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Mountaineering Course in Nehru Institute of Mountaineering
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering is the best mountaineering institute of India right now, ahead of HMI when it comes to physical training, providing efficient equipment, proper accommodation facilities. NIM is situated a little above the town of Uttarkashi.
The campus is great with all the facilities you will need in an Institute. The hostels are clean and the food is great! Our course had 106 people to start with and by the time we finished we were 92 with people from Armed Forces and NCC also. We were divided into 14 ropes (groups) each with an Instructor.
First couple of days of the course will have briefing from the Principal, taking you around the campus, medical inspection, introduction and issue of equipment etc. Make sure you get the right equipment or else you will be in big trouble later in the mountains.
Then you will have a short trek for about an hour and a half just above the campus through the woods with half the load you carry in the mountains – may be 10+kgs – and you get good views of BanderPoonch range. And every afternoon you will have theory classes be it in campus or in Tekhla. The course as most of them know is divided into Rock Craft, Snow Craft and Ice Craft. During Rock Craft days you trek every day for 8kms till Tekhla Rock Climbing Area, mostly on road.
You will carry all equipment given by NIM, which ends up more than 10kgs for sure. But on the way back you come in the bus to save time. Lectures will happen in Tekhla in the afternoon and inside the campus during evenings which will be followed by a movie.
In snow craft though you are thought different types of Ascending and Descending on snow. For Ice craft you hike for an hour and a half to Dokrani Glacier passing the moraines near the Ice walls. Those were my first steps on a glacier and also got to see huge crevasses just next to the training area. Walls aren’t just there, there was a lot of snow again and we had to shovel out the snow till we found hard ice. We had lectures up there next to the walls and sitting on the glaciers had our bums numb! Last day at Base Camp you will have a Navigation test where you’ll have to run around a little and a Theory test which will be really simple. And finally the course was over and undoubtedly I had an awesome time and more importantly learnt a whole lot of stuff.
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Land of the Gods: Wanderism Rejuvenated
Seven days of bliss, adventure & vigor...1575 kilometers of life at its best.
What a ride it has been! Dense forests, malignant roads, curious curves, fierce rivers, mighty peaks & remotest hill stations. I lived by the TW3 tag line aptly, free to wander but never lost. I had planned for the most isolated places in Uttarakhand, but the outcome is even more enthralling. In spite of the loneliness in the air, I wandered into the most untouched places of the dynamic valleys.
Greetings to everyone there!! Kudos to the initiative by Wrangler & xBhp to bring forth the vigor & love for motorcycling to the nationwide platform!! I would like to devote my sincere thanks to the organizers, the judges and my friends & family who voted for my travelogue in the prelims. I have come to believe that love for something so materialistic yet profound, shall go in vain unless gone too far.
Day 0 | 24th April’14: Preparation, Planning & Curiosity:
The moment I had been waiting for finally arrived. I prepared a vulnerable itinerary that captures some of the most untouched parts of Uttarakhand. Major chunk of preparation involved compiling enough knowledge about the destination as well as the road conditions. A special thanks to my friends & family who have been there by my side every time I headed out to a new direction. I presume this ride to be one of a kind. I’ll be wandering in the thickest of the forests & eyeing down from the highest of the peaks in Uttarakhand. The itinerary is in place, everything else will be dealt on the road.
Day 1 | 25th April’14: Bon Voyage | Delhi-Haldwani:
The day arrived. The most satisfying fact about the flag-off was that my parents & my friend joined me there. It was great to meet the Wrangler as well as xBhp officials. Onlookers stared as we clicked a dozen photographs, with Wrangler staff, xBhp members & my family of course.
Beholding warm wishes from everyone, I kicked off the ride of a lifetime. I got myself on NH-24 within an hour. And from there, it was just me & the highway. Roads were in fine condition. Especially, the one joining Moradabad Bypass-Rampur is a gem of a tarmac. But not for long; it took me hours to get past the pot-hole ridden roads of the countryside. Hence, I had to cut short the day’s ride to Haldwani instead of Nainital as initially planned. I reached Haldwani at 08:45PM, had a nice dinner & decided to call it a day.
Day 2 | 26th April’14: Into the hills | Haldwani-Chaukori:
The uphill ride from Haldwani started with some broken roads, but soon the road conditions improved. I was riding through some curvy roads & all of a sudden the Naini Lake appeared. I clicked some photographs around the Naini Lake & the mall road, quickly headed for the Snow View Point situated 6 kms uphill from the town. It’s situated at a height of 7460ft. above sea level & offers panoramic views of Himalayas. Next up on the list was Sattal, a cluster of seven freshwater lakes located 22 kms from Nainital. Oak & Pine trees filled the environs & it was lush green all around. Tourists enjoyed boating in the green colored lake while kids tried their hands at rappelling.
It was 01:00 PM; I saddled up & headed towards Almora. Going forward, I was past the townships of Seraghat & Berinag by 06:30PM. I managed to arrive at Chaukori at 07:15PM. The tiny hamlet turned out to be exactly as I thought, if not immensely silent & remote. It’s a small hamlet; luckily I got hold of a fine place to stay. I had dinner and hit the bed hoping for a mild encounter with the sun the next morning.
Day3 | 27th April’14: A mix of good-n-bad | Chaukori-Munsyari:
Good-n-bad seemed just an apt title for the day’s ride. Good because I laid my sight on the humble Himalayan peaks for the first time on the ride & bad because the roads that I chose turned out to be terrible.
I left Chaukori at 09:30AM with my next halt set at Thal. And the roads to Thal were amazingly good. Accompanied with the oak & pine trees throughout the length of the road, I reached Thal at 11:00AM. Further, making my way through some really bad tarmac, I reached Munsyari at 04:00PM. Perched at a height of 7500 ft. above sea level in the Johar Valley, Munsyari offers panoramic views of the cluster of Panchchuli Himalayan range. I felt sanctified to be surrounded by the mighty Himalayan ranges clothed in snow touching the skies.
Day4 | 28th April’14: The appealing quaintness | Munsyari-Kausani:
At dawn, the crimson light from behind the sky-shattering mountains filled the air with serenity. The sun peeked out from the cracks & conceded life to the world. The cluster of five peaks appeared ravishing. As the sun scaled up, the secretive Nanda Devi started to appear & surrendered to the crimson love.I had a light breakfast, suited up & kicked off towards my journey towards Birthi Waterfalls, Girgaon. The roads from Munsyari to Girgaon are well-laid but the valley is seemingly dangerous. Vertical hills make up for a thrilling vista. Birthi Waterfalls, falling from a height of 126 meters, looked quite humble. I moved forth & making my way through Tejam & Sama village, I reached Bageshwar at 03:00PM.Moving ahead, I could easily reach Kausani by 05:20PM & the sun was still up. But I was little disheartened as there was no view of the Himalayas from the hotel, just clouds. Well, there was nothing I could do about the clouds, but the hotel interiors appealed to me. It was all carved out of wood, the furniture & the corridors were nicely pared. There was a long corridor with a balcony facing the valley over which the snow-clad peaks of Himalayas rest. Next was a fine dinner & I was off to bed.
Day5 | 29th April’14: Wander into isolation | Kausani-Chopta:
While the Himalayas did not quite interact when I arrived in Kausani, they made it up to me at dawn. As I woke up to the crimson colored skies, the Himalayas looked placid. The creeks bubbled in the silence of the quaint morning & the chirruping of the birds filled the air. Looking at the need of the hour, I quickly wrapped up my stuff & left for my next destination. The hotel owner told me, “Sir, it’s not easy what you are doing! It takes a lot of heart to do so.” I smiled at the kind accolade & waved him goodbye.
I blazed through the townships of Karanprayag & Gopeshwar while the sun was still fierce. The roads were absolute pleasure to ride on. Once I crossed Mandal, the last station before Chopta, the roads almost disappeared. Broken at almost all places, the roads took me into the thick forests of pine, deodar & rhododendrons. It was 06:00PM already & the sun almost disappeared. I lost hope of catching the sunset from the hilltop.
I steadily moved on but it was boundless pain for my bike to climb those heights in those conditions. At last when the 2 km-stone arrived, a sharp hairpin turn got me face to face with the dipping sun. After all the pain I & my bike suffered, I was finally glad to have chased down the sun. Chopta turned out to be the smallest hill station I’d ever seen. The accommodation was cheap & very basic. It’s an ordinary hamlet perched at an astounding height of 8790 ft. asl, but is rich in flora & fauna. Plus, the view is jubilant. There are thousands of reasons why one should avoid visiting Chopta for its lack of basic amenities, but the serenity of the place is unmatched.
Day6 | 30th April’14: Down to the woods | Chopta-Lansdowne:
As I already knew that there won’t be a sunrise to witness in Chopta as it faced the sunset side, I had a fairly sufficient sleep & woke up at 06:30AM. I ordered a morning tea while I packed my stuff & got ready for the big ride ahead. It was a long day on the road. I passed some of the flood affected zones of Uttarakhand & it’s good to see that things are steadily coming back on track. The roads were smooth at almost all the parts except for Augustyamuni where the landslides were frequent & disrupted the construction process.I set course towards Rudraprayag some 70 kms down the road. Within in an hour, I was in Ukhimath from where the road to Kedarnath diverts. The place experienced some share of destruction in the floods of 2013 & seemed like coming back to life with average roads & rebuilt civilization.Making my way through Rudraprayag & Pauri, I reached Lansdowne at 03:30PM. As soon as I entered Lansdowne, the scene changed drastically. There were no broken roads & well-kept neighborhoods welcomed me. Lansdowne is a Cantonment area & is home to Garhwal Rifles regiment. I settled in a cottage at the Tip-n-Top point that faced the sunrise side of the valley aptly. It was a graceful forest, opening up to a wide cliffside. While the birds chirruped distinctly, the mighty sun dipped in camouflage. I managed to capture the scene in all conscience.
Day7 | 1st May’14: The homecoming ride | Lansdowne-Delhi:
As speculated, the modest sun gave a bright start to the day as it came out of the blues & enlightened the entire valley. I packed my bags & saddled up. I left the idyllic town of Lansdowne & headed to Tarkeshwar Temple situated 35 kms outside the town.Perched at a height of 5900 ft. above sea level, the Tarkeshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is situated amidst a dense cover of cedar & pine trees. Around the temple, thousands of bells have been hung in order & when resonated in unison fill the place with tranquility. I took blessings from Lord Shiva & did my prayers. I did not miss out on thanking God for this opportunity of a lifetime to go for a dream ride. With the heart filled & spirits crowned, I made my way back to the exit.I reached Kotdwar at 01:30PM & the sun was at peak. I stopped for lunch & tossed away the heat. I reached Meerut bypass at around 04:00PM. It took me an hour just to cross Meerut. Soon after I picked up pace, the roads seemed to converge on me & the moments from the ride flashed past me. Making my way through Ghaziabad, I reached the finish line, my home at 06:45PM. My father was already out in the balcony waiting for me to arrive. It felt great to meet my parents after a week-long ride. They sure are proud & that’s the most rewarding fact for me.
A journey ended, only to leverage the moments spent wandering into the almighty nature. It was great to be a part of the captivating journey of a lifetime with Wrangler & xBhp. It’s a superlative fact that I lived the moments with sheer love & passion. I’m heart-filled at the vehemence that I’ve felt throughout this ride & I aspire to share this with others. I wander for essence & this may never change. Cheers to those who love to wander!
Live!! Ride!! Smile!! Find Yourself!!
About Author:
Rahul Arora
I get startled when someone asks me if I’ve left my full time job. To my surprise, some of my friends believe that this is a part of my job, which I think is very thoughtful & I aspire so. My name is Rahul Arora and I’m from Delhi. I’m a mechanical engineer by profession, a writer-photographer-blogger by expression, a music lover by nature & a fervent biker by obsession.
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Short weekend holiday at Beautiful heritage house in lake district of the Himalayas
Tired of the noise and pollution of Delhi, we were looking to spend a long weekend in hills. We decided to make a trip to our favorite weekend getaway - Nainital. Since it was a spontaneous plan and it being the Christmas weekend, all the good hotels were already booked. Moreover, we were looking to try something off the beaten path. So I started searching for holiday rental properties in and around Nainital. During my search, I came across a colonial time house by the name “Vienna Lodge, The Cottage by the Woods”.
The cottage looked beautiful in pictures and had excellent reviews online. I immediately called the owner and made a reservation for two nights. It was a family holiday and we were a gang of eight adults. We took the early morning Shatabdi train from Delhi to Kathgodam station. By noon we were at Kathgodam station, which is the closest rail head to Nainital. From there it was a 90 minute hilly drive to our cottage. The moment we arrived, I was in love with the cottage. It is a beautiful heritage property situated in the Ayarpatta Hill of Nainital.
The location is very tranquil and just a five minutes drive up the hill from the mall road. At the same time the cottage has the advantage of proximity to the town. Mall road is a nice 15 minute downhill walk from the cottage. The Cottage has three beautifully decorated Bedrooms with attached Bathrooms enough to house eight adults along with a cozy dining room and a Living Room. There is plenty of outdoor sitting space in the form of a Veranda and a Garden. We spent hours in the garden. The winter was perfect season to enjoy a bonfire for hours at a stretch. The cottage also has a fully equipped Kitchen in case one likes to cook during the holiday. Most surprisingly, even a cook was also available for hire for Rs 500/- per day (excluding cost of raw material).
We hired the cook and that proved to be an excellent decision as the cook was very good and prepared delicious breakfast and dinner for us, not to forget the delicious snacks during the evening bonfire. The staff is very nice and courteous at taking care of our needs. We would spend the warmer part of the day near the lake. Although the mall road can get annoyingly crowded during the day, there are few options to enjoy your time nearby.
One of them is obviously boating in the Naini lake and should definitely not be missed. Row boats are available for hire at reasonable prices. One of the days, we rented the paddle boat. Since the boat does not come with a rower, was bit tiring to operate yet a pleasant experience. Sailing boats are also available when the conditions are right. I also recommend spending an afternoon at the lake side boat club for its colonial charm. It is a lake side restaurant and bar with both open and covered seating with a breathtaking view to die for.
Back at the cottage, we were looking for easy hiking trails and short morning treks. The owner Vidyun is very knowledgeable about hiking trails in Nainital and guided us to the small forest behind the cottage, through which passes a small trail up the hill to the famous Dorothy's seat peak. We tried to trek to the peak in the morning; however had to return back halfway as the older folks felt exhausted. Nonetheless, it was a fun experience. I would recommend the cottage for nature lovers because of its scenic grandeur. There is an extra room outside the cottage available in case guests are travelling with personal drivers or other staff. The cottage also has a Wi-Fi but the coverage inside the cottage was sketchy.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience staying at the cottage. I highly recommend spending family holidays at Cottage by the Woods.
About Author:
Profession: Quantitative Researcher at TCS Innovation Labs
Passionate about: Passionate about travelling. I love all kinds of travelling experiences, be it adventures like trekking in the mountains, budget backpacking or luxury travel. I spend a lot of my time looking for my next travel escapade.
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Travelogue on Northern lakes of Italy
Coming to the Easter break, I decided that something had to be done with the ten days and spending the entire stretch inside my attic didn’t seem to be a good idea. It was decided to check out the Northern lakes of Italy. There were two of them in the list, Como and Maggiore. The deciding factors were ticket prices and weather forecast.
It was sulky weather everywhere in Italy that weekend. The only hopeful one seemed to be places surrounding Lake Maggiore where weather websites foretold the probability of precipitation to be just 20% which was better compared to 40-60% in Como.
Saturday morning. Turin was drenched in a steady drizzle from the previous day. Fine mist of a rain it was. Cars sped past with headlights peering into the fading misty darkness, a hesitant dawn. With merely an hour or so of sleep the night before, I doubted whether I would stay away during the journey. So we started off, 3 with one trailing behind from Porta Nuova at about 7 in the morning.
At Novara, where we had to change the train, rain displayed no signs of receding. Everything was damp, cold and gloomy. The journey from Novara to Arona was humdrum, with the sights of the northern villages and patches of desolate deciduous woods, which assume a depressing appearance in winter.
I must confess that despite my often declared dislike for the country, south of India still lives somewhere inside me, making me acutely aware of its influence on occasions like these. The train journeys back home, lashing merciless rains that seep in through the imperfect pull down shutters of rail coaches, one glass shutter and one metal shutter, the sight of swaying dark green foliage desperately fighting rain and thunderstorm. A bedlam of sounds from hawking cries of tea, raindrops pelleting train’s roof to the steady rhythm of sound made by metal wheels on metal rail.
A friend had commented long back, “It’s the inherent craving for chaos that lives inside Indians”. The lake started being visible by the time our train reached Arona. Blanketed with a heavy mist and the steady rain, it was just a part of the shore that we could figure out through the blurry windows.
It was not a crowded station. We ventured out braving the rain. Lake stretched before us, mild mist letting only a hazy view of its banks on the other side. There was a friendly girl at the local tourism office near the train station who suggested us to try the place Stressa if we wanted more stay options. Stresa too was on the shores of Lake Maggiore, and was about 20 minutes drive from Arona. She suggested that we take the bus instead of the train, which offered a better view and cost just about €2.5.
Wandering around Arona in the rain to pass time till our bus to Stresa started, froze the last bit of warmth out of me and that’s when I discovered the Italian magic portion that goes by the name of “Café Correto”. It is a normal espresso coffee spiced up with a shot of a grape based pomace brandy called grappa. As far as my taste was concerned, it was an agonizing drink to consume, but the moment it gets inside, you start thanking your stars for having discovered it. Strong coffee kills sleep, perking you up and grappa shoots heat into every cell of the body.
Journey in the bus was fascinating especially with just three of us as passengers. Meandering roads traced the shoreline of Maggiore which was still enveloped by mist. Bus sped past buildings along the shore most of which had piers and a couple of boats tied to them. It dropped us at the ferry point of Stresa. There was a trackless sightseeing train that took people on a city tour which I wanted to try out but had to give in to the group plan to go to the islands first by boat.
As we walked to the boats, a tall guy in a uniform (with a fancy naval cap) approached us and sternly asked us whether we were planning to go to the islands as there was a boat leaving in five minutes. Before we could agree upon it, he hurried off and directed us to follow him which we did, like a bunch of school kids. From a desk placed in a hole in the wall type structure, he tore down three tickets and demanded €60 (€20 each) for two islands. We obediently complied and he set us scuttling off to a boat which we promptly boarded. All this happened in about 5 minutes and by the time we realized that he made jackasses out of us, our boat was already on its way to the islands.
There were many operators and this boat was just one of them. It was not like the last boat to the islands. And cost of the ride was €18 but the guy had impressively managed to beat us off €2 each. I did, however, admire the way he did it. Maybe he had a whole repertoire of strategies from which he picked up one titled “authoritarian” and tried on us. And it worked.
The gloom of this setback was somewhat subdued with sight of our first island. Apparently, these islands, referred together as Borromean Islands, comprises of three small ones and two islets. Among these, we were to visit only Isola dei Pescatoriand Isola Bella as our €20 only covered them.
Isola dei Pescatori, which we stepped on first was a fishing island with a permanent population. It had beautiful narrow cobbled streets albeit being sandwiched by too many stalls selling fancy stuff to tourists. By dusk, we returned to Stresa and having nothing much to do, hunted around for a reasonable Bread and Breakfast place. We finally fixed on one run by an old lady somewhat a bit away from the main road and got out after a much needed nap to roam around the place in the night.
It was here that I saw the moon in its most outrageous size. Huge, yellow and spotted, it resembled a roughly cut lump of cheese illuminated by a dim bulb. But that was really a great night, walking aimlessly though the shores of Maggiorewith that huge yellow moon above, the sprawling lake beside and the snow capped Alps beyond.
About Author:
I am a lawyer by profession who has quit practicing law and presently engaged in teaching. Being a rolling stone, I keep drifting around focusing more on travelling and less on being riveted to any place. I save enough money every year to do a bit of mountaineering in the summer. I am passionate about mountaineering. I do a lot of climbing around Gharwal Himalayas. Love testing hi altitude gear. Last year, I tested a basic 2K Quechua tent high on Gharwal Himalayas in blizzard. I travel a lot. I also do a little bit of mountain biking. I have explored Ketam Mountain Biking Park (Singapore) just a month back. I am also a mechanical gadget freak. I love fixing mechanical things. This includes a long list of things from alarm clocks to cars. I collect outdated gadgets, mechanical and electronic. I read a lot, especially surreal stuff like Murakami.
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Awesome Weekend Rides: Hot Summer Ride!
The day began with a shrill alarm at 0400 hrs on Sunday. The eyes, still filled with sleep like a cream filled donut, tried to come to terms with the fact that it was time to wake up now. But it’s the weekend, the mind tried to reason. ‘So What’, the heart fought back, ‘tis time for the RIDE’. And yet again the heart won!
The hard Indian summer months of April to June are the period when even the birds don’t venture in the mid-day sun. These are the months when the only thing one can think of is an air-conditioner or shade. So, definitely, a bunch of guys and girls must surely be crazy to go out and ride their bicycles in the heat for over 50 kms and then also live to tell the tale. Well, that is the essence in reality of being a cyclist! We don’t do it for ourselves, we don’t do it for the groups, we don’t do it for the weather, and we don’t do it for the fun. We ride because there is a Bike to ride, simply.
Last Sunday my local ride group planned, what was supposed to be the last long distance ride for the summer, covering the route from Vashi in Navi Mumbai via Belapur through a place called Chirner, Kharpada, Karnala, Panvel, JNPT Road and back to Vashi again. All in the entire route consisted of a thrilling 80 kms of pure cycling heaven going through villages and valleys, with a 2-3 good climbs and equally awesome drops. That’s of course better said in the winter or the monsoon, not the summer’s God D*** It! Still, the heart took over, it’s a long ride, lots of other riders, it reasoned. The legs now started canvassing, waiting to start pedaling. And then the entire body revolted and took over the mind and it was unanimously decided by all the body parts to join the ride. Well, what could I do!
On Sunday, for me the ride began at 0545 hrs from the majestic NMMC HQ at Belapur. Once other riders joined in from other parts of Navi Mumbai and Mumbai (yes, a couple from Andheri decided to drive down here and join the Ride, crazy .huh!) There were almost 15 riders who had willingly joined in to be baked alive. A selfie later by the Ride leader, we began rolling and took the Uran Road that passes via Ulwe towards JNPT Road. The road to JNPT is 50 flat and the rest 50% is a nice smooth climb which brings us to Gavhaan Phata. (Phata roughly is the Marathi equivalent of Chowk). This is the point of intersection of the URAN Road and the JNPT Road. From here on the group crossed under the JNPT Road towards a village called Chirner.
The Village of Chirner is really a non descript little village but is hot favorite among bikers due to the Ransai Dam that is located there. The Dam and the lake are set amidst beautiful hills and is a separate ride in itself. The group halted at Chirner for refilling water. Now since these are the summer months, any rides that exceed 20 km demand that at least 2 liters. of water be carried along with of course Electrolyte drinks such as Enerzal. And since I had done this circuit earlier, I had almost 3 liters of water, 2 in my Polar bottle and Camelbak and 1 in my trusted Quechua hydration backpack. The Polar bottle and Camelbak Podium are insulated bottles and ensure that water at least stays at room temperature, if not hot and is drinkable. And to ensure even colder water, I usually fill the bottles and freeze them overnight, so the ice only completely melts when I am halfway through the ride.
After refilling at Chirner, we moved towards the Kharpada Toll booth. The road to the Kharpada toll booth passes through a few small climbs and is among one of the most beautiful roads to ride or drive on given the amount of flora on either side of the road.
Soon the road started winding up, as expected and towards the final stretch of the climb Weekend Warriors and a few others were literally forced to alight and walk up with their bikes, something the Road bikers would have tackled with ease. Those who managed to huff and puff their way up the climb were then rewarded with a simply amazing drop of almost 2 kms but not before being shot with a Camera by the Ride leader who ensured that no one misses out on the pictures being too busy to ride. The drop after the hill was exhilarating and the MTB’s and Hybrids touched speeds of almost 45 km/h and I personally touched almost 52 km/h with the wind slamming my face and head which were of course duly protected by Orao Bike Sunglasses and my Btwin helmet.
On reaching the Kharpada toll booth, we all took a break as this the halfway point as well as the availability of food and refreshments. Kharpada toll booth is the junction which lies on the Mumbai Alibag route and is prone to heavy traffic on the weekends. The group rested there for a while, feasting on Vada Pav’s, banana’s and sugarcane juice all the while being subjected to the strange stares of the Villagers, who of course did not seem to mind a couple of lycra clad people riding on the bike in the summer heat. We had reached Kharpada at 0830 hrs and it was already 32 degrees.
We left Kharpada riding in a single line formation on the road shoulder since the road was full of HCVs and LCVs and ensured that every rider in the front kept within the shoulder. Till Kharpada we had enjoyed our ride, riding in groups of two’s and three’s but on the arterial roads and highways one can never to careless.
Our next destination was Karnala from where we would go towards Panvel. From Kharpada itself the we started a low gradual climb with tiny bits of flat stretches and decided to ride till the entrance of Karnala Bird Sanctuary take a breather there and then move ahead. The reason for the breather at the entrance is because the road till there is a gradual 3-4 km climb and then from there the final 1 km is a little more steeper requiring regular bikers to shift in the smaller chaining or the Granny Gear to tackle the climb.
A short breather at Karnala Bird Sanctuary and we were once again on our way towards Panvel. By now the temperature was already touching 34 degrees.
The drop after Karnala lasts for almost 4 kms and requiring very little pedaling. However, this is where cyclists forget that they are on the highway and have to be aware and careful of the oncoming vehicles and also those from the behind. That’s precisely the reason why it’s important to wear neon clothing and also have good rear blinker lights, like the Cat eye Nemo light that I use, to warn the drivers behind you.
The Route till Karnala is well covered with tree shade at almost 70% of the way and thus gives you some respite. Once you cross Karnala the road is split wide open with absolutely no tree cover and the sun breathing down on your back. From Karnala till Panvel we rode with the least possible conversation and I must have finished at least 1 and a1/2 bottle of water. The temperature now was a COOL 35 degree that actually felt like 40 degrees because of the humidity factor. There was absolutely no stopping on till Palaspe Phata at Panvel where we decided to stop at the famous Shree Datta Snacks for some refreshments. It took us an hour to reach Datta Snacks.
The break at Datta Snacks lasted for almost 20 minutes with the group opting for sugarcane juice yet again and me having 2 coconuts full of water. By this time ALL my water was hot (so much for the insulated bottles, but I think they are not meant to operate in the Indian heat) and I refilled two of my bottles with icy cold water, enough to last me the final 20 kms till my home in Kharghar.
We left Datta Snacks at 0945 hrs now not at all caring about the Sun God’s wrath and started riding on the JNPT Road towards Gavhaan Phata from where we would turn towards Belapur. The Ride on the JNPT Road is actually lovely with views of hills on both sides but right now all we could see the end of the road where we make the turn. The temperature was almost 36 degrees now and it actually felt like 45 degrees.
By the time we reached Gavhaan Phata, all riders were terribly exhausted, not from the ride but from the heat. We stopped near a Neera Stand and had a glass each and started on the final leg of the ride. The first 3 kms from Gavhaan Phata till Belapur NMMC HQ is a nice drop and it felt good not pedaling for once during the ride. Sadly this stretch too like the Karnala stretch is devoid of any vegetation and the only solace was the trickles of water I was shooting down the vents of my helmet on my forehead. But be warned though this can sometimes lead to sunstrokes and is not recommended unless the water dropped is very minimal just to keep the temperature down.
Finally, after the last climb and crossing one last bridge over the Panvel Creek the NMMC HQ building was in sight and this is where I splintered from the group and headed towards Kharghar while the remaining riders summoned all their strength and moved on toward Vashi and other respective locations. Near the Belapur Station I stopped one last time at my favorite Chaiwalla for some sweet tea and regain some strength till the final five kms till home.
I stepped inside my building gate at approximately 1045 hrs, five hrs after starting my ride and totally satisfied at having taken on the Sun God and coming out unscratched through the ordeal. With my final remaining strength I managed to guzzle one last glass of Enerzal and called it a day. In spite of the fact that we called it our last ride of the summer, I secretly knew there is no such thing as a Last Ride and yet again we planned for a ride to our dear old Datta Snacks the coming weekend. But that will be another ride report. Some Ride!
About the Author
Partha is in his mid-thirties, lives in Navi Mumbai and works in Banking & Finance, working five days a week. Other than cycling he also enjoys hiking, trekking, nature walks and active sports. And when he is not doing any of these you can find him hooked on to his Kindle or listening to Progressive trance or simply shooting random pics on his Lumia 730. A Greenpeace follower and a staunch Save-the-Earth activist, he loves connecting with people.
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Contributors to Nepal Quake Relief with 10kya
Mr. Girish Nikam (Bottles & Cutlery )
Mr. Partha Sadhak (2 Tents)
Mr. Pravin Pednekar, Mumbai, ₹500/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Mr. Imrish Singh, Singapore, ₹40,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Ms. Savneet Kaur Pandher, Delhi, ₹10,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Ms. Anuja Sane, Mumbai, ₹25,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Mr. Suresh Kumar, Singapore, ₹50,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Ms. Shabani Khanna, Gurgaon, ₹25,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Mr. Vineesh Ghei, Mumbai, ₹15,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Ms. Anjali Garg, AbuDhabi, ₹25,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
Mr. Sharad Gupta, Mumbai, ₹50,000/- Worth of Nepal Relief Material
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Scolarian Bikes
We want to revolutionise the cycling culture in India and share your dream of seeing more bicycles on and off the road. In our quest to provide the most beautiful bikes to you, we at Scolarian are continuously engaged in designing and building these amazing bikes.
Frame sizes:
50 cm - For Heights 5ft 1in - 5ft 6in
54 cm - For Heights 5ft 6in - 5ft 11in
Type: Fixed Gear and Single Speed. The Rear Hub is equipped with a Flip Flop Hub having a Fixed Gear Cog and a Freewheel.
What is a Fixed Gear Cycle or Fixie as it is popularly called? How is it different from any other cycle you have seen or driven?
A fixed gear cycle is basically the simplest form of a bicycle. On a fixie, the rear cog which is the small wheel with teeths on it (see image below) onto which the chain engages doesn't have the Pawl and Ratchet mechanism. In a normal cycle with a freewheel, this mechanism engages the gear when you pedal in the forward direction and makes the wheel free when you pedal in the reverse direction or do not pedal. With this system absent on a fixie, you can power the rear wheels by pedalling in both forward and reverse directions. But generally back pedalling (pedalling backwards) is done to brake the rear wheels which is why you don't see brakes or only a front brake. Essentially you are always in control of your bike and feel closer to the road. A fixed gear drivetrain is mechanically more effcient than the traditional freewheel ones and you reach higher speeds.
Wait! There is more, just because you bought a fixed gear cycle doesnt mean you have to give up on the freewheel. You bought a Scolarian Fixie which comes equipped with a Flip Flop Hub. It has a fixed gear cog on one side and a freewheel on the other. So, whenever you are tired or just want to enjoy the whiz down a hill, simply loosen the axle nuts, remove the wheel, flip it to engage the freewheel onto the chain and tighten the nuts. Yes, it is that simple and we provide you with all the tools required to do so and a saddle bag to carry them all around.
Well before you hop onto one of these, just to warn you once you try out a fixie, it is really hard to get off the bike and pass it on without craving to ride more. That strong is the joy that you feel riding a fixie.
Your Legs are Your Gears!!!
CAPTAIN 09
Aye! Presenting you the Captain 09!!! A new mutiny is going to start on the streets led by the Captain. He comes on a Black frame with shining Silver armour!
Colour: Matte Black with Polished Silver Wheels
HERMIT 05
Seek solitude from your world to explore the new dimension of joy with The Hermit. Donned in Copper it comes with Black requisites.
Colour: Glossy Copper with Matte Black Wheels
SONIC 21
Sonic is a blue hedgehog with ability to run at greater speed. Born with this Racing DNA, Sonic 21 comes with Alloy crank making it even lighter and faster. Grab all the eyeballs with the shiny anodised Gold finish.
Colour: Matte Blue with Anodised Gold finish Wheels
COP 100
In the darkness of the shadows, when you search for a beacon of light, find the Cop glowing in fluorescence! Presenting the Cop 100, dedicated to all the Night Watchers guarding and protecting our lives.
Colour: Neon Green with Matte Black Wheels
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Big Trouble in Little Kingdom
For over 200 years they have protected us, fought for us and with us, guarded us, took us up the stairway to heaven – to the Sagarmatha or Everest, all this while tolerating us calling them names such as ‘Shaab Zee” and “Aay Nepali” and ‘Gurkha’ etc, etc, and have yet stood smiling because they loved us, they were fond of us and they wanted us to visit ‘Āphnō ghara’ , Their Home and enjoy their food, love, hospitality and warmth, which is really all they had to offer. (And, NO, they never did offer us drugs or booze or other sins! We took them there.) And as we speak today, our so called brother and sisters in Nepal are torn apart by the fury of Mother Nature disguised as an Earthquake that hit Nepal three days ago.
The Nepali folks are very strong. They have faced hell and high water, quite literally, by fighting for us and the British and the ‘almost-Godsend-like’ people, the Sherpas, who have helped us in climbing the Mount Everest and in saving countless lives in the face of daunting challenge – climbing the Everest, unflinchingly and without raising one eyebrow. I cannot remember one single occasion when a Nepali brother or sister has backed away, has not done his or her duty or has walked away from responsibility. I do not know of any Nepali who has ever expected money in return for a good deed. All they ever wanted was our love and respect. That’s just the way they are! And all this while they were thousands of miles away from their homes and left their family and friends behind.
Today it is our loyal and ever devoted Nepali brothers and sisters who have borne the brunt of a quake, by far the biggest one since the last century and they need us now. As the tragedy unfolded before our eyes on television during the weekend, I saw our neighbors in Nepal looking distraught, scared and helpless. I saw the fear in their eyes and that feeling that the next one could be bigger. I saw them being worried for their children going hungry without food or water. Under no circumstances can I even remotely feel what they are undergoing and pray that I never have to. As I scanned the news channels, all I could see was face after face of men women and children who were in a state of shock and of those whose lives were uprooted from the ground up.
The brave people of Nepal have always have had a love hate relationship with the Earth being the home to the largest mountain peak in the world and have always respected nature and protected the environment. They are the ones who have learned to love the land they are living off and yet nothing would have prepared them to face a difficult situation and a challenge posed to them by the earthquake. The people of Nepal are God fearing and they offer prayers to Lord Pashupatinath for their safekeeping and those of their sons and daughters who are away from Nepal. Maybe the earthquake might have shaken the very belief of the people as to ‘why me?’. But I am positive that even tough shaken, their faith will not vanish and the feeling that God will turn things back to normal soon will resurface and Nepal will rise again like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
When I started writing this piece, I thought about the help I could offer the people of Nepal. But the more I wrote and the more I thought, I realized that the people of Nepal want us to stand by them in this time just as they have stood by us during our times of need. My Nepali neighbors would want me to put my hand on his and her shoulder, like SRK did and tell them ‘Main Hoon Na’. That apart they need our medicines, our doctors, our food and anything that can help them return back to their lives. Of course, the scars left by the Quake and the devastation will leave its mark on the people of Nepal and it will take a very long time for the wheel to turn full circle. I do not know when that will happen or how it will happen, but it will happen definitely, such is the strong resolve of the Nepali people, as we have seen through the years.
On my part I will be doing whatever is possible to help my Nepali brothers and sisters in whatever small or big way I can. I haven’t thought how but no matter how big or small, in cash or kind, I am going to chip in to help them in time of need as they have through the years for us all. But before that I will go to my building security who is a Nepali and give him a hug to let him know that he is not a foreigner here but my brother and that I am there for him just as he is there for us. (His family’s safe as of now but without rations, water and medicines etc.) Just an assurance will ensure that he smiles a little, something he has not done ever since the story of the quake back home broke out.
And as I end, I can hear myself humming the tune from Avril Lavigne’s song- Keep holding on, which goes like this,
‘You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No I won't give in!’
Dedicated to the Brave People of Nepal and in fond memory of those who lost their livesin the 2015 earthquake!
(The Author’s close relatives which included women and children were stranded in Kathmandu when the quake struck and only managed to return home after three painfully long days. The stress and trauma felt by the people there was recounted to the author by them first hand)
Partha Sadhak
Tuesday, 28th April 2015
Mumbai
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AND IT’S BACK… FIFA..
Here the countdown begins for the most awaited tournament…Get ready for the excitement, fun, noise, enjoyment, matches and much more.
And we are here to gratify you guys with our products related to FIFA. So Grab the opportunity and find your product to cheer your favorite team.
Caxirola: -
Caxirola is a Brazilian percussion instrument. It is created by Carlinhos Brown. The caxirola is certified on 27th September, 2012 with the ministry of Brazil. And now it is the official musical instrument of the FIFA 2014 in Brazil.
Caxirola is the instrument originated by Caxixi (Musical Instrument). It makes sound by shaking it, thus it is a struck idiophone indirectly.
Vuvuzela: -
Vuvuzela is a plastic horn. It is about 2 feet long. It is also known as Lepatata Mambu. It is originated from the Kudu horn. It produces the monotones sound. The sound is produced by blowing it. The intensity of sound depends upon the pressure and the technique of blowing.
It is used in football matches in South Africa. The South African stadiums are always full with the sound of vuvuzelas. Now it has become one of the symbol of South African symbol as the attention was caught by the sound in FIFA 2010 in South Africa.
There are some more products for fans like Silicon Bands with the country name, Trumpets, Caps with the country name, lip whistles, scarves with country name and much more.
So hurry up…. And cheer your favorite team with your favorite product.