The Ultimate test of endurance

The plan of cycling to Lonavala was made even before I left Bangalore. This was my first weekend in Pune & my cycle had just arrived by cargo.

When you don’t have your family around, it is painful to kill time on the weekends. Especially for people like me who don’t get the kicks by loitering around malls or watching sub-standard movies in theatres or a pint of beer for that matter. That left me with little choice but to take my only soul-mate in Pune out on a date – my BTwin Riverside hybrid.

I rode to the only Decathlon available in Pune at Wagholi, traversing the entire length Pune from west to east, just to make sure all the minor tweaking on the brakes are gears where in place; while on a long road trip, efficiency of your cycle matters a lot. And I was about to learn efficiency in a whole new dimension the next day.

While at Decathlon I enquired if there were any riding clubs around. There was a BTwin club, and then there was another. I immediately got into their forum & expressed my desire to ride to Lonavala the next day. Finally Ankit & Jyoti decided to tag along.

Jyoti was the first one I met as she rode by my house on her Firefox at five in the morning. It didn’t take me long to develop a respect for her, when she stated that she won the Enduro National event last year- that included 160 kms of cycling! I had never crossed 80 kms in a day. So today was going to be a record of sorts for me. Ankit joined at Chinchwad & then we set out on the Old Pune – Mumbai highway.

The ride was eventless & not at all tiring as we were getting to know each other as we cycled along through pleasant dawn. We reached Lonavala at 08.30 and then decided to straight away head towards Bushi dam. We had gone about 4 kms ahead, when my friends decided that its better they return as it will be difficult once the sun is up. So we rode back to Lonavala and had breakfast. It was then that I decided that, having come so far, why not do some sight-seeing. I expressed that I’d like to stay back & try to cover up a few more places. They warned me about the sun & left to Pune.

I opened Wikitravel & made a list of places to visit. A passer-by gave directions & then I headed back towards Bushi dam. There was hardly anything to see at Bushi dam or the Lonavala lake as it was summer. I proceeded further to explore the Tiger’s leap & Lion’s point. After sometime, with the sun going up, riding uphill became tougher. As I approached the hair-pin curves, I had to get off & push the cycle up the road. I did not want to give up for three reasons: 1) the sight from the top was supposed to be amazing. 2) I could see a whole crowd going uphill 3) I knew that the more I climb the more I get to zip down the hill. The 9 kms downhill ride at 60 kmph at Italy had been an exhilarating experience.

I saw the Harleys, Hondas, Ninjas and Yamahas with fifty plus horses on two wheels scurry up as I inched my way on foot. Surprisingly I never saw a cyclist anywhere around. After 3 kms (which felt like 30) of pushing the cycle up the hill I could ride again. I crossed the Lions Point. I don’t know the reasoning behind the name, but the view was good; so was the masala lime soda which I consumed so thirstily. I proceeded further towards Aamby Valley. Then somebody said there is hardly anything to see in there. So I decided to return. But it was noon & I was too tired. I was carrying 3 litres of water in my back pack & all of it was empty. I went off the road & found a shade of the tree to rest. Meanwhile I checked on Google Maps & was surprised that I was 81 kms and 1 hr 43 min away from Pune. Little did Google know that I was on bicycle.

After 30 min of shut-eye and some photo session I hit the road again. Going down the hill into the breeze, as expected, was a memorable experience, although I had to slow down at the hair-pin curves.

It was 2 by the time I reached Lonavala. Lunch time. I had to rest a bit before eating and so I decided to shop for the famous Lonavala Chikkis. The transaction was simple. “Bhaiyya, Give me one of every flavour.” When he packed everything and it went into my bag I realized my mistake – 2 kgs additional weight on my back and I had 60 more kilometres to go.

I went for a Gujarati Thali . On a normal day I’m a good eater – especially when it comes to unlimited thalis or buffet. But today I was not able to eat much of solid food. That was one revelation I had about a tired body. I took as much of liquids as they had on the menu – chaas & aamras and left.

It was 3 when I started my return. And that was the biggest mistake of the day. It didn’t take me long to realize the seriousness of my friends advice – cycling under the scorching sun, that too on an open highway, was no kids play. I was soon like an overheated engine, wanting to shut down. 8 kms was all I had covered when I saw the signpost of Karla caves. I remembered the name from the Wiki travel browsing in the morning. I decided to go there and rest for a while. The place was 2.5 kms off the highway – the last 1 km was a steep climb to the top. Sometimes I wonder why do all good things have to be at the top.

I locked my cycle to a pole and started climbing. The chikkis and couple of bottles of juice in my bag was feeling like a huge burden – and no, I’m not exaggerating. It felt so heavy under the hot sun that I couldn’t drag myself up the hill. I had to sit beside the road for a whole half an hour so that I could muster enough strength to make it to the top. Once at the caves I chose a quiet corner and just collapsed. I decided not to cycle with the sun up, ever in my life.

I must have rested for an hour when I saw the intensity of the sun was receding. Time to leave, lest I get rammed by a speeding vehicle on the dark highway. The descend was easy – with some sugarcane juice to pep me up.

Once I started riding I never stopped until I reached Pune – that is the difference, I reiterate, between riding with and without the sun.

I took a cold bath & lay spread-eagled on the mat. The next thing I knew, as I got up at 3.30 am, was that the lights were on, the music was still playing through my earphone (I had started it when I left Karla caves), the fruits I had brought for dinner was still packed and I had not even bothered to get into the bed.
Now that is what I call the ultimate test of endurance: 180 kms of riding over 14 hrs, 10 ltr of water consumed, fully tanned, and with salts deposited on gloves & cap after evaporation of sweat.