Day 2 – KRAZY KALASA

We got into the routine of finishing our morning duties earlier and so started off the day post warm-up and flag-off. I made sure I am in the first line of the start, at least let me start early 😊.

The first 35 kms of Malnad flat was good, our mentor cyclist Sunil reminded us to save our energy as it will be a long ride. The ride started off in paved roads passing through green fields, far off mountains, digesting every bit of nature and simple living. I wanted to share this experiences/the path the view with my daughter and was running through the narration in my mind. 

SV made sure that we stop every 5kms, monitoring through her strava fixed in her bike.  She was ahead of us and when we see her we were to stop. In easier sections all I wanted was to move on without stopping but SV insisted to have a short break, just a sip of water at least. During one stop when Tabu & Jabeen caught up Tabu informed her chain had come off but she had fixed it herself. We moved until the next break station which was a deviation from the main road to an off-road section. Sunil reduced the air pressure in my bike for which I was fervently expressing that it shouldn’t be too low.  He replied the reduction is needed in off-roads.  We pedaled through quite a few coffee plantations, small communities. The drive among the plantations had some steep sections and we were going in a group with few stops for clicks. SV’s stop every 5km helped us to stay together.

Jabeen started to get stiffness & cramps in her feet, her thighs were feeling numb. In the beginning of the day she was unwell & that increased her fatigue. Sunil was with her guiding along, just a few feet behind us. He asked her to wet her feet so as not to worsen it further. There was one beautiful stretch of flowers and trees that we couldn’t resist to stop for few pics.

SV told that in another 8 kms we will reach the race start point. Among the coffee plantations some women workers enquired from where we are etc. to which I was answering cheerfully. It helps to have that conversation as anyways I was pedaling slowly (steep section). I regret not taking any pics with the innocent faces, with a grin, the surprise/awed look, shy/skeptical look that quickly turns to a smile the moment we wave. Innocence, small joys in life probably many/most city kids lack of. I remembered my childhood days in my native when I used to wave at passers-by, simple joys. Being a Sunday I could see many such smiley faces, able to pick some conversations still pedaling (it was that slow in steeper sections).

The eight KMs to the race start, seemed longer but we reached there.  We refreshed ourselves, Sunil remind us not to take a longer break.  A break-point is not just a physical refresher point, it is a milestone, a morale booster, then comes the physio service to relax.

Since mentors also participate in the race Sunil went ahead. Rohit who was coming behind mentoring Nishaw and updated that she needs support due to her fall yesterday. Santosh went to support her, and we started off into our 15km race section. SV was leading, the road was good, it was a gradual ascend, I was pedaling waiting for the steep ascend like climbing a giri. But then SV clarified that there is no specific mountain that we will climb, the whole section is a continuous steep section. In no time the sun also wore us out and the path led to an off-road section. Finally, we crossed another GMC rider Ram who was taking a break. Since we are usually in the last we hardly get to meet other riders. After few meters, we too stopped for a break, panting & Ram joined us & that’s when we got to know Ram better.  He was also almost like us, an amateur, he just did a Nandi ascent & now in GMC. After short break we resumed, another 8 more KMs to race end & lunch.  Surprisingly once we joined the main road from off road we felt better. I passed Ram in smaller steeps & it was little easy to move on (probably the psychological factor helped). Jabeen was stuck little behind but the last 1 km was surprisingly small descend & we reached the lunch point around 2:15-2:30 PM. SV first, followed by me & Ram. Jabeen & Tabu followed all in a matter of 5 to 10 mins.  Hurray we finished the tough part.

Lunch was beside a small stream, relaxed our muscles (physio), refreshed & re-fueled ourselves. It was another 40kms, I was confident as it was like our Bangalore practice ride distance. Tabu suggested an ingenious idea of converting our waist pouch to a handlebar bag, it was more convenient now. We were about to leave when Jaison suggested not to pedal immediately after lunch. 

We lay down in the road gazing at trees above us, all four of us, nicely chit-chatting, 15 minutes of bliss. Tabu recalled how her husband was skeptical about the tour, its accommodation etc. that she might have to sleep in tents/in streets and that was exactly where we were at the present 😊.

Ram took a short break & left (probably 10min ahead). The GMC lunch points are planned in a way that post lunch usually there is a descent (no immediate exertion) and so we had a lovely 5Km descent, me ahead & unique SV trolling behind. There were lovely curves & I was almost along with a local couple in a motor bike, smiling & thoroughly enjoying.  Gradually we were ascending smaller steeps again among beautiful roads & for a change I was ahead.  I enjoyed this section thoroughly, taking even a short video while pedaling.

I spotted a nice fresh green patch & stopped to go down to take few pics when the support vehicle crossed me with Nishaw inside. 

One look at her gloomy face and I could feel it, could totally understand how difficult it would have been, the enthusiasm, preparation & determination. I felt bad for her and I told myself that I should try my best and moved on. After a few meters my chain came off and I could not fix it myself, asked a local person but not much help. Then saw another GMC rider who tried but couldn’t fix it too, before calling support, Rohit (mentor cyclist) and SV came by and fixed it. We all resumed again now altogether. At the next break station with 25km more KMs, to go, Santosh mentioned about 3 more ascends to come 5k, 3K and last one about 2km.  I told him that he should let us ride until 7.30pm as we flagged on only at 7.30AM.  Sunil was confident that easily we can reach by 6.30 PM & nothing to worry.

We resumed our pedaling & within very short time we were in the steep 5K ascent. It was getting tough, even Sunil mentioned that this should have been the race section. Jabeen’s health was worse and she was in a very bad situation, the ascent didn’t seem to end. Even SV ahead of us was rolling her cycle. If SV, the ascent queen, was rolling then it was no brainer, we too started to roll. We were all panting & struggling badly. It was evening and once SV turned back & suggested Jabeen to get into the vehicle, with her current situation she cannot manage. I retorted back immediately, “No Jabeen you can do it.  Weall will, you are a fighter, do continue at your pace, we will pedal till the finish point”. I sincerely wanted all of us to finish & I knew Jabeen is a fighter, she had crossed the tough sections not to be swept now. Sunil made Jabeen take his backpack and tried to give her push by holding the bag and pedaling from behind but didn’t help much as it was a steep ascent.

There were some beautiful views, but I was not keen to take pics. SV was ahead of us & I was able to see that it was slowly beginning to get dark. Now all I wanted was to pedal & move forward. It was only 4.30pm but it didn’t strike me that at Malnad, amidst forests, it gets dark soon, daylight is less. I was pedaling as hard as I could, we were over the 5k ascend, but I didn’t realize it as the reality/dusk & the uncertainty suddenly caught me up.

I didn’t look back and just continued, then saw the support vehicle near a beautiful small waterfall, just moved on with a wow. I wanted to cover as much as I could in the light.  In no time, it became dark & it was descent in an off-road section: SV was ahead, Jabeen and Tabu behind. I realized someone from behind in a two-wheeler was giving me light, it must be Santosh. I didn’t bother to stop & look, just continued.  Sometimes since headlight was behind me my own shadow made it tough to have a clear view of the road, it was a little bit risky due to the off road. I didn’t mind much just continued & after quite some distance the bike came forward, it was a support crew member. We had crossed the off-road section & so he asked me to stop there until he guides & gets others (Tabu, Jabeen & Sunil) as they needed his headlight. I was keen to move on, I asked him the way ahead/the route as I could no longer see the markings.  He suggested to get into the support vehicle, & I retaliated back “no, I want to complete the ride”. He said, “then I will recommend you stop here until I get others, little ahead was main road and It is not advisable to proceed without light”.

Now there was no choice but to wait, it seemed a long wait.  I was desperate to resume, all I needed was light or torch, to know the markings. I had to try somehow to get a torch, there was a small hut that we crossed, few meters behind & so I enquired there if I can get a torch. I had only 100 bucks & was wondering If that was sufficient, no harm in a try. Just when I started to ask them, it struck me, oh my mobile is my torch.  Here I go, I thanked them & swiftly resumed my pedaling with my mobile torch in one hand. I slowly joined the main road but riding with one hand was tough. So, I took my iphone & kept in it in my handle bar pouch front zip, with the zip slightly open enough for my iphone light facing the road. Wow, the setup was good, my new headlamp was ready & I was all confident now, am going to pedal, no matter what happens. Internally thanked Tabu for her ingenious set-up of handle bar pouch. I was wondering how confident I was about our finish, that I didn’t want Jabeen alone to be missed out and now here we all are in same boat, little did I expect this. I recalled why SV was suggesting moving fast & thought she was right, she must have reached. But now it doesn’t matter, it is MY PACE, MY RIDE, & MY FINISH.  Road slightly started to ascend again when Santosh came in a bike behind me and guided with his headlight. Little later he crossed me saying “Keep pedaling Jana. Your blinkers are good. I will patch you up with SV who is little ahead of you & you both can pedal together”.  Oh! SV has not reached yet, I didn’t expect this. Good thing is Santosh is, supportive & so I have to make it, I told myself and continued while Santosh went to catch up SV.

I was good alone with my new headlamp. Sometime later Santosh returned & told me, “Janaki, get into the vehicle, it is ok”.  I resisted “No Santosh, I will complete it. You can proceed, I am good with this setup of phone head lamp, I should be good even without the vehicle head lamp support”. I had no clue what was going on, with SV ahead, Jabeen/Tabu behind me but I was determined to pedal. Winger support vehicle crossed me with Jabeen and Tabu, they stopped and asked me to join. I told them I will pedal on and they too left. In sometime the Zen support vehicle came in the opposite direction & honked, I knew it was for me, but I continued pedaling ignoring the vehicle. Oh! now SV was calling me from the car, I had to stop, SV told “Jana! Just get in, it is too dark & we cannot ride. It is another 10km, & there are ascends”. Now SV is saying this! I replied “I want to continue”. She said it will take easily another 1.30 to 2hrs. After few feeble exchanges SV convinced me to get in; the only reason I gave up was because she told the next 10k had 3 ascends 5K, 3K & 2K.  I got in & Praveen (support crew member) took my cycle & pitched it in the cycle rack. I was not fully convinced, Praveen switched off his car head light & showed me how dark it was. SV told that she didn’t want to pedal and in fact was waiting for a vehicle to sweep her as it was not safe. Now I understood Santosh was trying to patch me up with SV, but SV had decided to be swept away. Of course, SV didn’t have any light, I had my ingenious headlamp! And so, the patch-up didn’t work. The 10K ride in the support vehicle seemed a long distance, I asked Praveen, if it was really only 10K. He said yes, in hills due to winding roads, it seems long. Close to the hotel we saw Ram pedaling his way, he was little ahead of us & was supported with headlight to complete the ride. What a great job, he has done it, felt happy for him! I still couldn’t digest/accept our state. Ok, I know acceptance is needed to move on but with the determination/enthusiasm and all the prep, it was difficult to accept at that moment. I recalled how I had proudly shared my first GMC attempt to friends, efforts spent in our practice rides and now we couldn’t complete the first long distance ride, especially the last stretch, this is very hard to digest.

In few minutes, we reached our new hotel at Kalasa. The hotel had a nice stream flowing behind, so close that we can hear its sound in our rooms. Since it was new place, time went in settling down, bathing, washing, dinner & wind up. I was all along thinking what went wrong; now post acceptance it was reflection phase. Couple of mistakes combined, first I didn’t realize that day light was short in the hills, 40km post lunch is not equivalent to our 40KM Bangalore practice rides (especially because this is hilly terrain, you are tired already riding 55KMs) and most importantly every ascend takes time, energy & a toll on you. Completing the racing section doesn’t mean the remaining is a flat ride. We should have calculated our pace & re-checked the time required to complete. Because Ram who just left 5-10min ahead of us after lunch was able to complete it. So, I strongly believed we could have too, provided we had planned a little better. I was still lamenting to SV & went off to bed. I couldn’t sleep after 3.30am & it struck me that the remaining ascend was only 3K & 2K as we had already completed the 5K ascend. I told SV that it was only 2 more short ascends, but I accepted that we were too late. The best way to look forward is also to think what else could I have done better, not just the overall day but even when SV stopped me I could have asked for another half an hour’s time to see how far I reach.  With these lingering thoughts I was half awake post 4 AM.