Day 4: Record!
13 Dec 2013 | Bangalore to Tiptur - 154km
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I make my way out of the megalopolis with the early lights, long before the traffic jams come. And back to the motorway up to Tumkur. I have my first puncture after 35km, and as it is quite early, I have to wait an hour and a half for the shop to open, and get it fixed.
For the story about my bike, it is a very old Indian bike that I bought for 1500Rs (less than 20€) in Pondicherry a month and half ago for going around Auroville. It had a couple of punctures and breakdowns all that time but served me well. It's while getting the last puncture fixed -which had been going on for a couple of weeks- that I think about taking it with me, I have a front basket installed at the same time and will think about it. The following day I take it to Pondy in the hope of finding cycle bags, but my best find is to wait until 4pm, when the fishermen are back, to have some made. So finally I buy a moped's box and go to the welding shop to attach it somehow. The rest of the modification and maintenance will be made on the way. Here is no need to carry tools or equipment: there are cycle shops almost every kilometer, and having a puncture fixed costs between 10 and 20 rupees (0.15€).
I reach Tumkur around noon, from there I have the choice to continue on the motorway up to Hubli, which is next to Goa, or to turn direction Shivamoga and enter Goa through Karwar, following the coast, which is quite a longer way. My choice is already made: go for the long way and ditch the motorway!
The ride is easy today, all that going up before Bangalore is now going down. So I just sit on my cycle and enjoy the landscape. The night comes just after Tiptur, I have completed a 154km record today!