Critical Mass-Bengaluru

Critical Mass - Photo courtesy Satish Vangal

A week before when Rohan kini posted a thread on BBC, instantaneously I decided I am going to be there for the ride. That moment I was not very sure how I will be riding? That thread was getting a good momentum and shown all the signs of going to be an exciting ride. Around this time Sanjay called me and told he is going to get a tandem bike. He will be the lead rider and I will be a co-rider as I don't have to do much except pedalling. As one hand is on cast it is not that necessary to hold the handle because all the control and managing the bike will be done by Sanjay.

At RIS junction - Photo courtesy Go Green Rao

         

Previous night Sanjay called and told he will be picking me up from my place at 6.30 am. We will reach Rao's house where tandem bike is parked. We will park our motor bike there and ride the tandem bike. As planned we reached Rao's house took the tandem bike out.  Sanjay with lot of excitement and I was more with fear, bit of negativity and Hari Krishna's image than God's image were coming in front of my eyes all the time and his words...... 

As we start pedalling after 50 mtrs we need to take a left turn. That first turn was like, driving the truck on an uphill, we were on the edge of the curve. One side it is on coming traffic and the other side is steep valley. What we were focusing is not on taking the turn, but making sure we don't end up in valley. That was our state while taking that turn. It is a long bike compared to regular bikes. No gears. Sanjay is weighing 78 kgs, me 59 kgs and bike is around 20 kgs, makes it 157 kgs. That makes it a huge amount of weight to manage. Add to that at this moment I was holding the bike in one hand as tightly as possible to the extent of kind of influencing the bike to lean that side. To neutral it Sanjay needed to waste a lot of energy.


                                                    

Way to Cubbon Park  13 kms on tandem- photo courtesy Samarth Kapse

We manage the turns without falling. Next one was a right turn.  Before reaching that turn needed to encounter a road hump. Got to be lot more show while going over the road hump. Because front crank would touch the hump. At the next turn we were taking such a slow turn after the turn the car guy who was trying to over take us yelled at is and went. We were taking the complete road to take turns.

Sheshagiri and Nitya on tandem bike - photo courtesy Promise Gangani

We reached RIS junction where other Go Green riders were reaching that place from different areas. It is around 2.5 kms from Rao's house, Couple of Bikers tested tandem. I met Dr. Ali and he shared his Blr - Puna bicycle ride experiences. There I also spoke to Janardhan sir who has returned after his SCMM in Mumbai. He has completed 42 kms in 7 hrs that was an awesome timing for a 81 years ever energetic young gentleman. Meeting them is so enriching experience. After a photo shoot we took off and head towards cubbon park. Samarth Kapse rode with us all the time and guarded us against some one taking some sudden turns and cuts.                    

With Janardhan sir on Nitya's bike - Photo courtesy Naresh Khandai

By this time both were getting the grip of it, I was not holding the handle bar and allowing Sanjay to handle better. Trying to synchronize with Sanjay's pedaling making the braking easier and saving on energy. Cross roads and signal were bit of a concern however we were learning the art very fast. By 8 am we reached Cubbon park, got a warm welcome, lot of familiar faces, tandem bike, casting got the attention of the eyes. By this time Sanjay was little exhausted he had worked in the night shift previous day, came to this ride without a sleep. We decided to skip the ride and wait for the guys to come back. I didn't want to push him knowing it was really tough to do that without sleep, breakfast and on a tandem.  Swapped the bike to his friend Sheshagiri and his daughter Nitya (8 years).  They have come from vv puram, Nitya had taken 3 breaks (water break) to reach Cubbon park, told her father.  Brightness in her eyes after riding the tandem in Cubbon park can lit enough light for a highways night ride.  Critical Mass ride took off at 8.10 am, after Satish Vangal spoke for few minutes. Satish Vangal was leading the CM rides then and back to taking the initiative now for the same. Who was in the USA and part of CM rides there also.   

Few female bikers - Photo courtesy Go Green rao

 This is what, Satish Vangal, has to say on FB, "A beautiful morning for leisurely 14 kms ride through what is still a very green city with around 75 riders for a revived Critical Mass Bangalore. Lots of smiling policemen, orderly riding in a single lane, and lots of experienced city riders, including a bunch from the Bangalore Bicycling Club and Go Green group. Let's double the numbers for the next month". As Go Green Rao and Go Green has whole heartedly supported these rides it can only double in the coming days.

He goes on to say, "Critical Mass! Happens in 300 cities world wide last friday or Sat/Sun of every month. Different groups/individuals all come together to take back streets and show that cycles can be part of traffic too. Slow ride 10 years old to 60+ !".  Today we had 8 years old to 80 years.  Would like to mention few riders with whom i interacted, Ravindra, Krishna Chand, Saurab, Promise, Yash, Ashwin pal, Srikanth Gururaj, Shanth Kumar andAbhinandan (please excuse if i have left out any names). I thank everyone who were part of this ride, Rohan Kini for starting it again, Satish Vangal to leading it and Go Green Rao for joining hands.

With Dr. Ali in the back ground  and 13 kms on this - Photo courtesy Rohan Kini

 By 9.15 am they all returned to the starting point (Press club - Cubbon Park). With a photo session of the entire group it was declared new era in Critical Mass rides. Signed off  in style by singing National Anthem. After speaking for few minutes with fellow bikers, shook hands and we all left.

After seeing excitement in Nitya's eyes, dip in Sanjay's energy and guilt in me for pushing Sanjay, we decided to swap Nitya's bike. Nitya riding tandem with Sanjay and I riding her bike to reach back home. Sanjay was very comfortable riding tandem now. Krishna Mohan, Sheshagiri, Nitya, Sudharshan, Samarth we all rode together after the breakfast we all dispersed in different direction. We felt tandem bike is not good for 2 adults.  I was riding her bike and that comes with a back rest, due to that I was finding it very comfortable to ride.
     

The Bikers - Photo courtesy Promise Gangani

As I reached house my daughter was bit of restless waiting for me. It was her 5th year birthday, I chose to be part of CM ride instead of wishing her, as a first thing in the morning, am sure she will appreciate this few years down the line!!!!

55 and Not out...!!!!

It is an attempt to share my feelings, highs, lows, kick, motivation, drive and frustration for a cause called voluntary blood donation.

It was just then I crossed 18 years of age, my mother was under going a surgery and needed 3 units of blood. Me and mother happened to be of same blood group, B+ve. Naturally I was the preferred choice. We happened to live in a town by name Sagar (it is a taluk head quarter and 350 kms away from Bengaluru and happened to be 30 kms before jog falls).

It didn't had a blood bank that point of time. Need to travel to Shimoga that is 75 kms from Sagar. We went to Shimoga and we are there just before the blood bank opened for the day. Completed the formality of donating blood (that took close to an hour plus).  After that they took another 1 hour to complete the testing and making some report ready. They gave the blood in a thick plastic cover filled with ice cubes.
                                                                                                                                                     





                            
   
Then travel back to Sagar by bus. Even though it was well connected, we could manage to get the last rows in the bus. As we started nearing Sagar ice started melting and it is our own blood so strange feeling. As I have donated blood for the first time, even though I was feeling light and great. I was feeling bit restless, close 160+ kms travelling in bus, first donation, carrying blood all these were adding to it. We reached safely and mother got operated, everything went well, that is how my journey started.
    

Certificate from recent blood donation

Some how I was consistent on donating once in 3 months. I kept a good track of it and quite motivated to perform on a regular basis. It went on for next few years, as my journey of life took me to different places, I donated blood in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Mysore, Tumkur, Hassan and Hubli.
Even though it is in scarce and saves the life of people, what keeps me wondering is attitude of the people. I yet to meet some one/some family who received the blood is showing some gratitude towards the donor. Few years before whenever I was going for blood donation, I never remembered me going alone.  I always made it a point get a friend of mine and influence him to donate. The way the people have been treating us started upsetting them. Even though I was not disturbed I found it extremely difficult to motivate others after such instances. Off late I dropped the idea of taking someone for the voluntary donation.  Some of important mentions of my good friends who donated blood with me for couple of times are, Ashok, Pradeep, Nagaraj, Ajay, Satya babu, Priya, Sandhya (i thank them for making the difference).

Where my voluntary donation happens.

The most common thing that happens is, my cell phone number is registered in most of the blood banks in bengaluru and in some on line directories. I keep getting calls for the requirement of blood. When I am eligible for donation, I say yes for donation, it will be in some hospital. They tell the patient name, I need to visit that hospital blood bank. Here what was disturbing us is,  we go there and record the patient name and donate blood. No one from the patient side, will neither be present nor say a word of 'thank you'. I do understand they are in hospital and need to take care of lot of things. At least what they can do is, some body from their side, can call us whenever they get time appreciate this noble cause, which must saved their son, daughter, wife, husband, father, mother, brother or sister.

How surprising it is for some one like me, till date don't have an instance to quote appreciating us with a simple 'thank you'.  Is this how most of the donors are treated, if yes, no wonder this may be one of the reason for the gap in annual requirement of blood per year is 12 million units and only 9 million units are been donated (figures are for the entire country). I personally feel unless this changes, quite tough to bridge the gap (no doubt, myth and fear about the donation is a major issue)point is what is happening to repetitive donors. To go into more details the above 7 people, did do their first donation with me. Collectively must have done 30 donations so far. In last 5 years donations from those 7 of my friends is very negligible, probably that has a message.

                                       

If you are reading and wondering why am stressing it so much, let me quote one of the recent donations what I did. I was in the heart of the city (close M G Road) I received a call from a patients relative telling he needs blood and patient is Narayana Hrudayalaya. I said yes am coming, I went all the way to Narayana Hrudayalaya and completed the donation and returned to my work, I need not mention the case is like the above one. It took almost 4 plus hours doesn't it deserve a better treatment.

Off late what I started doing is, have become more of blood bank dependant. Here it is much better, one can chose the time and day, people know you, recognise and treat you better.  My most trusted partner for this is Rastrothhana Blood Bank. It is quite to close to my place. When I went to them first time they were 2 bed blood bank (operating in basement, probably less than 800 sft) and today grown quite big (first floor, may be 8 bed, 4000 plus sft, blood separation units, etc). Also see one very long serving soul, a dedicated, energetic and ever smiling - Mrs. Radha

With all this am thankful to Super Power (now a days not using the word God and using alternative names, is more fancy, hehe) for the journey that is still on.  When I started this journey never thought could come this far, however few years back set a goal to myself some day I should cross 130 donations, as on today I stand at 55 donations and that took me 15 years!!!!


                                                            

Some important links:

http://samvada.org/2012/news/rashtrotthana-blood-bank-tops-in-blood-collection-transfusion-in-karnataka/
http://www.bloodconnect.org/content/myths-vs-facts

Zen on Mysore road...!!!!

16092012 beautiful paddy farm before Mandya 

I stay in Girinagar to reach RR nagar arch it takes less than 5 kms. Early morning at 4.30 am i can say i have almost reached the exit of the city. That makes it the single most reason for me to hit this road. Probably you can argue how does it matter anyways early morning any road will be traffic free.  Correct it doesn't matter what matters is what you do when you returning, it can be afternoon or evening, probably you are tired you want to reach home or you don't want your average to drop very badly. 

28092011 me, Sanjay - man who gave a new dimension to my biking and Anoop- quite friendly guy, they were doing their first ride to Mysore.

 As i keep riding especially on the return ride, SH 17 is all the more attractive, not simply because i love to eat but because i can digest anything and everything, it is because am hungry. Since morning i must have been eating everything, now i have reached a level am bit choosey and i got to have a choice (Mac Donald, Kamat, Thatte Idli, Maddur tiffanis, Corner house, CCD, Adigas and the list goes endless......) and this stretch addresses that.

10032012 me, Kishan- who rode to Mysore, Pradeep, Ram prashanth, Aravinda bhatt-whom i met on Mysore road and got introduced to group ride, Uday.

 All this started with an idea, some day i should be back  to lunch at house after completing my ride to Mysore and back. That is like i should able to do the ride in sub 10 hrs including breaks.  Around January of 2011 i started preparing for it. Mid March i attempted my first round trip to Mysore (it was on my Firefox road runner a Hybrid...). Never focused on timing all i wanted to do was to complete the ride successfully.  Just wanted to know how it feels and to understand what it takes to build it to my goal.  This ride was in the month of  March return ride was hell due to heat.  I was not tired due to lack of fitness i was exhausted due to heat.  It also happens to be my longest ride then. With a bit of struggle in the end, and dropping in the pace i completed my first ride in 17 hrs.  It was a successful one without any incidence.  I was quite familiar with the stretch as a practice ride i have done century rides on this stretch.
 

16062012 with Kishan - admire his mulit-focused lifestyle(he is a, cyclist, runner, motor biker, trekking and i don't know what more in store in the years to come....) on a century ride (me on single speed bike).

 I understood couple of things from this ride, March may not be the month try, because heat will unnecessarily take away the energy.  This is not the bike that will help me to achieve my goal, i need to have a better bike.  I also need to work on reducing my weight, i need to lose at least 5 to 6 kgs.  Then attempt it again that will tell me what is the gap.  I was in no hurry and was clear what is needed for, 'Endurance is not enthusiasm, it is patience'. 

 

23062012 doesn't it look like Lord Ganesha, after Ramanagar


 Entire 2011 i didn't attempt Mysore again. I started working on the area what makes me a strong rider and build pace. During the month of May i switched over to commuting by bike, not only to office and to every where (that is story itself will keep it for an another post). In October i bought a road bike (Merida Race 880) that added some advantage. Building more base miles, i started seeing difference in my kmph.  After buying a road bike i was very tempted to attempt Mysore again before the end of the year. I said nothing doing went on working on myself.

23062012 me on firefox (see stand, carrier....lol)hybrid and kishan on his trek

I set fitness goal for the year 2012 and Ride to Mysore and back got a place in that, Goal was to do it in Sub 13 hrs, a good 4 hrs off from previous attempt. Same time i bought another road bike (bTwin sport1)idea was to use the road bike for commuting.  I didn't want to use my hybrid for commuting because in need to accommodate time for running and got to have some energy left for doing cross fit activities.  One of the goal for the year was also doing 10,000 kms as i missed it previous year by 400 kms.

22072012 with Babu shekar, at janapadaloka it was his week in to cycling and he was on 130 kms ride, to channapatna and back.

Compared to 2011 i started doing more 100+ kms rides, many 150 kms and 200 kms rides were done. Some where in June i did PB for 200 kms ride ie in sub 8 hrs including break. During this time i was quite clear Sub 13 hrs is a done deal.

29072012 at Kanva jalashaya...1 to 2% gradient

18th August 2012 i decided to attempt it. Previous night when i went to sleep my gut feeling was tomorrow is the day and i can even shoot for better timing and also mentally mapped what points, what time i will reach and where i will stop for breakfast and lunch .  Took my bTwin road bike and started off, this was different from my earlier rides.  I was more looking into my watch than the road. Weather was very pleasant it was helping me compared to my March ride previous year. 

29072012 Kanva reservoir just before reaching channapatana on the way to Mysore need to take right turn, it is 8 kms from the turn continuous 1 to 2% gradient.

On the way back between Ramnagar to Bidadi  it rained, it was little more than drizzle, i was quite happy with it, because i considered it as a sign of heavenly blessing.  From Kengeri i sprinting to make it to Sub 12 hrs and finally i did it.

 

11082012 me and Uday- climber whom i admire, in janapadaloka


There are couple of things i have improved and did differently compared to my previous attempt.  When i attempted my first ride to Mysore i did few century rides in that stretch.  What i changed before attempting my 2nd ride was, i did lot of double century rides in this stretch. That made a difference to my timing.  Heat was less another reason for improvement. No doubt road bike contributed that goes without saying. 

11082012 at janapada loka

Sub 12 hrs data that attempted on 18-08-2012

Started at 5 am
Completed at 4.59 pm
Reached mysore at 10.55 am (half way mark)

Ride time is 10.29 hrs
Break time. 90 mnts
(Time for breakfast, lunch, coffee tea stops, photo session)

Total distance 270 kms
Average pace is 25.8 kms
Bike used bTwin sport1
Current body weight 57 kgs (before the ride.....hehehehe).

15082012 me and Harishankar - my running partner

Last such attempt was 19-03-2011
Then time taken was 17 hrs
Then bike used Firefox road runner
Then the body weight was 63 kgs

Now as Sub 12 hrs is achieved, the next goal is a real tough one to crack.  It needs a different level of strategy.  The one more thing what i am already started doing is doing more of round trip to Mysore, post this ride on August, i did twice again to Mysore.

15082012 at bidadi sand truck and honda civic collide this was just few seconds before we enter this place, me and Harishankar were doing this stretch.

First one is with  Amith Biligere, he and me started from their respective houses and reached Merida Junction 4.55 am.  It was his idea why not we do Mysore on this route (decided on Monday night 10pm...), as I have not done Mysore this way immediately said yes as yesterday was holiday. Quickly reached very close to Harohalli and stopped for a photo and then took off. After the stop at kanakapura for breakfast (I won't be boring folks here writing where all we ate, what we ate, everyone knows one can't do this distance without eating....lol) we reached Malavalli.




12082012 before Bidadi Shri Hanuman

After Malavalli, heat, lack of sleep, climbs started sapping the energy (9.50 am...) some where very close to Bannur decided to take rest. Slept, I was concerned about the bike Amith is cool fell off to sleep not worried about the bike at all.  I didn't want to run back bangalore. After 45 mnts rest here started again, distance was not going as we did in the first 100 kms. Reached exit of Mysore Colambia Asia Hospital at 2.30pm. Took a photo and started off again.

18082012 met Ram and Jnana shekar (not in the pic) they were driving to Madikeri and i was attempting sub 12 hrs, pic in Mandya.

Now it was a different story, the first stop was at Mandya. A good few minutes break when about to start, I saw Amith's saddle bag and asked him, are you carrying puncture kit in it (this question after completing close to 200 kms....lol). To my shock he says NO, feel like shooting him then and their itself, neither I was carrying gun nor puncture kit....hehehe.  Next biggest surprise was, what is in it, he said, "T-shirt" man I was in COMA almost.

We took off, after the exit of Mandya it was Cauvery issue going on and the roads were closed. Very long traffic jam/stopped, more than enough place to ride the bike. I reached the front, just got down from the bike, saw the mob. Just stood there for few seconds, spoke to them, they offered me to sit with them, sat and they gave a TEA. It was so tasty felt super satisfied with it. Then left. Same was the case blockage of traffic in next 3 places. Didn't waste much time, reached Janapadaloka, within minutes Amith also reached.

18082012 at  RR Arch- bengaluru entrance

 At 7pm we were leaving that place, few localities were having coffee looked at us, (it is complete DARK....)and asked where are you going, said Bangalore, should see the expressions on their face....wish my phone was not dried, would have clicked the photo to demonstrate it.  Then we realized, we don't have, BLINKERS, REFLECTOR JACKETS, HEAD LIGHTS (both of us....lol....morning 90 mnts and evening 2.30 hrs rode in complete darkness....). Didn't justify anything, smiled and took off.

01092012 me and Pradeep - very committed to cycling and turning into a fitness freak.

Now it was clear, both will be riding as close as possible in a single line. He in the front me back and extreme side of the road.  Very close to Bidadi, all this while Amith was riding at a steady pace suddenly accelerated, little bit of gap created. I saw Amith stopped, looking for his Mobile and other stuff it has fallen, he ended up going over the pot hole (that is the only one in this stretch....). His t-shirt, keys, mobiles all over the place. After few minutes we traced it. At bidadi I was riding behind him, they way he was riding I felt he is practicing, "cadence drill" I took the lead and directed after wards.  Took off again and reached house at 9.35 pm.

16092012 met my non-cycling best friends Naveen, vijay, ashok, pradeep and avinash after Ramnagar and i was doing my 200kms ride, Mandya and back.

I thank Amith Biligere for the ride and the enthusiasm shown. It was so much fun doing this route. For a change when I rode for the first time on Malavalli route to Mysore, where it is written here all time, it is very less traffic. Today it was so much traffic, due to Cauvery issue, traffic has been diverted on this road. Hope it is not the case I attract traffic....lol

16092012 a green paddy farm close to Mandya

Ride time 13.15 hrs
Onward riding time 7.15 hrs
From Mysore riding time 6 hrs
Total time taken 17 hrs
Start at 4.35 am
End at 9.35 pm
Dist. 292 kms
Route: Kanakapura-Malavalli-Mysore-

Mandya-Maddur-Ramnagar-Bangalore

 19092012 one of those very occasion on Mysore road,
happened few minutes before we entered this spot

With so many rides there are only 2 instances of an accident i could see (just after it had happened), i thank God for that. It is also an indication of how safe this stretch is. For the thousands of kms what i did only once a private bus guy pushed me out of the road, otherwise i never went off the road by force only by choice. I have cycled at 4 am and at 11.30 pm also. I consider Truck fellows are the best, countless instances they don't even honk worst is private buses even though except for that one instance.

22092012 with Shreyas - surprising to see his energy level (he worked night shift and doing this ride without sleep), they did Mysore and bk. i completed 10,000 kms for the year this day.

The last ride to Mysore and back was with Ram, who was riding road bike for the first time and i took my Merida for the first time too for the round trip. We did pretty good on the way back met Opendro and Ganapathy and rode with them for the rest of the ride. It was superb fun riding with them and trying to match the pace set by them. 

02102012 with Amit Biligere a good rider, we did Blr-Kanakapura-Mysore-Mandya and back to blr and it was his first round trip on the same day.

At Channapatna when we stopped at MCD for a food break, Opendro had his first flat and me also. This was my first flat on Mysore road for all the centuries, double centuries and close to triple centuries what i did on this road. Few thousands of kms what did on this road till date. With the help of Opendro and Gana we completed it super fast and started the ride again. 

27102012 me and Ram prashanth- superb rider, surprised to see the way he rides considering he was on road bike for the first time and first time round trip to Mysore in a day.

By this time it was dark Gana had a good head light he was riding last and rest of us were ahead of him taking the help of his head light. When we are almost exiting Ramnagar i again had another flat, we fixed it in less than 10 minutes (thanks to Opendro and Gana for their skill in fixing it fast...i may not able to do this fast, need to work on it).

27102012 boy who clicked the above photo got round of my bike as an appreciation for his help.

Just before Bidadi we stopped again for food and some awesome sharing of their Brevet experiences, it was such a learning for me the time spent there having food.  Then we took off and reached house by around 10 pm.

27102012 return ride with Super Randonneurs Gana and 1000k Brevet fame Opendro

    03122012 ride to Bidadi and back with Dr. Ramesh - a humble and down to earth, Diwakar- very enthusiastic guy, Gnani- fitness freak, a runner and cycled first time, strong rider. 

That completes my year 2012 as i have broken my hand right now, the first two months of the year 2013 will not able to ride, got to see how do i progress on a journey called Mysore and back in sub 10 hours!!!!

18082012 at Mysore

 ZEN-This actually derived from a Sanskrit word that means meditation.That emphasizes enlightenment for the student by the most direct possible means.
Also means to put your mind to something - contemplate. Some say it means "mind" even though it really implies what you do with what we call the "mind".

NANDI CRIED....!!!!

At 6.45 am when I reached the base of Nandi, he laughed and said, I am a BULL, you climbing me, forget it...!!!

I was determined and started off. First km was cool body was just getting adjusted to the rhythm I was there crossing 1 km mark under 7 minutes. It is four of us together me, brother- ashok kadsur and cousins- Vinay b rao and Manu kadsur, (we started from house at 5.30am in car and reached the base by 6.30 am) I could see the gap building up and me taking the lead.

Within no time I could see me crossing km after km and I started enjoying the distance, weather, view was awesome. At this point of time I was feeling I can match my first climb timing.

By this time I have already reached the last 2 kms mark. It is a wonderful weather, drizzle, road is completely wet (that is what I like the most, it makes a huge difference and I just love it).

Now I know next is a tough part and I need to survive, I still could see a sarcastic smile on Nandi's face and telling me you and next 2 kms (when he said that, for a second 24 hrs fasting, 110 kms ride after that, all in less 48 hrs all came as a thought in a flash of a second, I said shut up to myself and moved on).

I could see speed has dropped, till now didn't stop, no water also, body is completely hot and mist falling was more of a bless.  I was doing really well for the target time what have I set for myself mentally.  Now I was doing just under 8 minutes  a km. Just around the corner I saw last km mark and I was so sure I have enough energy left in me to last 3330 feet (I feel distance in inches would be more appropriate...!!!).

Seconds passed as minutes passed meters became foots. What a feeling I was at the bend and just after that I could see the Arch.

I did that in 46.05 minutes, I stopped and waited for my brothers to join me, once they reached we returned to the base. I didn't like going down, it was not much fun took 35.03 minutes. We met Vivek Kubaji, Mohammed Rafi, Rajesh Naik and plus 2 of them from this group(referring to BBC...) just reaching the base and stopping for the breakfast.

I did my first climbing on Nandi by RUNNING barefoot. wanted to do this for a long time today was the day.  Tarmac road I felt it was bit tough on my feet this time, through out the stretch small pebbles and many places glass pieces were there. I lost the count of how many people stopping their vehicle and clicking the photos as I was running. When I was returning a guy on Honda Activa made a comment to impress the girl sitting behind him, "Pagal ho gaya" I said I also think the same, he said WHAT, "that is what I also think when I see someone on a motor bike climbing Nandi" (as if like he is testing his custom made motor bike, that is what I said to myself....)by this time we both were quite far.

As I completed the climb and as I was reaching the top I remembered, Nandi's sarcastic smile and the words "I am a BULL and you climbing me".....I silently said, "I am Taurine" and I smiled.....NANDI CRIED....!!!!

at the end of the run....run was on 28082011

Road less traveled......!!!!

a symbolic pic for the title.

As usual got up at 4.40 am got ready and went for running at half way point in jayanagar met few of my friends (Dr. Ramesh and Diwakar - who recently completed TfN'12). A cup of coffee at Mayya's and returned home by 9.30 ended up doing 14 kms barefoot run.

As I was completing this run and entering the house got an sms from Kishan, a good friend of mine who is my cycling and running partner.  Of late bought a Harley Davidson and we were meeting more for coffee and chat than for cycling and running.  As usual it was a meeting at the 'Bhraman's Cafe' for a cup of coffee and the yummy idli vada. As we reached there it was last Saturday of the month and cafe was closed.

The journey started now, where do we go now, both of us behaved as if our brain won't start working without coffee, we decided to head towards 'South Thindies'. By the time we reached there it is around 4 kms, I started wondering what is this guy is up to, while having coffee asked him? This is how you ride?  His reply was equally surprising to me, it is even more aggressive (lot of guys would define it as rash driving, I beg to differ, as long as you know what you are doing and you are in control of the situation it is not rash.....)"if there is adrenaline rush"!!!

We decided to head towards Mysore road as it was our favourite stretch on bike (bike means bicycle for the outer world....lol) also and reach at in Kengeri. Even though we took the shortest possible and less traffic roads, it was not like that and no less than the regular roads. Within no time we reached Mysore road.

I don't remember in recent days I did travel on this road except on my bike. It was road bike all the time. What makes it so different is what end of the road you ride. On bike all the fast moving vehicles keep going on your right as a pillion rider those vehicles were on my left side. Initially it was bit tough to get adjusted to it, as it was my first ride on a motor bike in last 20 months (as I commute by bicycle or on car in the week end to go out with family). It was not that difficult,  before I completely switching over to bikes, was regularly riding motor bikes.  I started enjoying it and the gut feeling about kishan's riding skills.

before the start from janapada loka

janapadaloka- HD and The Sun....

Within no time we reached Janapada loka and stopped for juice. Clicked couple of photos and left towards kanakapura through a country road. It is a small single lane with two way traffic and traffic was very minimal. Some in-expected vehicles, road humps and pot holes here and there was the area of concern. As we were riding every time a vehicle which comes facing us, they were showing some indication towards us, indicating our head light is on. One chap with so much difficulty came honking and chasing told us head light is on, we both were laughing at it.

Some where around 18 kms to kanakapura we stopped at nice place for photo session. Also met few school 

kids they guided us to small temple on hill top. It was really good location with a nice view. Spent some time there and one of the kid helped us in clicking the photo of us together. 

kids looking at HD

Before we leaving from there, we spoke casually to the kids (they were studying in 8th standard...they haven't heard of Apple (kishan's was carrying i phone) and don't know what is internet....it is 60 kms from blr) and thanking them for the click. They told us they are poor, their parents do some labour work on a daily wages. He asked

kishan meditating and practicing yoga!!!

yoga,meditation, ride now it is rest time.....

us will you give me something (asking for money...), we refused. Kishan gave bit of a peace mind and kind words as advice, I just smiled. As we returned from that place, I was just thinking, what education has done to us, we don't have the knowledge and values more keen on easy money.  That remembers me a quote by Abraham Lincoln  in his letter to teacher, "teach my son one cent earned hard way is more important than a dollar you get free on the road".

We hit he road again, kishan took off very well, couldn't find a single mistake in his riding. He was predictable to co-users of the road and fast in his calculations that gave him nice maneuvering skills and peace of mind to me, no wonder shortly he will be an 'Iron Butt', this completes a 150 kms ride, 'The road less traveled' on a motor bike for change.

 with this photo was he symbolically telling me, transition from biking to motor biking and still nothing changed!!!!