Riders in the storm

After the completion of my 300k BRM to Horsley hills earlier this month. I had trained my eyes on my first SR. I couldn’t ride the 200 and 400s, but registered for the 600, the Twin hills BRM, it would take us from Bangalore to Krishnagiri – Yercaud – Yelagiri and back to Bangalore via Krishnagiri . I knew it was going to be a tough 600. But that’s the challenge in it. Isn’t it? That’s what we ride for. And getting a 600 early in the season, gets the asking rate for rest of the season better when planning for an SR.

The week before the ride, the sun had started to shine hard, the air was cool, but the sunlight could give you burns, it was that bad. I was hoping that the weather got better. Otherwise climbing two hills was going to be tough!  It was going to be a two night one day, ride, which means less interference from my nemesis “The Sun God”. But I hoped it would ease out none the less.

Mohan the ride organiser from Bangalore Randonneurs setup the Whatsapp group a few days before the ride, and we started talking to each other on how we were preparing for the ride. I did a customary weather check and posted the forecast on the group. It would mostly rain. I felt my prayers were indeed answered. I saw forecasts of thunderstorm in Salem, and overcast conditions over most of the route. I thought it was going to be fun. We prepared for the rain, with rain jackets and all.

With the flag off going to happen on a Friday and we would be finishing the 40 hour ride early Sunday morning. I had to plan for the evening start. I worked from home the first half of Friday, worked on packing and setting my bike for the ride after lunch. I had to true the rim of my bike. And then I had to rush to the store to make some last minute purchases. With all this, and the Bangalore traffic jams, which these days has no mercy even for bicycles, meant I reached the start control point about 30 mins after flag off. I called Mohan to inform that I would be late. An additional 30 mins delay and it would have meant, I would have got a DNS against my name in the riders list. When I reached the start control, I saw a few other fellow riders signing, and getting ready.

I hurriedly signed the declaration forms collected my brevet card, dropped my bag with Mohan and shot off. Just as I left the start point it started to drizzle I realised I had left my rain wear in the bag, Shashi suggested I go pick up the rain wear, I am glad I did it. Because Ockhi that was hammering down this part of the country pretty heavily. By the time I collected my jacket and turned around the other riders had all started, and I was alone.

Already 30 min behind and battling the weekend traffic out of the city, I managed to reach the E-city flyover, I missed the ramp at first, then turned around and ride the flyover at about 5:30PM. It continued to drizzle intermittently. I was barely doing 11 kmph not considering the lost time. (you need to manage at least 15kmph to stay in the ride) Once over the flyover I started building up some speed, and so did the rain. I was alone and wanted to catch up with rest of the folks. With the storm pouring, I started humming an old Doors favourite “Riders on the storm”.

The rain coat I wore was actually feeling like a parachute, slowing me down quiet a bit. To add to the woes, there were continuous blasts of headwinds. As I approached Hosur, it was getting dark, and the lights took over. I planned to stop for dinner at around the 100k. After riding for a while, the famous “magnic lights failed”. It stopped glowing. I am still to figure out if it was the light or my bad installation that was causing the issue. But, overall, I am disappointed with these lights.

Once I passed Krishnagiri I stopped for dinner, while I waited for my food, I called my wife, dad and Mohan to update my position. I learnt from Mohan that a couple of the riders called it off due to rain. The hot soup and rice was a treat in the middle of the storm.

After dinner, I started back on the road. I started humming “Tuguve Rangana, tuguve Krishnana” the lullaby my wife sings to my son to put him to sleep. It was around his sleep time, around 10 PM. Perhaps I was missing them both. Riding alone on NH44. I can’t really complain about it, this is something that I chose.

I had another 110 km to Salem the place where I would start the climb to Yercaud. It might have taken me a little less than 5 Hours to reach the place. As I took the deviation and was about to enter Salem city, I heard someone trying to grab my attention with a whistle. I stopped, and turned around, I saw at a shop few rear blinkers attached to bicycles, I saw silhouettes of men standing wearing what looked like bib-shorts and helmets. I thanked my luck and turned back to the shop. I met Swamy (a friend I made during my first ever Brevet to Hassan), Shashi, Sunil and a few others. We started together for the climb after stopping for some quick hot tea.

The first 7-8 km would take us in the Salem city, and then there would be a long climb of 20km. The others went ahead, Swami, Shashi, Sunil and I were slow. Swami asked me to carry on since they wanted to ride with Sunil who was tired from his last week’s 400. I continued, I felt the elevation was not that bad after all. After doing the Kalahatti, everything looks easy! 😛 I continued pedalling and then saw two riders approach from behind, I waited and Swami and Shashi caught up and passed me, they said Sunil would ride at his pace. I started again, and as I rode, I felt the pedal getting stuck, I couldn’t pedal back or forward.

With the magnic lights being what they are – dynamos, they give you light only while moving. Luckily I was carrying my back-up light. turned it on, and turned it around to point it to my rear wheel. What I saw gave me a lump in my throat. The rear derailleur was out of its place below the chain stays, I saw it stuck in the spokes. This was my first bike fail in all the rides that I have done. I was completely stranded 3:30 AM in the dark on a hill 220km away from home. I gathered my wits and courage, called up Mohan and told him I that I would quit the ride due to a derailleur failure. I tried to call Swamy and others to inform them, but by then, my fingers and phone were both wet and I couldn’t make calls. I then took out my Allen keys, remove the broken derailleur, freed up the wheels. I coasted downhill. stopped at a bus stop and took an auto to the bus stand, there I met Sunil who had also quit. We both boarded a bus back to Bangalore.

Upon reaching took an auto who swindled me with a faulty meter his meter recorded 24km for a distance of 16 km from Lalbaugh to RM Nagar. In fact, I saw his meter jump. When I confronted him about that, he abused me! 😔. I swear I will never take an auto again in my life ever again. (I know, my 6 month old son would have cried less about it!)

Back home, I was welcome with a smile and a better luck next time from my mom. When I was contemplating and retrospecting with my dad, he was advising me on how to plan well and reach the place on time. On how I should enjoy the ride and not get stressed. I narrated the story to my wife, showed her the ride statistics of what ever I had completed, and she just asked when I was planning for my next ride. That’s why I say that I have such a wonderful set of people at home! Today was not my day, but the hope stays on.

The hope to achieve an SR stays! Although I just did about a third of the total expected distance, it will remain one of the best rides I have ever done. “Riders on the storm”