Nandi Hills - A first long bicycle ride

The first time when I thought of going to Nandi hills was exactly 3 months ago, when BCG arranged a Midnight ride on the same day (13th) in June month. But unfortunately I couldn't go for that ride because of some reasons. I was very interested in joining them, but when I couldn't, I thought I would definitely join the next time they arrange and I was waiting for it. Then I saw a notification from BCG that they are arranging a ride to Nandi hills on 13 Sep, but it was a day ride this time. This was the plan in short.

1. Silkboard - 5:00AM
2. MG road Metro Station: 5:30 AM
3. Hebbal Circle (Esteem mall) : 6:30 AM (Stop 10 mins for all to join)
4. Border Security Force: 7:15 AM
5. Airport Tollgate: 8:00 AM (Stop 10 mins for all to join)6. Nandi Base Entrance: 9:30 AM, finish the climb once and get down ASAP - Just to do it all over again :D. You can expect to reach home by late lunch, it depends on where you stay and how fast you are. If you're too tired you can quit after just one hill climb.
The return journey to Bangalore will be by the individual pace of the rider. You have the liberty to take the shortest possible route to reach back home.

I immediately made arrangements for the ride, checked google maps for the route. I asked my friend Shashi, who stays in Marathali, for his bicycle. I initially planned to take it on Friday night, but due to some reasons, I had to take the cycle on Saturday morning. The plan was to start from Marathali on Saturday morning 5am, meet the people who were starting from Marathali if possible, otherwise meet everyone at Hebbal Circle, Esteem mall. I packed all the required stuff, food, water with Glucon-D on Friday night, ready to go anytime.

Hill view from some distance

On Saturday morning, it was past 6am when I reached to Marathali to take the cycle. I had already missed the people who started from Marathali. I was afraid that I might not meet them even at Hebbal. In hurry, I took the cycle from my friend, and started my ride from Marathali at 6:20am. It had been long time since I had been to cycling, the last time I remember was few months ago, the Cyclothon event organized by The Art of Living, but it was just few kilometers, not even 10kms. But I was for sure I could do Nandi hills, but I had no idea at that time what was out there for me. I was hoping that it wouldn't be sunny, but to my bad it was. It felt strange when I sat on cycle after such a long time. I started my ride alone, took the outer ring road from Marathali to Hebbal. The backpack weight seemed heavy in weight, but I ignored. It was past 7:30am when I reach to the Hebbal Circle, Esteem mall, an hour late from the plan. The group was nowhere to be seen. I called Pawan, organizer, he said they were at Air Force station, I said OK, I would meet you there at Airport Tollgate. I resumed my ride, I had nobody with me, and only the music was my partner for the whole ride. I had stopped after few minutes, took a break, had banana and water. I started again, after an hour, crossed Border Security force, but still the group was nowhere to be seen, I crossed Airport tollgate still I couldn't see anyone, but I saw few people on their return way. I didn't know if they were from BCG. While crossing airport road flyover, I saw few flights going on in quite a distance, it was good to see. 

Another view

One of the most difficult parts of the ride was riding against the uphills and flyovers. Whenever I saw an uphill road, I was like "oh my god, again :-(", and whenever I see a downhill, I was so happy :-) to ride through the slope. And one of the worst things I expected was the sunny day, but to my bad luck, it was very hot day. However I didn't lose my hope of reaching to the top. After having multiple breaks for rest, I reached to the Nandi cross where it was written Nandi hills 20 kilometers to the left. "What?? 20 kilometer more, ohh no". I took some rest before I start for the last 20 kilometers ride. I was past 9am already, and I didn't realize the next 10 kilometers were going to be the most difficult ride of the ride. It was narrow road compared to the highway but good one, with no dividers, so need to be careful about the vehicles coming from rear and front. After few minutes I realized this part of the ride was going to be difficult. The problem was the Sun was showing his best of the days, the uphills and the head winds started blowing against my way. I rode pretty easily all way up now, but this had become very difficult to ride. The speed fell to less than 10km/hr, and I most of the time, was riding on 2nd gear. So it took me half hour for the next 10 kilometers and reached Karahalli cross. When I reached there I realized I rode only 10 kilometer, I was like, "you kidding me??, it was like radingi on and on and on".  But I couldn't do anything to inspire myself and move on. One thing I learned was, when you were beyond your strengths, you start all over again with full strength.

Nandi Hills base

I stopped there and decided to have tiffin. I had idli vada in nearby hotel, and I took rest for 30 minutes. I started again after 11am, rode for next 2 kilometers and reached the base of the hill. It was still 8 kilometers to the top, it was the last stretch to the top and most difficult uphill. I stopped there for 5 minutes to take some pictures. Few people were coming down from the top, and I didn't know if anyone was from the BCG team. I went to a guy who looked like a foreigner and asked him if he was from BCG, but he said no, and he was alone. I spoke to him for few minutes casually, and asked him what was the cost of his cycle. He said he bought it 10 years ago, and it was 1 lakh. I was shocked, didn't understand what was so special about the cycle. 

On the way from the base to the top

The time shows 11:40am, and I started to ride towards the top. Initially, it wasn't much height, but just after half  kilometer, the road became too upwards, and I was trying hard to move the cycle with the pedals. But finally, I got down from the cycle gave up riding. I decided to go on foot till the top. It really needed some experience to ride to the hill. So I stated walking with my cycle to the uphill. After hour or so, I saw a guy stopped and taking rest beside the road. I reached to him and asked if he was from BCG, he said yes and he started 2 hours late. He was also from AP and studied in the same NIT Warangal. I was happy to meet him. We spoke for sometime and then started again. He was riding on his cycle and I was on my foot along with my cycle. It was nice to walk on the road with one side, a great view of landscape scenery, and other side, the hill covered with trees. I could stop anywhere I want to, I could do whatever I want to, there was nobody to stop me, warn me or scare me. I never imagined I could go 8 kms from Nandi base to the top on foot, that too following the road. I, one side, was enjoying the walking along with the nice zig-zag road, and other side, I was trying hard to push myself every foot. It was getting harder every passing minute. One kilometer seemed to be 10 kilometers. I would have enjoyed trekking Nandi hills more, if I had come in a vehicle to the base and then start trekking. But after cycling for 50 kilometers and then start trekking was really a test to your strength. Despite this, I was getting more inspired when I thought I was getting nearer to the top in every passing kilometer.

The last curve

 After few minutes, in just 3 kilometer away from the top, I reached the same BCG guy. His cycle chain got stuck, and it was not getting out. Thanks to the pretty young lady and her guy, who stopped and got down from their car and struggled for more than half hour to get the chain fixed. But it was too hard to fix it. At last he decided that would ride back to the base and fix there. I told him all the best and I headed to the top. The last 3 kilometers are double harder than first 5 kilometers. At last after crossing the last curve which is Curve No 40, I reached the top and I was very happy. I would have made lot of noise if I was around with friends. That was something I missed. When I looked at the time it was 2:40pm. But who cares about the time when you achieved something that makes you happy. I walked around, took some pictures, there was not much crowd. I felt very tired, so I found a place nearby the tree houses, had some bread, water and slept for a while. What a nice rest I had in the cool breeze. The best rest after lot of stretch to your body. 

Welcome to Nandi Hills

I spent more than an hour at the top. At 4pm, I decided to ride back. I was thinking what would be the time when I reach Bangalore. I was hoping I would be reaching Bangalore before it gets dark, at least to the Hebbal. Then I could go to Marathali by a bus. So I started from top, at 4pm. It was fun coming from top to the base. One didn't have to use the pedals at all, the cycle goes as fast as a scooter. It took me exactly 15 minutes to come down to the base. That inspired me and took next 15 minutes  to ride next 2 kilometers to reach Karahalli cross where I took right. I didn't stop there and I decided to take a break only after every hour. So in next 30 minutes I reached the Nandi cross from where it meets the Highway. Here I stopped for 10 minutes, had coconut water. Till here completed 20 kilometers in 1 hour, pretty good. But still 50 kilometers a head. I started riding and in next hour I reached Airport toll gate. I took some rest for few minutes, had biscuits and laid down on roadside. I hoped I would reach Hebbal by 7pm, but after having one more break at 7pm, I reached Hebbal at just past 7:30pm. I then went to nearby bus stop and tried to take the cycle in the bus. But they denied to take the cycle in the bus. So I had to ride again from Hebbal to Marathali. This has become more difficult of whole return journey. It took me more than half hour to reach Marathali. It was 10pm when I met my friend and gave the cycle back to him. I took my bike and came back to room, after having dinner. 

A view from the top on hot sunny day

With that, my much awaited first long cycling ride of 136 kilometers was ended. And then the unexpected body pains started :-( (Well, actually expected) especially the lower parts of the body. I was thinking how could these pains let me sleep tonight. But thanks to Rahul, I went to his home and took medicine, yes medicine, you know what I mean :-P. And then went to tight sleep.
What a day and night it had been!