Friday, October 3, 2008

Trek-ing to Athirapally

Reliving the TREK moments @ Athirapally.
2nd October 2008

Yesterday, after my expedition to Athirapally Waterfalls, I was lying on my bed trying to relive every single moments from that enthralling 162 kms ride. I can now very well understand the definition of the word “endurance”. I was always under the impression that endurance means the ability to handle pain. By pain, I meant physical pain. But yesterday, I discovered a new side to this word endurance. Endurance is not just physical pain it is very much mental pain. I discovered that cycling is just 50 percent physical effort and balance 50 percent is in the head. It is this ability to manage mental stress that one goes through during that physical exertion defines how strong you are. It was indeed an experience.

I started biking last August when I got my Hero Hawk 9 Speed. I remember that eventful evening when I got on the messenger to talk to my brother Ra! about my 11 kms ride. I was excited. Since then, I talk almost every day to my brother and we discuss loads. Then again, amazingly little over a year later, I got back again on the messenger to tell him about my first 100 miles ride in a single day. I felt proud to see this one line from him – “welcome to century mile club”. To go from 11 kms to 162 kms in a year and two months is an awesome feeling.


Now the ride story…..The previous evening day before, I was full of apprehension. The inferiority complex set in and I was almost on the verge of giving up. Now, a 55 kms ride every alternate day is a routine for me and I got into a mode where a 55 was enough to make me content in life. I did not sleep the night before as the thoughts of going for 100 mile ride scared the life out of me. I rolled over and over on my bed and fear that I might fail was causing me distress. I thought enough of this nonsense and may be I should catch some sleep. I set my alarm clock at 5:30 am only to wait for that fateful cry to emerge. I must confess deep inside I was hoping that I do not hear that cry from the clock. But it cried to my dismay. I was lying on my bed for 8 – 9 minutes thinking of giving up. The complex was killing me and I did almost give up. I decided to go on the messenger and talk to Ra! to get some reprieve from the dilemma I was under. There he was as I expected him to be. Ra! said JUST GO FOR IT and so I did. I took a cold shower and said my prayer. God please help me and please do not break me down. I knew that physical pain is something I can manage but feared that mental breakdown. This could very well be the last ride of my life if I fail and the final blow of death to my confidence.

I took my small Ganapati idol from Siddhivinayak Temple at Prabadevi and left it my bag. I took my long sleeve t-shirt and my CSC jersey. I drank a litre of water and ate some dry fruits. I left home at 6:15 am and hit the national highway. I moved to Cochin in June this year and have been riding always in the evening when the sun is on the verge of traveling across the horizon. I felt the cold air kiss my neck and I was cruising at 25 kmph in no time. I reached Angamaly in about an hour. Truckers with whom I shared the highway exchanged pleasantries and words of appreciation. I felt the same feeling professionals go through when they pass waving fans across the protective fences. I felt I am racing. The smell of greenery striked me the most. I deeply felt that the stretch of road between Ernakulam and Angamaly suddenly opened its treasure chest for me. I saw the work of god I have never seen before. I felt the trees suddenly blossomed to help me keep my mind focused. I loved it.

On reaching Chalakuddi, I stopped for few minutes to eat. I cranked a 47 kms ride to Chalakuddi in 1.5 hrs. From Chalakuddi to Athirapally, the tarmac is newly laid. It is a 34 kms climb. Whilst stopping at a local shop, affectionately called a “Madakadda” in Malayalam, I decided to top up my energy tank with some ever-so-reliable ethaparam (local bananas). I gathered my thought and prepared myself for my first 34 kms climb to Athirapally. I cranked 17 kms without much trouble and then stopped for a cup of tea. I am used to having a cup of tea in the morning. It’s a shame I could not take photos with the locals there. I sipped my cup of tea and thought about the techniques I used to climb the initial 17 kms. I thought of ways to save some energy.

I was once again trek mounted. I love Kerala for its greenery but I have always felt the people here for some reasons lack some humanly commonsense. I met with an accident. I was on a descend cruising at 30 kmph. The road is narrow and thick vegetation acts as a wall. I had two vehicles behind me cruising at similar speed. The driver kept honking at me. Suddenly, as my concentration was hijacked away by the sound of horn, I ran slightly towards the edge of road. There were gravels all over. I, instinctively, braked to slow down on the pace. I was slightly tilted due to the curvature of road and I slipped. I fell on the thick bush and cycle was over me. Fortunately, the impact helped me uncleat one of my shoes but the other one was still cleated. I was lucky not to have broken my ankle. I did not mind falling but was saddened by the inhumanly behaviour shown by the two cars occupants. Neither of the two cars stopped to help me get up.

It took me some 15 minutes to gather some sense. After cleaning the little bruise on my left elbow, I realized I have hit my knee on the tarmac. I applied some pain relieving ointment and drank some water. I literally struggled to climb the balance of the distance. Amazingly, I kept texting my brother to tell him about the progress I have made. I decided not to tell him about the fall though. I am sure Lord Ganesha was there to help me and he did look after me. My FERRARI car bag in which I had kept the idol shielded my chest from the impact. Meanwhile, words of inspiration came from an unexpected corner. My mother called me and kept giving me words of inspiration. For a moment, I felt I have 2 coaches - one in the form of my brother and the other my mother!! She gave me tips on how to conserve energy. I was amazed.

For some reasons, I was stopped quite frequently by curious locals. All had the same question to ask me. Do I work for the Indian Navy ? I was surprised. Why would people ask the same questions again and again. I was confused. I asked a few whether this place is frequently by navy officers. The answer was NO !! It is one mystery that I am still not sure of. Why on earth they thought I am a naval officer. Another great disappointment for me was the persistent negative remarks and comments by passing youths on motorbikes. They were mostly college students having a break at the park. I was abused in local language several times. But then, my feeling of accomplishment which will soon become a reality once I reach the summit kept me focused on the ride.

I reached the summit at 10am. The view was just awesome. I was surrounded by some 20 youths on arrival. They were manhandling my bike and all were curious to know who I am and why am I biking from Ernakulam. I was getting uncomfortable by this unexpected commotion and gathering. The police came to my rescue and I was pulled out. The policemen were very kind and enquired about me and what I do. They let me in in the park for free. I managed to see 3 stunning waterfalls. I, once again, felt the trees talking to me. I felt the same feeling of a winner who tastes victory on being greeted by spectators clapping their hands. In this case, it was not the hand, it was the leaves who clapped to welcome me to the finishing line.

I slept at a local bus stop for 2 hours or so after a hearty kerala meals. I ate rice, sambhar, cabbage thoran, and kerala beef fry. The food was awesome. I was concerned about the calories but I decided to spoil myself after this accomplishment. I striked a cool chat with a local who told me about the area in general. He mentioned about wild elephants and once in a while spotting of tigers and leopards. I parked my trek against the bus stop made of coconut tree leaves. Of course, I tied my trek to my leg. I thought about everything that happened since previous night. I was smiling in my heart thinking about the state of mind I was in. The night before, just before going to sleep, I was thinking of giving up and in less than 12 hours, here I am surrounded by Mother Nature’s beautiful bed made of leaves and the tree branches acting as a roof to protect one of its many children from the sun. It looked so splendid. I fell asleep.

As I slept, I once again recollected our (Ra! and I) words of wisdom. The earth will save itself from all damage caused by its selfish children. It is its children who need to save themselves from annihilation.

I won !! I won the battle.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

First Hand At Blogging !!! Part One

Hey All,
Iam Rakesh...,often called "the bombay boy" for all my nasty bombaiya habits, 30 year old, from Bombay, or Mumbai rather, having my roots way down south in Kerala, India. I must be lying, if I do not admit that I had my fair share of confusion trying to get this blog page sorted. I have been wanting to start my own blog for sometime now but always had this fear, or rather apprenhension, I must state, on how to start.

They say that people make money from blog pages, no idea how. Iam not here to make any. This is my first attempt at writing a blog so excuse me if you find some thing silly... but hey the more sillier it gets, the better it is for spending your useless time on the floor lying on your stomach and laughing your shiny ass off.

Iam trying to put together some of my experiences of riding in and across India. Typical as it is with Indian family, the loud mouthed, ever so gossips driven social beings, I started off by playing cricket... thats the only sports I (we) knew .. god sake !! oh.. I just have to praise my parents for not calling me Sunny (after Sunil Gavaskar)..... coz I was born in the late 70's. But then they weighed it well by calling me Rakesh. Does that bring Rakesh Sharma in your mind ? The dude who went up in the sky and disappeared in thin air... well he did come back but no one ever heard from him or about him since then.

I got the inspiration to get back on the wheels from my brother. Cricket !! Did I just stop writing about it ? Iam jumping topics like we all did during our school exams skipping questions not knowing what to answer first !!! Talking of Cricket, the first person who comes in my mind is Mr. Rao. We, kids, had no love lost for this gentlemen and a special attractions for his toliet window panes. Incredibely, no other section of his flat came under heavy rubber ball attack. Well.. Mr. Rao... wonder where you are... you have found a place in my first write up :-) Breaking Window panes = Cricket........so the equation goes !!! Ok !! let me reflect on some cricketing memories before we move on to cycles. I did break some window panes which I believe is some sort of a traditional ritual for urban Indian kids ...an experience almost everyone with cricketing fever goes through. (Now, some windows is a conservative estimate...). The scene of crime is Sector 7, Building 8-9, Antophill and the victim is Mr. Rao ground floor flat. No !! I ain't taking no blames for smashing windows pane but I did bring some surgery tools on to my brother's face. Somehow I always left the crease with the bat.. almost 90 degrees up (....oh.. the bowler had still not decided where to bowl) but the bat was up anyways.. those glorious moments.... TAUKK !! no that's not the ball hitting the bat but the bottom of my bat hitting my brother's cheek bone. Those shots continued till one day when I tried the glorious straight cover drive with the bat. The bat did hit its target but behind the stumps though i.e. hitting the spot right below the nose and upper lip.... so much for precision and perfection !!Rajesh got some stitches and memoir of my cricketing extragavenza !! Extragavenza... quiet a mouthful this word... isn't it ???
Cricket... that great sport.....!!!! What is Trek ? and why is this blog called Mounting the TREK ?? Reasons are a plenty..... wait till you find out......
Ok !! my bad habit... rather genetic... being a RADIO....TREK is my Cycle.....
Bombay Boy Radio..... Radio Boy ....Boy Radio.....oh crap !!! let it be Bombay Boy... as my good friend Akshey says..... B-BOY !!
Mounting the Trek ?? Lets find out... :-)