MC's Cycling Diary

Date: 1 November 2017 Total distance: 200 Kilometers Start Time: 5:30 am Return Time:  pm With: Rajkumar Khot Altitude Profile: Kanteerava Stadium – Chikkaballapur – Chintamani – Kolar – Kanteerava Stadium Its the start of the 2017-18 brevet season and I have been looking forward to this year as this is the pre-registration year for PBP. Am looking forward to warming up for the long distance rides by going for the SR series rides and hoping to do the SR series comfortably so that it will serve as a confidence booster for the 1,000 kilometer ride scheduled for 15 December, 2017. I have not been able to ride as often as I would have liked to, however this is an opportunity to get back on the saddle and to ride regularly. The rains have receded and the weather is beginning to turn cold. Have made a few additions on the apparel front and also this will be my first brevet on the Trek 1.5. November 1st came by pretty quickly, even though I had made plans to pre...

Date: 14 October 2017 Total distance: 185 Kilometers Start Time: 5:15 am Return Time:  17:00 pm With: Rajkumar Khot Altitude Profile: Koramangala - Basavanabetta - Koramangala Nandi Hills was done and it was time to crank up the difficulty level of the climb. The obvious choice was Basavana Betta as it would confirm if I could climb. I checked with Rajkumar if he would join and he confirmed. We decided to start at 4:30 am on Saturday morning if it did not rain. It did rain, however there was no damage and I could ride. The only issue was that I  was hit with a bout of sleep at the wrong time. I switched off the alarm and went back to bed to catch an additional 5 minutes of sleep. However I woke up only at 4:30 am when Rajkumar called. I told him that it would take me an hour at least and that we would meet at silk board junction at 5:30 am. I got ready and started from my house at 5:15 am. A few meters out of the house and I realised that I had not...

Date: 7 October 2017 Total distance: 156 Kilometers Start Time: 5:30 am Return Time:  14:15 pm With: - Altitude Profile: Koramangala - Nandi Hills - Koramangala The rains were again playing spoilsport. I was getting frustrated that I was unable to step out due to the rains and was spending my time sitting at home and watching the water level rise when it rains and hoped that it would not enter the house. I had a couple of close shaves when the water entered the compound but not into the sump and the house during the past week. My fitness levels have definitely taken a hit and I was pretty desperate to get back on the saddle. Further I had not climbed a hill in a long time. I had ridden to Nandi Hills in May and it has been almost 5 months since I did any climbing. Further I had not tested my climbing skills on the Trek. After noting the weather pattern and knowing well that I could not venture out for a multi day tour and I had to make do with day rides, I de...

Date: 24 September 2017 Total distance: 138 Kilometers Start Time: 4:00 am Return Time:  15:45 pm With: - Altitude Profile: Koramangala - Kanakpura - Koramangala The incessant rains and work had forced me to cancel rides. I had been off the saddle for 40 days and was getting frustrated that I was unable to ride. I had spent time cleaning the house which was repeatedly flooded due to the rains and when it did not rain I was spending crazy hours in the office. I did manage to be free the previous Sunday, however I was too tired to ride. It was a similar state this Sunday as well, however, I was determined to get back on the bike and restart riding. Spent some time on thinking up a location and as usual with high expectations I first explored the locations which were in excess of 400 kilometers before bringing the expectation down. I have not done a hill climb from the time I have purchased the Trek and Nandi Hills and Basavana Betta were very tempting locatio...