Melukote 300 Km Brevet

January 20, 2019

This was my second Brevet, just a little longer by about 100 kms. than my first Brevet (200 kms.), but a totally different experience. Here we (80+) are at the start at Kantheerva Stadium on a chilly morning at 6:00 am.

The first few hours of the ride are the most pleasant of the ride. There is little traffic on the road and the kilometers keep ticking along on the odometer.

After about 4.5 hours, I reached the first control point outside a Coffee Day. Trek also takes a short break before we head south to Melukote.

After a few scenic sights of green sugar cane crops and lakes, disaster strikes at about 135 kms.

It began softly with the sound of the rear tyre on the road and before long the tyre was flat. As I wheeled the bike to a good location to change tubes, a bunch of pesky kids found a trapped rider and began pestering me with questions.

Wisely I took the bicycle to a tea shop and began the process of removing the tyre and replacing the old tube with a new tube. I had a few volunteer assistants at the tea shop who were friendly and curious, but not as annoying as the kids.

Finally, after about 20 minutes of fiddling around I got the extra tube on the rear tyre and inflated it with the portable pump. After fixing the flat, one guy insisted on a test ride. Finally, headed up to Melukote for lunch and some needed rest.

By 1:30 pm it was hot and the ride was getting harder. A good lunch of puliyogare and some refreshments was enough to get moving again.

I reached the third control point at Srirangapatna in good time. I was not looking forward to the remainder of the ride on Mysore road.

I slowly made my way back to Namma Bengaluru on Mysore road as the sun set and the buses went past -- some of them too close for comfort. Along the way went past Mandya, Maddur, and Ramanagara to reach Bengaluru around mid-night.