Words of wisdom and inspiration...

At 6 AM, when we started on the fine summer Sunday morning, little did I know what I was in for... As we reached the Chandni Chowk climb, I was exhausted... I was drained out of energy, but somehow managed to reach up where others waited... I thought I'll turn back and take a longer route home. But as the others joined us there, I shed all inhibitions and decided to continue further.

Then tragedy struck. At slopes where I could normally climb at 3-6, I was at a gear lower, yet could not achieve the optimum speed I wished for. I could feel a lot of drag... and had a look at my tyres. Not enough air. But outside the main city, and on a sunday morning, hoping for some puncture shop to be open would be hoping for too much. And I thought of turning back quite a few times, but something made me go. Feeling the drag even downhill, I was not so sure how long the cycle tyres will hold without getting severly damaged... apparently, not at all, as I found later!

We reached the start of the Pirangut ghat and took a left turn downhill towards Mutha ghat. about two kilometers from there, we stopped at a small hill, where we dragged our cycles up, and cycled down the steep slope.
Have ATB - will offroad...

So almost 9AM, and time to head back. The hard sun beating down upon us as we cycle back. I had to stop twice on the way to Pirangut, but once I was there, I rode non stop till chandani chowk with the near flat tires... well, not non stop... there was a little incident of my water bottle falling off the frame. but that being recovered soon, I was at CC, and finally filling air in my tires. because this was Pune, and it was 9.30!
Finally with air in my tires, we headed to our favourite local restaurant for a scrumptious breakfast, and dispersed home. I have a habit of texting a small message of thanks to those I meet once I reach back home. As I did so, I got a reply with these golden words of inspiration and wisdom -
'A lot of biking is mental, a bit of physical and a minor part is about the bike itself...' -Ankur Kothari, Pune
31st May 2009