Par for the Course

Today was my fourth ride as part of the Gurgaon Cycling Group. So I should now qualify as a regular rider and be able to get by hands on one the uber-exclusive T-shirts that the group is in the process of designing and procuring. 

I think this ride was bit different from the last three since we mostly stayed on very small country roads, dirt tracks and sandy tractor lanes crossing some wonderful rural scenery and charming villages. Mostly importantly, once we got off the highway we were exposed to almost no traffic except the occasional tractor and tanga and closely followed a route drawn out using Google Maps.

Akshay, Prabhat and I met up on Sohna Road at the round-about at Uniworld Gardens. When no one else showed up, we started to phone people. First of all we called Carl who answered the phone in a very groggy state, clearly still tucked in bed. Next I got a call from Jacob, in an equally groggy state, apologizing that he would not be able to make it (clearly he had not had his magic potion the night before).  We also tried calling Vicky, who had probably put his phone on silent, so the three of us eventually started off taking the NH8 to Manesar.

Riding on the highway is never very comfortable. Sleep deprived truckers and hungover cab drivers racing to Jaipur means that you have to cycle defensively. However the pleasure of not paying at the toll gate is some compensation for the hair raising experience of a 30 ton dumper truck, air horn full blast, come tearing past you from behind.

We turned off the highway just before McDonalds, ensuring that we were not enticed into a burger breakfast once again - however, greater pleasures lay ahead. From here we closely followed the map and the GPS on my phone to get onto a 3.5 km dirt track that would take us, slipping and sliding, towards our refueling pit-stop. 

This stretch with its rocky inclines, sandy straights, and mud allowed me to finally put my “all terrain bikes” to full use. On the way we crossed a few villages, some beautiful scenery of fields being ploughed, had to get off the path to make way for a truck that just about fit on the track, overtook a noisy tractor, and turned a blind corner to find a rather surprised looking horse pulling an amused looking tanga driver.

Eventually we got back onto the tarmac and raced towards the Golden Greens Golf Resort. Riding confidently to the club house Prabhat used his charm to get them allow us into their restaurant. 

Most of the cycling group will agree that this is clearly a move in the wrong direction. I mean graduating from chai and glucose biscuits, to samosas and jalebis, to fillet of fish and happy meals at McDonalds, and now to the breakfast at the club house goes against the rough and tumble, outward bound nature of mountain biking. But what the heck, after all it was the only place to get anything to eat or drink for miles around.

Refueled, we took the narrow road that headed back to Badshahpur and Sohna Road. On the way we crossed the aptly named village of Darbaripur, with its palatial houses, all with the standard hooka on their front verandahs, and prized tractors parked in garages and SUVs lined up in the front yard.  The final stretch home was as usual the most painful, not just because I was tired but also because this ride had probably been more about the journey and less about the destination.  

Here are some more pictures from the ride

Akshay with donkey

Prabhat slipping and sliding on the sand

The stone quarry we passed on the way

Lots of fluids