Shimoga to Jog Cycling

If you are wondering why there has been no updates for 4 months, the fact is simple, i did not have any stories to post. I had stopped biking for 3 months to give myself some break, but it was a bit late when i realised that the break period had turned into luxury and i paid for that luxury in this ride.
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It was a long weekend as Friday being an off on occasion of Durgashtami and i planned to go on a small cycling tour. Though the destination was still a question mark, i had few options, Option 1 Chikmagalur – Belur – Halebidu – KemmanGundi – BRP, Option 2 – Shimoha – Jogfalls – Sagar. I enquired in VRL travels to check the availability of tickets and I was told that he had 1 seat left and it would cost 600Rs and cannot guarantee if my bike could be carried in the bus. I immediately dropped the plan of taking a private luxury bus as i did not have time to negotiate (It was 8.30 Pm) and a government bus would not cost me more than 300. I went to majestic with my bike and the bus stand was jam packed because of the long weekend. I was sure now that i would not get a seat in a luxury bus and the last option i had was to try in an ordinary one. I found one that was due to leave at 10 PM. I approached the conductor if i can load the cycle inside the bus, the conductor told me that the bus did not have a carrier on the top, but i could try loading it inside the luggage box. I dismantled the front wheel, slid the handle bar a bit and tried to load it, but it was still large to get inside the box. Finally the conductor was kind enough and asked me keep the bike inside the bus at the last row in spite of the the fact that the bus was completely crowded and even the fellow passengers did not complain. The cost of the ticket was 170 and just 20 for the bike, but the conductor demanded 50 more for his “kindness” which i was still ok with as we had a “Win Win”. I was still saving more than 350 Rs. I was unable to sleep as the bus was over crowded, bad bumpy roads throughout the journey and the chill wind coming through the shattered window panes. I reached Shimoga at 5.30 AM. I immideatly assembled the bike in the bus stop, changed my dress in the pay and use toilet and pushed off to a nearby small hotel at have my breakfast (I had skipped dinner the previous night). I had a vada, upma and coffee which was decent, but I found it hard to assimilate the fact that the bill amount was 32!!.
The ride started at 6 in the morning and the climate was very pleasant and the sun didnt even peak through the clouds. Even the roads were very neat without any patholes. After 10 km’s i started finding few uphills and downhills. It was lush green forest and fields all around and most of the time i was the only one on the road with a light drizzle. I could hardly find any symptom of human in habitation. I can say its one of the best rides i have ever had. But on the contrary there were few disadvantages too. The pleasant climate meant a short day. It would become dark by 5 PM, I had to bike 105 Km to reach jog falls and 105 to come back, the sum is 210. I have never touched 200 number, my highest being 178, come what may i had to reach Shimoga within 7 as its very risky to bike post darkness. To reach Shimoga by 7 i had to be in Jog within 12. This calculation made my legs pedal a bit faster. The breakfast I had in the morning was burnt in 2 hrs (40km ride) and i started feeling a bit tired and hungry by 9 and stopped in a very small canteen which had just one table. I had 3 dosas with chutney, Avalkkey (beaten rice) and 3 tea’s which costed me 15. After few photo sessions and chit chat with the locals i started the ride. Inspite of having a good break fast i was still feeling bit tired. By 11 I reached Sagar a small town on the way to Jog (Jog is 35 Kms from here) completely tired and exhausted after cycling just 78 kms. Either the roads had too many uphills or my body was in a bad shape. This was the time I realised what a 3 months luxury can do to your body and Stamina you had built. I had 2 glasses of apple milk shake which costed 30. I started off by 11.30 and this the real uphills started and the sun was out to its glory. The last 3 km was a complete downhill which meant the backward journey would kill me. By now i had consumed 4 ltrs of water and 2 tender coconuts. After lot more breaks i managed to reach Jog by 1, it was gargantuan, but I exhausted to the core, sleepy, hungry.. I was in a mess.

I remember reading Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs which says human needs form a pyramid, the bottom most needs are very basic like food, shelter.. etc and the top most being Self Actualization like problem solving, morality, creativity .. etc. Whenever i start cycling i start at the summit of the pyramid where the need for self actualization is the top most priority, by the time i reached Jog i was at the foot of the pyramid where food and shelter became the top priority, after a good meal i knew cycling back to Shimoga was close to impossible and i called my friend who resides in Sagar and he asked me to come home straight to his house, the 2nd layer of the pyramid which is “Safety and Security” , and it was a big relief, and time was no more a constraint. This is what cycling does to me, in a day i slide across the pyramid and every break takes me back slowly to the next top layer. I spent some tome clicking snaps and few kids wanted to take snaps posing with my bike too.

I left Jog by 3.30 and the initial 3 km climb was very hard, but the remaining 30 km’s were alright. With few more breaks i reached Sagar by 5.30 and the 1st thing i did was to book a ticket back to Bangalore. This time i choose a luxury bus for 350 and they had place for my bike in the luggage box. From the bus stop my friends place was another 10 kms. He was my room mate during my university days. After hot shower we spent time taking about our university days with tea. I finished my dinner (with lot of sweets on occasion of Dussera) and left his place by 8 and reached the bus stand by 9.15 and loaded my cycle and went to my seat and closed my eye… Blank. A copassenger woke me up in Bangalore at 6.
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For Number lovers,
Total Distance covered – 148
Time taken – 1 day
Cycling hours – 10 hrs
Fuel – Upma, vada, 3 dosas, 1 south indian meal, 2 apple juice, 4 coconuts, 5 ltrs of water.
Cost for food and water – ~300
Travel cost – 240+350 = 590
Total expense = ~ 1000