Last year, 100 cyclists rode 1,000 km through the Western Ghats, crossing three states in the Tour of Nilgiris.
The mother of all cycling tours is back and this time around, it’s set to be even tougher. Bengaluru’s cycling enthusiasts reminisce about the picturesque ride and tell us how they are preparing for this year’s tour through the Blue Mountains.
Entrepreneur Sameer Shisodia, who participated in TFN ‘10, says, “It was an eight-day ride covering Coorg, Wayanad and Nilgiris. These are places I’ve been to many times but the journey is totally different when you’re on a bike. You feel every bend in the road, every climb and descent.”
Though it can be challenging sometimes, he feels, it’s the camaraderie between the cyclists that makes it special.
“Riding in TFN opened my eyes to the beauty of our country,” says Yogesh Rao, a product manager at Yahoo. He adds that it’s not only for hardcore cyclists, but anyone who is comfortable on the saddle.
“My favourite stretch was the Ooty-Kalpetta ride, a distance of about 90 km. It was a ride through never-ending tea gardens. The road was great, the air smelled of eucalyptus and tea, and often we would stop and look as a cloud touched the ground,” he recalls.
This year, the tour will cover a distance of 860 km over seven stages. Participant Arun D’Silva, who runs a retail consulting firm says, “I have been preparing for two months, riding at least 500 km a week. I’m hoping to finish in the top 15, though there are no prizes for that. ”
First time TFNer Col Aparjeet Nakai is also looking forward to the ride. “When I heard about TFN I got on a cycle after 20 years. I’m a history buff and now I will be able to take in the sights along the way,” he says.
TFN 2011 takes place from December 16 to 23.
