This borrowed cycle tyre’s are starting to split and I was fearing the worst on this ride, but thankfully nothing of that sort happened. The ride started from Chandni Chowk which might be around 20 km from my place and I had to start at 5:30 AM in the morning. The Paud Village is at a distance of 20 Km from Chandni chowk and the Deshpnade farms were we were planning to end around 4 kms further up the Paud road.
The uphill road before Chandni chowk had me panting while another guy passed me effortlessly. Need to improve my climbs, or maybe it is the third gear that I am missing … It was around 6:20 Am when I reached the meeting point from where we started at around 6:45 AM. The rest of the ride was cool as the Pirangut ghat is not much of a climb while going, infact, after a short climb it is one long descent with me hurtling down at 60+ kmph the brakes are not too good on this bike and I had to really be on the alert for obstacles during the thrilling downhill road. This road takes one to Paud village and there is a short uphill here as well. Nobody was ahead of me and for a moment I was sure I had missed a turn but was relieved on asking somebody that was not the case … I could see the Tamhini ghats ahead of me which takes one to Mulshi … (one more destination for a century ride ).
Soon the road turned bad and I slowed down wary of my old tyres. Now a guy passed me, but I kept pace with him and soon another group of three riders pulled along and passed me as well. I set my pace behind this group but suddenly they veered to the right and I noticed that we had reached our destination. Phew … 7 :20 AM or so … we had reached fast.
There was no breakfast awaiting us as the guys were just preparing it, I chose to wait while some of them started back. Some stretching and conversations with other riders, ogling at the Treks and Meridas coming in and the other accessories alongside, it was almost 8: 15 AM. Finally breakfast was served, Pohe and tea. And I started back at around 9:00 AM, soon hit Pirangut ghat as two riders on their MTB passed me. This was my litmus test but the legs were feeling strong and I was doing good pace and trailing the wheels of the two MTB ers, theirs being a lighter bike were making good pace. Some buses and trucks trudged by as I continued grinding the crank, standing now and then to relieve the butt. Two more MTBer’s effortlessly cruised past me, one of them is the last year’s Enduro winner, I consoled myself ;-) . The end of the ghat was nowhere in sight and the sun was out, I almost wanted to take a water break, but decided against it. And carried on, perspiring with beads of sweat falling on the water bottle, till I saw the top of the climb as one of the MTBer disappeared downhill, this egged me on and 500 mtrs more and I had conquered Pirangut .
The rest of the ride was easy paced till I took a water break at Chandni chowk at the same meeting point from where we had started in the morning, the time was 10:15 AM. I had an average of 20+ kmph which a good pace but needs to be stretched on for longer rides as well. Carried on amidst the Kothrud traffic, pedestrians crossing, two wheelers and cars causing chaos, reduced my overall pace but reached home at 11 :15 AM. No pics this time though … everything in the mind ... except for the elevation pic below .. (the climbs in order are chandni chowk, pirangut and paud )
Click on the image for a complete map till Mulshi dam
