rolling to reach our cubicles again . The much needed dinner stop in a Dhaba saw us relish good Rotis and gravies, which were too good, considering the fact that we were in deep hunger and sleep mood. Peter dropped us back at Tidel park around 11pm and we assembled our cycles once again, only to find that mine, Sundhari's and Anant's went flat. Mine was the least, which still had air,managed to pedal it with full load on the rear and a finger load in the front, dropped the bicycle at home, took Sundhari's car and came to Tidel, set her bicycle inside and then it was time to go home for a good nap, only to wake up by 6.30 again for work
Day 2: ~66 Kms
Goli Sodas : ~15 (both days together)
Masala Soda : 5
Water : ~ 20 Liters
Maggi: 6 cups
Punctures(all 16 of our's put together) : ~25
When we request for water, a few seconds later, they give you the water without a heed. Humanity does exist.
The route post 4pm was the best in Sunday, where we crossed a village and it was just trail/ farmlands/ sugarcane fields all over. Peter was just great with the GPS maps tool, which was very handy. And suddenly it starts to turn dark and we simply kept rolling. A particular stretch where there were straight trails with Sugarcane's on both sides, which was like a film rolling and ourselves standing with the cycle in-between. This point was very tedious, as the flies were creating a ruckus and at one point of time, a got hit on the face by a thorn branch, which did hurt my nose, not much luckily. And then we were onto the main road. Prabhu recalled of this last part where a kid chased him for over half a mile (as he went away from out route), to point to him that we took a other route and directed him the correct way. The kids are really precious, we feed them with electronics, rather than showing them the natural possibilities. Anant(I call him the Bicycle expert), was the flat tire topper, with 7 flats, but his puncture repairing speed saw him keep the pace on the front.
There was a point where, Sahadev's rear tire got punctures and we couldn't remove the rear wheel. Peter managed the puncture without removing and we were surrounded by villagers there, with a overwhelming response to help, with water.
Oh I forgot to mention a small point here, where I took Saravanar's car along to the next point, with Peter and the other cars too (Except Raja's, none knew where he went absconding, haha). It was a good drive, around 6 kms, a petrol Swift (I'm a petrol head too, hoo hoo)
Around 8pm and we packed the bicycles onto the respective cars and then set out rolling to reach our cubicles again . The much needed dinner stop in a Dhaba saw us relish good Rotis and gravies, which were too good, considering the fact that we were in deep hunger and sleep mood. Peter dropped us back at Tidel park around 11pm and we assembled our cycles once again, only to find that mine, Sundhari's and Anant's went flat. Mine was the least, which still had air,managed to pedal it with full load on the rear and a finger load in the front, dropped the bicycle at home, took Sundhari's car and came to Tidel, set her bicycle inside and then it was time to go home for a good nap, only to wake up by 6.30 again for work
Day 2: ~66 Kms
Goli Sodas : ~15 (both days together)
Masala Soda : 5
Water : ~ 20 Liters
Maggi: 6 cups
Punctures(all 16 of our's put together) : ~25
Lesson learnt:
- How to fix flat tires
- survival with few things
- much needed break from cubicle life
- full freedom
- setting up a fire
- sustaining on dehydration/ low energy level
- interacting with the village locals
- it is good to stay away from vehicles, pollution, technology
- nutritional tips from Sahadev
- time management
- necessity to carry required tools/ spare tubes/ puncture kits/ cycle pump
- not to forget - to be fit
- lights(both bicycle and torch), mandatory. Helmets would be safe but with the heat, it's your call!
- How to fix flat tires
- survival with few things
- much needed break from cubicle life
- full freedom
- setting up a fire
- sustaining on dehydration/ low energy level
- interacting with the village locals
- it is good to stay away from vehicles, pollution, technology
- nutritional tips from Sahadev
- time management
- necessity to carry required tools/ spare tubes/ puncture kits/ cycle pump
- not to forget - to be fit
- lights(both bicycle and torch), mandatory. Helmets would be safe but with the heat, it's your call!
Would like to credit each 16 of us in this group, for every one of them were unique, kind and helpful. Oh, I forgot to mention Thala Ashok here, who was the non stop entertainment, he should become a stand-up comedian or an RJ man. Thanks again, guys, felt like a family.
-P.S:
A small review on my Merida Crossway 15:
- Tire fell flat only once, which was easy to correct with a spare tube which I carried
- Assembly and reassembly easy
- light weight but not so light to carry
- it's like crossing oceans, to remove the V Brake connector and put it again.
- Moves medium on the trails, I found MTBs faster even on soft trails (maybe because of the gear ratios)
- suspensions come very much in handy and it probes the "crossway" tag
- worth the price tag and moves fast on roads too, having experienced averages of 24-25kmph regularly over a period of time since I bought it in June 2016.
A small review on my Merida Crossway 15:
- Tire fell flat only once, which was easy to correct with a spare tube which I carried
- Assembly and reassembly easy
- light weight but not so light to carry
- it's like crossing oceans, to remove the V Brake connector and put it again.
- Moves medium on the trails, I found MTBs faster even on soft trails (maybe because of the gear ratios)
- suspensions come very much in handy and it probes the "crossway" tag
- worth the price tag and moves fast on roads too, having experienced averages of 24-25kmph regularly over a period of time since I bought it in June 2016.
