This one is a back dated post, I wanted to write down my experience doing my long distance cycling in a single day!

Summary:

Distance:102.46 mi (163 KM)

Total Time taken: 7 Hours, 21 Min

Avg Speed:13.9 mph

Calories burnt: 5,127 C

I started this journey early in the morning to avoid too much traffic and sunlight. Packed 5 Liters of water, some food for the journey and some energy bars.

Headed out towards the bangalore mysore road. Coincidentally when I hit the Bangalore mysore road I saw a few more fellow cyclist as well. All these guys were on a Road bike doing the Bangalore Brevet cycling event. Below photo is taken by them:

What I realized that day was how inefficient these mountain bike tires are when it comes to long distance cycling. My journey till Mandya was fairly easy as most parts of the road was a down hill. It was quite challenging when I was coming back. Took a lot of breaks and finally made it.

The weirdest feeling was after I reached home and having burnt around 5000 calories… my body felt the need to eat a lot. Not matter how much I ate it wouldn’t satisfy me. My stomach would feel full, but my body needed more! It is a very different feeling!

Overall, it felt great to have done this distance! I’m looking forward to do something like this this year as well!

Dates: 25, 26, 27, 28th of February 2011

Total distance: 239KM

This has been one of my best adventure so far! On the road for 4 days… camping wherever you can!

Here is the path and the gradient information. Yes! we did a LOT of climbing with good downhills!

Day 1: Golden temple of Coorg and Backwaters of harangi dam

Before starting our journey we visited the golden temple of Coorg.

After this we reached Shree’s uncle’s place and started our biking journey. I was quite excited as it was the first time I was set out to do something like this. Now no turning back, 4 days on the road.

Our first day was completely on the back waters of Harangi dam. It was such breathtaking experience!

We cycled through some rough terrains. It was not about covering distance, but enjoying the view around us. No man-made things around us, just nature for as long as we went.

Here is a small video of the place:

Finally end of the first day, we camped few KM before the Harangi dam. That night Deepak cooked a special dish made out of broken wheat called Dalia.

Day 2: Harangi dam to Bisle Ghat

Next morning we woke up and had filter coffee, uppittu and kesaribath – courtesy Shree! It was so amazing to have filter coffee and kesaribath in a forest! When I initially thought about this trip, I had only noodles and some ready to eat food in my mind.

We ate and got ready and then I realized I had a flat tire. There was a bamboo thorn in my tire! I had recently replaced my tires with Continental touring plus which was supposed to be puncture resistant. I guess that explains how bad our first day terrain was!

Second day journey was mostly on the roads. We wanted to reach Bisle ghats, but we camped very close to it as it was getting dark. We camped in one of the village paddy fields. Our main criteria was to have a flowing water source nearby! Just the way all civilizations developed on the banks of different rivers, we always looked for a water source!

That night we made soup and had vegetable pulav!

At around 4AM Shree woke up with lots of ant bites! Yes… we realized our tent was under attack of the ants! We had to sacrifice a date fruit outside the tent and used lots and lots of AXE deodorant to get rid of the ants!

Day 3: Bisle ghat to Todikana

We covered some rough patch of road for the first half of the day and then traveled through different forest area.

End of the journey we found the best water source in 3 days. It was right under a bridge and a flowing river!

Needless to say we all jumped into water and had a lot of fun!

Day 4: Thodikana to Suntikoppa (back to Start)

We had a lot of distance to cover with some stretch of unknown road. We wanted to be back by 5PM so that we reach Bangalore by midnight.

After the first 5KM of normal cycling, we reached a paved jeep road with a lot of climb. We biked a little and had to push for atleast 2KM…

…after a lot of huffing and puffing, we saw a jeep come next to us. We asked the jeep guy how long does this road go like this? The jeep guy said for another 10KM! At this time I know we needed help. Shree quickly asked the jeep guy if he could get us through the climb. He finally did! Phew! This saved us a lot of time.

Once we were on top, we still had a lot of distance to cover! The last few KMS to Madikeri was again a bad climb. We took a nice lunch break at Madikeri and continued another 25KM to our destination!

It felt real good to have completed the whole trip!

Click here to view all the photos.

My wife and I took part in this event. Click here to read her experience.

The event was held at the NICE road starting at the Bangalore International exhibition.

It was fun to see Raghu Dixit perform at the show.

We had a lot of fun cheering…

Our cycling route: click here. I took 59min for 26.5KM. Hope to beat this next time.

Click here to see all pictures of the event.

What I love about this route is the bangalore-mysore road stretch. Lot of this road is incomplete which makes it a great route for mountain biking We took a small deviation at Uttarahalli towards subramanyapuram, this is a great route for cycling. There is no traffic, no pollution.

The best thing I like is the way google map shows exactly the way bangalore-mysore road is! It just ends at once!

Three cheers to Garmin GPS

Date: 28th June 2008

Team: Monika, Varun, Roopesh, Shefali and Vikram.

Duration: One day.

Staying in Michigan for over two years I had never visited one of the best part of Michigan – The “Mackinac Island” – Place where no motor vehicles are allowed!

We did a one day trip to this place. Started from Troy and drove all the way for next 4 Hours.

Monika had made very nice poori and bhaji which we ate somewhere mid way in a picnic spot.

After food we reached the place. We have to buy a ferry ticket to get to the Island.

The boat ride to the Island is very beautiful. It was a perfect day, the sun was out.

View of the light house and the nice lake, blue all around.

By now I was eagar to see the place. I was trying to imagine how the place could be. I was wondering if the place would have roads or would it be a place with just jungle trails!!

To my surprise it was like any other city of US. Fully developed but no cars/motor vehicles allowed. We had to use the old fashon horse carriage and my favorite – Bicycles!!! We rented bikes there. You can find all kinds of bikes. I had never tried a tandem bike in my life so I asked Monika if she would do tandem biking with me.

We biked around the Island which is 8 miles loop, next to the water. The water had different colours for some reason. I was surprised to see so many colours.

Parts of the water was so clear.

There are many clifs on the Island. One of the famous one is the Arch Rock of Mackinac Island. Its nice to see this HUGE arch with colourful water on the otherside.

Finally We came to end of the 8 miles. It is a beautiful place to spend the whole day. I’m really glad we went to this place before I left Michigan and came back to Bangalore

Click here to view all pictures of the trip.

Click here to view just Mackinac Pictures

The Adventure: We had to catch the 6:18AM train from the main station to Tuttlingen. I miss the train from Feuerbach (where I stay) to the main station. Try to cycle half way in the dark at 5:50AM, I have no idea which way to go. Finally cycled till another station and luckily get a train at 6:05AM. I reach the main station at 6:15AM… these guys were waiting for me. In the last min I buy the ticket… insert the money, Chidananda says you run… I’ll get the ticket. Unfortunately he picks up only the ticket for my bicycle and he forgets to collect the ticket for me. We still didnt realize this.

Poornima, Chidananda, Hemanth, and I get into the train. Mahesh and Shetty still outside the train finishing their last puff, try to get into the train now… but its too late… the doors of the train doesnt open.

Worst part Mahesh has the ticket for the 5 of them, and I have my ticket (still dont know that I dont have my ticket, I have only the cycle ticket).

We were hoping that no one checks till we get off the train in the next station.

First time lucky.. no one checks… we get out at the next station.

Spend time cycling around the place.

Clicking lots of snaps

Finally these guys arrive… and head on towards Tuttlingen.

Half way through the ticket inspector comes to check our tickets. These guys show their ticket… when its my turn I still dont realize that I dont have the complete ticket… give the TC the ticket for the cycle… he asks for the other ticket too… that’s when mahesh asks me where the other ticket was. I knew it was time to panic. I could hardly explain to the TC as he knew only German… mahesh could somehow manage to convince the TC that we guys were first timers and forgot to collect the ticket.

Unfortunately we had to buy the ticket again with a fine of 40Euros, which might be excused. I have to write a letter and explain the whole story to them and then they might let me go!

Anyways we make we take the whole thing as an experience… make a good video out of it and laugh a lot about it.

We reach Tuttlingen and the weather was a little cold, but was very nice. It was colourful everywhere.

Overall we had a great time!!!

Click here to see the Album.