3 friends cycle across coastal Maharashtra on 3 cycles!

Our host was a thorough biker, a die-hard Harley aficionado who owned a Fat Bob and a X440.

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The Three Idiots

Me – Have been writing some posts here, trust are good reads.

Tiny – Tiny loved singer Mukesh, he used to sing his songs all the time but there was a twist, he translated the lyrics to English and then sang, the result was such that if music could kill we’d saved tons of ammunition.

Ajit – To kill boredom he had kept a scorpion in a plastic container and befriended him, that was fine but he’d named it ‘Baby Face Nelson’, Baby Face went with us all places, for long he enjoyed the comforts of the plastic container but one day in the NE it was pounding rainfall which irritated Baby Face to such extent that he packed his bags and left the comforts of the container in search of better life. Ajit was super sad, we did present him options like Leeches, Lizards, Snakes, Crabs and Poisonous insects but none were to his liking.

We had other mates with colourful background but today they are being mischievous in a different world, we miss them and their theatrics.

Between us three we had phases of hobbies/activities, we dabbled with photography, then scuba diving then golfing and now finally cycling, on that part we gelled well and mind set was sorted from word go, we cycled from Himachal to Rajasthan, over entire North East plus once a month we’d do long runs over 200kms over a weekend, we loved cycling and cycling loved us so in health matters it wasn’t causing any harm.

Seeding the idea

We bumped into a retired Vice at one function, at 78 he was in prime health, played an hour of Squash daily, he sang (logically), was ace bridge player and biked on a Harley across India, he also made miniature models of warships and submarines to pass time, he had converted his home in coastal town of Revdanda into a miniature resort which he rented to folks he felt were worthy for a hefty price!!

Coming to the point Vice said he wanted us at his home and wanted us soon as monsoons are best time to visit coastal MH, he had read about our cycling ventures and said that coastal Maharashtra in the monsoons would be enchanting experience

Anyways we agreed, then we got busy with own lives and plans got wrapped under blanket of routines.

One day on golf course a passing thought came that we could over long Independence Day weekend plan a cycling trip to meet Vice, we called him and he sounded super excited, his abode was booked but he could spare us a room, we said we wanted to cycle and his advice was to take the ferry from Mumbai to Mandwa and then cycle along as it would save time and efforts, we could cycle more onwards all way to place called Shrivardhan, Vice promised the scenic beauty of the place would be mesmerizing.

The Cycleogue

I was still uncomfortable packing cycle to airline regulation, a professional agency helped, on return journey I contacted the Mumbai office of same agency and they helped me back as well, I am still very uncomfortable dismantling and mantling the rear tyre.

Tiny and Ajit had decided to borrow cycles from friends, sometimes god has his own crazy way of creating humour, Tiny could scout a gravel cycle but the person Ajit was depending on had a BSA Ladybird in Pink , the image of Ajit on a ladybird cycling across the coast was treat but it also meant he would take forever to catch-up so we made more calls and another gravel one was arranged. Now we had two bergamonts and one marin

The ferry is sorted business, comfortable journey, there is a dedicated area for pets where I saw a couple with a Persian cat, introduced myself and played with their cat for some time reminiscing my kitten’s AC and DC at home, sure once back home the Mrs. would be ready with list of complaints and damaged material done by those innocent beings in my absence!!

There is no dedicated cycling parking on the ferry but one gets space near the bikers and its sorted business, ferry has comfortable lounge but we in BIB shorts prefer not to sit apart from saddle of the cycle as it causes unwanted irritation!!!

The ferry takes approximately and hour shore to shore, the ingress and egress is disciplined affair, we were allowed first to leave, the sailors and some bikers wished us luck, we decided to do some mandatory stretching before embarking on the journey (I do 100 surya-namaskars daily, this had helped me tremendously while cycling with least body pains and aches)

NOTES-

A. I for one find the Decathlon BIB shorts best buy, the suspenders ensure the shorts don’t go dancing on own, they are not itchy and easily washable and dryable, even after multiple machine washes you don’t see textile breaking or the elasticity deficit. I am personally not comfortable with gel seat cushion covers, they tend to make you slip continually and cycle brands do put some thought in seat design and comforts so bike with right frame proportions, properly set handle bar + seat height does the trick for ensuring long and comfortable ride. On shirts I wear any bright shirt.

B. We are not that seasoned on puncture cure even after having cycled more than 3k kms over last three years, we do carry Patches and araldite which just does a temporary fix.

C. Panniers are helpful they distribute weight of luggage correctly, we haven’t ventured in that area sadly.

E. We are Ray-ban folks’ period.

F. Training and otherwise burning extremely high calories was routine, the tasks were designed in that manner and due care was taken to ensure nutrition then onwards was sufficient, but like then even today what works for us is Tea with sugar, Bananas, Parle G biscuits and Glucon C with sufficient water.

Day 1 – Mandwa – Revdanda (53kms)

Very simple ride, 95% straight road with a few climbs between Revdanda and Kashid, the sun lord was all smiling, we expected some rain but heat and humidity was it its peak, this did slow us down as we belonged to the dry state and our main cycle runs are in hills.

Lots of eateries along, Maharashtra has one very special dish that is to my liking, ‘Shrikhand’, I can polish minimum 4 to 5 bowls without raising an eyebrow, I was hunting for it but somehow wasn’t available on this route, Vice had gotten it prepared specially for me so once at his home I polished 75% of the dish in minutes.

Google maps took us through a bypass road which saved time, the roads were empty to truck and heavy vehicle traffic so riding was easy, lots of bikers and holiday goers gave us a thumbs up from their comforts an elderly couple in a 118NE stopped to check on us, the Parsi gentleman was all appreciating our cycles, turned out he was a cyclist too, said he had cycled from France to Italy!!! Trust someday such posh holidays grace us mortals too.

Once we crossed the Revdanda village the ocean was visible, albeit till one reaches Kashid there is no beach per say, there are just rocks all around, the road conditions barring a 100 meters stretch was extremely well paved. We enjoyed cycling thoroughly; it took us roughly 3 hours and 27 minutes.

Kashid beach is clean, tourist traffic is thin and not unruly, again not in likes of South Goa beaches but nevertheless it’s a must visit if one comes to this part of Maharashtra.

Our host had built an amazing do, he kept a suite for himself and had converted the rest for guests, as is with Naval guys he set a very nice table, he also came eloquently dressed v/s us in god knows what kind of attire is this clothes

PS – Our host was a thorough biker, a die-hard Harley aficionado who owned a Fat Bob and a X440, I asked why the X440 and he said to go around fetching supplies and running errands!!! Only if the guys at Harley could see Vice and Friday on X440 returning from the village market with vegetables hooked to the handlebar in pajama equivalents!!!

*Vice stands for Vice Admiral and Friday was his Man Friday but I missed his name so Friday it is*

Day 2 – Revdanda – Diveagar (61kms)

We started early as forecast prediction was little scope for rain, roads again are extremely well paved, some climbs takes one to coastal town of Murud, its famous for the Murud Janjira fort which now remains in shambles, we cycled bit better then day 1 as traffic was even thinner in the in-roads, being a working day again there was not much vehicular activity, we crossed dense forest paths, and then the sight was eye beholding as one way it were lush green hillocks and resounding ocean on other, we took roughly 3 hours and 40 minutes to reach.

Vice had advised one ‘Patil Khanaval (eatery)’ to my fish-eating mates, they polished fish that would even put a cat to shame, I was left with a few vegetarian options and surprisingly there was homemade Shrikhand which again I polished shamelessly.

Post lunch we set off to Agardanda, a small ferry takes you to Dighi on other side, its s very easy affair and unlike the Mumbai Mandwa ferry this is a Lilliput version which accommodates a few cars and bikes, from Dighi we cycled to Diveagar, we were put up by Vice in one of his mates do, it was a rustic B&B, again the hosts had converted their ancestral house into a B&B keeping some portion for themselves, we cleaned our cycles with warm water as some mud had gotten into when we went on the beach, oiled the chain and went to the beach for some quite time, again like Kashid the beach is quite and with reasonable tourist traffic, not that unruly as well.

Day 3 – Diveagar – Guhagar (100kms)

We started very early, our hosts packed us breakfast, apart from street dogs hounding for our flesh as we disturbed their peaceful sleep there was no one on the roads till sun came out, today we had an interesting route, our host had penned it, we were to see sunrise at Shrivardhan beach, then halt again at Harihareshwar beach and then stop at Dapoli for lunch continuing to Guhaghar for night cap. If things went well we would be reaching Guhaghar by sundown, 100kms per say isn’t an asking for us but doing it in heat and humidity is a task.

The road is scenic, traffic was at its minimal, sun lord came pounding hard later but by now we had become good friends, Tiny was leading the way singing songs, I never cycle with ear pods but today I did coz even with guzzling wind and tormenting heat I could hear his horrible voice killing one song over another.

Guhaghar is a solemn sleepy town, something more of a village which had become a town thanks to steady tourist influx, almost every home was converted to a B&B, this model is fine as it generates extra income, however I didn't see much in terms of infrastructure development, for example didn't see a single good hospital which I assumed must be a necessity!!

That said coastal Maharashtra and it's beaches are way clean than one's in Goa barring the South Goa one's, we were told the roads ahead that lead to Ganpatipule and it's beach were on even better side of scenery and cleanliness, however owing to paucity of time we couldn't make it there, someday I will definitely go as my wife and kid are crazy over Alphonso Mangoes!!

PS – we were on family vacation to Mauritius, till then my daughter knew something about my job but whenever asked ‘what does your dad do for a living’, she’d say ‘he’s a paratrooper’, this time she wanted to see first-hand what this all parachuting business was and at one place we had this para gliding activity which I signed her up for, she went up did some time up came down and said to me “if that’s what you do for a living I wonder what all this drama is, it’s so easy”

Day 4 -Guhagar to Mandwa (200 kms vehicle and remaining 50 kms by vehicle)

Vice had made a vehicle arrangement that would take us to Mandwa jetty by road so that we could get the 7pm ferry to Mumbai, he had gotten a 9-seater tempo traveller which gobbled us and our cycles in entirety, we started 4am ish, plan was to cycle some part that day which was possible to ensure we reached in time for the evening ferry. Roughly the journey was 250kms, our plan was to cycle at least from Revdanda to Mandwa which would be 50 odd kms.

Guhaghar to Revdanda was approx. 6 hours of road journey considering the local ferry and some pit stops to catch on photography which we missed cycling, so we started by 7am, slept almost entire journey so in buckets went the photography breaks.

It was 3ish when we started to cycle from Revdanda, plan was to reach Mandwa by 6:30 assuming same time as we had taken to reach on day 1, however we didn’t account for heat and humidity and eventually made it into the ferry in nick of time.

At 3pm the sun was blazing in full glory, we had cycled decent downhill on day 1 which now was all uphill, humidity was not helping, riding for long over last 4 days had seeped fatigue, I recollect when we cycled in NE sometimes a bare minimum distance of 3 kms took an hour, now history was repeating itself and we had learned nothing, ideally we should have cycled early morning and then done the road part.

We reached in nick of time to be honest, super tired and drained, years ago we had been part of so many ventures where we returned in safe zone in nick of time, these kind of thoughts do jog in memory, the only thing common to do then and now is have a chilled 'Mango Frooti', it's 'Fresh and Juicy', but maybe some taste has changed !!

Thus ended our simple cyclegoue across some part of Coastal Maharashtra, had the weather not been so harsh this was a splendid venture, maybe soon i will return to finish Ganpatipule and then cycle across Konkan coast to reach Goa, hopefully this year and maybe something around Xmas time.

Ganpati Darshan in Mumbai (I refrain from explaining the history of the Pandals and the festival as its well documented)

I was admiring the mighty ocean from porch with Vice when suddenly he went into ‘Pope’ mode, started checking on vanished part of my ear, further checking on wounds that adored my forearms, then on the scars that visibly adorned my neck and said “every bullet has a name on it , you are product of god’s benevolence, visit the Lalbaug Ganpati this year”, he said nothing after that.

Every posting I went in three decades of uniformed service started with obeisance to almighty, it didn’t make any difference which idol was being worshipped It had to be done, there is a good reason for the same and one would never understand till situations go south, years of training and special training and experience takes one from point A to Y, but the journey from Y to Z which gets you and your team home safely is all almighty’s benevolence, even if that doesn’t happen the learning from it is a part of almighty’s benevolence, I had first-hand experiences of this many a times.

Paying obeisance to almighty might not always have same reasons as above, but the glimmer of hope it provides is all that matters.

HOWEVER, at Lalbaug pandal matters were far from expectations, it was just different. I reached Mumbai on Saturday and we decided to go there on Sunday morning expecting some respite from swelling crowds, however that was not to be so, Mumbai crowds throng Ganpati pandals but I couldn’t help notice much of them came for optics, clicked pics, clicked selfies and passed along, the real sense of being affront of almighty seemed missing, the crowd management is another story, I understand how tough it is for local administration otherwise thin with resources but they literally pushed people to the exit even before one could fold his hands !! the purpose for visit was heavily diluted. People who believe in almighty’s benevolence would find this experience very superficial.

However, the idol is eyes beholding, the decoration is splendid, standing affront, the magnificent idol made me humbled. I would definitely come visiting it every year albeit I have my own reasons for discomfort on the crowd mentality.

I wish I could write more but in 70 minutes all I managed was getting tossed in swelling crowd, playing with a tiny toddler of the person affront crying continually owing to excessive heat and humidity and then getting pushed to the exit by cops.

PS – Needless to say some VIP’s always seem to get the special touch, that I don’t understand or appreciate, VIP’s in India need to understand their time is as precious as the common man’s, almighty doesn’t give blessing in hierarchy of wealth and status.

We visited other pandals where crowd management was far better, hoards of volunteers were managing the show professionally with proper leadership in picture, the manifestation of his lordship was again eyes beholding, every idol was unique, every theme was unique and I couldn’t help wondering what amazing artistry would have gone in making it all happen and making it all stay intact for 11 days, its ode to the mastery of sculptors, they and the local volunteers need to be felicitated in all trueness.

PS- we left the pandals and as it was fairly crowded I asked my wife to stick by my side, I might have walked a few steps in thoughts of my own only to check my wife was still behind, she was petting a stray cat seated on a motorcycle, my wife even at home doesn't do this with our kittens. Even a simple act of kindness is a product of almighty's benevolence. One doesn't need to shower his lordship with gold crown worth millions.

The Curious Case of a Folding cycle

As I made my way to my sisters apartment I saw a folding cycle in the corridor, belonged to their neighbor, now I seen the Brompton and Decathlon folding cycles and a few more Chinese ones when in Japan but nothing like this one, I ridden them too and feels like you on an ostrich but the folding cycle here seemed different.

I am well known and a mini celebrity at my sisters though treated as an average Joe back home so Mr neighbor was quite interested to explain his folding cycle, he worked in an area where parking was a sucker, so he got this cycle which sat in the boot of his car which he parked in a designated pay and park and then from there to office and back he cycled, this saved him time and gave a good 6 odd kms of daily cycling workout, I was intrigued, this could be the solution to my cycle packing apathies so requested a test run which he obliged.

Now the folding mechanism is quite simple and easy, pedals folding is not a novel concept but handlebars folding was first time for me, once unfolded and all bolted riding the cycle was like riding any other Hybrid, it had all the paraphernalia of a hybrid, it didn’t squeak when put through some potholes, it did decent on bad tarmac as easy on good one, it went uphill sans a task and once folded the beauty is such that it can be pulled on its wheels less any effort, the seat doesn’t touch the ground and no need to lift it up all the time. It sat snug is his Harrier as much as it did in his wife’s Wagon R and even in my sister’s Swift.

and it’s a fantastic one at that, I will most definitely order one once home and this indeed solves so much of my travel woes. Never thought the trip would end in such amazing manner.

** Hornback brand is a venture by two IITians , it's website has all details, I am told they deliver the cycle all assembled, they also designate a service technician if need be**

Some pointers from my side

1. Cycling if to be done for health benefits or touring is a serious business so cycle make to be considered should match with requirements, MTBS’ are comfortable but slow, Hybrids are excellent for city scapes, Road cycles don’t go well on bad roads and Gravels are expensive. Agreed one sees people on regular Atlas cycle doing long runs but that is necessity and affordability.

2. Established brands do put a product after sufficient research, hence if a cycle is selected in correct dimensions, fatigue on account of product will be minimal; if it comes it would be result of less stamina, improper diet, wrong clothing and lack of practice.

3. Smooth cycling in India is proportionate to weather more than anything else, we cycled 3k kms from Himachal to Rajasthan in winter when weather was conducive, cycling similar distance in NE was way tougher owing to high humidity.

4. Folding cycles and E Bikes are for convenience, they should be considered likewise, I have seen the E MTB from Trek and it’s another world product but it is aimed for specific genre of riders, in general sense the above cycles should have a great future as our cities are getting messier with traffic and general awareness on pollution harm increases.

Would I go for a Folding cycle?

1. Nope, for me cycling isn’t related to convenience, I cycle as I find it proportional to health benefits, I do long tours as it in engrossing business and either cannot be done with a folding cycle which is product of convenience

2. Doesn’t convenience matter? It does in places where you can’t stop a rickshaw or where there is no Uber or where public transportation is invisible, in India we have that in abundance, quality of same is questionable no doubt but let’s see a condition I do get a folding bike which I happily put in boot of my car but I still need to drive my car to the place from where I intend to cycle, then I need to park my car. It’s too many variables.

3. A folding cycle in India’s public transportation will still be a headache; I read even in Metros there are dedicated time slots to carry a cycle.

4. The tech is easy but if it were I ask why haven’t established brands done more on it. (an acquaintance got an Omo Hybrid albeit my reservations, at same cost of an established brand like Firefox that it cost has given him nothing more than headaches owing to sad customer service)

5. I have personally been incapable of packing my cycle to airline specs, others have mastered it.

Would I go for a E Bike (This is another mode that I stumbled upon, I have done some riding on it as well)

1. Nope as point 1 above remains same

2. A good cycle should weigh between 10-12kgs, an E Bike with battery will be say 14-15kgs, now the argument is how does that extra weight matter we get the electric power as substitute, in situations when the battery has run dry and an incline is on anvil that extra weight does a world of difference, it causes unnecessary strain on health which defeats the purpose of cycling.

3. I did see many E Cycles (majorly with detachable batteries) in Japan, people parking them sans any worry, we at home haven’t reached that ‘Zen’ mentality as yet, I double lock my gravel even today and even put a tag on it.

4. Hero Lectro website has a dozen of models, visit any dealer in even tier 1 cities and metros maximum variants they will have in stock won’t be more then 3 or 4, and they get into pushing inventory, quiz on after sales service and standard reply is “Hero hain, manage hoga’. Gets me worried.

5. E-Motorad adverts I saw a lot and tested their E bikes, as a product they are well put then Hero, being a new brand, they will have better service and maybe give better margins to distributors who keep pushing them over Hero Lectro, question is what if E-Motorad goes Tork motors way, Tork had Bharat Forge as a promoter. (I am not saying it will, but I worry)

6. A good mate of mine down under became mayor of his town, he started niche ideas like ‘No cars Thursday’s’, ‘E bike Friday’s, and what not, gained him popularity to re run, won him votes till manufacturers saw business, suddenly E bikes got costly, spares were being sold at premium and a cycling t shirt which came at a penny costed a dollar. That’s how economy works.

7. In India my experience says convenience cycling months where one picks his cycle to go to work or place of study are 4, ROI of E cycles will run long, working professionals can cough more to get E scooters or bikes as they get additional pillion rides, more storage and better run range. Students will cough less for a hybrid which in city traffic is as convenient as an E-cycle.

That said I truly appreciate Hornback as much as E-Motorad, they thought something different, time will tell how much success comes their way and IF I was a convenience seeking cyclist I would have definitely chosen both, an E-Cycle for city runs and a folding cycle to take for leisure as both of them put together would have costed me less than a proper Gravel cycle.

Now I need to really get confident on dismantling and mantling my cycle to make it product of convenience.

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