Yeoor

"सुधा भाई ने पाठवले का?" asks a nine-year-old kid as I reach a dead-end on a road in Yeoor.

Acting on orders from the courts, authorities are currently on a demolition drive here, razing illegal structures in the reserve forest. Most such structures (called by the fancy name "farmhouses") are owned by unscrupulous elements through ill-gotten means. Sudha bhai is one such character. Even after being booked under a stringent anti-terror law in the 1990s, Bhai flourished and apparently owns two properties at Yeoor, a tribal hamlet located on a hillock.

Thane has changed over the years and areas surrounding the hill are an integral part of the extended city. Yeoor, with its lush forest, is now a part of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. It also serves as the best getaway to the denizens of Thane city, who come here for the peace and tranquility. A narrow tar road with steep gradient leads up to Yeoor with sharp turns along the way which really test your mettle, especially when climbing down.

To get a first-hand experience of the peace and tranquility, I'll recommend a trip to Yeoor any Saturday night. Many owners give their bungalows on hire, which results in night-long parties with high decibel music being played out. By 2 AM, inebriated youngsters park their cars for a few private moments with their partners in the ghat section while the bachelors prove their presence by testing their car audio systems.

However, Sunday morning presents a contrastic picture. Fitness freaks walk up till the airforce station from Pokhran Road No 1 while many others ride up for a game of tennis in a private club house. Local tribal girls go through their regular exercise regimen of walking up till a community tap, queing up for water and walking back.

Many kids like the nine-year-old I encountered roam around playing sundry games (like intimidating strangers) while a group of city-bred youngsters struggles finding their favourite brand of cigarettes at the two pan shops. Probably, the urge for a smoke has compelled them to walk up till the shop in spite of the hangover.

As for the ride, the short ghat in itself was a very fulfilling ride as it has very good gradients. Heavy traffic comprising of cars and the occassional TMT bus compels a cyclist to follow road discipline and you cannot ride zig-zag from one end to other of the road for an easy ascent. However, the fun is shortlived as within ten minutes (and going down till the gear combination 1-2) you are on the plateau.

Fear of getting booked under Official Secrets Act prohibited me from having a short break after the ghat at the airforce station's gate (ok, this ones an exaggeration but the sentry at the gate is really intimidating). Having lots of time on hand, I decided to explore the place on the bike. After 30 minutes, I descended down.

Overall, its a cyclist's delight. Do go there! (I'd decided to cycle up daily, but haven't gotten started yet)

ही श्रींची(च) इच्छा !!

Please don't take the title of the post seriously, its coming from an atheist.

The title is obviously inspired by similar-sounding statements believers make. The objective of using it here is our jinxed (again, inspired by stereotypes) ride to Titwala.

My colleague Nikhil and me have the ride planned for over two weeks now, but had not been able to venture out for two consecutive Sundays as I wasn't feeling well. On the third Sunday, I woke up at 0550 hours (sharp) and started the preparations. Task(s) at hand : picking up water, some food items, increasing the saddle height and filling air in the tyres.

I completed all the tasks but for the saddle height. I just could not trace a plier required to loosen the seat nut and (like a nut) searched the entire house frantically for over two hours, unsuccessfully.

I was always hesitant for the ride because of the destination (Titwala houses a Ganpati Temple) but gave a (full-hearted) "yes" so that Nikhil gets addicted to long distance cycling. Nikhil cycles 15-km each morning but hasnt yet taken the plunge by doing longer rides. A Dombivili-Titwala-Dombivili ride would be around 50 km and enough to get him started, but courtesy the antics of Abhinav it could not happen.

My nephew Abhinav was home for a week before the Sunday and has probably misplaced the pair of pliers. He has the habit of picking up odd things and dumping it in any corner of the house (my sister-in-law says sometimes things are thrown out of the window as well).

8 AM : At the end of two hours of frantic searching, I decided to call off the planned ride. Nikhil may have been certainly annoyed but had his thinking hats on. "Get started on the low saddle and stop at the nearest puncturewalla," he advised. Why couldn't such a simple thing occur to me? Anyways, I had lost all the enthusiasm by now and persisted with my decision.

Not in a mood to let the early wake up on a Sunday go a waste, I walked out of home to ride, anywhere. A quick hop and I started to think - where should I go.

The recently acquired infatuation for ascents took me to Yeoor, the best option nearby.

A Plan.....

Cycling on "zero-gradient", city roads has ceased to interest me. There has to be some fun in riding. And the fun element is the long ascents and the ensuing descends. Staying in Thane, I cannot aspire to ride in the vicinity of ice-capped peaks of the Himalayas.

Hence, a solution : we have lot many of the ghats connecting Konkan with the towns on the Deccan Plateau within our reach. Why not leverage on the proximity and launch a concerted attempt at doing one such ghat road every weekend? As it is, there has been an unprecedented slump in trekking activity.

The plan is simple : take your bike to the base village (for example Khopoli if you are doing the Khandala ghat) by motorised vehicle, ride up to the town/village on the घाट माथा and descend down to the base village to take the same route back home. Most of the ghats in Maharashtra can be done over the space of a weekend. In some cases, you will have to leave Thane on Saturday night and do the overnight travel to the base village/town while in many others, we can enjoy the luxury of starting on Sunday mornings.

Immediate ghats that I can think of : Kasara, Malshej, Khandala, Tamhini, Ambenali, Varandha, Amba and Amboli. Logistics is definitely an issue and a bigger one is finding a partner on this adventure.

The search starts.

Thane-Alibag-Thane

The frustration of not having been on a long ride for three long weeks since purchasing the bike had reached its peak and we decided to take complete advantage of the Diwali weekend.

To start with, Mandar and myself discussed some grand riding plans like a 3-day Thane-Murbad-Malshej-Aalephata-Narayangaon-Pune-Lonavala-Khandala-Panvel-Thane ride, a ride to Phansad and chilling off in the park etc but ultimately settled for an overnight stay at Prabalgad's Dakshin Buruj, sans any cycling.


Saturday afternoon - reached Panvel, only to find that Athawale kaka is caught up with some domestic work and cant make it. This left only Mandar and myself and we decided against going for the trek. It was the first instance for me of a trek getting cancelled (change of venues are regular) and I made a disgraceful return to Thane the same evening.


Sunday morning : woke up early (as planned) and took the cycle to Masjid by train. A short ride on the P D'Mello road and I was at Bhaucha-Dhakka, the air filled with the smell (stench?) of fresh catch of fish. After a 15 minute-wait at the entrance, the counter opened and took a ticket. Only the passenger fare of Rs 29 was charged with the instructions that I will have to pay the extra bucks (without a receipt) on the ferry. The bike was comfortably put on the deck and the boat set sail for Revas.

After around 90 minutes we were at Revas, having cut across the Mumbai harbour. A cycle-charge of Rs 10 was paid and the loaders also helped unloading of my priced cargo on to the jetty. (For motorised 2-wheelers, the charge works out to Rs 90. Rs 30 each for loading, unloading and travelling)

The ride starts on the picturesque road, initially the road quality is not so good (may be due to the absence of the bourgeois' farmhouses in the area) but becomes excellent as you join road connecting Mandwa and Alibag. (The Mandwa region has many farmhouses!) Photo ops are immense in this area, especially palm/coconut trees against the backwaters/sea setting. But the cyclist in me decides against a halt for a picture and I keep moving southwards.

Its Diwali time, and all your notions about the believers savouring festive items like shankarpale, chakli, chivda etc (and avoiding non-veg) are dashed at the sites on the Alibag-Revas road. Nearly every road intersection has a mutton shop and the scene is same everywhere : long queues to get their share in the goat's sacrifice. Its a Saturday morning and the locals surely take their weekends seriously.

After a 12 km ride, I make my first stop at Chondhi at my uncle's paints and hardware shop. Business activity is slow being Diwali day and good time for a chat over a shared vada pav. I am told my cousin sister is visiting forts on a private tour operator-arranged excursion and paying Rs 10,000 for seven days! (Good business it is, considering that hes carrying ten bus loads of tourists interested in a firsthand look at our "heritage")

From Chondhi, I ride to Kihim (two km) and meet the cousin recently infatuated by our rich heritage. "बाबासाहेब पुरंदरे असणार आहेत", she says. I wonder if the old man would find time at least to shake hands with all the tourists (its wrong to call them by any other name). An Appa Parab or his daughter would also do but how can the operator extract such hefty sums?

From Kihim, I ride to my destination Alibag (around ten km), in time for a late lunch and comfortably placed for a good siesta. The nap extends a bit and I woke up at 1845 hours. In the evening, its another first : visiting a fish market for purchases along with my elder brother who claims to be seasoned in the act by now. (he can identify more species than me and knows the trick of testing the freshness)

They say caste thoroughly breeds in our people. All my brother's friends are stunned at the site of both of us in the middle of the market, scouting for deals. Help is pouring from all quarters : an RCF-employee offers to share a big fish if we are interested, a plumber chips in by advising on which fish to buy and a drunk youngster who is fixing a deal for the next morning offers to pay for our fish! The two Agashes (read Brahmins) are novices in the purchasing and are helped very well. I look forward to the day when this would also happen the other way around and the "others" will get a similar welcome into Brahmins' fortes? For now, the "others" seem to be more inclusive and pragmatic.

For dinner its Karli (very difficult to consume, has to be eaten under expert supervision) and Mandeli, followed by desserts. Long chat in the open terrace follows and I am in bed only at 2 AM.

Woke up in time on Sunday at 0630 hours and within ten minutes leave for Thane on the cycle. Traffic is thin and the air still cold which makes for a perfect setting for riding. The Karle Khind ghat is negotiated easily courtesy the Shimanos without any difficulty and I start the long descent which extends up till Poynad. At Pezari, a fog has engulfed the entire stretch making visibility a concern but a cyclists needn't get worried. The tempo is good and I keep on progressing through Dharamtar, Wadkhal and Pen, finally halting outside a dhaba at Tarankhop which serves as a good drinks break.

I start cycling within five minutes, knowing well that the ride's most formidable challenege : the Hamrapur ascent is just a few km away. Hamrapur is dealt with easily and the progress continues through villages like Jite, Kharpada, Tara etc. I am hungry by 1000 hours and halt for a breakfast at Kshan-Bhar-Vishranti after the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, knowing well that this ones gonna drill a hole in my pocket.

The famed eatery frequented by the carwallahs lives up to the expectations. A misal is Rs 25, Rs 2 extra for each paav and the worst : Rs 15 for a plate of extra usal/rassa/sample (otherwise complimentary). I run up a bill of Rs 46 and the waiter also earns a Rs 4 tip courtesy prompt delivery of lemon (much needed to keep dehydration at bay).

The heat becomes difficult to negotiate and my ass also has a hard time sitting on the narrow saddle which does not have any extra cover. A gel seat cover (Rs 480 at the firefox showroom) is a must buy!

The progress becomes harder but I keep on going in the heat. Next halt is at Belapur CBD below the flyover. Its a deja vu kind of a moment : last time I'd had a short nap after being exasperated due to the heat. This time, I decide against resting and start within ten minutes. The final leg of the ride is unarguably the toughest and a real test. The heat is very much, the road is wide and open (no thrill in cycling) and there is no tree cover.

The next halt is at Airoli for water. The one I am carrying is too hot due to the elements, but has to consumed. I cross over the 2 km bridge relatively easily and find an oasis-like place. A cool shade on the Mulund-end of the bridge with a soda seller's cart. Ten minutes and five lemon sodas later, I start moving Thane and reach home by 1330!

Cycle behaved very well, I saved on time as compared to the ride in the month of May on Swing SE. Only problem experienced with the bike : gear shifting. The chain also came off twice when the gears were lowered. I think its time for a visit to the mechanic.

Kadak!

Completed Dombivli-Thane in a little over two hours. My friends need not be worried for its a truly good bike. Doesn't make me crib and miss the trek. Its really light and responsive with decent braking. The only feature where the trek is indisputably strong is the gear shifting. (But because of the savings done on price, I am ready to compromise a bit)

Faced minor problems with the gear shifting, especially when the chain is on the 4th ring on the rear derailleur plus shifting gears on the front derailleur. Also, their choice of doing the gear shifting through the revo grip shifter can prove to be a worry as time progresses. But as compared to my first ride on the trek, this was a lot better - though doing some noise, the gears were shifting and the chain did not come off.

THE ROAD

From Tukaram Nagar, I rode to Dombivli west to meet Mitesh and then took the Manpada road to exit the congested and unplanned town. Road condition : not so good, disgraceful for a municipal corporation to neglect an important arterial road connecting the town with the rest. Once you turn left for Kalyan, the road (maintained by IRB who obviously charge a toll to the carbonivores) is in good condition and wide. Route - Dombivli-Shivaji Chowk Kalyan-Durgadi Kalyan-Kon Gaon-the intersection on national highway, took a left and started cycling towards Thane (17 km from the intersection)

There was fog resulting in low visibility in patches at MIDC Dombivli and over the creek near Durgadi Kalyan which is rather unusual for this part of the year. It was a cool weather all through (the ride took place between 0630 hrs and 0830 hrs) which was almost pleasant in October.

A couple of steep ascents on the NH were tackled easily by the bike. However, the chain wasn;t as smooth while riding on lower gears (2-4, 2-3). Nikhil says the cycle will get "free" as the riding distances go up and the noise making is nothing abnormal. I am ready to believe it for now.

The saddle height needs to be increased which will be done soon. Also, in the future, will have to get a good seat-cover failing which the cycle would be a pain in the ass.

Overall, a fulfilling day. As for now, she is doing very well and does not in any way need the help of the mechanic (my biggest worry in making the purchase from Dombivli). Plan to take her to Yeoor tomorrow morning (??) where the gradient will test the Shimano gears much better.

INTRODUCTION

Woke up at 0400 hours after two hours of sleep for a very special reason : going to my friend Nikhil Walavalkar's place in Dombivli, picking up the all new Thunder MTB and bringing her home to Thane (around 35 km)

Having done nearly 600 km on Trek 3700, Thunder MTB was a compromise candidate chosen because of the price advantage (Rs 6,000 for Thunder as compared to Trek's Rs 17,000). Had to scout (literally) for the cycle at different shops and Nikhil finally found a good deal at Lassi cycles, Dombivli.

The colour scheme (blue + silver) and the graphics could have been done better but they hardly matter to me till the bike performs well.

After spending ten minutes removing the plastic covers and having chai, it was time to get her out and see if she delivers. Courtesy the high regards my learned cyclist friends have for the Thunder, I did not even care to have a look at (easily-available) alternatives in the market like Act series, Octane etc.

Having decided that I would be more interested in long distance rides taking me out of city, my expectations from the cycle are easy to articulate. It must have a decent gear system, should be light, have broad tyres and should not have a racer/city bike's riding position. Otherwise, I am not at all interested in the jazz like shock-absorbers etc coz i don't intend to do much of off-roading.

It was a simple decision as thunder fulfilled all of those, plus had the thumbs-up from my cyclist friends. Having paid six k for the bike, I can only hope that they get vindicated.