Sorry for posting this ride report late ( I was sick ). Thanks to Tandem Trails ( Sunil )for organizing this event.
Link to the photos. http://picasaweb.google.co.in/harishaksbhat/SavandurgaGMCPracticeRide11thJuly2010
Ride Day: Sunday 11th July 2010 ,
Location : Savanadurga
After riding cycle to work every day, planned to go for a little fun ride on weekend. I missed Bettadasanpura ride organized by Mr.Prabhakar Rao (GGI) as I had to work on Saturday L, so planned to join GMC practice ride to Savandurga.
It was raining cats and dogs from morning 2.30 AM till 6.15 AM on Sunday. As usually couldn’t sleep day before because of the excitement within thinking about the ride, but still managed to get 2 hours of sleep and woke up at 3.15 AM. Got ready and looked outside the windows and was little sad to see raining… messaged Shilpa as we had decided earlier to leave at 4.10AM from Konankuntta cross to reach Bangalore University which was our starting point.
Immediately I got a reply saying it is raining and Shilpa’s dad wouldn’t let her ride in this rain as she had returned home yesterday completely drenched in rain. I had packed up some of the stuff that I required during the ride as to be altered a little because I hadn’t through it would rain. I took my cycling rain jacket which I had purchased yesterday from Wheel Sports (but I never through that I would use it the next morning) along.
It was 4.10 AM and I was about to leave my house towards Bangalore University thinking this time I will be riding alone and I got another SMS from Shilpa that the rain has reduced a little and she would join me near Konankuntta cross ( not sure how she managed to convince her dad?) . I replied to her saying I would wait for her and was at Konankuntta Cross by 4.15 AM. Waiting for few minutes I saw a dim light at a distance coming towards Kanakapura main road ( I knew it was her - She was full of energy). She told me that another cyclist (Guruprasad) would join us and he is from BTM layout. We called him and confirmed that we are going to meet at Banashankari Bus Stop, confirming that we paddled our way to Banashankari bus stop in rain.
From Banashankari we (Shilpa, Guru & me ) took outer ring road and reached Bangalore University entrance by 5.15AM where Mr. Venu and few other where waiting for us, I had called Venu earlier requesting him to wait for us at the entrance, near police check post. Together we went to Bangalore University Library and joined with other cyclists. Had a coffee, bun and gulkan which was an early morning refreshment. We introduced among our self and started the ride at 6.30AM (by then the rain had stopped) . Mr. Sunil paddled his way towards the entrance of the university as he was not getting the cell phone reception for communicating with guys who would try and reach the starting point.
We headed towards NICE road, crossing outer ring road with the guidance by Badri. Route which was shown by Badri was wonderful, filled with greenery and less traffic. ( Big Thanks to him and his support while riding). I met Shreyas who was ahead of us all the time with his Fuji road bike. He was too good to ride with and also got very good tips from him.
At 7.20AM we were at the Big Banyan tree, while we were waiting for other to join we ( around 5 guys- Badri, Jayanand, Ramakrishna, Shreyas, Vijeth & me) decided to eat a bit. We had Idly which was available without cockroach flavor. By the time we finished our idlys we saw rest of the group coming in. While, they stood for taking a break we paddled our way to our next point - Manchanabele Reservoir .
Riding towards Manchanabele Reservoir we came across ISRO Space Center at Byalalu which was attacked by two gun men in the month of March 2010. (The ISRO Centre at Byalalu, about 40 kms from Bangalore, contains 2 India's biggest antenna to the skies and houses the Indian Deep Space Network.) There was couple of downhill en route to Manchanabele Reservoir and when we reached the Reservoir it was a breathtaking scenery, took couple of snaps and went towards Manchanabele Village.
Shreyas & Vijeth both rode ahead and accidently took the road towards Mysore instead of taking left towards Savandurga. Vijeth quickly pulled back as one of us called him but was not able to get Shreyas. Shreyas later joined u. I came to know that , he went 7 KMS ahead and he asked someone for directions since he did not find any of us following him. By the time Shreyas joined us we had done couple of Killer climbs enroute to Savandurga and almost reached SH3 main road.
Took a right at SH3 and rode for couple of distance till we found the direction to Savandurga. About 7.5 kms from main road to Savandurga, road is not that good especially for road bikes.
Shreyas bike’s front wheel got punchiered first and it was quickly repaired but took time to put some air into the front tire which required a 100 PSI force (pretty tiresome workout). After couple of kms Badri’s fezzari road bike got punchiered and this time it was back wheel. Last few meters to Savandurga was made by pushing the cycles instead of paddling them to give company to Badri (Puncher Specialist) .
While Badri fixed his tube we drank couple of tender coconut and relaxed ourself. Ones he fixed his bike we started off again from Savandurga we met second group of our cyclists who were riding towards Savandurga. I came across one of my best moment in my life when Shilpa gave me the LIVESTRONG band (yellow color) which I was dreaming off to get one ( It was a real Shock for me) . With that joy I reached SH3 main road and my MTB bike’s rear tube got punchiered. I replaced the tube with the help of Rama, Vijeth & Jayanand. Badri and Shreyas soon joined us seeing us fixing the tube. They had tea while I was packing the tools which I had opened for fixing the puncher then we left.
While we were riding back again Shreyas, Vijeth, Jayanand and Ramakrishna took a road heading towards Mysore (continued riding onSH3) instead of taking a left towards Manchanabele village.
Badri called up Shreyas, this time he picked his phone and Badri asked him and other to ride back and take a right which they had missed. While Badri and me were riding towards Manchanabele Shreyas and others joined us and Shreyas took off from there ( Riding ahead). We slowly paddled our ways towards Big Banyan tree crossing the killer uphill near Manchanabele Reservoir. After the uphill we stopped for couple of minutes to take a break, had some dry fruits which I carried and some bananas from Rama and continued our journey towards Big Banyan tree.
Ones we reached Big Banyan tree we had mango with some spicy powder, lemon rice and wade along with it. ( I can never forget the juicy taste of those mangoes in my life, my mouth is watering even now as I am typing this) . We started the ride again we saw Mr. Shamsher and others following him. We rode towards Bangalore University and guess want Badri’s bike encountered another puncher and it was right next to the previous puncher on rear wheel. We spent couple of minutes fixing it and reached the outer ring road. Badri, Rama and me had a cold drink while we waited for Jayanand and Vijeth.
Rama and me took off towards Mysore road through Bangalore University see-offing Badri, Jayanand. Ones we reached the Rajarajeshwari nagar circle on Mysore road, we took right towards Rajarajeshwari nagar and went on to Uttarahalli Main road , took left towards Kanakapura main road with couple of uphill’s again. Rama took left towards Padmanabhanagar and I continued my journey towards Kanakapura main road and reached home at 4.30PM.
Later called up Venu and found that he went in Car till commando hospital from Bangalore university and rode to home for about 8 KMS from there. Shilpa joined her parents at Chandra Layout and came back to home around 5.30PM.
I took an hour rest and went to club to play badminton at 6.00PM and came back home at 9.30PM and slept like a log, exhausted ………..
Kudos to all of them who rode along and also to those who rode to Savanadurga!!!!!.I really would like to thank Sunil again for putting up the ride plan and following it up with great enthusiasm and the entire bunch I was riding with for support throughout.So congratulations to all of them made it or even attempted.So until next time..... ride strong.
Cheers,
Harisha K S (GGI-GoGreen Initiator)
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