MC's Cycling Diary

Date: 26 May 2018 Total distance: 202 Kilometers Start Time: 5:30 am Return Time: 4:00 pm With: - Altitude Profile: Kanteerava Stadium - Manchanabele - Magadi - Huliyurdurga - Kunigal - Hebbur - Nelamangala - Kanteerava Stadium A new route was announced for the 200 kilometer brevet. I was keen on riding the route since it had the added incentive of completing my second SR of the 2017-18 season. The route was passing through interior roads most of the time and will be spending very little time on the highway. Can't ask for more than to have a ride on countryside roads and having a good and peaceful ride on Saturday. Bangalore had been receiving a lot of pre-monsoon showers and the day before the ride was no different. It rained for most of the evening and the night. There were a lot of messages circulating that a storm was expected on the day of the ride. Queries regarding additional time in case of rains were struck down by the organise...

Date: 12 May 2018 Total distance: 160 Kilometers Start Time: 4:00 am Return Time: 1:00 pm With: - Altitude Profile: Koramangala - Kanakpura - Bilikal Betta - Maralawadi - Thally - Anekal - Koramangala I had seen a lot of youtube videos of bikers riding to Bilikal Betta. The things in favour of this place were that it was only 70 kilometers from Bangalore and that there was a trail of 4 kilometers. The problem with the place was that it was inside a forest reserve and I was not sure whether cycles would be allowed inside the place. I decided to take the chance and ride to the place and try my luck. Since, there was a risk of not being allowed to the destination, I decided to ride back via Thally rather than through Kanakpura Road as that would keep the enthusiasm going for the ride rather than delving on the disappointment of not being able to go to Bilikal Betta. 12 May is the Karnataka Assembly elections. I had to complete the voting and then rid...

Date: 5 May 2018 Total distance: 191 Kilometers Start Time: 4:30 am Return Time: 3:00 pm With: - Altitude Profile: Koramangala - Kolar - Aavani - Holali - Kolar - Koramangala Aavani is a small village in Kolar district, Karnataka. Though it is small there is a big story associated with it. It is a prominent place in the Ramayana as Valmiki's ashram was based here and this is the place where Sita gave birth to the twins Lav and Kush. Well, that was enough of a back story to get me interested in the place. I had seen the board stating Avani while riding on Old Madras Road, however, did not know the significance of the place and had skipped it on the previous occasions. The plan was simple. Try to leave by 4:00 am since it would give additional time to explore the place. I set the alarm for 3:00 am, overslept and was up by 3:30 am. Got ready and started from home at 4:30 am, 30 minutes after the planned time. As soon as I started I had an issue...