Tag: 600 BRM

The fifteen-puncture ride – My second Super Randonneur  title 

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Our friends from WCCG madipakkam chapter came for send-off. On Friday evening we started the ride from JBC-velachery. The route was through our familiar medavakkam-mambakkam route. Srihari and I started with good speed and progressing well. WE were aiming to reach Chengalpattu using the day light, otherwise becomes dark. Reached the first check point ICICI bank ATM at Chengalpattu in 2 hours. It was 6:30 pm by then. We rode till 7:00 PM and had a juice break and ended up with badam milk. Again, started and continued till 7:50 PM and took a break ending with nannari  sarbath. Till then everything was going fine. We have covered almost 80 kms 3 hours’ time. 

Testing time begins- Puncture no 1 

At 8:35 PM had the first puncture in the front tube. Immediately replaced the tube and commenced our ride. Posted in whatsapp group and had funny comments. We were enjoying the comments without knowing about the future. 

Puncture for my co-rider: Within next 20 minutes my co-rider srihari’s tyre hit flat. We fixed the puncture but could not remove a small metal particle from the tyre as it was in the same colour as the tyre. We could feel it but could not even estimate the size and location. After much trying the metal particle was not there. We do not know if it still was there in the tyre. Since this puncture was not for me, I am not including in the count. 

Puncture no 2 

By 10:15 PM we have reached 120 kms with one puncture in the bag for each of us. We had our dinner. Chappatis and dosai and omlettes. At 146 kms, the next puncture happened. It was Day-2 00:00 hrs. Still, we were mentally strong. Srihari was having fun taking pictures and posting in group. We were getting advice from our friends in whatsapp group – check for liner misalignment, small nails etc in tyre. The tube which I replaced earlier was a used one with one puncture already fixed. It gave up on the same place where there was a patch. Now that the puncture cannot be fixed, and the tube cannot be used through the ride. I did not throw away the tube, hoping it can be fixed during daytime. 

Puncture no 3 to 7 (from 146 km to 200 km) 

We reached 173 kms at around 1:40 PM. After fourth puncture I asked my corider to proceed and wait at CP-2. He was hesitant. Finally persuaded him to go to CP-2. if having punctures at every 20 minutes was tough, now I am riding alone, and it took two hours for me to reach the next 5 kilometres. Yes, had four punctures in 5 kms. I could not fix the 5th, 6th and 7th puncture without water. Filled in air every half-a-kilometre and reached CP-2. It sounds easy to tell. Doing it at midnight without light and nobody around, it looked daunting. By the time I reached CP-2 my partner was shivering in cold. I have already consumed all four tubes which I brought as spares. Now onwards I must fix the puncture too as there is no replacement tube available, which is going to be even more time consuming and challenging. One good Samaritan Mr Dhananjeyan offered me spare tube, but I politely refused now and got it from him at 220 kms. 

If fixing the puncture was burning, not able to find the reason for the punctures was adding fuel to the fire. Everyone including me believed there is some fault which was unidentified. 

Events at CP-2 

Now I persuaded Srihari to proceed alone. After reaching the check point, got water from petrol bunk to fix puncture. Two of the tubes are showing no signs of puncture. One of the tubes holds air tightly and the other one drops pressure, but the location could not be found despite trying multiple times. Assuming it should be valve failure I stopped attempting further. Ithu ennada sothanai. For one more tube I fixed puncture and for another tube could not fix puncture as it was giving up at a place where patch was done earlier. Before leaving CP-2 I now have one spare tube. Innum ethanai puncture agumo theriyalaye. 

Puncture no 8 to 12(from 200 km to 225 km) 

By now replacing tubes and fixing puncture has become like a hobby. At 8th puncture I interchanged my front and rear tyres while replacing the tube. If really tyre is the issue, then the next puncture should be on the rear. I was hoping for a rear tyre flat. The 9th puncture was again in the front. Tyre must not be an issue. This time I fixed the puncture and interchanged both tyre and tubes. Time was running like wildfire, but I had to experiment to gain confidence. At least by eliminating the reasons one by one. It was too much risk to do such experiments when no one is left behind you in the event. I am already feeling sleepy and so didn’t carry out any experiments on 10th and 11th punctures. For puncture no 12, I borrowed a tube from Mr Dhananjeyan, after which there was none for next 8 hours. 

U-turn point 

Only bath and breakfast. No sleep. No rest. As simple as that to say. En kastam enakku than theriyum. 

Puncture no 13 

There was no puncture from 6:30 am to 3:15 pm on day 2. And then my rear tyre hit flat for the first time. It was easy to fix since the sun god was reflecting light for me. I also made ready one more spare tube by identifying the leakage point. Thanks to sun god. By now I have caught up with other riders and was going fine. 

Puncture no 14 

Before vandavasi turn after vikravandi, Arun came to meet me during the ride. Thanks Arun.

After successfully crossing  vandavasi  bad road stretch without puncture, exactly at around 3:00 am my front tyre hit flat gain. Replaced the spare tube and proceeded alone. No tea break, no water to drink, no rest, kept riding slow and steady after this. 

Puncture no 15 

While just 12 km away from reaching JBC, front tyre hit flat again. Borrowed a tube from Devson. Replaced it and reached JBC to complete my second 600 km ride. 

Thanks to people who came to receive me.

HIGHLIGHT: 

I came home and pumped air in the tubes. One tube is not showing any sign of puncture. Took it to a cycle shop and confirmed it. There was no puncture. Dot. Installed it in the front for experimenting and have ridden for 4 days (200 kms). Not even signs of pressure drop. It was the same tube which tortured me during the 600 BRM. Vidhi valiyathu. 

Thanks to organisers, madras randonneurs  for conducting this event. Thanks to corider’s . A big thanks to WCCG madipakkam chapter friends and Vinoth, arun and Vignesh, Karthik seenu for constantly following up with us. Thanks all for the motivation and support. 

ROADHAMMER-600 BRM   My first Super Randonneur title 

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Exactly two years ago on this day I completed my first 200 k brevet with my WCCG madipakkam chapter friends. Missed 300 k due to my cousin brothers death and completed 300 K at Pondicherry. Completed 400 k with our team again. My first attempt at 600 k ended in me and my friend quitting at 520 k unable to control sleep despite having sufficient time. After quitting from my maiden attempt at VPV-600 in mar-2020, within a week whole country was under lockdown due to covid-19 and all our practice came to halt including daily rides. My cycle was lying idle for six months time. Initially I dusted every week. Later spiders occupied and then for drying clothes etc., There was no lime light when brevet activities would resume and our fitness levels started dropping despite working out at home daily. I started gaining weight again. Looked out to others and started running inside home. My weight increased despite running 1000 kms in two months during jun-july. Even that too came to a halt during august. Hopes of completing SR within the year too kept distancing. However kept talking to SR aspirants and kept the hopes alive. For we would not repeat the mistake of quitting again. We endured the long wait during the covid-19 lockdown at its peak till august. Conducting brevet rides in india resumed from mid-september. By now we all are carrying extra packages around our waist. Trichy randonneurs  announced Auroville-600. However subsequently Madras Randonneurs announced Roadhammer-600, saving us from transportation and journey. 

Practice rides 

Started riding at the beginning of sep-2020 after a gap of six months. We assessed our fitness and found we can pull this off. Coupled with non-stop daily rides -thanks to WCCG madipakkam chapter friends for giving company in all daily rides. Completed 3000 k in sep-oct and slowly returning to normal rhythm. Did my first 100k in last week of sep-20 and one more 100 next week followed by 200k next week. 

Previous day Preparation 

We started hydrating one day prior to the ride start which helped a lot. Charged all our batteries, battery bank, packed all things required for the next day ride. A good night sleep followed by afternoon nap on ride day helped a lot during night ride on day-1. 

Ride experience 

Day-1 (4:30 PM to mid night) 

At start point, Just buy cycles

Seven riders commenced the ride from JBC Velachery at 4:30 pm on 30th oct. Four time SR Sudhakar sir sir took lead and I followed him leaving others behind. We stopped at 85 km for a small bite. Control point was only five km away. Rudhra caught up with us there and flying ahead of us. Again we overtook him and clocked 65 kms in next two hours. A coffee break at 140 km to refuel made me feel better. Sudhakar sir sir was carrying rice and having few spoons every half an hour. I haven’t planned that much for nutrition. A lesson I must take from this experience.  Speed increases once we fuel us with right food at right time.  

Sudhakar sir , me and the biriyani cover

Day-2 (midnight to next day midnight)- day of surprises 

 Reached second CP at 1:00 am exactly. We took photo and posted in the group. Soon the organisers responded- We are at CP-2 and where are you. It was a manned CP. Luckily we just read the message and went to A2B ullundurpet on the opposite side of road. Mr Prasanna was waiting fr us there. Had a delicious coffee again with some sweet bun. Refilled water. Took half an hour break. No one has joined us. So me and Sudhakar sir sir proceeded expecting to reach u-turn point by 6:00 am in the morning.  

We rode another 40 km. It was 4:20 in the morning. Had a meal top up and a coffee to keep awake and rested for a while. We were actually choreographing photograph of nap to post in group. Once done two of us started again. Hardly we could pedal. I know its not because of tiredness but due to the rising elevation after the perambalur. A consolidated 1000 m elevation is awaiting us in the next 60 km. Since it is about to dawn we were not feeling sleep also. Reached U-turn point at 7:30 am in the morning . A solid 6:30 hours for the third 100 k. There were no shops open even to refill water. However due to constant food recharge at night, helped in combating elevation without break. It was a rolling terrain , so the same climbs have to be done on return also.   

A small nap for 30 minutes, bath, breakfast(idli vadai), and then resumed the ride by 9:30 am. Just after two km saw rudhra toward check point. Told him over phone that u-turn is near and went ahead. No trees on the way even for a shade and a very hot day. Only sun god was testing us. Wind god didn’t help us nor test us. By 11:30 am we were at 355 km. Had an egg omlette, refilled water and proceeded again in the impartial hot sun right at 12:00 mid noon. Rode for another 1:30 hours. Found a hotel near ullundurpet. Had vegetarian meals instead of usual biriyani. 

My co-riders tube got punctured. Fixed it and then within 15 minutes tyre got burst. Replaced the tyre. The reason was liner had a twist and so we had to remove the liner. All memories of puncture did not haunt me. Quickly on to the wheels, we reached 400km at 4:42 pm. Had a quick food recharge at A2B ullundurpet . The break was for more than 30 minutes. Since we had sufficient time at our belt we could afford.  Another coffee break after vikravandi  toll at 7:30 helped in recharging a lot. By now karthos got fired up and moving steadily still 70 km behind us. At 10:15 had dinner at vasantha bhavan at 470 km. When we came out saw rudhra having juice. Three of us rode together to the next check point at Only coffee, silavattam.  

Day-3 

Around 12:45 we reached the CP. Still 80 km to go in 8 hours ,we decided to take a nap. A two hour sleep helped a lot. Started at 3:10 am in the morning, saddle soreness inflicted me. Took a coffee break near chengalpet and then slow ride since we have to see map and enquire at each turn, verify again. The route via kayar was very sceneic in the morning with mist, mountains and forest. Finally reached JBC-velacherry around 8:10 am in the morning with just a 20 minute gap and greeted by karuna , waiting for me at JBC. karthos reached by 8:30 with no spare time. No words to appreciate karthos who rode without sleep and alone for 500 km. A man of great mental strength and will power. Me karthos and rudhra got our first super randonneur . Sudhakar sir completed his fifth title. The moment we waited for eight months had finally come to fruition. 

Karthos

Lesson to learn – Under estimation of the route (elevation) 

Comparing the route with VPV-600 we assumed it is simpler. No loops. No headwinds. No bad roads. But still in for a surprise elevation twist. However much better than the ullundurpet stretch or the vandavasi stretch. The elevation at the last 60 kms was very deceptive and tricky. Literally no water for the last 30 odd kms. The route starts from JBC-velacherry and the through kayar leads to GST at Chengalpattu. From there straight to samayapuram toll at Trichy and return is same all the way. There were two CP on the way and two on return. Except the under-estimated elevation at the last 60 km everything was easy. 

Vidyasagar (myself)

Riding stats 

Distance: 616 km 

Elevation gain: 1904 m 

Moving time: 27:34 hours

Elapsed time: 39:40 hours

Avg speed: 22.3 kmph 

Max elevation: 143 m 

The finishers of 600 BRM

Thanks to organisers, madras randonneurs  for conducting  the event and helping us complete the SR. Thanks to coriders . A big thanks to WCCG madipakkam chapter friends and Vinoth, arun and Vignesh, Karthik seenu for constantly following up with us. Thanks all for the motivation and support. 

Its a late post just by two years. hahaha.