Adventures with my hero
October 18th, 2008 | Published in Adventure, Entertainment, Humour, Living, Personal | 14 Comments
Everyone needs a hero, right? So here’s a small story about mine. So, the hero’s been around for a while, but never really gotten a taste of adventure. Of what life can be like : on the road. I’ve been meaning to take him out on a jaunt to experience real life… but the timing was never quite right.
It finally happened last Sunday.
So yeah. Before your imaginative mind goes somewhere else : let me clarify. It’s not like I wouldn’t mind a real hero (where are they these days?!). But I think mine definitely walked the other way when I was in college busy adjusting my large black rimmed glasses and acting in Shakespeare plays. He hasn’t been anywhere to be found since.
Therefore, I have to make do. With a bicycle. Okay, no snickering and laughing here. At least it’s better than nothing :-)
So last weekend, after hatching a plot with a few intrepid cyclists, Shantanu and Pankaj, I decided to join them on an adventure : along with my hero cyclone. Hero’s been doing neighbourhood stints till now without much action.
We started off early morning, my pulse and heart racing : this was my first time on the roads! In response to my sms that I was “really†scared, Pankaj assured me that there’s always a first time for everything. Taking consolation in that, I pedaled furiously till Agara lake where the two fellow adventurers joined in.
From there, we started off towards Sarjapur Road. Now, I thought this was going to be a little jaunt to the countryside, I had no idea that these guys cycle over 60 kms with consumnate ease. Well, I found out the hard way. I was actually rather okay till around the 20 km mark.
Beyond Sarjapur, our destination was this place called Chiktirupati, a temple town. At the 26–27 km mark, I found it easier to just get down from the cycle and walk! The ups and downs were not easy, especially for a novice like me. My thigh muscles pretty much refused to function and every uphill was like climbing Mount Everest. My hero behaved beautifullybut I was finding it hard to sit on the seat by now!
I finally managed to make it to Chiktirupati. By then Shantanu and Pankaj had already finished their breakfast 2 times over. Smartly, by this time, Pankaj made a deal with a local rickshaw fella to get me back home. I guess they knew that I would be in no condition to ride back. Or it would take me at least 4 hours, which meant they would reach after half of Sunday was over.
So there I was, packed up along with my hero in an auto making the long journey back home. It would have been a considerable achievement if I’d managed to ride back but I was just happy the hero got a taste of life on the rough roads. And I’d just done my first long ride!
October 18th, 2008 at 1:49 pm (#)
Cycling was wonderful during school days back in Cal., esp for the brief few months when I bought myself an 18-geared ATB until it got stolen during Durga Puja. Those 18 gears were awesome. It made riding a real pleasure esp when going up a slope and lugging around my 70+ kilo best friend on those time killing “adda” trips. I sure do miss cycling here in Blore.
October 18th, 2008 at 1:58 pm (#)
And here is something that you’ll find interesting.. A DIY for mixing photography and cycling together http://photojojo.com/content/diy/attach-a-camera-to-your-bike/
October 18th, 2008 at 7:49 pm (#)
@ shreelesh: 10 gears on a bike! whatever for? that’s way too many gears, no? :-) but sad that it got stolen — must have been expensive too! lots of folks are taking up cycling here so it’s good to see that!
and thanks for the link. looks like a cool idea all right!
October 19th, 2008 at 1:32 am (#)
I think it was ‘heroic’ to try at all — and to cycle 20 km. More power to you. :)
October 19th, 2008 at 9:41 pm (#)
nice u started..and that fills me with guilt..i have been wanting to get one since long..but havent yet..
October 20th, 2008 at 10:02 am (#)
Yo there.…stumbled upon your blog inadvertently. Did not know of you — not that I am a who’s who myself. U seem to have an avid following. So tad dangerous to take you on..if there is a rough nerve touched somewhere?!
Great range of topics touched upon indeed.
Sad that U have not yet covered 2nd law of Thermodynamics as yet? sob sob.
or the elegant sartorial tastes of Mamta.
October 20th, 2008 at 4:11 pm (#)
20 km for a first outing!! awesome!! i like the bike a lot!!
October 21st, 2008 at 6:10 pm (#)
Way to go. You are a gutsy gal.
Love to kitty-kitten
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:20 pm (#)
welcome 2 the club… & gud distance 2 start with…
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:14 pm (#)
Hey,
Good start. But keep it going.
Also make sure that ur saddle is at the right height. Ur feet should be just out of reach from the ground when sitting. Especially important on longer rides
October 25th, 2008 at 2:17 am (#)
Hello,
Nice try. Check out bangalore bikers club in google (dot) com. That might interest you.
Keep pedalling!!
November 12th, 2008 at 11:27 am (#)
Hey,
Call me when you guys go cycling next.… My Atlas is shrugging away at home.… in absolute disgust!!
Cheers,
Nischal
December 27th, 2008 at 8:50 pm (#)
Hi Anita,
I went for the same ride with Pankaj and some other guys today, to Chiktirupati. It was my second long ride I some how made it :-)(it’s another thing that my whole body is aching andI can’t even walk properly).
When I mentioned to Pankaj how tired I was, he was telling us about you(…one girl Anita Bora from RFL…), then I remembered reading this posts. Small world.. :)
Anyways hope to see you on one of these rides soon..
September 20th, 2009 at 11:07 am (#)
hey i was jus wonderin.…hw much does the cyclone cost??
thx
Gowtham