Journeys Explored

Tuesday, January 04, 2011 | Posted by Ankur

1-1.1.11? What's this number crunching all about?
May I ask you to trigger those mathematical tit-bits you learnt back in school days? No not much though! :) Well, before you are really bugged with all 1's-0's & symbols, let me go straight...

As 2010 evolved over into 2011...

• On the very new day 1.1.11 of 11 year of this century,
• I thought of Bidding Adieu to the Strong year & the Happening Decade ending on the Last Day -31st of Dec,
• Pitching my 1st Strong Run on 1.1.11
• Running exactly 11111k(binary equivalent of 31). Yes, its 31kms!

"Running at places makes you go places...!" I don't know how, but it indeed does whether literally or otherwise! No wonder I have loved running on diverse terrains involving different challenges! And why not, all the runs at places be it -Auroville, Goa, Pune or now Mahabaleshwar - have left out colorful & unique memories coupled up with wonderful learnings! Reminds me of Ignite presentation "Travelling the Different Way" that I gave in Feb'10! Lived it somewhat...!:)


Looking exactly an year ago, I did the Strawberry Ride around the same time last new year and carrying on with the tradition, I thought why not jolt out a Strawberry Run this time! So, here it was the run from Panchgani to Mahabaleshwar and back to Pachgani, a total of around 31kms!

I & Sushil, a seasoned runner, started off the run around quarter to 10 after reaching Panchgani the same early morning on motorbike! Only thing I'd like to say about motorbike ride- it was freaking 'CHILLING-COLD' that morning & all I remember is my glove-less hands were Numb holding the straight bars of motorbike! 


Eventually after reaching Panchgani, we started off the run a little ahead from the main market at 9:52:15 am, keeping little targets mapped at Mapro, then Venna Lake. The road runs through the continuous tree canopy. Thereby, despite starting quite late, heat didn't really bother much. After negotiating a couple of climbs, we passed through the point of Mapro Garden, a popular strawberry resort, by 10:35:30. Tourist season being at peak, traffic was really heavy! Running down under a speedy SUV could have been a probable sight but given that we took up right side running alike right side driving of Europe, we gave ourselves more chances! ;) The straight route with umpteenth no. of gradual climbs & slopes goes on until the climax uphill just prior to Venna lake. Had chucked up 16kms  in around quarter to 3 hours by then. Given the tourist season, lakeside had turned out to be another chowpatty with loads of food stalls apart from regular boating. Realizing the shortage of drinking water, we made a quick water purchase & started off the back journey to Panchgani.


Though the route was same all throughout while running back to Panchgani, parameters were turning fatal. Noon Sun being at head, it's always a task! Further on with the day progressing on, tourists had started pouring heavily giving rise to hefty traffic & little space to run. Plus, as per my 21k experience, I'd never really felt any need for enough energy bars but for that day esp post 25km! May be couple more of those might have helped! Though we carried on the run, my strides reduced minimal to the extent that walking could have been faster.Considering Mbai full marathon 2 weeks from then, I deliberately eased the run rather than exerting much. Finally after a grind of 4 hrs my first strong run of 1.1.11 got a (period).


Well, talking about 0's - 1's, I m again stranded on the theory of 1's & 0's! Say white or black, say full or empty, say audible or mute! Wonder whether any characteristic is a variant of just two extremes or simply one of the varieties of different extremes ?? Leaving you all to ponder on... and add on to your platter...


W1SH1N9 Y0U A11 A H1GH N0T3 F0R TH3 SP3C1A1 Y3AR 0F 2011.... :D

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Friday, December 24, 2010 | Posted by Ankur

► ►Moving ahead Ups n Downs,

~~~~ With the Calm sea Waters by the Side,

And Cheery birds by the Fresh morning skies,

>>>> Ran Ahead I.......

♪♪  ♫ Spicing with wonder Goan musik,

~~~~ With fabulous flavor of support,

Taste of 21 was nothing less than a curry!

♣ ♣   Was it really just a run,

☼ ☼ Wonder I wonder...

-wrote while travelling back from one & only one Goa of India completing Goa River Half Marathon!!!

With a couple of other engagements and constraints hovering all around, giving Goa River Marathon a miss was all on my mind. But do you really it's that easy? Or rather not going would have helped me any better..No..straight NO..reason being a year is too long a time for me to wait for such an exclusive running event in "Goa" ! Yielding to temptation was the only way to get past it, I realized! :O So, there I got registered for Goa River Marathon on the last day.

While Sri & Meena had reached a day earlier, I joined them up later. We settled up in Margao before actually venturing out. Although I was all abuzz about the happenings & places-to-visit in Goa- all thanks to our friends & fellow passengers I met en-journey, we didn't really cram out any exhaustive plan whatsoever. After collecting the marathon bibs & tee at Vasco, we then ventured over to Majorda! Do I need to mention anything beyond,,,Goa & its beaches...Woaahh! Goa is such a lively and colorful place that it can make the saddest of saddest alive to dance to its tunes(pun intended)! Went on ahead to Colva beach  and snapped a deal of  200/- per head for short round of parasailing. Further on realizing the time and preparations required for next day marathon, we dropped down the plan for Paloleum beach, another beach off south. Finally after a day abuzzed with Goan flavor, we were back to the rest place in Margao. A curd rice and there the pre-marathon-desi-dinner was checked! Enough Carbo-loading, I guess!:O Don't know but when there seems not much option, curd rice is the safest bet! With all the jerseys, bibs, shorts and shoes and time-chips all around, the exciting & enthusiastic fever of marathon was already picking up that night!:)

After whole lots of preparation, riding as early as 5, we drove through pitch dark chilly winter-y mornings of Goa all the way to marathon start point! The day was 19^th Dec, Goa Liberation Day! Starting point being at Baina beach, the cool breeze all the way from the Arabian Sea, welcomed the enthusiastic runners from almost all the major cities of India. Well, why would one miss running at Goa in the month of Dec?! I wonder!! Runners - Pros & Amateurs alike  (around 200 participated for half marathon event) could be seen stretching & warming up just by the backyard of beach surrounded by bunch of coconut trees. Well, after having my traditional date-feast (khajoor!), I was all set..!!!

An early morning start, cool breeze, birds chirping around, low humidity levels, lovely music bands, ever so enthusiastic volunteers & last but not the least flock of energetic runners summed up for an awesome start to the half marathon! Well, if the start point, being the beach, was so captivating, wonder how the route would be? From Baina beach onwards, all along the Zuari River, went on the route. For the first couple of miles, run went on all through the otherwise sleepy town of Mormugoa. Further on,  a couple of climbs and descends added to the flavor of route while Zurari river made up a for lovely viewpoint all along the left side. As for 21k, we were supposed to do 10.5k forward and then back 10.5k to the initial position. So, every climb was a slope turned on the back journey! Though my start went out a little slow, I picked the pace post 10k, possibly because I didnt really warm-up initially. 


As for the support, Mobile Toilet booths were placed at couple of locations while water stations were put up every 3 km or so. Kudos for organizing such a wonderful event to RunnerforLife team. And Goan folks for making it so special for us even on a rather lazy Sunday morning!


Eventually, I got my personal best performance till date of 1:58:09 for 21k. Really felt good to have achieved sub-2 goal.

Further on, we went around to Don Paula beach thats closer to Panaji. Met a friend from Ladakh tour before it was time to return my rented bike & resign back home!

I bid adieu to this lively & colorful Goa only on a note to myself that I'll be back soon......very soon!!!:)

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Monday, November 22, 2010 | Posted by Ankur

“कितने आदमी थे? “, Echoed...                                                                                      “सरकार, दो...”, a reply bounced from other end! 

The first voice hammers back,” दोoo..  *%$%* वो दो और तुम तीeeन .....” 

As I stepped ahead, another aroar happens “तेरा क्या होगा कालिया?”.                              Pondering what's happening around, I turned back a little before hearing another rather gentlemanly angry cry from behind, 
” रामगढवालो ने पागल कुत्तो के सामने रोटी डालना बंद कर दिया है”
                        

What’s happening? What does this mean? Where am I? Who are they? Have I lost my mind? You must be wondering- I’ve gone nuts! Well, for those of you little aware of India might have got an idea.. Yeaa! You got it right, all of you Bollywood craziers! This is indeed coming from one of the legendary Indian films, SHOLAY (1975)! The flick’s so popular with masses that its dialogues have become common place with junta. But why are we talking about it? And for what reasons here at travelogue?

Well, I'm talking about the 'very' land where Gabbars, Sambhas & Kaliyas of Sholay enacted their ḍacoit-ic stories - "Ramgarh" or say Ramadevrabetta in Ramanagaram. Apart from Bollywood angle, this region, which consists of several granite rocks, caters to the growing breed of short rock climbers. Moreover, it is believed to separate two distinct crustal blocks of Archaean age, giving it a geological importance too.

Getting on to this exotic place had its own exotic twists and turns in story. Having a weekend at our hands, I and my friends planned over a journey towards Mysore! Well, there’s a catch...it was supposed to be budgeted!- watch out for smallest budget algorithm, do we have anything like Dijkstra's or Bellman-Ford’s? Hehe.. No wonder, we were supposed to frequently change vehicles gauging the weight of wallets, eat & drink cane juices, navigate around, learn & innovate our strategy moment by moment, thereby plan out for next move & move ahead ...may I term it dynamic  travelling!;-)

Will we reach in time?  

Will we get right accommodation?

Will we see all places on checklist?

Will we get enough & nice food?

Will we have fun??

None of the above really mattered but for last one! :)

So, here we, three friends, started from Bengaluru, towards Mysore (the destination; ya I know it’s so not humane to be vaga-bond in society and travel to where...where??? We need some vague place atleast...naah?!) Eventually after a bus ride, a walk of around 4-5 kms, then matador ride, we reached a sub-urban railway station of Nayanda Halli. While whiling away at railway station, we got to know of a place called Ramanagaram, where Sholay was shot, enroute Mysore. Finally boarded a dhannu (read:local train) for Mysore! Clock was ticking hard, while the train was barely cruising and to add on, darkness was just paving its way through the evening.  By the time we would have reached Mysore, city might have slept and as we are, always short on time, we didn't really had next day in our hands. Adding to that, may be it was our beloved Gabbar's call that made us drop off at little station of Ramanagaram without having any second thoughts!

Without anymore thoughts we took a rick to 'THE' Place, but as it turned out it was pretty dark and we could barely wander around. Fun element was somehow catching up but never did I realize until I was back! Whether to head ahead to Mysore or go back to Blore, was the question! But picture अभी बाकी था दोस्त! :) Gradually, after having sumptuous dinner, we decided to stay on, क्या करे गब्बर ने जो जाने न दिया! :) 

With a pure dawn up next day, we were at Ramgarh (Ramadevera betta) again! Our date with Granite rocks of Ramgarh went out smooth. As if Lost in a fairy tale, with the wonderful panoramic views all around, we were moving ahead aimlessly just trying to find mysterious.. what? ( i wonder... wonderland). No doubt the rocks are the true beauty! If only I could relate, it looks distantly similar to Macchau Picchu (though I haven’t been there yet!). You may also spot a temple of Lord Ram uphill.

Moreover for you, future travellers, starting August'11, Resort & Spa, conceptualized on the lines of movie Sholay across 6.6 acres of rocky terrain, is starting up! Those of you who want to re-live the movie magic with the likes of Gabbar, Thakurs, Basantis must take a note! For adventure freaks, try going in for a climbing session; there are couple of clubs ready to take you onto the rocks!

Re-living the Sholay, getting lost amidst a fairy tale, and livin a Vaga-traveller, what more can I ask for a weekend?! 

Quick Facts:

Transport:

Bengaluru-Ramanagaram: 

- 45kms(1 hr by road) OR

- Board a train going to Mysore & drop off at Ramanagaram

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