I used this bike to commute to office daily. From Horamvu to Yemlur(Logica Pvt Limited). The distance would be around 12.5 KM each side. Initially it was very tiring and painful. After two weeks regularly riding to office my stamina was built gradually.
Dharmasthala is been my favourite destination since my childhood. I don't have a count how many times I have been there for the Lord.Manjunatha Swamy's Darshan. With my uncle I had done pada yatra to dharmasthala in the year 2004, 2010 and 2012 respectively. It'll be the 9 days and nights walk and darshana on Mahashivaratri day. On the eighth day of pada yatra I saw a guy cycling towards the temple which was a small BSA bicycle without gears. That was the time I thought, I too should do it. I asked him his experiences about the ride. On first day he did till Hassan(200KM) and second day reached here he told. Then I thought I have a gear bike can complete full distance in a day.
To test my stamina with one of my friends did a Nandi Hills ride. My friend was too tired on finishing the ride(130KM). I still had the stamina of doing atleast 100KM. This boosted my confidence.
The next week after this test ride if may call. Planned to do the big ride. Applied 2 days leave and weekend(if extended). On Thursday 15th March at 5AM I started from home(Horamavu). At 5.45AM I was at the Nelamangala toll gate.
At the left turn on Mangalore Highway took a break for water, coffee and bun. It was really a cool and pleasant morning. Then cycled towards to Kunigal. Opted to take the city route not bypass and was damn hungry for breakfast. It was exactly 8:05 AM when reached.
After having Idli and vada coffee took 10 mins break. Phone call to my father and he was surprised, he told we take over an hour by car and you cycled in 3 hours.

then on the sun light and heat started to rise the mercury level. surpassing yediyur and before Bellur cross took 5min break to take this pic. I reach the collage AIMS(Adichunchangiri Institute of Medical Sciences). Took a break of 20 mins water and cold badam milk I had. Glucon-D, Redbull and biscuits still unused.
Then I wanted to reach channrayapatna by 12:00 noon as planned reached by 12:05 took a break and had tender coconut about 3 in numbers. Then the next spot in my mind was the Hassan. Had the lunch at Kamat Hotel before we reach the Hassan at 1:30 again it was a plate of idli's and rava idli had. Surpassed Hassan on the bypass road. Stopped for water, badam milk and some bananas.
It was Alur deviation I reach at 4.15PM. again had some water the coffee at this spot. All the way it was the curious onlookers asking me from where I was coming and to where. what's the cost of bike blah blah blah....got irritated...
I was all alone and only with light music in ears. Got some kind of irritation and stopped the music here. It was around 230 KM covered at this spot. still about 100 kms to go I got the a big doubt that I wouldn't reach the destination before nightfall. Went ahead and surpassed Sakaleshpura and it was the sunseting time, I was climbing down the shiradi ghat...It was really a wonderful experience. At Gundya, Chowdeshwari temple(Left turn to Kukke Subramanya) it was 7.45PM and was completely dark and was 290 KM from home.I had the plans to reach the destination by 8PM still 40KM to go... gave a thought to cover that distance by 10PM with the lamp I have and stay at temple premises. It was an elderly Person advised me not to take the risk in the dark night, as there were lot of speeding heavy motor vehicle and told me, "If you go now, you reach by 10PM. Stay here at temple start by 5AM and reach by 7AM" he said. I took his advise, had dinner and slept at the Chowdeshwari temple as I was completely tired as well.
Exactly 5:15 AM I started....again it was a new day pleasant morning everywhere greenery. Experienced some pain in my knees and applied a bit move(ointment) for relief.
Continued to ride on the Mangalore doad. Then saw this deviation to Dharmasthala and had some relief. At 7:15AM 12 km before reaching the temple we get a river bridge I took bath and played in water for some time there all alone and it was lonely place in the thick forest.
It was the last 12 KM to the temple reach by 8:15AM....felt like heaven I have no words to express those feelings...

I straight away parked the bike next to temple and went the darshan. There was no crowd and finished the darshan in 25 mins. by 9:15AM I had the breakfast and wanted to look for the available Volvos...In the bus stand I saw a Volvo, it was for the night trip. Then enquired with the Vibhav(KSRTC) about shipping he accpeted and he was to leave at 11:00 AM. Sign of relief it was.
There concluded an awesome ride. This is how I shipped it. He charged 96 INR for the bike and 230 INR for me. Reached Bangalore by 6:30PM and from majestic to home(12KM) in traffic was the real pain.
When I had to ride the uphill that is when my mind asked for the import bikes. Trust me imported bikes are double times better than the Indian bikes. I sold this and bought an imported bike, CANNONDALE TRAIL SL 5 29ER. Thought the cost was 39K + accessories extra the performance is really awesome.
Hope to do lot more rides and it's write ups.
Below is the link for the ride pics..:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1056 ... 1389590257


)very urgently. He was honking like mad and started overtaking me, I had no place to go as the unpaved side of the road has been gone due to erosion, thanks to those illegal squatters who smoke the highway every evening causing distraction and accidents. I talked to a guy from our college who lives in that area, he said it's some Muslim religious custom to smoke the places in the evening, he said something about Chaitan or something but I did not understand, maybe some Muslim xBhpian will shed some light into this matter. I somehow managed to stay on the bicycle and crossed that area, now wait till I find that bus in front of our village. We will educate the driver on safe driving and proper road etiquette, nicely.

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