Day 6 – PEDAL TO PREMASANJE

Today breakfast will be at Kundadiri, so you have to ascend if you need your breakfast. Jabeen was surviving on electral with hardly any sleep and told she will call-off and take some rest. Since my swelling hadn’t come down and was uncomfortable while walking, I requested Jaison “I want to pedal the remaining 2 days, please do something”. Jaison applied some physio medicine, stretched my legs, tied a band, after which I felt little better. But was skeptical if I can pedal, and so took a pain killer from Dr. Prabhu. He gave another pill to Jabeen that will help her immediately. It was so good that we had him along, we had consulted him umpteen times & he had all basic medicines with him. After lot of thought Jabeen too got ready, I knew she was a fighter 😊. It is just unfortunate that a fighter gets more & more hurdles/battles to keep fighting.

After 5kms of pedaling we reached Kundadri base, from which the race point starts. Jabeen decided not to ascend as she had hardly any energy left in her. She joined Nishaw in the support vehicle, while we three stated off. SV & Tabu went ahead & I was pedaling up. It was not that bad, or probably the actual ascend was yet to come, I told myself. Five days into GMC now, I was always prepared for surprises. Rohit commented good job mam, as he passed ahead. I thought how much of difference expectations can make – since everybody had already set a very tough ascend, my mind was expecting steeper ascend.

SV and Tabu were ahead, couldn’t see them. I saw Kishore & Aakash walking down they had completed the ascend & were now just walking down. They motivated me “It is just 1 km away”, what! I asked them, “why is it not marked so?” They replied “don’t you trust us, today they haven’t marked in the race”. Ok, just recalled yesterday’s conversation with Rohit. Never mind everyone gauges remaining distance and it cannot be accurate, all are trying to motivate, that’s it. Now since they said its last 1KM, whenever I couldn’t pedal, I got down to roll. Again, mind games, if I am through with three KM its ok to pedal one KM as I had done more than I expected (expectation management). It was getting steeper, after few meters Kishore & Aakash came up. So basically, they walked down 4k & were trekking up again! The trail was not paved all along, had some rough gravel sections with tourist vehicles too. In some time, I saw Padhu also rolling his cycle up, coming behind. Isn’t that enough for me to continue rolling? Padhu joined and told it will be easily another 1.5KM or 1.2KM, ok its personal judgement. But Padhu was able to roll better than me, he went ahead so little bit rode/ rolled & somehow reached the top. Anju cheered from top not to give up & pedal the last steep section, finally reached with Anju patting.  I told Anju, I did lot of rolling for which she replied, “Still it is great, I can’t even trek up’! Tabu was awesome, she did a good ascend along with SV. 

Kishore was the first & crowned as “King of Kundadri”, first in the race. Sunil shared that Kishore was a national level cyclist, ok we can never stand up to these guys.

Amazing kadubu with chutney plus tomato/onion gravy was awaiting. It was the best kadubu I ever had. We learnt that after we started Kundadri ascend, Jabeen was so tired that Santosh offered to drop her back to the homestay. She forced herself to get some sleep in the backseat of the vehicle. Once the vehicle started moving, she badly wanted to get out from the support vehicle & start pedaling, she couldn’t accept sitting inside. But she hardly had energy & needed the rest for the remaining part of day. She was feeling little better after the pill, but lack of sleep and dehydration forced her to skip the ascend. Now on the top, she couldn’t wait to get on the saddle, she enquired when she will be getting her bicycle form support vehicle, she didn’t want to be left behind/last.

Rohit had warned that Kundadri descend is very tricky and could be dangerous with tourist vehicles too. So, I was extra careful in the descend & reached the base. SV was trailing in the descend (AP!). Tabu went ahead & Jabeen was already down in support vehicle with her bike ready. The remaining 50kms was pure Malnad flat, I was riding at my pace, implementing all changes that I had thought of. Looking at myself I did a good job. I did the Malnad slope ups in 2nd gear, rested my legs during descends. SV caught up with me, Jabeen & Tabu zooming ahead. But I knew that I was not desperate like yesterday & I knew I was doing good. I knew this because Padhu was still behind me, so I had improved. Most importantly I was managing my ride better. It was obvious that they had improved a lot, always had better stamina than me, but if I am going to compare myself with them then I will always feel terrible. It needs more will power to accept your state, maintain your calm, your pace & still enjoy! That’s exactly what I was doing.

In no time we came to the break station near the stream. Santosh had already briefed about this, suggesting riders can plan for a dip too.  Most of the other riders did lot of stunt/riding across the shallow stream, Anju & Rohit (flashbulbs) capturing nice shots. 

We wadded our legs when many riders washed their bikes as well as themselves in the stream.


Santosh mentioned us about an optional different route that was 50KMs instead of the total 62KMs, we decided to take this. Interestingly many riders including Kishore opted for the shorter route. We resumed from our stream break, Padhu told he will also join us.

It was an off-road section and I decided that it is just 1.5 days more & all I want is to reach safe without any 
injury. Once we reached the main/paved road, we had to wait for Santosh’s directions for the alternate route. SV was in full enthu mood, she wanted to dance, impromptu just like that. We were little bit surprised but Tabu supported, Jabeen played dance songs from her mobile. Even Santosh who joined us was little bit wondering but didn’t express much. Hitender was also with us in the alternate route, Padhu too joined us & we were cycling along & in a very short distance we reached the homestay. I saw Govindarajulu our granddad of GMC relaxing, seeing him sitting cross-legged and smiling I got a homely feeling, just like in our native. He has done GMC for 4 years now and hence knows most of the route and always leaves early (before crowd).  His motivation to come every year is to be away from routine life, a week without cellphones/TV etc. with nature – he is a silent inspiration.

We planned an evening outing to Agumbe sunset view, Malgudi famous Dodda mane. After a refreshing boiled and seasoned channa (sundal) snacks, we started out in a rickshaw.

SV mentioned this was the same route for us tomorrow too. Me & Jabeen were thinking about the steep sections & even though we were in auto we had the riding bike feeling, enjoying slope down, looking for next ascend etc. Almost 5 days continuously riding the bicycle even in your dreams you are sometimes pedaling along! 

Agumbe was a short sleepy sweet place that had a charm. Now Dodda mane is the house in which two episodes of Swami and his friends were shot. On seeing an old granny in Dodda mane, Jabeen commented exactly as in Swamy & his friends. Tabu was thinking of settling /retiring in such a village house.

Dodda mane had an open courtyard with wooden pillars and verandahs, more or less resembling my native side houses. The aunties in Dodda mane were chatting so nice & casually, one cannot think of how simple and peaceful their lives were. R.K Naryanan was one of my favourite writers, one can understand why Shankar Nag (director) chose Agumbe to shoot Malgudi, I decided to buy the DVD for my daughter, it is classical must have collections.

I vividly remember how Shankar Nag’s adaptation of R. K’s Malgudi days was so good/close to the readers imagination unlike most of the book to visual media transitions.

Jabeen mentioned that there were so many old grand moms in the house (we saw three), and how they were almost welcoming everyone to their house with no objections or privacy worries. Not sure if we are tuned to more city life or if they are just being simple.

Back at the homestay, my request for palya was attended & we had an awesome dinner with akki rotis, rice & curd (we picked up a curd packet on our return, didn’t want to stand a chance). During dinner Rohit said” Maam I am very bad with KMs and distance, interestingly I am sharing this on the last day”. Ok he was the one mostly with the last rider motivating and supporting, says this. Jabeen replied “I knew this from the day you started mentoring me with your last 1KM/5KM that never came”. Interestingly even though Sunil was with us throughout the day he made sure that by end of the day Rohith mentors us, probably because of his Day2 experience (was delayed and swiped along with us).

Santosh asked if I can switch back to my bike (Montra Helicon) as one of his friends wanted to join the last day ride. Anyways no need for MTB as we will be moving away from mountains. I agreed and we all checked our cycles prepping up for the next day. Tomorrow was the last day of GMC titled as “Toast on the coast”, 72km ride to the beach of Malpe. We interpreted that the title was named so anticipating ““riders toasted on their way to coast”” in the scorching sun, especially when we ride away from mountains to the seashore. But later Santosh clarified it was really a toast (celebration moment) that they implied, we never trust them 😊. SV was in full josh we had a party night with SV grooving to lot of hip-hop songs, even nagini dances. I was surprised by this another side of SV, had known her for so many years. She continued to surprise me. Seeing my reactions, Jabeen reminded me not to wonder too much but to get some sleep.