The number of cycling and water sport enthusiasts in the state is increasing day by day. So how about a marriage of these two activities? Before you raise your eyebrows, listen to what Arun Sebastian has to say. For the uninitiated, he is one of the founders of the Peddle and Paddle Club in Angamaly who has come up with a novel initiative. “Peddle refers to cycling and paddle refers to kayaking. From a health point of view, cycling is good for the lower torso and kayaking is good exercise for the upper torso.” Understandably Arun is passionate about both. The members of this club cycle up to Angamaly daily at the crack of dawn and for those who want to combine the sport of kayaking with cycling, the engineer-turned-entrepreneur has the perfect answer, “The Learn to Paddle is an initiative by the Club to teach the basics to novices and those passionate about the water sport. This is also done with an aim to popularise the sport.”
Kayaking enthusiasts get a chance to learn the challenging water sport at the Madhurapuram Bridge in Angamaly where the waters are cleaner and less shallow. Also this water is relatively free of water hyacinth. Arun prefers the early morning hours of 5.30 or the early evening hours to either cycle or kayak because as the hotter sun gets, the more are the chances of the participants tiring out. He claims to make a kayaker in an hour’s practice. The club makes use of the inflatable kayak as well as the rigid ones. Also on hand are special packages on special days for a couple to enjoy an unforgettable kayaking experience.
